Jan. 28, 2000
News Specialist Angela An spoke exclusively with two men who discovered the body of the famous climber, George Mallory, who disappeared more than 75 years ago in the clouds of Everest.
The world's highest summit stands majestically 29,028 feet above ground.
And for every 5 who reach the summit of Mt. Everest, one dies.
Three men, Conrad Anker, Jake Norton, and Dick Bass, are some of the world's best mountaineers, having been to Everest at least once.
Conrad Anker/1999 Mallory and Irvine Expedition: "I THINK EVEREST IS SYMBOLIC FOR PEOPLE'S CHALLENGES."
In 1999, a team that included Anker and Norton, set out to find the bodies of George Mallory and Andrew Irvine,
two men who tried to be the first to summit Everest. That was in 1924.
The two ended up vanishing into history.
Jake Norton/1999 Mallory and Irvine Expedition: "TO BE ON EVEREST WAS AMAZING. AND THEN TO BE A PART OF, TO HEAR CONRAD'S VOICE COME ACROSS RADIO WAVES SAYING HE HAD FOUND SOMETHING DOWN THERE..."
What Conrad Anker found was Mallory's body, 75 years after he disappeared,
lying face down, frozen and preserved by ice and snow at 27,000 feet.
ANKER: "AT THE TIME, WE DIDN'T REALLY, IT DIDN'T DAWN ON US, DIDN'T STRIKE US WHAT HAD HAPPENED."
"IT WASN'T UNTIL WE GOT DOWN THAT THE IMPORTANCE OF THIS DISCOVERY STRUCK US."
Dick Bass/Everest 1985: "THE FACT THAT THEY HAD ENDURANCE AND THE WILL TO FIND THEM IS REALLY TERRIFIC AND A FANTASTIC ACCOMPLISHMENT."
What still amazes today's mountaineers is how Mallory and Irvine climbed the steep, rocky ice cliffs of Everest,
given the low-technology gear and clothing that was available.
The recovered artifacts bring up an age-old question...
ANGELA: "DO YOU THINK HE GOT TO THE TOP?"
ANKER: "WE'LL NEVER KNOW. THE SECRET WILL ALWAYS BE WRAPPED UP IN THE SNOWS OFCHOMULUNGMA AND MOTHER GODDESS OF THE SNOWS."
NORTON: "TO ME, THEY WERE HEROES JUST FOR DOING WHAT THEY DID. BE IT REACHING THE SUMMIT OR NOT, THEY WERE AMAZING."
ANGELA AN/EYEWITNESS NEWS: "WHETHER YOU'RE STANDING ON TOP OF MOUNT EVEREST OR EVEN HIDDEN PEAK, AT SNOWBIRD, THERE IS SOMETHING SURREAL ABOUT BEING THIS HIGH, THIS CLOSE TO THE HEAVENS. AND THOSE WHO DID IT, KNOW WHAT IT IS."
Those who go to Everest say they come back changed people, whether they reach the peak, or not.
NORTON: "DIVE INTO THE CULTURE, GET TO KNOW THE PEOPLE, SPEND TIME WITH THEM. THAT'S THE KEY."
As prayer flags blow gently above Hidden Peak,
there are similar ones flying high on Everest, for all those who perished while trying to touch the heavens.
The following is a press release from Snow Lions Expeditions:
"Jake Norton, a member of the 1999 Mallory & Irvine Research Expedition to the NE ridge of Everest, will present two slide shows about the expedition at Snowbird and the University of Utah. Norton was an instrumental member of this expedition and he participated in the discovery of George Mallory's body on May 1, 1999.
A British climber, Mallory was lost while climbing Mount Everest in 1924. Controversy has continued to swirl for the past 75 years whether Mallory reached the summit of Everest, which would have made him the first atop the world's highest peak.
Norton is a freelance photographer based in Colorado Springs. He will present two slide shows about the 1999 Mallory & Irvine Research Expedition at:
Snowbird's Cliff Ballroom
Friday, January 28
7:30 p.m.
Admission: $6
University of Utah Fine Arts Auditorium
Tuesday, February 1
7:30 p.m.
Admission: $6
The one and a half hour slide shows are being sponsored as a fundraiser by Snow Lion Expeditions to benefit the American Himalayan Foundation.
Prior to the Feb. 1 slide show, the Metropolitan Restaurant will host Jake Norton with a pre-show reception from 5:30 - 7:00 p.m. All procedes will go to the American Himalayan Foundation. Admission to this event is $50 and includes the slide show admission."
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