50 Years of Everest
Today in history: On May 29th, 1953 Sherpa mountaineer Tenzing Norgay and New Zealander Edmund Hillary became the first climbers known to have reached the summit of Mount Everest. They were part of the ninth British expedition to Everest, led by John Hunt.
The two men ascended through the South Col route, today the most popular path to the summit. Norgay and Hillary reached the top four days before the Queen’s coronation on June 2, 1953.
Hillary was created a Knight Commander of the Order of the British Empire (KBE) on June 6, 1953; a member of the Order of New Zealand (ONZ) in 1987; and a Knight of the Order of the Garter (KG) on April 22, 1995.
In 1953, Tenzing received the George Medal for Bravery from Elizabeth II, and King Tribhuvan of Nepal presented him with the Order of the Star of Nepal that same year.
