Kangchenjunga was first climbed successfully in 1955 by a British expedition.
The summit was reached on 25 May 1955 by Joe Brown and George Band. Norman Hardie and Tony Streather reached the summit area the following day. The expedition respected a promise made to the Chogyal of Sikkim that climbers would stop just short of the exact summit point, so the mountain’s summit was not physically stood upon during this first ascent.
Kangchenjunga rises to 8,586 metres and is the third-highest mountain on Earth. It lies on the border between Nepal and the Indian state of Sikkim, although the main climbing route is approached from Nepal.
The mountain’s name is often translated from Tibetan as “The Five Treasures of Snows,” referring to its five major peaks. It was long regarded as the world’s highest mountain before more accurate surveys established Everest’s greater elevation.