In what year was Mount Everest first summitted?

Mount Everest was first summitted in 1953, when Edmund Hillary and Tenzing Norgay reached the top on 29 May. They climbed by the South Col route as members of the ninth British expedition to attempt Everest’s first confirmed ascent.

The expedition was led by Colonel John Hunt and relied on a large support team of climbers, Sherpas, doctors, porters and oxygen specialists. Earlier attempts had come close: the 1952 Swiss expedition reached about 8,595 metres, and British climbers Tom Bourdillon and Charles Evans reached Everest’s South Summit before turning back because of oxygen-equipment problems.

Hillary and Tenzing left their high camp early on 29 May and reached the summit at 11:30 a.m. They photographed the summit, buried sweets and a small cross, then descended safely. The news reached London in time to be announced on the morning of Queen Elizabeth II’s coronation on 2 June.

The achievement is often described as Hillary and Tenzing’s triumph, but it depended on the entire expedition’s route-finding, logistics and support. The 1924 disappearance of George Mallory and Andrew Irvine is another common source of confusion: their attempt predates 1953, but it did not produce a confirmed summit ascent.