Even though the highest
mountain in the world has been conquered many times in these
forty six year since the first conquest. Everest is still
as mysterious, beguiling and magnificent as ever. Standing
incredibly tall silhouetted against the shared sky of Nepal
and Tibet, this mountain has many names: Chomolungma, Sagarmatha,
Qomolungma or Mt. Everest. Which ever name one chooses,
its mystery still lives on. It was first climbed by Sir
E. Hillary & Tenzing Norgay in 1953.
Perhaps the most colorful story about the early attempts
on Everest is the one involving Captain J. Noel and his
native companions. He disguised himself as a Mohammaden
and made a journey from Darjeeling through Northwest Sikkim
and round the north of Kanchenjunga in an attempt to reach
Everest. Unfortunately, not even the disguise could see
him through. His mission was out short just sixty five kms
from Everest when a posse of Tibetan soldiers forced them
to turn back.
Although there are a dozen or so routes on Mt. Everest
we follow the classical route, traditionally the most
reliable way to the summit.
|