Weekend Argus (Saturday Edition)
The triumphs and tragedies of summitting Mount Everest
IN THE last days of May 64 years ago, two men made world history in making the first ascent of Mount Everest.
It is reported that news of Sherpa Tenzing Norgay and Edmund Hillary’s triumph – the ninth attempt to scale the treacherous peak – reached London in time to be released on Queen Elizabeth’s coronation, on June 2.
Four decades later, in May 1996, immediacy – as well as tragedy, and controversy – attended the first scaling of Everest by a South African, Cathy O’Dowd, her British team leader Ian Woodall, and four Sherpas. The last member, photographer Bruce Herrod, summited hours later, alone, but died on his descent.
The Everest climbing season of 1996 claimed 12 lives, a deadly record exceeded twice since, in 2014 (16 deaths) and 2015 (18).
O’Dowd who, by 1999, had gained the distinction of being the first woman to summit from south and north sides, married Woodall, though they later separated. In 1996, the Englishman’s leadership generated controversy, leading among other things to the Sunday Times withdrawing its sponsorship.
There’s a poignant quality to the bland optimism of the May 1996 report which was written without knowledge of Woodall’s decision to go on, or of Herrod’s lonely death in the icy fastness.
The South African flag may be fluttering in an icy breeze atop the world’s highest mountain this morning.
The South African climbers were preparing to leave their final camp at 11 o’clock last night for the final assault on Mount Everest and could have made it after an eight-hour climb at 7am SA time.
Cathy O’Dowd and Bruce Herrod were to be guided to the top by four Sherpas. Team leader Ian Woodall has a chest infection and was an unlikely starter.
Fourth team member Deshun Deysel remains at Base Camp Two (6 500m) with foot blisters.
Cathy’s mother Patricia said the team hoped to reach Base Camp Four yesterday afternoon. They then planned to rest.
By 11pm they would wake up and warm themselves with a hot meal before attempting to make South African history.
Several international teams have reached the summit in the past month.
But nine climbers died in a blizzard and a Russian has been missing since May 14.
The “good weather” is coming to an end. Monsoons are likely to deposit huge amounts of snow, making “passes” impassable.
On Sunday, Lene Gammelgaard of Denmark became the first Scandinavian woman to conquer Everest.