Documentary on Everest climbing history screened

By Phadindra Adhikari,Pokhara, July 2: The record of a human stepping on the highest point on Earth, Mount Everest, dates back to May 29, 1953.

Three decades before Sir Edmund Hillary and Tenzing Norgay achieved this feat, the expeditions to climb Everest had begun.

 George Mallory was involved in the initial three expeditions in 1921, 1922, and 1924.

Following Mallory’s footsteps, Hillary later wrote, “I remembered the two British climbers and looked around with faint hope for some sign that they had reached the summit but 

saw nothing.”

 Despite more than a dozen failed attempts, the route to Mount Everest’s summit was eventually established.

Mallory and Irvine, who reached 8,600 meters in their 1924 expedition, disappeared on June 8. 

A documentary covering these first three expeditions of Mount Everest was recently showcased at the International Mountain Museum in Pokhara.

 Titled ‘Everest by Those Who Were There,’ the film, produced by John Porter and Don Bush, will now be a permanent exhibit at the museum.

According to Nirmala Neupane, the museum’s executive director, the documentary will be regularly screened for tourists interested in Everest’s history. The 34-minute film includes rare footage and insights into these pioneering climbs.

In 1999, American climber Conrad Anker discovered Mallory’s remains at 8,150 meters, but no evidence confirmed whether they reached Everest’s summit. Irvine’s ice axe was found in 1933, further adding to the mystery.

The expeditions in 1921 and 1922 aimed to reach the North Col, while the 1924 attempt was focused on summiting Everest. 

John Porter, inspired by these tales of bravery and tragedy, became a mountaineer himself and climbed Everest in 1980.

“We aimed to capture their courage and stories through photographs and documentaries, ensuring their memory endures,” said Porter.

Since Monday, Slovenian climbers have begun scaling Nepal’s mountains, with their photographs now on display.

 The exhibition was inaugurated by Justice Dhana Singh Mahara of the Pokhara High Court. 

The International Mountain Museum has become a hub for Himalayan studies and research on the region’s people and their lives. This year alone, tourists from 105 countries have visited 

the museum.