A Mountain Mystery By A.R-G.

A Mountain Mystery

By A. R-G., Fifth Grade     

     90 years ago this weekend, a mystery that lasted 75 years began. George

Leigh Mallory and his climbing partner Andrew 'Sandy' Irvine were

attempting to be the first people to successfully clime Mount Everest.

On June 8, 1924, they left their camp to make the push for the summit.

They were never seen again. 

     George Mallory participated in all the

1920's British expedition to Everest. He first attempted to climb the

mountain in 1920, but failed to reach the summit and then returned two

years later, only to fail again. He was determined to climb Everest,

famously saying when asked why he wanted to climb the mountain,

“Because it is there.” He began planning to go back to Everest in 1924,

selecting champion Oxford University rower Andrew Irvine as his

climbing partner. The two, in addition to ten 'support climbers,' left

for Everest in March of 1924. In May the expedition arrived at the base

of the mountain. Inching farther up, the expedition set up a series of

camps, the highest being Camp 6, at 22, 970 feet. On June 8, Mallory

left support climber Noel Odell this note: Dear Noel, We'll probably

start early to-morrow (8th) in order to have clear weather. It won't be

too early to start looking out for us either crossing the rockband

under the pyramid or going up skyline at 8.0 p.m.(Mallory meant 8 a.m.)

Yours ever G Mallory

     Mallory and Irvine left early on the June 8th, as stated in

Mallory's letter, to have good weather. A few hours after

Mallory and Irvine left camp 6, Odell went out to make some

geological studies of the mountain. At 12:50 p.m. the mists

above Odell abruptly cleared, and Odell caught a glimpse of two

climbers ascending a rock cliff near the summit. Since Mallory

and Irvine were the only climbers on the mountain, it must have

been them. The mist filled in again, and the two climbers

disappeared. This was the last time anyone saw them alive. 

     An intense snow squall began, sending Odell back to his tent. The

whole expedition waited for Mallory and Irvine to return, but

they never did. Odell searched for the climbers, but couldn't

find them. Eventually Mallory and Irvine were presumed dead and

the expedition left the mountain. 

     Fast forward to 1999. Climber

Conrad Anker, who had come to the mountain with a team of

climbers with the express intention of finding Mallory and

Irvine's remains, found George Mallory's body lying on the side

of the mountain. It is believed that Mallory and Irvine slipped

and fell to different locations. Andrew Irvine has never been

found. 

     Several pieces of evidence found with Mallory point to

the fact that the two did actually make it to the summit, and

were thus the first people to climb Mount Everest. One, it is

believed that Mallory had a picture of his wife Ruth, which he

promised to put on the summit. When Conrad Anker found Mallory

in 1999, the picture was not there, but all the other contents

of his pockets were intact. This suggests that Mallory, with

Irvine or alone, reached the summit and left the picture there.

Also, when Mallory was found, he had a snow goggles in his

pocket. It could be that it was getting dark and Mallory and

Irvine were descending from climbing the mountain and fell from

there. 

     90 years ago today, one of the most incredible mysteries

in mountaineering history began.