HT This Day: June 2, 1953 -- Mount Everest conquered at last | Latest News India | Times Of Ahmedabad
Mount Everest has been conquered, according to a copyright message published in ‘The Times’ today.
News of the successful bid of the British expedition in reaching the summit of Mt. Everest was given by announcers who broke into U.S. radio and television programmes today.
The news came as a graphic and welcome addition to the details of the Coronation which had been filling American newspapers for days.
Col. John Hunt, leader of the British Expedition, was believed to have planned the final assault on May 29 or 30.
Observers in Kathmandu had earlier thought that the expedition had again been thrown behind schedules as happened in the first abortive attempt.
Col. Hunt, leader of the expedition, had earlier reported failure of the first assault due to bad weather and snow.
Everest, the highest mountain in the world, is a peak of the Himalayas situated in Nepal. Its elevation is approximately 29,140 ft.
After a reconnaissance attempt in 1921, the first assault on the mountain was made in 1922. Brig.-Gen. C. G. Bruce was in command.
The second attempt was made in 1924. Brig.-Gen. Bruce was again in command.
Mallory and Irvine who, in 1924, reached an altitude of 28,230 feet, never returned to tell their tale.
The pre-1935 attempts were all from the north side and an altitude of about 28,000 feet was reached, after which a “yellow pass” presented a very steep and slippery approach, leading to a still more hazardous “black pass,” whose condition could not even be guessed with any measure of accuracy. Also. the route is subject to blizzards and almost impossible weather conditions. The west and south route, which was followed by the Swiss and the 1953 British expedition, is in an ice valley which is not only safe from strong winds, but also gets longer sunlight.