This is a list of notable expeditions to Mount Everest. These mountaineering expeditions were for a variety of purposes including, for geographic exploration, for sport (e.g. mountaineering, alpine climbing or ski mountaineering), for science, or as part of major fundraising projects.
Introduction
There have been many expeditions throughout the 20th (1900s) and 21st (2000s) centuries, and the amount increased in the late 20th century. The first expedition was a reconnaissance expedition in 1921, and after a few decades an expedition in 1953 reached the top of Everest. Everest expeditions, especially in the late 1900s had a certain grandiose reputation, because they were often such large undertakings. The 1953 expedition had 320 porters that carried supplies across a remote wilderness. The 1963 American expedition had over 900 porters that carried over 25 tons of supplies, supporting a climbing crew of dozens.
List
Prior to 1960
1921 British reconnaissance
1922 British
1924 British (included the Affair of the Dancing Lamas) 1933 British 1935 British reconnaissance 1936 British 1938 British 1951 British reconnaissance 1952 Swiss 1953 British, first successful expedition The ninth British expedition was led by John Hunt and organized and financed by the Joint Himalayan Committee. Using conventional open-circuit oxygen sets, the summit of Everest was reached at 11:30 a.m. local time on May 29, 1953, by the New Zealander Edmund Hillary and Tenzing Norgay, a Nepali, climbing the South Col route. This was the first time men had reached the top of Mount Everest. 1956 Swiss Expedition The second Swiss expedition was led by and the summit of Everest was reached on May 23, 1956, by four Swiss mountaineers, Ernst Schmied, Jürg Marmet, Dölf Reist, and Hansruedi von Gunten
1960s
1960 Chinese
1963 U.S. National Geographic Expedition
1963 First ascent by an American: Jim Whittaker, accompanied by Nawang Gombu Sherpa who later went on to become the first man to climb Everest twice in 1965; first ascent of the West Ridge on May 22 by Americans Tom Hornbein and Willi Unsoeld. Hornbein and Unsoeld descended by the South Col, making the ascent the first traverse of Everest. Lute Jerstad and Barry Bishop were the other summiteers. A total of six persons reach the summit, five Americans and one sherpa 1965 Indian Everest Expedition
1970s
1970 Japanese Alpine Club Mount Everest Expedition (1970 Mount Everest disaster) 1973 Italian Everest Expedition (I.E.E.) 1973 Japanese RCCII Everest Expedition 1975 Japanese Women's Everest Expedition Junko Tabei: (Japan) became the first woman to reach the summit of Everest on 5/16/75 via the South-East Ridge route. 1975 Chinese Mount Everest expedition - North Col- North East Ridge 1975 British SW Face 1976 British and Nepalese Army expedition 1976 American Expedition - South East Ridge 1977 South Korean Expedition - South East Ridge 1978 Austrian Expedition - South East Ridge 1978 Franco-German Expedition headed by Dr. Karl Herrligkoffer 1979 Yugoslav Expedition along the West Ridge led by Tone Škarja 1979 German Expedition led by Gerhard Schmatz