Sixty years ago today, the 1953 team were pushing up the South-East Ridge to Camp IX (Ridge Camp) at 27,900ft, from where Hillary and Tenzing would make their summit push the following morning. George Lowe, Ang Nyima and Alf Gregory dropped supplies here before retreating to the South Col from where they would watch Hillary and Tenzing’s progress with anticipation.
Back to the present, and to celebrate the anniversary tomorrow there are a couple of opportunities to meet some of the Everest heroes who followed in the footsteps of the 1953 team. Stanfords in Covent Garden are holding a book-signing session for George Lowe’s superb The Conquest Of Everest (as featured in Trek & Mountain last month) and you’ll have the opportunity to meet Doug Scott, Sir Chris Bonington and Stephen Venables at the session which starts at 10.45, as well as the sons of Ed Hillary and Tenzing Norgay.
The Royal Geographical Society plays host to two events on the 29th, the main event in the evening being sold out already, but there are still tickets left for the afternoon event which features Rebecca Stephens, Leo Houlding and David Hempleman-Adams among others. The event starts at 1pm and tickets can be booked at the World Expeditions website, with proceeds going towards the Mount Everest Foundation and the Himalayan Trust UK.
Trek & Mountain will be at the launch of George Lowe’s book this evening in the company of the likes of Scott, Bonington and Venables, and we’ll endeavor to bring you some photos via Facebook tomorrow.
RELATED LINKS
www.stanfords.co.uk
www.worldexpeditions.co.uk
www.mef.org.uk/
himalayantrust.co.uk/