British company Craghoppers is sponsoring the 2001 Mallory and
Irvine Everest Research Expedition. Most of us have our own views on
the ethics of the project, but below is the first unabridged report
we have from the expedition plus a statement from Craghoppers
explaining the reasons behind their involvement.
You can also read regular reports from the expedition by clicking
here.
2001 Mallory and Irvine Research Expedition
Craghoppers is delighted to announce its sponsorship of the long
awaited 2001 Mallory and Irvine Research Expedition. We are the only
UK sponsors of the expedition. Back in May 1999, the Mallory and
Irvine Research Expedition team, led by Eric Simonson discovered the
body of famous mountaineer, George Mallory very close to the summit
of Everest.
On 11 March 2001, the same team left for Everest to continue the
work, in an attempt to locate and document artefacts of the early
attempts. What they want to establish is whether it really was
Hillary who climbed Everest first in 1953. Or did Mallory and Irvine
manage to get to the top in their fateful expedition in 1924.
In a statement from the team, they explain the nature of the
expedition; "finding the remains of Andrew Irvine is not the goal of
this expedition. Recovery of a camera and images that might
definitively tell the story of Mallory and Irvine's final day is the
goal. This expedition team has no morbid fascination with the dead,
and is only willing to confront that grim reality high on Mt. Everest
in order to seek the truth, a truth that this team believes the dead
would want known to the world."
There has been much discussion about the current expedition.
Irvine's family wished his body to be left in peace. However this
group of professional climbers/mountaineers are conducting an
extremely important archaeological excavation in very dangerous
conditions, the products of which may rewrite the history of Everest
forever.
So why are we involved? Well Craghoppers' is a premium British
active outdoor brand whose technical heritage stems from an early
successful expedition to Everest with Doug Scott in 1975. Craghoppers
has also been involved with such adventurers as Jonathan Pratt in his
quest for climbing all 14 8,000m peaks. We are also very excited
about the potential finds on the mountain and fully support
professional work of this kind.
First Expedition Update 27/03/01
The team has arrived safely at Base Camp and every member is doing
well (EXCEPT the sat phone, which seems to have a bug and is impeding
communications.) Last we heard they had loaded 56 yaks and headed to
Advance Base Camp with 3 search team members and 13 climbing Sherpas.
So the assault is on.
Eric reports that snow cover on the mountain is a little heavier
than 1999 but still less than normal.
A Major Discovery Is Made 05/04/01
The 2001 Mallory and Irvine Expedition Team has already made a
major discovery: the site of the 1922 British Expedition's Advance
Base Camp. At least three oxygen cylinders definitively from that
climb were discovered below the current Advance Base Camp area.
The 1922 expedition was the first to take O2 to the mountain, it's
use was highly debated on grounds of the "unsporting" nature of
deploying artificial aids to assist in reaching the summit. The
cylinders our team has discovered are classics! The team will return
to the site with the detectors provided by Metrotech and will give
the whole area a good scrubbing.
Eric reports that the mountain is now as bare as it was in 1999.
The wind has been blowing hard since they got there, which is bad for
morale down low, but great for scouring away all the snow up high. If
these conditions continue to prevail, the search conditions will once
again be tops.
The team reached the North Col on March 29th, the earliest Eric
has ever had a team on the Col. No one else was even at Base Camp
yet. The climbing team and Sherpas are really tearing it apart right
now. It is a big, strong, healthy team! (Notable exception: Head cook
Pemba has the mumps and is under quarantine since the Sherpas don't
get vaccinated for these diseases and if they aren't careful, an
epidemic could shut this team down.)
We hope to bring you regular updates - as they happen- but if you
wish to follow the progress yourself then log on www.mountainguides.com
from April 10th for the very latest expedition information.
