The Conquest of Everest
12/29/202552 min
Short History Of... is taking a short break over the Christmas period. New episodes will continue from the 29th of December. Until then, we hope you enjoy this repeat episode! Happy Christmas from the Short History Of... team.
Standing over 29,000ft above sea level, the peak of Everest is the highest point on the planet. To the sherpa people of the Himalayas it is sacred, and to foreign adventurers, it is the holy grail of climbing. But what did it take to reach the summit? Was it expertise and endurance - or simply better equ...
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John Hopkins· Host0:29
[wind blowing] It is May 1952. On a mountain ridge that skirts the border of Nepal and Tibet, two men are locked in a battle with the elements. In the lead is Tenzing Norgay, a Sherpa guide who grew up in the shadow of these peaks. He is an experienced climber, but he's never been this high before. Gasping for breath, he squints up the steep ridge that leads to the very top. Snow blows off the summit as though the mountain is smoking. He can hear nothing but the high scream of the wind. Tenzing lifts his foot and stamps his crampons into the ice. He shifts his weight, then he lifts his other foot carefully, knowing that every step could be his last. His companion is down on his hands and knees, inching along with his chin tucked into his armpit to shield his face from the merciless wind.