By Jake Rodhouse and Stefan Hubrich

Sir Edmund Hillary Introduction

Sir Edmund Hillary was a great explorer and climber. He was the first to reach the top of Mount Everest (27,900 feet ).

Childhood

Childhood

Sir Hillary was born in Auckland, New Zealand, July 20th, 1919.

Childhood

Sir Hillary was born in Auckland, New Zealand, July 20th, 1919.

His grandparents immigrated from England in the mid-19th century and settled in Wairoa.

Childhood

Sir Hillary was born in Auckland, New Zealand, July 20th, 1919.

His grandparents immigrated from England in the mid-19th century and settled in Wairoa.

In 1920 his family moved to Tuakau, after his father was given land there.

Childhood

In 1935, during a school ski trip to Mount Ruapehu, Hillary’s interest for the mountains grew and never left him.

In 1939, he climbed his first mountain: the 1,710-foot Mount Oliver in New Zealand.

Adulthood

WW II Hillary applied to the Royal New Zealand Air Force (RNZAF)

He served as a navigator on 6 Catalina flying boats.

After serving in the South Pacific (1945) he was injured and returned to New Zealand

Adulthood

In 1951 Hillary was invited to join a British expedition to Everest led by Eric Shipton.

Adulthood

In 1952 Hillary, led again by Eric Shipton attempted Mt Cho Oyu, which lies in the Himalayas and is 20 km west of Mount Everest, at the border between China and Nepal.

Mt. Everest

The highest point on Earth, measures 29,028 feet high, roughly six miles.

No one in history had successfully completed the climb.

Many lives were lost during attempts.

The climb of Everest 1953 In March 1953, Hillary, Sir John Hunt, Eric Shipton, and twenty of the world’s best climbers gathered at Everest.

Hillary considered pulling out, but both Hunt and Shipton talked him into remaining.

The climb of Everest 1953 Hillary planned to climb with George Lowe but Hunt named two teams for the assault:

(Team 1) Tom Bourdillon and Charles Evans

(Team 2) Hillary and Sherpa guide, Tenzing Norgay

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The climb of Everest 1953 The team set up base camp at the South Col route at 25,900 feet elevation.

On the 26th of May, Team 1 attempted the climb, but turned back when Charles Evan’s oxygen system failed.

The climb of Everest 1953 Sir John Hunt then directed Hillary and Tenzing to go for the summit. They set out on the 28th of May, pitching a tent at 27,900 feet.

Snow and wind held the pair up for two days.

The climb of Everest 1953 The crucial move of the last part of the trip was the 40-foot rock face later named the "Hillary Step."

The climb of Everest 1953 Sir Edmund Hillary and Tenzing Norgay reached Everest's 29,028 ft summit at 11:30 a.m., becoming the first two people to reach the top of the world!

After Everest

Hillary and Hunt were knighted by the Queen.

Tenzing received George Medal from the British Government.

After Everest

Edmund Hillary married Louise Mary Rose in 1953, after the Everest expedition. He had three children: Peter Hillary born 1954 Sarah Hillary born 1955 Belinda Hillary born 1959

 

After Everest

Hillary climbed ten other peaks in the Himalayas.

He also reached the South Pole January 4th, 1958.

His party was the first to reach the Pole overland using motor vehicles.

After Everest

In 1977, he led a jet boat expedition, titled "Ocean to Sky," from the mouth of the Ganges River.

Between 1977 and 1979, Hillary commentated several Antarctic sightseeing flights operated by Air New Zealand.

After Everest

Sir Hillary was scheduled to commentate Air New Zealand Flight 901, but cancelled. His close friend Peter Mulgrew took his place.

The aircraft crashed into Mount Erebus in Antarctica, killing all on board.

Hillary later married Mulgrew's widow.

After Everest

In 1985, Hillary was appointed New Zealand High Commissioner to India and lived for 4 ½ years in New Delhi.

In 1985 he accompanied Neil Armstrong in a ski plane over the Arctic Ocean, landing at the North Pole.

He then became the first man to stand at both poles and on the summit of Everest.

Public recognition

Knighted Commander of the Order of the British Empire on June 6th, 1953

Made member of the Order of New Zealand in 1987

Knighted of the Order of the Garter on April 22nd, 1995; and

Bestowed the Padma Vibhushan, by the Indian Government.

Public recognition

Awarded the Polar Medal for his part in the Commonwealth Trans-Antarctic Expedition, and

The Order of the Gurkha Right Hand, 1st Class of the Kingdom of Nepal in 1953.

Public recognition

In 1992, Sir Hillary appeared on the New Zealand $5 bill

Public recognition

To mark the 50th anniversary of the trip to Mt. Everest, the Nepalese Government awarded Sir Hillary honorary citizenship

He was the first foreign national to receive that honor.

Public recognition

Two Antarctic features are named after Sir Hillary.

The Hillary Coast is a section of coastline south of Ross Island and north of the Shackleton Coast.

After Everest

On March 31, 1975, Sir Hillary’s daughter, Belinda and her mother, Louise, died in a plane crash.

Hillary married a second time to June Mulgrew in 1989.

Sir Edmund Percival Hillary died on January 11th, 2008 due to a heart attack. He lived 88 years.

Thank you for your

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