Lost On Everest: The Search for Mallory & Irvine
"Because it's there" the famous reply of George Mallory to a journalist asking him why he wanted to climb Everest. It was far from being an enigmatic quote, but nonetheless it has found its place in history as an immortal phrase that up to this day motivates mountaineers in conquering Mt.Everest.
"Lost on Everest: the search for Mallory and Irvine" relives the Everest expeditions composed mainly of British climbers who were members of the Alpine Club ( the oldest mountaineering club in the world ). It was an adventure that will cause the loss of lives beginning in the 1922 expedition where seven sherpas were swept away by an avalanche and the ill fated 1924 expedition that will take away the lives of Mallory and Irvine.
The book will show a clear picture of George Mallory as a person through various correspondence, personal letters he wrote even amidst those cold sleepless night in Everest, his childhood, his early knack for mountaineering, climbing at the Alps, all of these while working as an English teacher in between serving in World War I.
The death of George Mallory and Irvine will haunt the mountaineering world for decades, even when Sir Edmund Hillary and Tenzing Norgay finally became the first men to set foot on the world's highest place. Questions still abound as to whether George Mallory and Andrew Irvine were the first to reach the top of Everest.
The answers lies on George Mallory himself, in 1999 a BBC sponsored expedition to Everest sets out with one particular goal, which is to locate the body of George Mallory, buried under the cold snow slopes of Everest.
A mission set in motion as far back as 1975, when a Chinese climber told a Japanese member of another expedition, about seeing a dead body somewhere in the treacherous North Col of Everest, whom he was certain that it was English and wore old and tattered clothing. The very next day that Chinese Climber was swept to his death by an avalanche, Everest will keep its secret for another 24 years.
The book chronicles the life of George Mallory, the three Everest Expeditions that he was a part of ( 1921 Everest Reconnaissance mission, 1922 expedition that left 7 sherpa dead and the 1924 expedition). And the BBC Everest expedition that were sent out to locate Mallory's body.
The ensuing theories and investigation following the discovery of Mallory's body, as everybody knew, Mallory and Irvine were last seen by Noel Odelle, a support climber at 12:50 pm, just 800 feet below the summit. Comparing it to present day, climbers usually have until 3:00 pm to go down from the summit of Everest to avoid the bad weather.
So from the time that Mallory and Irvine were last seen, going up 800 feet is very possible to reach the summit, the artifacts recovered in Mallory's body shows that the glacier glasses he's using is already stored in his side pocket, a big possibility that both Mallory and Irvine have managed to scale the top of Mount Everest and were going down by nightfall when the snowstorm killed them. But the biggest clue that suggests that Mallory may had reached the top was the picture of his wife Ruth, was not among those recovered in the body, according to family legend Mallory intended to leave Ruth's picture at the top of Everest.
Even though with the lack of conclusive evidence, as to whether Mallory and Irvine were the first to reach the top of Everest, as defined by a successful ascent to Everest states that the climber not only reaches the top but also reaches the ground alive, a feat that Sir Edmund Hillary and Tenzing Norgay achieved first.
But regardless of the failed attempt by Mallory and Irvine to go down alive, if they really reached the summit of Everest, their place in the mountaineering world are forever reserved with flying honors.
The myth and legend of George Mallory's life, up to this day motivates adventure seekers, Sir Edmund Hillary told afterwards that when he reached the top of Everest, the first thing he did was to look around and try if he can see the body of George Mallory.
The final piece to the puzzle may well lie on Mallory's missing camera, which he may had handed out to Irvine whose body is still missing after all these years.
But "whether George Mallory and Andrew Irvine made it on top of Everest or not, they both set the world an example, their determination, bravery and heroism inspired a generation of climbers" that includes Edmund Hillary, Reinhold Messner and the likes. ( like our very own Leo Oracion and Romy Garduce ).
*****
Highly recommended read, the biographical work on George Mallory was excellent, the personal letters and correspondence with each of the expedition members, Mallory to his wife, sisters and family members shows fine glimpse of the events as they happened.
Great historical accounts from previous Everest expeditions, the BBC expedition itself was an adventure already, up to the minute of the location of Mallory's body was both thrilling and absorbing...
What can i say? it belongs with the 'Ghost Soldier', 'Perfect Storm' and 'Das Boot' in my bookshelf, real life accounts of past tragedy, adventure and most of all, tales of personal heroism.
"Lost on Everest: the search for Mallory and Irvine" relives the Everest expeditions composed mainly of British climbers who were members of the Alpine Club ( the oldest mountaineering club in the world ). It was an adventure that will cause the loss of lives beginning in the 1922 expedition where seven sherpas were swept away by an avalanche and the ill fated 1924 expedition that will take away the lives of Mallory and Irvine.
The book will show a clear picture of George Mallory as a person through various correspondence, personal letters he wrote even amidst those cold sleepless night in Everest, his childhood, his early knack for mountaineering, climbing at the Alps, all of these while working as an English teacher in between serving in World War I.
The death of George Mallory and Irvine will haunt the mountaineering world for decades, even when Sir Edmund Hillary and Tenzing Norgay finally became the first men to set foot on the world's highest place. Questions still abound as to whether George Mallory and Andrew Irvine were the first to reach the top of Everest.
The answers lies on George Mallory himself, in 1999 a BBC sponsored expedition to Everest sets out with one particular goal, which is to locate the body of George Mallory, buried under the cold snow slopes of Everest.
A mission set in motion as far back as 1975, when a Chinese climber told a Japanese member of another expedition, about seeing a dead body somewhere in the treacherous North Col of Everest, whom he was certain that it was English and wore old and tattered clothing. The very next day that Chinese Climber was swept to his death by an avalanche, Everest will keep its secret for another 24 years.
The book chronicles the life of George Mallory, the three Everest Expeditions that he was a part of ( 1921 Everest Reconnaissance mission, 1922 expedition that left 7 sherpa dead and the 1924 expedition). And the BBC Everest expedition that were sent out to locate Mallory's body.
The ensuing theories and investigation following the discovery of Mallory's body, as everybody knew, Mallory and Irvine were last seen by Noel Odelle, a support climber at 12:50 pm, just 800 feet below the summit. Comparing it to present day, climbers usually have until 3:00 pm to go down from the summit of Everest to avoid the bad weather.
So from the time that Mallory and Irvine were last seen, going up 800 feet is very possible to reach the summit, the artifacts recovered in Mallory's body shows that the glacier glasses he's using is already stored in his side pocket, a big possibility that both Mallory and Irvine have managed to scale the top of Mount Everest and were going down by nightfall when the snowstorm killed them. But the biggest clue that suggests that Mallory may had reached the top was the picture of his wife Ruth, was not among those recovered in the body, according to family legend Mallory intended to leave Ruth's picture at the top of Everest.
Even though with the lack of conclusive evidence, as to whether Mallory and Irvine were the first to reach the top of Everest, as defined by a successful ascent to Everest states that the climber not only reaches the top but also reaches the ground alive, a feat that Sir Edmund Hillary and Tenzing Norgay achieved first.
But regardless of the failed attempt by Mallory and Irvine to go down alive, if they really reached the summit of Everest, their place in the mountaineering world are forever reserved with flying honors.
The myth and legend of George Mallory's life, up to this day motivates adventure seekers, Sir Edmund Hillary told afterwards that when he reached the top of Everest, the first thing he did was to look around and try if he can see the body of George Mallory.
The final piece to the puzzle may well lie on Mallory's missing camera, which he may had handed out to Irvine whose body is still missing after all these years.
But "whether George Mallory and Andrew Irvine made it on top of Everest or not, they both set the world an example, their determination, bravery and heroism inspired a generation of climbers" that includes Edmund Hillary, Reinhold Messner and the likes. ( like our very own Leo Oracion and Romy Garduce ).
*****
Highly recommended read, the biographical work on George Mallory was excellent, the personal letters and correspondence with each of the expedition members, Mallory to his wife, sisters and family members shows fine glimpse of the events as they happened.
Great historical accounts from previous Everest expeditions, the BBC expedition itself was an adventure already, up to the minute of the location of Mallory's body was both thrilling and absorbing...
What can i say? it belongs with the 'Ghost Soldier', 'Perfect Storm' and 'Das Boot' in my bookshelf, real life accounts of past tragedy, adventure and most of all, tales of personal heroism.
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