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Well, now, the Himalay as...
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Well, we introduce to you this morning
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Ed Hillary, a very interesting
personality in the alpine world.
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Good morning, Ed.
EDMUND HILLARY: Good morning.
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How many attempts have been
made on Everest altogether?
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Well, there have
been at least 10.
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Well, why have
the others failed?
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A combination of circumstances
which hasn't been right.
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Well, do you think
it's possible to climb Everest?
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Yes, I definitely think
it's possible to climb it
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and, well, I'm sure
it will be done some day.
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It's only 60 years ago, but
it was a completely different world,
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and the idea that
you would be the first man
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to stand on the highest
point on earth
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is a quest, a romantic quest,
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There was a real race on
for the world's highest peak,
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And it wasn't just Britain,
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There were other nations
in the queue,
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This really was Britain's
last chance to grab this great prize,
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Nobody knew if someone
could survive at 29,000 feet,
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Like the guys going into space,
you know, you 're breaking frontiers,
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There is a physiologic limit
of what human beings can take,
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I'm sure they didn't want to die,
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but you 're taking risks in which
death is one of the outcomes,
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You are going into the unknown,
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Could it be done?
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Back in 1953, it was
a great big question mark,
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EDMUND HILLARY: I think
it's all really a matter of challenge,
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Not so much challenge
only with the mountain,
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but challenge with oneself,
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seeing if you can force yourself
to overcome your fears
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and hopefully, ultimately,
get to the top,
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Members of
the British Everest expedition
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have begun assembling
on the Subcontinent
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where deputy leader Major Wylie
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is looking forw ard
to the adventure to come.
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We are very pleased
that the first stage
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of our journey
to Mount Everest is over.
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We are now off tow ards the hills.
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If we get some fine weather
tow ards the end of May
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just before the monsoon arrives
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we should have a chance
of getting to the top.
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The first time I joined up
with the expedition
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was at the British Embassy
in Kathmandu,
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We had 13 Western members
of the expedition,
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John Hunt, a senior army officer,
was expedition leader,
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I'd really never heard
of John Hunt before
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and the first time I met him
was in Kathmandu,
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I was very keen
to have people I knew already
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so I had big
question marks about Ed,
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I can only say that
from the moment I met Ed
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I knew that here was somebody
who would be a dominating influence,
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He was a tower of strength,
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Mr Hillary,
as a matter of interest,
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how long have you been climbing?
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EDMUND HILLARY: Well,
I've been climbing, I suppose,
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for altogether about 10 years.
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And how many trips have you done
out of New Z ealand climbing?
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I have already had a couple
of expeditions to the Himalay a.
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You were quite strictly
brought up, weren't you?
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EDMUND HILLARY: I was brought up
during the Depression
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and my family was pretty
short on cash during that period,
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I was just a rough
old country boy, as it were,
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A beekeeper,
A beekeeper,
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lused to wander around our farm
dreaming about great adventures
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and climbing mountains
and all that sort of thing,
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INTERVIEWER:
What a contrast between
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beekeeping on the one hand
and climbing mountains,
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EDMUND HILLARY: Oh, not really,
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In the beekeeping, I was constantly
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lugging around
80-pound boxes of honey,
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And my brother was also
doing beekeeping, and we competed,
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And I think the sense of competition
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carried on to
my mountaineering activities,
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Well, the party were first
all together as a team in Kathmandu,
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Before us we had 17 days
of marches to Tengboche,
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which is where we were going
to place our first base camp,
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We had to cross a succession
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of high ridges and deep valleys,
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We could really get gradually fit
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and - most important -
get to know each other as a team,
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Everything had been
calculated to the last detail -
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7,5 tons of material,
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443 packages, all numbered,
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and the contents of each listed
down to the last matchbox or needle,
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EDMUND HILLARY:
It is a team expedition
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and it's very much in the form
of a pyramid of effort,
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13 Western members of the expedition,
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30 permanent high-altitude Sherpas,
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These are men who will be carrying
loads for us to great altitudes,
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Some 600 Nepalese porters
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carried loads across country
into our climbing regions,
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Because there had been no less
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than seven British
attempts on the mountain,
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we felt that by right, the mountain
should be climbed by Britain
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and by extension
the British Commonwealth,
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The Swiss so nearly
got to the summit in 1952,
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The Americans were
waiting in the wings,
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And so there was huge
pressure on John Hunt
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with this colossal expectation
that this quest had to succeed,
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Mr Hillary,
how many New Z ealanders
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are in this year's expedition?
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EDMUND HILLARY: Well, only two of
us. There's George Lowe and myself.
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George Lowe and my father
were great friends,
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They had climbed extensively
in the Southern Alps of New Zealand,
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They were very good
climbers together
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and had a tremendous rapport,
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We had 18 days of trekking
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and during that period
of getting to know one another
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there was always
a little bit of a funny edge
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towards the New Zealanders,
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Both Ed and I had been
to ordinary high schools,
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They, of course,
the greater number of them,
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had been to public schools,
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We did come from a different
background, there was no doubt,
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HUNT: Kathmandu is only about
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4,000 feet above sea level,
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The foot of Everest is about 18,000,
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Our 17 days approach march
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was an essential part of my policy
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of acclimatisation,
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The whole thing
is a race against time,
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There was a constant fear
that the monsoon would come,
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So that's why John Hunt said,
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"We want to be in a position
to climb Everest on May 15,"
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The later in May, the more likely
that the monsoon would arrive,
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It's always a race against time,
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EDMUND HILLARY: As we got steadily
higher, our excitement increased
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and more and more great peaks
were coming into view,
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And over it all towered
the summit pyramid of Everest
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only 20 miles away,
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but still 20,000 feet above us,
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Mr Hillary, you started
climbing in New Z ealand, didn't you?
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EDMUND HILLARY: Oh, yes,
I started in New Z ealand.
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NEWSREEL ANNOUNCER: And there's
Mount Cook, the 'Cloud Piercer',
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reaching majestically skyw ard
for over 12,000 feet.
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EDMUND HILLARY:
A friend and I decided
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to have a short trip to Mount Cook,
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The closer we got, the more impressed
I was with the magnificent mountains,
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NEWSREEL ANNOUNCER:
Those jagged peaks there
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provide the real alpinist with some of
the best climbing outside Europe.
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EDMUND HILLARY: That night, inside
the Hermitage where I was staying,
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two young men came in,
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I heard the whisper go around -
"They have just climbed Mount Cook,"
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These chaps were really living,
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I felt, "What a hopeless life I lead,
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"no great adventures,
nothing particularly exciting,"
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And that's when I decided that I was
going to take up mountaineering,
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HUNT: Well, after 17 days
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our caravans arrived at the Monastery of
Tengboche at over 12,000 feet,
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PETER HILLARY: Once they got up
to Tengboche Monastery
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it's getting pretty cold,
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The low-country porters
largely only had cotton clothes
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so they get paid off
and they return to their villages
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and Sherpa porters take over,
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The Sherpas who stay
on the expedition
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might have had previous
experience of climbing,
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although not many did,
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Tenzing was an exception to that
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in that he did have
quite a lot of experience,
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In fact, he really
had more experience
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at climbing on Mount Everest
than anyone else,
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Without the Sherpas
you can't climb Everest
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and my father was the head man,
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People respected him,
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They knew that he had been climbing
Everest with foreigners since 1935,
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You know, he'd been up
six times already,
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EDMUND HILLARY:
I knew Tenzing by repute,
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You know, he'd done
a lot of mountaineering
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and I knew he was
very highly regarded,
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But I wasn't able really
to communicate well with him,
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His English was very limited
and my Nepali was very limited,
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He had a flashing smile,
absolutely charming smile,
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It was impossible not to like him,
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In the next fortnight,
we had a period of training
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and testing ourselves
and our equipment at altitudes,
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Well, in 1953,
getting to the summit of Everest
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in terms of physiologic capability
was a big unknown,
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It was like sending
somebody into space,
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They knew from altitude
experiments in chambers
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that altitude can make you seize
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and one of the ideas was that people
would haemorrhage in their brains
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because their blood vessels
would be so dilated,
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There were lots of reasons to think
that there might be a stroke,
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Nobody knew whether or not
it could really be done,
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When Ed was heading
up the mountain in 1953,
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13 people had already
died on the mountain
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and I think that for anyone
who would be climbing at that time
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it would be something
of a daunting statistic -
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13 deaths and zero summits
at that point,
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HUNT: Now, about
six miles up from Tengboche
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looking north is the Khumbu Glacier
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where we were to place
our main base camp
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for the attack on the mountain,
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This icefall was to be
our next great obstacle
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and I sent a party to explore it,
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Ed Hillary led this first party,
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EDMUND HILLARY: The Western Cwm
is guarded by a great icefall,,,
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,,a tumbled mass of ice dropping
2,500 feet to the Khumbu Glacier,
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We first had to discover whether it
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was possible to ascend this icefall,
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The icefall was a constant hazard
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and we had no alternative
but to make a route through country
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which we knew to be unjustifiable
in the ordinary alpine climb,
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It's like a waterfall
that's come off and has frozen,
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The weight of the glacier
above them is shoving,
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It's all a jumble of ice,
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It is unstable objective danger
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that you have no control over,
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Crazy! My God, You 're dumb
to be going up a route like that,
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But you just can't go any other way
but through the icefall,
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In '52, the Swiss
went up the icefall
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and said, "It's a thing
that's always on the move,"
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And it's a dangerous place
for that reason,
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More people are killed in the icefall
than anywhere else on Everest,
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It's immense,
It's 2,500 feet high,
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And we had to go
up the middle of it,
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Ed Hillary, George Lowe,
Mike Westmacott and myself
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were the four of us chosen
to make the first route through
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in a week or five days if we could,,,
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,,and then of course to make it safe
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by a lot of step-cutting,
a lot of fixed ropes
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so that eventually
it would be possible
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for loaded porters to carry
the stores safely through it,
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WESTMACOTT:
The icefall was a dangerous place
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because things did collapse
without warning
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and if you were in the way,
it was a thoroughly bad thing,
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BAND: You had
these great towers of ice
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and great lumps and strips
the size of a row of cottages
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that could slump down at any moment,
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We gave names
to the more dangerous parts,
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There was Mike's Horror,
Hillary's Horror,
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an area called the Nutcracker,
the Atom Bomb area,
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WESTMACOTT: There are certain,,,
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,,what climbers call objective dangers
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which basically
you can't do much about,
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There's also a risk
of falling into a crevasse,
238
00:20:10,558 --> 00:20:14,270
BAND: We had these light
aluminium ladders about six feet long
239
00:20:14,312 --> 00:20:17,732
which we could bolt together
across the crevasses,
240
00:20:25,698 --> 00:20:27,450
And there were so many crevasses
241
00:20:27,492 --> 00:20:30,328
that we soon ran out
of all the ladders we had,
242
00:20:32,079 --> 00:20:35,082
So we had to send down
to where the nearest trees grew,
243
00:20:35,124 --> 00:20:37,084
which would be about
three days' walk away,
244
00:20:37,126 --> 00:20:42,089
to cut small tree trunks
to make little log bridges,
245
00:20:48,721 --> 00:20:51,390
And you balanced
as well as you could,
246
00:21:04,862 --> 00:21:09,450
For us, it was clearly going to be
the only way to climb Everest,
247
00:21:13,746 --> 00:21:16,290
CONEFRE Y:
Ed Hillary wanted to please,
248
00:21:16,332 --> 00:21:18,626
He wanted to be on the summit team,
249
00:21:18,668 --> 00:21:21,087
He would've known
that only a few people
250
00:21:21,128 --> 00:21:23,422
would get a chance
to go for the summit
251
00:21:23,464 --> 00:21:26,300
so from very early on
he wanted to impress John Hunt
252
00:21:26,342 --> 00:21:29,303
and he felt there
was time pressure on him
253
00:21:29,303 --> 00:21:32,223
to recce the icefall
to get it prepared,
254
00:21:43,651 --> 00:21:46,571
PETER HILLARY: My father
was never afraid of hard work,
255
00:21:46,612 --> 00:21:50,366
but part of that was to cover
I think what Dad felt
256
00:21:50,408 --> 00:21:54,120
were a lot of psychological
or emotional inadequacies,
257
00:21:56,914 --> 00:21:59,876
He had been raised
with high expectations
258
00:21:59,917 --> 00:22:02,253
and they sent him off
to Auckland Grammar School
259
00:22:02,295 --> 00:22:04,589
two years too young,
260
00:22:05,673 --> 00:22:08,467
EDMUND HILLARY:
I was only 11 years old
261
00:22:08,509 --> 00:22:11,220
and I was rather terrified, really,
262
00:22:12,346 --> 00:22:14,182
When lunchtime came,
263
00:22:14,223 --> 00:22:16,267
I would go out
the back of the school
264
00:22:16,309 --> 00:22:19,812
and there were a whole lot
of ants living there,
265
00:22:20,897 --> 00:22:23,399
When I first went
to Auckland Grammar,
266
00:22:23,441 --> 00:22:26,986
the only friends I really had
were the ants,
267
00:22:30,990 --> 00:22:35,369
I was a dreamer
until I started climbing,
268
00:22:44,754 --> 00:22:48,508
HUNT: The icefall was really chaotic
269
00:22:48,549 --> 00:22:50,301
and yet they forced a way
270
00:22:50,343 --> 00:22:54,555
and Ed's job of route finding
was a particularly good show,
271
00:22:57,350 --> 00:22:58,935
BAND: The New Zealanders
272
00:22:58,976 --> 00:23:01,521
had a lot more snow
and ice climbing experience
273
00:23:01,562 --> 00:23:04,190
than the average European climber
274
00:23:04,232 --> 00:23:08,027
because their mountains are
very like the Himalayas in miniature,
275
00:23:14,700 --> 00:23:16,869
NEWSREEL ANNOUNCER:
The Southern Alps -
276
00:23:16,911 --> 00:23:19,789
the great mountain tangle
which sprawls northw ards
277
00:23:19,789 --> 00:23:22,625
in an almost unbroken chain
of rock and ice.
278
00:23:30,716 --> 00:23:32,593
Well, Ed,
how do the Southern Alps
279
00:23:32,635 --> 00:23:34,178
compare with the Swiss Alps?
280
00:23:34,220 --> 00:23:36,055
That's where the English climbers
get their training.
281
00:23:36,097 --> 00:23:38,307
EDMUND HILLARY: Here in New
Z ealand, with our terrific glaciation,
282
00:23:38,349 --> 00:23:41,018
a greater amount of our climbing
is done on snow and ice -
283
00:23:41,060 --> 00:23:43,020
in many w ays very similar
to the Himalay a.
284
00:23:43,062 --> 00:23:44,939
They're rather different
from the Swiss Alps
285
00:23:44,981 --> 00:23:47,900
where the predominant feature
for climbing is rock.
286
00:23:47,942 --> 00:23:51,404
Mount Aspiring, New Zealand's Matterhorn -
287
00:23:51,445 --> 00:23:53,865
a shark's tooth of a mountain
whose dangerous slopes
288
00:23:53,906 --> 00:23:56,159
demand skill and careful climbing.
289
00:23:56,200 --> 00:23:57,785
EDMUND HILLARY:
Our New Z ealand mountains
290
00:23:57,827 --> 00:23:59,871
are really a wonderful
training ground for the Himalay a.
291
00:24:03,082 --> 00:24:06,127
VENABLES: Kiwis
have that tough resilience
292
00:24:06,169 --> 00:24:09,130
so I think that
the younger British climbers
293
00:24:09,172 --> 00:24:10,798
were somewhat in awe
294
00:24:10,840 --> 00:24:16,304
of these formidable Kiwis
brought in to reinforce the team,
295
00:24:24,437 --> 00:24:26,189
HUNT: Now, the next big doubt
296
00:24:26,230 --> 00:24:28,733
was regarding the lip
of the coomb itself
297
00:24:28,774 --> 00:24:30,610
at the very top of the icefall,
298
00:24:31,694 --> 00:24:35,865
You see, there was
an enormous, gaping crevasse,
299
00:24:38,159 --> 00:24:40,620
Could we get into the coomb?
300
00:24:46,125 --> 00:24:48,294
PETER HILLARY: The decision
on who would be going
301
00:24:48,336 --> 00:24:50,046
all the way to the top
302
00:24:50,087 --> 00:24:53,007
was very much
the leader's prerogative,
303
00:25:00,097 --> 00:25:03,142
John Hunt would evaluate the team
304
00:25:03,184 --> 00:25:05,478
throughout the course
of the expedition,
305
00:25:10,733 --> 00:25:12,401
So there was a fair amount of
306
00:25:12,443 --> 00:25:15,321
sort of posturing
and positioning going on
307
00:25:15,363 --> 00:25:19,075
as people tried to put
themselves in the best light
308
00:25:19,116 --> 00:25:21,202
for that sort of opportunity,
309
00:25:27,375 --> 00:25:29,126
BAND: I think
amongst the British
310
00:25:29,168 --> 00:25:32,129
there wasn't any particular
jockeying for position,
311
00:25:32,171 --> 00:25:35,049
but I think our two New Zealanders,
Hillary and Lowe,
312
00:25:35,091 --> 00:25:37,093
were perhaps rather
more straightforward
313
00:25:37,093 --> 00:25:39,053
in wanting to get
as high as possible,
314
00:25:50,481 --> 00:25:53,276
They were the sort of colonials
that would make good
315
00:25:53,317 --> 00:25:55,987
and we were perhaps
a little bit more inhibited -
316
00:25:56,028 --> 00:25:59,073
the public school type that
wouldn't push our way forward
317
00:25:59,115 --> 00:26:02,118
unless Hunt had said,
"Look, you 're the chap to do it,"
318
00:26:03,161 --> 00:26:06,998
EDMUND HILLARY: I'd always hoped
that George Lowe and I
319
00:26:07,039 --> 00:26:10,042
would be the final summit pair,
320
00:26:10,084 --> 00:26:13,462
but there was no time
that John Hunt, our leader,
321
00:26:13,504 --> 00:26:19,135
wanted to have two New Zealanders
stand on top of Mount Everest,
322
00:26:19,177 --> 00:26:21,804
So I had to look around
and find someone
323
00:26:21,846 --> 00:26:26,100
who was as fit as I was
and who could do a good job,
324
00:26:27,143 --> 00:26:30,021
Tenzing was that person,
325
00:26:36,235 --> 00:26:39,697
Nobody alive had more
experience of Everest,
326
00:26:42,492 --> 00:26:45,119
He really understood the value of it
327
00:26:45,161 --> 00:26:47,705
and how it could change his life,
328
00:26:48,956 --> 00:26:51,709
Tenzing had been very, very poor,
329
00:26:51,751 --> 00:26:53,878
He had struggled,
330
00:26:53,920 --> 00:26:56,839
He wanted his children
to go to good schools,
331
00:26:56,881 --> 00:27:00,343
He wanted more for them
than he'd had,
332
00:27:00,384 --> 00:27:04,138
Tenzing understood
what climbing Everest meant,
333
00:27:08,559 --> 00:27:12,813
My father was a bit of an anomaly
as far as a Sherpa goes
334
00:27:12,855 --> 00:27:16,359
because he always
wanted to climb Everest,
335
00:27:19,320 --> 00:27:23,157
That's very unusual
for a poor kid from Tibet,
336
00:27:23,199 --> 00:27:27,995
So unlike many other Sherpas who
actually climb just to make a living,
337
00:27:28,037 --> 00:27:29,914
he was a mountaineer at heart,
338
00:27:29,956 --> 00:27:34,877
His drive was to go to the top
just like Ed Hillary,
339
00:27:40,842 --> 00:27:44,637
HUNT: As we walked on into
the coomb, the crevasses grew fewer
340
00:27:44,679 --> 00:27:48,891
and we realised that
the coomb itself was open to us,
341
00:28:09,912 --> 00:28:12,456
HUNT: We are now
established at Base Camp
342
00:28:12,498 --> 00:28:15,626
and the first problem
is to get our supplies
343
00:28:15,668 --> 00:28:18,796
up to Camp 4 high up
in the Western Cwm,
344
00:28:19,839 --> 00:28:23,301
Owing to the climbing
difficulties in the icefall,
345
00:28:23,301 --> 00:28:26,721
laden porters require
three days to reach Camp 4,
346
00:28:30,308 --> 00:28:32,310
CONEFREY: There was
this idea in those days
347
00:28:32,351 --> 00:28:34,395
of laying siege to a mountain,
348
00:28:34,437 --> 00:28:37,273
This meant you would do it
in a very systematic way -
349
00:28:37,315 --> 00:28:40,067
you would set up a camp
and you would set up another camp
350
00:28:40,109 --> 00:28:42,778
and get higher and higher,
351
00:28:42,820 --> 00:28:45,114
VENABLES: You build up
this pyramid of camps
352
00:28:45,156 --> 00:28:49,869
to get enough tents, food,
cooking fuel, oxygen -
353
00:28:49,911 --> 00:28:54,540
to get enough of those supplies
where you can rest
354
00:28:54,582 --> 00:28:57,126
before going up to the next stage,
355
00:29:03,883 --> 00:29:07,303
And to do that, people have
got to go up and down the mountain,
356
00:29:07,345 --> 00:29:10,348
Ideally, people go up to a camp
and then go back down again
357
00:29:10,389 --> 00:29:13,392
'cause if everyone goes up to a camp
and then stays there
358
00:29:13,434 --> 00:29:15,937
they then consume
all the food they've carried up,
359
00:29:35,873 --> 00:29:37,834
CONEFRE Y: People tried
to come up with solutions
360
00:29:37,875 --> 00:29:40,211
which would help the team
to get to the top,
361
00:29:40,253 --> 00:29:42,046
people from around the world
362
00:29:42,088 --> 00:29:45,091
sending in madcap
suggestions on inventions,
363
00:29:45,132 --> 00:29:46,843
Somebody had an ingenious device
364
00:29:46,884 --> 00:29:48,511
which was a type of harpoon
365
00:29:48,553 --> 00:29:51,055
with an incendiary device
on the end of it,
366
00:29:52,098 --> 00:29:55,518
The idea was that it would
burn its way into the ice
367
00:29:55,560 --> 00:29:57,353
and give a secure holding
368
00:29:57,395 --> 00:29:59,564
so people could haul themselves up,
369
00:29:59,605 --> 00:30:02,400
Most of them were
completely crazy ideas,
370
00:30:02,441 --> 00:30:04,777
My method
involves the use of a hand cable
371
00:30:04,819 --> 00:30:07,071
laid in adv ance by aircraft...
372
00:30:07,113 --> 00:30:08,823
With my relay warmth
373
00:30:08,865 --> 00:30:10,491
personal heating apparatus,
374
00:30:10,533 --> 00:30:12,493
air could be passed through
a heating chamber
375
00:30:12,535 --> 00:30:14,162
and pumped via rubber tube
376
00:30:14,203 --> 00:30:15,872
to the hands, feet and head...
377
00:30:15,913 --> 00:30:18,708
May I mention a Wonder Gun
378
00:30:18,749 --> 00:30:21,419
for driving steel bolts
into concrete...
379
00:30:21,460 --> 00:30:23,296
I suggest
that a woollen suit
380
00:30:23,337 --> 00:30:24,964
be wired in much the same w ay
381
00:30:24,964 --> 00:30:26,507
as an electric blanket...
382
00:30:26,549 --> 00:30:28,050
It should be possible
383
00:30:28,092 --> 00:30:31,137
to ascend the mountain
using a large helium-filled balloon.
384
00:30:31,179 --> 00:30:34,599
A significant amount of helium
would be required.
385
00:30:41,147 --> 00:30:44,567
Nearly all
of the technological innovations
386
00:30:44,609 --> 00:30:46,861
that were used on the 1953 expedition
387
00:30:46,903 --> 00:30:49,405
arose from things
developed by the military
388
00:30:49,447 --> 00:30:51,532
during the Second World War,
389
00:30:54,368 --> 00:30:57,497
They tested the windproof equipment
they were going to be wearing
390
00:30:57,538 --> 00:31:00,708
in the wind tunnel
at Farnborough Aircraft Factory,
391
00:31:08,299 --> 00:31:11,302
30 different firms, UK firms,
392
00:31:11,344 --> 00:31:14,514
were involved
in designing the boots alone,
393
00:31:18,518 --> 00:31:22,813
The ascent of Everest in '53 had
become a question of national pride,
394
00:31:24,148 --> 00:31:27,193
When World War II ended,
Britain was completely bankrupt
395
00:31:27,235 --> 00:31:29,946
and because of the austerity,
the postwar austerity in Britain,
396
00:31:29,987 --> 00:31:31,739
the really awful days
that had past,,,
397
00:31:34,325 --> 00:31:37,245
,,it was the last
great colonial project,
398
00:31:37,286 --> 00:31:40,164
the last hurrah
of the British Empire,
399
00:31:52,385 --> 00:31:54,512
PETER HILLARY:
My father and Tenzing
400
00:31:54,554 --> 00:31:57,807
kept volunteering to help
in different situations
401
00:31:57,849 --> 00:32:02,144
to demonstrate their competency
as being one of the summit teams,
402
00:32:03,187 --> 00:32:06,774
Dad could see that there were
a whole lot of reasons
403
00:32:06,816 --> 00:32:10,361
why this could be
a great combination for success,
404
00:32:11,779 --> 00:32:14,949
They were very at home
in this alpine environment,
405
00:32:15,992 --> 00:32:19,036
They were hungry,
They wanted the top,
406
00:32:29,881 --> 00:32:32,800
CONEFRE Y: There's a point
where they were partnered together
407
00:32:32,842 --> 00:32:35,428
and they were racing down
the Khumbu Icefall,
408
00:32:35,428 --> 00:32:37,972
trying to prove that
they could do it quickly,
409
00:32:39,473 --> 00:32:42,059
But as a sort of product
of his over-exuberance, really,
410
00:32:42,101 --> 00:32:44,896
he's racing through it
and something goes wrong,
411
00:32:46,230 --> 00:32:48,900
EDMUND HILLARY: Tenzing and I
headed back down to Base Camp,
412
00:32:50,526 --> 00:32:53,237
When we were about
halfway down the icefall
413
00:32:53,279 --> 00:32:56,073
we came to one of the crevasses,
414
00:32:59,327 --> 00:33:02,747
On one side of it
there was a great chunk of ice
415
00:33:02,788 --> 00:33:05,750
and we had used this
as a stepping stone
416
00:33:05,791 --> 00:33:07,627
to reach the other side,
417
00:33:42,829 --> 00:33:44,413
CONEFRE Y: It was slightly ironic
418
00:33:44,455 --> 00:33:47,041
that it was Ed Hillary,
who was such a good climber,
419
00:33:47,083 --> 00:33:49,001
that it should happen to him,
420
00:33:52,922 --> 00:33:54,799
EDMUND HILLARY:
People have often said to me,
421
00:33:54,841 --> 00:33:56,509
"You must've been very thankful,
422
00:33:56,551 --> 00:33:59,011
"Tenzing having saved
your life like that,"
423
00:33:59,053 --> 00:34:00,680
but I don't think I was,
424
00:34:00,721 --> 00:34:04,141
You know, I'd have been very annoyed
if he hadn't saved my life,
425
00:34:11,983 --> 00:34:14,277
HUNT: Camp 4
has now been established
426
00:34:14,318 --> 00:34:16,737
and we have successfully carried
427
00:34:16,737 --> 00:34:19,115
the three tons of supplies up here,
428
00:34:25,204 --> 00:34:27,415
VENABLES: You don't
conquer a mountain,
429
00:34:27,456 --> 00:34:29,250
If you 're lucky enough,
430
00:34:29,292 --> 00:34:32,837
the mountain gives you a chance
to stand on the top,
431
00:34:33,880 --> 00:34:37,758
You 're trying to overcome
your own weaknesses,
432
00:34:49,854 --> 00:34:52,648
CONEFRE Y: Ed Hillary,
he was so kind of gung-ho
433
00:34:52,690 --> 00:34:55,109
and he always
wanted to be out front,
434
00:34:55,109 --> 00:34:57,445
he always wanted to be in the lead,
435
00:34:57,487 --> 00:35:01,824
He wasn't brash, He was a quieter,
sort of more reserved, character,
436
00:35:04,785 --> 00:35:07,580
PETER HILLARY: Dad was
quite a complicated person,
437
00:35:08,623 --> 00:35:12,418
I think my father
had quite a few demons
438
00:35:12,460 --> 00:35:14,754
born out of being a perfectionist,
439
00:35:14,795 --> 00:35:20,134
but also the sense of inferiority -
nothing is ever quite good enough,
440
00:35:20,176 --> 00:35:24,555
I think it came out of a very
complicated family background,
441
00:35:29,310 --> 00:35:31,562
EDMUND HILLARY: My father
really wasn't very interested
442
00:35:31,604 --> 00:35:33,689
in adventurous activities,
443
00:35:33,731 --> 00:35:36,859
He was a man of very strong beliefs,
444
00:35:36,901 --> 00:35:42,949
The climbing of mountains he probably
regarded as a bit of a waste of time,
445
00:35:48,329 --> 00:35:51,165
I fought with my father,
446
00:35:53,334 --> 00:35:57,213
And I would usually end up
being taken over to the woodshed
447
00:35:57,255 --> 00:36:00,132
and being given a good thumping,
448
00:36:02,677 --> 00:36:04,470
I'm rather proud of the fact
449
00:36:04,512 --> 00:36:08,015
that I never actually
admitted I was wrong,,,
450
00:36:10,059 --> 00:36:12,228
,,even if I had been,
451
00:36:36,252 --> 00:36:39,922
WESTMACOTT: Well, of course it was
of tremendous interest to all of us
452
00:36:39,964 --> 00:36:42,383
who would be chosen
for the final push,
453
00:36:47,805 --> 00:36:52,310
VENABLES: In those days,
the leader's word was absolute,,,
454
00:36:53,352 --> 00:36:57,148
,,particularly for men who had
all been in the armed forces,
455
00:36:59,150 --> 00:37:01,611
Hunt had to make the decision,
456
00:37:01,652 --> 00:37:04,572
He would say who were
going to be the lucky ones
457
00:37:04,614 --> 00:37:07,492
who were going to have
a crack at the summit,
458
00:37:13,080 --> 00:37:15,291
It was at our Base Camp
459
00:37:15,333 --> 00:37:17,668
and John Hunt got everybody round
460
00:37:17,710 --> 00:37:23,466
and outlined his plans
for the rest of the expedition,
461
00:37:25,510 --> 00:37:29,639
The crucial thing, of course,
was the attempts for the summit,
462
00:37:30,681 --> 00:37:32,517
VENABLES: At that meeting,
463
00:37:32,558 --> 00:37:35,269
that extraordinary
meeting with this team
464
00:37:35,311 --> 00:37:37,939
totally isolated
from the rest of the world,
465
00:37:37,980 --> 00:37:40,358
thousands of miles from home,,,
466
00:37:43,653 --> 00:37:46,656
,,those men, each thinking,
"Oh, wouldn't it be wonderful
467
00:37:46,697 --> 00:37:49,450
"if I was one of the lucky ones,"
468
00:37:51,911 --> 00:37:55,456
BAND: You 're all chosen
as basic climbers to go to the top,
469
00:37:55,498 --> 00:37:59,085
but there are all these
other jobs to be done as well,
470
00:38:02,880 --> 00:38:06,092
PETER HILLARY: My father
was absolutely determined
471
00:38:06,133 --> 00:38:10,012
that he was going to have an opportunity
to climb this mountain,
472
00:38:11,347 --> 00:38:12,849
NORBU TENZING:
One of the conditions
473
00:38:12,890 --> 00:38:15,810
for my father to go
with the English team
474
00:38:15,852 --> 00:38:18,896
was that he'd have a chance
to go to the top,
475
00:38:18,938 --> 00:38:21,899
There was no other climber
quite as accomplished,
476
00:38:21,941 --> 00:38:25,111
WESTMACOTT: All of us would have
liked to have a crack at the top,
477
00:38:25,153 --> 00:38:27,113
but the first attempt on the summit
478
00:38:27,155 --> 00:38:31,450
was to be made by
Tom Bourdillon with Charles Evans,,,
479
00:38:36,706 --> 00:38:40,084
,,and, "If needed,
the second attempt," he said,
480
00:38:40,084 --> 00:38:43,421
"is going to be made
by Ed Hillary and Tenzing,"
481
00:38:46,007 --> 00:38:47,717
PETER HILLARY: I'm sure my father
482
00:38:47,758 --> 00:38:50,761
would have loved to have
been in the first team,
483
00:38:54,307 --> 00:38:58,144
Tenzing was probably
quite conflicted by it,
484
00:39:01,439 --> 00:39:04,775
HUNT: The next stage,
and the really crucial one,
485
00:39:04,817 --> 00:39:07,862
is up the Lhotse Face
to the South Col,
486
00:39:09,363 --> 00:39:13,409
VENABLES: John Hunt said, "OK,
Tom Bourdillon with Charles Evans,
487
00:39:13,451 --> 00:39:15,495
"We'll send the two
of them up first,
488
00:39:15,536 --> 00:39:18,498
"They can do a huge leap
from the South Col
489
00:39:18,539 --> 00:39:21,042
"right to the summit in a day,"
490
00:39:29,217 --> 00:39:33,012
HUNT: The first major task
in this plan fell to George Lowe,
491
00:39:33,054 --> 00:39:36,807
He was to make a route up
the Lhotse Face and prepare the way
492
00:39:36,849 --> 00:39:39,894
for the high-carrying parties
to reach the col,
493
00:39:40,937 --> 00:39:43,898
This was to be finished by 15 May,
494
00:39:50,863 --> 00:39:52,615
CONEFRE Y:
Basically what he said was,
495
00:39:52,657 --> 00:39:56,619
"We want to be in a position
to climb Everest on May 15,"
496
00:39:56,661 --> 00:39:59,539
because there was a constant fear
in the back of Hunt's mind that
497
00:39:59,580 --> 00:40:03,960
“The monsoon would come
and end all our hopes,"
498
00:40:05,086 --> 00:40:09,173
But they had to get up this thing
called the Lhotse Face,
499
00:40:13,261 --> 00:40:16,305
EDMUND HILLARY: This is a vast
4,000-foot snow-and-ice face
500
00:40:16,347 --> 00:40:20,268
leading up steeply
to the South Col at 26,000 feet,
501
00:40:23,729 --> 00:40:27,275
George Lowe, my fellow New Zealander,
spent much time and energy
502
00:40:27,316 --> 00:40:29,986
bashing a route
up this difficult problem,
503
00:40:31,279 --> 00:40:33,906
LOWE: Well, the work on
the face was very difficult
504
00:40:33,948 --> 00:40:35,741
and made more difficult
and atrocious
505
00:40:35,783 --> 00:40:39,912
by the weather and daily falls
of snow which covered the tracks,
506
00:40:41,873 --> 00:40:44,625
I shared my high perch
for a long time with Ang Nyima,
507
00:40:44,667 --> 00:40:47,128
a splendid little Sherpa,
508
00:40:50,756 --> 00:40:53,134
WESTMACOTT: George Lowe
worked on the Lhotse Face
509
00:40:53,176 --> 00:40:58,848
without oxygen for over a week
up to about 24,500 feet,
510
00:41:01,267 --> 00:41:04,770
LOWE: The cold was terrific
and the wind was bad
511
00:41:04,812 --> 00:41:08,024
and all the time I was hoping
to get the traverse complete
512
00:41:08,065 --> 00:41:11,027
and the route right through
to the South Col,
513
00:41:12,445 --> 00:41:16,657
But I was thrashed by the weather
and the altitude was affecting me,
514
00:41:16,657 --> 00:41:20,828
We didn't seem to be able to make
the last 1,000 feet to the col,
515
00:41:24,457 --> 00:41:26,626
CONEFRE Y: John Hunt's big mistake
516
00:41:26,667 --> 00:41:29,754
was that he underestimated
the Lhotse Face,
517
00:41:29,795 --> 00:41:31,881
It's just so big,
518
00:41:39,639 --> 00:41:42,892
He didn't give enough
support to George Lowe,
519
00:41:44,560 --> 00:41:47,104
LOWE: It really was
myself and Ang Nyima,
520
00:41:47,146 --> 00:41:49,440
Whenever they did send up support,
521
00:41:49,482 --> 00:41:52,860
within 24 hours, they were
not able to carry on,
522
00:41:55,988 --> 00:41:57,949
HACKETT:
Being at high altitude,
523
00:41:57,990 --> 00:42:00,493
you never feel very well,
524
00:42:04,622 --> 00:42:07,834
Each breath of air
we take in at high altitude
525
00:42:07,875 --> 00:42:09,585
has fewer oxygen molecules
526
00:42:09,627 --> 00:42:13,965
so we need more breaths in order
to get the same amount of oxygen,
527
00:42:19,470 --> 00:42:21,639
WHITTAKER: Put a pillow
over your mouth
528
00:42:21,681 --> 00:42:24,433
and try and breath through it
as you 're running,
529
00:42:24,475 --> 00:42:27,478
You just suck in air,
you 're trying to get enough air
530
00:42:27,520 --> 00:42:30,314
and the oxygen debt builds up
until you just can't go any,,,
531
00:42:30,356 --> 00:42:33,109
You have to stop,
532
00:42:33,151 --> 00:42:35,778
Take three, four breaths to a step,
533
00:42:35,820 --> 00:42:39,740
five breaths to a step,
six breaths to a step,
534
00:42:39,782 --> 00:42:41,742
15 breaths to a step,
535
00:42:41,784 --> 00:42:44,120
You 're just not getting the air,
536
00:42:47,582 --> 00:42:52,044
LOWE: Up there, your mind
somehow gradually accepts slowness,
537
00:42:55,298 --> 00:42:57,633
I thought I was going
extremely well,
538
00:42:57,675 --> 00:43:01,596
but in fact we were staggering about
like men in a dream,
539
00:43:10,146 --> 00:43:13,524
HUNT: We had spent
10 days on the Lhotse Face -
540
00:43:13,566 --> 00:43:16,194
considerably more
than I'd reckoned on -
541
00:43:16,235 --> 00:43:21,365
but we had still not broken through
to the South Col,
542
00:43:21,407 --> 00:43:24,327
The time factor
was becoming critical,
543
00:43:28,956 --> 00:43:31,626
BAND: Watching the progress
on the Lhotse Face,
544
00:43:31,667 --> 00:43:34,295
there was no doubt that
the momentum of the attack
545
00:43:34,337 --> 00:43:36,714
seemed to be winding down,
546
00:43:36,756 --> 00:43:39,383
and the first inklings of the monsoon
547
00:43:39,383 --> 00:43:41,969
were building up
in the Bay of Bengal,
548
00:43:43,304 --> 00:43:46,265
VENABLES: It was
a very, very critical time,
549
00:43:47,433 --> 00:43:49,018
You could imagine Hunt
550
00:43:49,060 --> 00:43:51,771
feeling that this whole great enterprise
was just unravelling
551
00:43:51,812 --> 00:43:54,357
and, "If we don't get
a grip on this thing soon
552
00:43:54,398 --> 00:43:55,942
"we're going to lose our chance,
553
00:43:55,983 --> 00:43:57,443
"The monsoon will arrive
554
00:43:57,485 --> 00:44:00,613
"and we won't even have reached
the South Col, let alone the summit,"
555
00:44:12,375 --> 00:44:16,003
This is London calling
the British Mount Everest expedition.
556
00:44:16,045 --> 00:44:18,089
Here is the latest weather bulletin.
557
00:44:18,130 --> 00:44:21,968
Western disturbance
apparently moving eastw ards
558
00:44:22,009 --> 00:44:24,804
across the extreme north of Nepal
559
00:44:24,846 --> 00:44:27,932
is likely to cause
cloudy to overcast skies
560
00:44:27,974 --> 00:44:30,184
with occasional thunderstorms...
561
00:44:31,686 --> 00:44:34,939
CONEFRE Y: The later in May it was,
562
00:44:34,981 --> 00:44:37,692
the more likely
that the monsoon would arrive,
563
00:44:39,902 --> 00:44:41,571
When the monsoon comes,
564
00:44:41,612 --> 00:44:46,033
you get huge dumps of snow and they
make climbing much more difficult,
565
00:44:46,075 --> 00:44:49,704
You don't want to be climbing through
large amounts of soft snow,
566
00:44:49,745 --> 00:44:51,455
wading your way through it,
567
00:44:53,583 --> 00:44:56,419
The British expeditions
of the 1930s had all failed
568
00:44:56,460 --> 00:44:58,337
because the monsoon had come early,
569
00:44:59,380 --> 00:45:02,425
And so all of this was
piling on the pressure, you know?
570
00:45:12,894 --> 00:45:15,605
BAND: So even though the route
571
00:45:15,646 --> 00:45:18,566
hadn't actually been made
all the way to the South Col
572
00:45:18,608 --> 00:45:21,819
John Hunt had to make
a sort of crucial decision
573
00:45:21,861 --> 00:45:25,364
to start sending up
the team of 14 Sherpas
574
00:45:25,406 --> 00:45:27,617
to carry all the stores we needed,
575
00:45:36,375 --> 00:45:39,629
HUNT: Nothing must endanger
the getting of our stores to the col
576
00:45:39,670 --> 00:45:42,757
in time for our
attempts on the summit,
577
00:45:47,553 --> 00:45:50,014
EDMUND HILLARY: On 21 May,
Tenzing and myself
578
00:45:50,056 --> 00:45:53,935
led a band of 14 high-altitude Sherpas
up the Lhotse Face,
579
00:46:05,863 --> 00:46:10,326
13 Sherpas struggled up to
the col that day, without oxygen,
580
00:46:10,368 --> 00:46:14,747
The 14th only just failed to make it,
and his load was carried on,
581
00:46:14,789 --> 00:46:17,917
We were proud of them, and grateful,
582
00:46:19,877 --> 00:46:21,712
It was a 10,5-hour day,
583
00:46:21,754 --> 00:46:24,257
They carried 30 pounds each,
and their only nourishment
584
00:46:24,298 --> 00:46:26,968
was a single cup of tea apiece
for breakfast,
585
00:46:30,638 --> 00:46:34,350
BAND: And so we were able
to equip the camp properly
586
00:46:34,392 --> 00:46:38,062
with tents, sleeping bags,
oxygen equipment and food,
587
00:46:38,104 --> 00:46:40,648
and that was one of
the biggest achievements,
588
00:46:49,073 --> 00:46:50,616
EDMUND HILLARY:
The South Col is probably
589
00:46:50,658 --> 00:46:52,160
the most barren spot in the world,
590
00:46:54,036 --> 00:46:55,872
The continual strong wind
591
00:46:55,913 --> 00:46:59,625
is always blowing over
the dreary waste of rock and ice,
592
00:46:59,667 --> 00:47:01,419
Adding an air of desolation
593
00:47:01,460 --> 00:47:04,422
are the remnants of the Swiss tents
of the previous year,
594
00:47:04,422 --> 00:47:07,341
with pieces of tattered cloth
still clinging to them,
595
00:47:12,096 --> 00:47:16,434
NORBU TENZING: 1952, the Swiss
had invited my father to climb Everest,
596
00:47:16,475 --> 00:47:20,396
and he had been up
where no human had been before,
597
00:47:20,438 --> 00:47:23,232
but bad weather turned them back,
598
00:47:26,194 --> 00:47:28,738
LOWE: I remember André Roch,
of the Swiss party, said,
599
00:47:28,779 --> 00:47:31,824
"On the col
there's a smell of death,"
600
00:47:31,866 --> 00:47:34,619
We thought that was
Continental dramatics,
601
00:47:34,619 --> 00:47:37,330
but when we'd been there,
we understood,
602
00:47:41,083 --> 00:47:43,920
WHITTAKER: I'm telling you, the cold,
603
00:47:43,961 --> 00:47:45,880
you can feel it
coming up the extremities,
604
00:47:45,922 --> 00:47:49,175
You know you 're gonna freeze
your hands and toes,
605
00:47:49,217 --> 00:47:51,385
and you just feel the cold
creeping up,
606
00:47:51,427 --> 00:47:55,765
It's a race between the body
and what you hope you can do,
607
00:47:55,806 --> 00:47:59,685
You know that you 're dying
a little bit up there,
608
00:48:09,070 --> 00:48:11,447
EDMUND HILLARY: A major step
had been achieved,
609
00:48:11,447 --> 00:48:13,783
and we then returned
once more to the Western Cwm,
610
00:48:17,787 --> 00:48:22,375
Without wasting any time,
we brought into action our assault plan,
611
00:48:25,086 --> 00:48:28,339
CONEFRE Y: Hunt wanted to have
two attempts on the summit,
612
00:48:28,381 --> 00:48:31,092
but he realised
that he couldn't have two attempts
613
00:48:31,133 --> 00:48:33,803
which were using
open-circuit oxygen sets,
614
00:48:33,845 --> 00:48:35,763
WESTMACOTT: In the open-circuit,
615
00:48:35,805 --> 00:48:39,934
when you breathe out, the
expired air goes to the atmosphere,
616
00:48:39,976 --> 00:48:41,477
and when you breathe in,
617
00:48:41,519 --> 00:48:45,231
the atmospheric air comes with
an addition of a puff of oxygen
618
00:48:45,273 --> 00:48:47,150
from your oxygen set,
619
00:48:50,903 --> 00:48:53,197
CONEFRE Y: The thing about
open-circuit oxygen sets
620
00:48:53,239 --> 00:48:55,241
is that they use a lot of oxygen,
621
00:48:55,283 --> 00:48:58,244
so he would have to get
an awful lot of oxygen
622
00:48:58,286 --> 00:49:01,164
up onto the South Col
and to the Southeast Ridge,
623
00:49:01,205 --> 00:49:02,665
so he sort of thought,
624
00:49:02,707 --> 00:49:05,001
"Well, no, we're not gonna
be able to do this,"
625
00:49:05,042 --> 00:49:07,295
But there was an alternative form
of oxygen set,
626
00:49:07,336 --> 00:49:09,338
which was called a closed circuit,
627
00:49:11,007 --> 00:49:13,634
WESTMACOTT: The closed-circuit,
when you breathe out
628
00:49:13,676 --> 00:49:16,137
the carbon dioxide
goes through a canister
629
00:49:16,179 --> 00:49:19,932
of something called soda lime,
which extracts the carbon dioxide
630
00:49:19,974 --> 00:49:22,268
and gives you back the oxygen
into the set,
631
00:49:22,310 --> 00:49:25,480
and you 're completely insulated
from the outside air,
632
00:49:28,983 --> 00:49:34,572
Now, if it works, the closed system
can be more efficient
633
00:49:34,614 --> 00:49:37,700
than the open-circuit system,
634
00:49:37,742 --> 00:49:41,287
CONEFRE Y: The people who are using
the closed-circuit set
635
00:49:41,329 --> 00:49:43,831
can start from lower down,
636
00:49:43,873 --> 00:49:46,292
But the thing about
a closed-circuit set
637
00:49:46,334 --> 00:49:49,253
was that the only person
who really knew how to use them
638
00:49:49,295 --> 00:49:52,131
was the person who had
designed them, Tom Bourdillon,
639
00:49:52,173 --> 00:49:54,926
WESTMACOTT:
And the first attempt on the summit,
640
00:49:54,967 --> 00:49:57,011
using the closed-circuit oxygen,
641
00:49:57,053 --> 00:50:00,640
was to be made by Tom Bourdillon
with Charles Evans,
642
00:50:02,808 --> 00:50:06,854
John Hunt went ahead
to the South Col in support,
643
00:50:13,569 --> 00:50:16,113
PETER HILLARY: Evans and Bourdillon
left Advanced Base
644
00:50:16,155 --> 00:50:17,990
down in the Western Cwm
645
00:50:18,032 --> 00:50:20,868
and climbed up the South Col
to camp,
646
00:50:22,203 --> 00:50:24,831
WESTMACOTT: Tom and Charles
were to go all the way
647
00:50:24,872 --> 00:50:26,916
from the South Col to the top,
648
00:50:28,543 --> 00:50:31,212
I thought at the time
they had a chance,
649
00:50:31,254 --> 00:50:34,048
but it was a hell of a long way,
650
00:50:42,849 --> 00:50:45,351
PETER HILLARY: If Bourdillon
and Evans reach the summit,
651
00:50:45,393 --> 00:50:47,562
John Hunt might go, "Job done,
652
00:50:47,603 --> 00:50:50,231
"We're all going home,
Everyone's safe,"
653
00:50:56,237 --> 00:50:59,907
But the weather closed in and
everyone got stuck for two days,
654
00:50:59,949 --> 00:51:03,411
including Bourdillon and Evans
on the South Col,
655
00:51:05,496 --> 00:51:08,916
My father and Tenzing
left Advanced Base
656
00:51:08,958 --> 00:51:10,960
down on the Western Cwm
657
00:51:11,002 --> 00:51:14,589
to come up to the South Col
to be the second summit team,
658
00:51:14,630 --> 00:51:18,176
EDMUND HILLARY: Well, we left
Base Camp in the Western Cwm,
659
00:51:18,217 --> 00:51:20,052
There was our support party -
660
00:51:20,094 --> 00:51:23,681
George Lowe, Alf Gregory
and several Sherpas,
661
00:51:28,269 --> 00:51:30,688
And then Tenzing and myself,
who were the actual assault party,
662
00:51:30,730 --> 00:51:32,398
with the open-circuit,
663
00:51:45,661 --> 00:51:49,332
PETER HILLARY: As my father and
Tenzing were departing from Camp 4,
664
00:51:49,373 --> 00:51:51,876
Bourdillon and Evans were
making their summit bid,
665
00:51:58,758 --> 00:52:00,927
EDMUND HILLARY: Well,
we went up the Lhotse Face
666
00:52:00,968 --> 00:52:04,722
and across the long traverse
that leads up to the South Col,
667
00:52:12,522 --> 00:52:14,899
And we're just about
up to the South Col
668
00:52:14,941 --> 00:52:17,652
when we notice the support party,
669
00:52:17,693 --> 00:52:21,823
George started shouting
and jumping around,
670
00:52:21,864 --> 00:52:24,826
And we looked up
and we saw Evans and Bourdillon
671
00:52:24,867 --> 00:52:27,787
going up the tiny little peak
far above us,
672
00:52:27,829 --> 00:52:30,164
onto the top of the South Summit,
673
00:52:31,791 --> 00:52:35,461
I think it was somewhere
around about 12:00 in the morning,
674
00:52:35,503 --> 00:52:39,090
and we thought, "Ooh, they've,,,
South Summit, 12:00,
675
00:52:39,131 --> 00:52:41,634
"They've time to get to the top,
676
00:52:44,428 --> 00:52:46,305
"They're going to climb it,"
677
00:52:48,891 --> 00:52:52,061
PETER HILLARY: You know, when
Bourdillon and Evans went out of sight,
678
00:52:52,103 --> 00:52:54,147
there would've been
very high emotions,
679
00:52:54,188 --> 00:52:56,190
because these guys wanted
to be up there,
680
00:53:00,736 --> 00:53:04,824
EDMUND HILLARY: We crossed over
and reached the South Col,
681
00:53:10,246 --> 00:53:12,582
A little later in the day,
we kept an eye out
682
00:53:12,623 --> 00:53:14,834
for the clouds that
come over the mountain,
683
00:53:14,876 --> 00:53:18,254
and we were a bit worried
about Evans and Bourdillon,
684
00:53:18,296 --> 00:53:20,548
But, uh, I think
it was about 3:30,
685
00:53:20,548 --> 00:53:22,717
George once again
caught sight of them
686
00:53:22,758 --> 00:53:25,636
coming down the couloir
from the Southeast Ridge,
687
00:53:25,678 --> 00:53:27,430
down towards the South Col,
688
00:53:31,684 --> 00:53:33,394
LOWE: And it was a long time
689
00:53:33,436 --> 00:53:35,021
before they actually started
to come down,
690
00:53:40,193 --> 00:53:44,864
And when they were coming down,
they were clearly very, very tired,
691
00:53:51,245 --> 00:53:53,789
PETER HILLARY: When Bourdillon
and Evans came down,
692
00:53:53,831 --> 00:53:56,334
Dad walked out to meet them,
693
00:54:02,965 --> 00:54:05,176
People tend to see it in terms of
694
00:54:05,218 --> 00:54:09,096
this really good guy going out
to meet them and help them back,
695
00:54:09,138 --> 00:54:11,307
and there was that, absolutely,
696
00:54:12,975 --> 00:54:16,771
But there was another part,
which was inside, where he,,,
697
00:54:16,813 --> 00:54:18,564
,,he wanted to climb this mountain,
698
00:54:18,606 --> 00:54:21,317
He needed to know,
"Where did they get to?"
699
00:54:26,030 --> 00:54:27,532
EDMUND HILLARY: And they told us
700
00:54:27,573 --> 00:54:29,116
that they'd reached
the South Summit alright,
701
00:54:29,158 --> 00:54:31,118
had a look at the summit ridge,
702
00:54:31,160 --> 00:54:35,414
but hadn't had sufficient time or oxygen
or energy to go any further,
703
00:54:46,384 --> 00:54:48,302
CONEFRE Y:
They were in a terrible state,
704
00:54:48,344 --> 00:54:51,514
Most of the day Charles Evans
had been climbing with an oxygen set
705
00:54:51,556 --> 00:54:53,015
which didn't work properly,
706
00:54:53,057 --> 00:54:55,977
so he'd been inhaling
carbon dioxide as well as oxygen,
707
00:54:56,018 --> 00:55:01,899
But I think also Tom Bourdillon was
very,,,emotionally in a bad state,
708
00:55:01,941 --> 00:55:04,986
because it really meant
a lot to him, you know,
709
00:55:05,027 --> 00:55:08,072
He had designed this oxygen set
which had failed,
710
00:55:09,198 --> 00:55:13,369
So they were in a bad way,
physically and emotionally as well,
711
00:55:15,538 --> 00:55:19,125
GREGORY: Tom Bourdillon kept saying,
"We should've had a go,
712
00:55:19,167 --> 00:55:21,252
"We should've gone on,"
you know,
713
00:55:21,294 --> 00:55:23,129
"We should've gone on,"
714
00:55:27,967 --> 00:55:29,760
VENABLES:
Evans and Bourdillon
715
00:55:29,802 --> 00:55:31,929
were very strong,
very experienced climbers,
716
00:55:35,308 --> 00:55:38,853
Having climbed higher than any
human beings had ever been before,,,
717
00:55:40,563 --> 00:55:42,398
,,having got to the South Summit
718
00:55:42,440 --> 00:55:46,819
and looked across at this final,
almost knife-edged ridge,
719
00:55:46,861 --> 00:55:50,907
Charles Evans did say to Ed Hillary
something like,
720
00:55:50,948 --> 00:55:56,704
"That last ridge looks really hard,
I don't know if you can do it,"
721
00:56:18,392 --> 00:56:21,813
HACKETT: Above 26,000 feet
is what we call the death zone,
722
00:56:21,854 --> 00:56:25,399
because you are slowly dying,
723
00:56:25,399 --> 00:56:28,903
It's not a place for humans,
724
00:56:34,784 --> 00:56:37,995
GREGORY: John Hunt was a leader
leading from the front,
725
00:56:38,037 --> 00:56:40,957
And as the front now
was up above the South Col,
726
00:56:40,998 --> 00:56:42,917
that's why he wanted to stay,
727
00:56:42,959 --> 00:56:46,796
and we realised that he really
wasn't strong enough to stay,
728
00:56:48,631 --> 00:56:50,258
VENABLES:
It was a classic case
729
00:56:50,299 --> 00:56:53,886
of someone having been
too high too long,
730
00:56:53,928 --> 00:56:56,264
GREGORY: He'd gone beyond the limit,
731
00:56:56,305 --> 00:56:58,558
like Tom Bourdillon
and Charles Evans,
732
00:56:58,599 --> 00:57:02,728
And he was eventually persuaded
to go down with them,
733
00:57:04,605 --> 00:57:07,733
They were exhausted
and we were worried about them
734
00:57:07,775 --> 00:57:11,112
and we dug out some oxygen
to help them,
735
00:57:12,738 --> 00:57:14,824
HUNT: Well, I hated
to leave the col,
736
00:57:14,866 --> 00:57:16,826
but after a certain amount
of discussion,
737
00:57:16,868 --> 00:57:19,620
I saw that I could not weaken
the second party,
738
00:57:19,662 --> 00:57:24,584
So I left Ed with the parting
instruction not to give in,
739
00:57:27,128 --> 00:57:29,714
CONEFRE Y: This was a great moment
on the expedition
740
00:57:29,755 --> 00:57:33,509
in which the leader sacrifices
his own personal ambition,
741
00:57:33,551 --> 00:57:36,012
and Ed Hillary says,
"Never at any moment
742
00:57:36,053 --> 00:57:38,806
"have I respected John Hunt more,"
743
00:57:56,032 --> 00:57:57,992
LOWE: You know,
it was touch and go,
744
00:57:58,034 --> 00:58:00,536
because the monsoon comes
in the first week of June,
745
00:58:00,578 --> 00:58:03,873
and it was tight,
on the last days of May,
746
00:58:06,334 --> 00:58:09,712
CONEFRE Y: For Hillary and Tenzing
to make an attempt on the summit,
747
00:58:09,754 --> 00:58:11,589
they couldn't go from the South Col,
748
00:58:11,631 --> 00:58:14,050
because they would have to carry
too much oxygen,
749
00:58:14,091 --> 00:58:18,429
So the only way was to start from
higher up, then go for the summit,
750
00:58:24,560 --> 00:58:27,396
EDMUND HILLARY: The following day
was extremely windy and cold,
751
00:58:27,438 --> 00:58:29,899
and no movement upwards
was possible,
752
00:58:31,192 --> 00:58:33,611
We spent the day preparing
the oxygen and gear,
753
00:58:33,653 --> 00:58:37,156
with the hope that the following day
would prove clear and fine,
754
00:58:41,577 --> 00:58:45,915
CONEFRE Y: They would use oxygen
at night, flowing at a very low rate,
755
00:58:45,957 --> 00:58:47,583
because it would help them sleep
756
00:58:47,625 --> 00:58:50,169
and make them feel
slightly warmer as well,
757
00:58:54,048 --> 00:58:56,092
WHITTAKER:
Night-time is a tough time,
758
00:58:56,133 --> 00:58:58,553
You lay there
listening to the mountain,,,
759
00:59:02,640 --> 00:59:06,185
,,listening to the wind,
listening to the avalanche,
760
00:59:06,227 --> 00:59:08,563
Thinking, "Oh, my God," you know,
761
00:59:10,898 --> 00:59:13,067
Demons come,
762
00:59:20,783 --> 00:59:24,537
LOWE: The original plan was
that Gregory and three Sherpas
763
00:59:24,579 --> 00:59:26,747
would carry the high camp,
764
00:59:26,789 --> 00:59:31,878
One Sherpa had collapsed on the col
and gone down previously,
765
00:59:31,919 --> 00:59:33,838
leaving us two Sherpas,
766
00:59:37,925 --> 00:59:41,804
On the morning of the day
we intended to do the carry,
767
00:59:41,846 --> 00:59:44,015
we poked our head
into the pyramid tent
768
00:59:44,056 --> 00:59:46,392
and found Sherpa Pemba
in a very bad condition,
769
00:59:48,644 --> 00:59:51,522
It was obvious
that he wouldn't carry,
770
00:59:51,564 --> 00:59:54,400
and so we had the job
of sharing the load,
771
01:00:01,157 --> 01:00:03,493
GREGORY: First of all,
early in the day
772
01:00:03,534 --> 01:00:07,163
we knew that we'd have to reorganise
the loads and take more,
773
01:00:09,290 --> 01:00:14,921
George Lowe and I and Ang Nyima
left about a quarter to nine,
774
01:00:20,718 --> 01:00:24,305
LOWE: Ed and Tenzing left
the South Col an hour behind us
775
01:00:24,347 --> 01:00:27,892
to conserve their energy
and to go faster through our steps
776
01:00:27,934 --> 01:00:30,019
and so conserve their oxygen,
777
01:00:31,354 --> 01:00:34,816
And we took off carrying
between 50 and 60 pounds,
778
01:00:34,857 --> 01:00:38,027
and Ed, I think we estimated his
at 63 pounds,
779
01:00:38,069 --> 01:00:41,197
which is quite an enormous load
for that altitude,
780
01:00:44,242 --> 01:00:47,829
The wind was very strong
on the col,
781
01:00:47,870 --> 01:00:51,332
We had very difficult conditions,
782
01:00:51,374 --> 01:00:53,626
We moved up this ridge
looking for a flat spot,
783
01:01:01,509 --> 01:01:04,178
GREGORY: For a long time
we couldn't find a camp site,,,
784
01:01:05,680 --> 01:01:08,891
,,until at last Tenzing found one,
785
01:01:08,933 --> 01:01:12,728
a nearly flat spot
underneath a rocky bluff,
786
01:01:14,939 --> 01:01:17,275
EDMUND HILLARY: They helped us
to the highest camp
787
01:01:17,316 --> 01:01:19,277
ever put up on Everest
or any other mountain,
788
01:01:19,318 --> 01:01:22,071
at 27,900 feet,
789
01:01:33,416 --> 01:01:36,586
VENABLES: No-one had ever camped
this high before,
790
01:01:38,880 --> 01:01:41,799
George Lowe and Alf Gregory
take a few pictures
791
01:01:41,841 --> 01:01:45,052
and then shake hands and say,
"Well, 'bye now, Good luck,
792
01:01:45,094 --> 01:01:47,597
"We'd better be off down,"
793
01:01:47,638 --> 01:01:52,351
And then there's
a wonderfully poignant moment,
794
01:01:52,393 --> 01:01:55,897
PETER HILLARY: Ang Nyima
is very tired, he should go down,
795
01:01:55,938 --> 01:01:59,025
But he said to Dad
that he wanted to stay
796
01:01:59,066 --> 01:02:02,320
so he could make some tea when
they came down, and help them,
797
01:02:03,654 --> 01:02:06,991
I know Dad was
very touched by that,
798
01:02:07,033 --> 01:02:11,287
But eventually they start
back down again,
799
01:02:11,329 --> 01:02:14,999
VENABLES: Leaving Hillary and Tenzing
completely alone,
800
01:02:20,004 --> 01:02:22,882
EDMUND HILLARY: It was with
certain feelings of sorrow
801
01:02:22,924 --> 01:02:25,384
that we saw George and Greg
and Sherpa Ang Nyima
802
01:02:25,426 --> 01:02:28,429
descending down the mountain,
leaving us up there all alone,
803
01:02:28,471 --> 01:02:31,349
We'd have much preferred to have
a bit of company for the night,
804
01:02:31,390 --> 01:02:34,227
However, they had to get down -
our oxygen was running short,
805
01:02:36,145 --> 01:02:40,483
PETER HILLARY: You 're totally
on your own, really out on a limb,
806
01:02:40,525 --> 01:02:42,902
There's no radio contact
with anyone,
807
01:02:42,944 --> 01:02:44,445
You could disappear
808
01:02:44,487 --> 01:02:47,490
and everyone will just wonder,
"Whatever happened to them?"
809
01:02:49,283 --> 01:02:52,370
I think it would've been
very exciting,
810
01:02:52,411 --> 01:02:55,498
very Ionely and very scary,
811
01:03:08,928 --> 01:03:12,139
EDMUND HILLARY: It took us two
hours of solid work to set up the tent
812
01:03:12,181 --> 01:03:15,518
on two strips of ground
a yard wide and 10 feet long,
813
01:03:20,898 --> 01:03:23,484
CONEFRE Y:
Towards the top of Everest,
814
01:03:23,526 --> 01:03:25,987
you get these
very, very powerful winds,
815
01:03:26,028 --> 01:03:29,407
and they were very precariously
attached to this slope
816
01:03:29,448 --> 01:03:30,950
and all the time they're worried
817
01:03:30,992 --> 01:03:32,869
they're gonna be
blown off the mountain,
818
01:03:34,662 --> 01:03:36,998
DOUGLAS: When the wind
gets up in the evening
819
01:03:37,039 --> 01:03:39,000
you 're in
quite a dangerous position
820
01:03:39,000 --> 01:03:40,918
because you 're pinned
to the mountain,
821
01:03:42,170 --> 01:03:44,422
The noise is really frightening,
822
01:03:57,643 --> 01:04:01,397
CONEFRE Y: That night was the coldest
ever recorded on the expedition,
823
01:04:07,278 --> 01:04:09,363
HACKETT: It's such
a dehydrating environment,
824
01:04:09,405 --> 01:04:11,574
and there's only one way
to make water,
825
01:04:11,616 --> 01:04:13,743
and that is you have to melt
snow or ice,
826
01:04:14,869 --> 01:04:18,414
You 're breathing eight times more
than you are at sea level,
827
01:04:18,456 --> 01:04:20,625
You can lose more than a litre a day
828
01:04:20,666 --> 01:04:23,628
just from the heavy breathing
at high altitude,
829
01:04:23,669 --> 01:04:25,546
In addition, the air is so dry
830
01:04:25,588 --> 01:04:27,673
that it sucks the moisture
right from your skin,
831
01:04:38,017 --> 01:04:40,478
EDMUND HILLARY: I made myself
as comfortable as possible,
832
01:04:40,520 --> 01:04:44,023
half sitting and half reclining
on the upper shelf,
833
01:04:44,065 --> 01:04:48,236
It wasn't comfortable, but I could
at least brace my feet and shoulders
834
01:04:48,277 --> 01:04:52,573
to help our meagre anchors
hold the tent in the gusts of wind,
835
01:04:57,036 --> 01:04:58,538
VENABLES: High-altitude climbing
836
01:04:58,579 --> 01:05:02,542
is all about being comfortable
in uncomfortable places,
837
01:05:05,336 --> 01:05:09,715
He was very good at basic
day-to-day survival, as was Tenzing,
838
01:05:09,757 --> 01:05:12,510
and I think that's where
they really scored,
839
01:05:22,186 --> 01:05:25,481
EDMUND HILLARY: Early in the night,
the wind dropped,
840
01:05:25,523 --> 01:05:29,110
We had some oxygen,
which we used for sleeping purposes
841
01:05:29,152 --> 01:05:32,697
for about four hours
out of the 16 hours we spent there,
842
01:05:32,738 --> 01:05:34,782
For the four hours, at least,
we did doze,
843
01:05:34,824 --> 01:05:36,534
but as soon as the oxygen cut out
844
01:05:36,576 --> 01:05:39,996
we'd immediately wake up
and start feeling cold,
845
01:05:41,539 --> 01:05:43,499
CONEFRE Y: He's all the time thinking,
846
01:05:43,541 --> 01:05:45,418
"I don't want to use
tomorrow's oxygen,"
847
01:05:45,459 --> 01:05:48,212
There's just little things go wrong,
848
01:05:48,254 --> 01:05:51,674
They've lugged up an enormous
black oxygen cylinder
849
01:05:51,716 --> 01:05:53,885
which they planned to use
for sleeping oxygen,
850
01:05:53,926 --> 01:05:56,012
But, unfortunately,
having lugged this bottle up,
851
01:05:56,053 --> 01:05:58,723
they discovered that somebody has
gone back with the adaptor for it,
852
01:05:58,764 --> 01:06:01,100
so the bottle is useless,
853
01:06:03,186 --> 01:06:05,855
EDMUND HILLARY: Well,
I didn't have the complete conviction
854
01:06:05,897 --> 01:06:08,107
that we were going to be
successful,
855
01:06:12,487 --> 01:06:14,489
I was very aware of the fact
856
01:06:14,530 --> 01:06:17,366
that very good expeditions
had attempted the mountain
857
01:06:17,408 --> 01:06:20,828
and had got very high
but had not succeeded,
858
01:06:29,670 --> 01:06:33,007
At 6:30am we started off
from our tent,
859
01:06:35,092 --> 01:06:38,971
We wasted no time in preparing
the oxygen apparatus and equipment,
860
01:06:42,892 --> 01:06:45,353
CONEFRE Y: It's all about oxygen
at this point,
861
01:06:45,394 --> 01:06:47,647
Hillary is constantly
thinking about this,
862
01:06:47,688 --> 01:06:49,649
"How much oxygen do I need?
863
01:06:49,690 --> 01:06:52,693
"What should the flow rate
of the oxygen be?" You know?
864
01:06:52,735 --> 01:06:55,696
"If I have it flowing at
a higher rate, then I feel better,
865
01:06:55,738 --> 01:06:58,324
"but I use up the bottle
more quickly,"
866
01:07:08,793 --> 01:07:11,170
DOUGLAS: It's very, very cold,
867
01:07:11,212 --> 01:07:13,506
They measure it at below -25,
868
01:07:13,548 --> 01:07:17,343
And that kind of profound,
bone-chilling cold
869
01:07:17,385 --> 01:07:19,303
is almost like an assault, you know?
870
01:07:19,345 --> 01:07:21,347
It's just grim,
871
01:07:22,682 --> 01:07:25,476
CONEFRE Y: The team physiologist had
said, "When you get to high altitude,
872
01:07:25,518 --> 01:07:27,937
"you 've got to climb
using your oxygen sets
873
01:07:27,979 --> 01:07:29,814
"at a rate of four litres per minute,
874
01:07:29,856 --> 01:07:33,734
"Anything less than that, you 're not
gonna get real benefit from it,"
875
01:07:35,444 --> 01:07:38,489
EDMUND HILLARY: Our progress
at first was pretty steady,
876
01:07:38,531 --> 01:07:40,241
However, we examined
the oxygen supplies
877
01:07:40,283 --> 01:07:42,952
and found we couldn't go on
our estimated four litres a minute
878
01:07:42,994 --> 01:07:44,954
and have a chance
of getting to the top,
879
01:07:44,996 --> 01:07:46,747
Had to cut it down to three,
880
01:07:52,086 --> 01:07:57,216
PETER HILLARY: A fairly simple
calculation about the oxygen flow rate
881
01:07:57,258 --> 01:08:00,094
is unbelievably difficult up there
882
01:08:00,136 --> 01:08:04,599
because you 've got an addled,
oxygen-deprived mind,
883
01:08:43,137 --> 01:08:45,139
EDMUND HILLARY:
After going for some time,
884
01:08:45,181 --> 01:08:47,141
we reached the bottom
of a 400-foot slope
885
01:08:47,183 --> 01:08:49,477
which led up to the South Summit,
886
01:08:49,519 --> 01:08:52,438
and this slope
was a tremendously steep one,
887
01:08:54,774 --> 01:08:58,277
We felt that this snow
could easily avalanche,
888
01:08:59,529 --> 01:09:01,531
DOUGLAS:
There was a bit of a crust,
889
01:09:01,572 --> 01:09:03,616
so you 'd think you were
standing on firm ground
890
01:09:03,658 --> 01:09:06,077
and then it would give way -
it would be powdery underneath,
891
01:09:06,118 --> 01:09:08,704
So Hillary is anxious about that,
892
01:09:08,746 --> 01:09:11,707
And also fear of avalanche,
893
01:09:11,707 --> 01:09:14,585
And they have this exchange,
894
01:09:14,627 --> 01:09:17,213
EDMUND HILLARY: I remember
turning to Tenzing and saying to him,
895
01:09:17,255 --> 01:09:19,465
"Well, what do you think
about it, Tenzing?"
896
01:09:19,507 --> 01:09:21,259
He said he didn't like it at all,
897
01:09:21,259 --> 01:09:22,969
thought it was
decidedly dangerous,
898
01:09:29,475 --> 01:09:31,144
Then I said,
"Well, what do you think?
899
01:09:31,185 --> 01:09:33,354
"Do you think we should go on?"
900
01:09:33,396 --> 01:09:35,523
And he said, "Just as you like,"
901
01:09:38,484 --> 01:09:43,114
We climbed up it with a good deal
of fear and trepidation,
902
01:09:46,284 --> 01:09:49,787
I think this is the first time
I've ever had to make a decision
903
01:09:49,829 --> 01:09:52,707
as to whether something
was justifiable or not,
904
01:09:52,748 --> 01:09:56,210
decided it wasn't justifiable,
but we still went on,
905
01:09:59,797 --> 01:10:03,092
DOUGLAS: You 're right on the edge
of what's possible
906
01:10:03,134 --> 01:10:06,429
and every step you take is
putting you more into danger,
907
01:10:06,471 --> 01:10:09,765
so the temptation to turn round
and go down is strong,
908
01:10:14,228 --> 01:10:16,439
EDMUND HILLARY: I'm frightened
a great deal of the time
909
01:10:16,481 --> 01:10:18,441
when I'm in dangerous country,
910
01:10:18,483 --> 01:10:21,861
But I think being afraid
is one of the important factors,
911
01:10:23,112 --> 01:10:25,281
It's a stimulating factor,
912
01:10:26,365 --> 01:10:29,076
Of course, if you just get
petrified with fear,
913
01:10:29,118 --> 01:10:31,078
then it would be hopeless,
914
01:10:42,215 --> 01:10:45,343
PETER HILLARY: The crux of it is
whether or not you 're gonna survive,
915
01:10:45,384 --> 01:10:47,470
You know,
none of that is guaranteed,
916
01:10:47,512 --> 01:10:50,139
If anything goes wrong up there,
917
01:10:50,181 --> 01:10:52,725
even a relatively minor accident
918
01:10:52,767 --> 01:10:56,938
can very rapidly slide
into a fatal one,
919
01:11:03,110 --> 01:11:04,946
EDMUND HILLARY: It was a great relief
920
01:11:04,987 --> 01:11:06,781
when we reached
the South Summit at 9am,
921
01:11:09,283 --> 01:11:10,868
Oxygen was running short,
922
01:11:10,910 --> 01:11:14,580
so we wasted no time
and set off along the ridge,
923
01:11:18,960 --> 01:11:22,797
But we were moving slowly
and time was against us,
924
01:11:29,887 --> 01:11:33,224
PETER HILLARY: Evans and Bourdillon
had gone to the South Summit
925
01:11:33,266 --> 01:11:36,811
and had had reservations
about the route ahead,
926
01:11:38,312 --> 01:11:42,608
Evans had pointed out that there was
a very difficult knife-edged ridge,
927
01:11:42,650 --> 01:11:44,777
It's serrated,
928
01:11:44,819 --> 01:11:49,073
it's got these just horrifying drops
on both sides,
929
01:11:49,115 --> 01:11:53,327
They must've had concerns about
whether or not they could climb it,
930
01:11:57,165 --> 01:11:59,041
VENABLES:
On the left you 've got
931
01:11:59,083 --> 01:12:00,710
the immense Southwest Face
of Everest,
932
01:12:00,751 --> 01:12:02,211
and if you fell down that,
933
01:12:02,253 --> 01:12:04,755
you 'd probably fall all the way
back down to the Western Cwm,
934
01:12:04,797 --> 01:12:06,632
8,000 feet below,
935
01:12:09,302 --> 01:12:12,430
And then to your right
is the even bigger precipice
936
01:12:12,472 --> 01:12:14,640
of the Kangshung Face,
937
01:12:14,682 --> 01:12:16,642
and that really concentrates
the mind,
938
01:12:21,272 --> 01:12:23,107
EDMUND HILLARY:
For the mountaineer,
939
01:12:23,149 --> 01:12:24,901
the thought of the process of dying
940
01:12:24,942 --> 01:12:26,694
is more unpleasant
941
01:12:26,736 --> 01:12:30,072
than the actual fact that
you may be dead at the end of it,
942
01:12:39,165 --> 01:12:43,586
HUNT: In the meantime,
watching from below down at Camp 4,
943
01:12:43,628 --> 01:12:47,381
we were all waiting most anxiously,
944
01:12:52,887 --> 01:12:55,932
BAND: Obviously we'd hoped
to have our little walkie-talkies going
945
01:12:55,973 --> 01:12:58,184
right up to at least the South Col,
946
01:12:58,226 --> 01:13:01,312
but the one that was taken
to the South Col didn't work,
947
01:13:01,354 --> 01:13:04,232
So in fact we realised
we wouldn't actually know
948
01:13:04,273 --> 01:13:07,109
whether Hillary and Tenzing
had been successful
949
01:13:07,151 --> 01:13:10,488
until they actually came down
and told us,
950
01:13:14,408 --> 01:13:18,830
PETER HILLARY: No-one had any idea
where they were, how they were going,
951
01:13:18,871 --> 01:13:22,500
would they be successful,
or, indeed, would they come back?
952
01:13:35,680 --> 01:13:37,557
EDMUND HILLARY:
Our oxygen equipment
953
01:13:37,598 --> 01:13:39,892
was not all that sophisticated,
954
01:13:39,892 --> 01:13:42,103
It only had a pressure gauge on it,
955
01:13:42,145 --> 01:13:46,983
so I never really knew
just how much oxygen still remained,
956
01:13:47,024 --> 01:13:50,278
My brain was working
fairly energetically
957
01:13:50,278 --> 01:13:53,489
working out
just how much time we had left,
958
01:13:58,661 --> 01:14:01,914
HACKETT: One of the problems
with extreme altitude climbing
959
01:14:01,956 --> 01:14:03,958
is failure of oxygen systems,
960
01:14:04,000 --> 01:14:09,547
And people die on a regular basis
when their oxygen packs up,
961
01:14:10,715 --> 01:14:12,884
DOUGLAS: And then
there's a bit of a problem,
962
01:14:12,925 --> 01:14:14,385
Tenzing is really struggling,
963
01:14:14,427 --> 01:14:17,096
where before he was
following Hillary quite nicely,
964
01:14:20,349 --> 01:14:21,851
EDMUND HILLARY: I suddenly noticed
965
01:14:21,893 --> 01:14:24,687
that Tenzing seemed to be
in some distress,
966
01:14:24,729 --> 01:14:26,564
And when I looked at him closely,
967
01:14:26,606 --> 01:14:29,150
I saw that he was breathing
very quickly indeed,
968
01:14:29,192 --> 01:14:31,360
I immediately examined
his oxygen set
969
01:14:31,402 --> 01:14:34,322
and found that the outlet
from his oxygen mask
970
01:14:34,363 --> 01:14:37,241
was almost completely
blocked up with ice,
971
01:14:42,205 --> 01:14:44,916
Fortunately I was able
to release this ice,
972
01:14:48,878 --> 01:14:50,630
DOUGLAS: Because
you 're suddenly hypoxic
973
01:14:50,671 --> 01:14:52,507
and you 're not
thinking straight,
974
01:14:52,548 --> 01:14:54,300
you may not immediately think,
975
01:14:54,342 --> 01:14:57,053
"Oh, this is because my oxygen
equipment isn't working right,"
976
01:14:57,094 --> 01:15:00,598
You just think, "Oh, my God,
I'm incredibly tired all of a sudden,"
977
01:15:08,105 --> 01:15:12,735
VENABLES: You have this strange,
slightly surreal blur
978
01:15:12,777 --> 01:15:17,365
of images and thoughts and ideas
going through your head,
979
01:15:24,330 --> 01:15:29,710
So you have to watch yourself
and watch each other very closely,
980
01:15:56,362 --> 01:15:58,698
EDMUND HILLARY:
Well, after about an hour
981
01:15:58,739 --> 01:16:00,992
we had made quite a distance
along the ridge,
982
01:16:01,033 --> 01:16:03,536
and then we came to a rock bluff
983
01:16:03,578 --> 01:16:05,872
which barred the way
along the ridge,
984
01:16:05,913 --> 01:16:08,875
Now, I really thought that perhaps
this was as far as we were going,
985
01:16:11,544 --> 01:16:13,087
I took photographs
986
01:16:13,129 --> 01:16:15,381
because the actual rock itself
was very steep
987
01:16:15,423 --> 01:16:17,884
and we knew that it could stop us,
988
01:16:24,599 --> 01:16:28,102
PETER HILLARY:
Was that step even climbable?
989
01:16:29,937 --> 01:16:34,108
And was it climbable
at 29,000 feet?
990
01:16:35,651 --> 01:16:37,820
No-one had ever gone there before,
991
01:16:39,238 --> 01:16:41,032
WHITTAKER: It's a hell of a step,
992
01:16:42,992 --> 01:16:47,079
You look at that and you think,
"Oh, my God, What a decision,"
993
01:16:50,833 --> 01:16:53,753
But Sir Ed took the gamble
and thought,
994
01:16:53,794 --> 01:16:56,672
"What the hell,
I'm gonna go for it,"
995
01:17:02,220 --> 01:17:05,306
EDMUND HILLARY: The only way
to climb it seemed to me a crack
996
01:17:05,348 --> 01:17:08,851
where the ice was
sticking to the rock,
997
01:17:08,893 --> 01:17:13,689
and I wasn't at all sure
that the ice would remain in place
998
01:17:13,731 --> 01:17:16,025
when I was wriggling my way up,
999
01:17:19,946 --> 01:17:22,406
I was scared stiff,
1000
01:17:27,411 --> 01:17:31,290
VENABLES: He just set forth
up this nearly vertical step
1001
01:17:31,332 --> 01:17:34,961
and wedged himself in this chimney
more or less with his feet,
1002
01:17:35,002 --> 01:17:39,423
his cramponed feet pressing
against the rocks on the left
1003
01:17:39,465 --> 01:17:43,845
and his back pushing out
against the snow on the right,
1004
01:17:43,886 --> 01:17:46,722
and just hoping
the snow wouldn't give way
1005
01:17:46,764 --> 01:17:50,601
and catapult him 11,000 feet
down the Kangshung Face,
1006
01:17:50,643 --> 01:17:55,148
Because it's doubtful whether
Norgay could've held him on the rope
1007
01:17:55,189 --> 01:17:57,608
if he'd come off,
1008
01:18:19,881 --> 01:18:22,758
PETER HILLARY:
Little slabs were breaking off
1009
01:18:22,800 --> 01:18:25,636
and Dad was not really
enjoying the conditions,
1010
01:18:27,555 --> 01:18:30,224
You know, if he was back
in the Southern Alps,
1011
01:18:30,266 --> 01:18:33,102
he'd probably turn around
and try it another day,
1012
01:18:33,144 --> 01:18:35,938
And then, um, that little
internal voice going,
1013
01:18:35,980 --> 01:18:38,941
"Ed, my boy, this is Everest,
1014
01:18:38,983 --> 01:18:41,527
"You 've got to go
the extra distance,"
1015
01:18:49,076 --> 01:18:52,538
EDMUND HILLARY: By jamming back
on the ice with my crampons,
1016
01:18:52,580 --> 01:18:54,582
or ice spikes on my boots,
1017
01:18:54,624 --> 01:18:56,918
and scrambling on the rock in front,
1018
01:18:56,959 --> 01:19:01,547
I was able to wriggle and push my way
up the crack and onto the top,
1019
01:19:04,175 --> 01:19:07,345
After recovering my breath,
I took the rope in
1020
01:19:07,386 --> 01:19:08,971
and, with many a heave,
1021
01:19:09,013 --> 01:19:12,225
and old Tenzing wriggling
and scrambling the same,
1022
01:19:12,266 --> 01:19:14,811
got him onto the top
of the rock too,
1023
01:19:17,814 --> 01:19:19,857
VENABLES: There are times in life,
you know,
1024
01:19:19,899 --> 01:19:22,610
when you have to be
bold and decisive,
1025
01:19:22,652 --> 01:19:28,491
So much hung on Hillary's ability
to pull out all the stops,
1026
01:19:28,533 --> 01:19:31,911
and he was able to give it
that little extra,
1027
01:19:40,962 --> 01:19:43,464
CONEFRE Y: When Hunt had to
go down from the South Col
1028
01:19:43,506 --> 01:19:45,675
he turned to Ed and he said,
1029
01:19:45,716 --> 01:19:48,678
"Look, you know,
this is our last chance,
1030
01:19:48,719 --> 01:19:51,806
"You 're carrying a lot
of people's hopes on your back,"
1031
01:19:54,433 --> 01:19:57,562
WESTMACOTT: What would we do
if they failed?
1032
01:19:57,603 --> 01:20:01,065
Because that was a feeling,
particularly in John Hunt's mind,
1033
01:20:01,107 --> 01:20:05,194
I don't think anybody dared
express an opinion,
1034
01:20:17,915 --> 01:20:19,834
EDMUND HILLARY: We continued on
1035
01:20:19,876 --> 01:20:22,086
and we were getting distinctly tired
and rather desperate,
1036
01:20:22,128 --> 01:20:24,839
for the summit seemed to be
continually eluding us,
1037
01:20:29,969 --> 01:20:32,013
VENABLES: Beyond the Hillary Step,
1038
01:20:32,054 --> 01:20:35,975
it's still a fair distance horizontally
to the summit
1039
01:20:36,017 --> 01:20:39,896
and you 're going over
three or four broad hummocks,
1040
01:20:41,230 --> 01:20:43,858
And as you get to the crest
of one of these hummocks,
1041
01:20:43,900 --> 01:20:46,027
there's another one beyond,
1042
01:20:46,068 --> 01:20:48,863
and you think, "Is this ridge
ever gonna end?"
1043
01:21:01,167 --> 01:21:03,920
DAVID SHLIM: There's just
certain human beings
1044
01:21:03,961 --> 01:21:06,589
able to put one foot
in front of the other,
1045
01:21:06,631 --> 01:21:11,469
you know, relentlessly,
psychologically able to do it,
1046
01:21:11,511 --> 01:21:13,721
whereas other people would fail,
1047
01:21:21,145 --> 01:21:23,940
EDMUND HILLARY: We cut steps
along the top, round bump after bump,
1048
01:21:23,981 --> 01:21:25,900
keeping looking for the top,
1049
01:21:28,236 --> 01:21:32,865
And finally we actually reached
the summit itself,
1050
01:22:26,043 --> 01:22:28,588
I looked at Tenzing,
1051
01:22:28,629 --> 01:22:31,632
and even underneath his oxygen mask
and balaclava
1052
01:22:31,674 --> 01:22:34,635
I could see his infectious grin
of sheer pleasure,
1053
01:22:34,677 --> 01:22:36,721
We shook hands,
1054
01:22:36,762 --> 01:22:39,223
To Tenzing this was not enough,
1055
01:22:41,184 --> 01:22:43,144
And we thumped each other
on the back
1056
01:22:43,186 --> 01:22:45,104
until we had no breath left,
1057
01:22:47,023 --> 01:22:51,319
I glanced at my watch,
It was 11:30,
1058
01:22:59,494 --> 01:23:02,497
On top we only spent
quarter of an hour,
1059
01:23:02,538 --> 01:23:05,917
We were conscious all the time
that our oxygen was running short
1060
01:23:05,917 --> 01:23:09,253
and that we had no time to waste
and we must get down again,
1061
01:23:10,880 --> 01:23:13,883
I took my oxygen off
in order to take photographs,
1062
01:23:17,762 --> 01:23:20,807
Tenzing dug a little hole
in the snow
1063
01:23:20,848 --> 01:23:23,851
and in that he put
a gift to the gods,
1064
01:23:29,023 --> 01:23:30,942
Had a good look round at the view,
1065
01:23:30,983 --> 01:23:32,568
and also I took photographs
1066
01:23:32,610 --> 01:23:34,654
down all the main ridges
of the mountain
1067
01:23:34,695 --> 01:23:37,365
just to have some proof
that we'd been on top,
1068
01:23:48,709 --> 01:23:53,339
And photographed Tenzing waving his
ice axe with four flags tied to it,
1069
01:23:55,508 --> 01:23:58,553
It was a tremendous moment
for both of us,
1070
01:26:27,869 --> 01:26:30,413
♪ Only to be
1071
01:26:30,454 --> 01:26:33,166
♪ I live in expectancy
1072
01:26:33,207 --> 01:26:35,835
♪ No wonder it feels
1073
01:26:35,877 --> 01:26:38,588
♪ Like this wasn't meant for me
1074
01:26:38,629 --> 01:26:43,050
♪ But, girl, my mind is
so confined
1075
01:26:43,092 --> 01:26:47,680
♪ That there ain't no point
in reasoning
1076
01:26:47,722 --> 01:26:50,850
♪ Now that it's clear to see
1077
01:26:50,850 --> 01:26:53,895
♪ It was all in front of me
1078
01:26:53,936 --> 01:26:58,524
♪ And I'm right where
I'm supposed to be
1079
01:26:58,566 --> 01:27:02,445
♪ Yeah, yeah
1080
01:27:02,487 --> 01:27:07,241
♪ I'm left just turning pages
1081
01:27:07,283 --> 01:27:09,410
♪ Mmm
1082
01:27:10,870 --> 01:27:13,289
♪ Yeah
1083
01:27:13,331 --> 01:27:19,128
♪ Well, I know
that it's worth the ride
1084
01:27:19,170 --> 01:27:22,840
♪ Ain't it good to be alive?
1085
01:27:33,267 --> 01:27:36,020
♪ So what will it be?
1086
01:27:36,062 --> 01:27:38,773
♪ My dreams or my company
1087
01:27:38,815 --> 01:27:41,150
♪ To lose what is me
1088
01:27:41,192 --> 01:27:44,946
♪ Or follow the path I see
1089
01:27:44,987 --> 01:27:48,658
♪ Boy, my mind is so confined
1090
01:27:48,699 --> 01:27:52,995
♪ That I don't even know
where to begin
1091
01:27:53,037 --> 01:27:56,249
♪ But it took me so long to find
1092
01:27:56,249 --> 01:27:59,377
♪ That I could leave it all behind
1093
01:27:59,418 --> 01:28:03,965
♪ 'Cause I've got
everything I'd ever need
1094
01:28:04,006 --> 01:28:07,969
♪ Yeah, yeah
1095
01:28:08,010 --> 01:28:13,099
♪ I'm left just turning pages
1096
01:28:13,141 --> 01:28:16,018
♪ Mmm
1097
01:28:16,018 --> 01:28:18,813
♪ Yeah
1098
01:28:18,855 --> 01:28:24,485
♪ Well, I know
that it's worth the ride
1099
01:28:24,527 --> 01:28:29,240
♪ Ain't it good to be alive?
1100
01:28:38,499 --> 01:28:41,169
♪ 'Cause only to be
1101
01:28:41,210 --> 01:28:44,130
♪ Was all that you got from me
1102
01:28:44,172 --> 01:28:46,924
♪ You told me it's real
1103
01:28:46,966 --> 01:28:49,343
♪ And nothing comes easily
1104
01:28:49,343 --> 01:28:51,846
♪ 'Cause that was the truth
1105
01:28:51,888 --> 01:28:54,307
♪ I was losing all my youth
1106
01:28:54,348 --> 01:29:00,605
♪ To a world
that's fit for someone else
1107
01:29:02,815 --> 01:29:05,151
♪ Yeah
1108
01:29:05,193 --> 01:29:09,947
♪ I'll live just turning pages
1109
01:29:09,989 --> 01:29:12,575
♪ Mmm
1110
01:29:13,784 --> 01:29:15,995
♪ Yeah
1111
01:29:16,037 --> 01:29:21,709
♪ Well, I know
that it's worth the ride
1112
01:29:21,751 --> 01:29:24,504
♪ Oh, whoa, whoa
1113
01:29:24,504 --> 01:29:27,173
♪ Yeah, yeah
1114
01:29:27,215 --> 01:29:32,303
♪ I'm left just turning pages
1115
01:29:32,345 --> 01:29:35,431
♪ Yeah, yeah
1116
01:29:35,473 --> 01:29:37,892
♪ Yeah
1117
01:29:37,934 --> 01:29:43,648
♪ But I know it was worth the ride
1118
01:29:43,689 --> 01:29:49,695
♪ Ain't it good to be alive?
1119
01:29:51,239 --> 01:29:54,158
♪ Alive
1120
01:29:54,200 --> 01:29:59,831
♪ Ain't it good to be alive?
1121
01:30:01,958 --> 01:30:05,962
♪ Alive, ♪