Triumph and tragedy: A brief history of Everest expeditions
The first reconnaissance of Everest was launched in 1921, with the mountain eventually summited in 1953. Today, commercial guiding has led to an explosion in popularity and the summit has been reached nearly 14,000 times.
Climbers above camp base and those who
reached the summit
1,500
2020: Covid-19 cancels season
1,000
500
0
1950
1960
1970
1980
1990
2000
2010
2020
Key events
1953: Tenzing Norgay and Edmund Hillary
make the first known ascent of Everest.
1963: Jim Whittaker becomes the first
American to summit.
1975: Japan’s Junko Tabei becomes the first
woman to summit.
1978: Reinhold Messner and Peter Habeler
summit without supplementary oxygen.
1980: Reinhold Messner makes the first
solo ascent.
1996: Eight people die on May 10-11 – the
deadliest 24 hours on the mountain to that date.
2014: An avalanche kills 16Sherpas.The
season on the Nepalese side is cancelled.
2015: Nepal earthquake kills 22 at Base Camp
and cancels the season.
Climbers above camp base and those who
reached the summit
1,500
2020: Covid-19 cancels season
1,000
500
0
1950
1960
1970
1980
1990
2000
2010
2020
Key events
1953: Tenzing Norgay and Edmund Hillary make the
first known ascent of Everest.
1963: Jim Whittaker becomes the first American
to summit.
1975: Japan’s Junko Tabei becomes the first
woman to summit.
1978: Reinhold Messner and Peter Habeler summit
without supplementary oxygen.
1980: Reinhold Messner makes the first solo ascent.
1996: Eight people die on May 10-11 – the deadliest
24 hours on the mountain to that date.
2014: An avalanche kills 16Sherpas.The season on
the Nepalese side is cancelled.
2015: Nepal earthquake kills 22 at Base Camp and
cancels the season.
Climbers above camp base and those who reached the summit
0
500
1,000
1,500
1950
1953: Tenzing Norgay and Edmund Hillary
make the first known ascent of Everest.
1960
1963: Jim Whittaker becomes the first
American to summit.
1970
1975: Japan’s Junko Tabei becomes the first woman to summit.
1978: Reinhold Messner and Peter Habeler summit without supplementary oxygen.
1980
1980: Reinhold Messner makes the first solo ascent.
1990
1996: Eight people die on May 10-11 – the deadliest
24 hours on the mountain to that date.
2000
2014: An avalanche kills 16
Sherpas. The season on the
Nepalese side is cancelled.
2010
2015: Nepal earthquake
kills 22 at Base Camp
and cancels the season.
2020
2020: Covid-19
cancels season.
