M T
Ohinerau
M T
Puketapapa
M T
H
B
O
O S
I
E
BASE CAMP
(5380m)
Khumbu Glacier
THIS TRAIL SUPPORTS THE EXHIBITION
L
Khumbu icefall
(5486)
N
L
O
NEPAL
Western Cwm
(6000-6800m)
THE MAIN PLAYERS
Maungawhau
W
CHINA
THE HILLARY TRAIL
M T
H
HILLARY TRAIL
We’re sure you’ve heard the name of Sir Edmund
Hillary and how he was the first person to climb to
the summit of Mt Everest
in 1953, but do you know
the whole story? Did you
know that the expedition
consisted of almost 400
people? Or that it was
a British expedition?
Maungarei
T
Lhotse
Nuptse
Read the full story,
while making your
way around our
activations stations
leading up to:
O
Lhotse Face
(6800-7920m)
South Col
(7920m)
THE STORY OF THE ASCENT
Hillary Step
SUMMIT (8850m)
THE
THE GEAR
THE MOUNTAIN
The expedition carried over 11 tons of supplies
onto the mountain. But how did they know what to
take? They had help from experienced climbers and
doctors. See how you manage. If you could only take
6 of the 9 things below what would they be?
Mt Everest was discovered to be the highest
mountain in the world in 1856. It’s 29,035 feet or
8,850 metres above sea level. That as tall as almost
27 Sky Towers! It lies in the Himalayan range on the
border between Tibet and Nepal.
In New Zealand, mountains (maunga) are sacred to Māori.
They are part of their whakapapa and are treated with the
respect due their ancestors.
Sir John Hunt was chosen to be the leader of the
1953 British Expedition because of his sound military
leadership during the Second World War and his
Himalayan climbing experience. He was known to be
calm under pressure and a thorough strategic planner.
Umbrella
Snow goggles
Rope
Edmund Hillary worked for his family’s beekeeping business
in New Zealand, but his passion was climbing. He had
boundless energy and motivation, and had been part of the
1951 Mt Everest reconnaissance expedition. He emerged as a
keen and able leader early on in the exhibition.
Sainsbury Horrocks, Gallery on Level Two
Maungakiekie
Just as Mt Everest has different names to different
people, Auckland’s mountains also have more than one
name. See if you can work out the European names
of these maunga. Try Google if you get stuck. Email
your answers to [email protected]
and you’ll go into a draw to win a prize pack from
the Museum Shop. Prizes will be drawn monthly until
the end of the From The Summit exhibition on 29
September. Winners will be notified by email.
DID YOU KNOW?
ROUTE TO THE SUMMIT
It’s the same for the people of Tibet and Nepal. The Tibetan
name for Everest is Cholomungma which means Goddess
mother of the world, revealing its importance to the people.
The Nepalese name for it is Sagārmātha.
Ice axe
Your pet
Stove
Tenzing Norgay was a Nepalese Indian Sherpa. He was known
for his big smile, positive attitude and climbing skill. He had
been involved in six previous Everest expeditions before
being chosen to lead the Sherpas on the 1953 attempt.
Cover image © Louise Hillary, Ed Hillary
at the opening of Bakanje School, 1970.
Crampons
Hairdryer
Wood for fuel
The Story of the Ascent
The expedition team consisted of 13
climbers including two New Zealanders:
Edmund Hillary and George Lowe. They
were joined by over 350 porters to carry
their equipment and supplies, and 20
high-altitude Sherpa climbers under the
leadership of Tenzing Norgay.
Are you ready to follow in the team’s
footsteps? See what a good team
member you would be, by asking
yourself what you would do, at
each stage of the journey. Would
you make the same decisions as
those on the actual expeditition?
Make your way around the
activation stations as you read
the story on this trail.
To Base Camp
Through the Khumbu Icefall
Up the Western Cwm
John Hunt asked Ed to lead a team to the Khumbu
Glacier to set up Base Camp. As the sun rose on day
two, Ed realised that there were no snow goggles for
the Sherpa. The sun can cause serious damage to the
eyes; even blindness! Ed was worried, but the Sherpa
laughed it off and were keen to continue.
The Khumba Icefall was the next challenge for the
team. It was an ever-moving sea of giant blocks of
ice and deep crevasses. The team took 10 days to find
the least dangerous way through and then secured
ladders and ropes for the Sherpa porters.
Compared with the horrors of the Khumbu Icefall, the
Western Cwm was a walkover. At the top of the Cwm,
they set up Advanced Base Camp and moved the
team and supplies up there.
WHAT WOULD YOU DO? Do you go against
your instincts and carry on, or do you trek back
down the mountain to get some goggles and
lose a couple of days?
The first time Hillary and Tenzing climbed as partners,
Hillary challenged himself to get down through the Icefall to
Base Camp within an hour: a new record.
WHAT WOULD YOU DO? Knowing the peril
involved in the treacherous icefall, would you
put yourself at risk by taking chances?
By now John Hunt was thinking about which climbing pair
should make the summit attempt. Everyone was doing their
best to get noticed.
WHAT WOULD YOU DO? How would
you get noticed by Hunt without putting
yourself at risk?
Ed decided to keep moving, but the next day the Sherpa
were in trouble with swollen and painful eyes. Tom Stobard,
the expedition photographer, quickly made some makeshift
goggles using tape and dark transparent film. They worked
a treat, and they were able to continue and set up their
Base Camp.
Hillary wildly jumped across a crevasse and his landing broke
the ice shelf; taking Hillary with it. Luckily he was roped to
Tenzing who quickly dug his axe into the ice and stopped
Hillary’s fall. After that they always climbed together.
Hillary volunteered himself and Tenzing to test out the
oxygen tanks at altitude, by walking from Base Camp to
Advanced Base Camp and back in a single day. This would
usually have taken days. Hillary and Tenzing made it there
in 5 hours, and stumbled back exhausted into Base Camp
well after dark. But they had made an impression!
Lhotse Face
South Col
To the Summit
Aftermath
The next day, Hunt announced that the first assent
team would be Charles Evans and Tom Boudillon. If
they didn’t make it, Hillary and Tenzing would try next.
The South Col was desolate and flat with no shelter
from the howling gales. At 7920m it was in the Death
Zone - only limited time could be spent this high.
The next stage of the expedition was the hardest. The
Lhotse Face is a steep ice face over 1km high. George Lowe
was given the job of carving out steps in the ice and setting
ropes. At such altitude and in freezing temperatures, it was
exhausting. Every day the team made less progress and
Hunt was not happy. It was almost monsoon time; they had
to speed up to be able to make a summit attempt.
It was from here that Bourdillon and Evans launched their
summit attempt. At over 900m from the top – it was a huge
task to get there and back in a single day. They succeeded
in reaching the south summit, the highest anyone had ever
been before. Bourdillon was determined to get the top.
Evans realised there wasn’t enough oxygen to get them
both there and back. Bourdillon considered going alone.
Now it was Hillary and Tenzing’s chance. Their
support team left them around 450m from the
summit. Hillary and Tenzing passed a tense night
perched on a tiny, perilous rocky platform. They
awoke to find a beautiful day for their attempt.
After their success, most of the attention was
focused on Hillary and Tenzing. Hillary wanted to do
something useful with his fame - something for the
Sherpa people who had shown him such kindness
and generosity. He asked the village elder what they
needed. He said, “Our children have eyes but they are
blind.” They needed an education.
WHAT WOULD YOU DO? In Hunt’s shoes
would you leave Lowe to finish the task or
send in reinforcements?
Hunt sent up Wildfred Noyce to help, but Lowe had been
at very high altitude for 11 days and was so sick he had to
descend. Noyce made the final push up to the South Col.
WHAT WOULD YOU DO? In the shoes of
Evans & Bourdillon, would you split up? Would
you risk the climb together? Or would you go
back?
Tom decided splitting up wasn’t an option and they headed
back. They were able to give Hillary and Tenzing crucial
information to help their attempt.
They walked along a knife’s edge of a ridge covered with
snow and ice, and overcame what is now known as the
Hillary Step, a huge rocky outcrop that barred their way.
After what seemed an endless climb they finally reached
the summit at 11.30am and stood on top of the world for 15
minutes. It didn’t matter who was first up. They were part of
a team of almost 400 people who helped get them there.
WHAT WOULD YOU DO? Would you leave
something special at the top?
Tenzing buried some lollies and a pencil from his daughter
as an offering. Hillary buried a crucifix from John Hunt.
Hillary started the Himalayan Trust, and used his fame
to raise money for projects including schools, hospitals,
airstrips, bridges and conservation. These projects continue.
And their message to you...
John Hunt said young people should “hold onto the spirit of
adventure, seek out their own challenges, and create their
own Everest”. Hillary’s advice was “be careful when seeking
to overcome challenges. Be driven by higher aspirations
than fame and fortune”.
WHAT WOULD YOU DO?
What WILL you do?