Talkback: Irvine Body Search Creates Storm

I admit to being interested in the Mallory & Irvine story, and although it would be interesting to know whether they made the summit, the fact that they didn't get down is beyond doubt. There is a lot of reason to think they may have made it up but like CB says it's better left as a mystery. 

Trouble no one about their religion;

respect others in their view and demand that they respect yours.

~Chief Tecumseh~

It wasn't a successful ascent in that they didn't make it home.

If like Kev said there is a living relative then I'd prefer that relative to have the last say on it going ahead. If it was my relative and I had actually known him I'd rather the mountain was his gravestone than the logo of the main sponsor. I wasn't too happy about Mallory's body being found. I suspect it would have still been there now if they hadn't gone looking for it. They both should have their resting places left on the mountain. Not for the mystery but for respect.

None of my business though, I'm no relative and it is only my opinion. BTW what were their beliefs? I mean would they want to be brought back home or would they have been happy left on the mountain?

LoL, weather they made the summit, or not, as the "case" may eventually be discovered.

Not coming back doesn't mean it "wasn't a successful ascent". Many others have summited other mountians and not come home/ come to grief on way back down, yet have still be 'credited' with making the summit.

 I'd strongly agree as their is at least 1 living relative and is such a 'touchy' subject, their opions have to be taken into consideration.

 Personnally, I prefer the 'weather they did or not' position and let them rest in peace.

 One of the reasons I got into mountianeering was reading about them as a young boy. I never wanted to "find"  them, or find out if they had made the summit. That was part of the 'mystery' and to me should remain that way.

Lost in Lancashire wrote (see)

It wasn't a successful ascent in that they didn't make it home.

If like Kev said there is a living relative then I'd prefer that relative to have the last say on it going ahead. If it was my relative and I had actually known him I'd rather the mountain was his gravestone than the logo of the main sponsor. I wasn't too happy about Mallory's body being found. I suspect it would have still been there now if they hadn't gone looking for it. They both should have their resting places left on the mountain. Not for the mystery but for respect.

None of my business though, I'm no relative and it is only my opinion. BTW what were their beliefs? I mean would they want to be brought back home or would they have been happy left on the mountain?

The article makes it clear that some relatives are for and some are against. Like Donald Campbell it's an emotive subject, and if done right, with respect, I would support it.

Chris Boningtons objections seem more about sponsorship, an integral part of any Everest expedition, as he knows only too well. Indeed on the subject of Mallory, I found this:

Sir Chris said: "The critical thing is the camera. Photographic evidence is the usual way to prove that you have been to a summit. If there are pictures of them on the summit or looking down on the south side of Everest, then they have climbed it.

"It is an intriguing, fascinating tragedy. This discovery is one very important piece in the jigsaw."

The only other clue - and it would be one lacking the authority of photographic evidence - would be if any note was found on Mallory's body claiming to have scaled the summit.

"If they had written something down, I would take their word for it. If they said they climbed Everest, I would believe them," said Sir Chris. "But it is unlikely to have happened. Sitting down and writing something in the cold and the wind is the last thing they probably would have done."

If it were to succeed and prove that they did indeed summit it would change mountaineering history forever. That's one mystery which I'm sure many would like to see resolved.

The other thing to consider is that perhaps Sandy Irvine should be accorded a burial like his climbing partner.