Mount Everest: Climbers Mark 60th Anniversary

 

Mount Everest: Climbers Mark 60th Anniversary.

By Sky News.

Mountaineers past and present will gather in London later to mark the 60th anniversary of Sir Edmund Hillary's historic ascent of Mount Everest.

They will be joined by the sons of the first men to reach the summit at the signing of a newly-released book on the expedition.

It marks 60 years since Sir Edmund and Tenzing Norgay became the first men to reach the 29,028ft (8,848m) summit on May 29, 1953.

Celebrated mountaineers Sir Chris Bonington, Stephen Venables and Doug Scott, who have all contributed personal reflections to the newly-released The Conquest Of Everest - Original Photographs From The Legendary First Ascent, will be at the event.

Also at the signing will be mountaineer Kenton Cool, 39, who earlier this month became the first person to scale the three peaks of Everest's Western Cwm in one climb, reaching the summits of Nuptse, Everest and Lhotse with climbing partner Sherpa Dorje Gylgen.

Cool, whose successful assault on Everest was the 11th time he has reached the top of the world, said: "It has always been a dream of mine to attempt these three mountains.

"I'm totally 100% spent, but it's an absolutely fantastic feeling to have achieved this - a dream come true."

The book features a previously-unpublished collection of photographs from the historic climb, put together by the late George Lowe, a member of Hillary's team, with help from family friend and historian Huw Lewis-Jones.

Mr Lowe was the last surviving member of the team until he died earlier this year aged 89.

This evening the Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh will attend a reception to mark the anniversary at the Royal Geographical Society.