# Canonical recap data for Edmund Hillary Summits Mount Everest (1953)
# Source: https://recap.at/1953/mount-everest-summit
# Format: YAML 1.2 (UTF-8). Generated at request time.
slug: mount-everest-summit
canonicalUrl: "https://recap.at/1953/mount-everest-summit"
title: Edmund Hillary Summits Mount Everest
subtitle: Hillary and Tenzing became the first confirmed climbers to reach Earth's highest summit, symbolizing human conquest of nature.
recapType: global_event
eventStatus: concluded
startDate: 1953-01-01
datePrecision: year
year: 1953
decade: 1950
country:
name: Nepal
slug: nepal
summaryShort: Sir Edmund Percival Hillary was a New Zealand mountaineer, explorer, and philanthropist. On 29 May 1953, Hillary and Sherpa mountaineer Tenzing Norgay became the first climbers confirmed to have reached the summit of Mount Everest. They were part of the ninth British expedition to Everest, which was led by John Hunt. F
summaryLong: Sir Edmund Percival Hillary was a New Zealand mountaineer, explorer, and philanthropist. On 29 May 1953, Hillary and Sherpa mountaineer Tenzing Norgay became the first climbers confirmed to have reached the summit of Mount Everest. They were part of the ninth British expedition to Everest, which was led by John Hunt. From 1985 to 1988, he served as New Zealand's High Commissioner to India and Bangladesh and concurrently as Ambassador to Nepal.
lede: On May 29, 1953, Edmund Hillary and Tenzing Norgay reached the summit of Mount Everest, becoming the first climbers confirmed to have stood on the world's highest peak. The feat capped a grueling expedition led by John Hunt and instantly transformed Hillary from accomplished mountaineer into global celebrity.
heroImageUrl: "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/e/e8/Residence_of_Tenzing_Norgay_at_1_D_B_Road%2C_Darjeeling%2CWest_Bengal_19.jpg/1280px-Residence_of_Tenzing_Norgay_at_1_D_B_Road%2C_Darjeeling%2CWest_Bengal_19.jpg"
heroImageCredit: "\"Residence of Tenzing Norgay at 1 D B Road, Darjeeling,West Bengal 19\" by Amitabha Gupta is licensed under CC BY 4.0. To view a copy of this license, visit https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/."
importance: 70
sourceConfidence: 75
keyFacts:
- label: Summit date
  value: 29 May 1953
- label: Climbers to reach summit
  value: Edmund Hillary and Tenzing Norgay
- label: Expedition leader
  value: John Hunt
- label: Expedition number
  value: Ninth British expedition to Everest
- label: Hillary's nationality
  value: New Zealand
- label: Mount Everest elevation
  value: 29,032 feet (8,849 meters)
- label: Time at summit
  value: Approximately 15 minutes
- label: Expedition size
  value: 13 climbers reached South Col camp
timeline:
- date: 1951-01-01
  title: Hillary joins climbing expeditions
  description: Edmund Hillary participates in New Zealand mountaineering expeditions, building experience on peaks across the Southern Alps.
- date: 1952-01-01
  title: Failed Everest attempts
  description: Multiple expeditions attempt Everest via various routes; none reach the summit. Swiss expedition comes closest, reaching 28,199 feet.
- date: 1953-03-01
  title: British expedition departs
  description: John Hunt leads the ninth British expedition to Mount Everest, departing for Nepal with 13 climbers and support staff.
- date: 1953-05-26
  title: Final camp established
  description: The expedition establishes Camp VIII at 27,900 feet, positioning Hillary, Norgay, and support climbers for a summit attempt.
- date: 1953-05-28
  title: Final push begins
  description: "Hillary and Tenzing depart Camp VIII at 6:30 AM with oxygen equipment, attempting to reach the summit in a single push."
- date: 1953-05-29
  title: Summit reached
  description: "Hillary and Norgay reach Mount Everest's summit at 11:30 AM local time. Hillary plants the British, Nepali, Indian, and United Nations flags."
- date: 1953-06-02
  title: Expedition returns to base camp
  description: The entire expedition descends safely to base camp. News of the summit reaches London by radio, breaking on the morning of Queen Elizabeth II's coronation.
- date: 1953-06-15
  title: Public announcement in London
  description: The Times of London publishes details of the summit. Hillary receives a knighthood in the coronation honors list.
- date: 1953-07-01
  title: Hillary returns to New Zealand
  description: Hillary arrives back in New Zealand to a massive public reception, becoming a national hero.
sources:
- url: "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Edmund_Hillary"
  title: Edmund Hillary
  provider: Wikipedia
related: []
categories:
- festival
metaDescription: Edmund Hillary and Tenzing Norgay summit Mount Everest on May 29, 1953, becoming the first confirmed climbers to reach the world's highest peak.
wikidataQid: Q33817
taxonomy:
domain: sports
eventTypes:
- record_breaking
canonicalClasses:
- discovery
- competition
- celebration
impactRadius: global
velocity: sudden
predictability: forecastable
intentionality: planned
domainCoupling: single_domain
lifecycleClass: birth
archiveSnapshots:
- url: "https://web.archive.org/web/20260519223112/https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Edmund_Hillary"
  capturedAt: 2026-05-19
  label: Edmund Hillary
  originalUrl: "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Edmund_Hillary"
gallery:
- url: "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/7/76/Edmund_Hillary%2C_c._1953%2C_autograph_removed.jpg/1280px-Edmund_Hillary%2C_c._1953%2C_autograph_removed.jpg"
  thumbnailUrl: "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/7/76/Edmund_Hillary%2C_c._1953%2C_autograph_removed.jpg/800px-Edmund_Hillary%2C_c._1953%2C_autograph_removed.jpg"
  caption: Edmund Hillary
  credit: Wikipedia · "Edmund Hillary"
  width: 330
  height: 419
- url: "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/3/31/Sir_Edmund_Hillary%2C_J.H._Miller_and_R._Cawdrey_with_a_shipment_of_eggs_for_the_HMNZS_Endeavour%2C_1956.jpg/1280px-Sir_Edmund_Hillary%2C_J.H._Miller_and_R._Cawdrey_with_a_shipment_of_eggs_for_the_HMNZS_Endeavour%2C_1956.jpg"
  thumbnailUrl: "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/3/31/Sir_Edmund_Hillary%2C_J.H._Miller_and_R._Cawdrey_with_a_shipment_of_eggs_for_the_HMNZS_Endeavour%2C_1956.jpg/800px-Sir_Edmund_Hillary%2C_J.H._Miller_and_R._Cawdrey_with_a_shipment_of_eggs_for_the_HMNZS_Endeavour%2C_1956.jpg"
  caption: Sir Edmund Hillary, J.H. Miller and R. Cawdrey with a shipment of eggs for the HMNZS Endeavour, 1956
  credit: Unidentified staff photographer for The Evening Post
  width: 3012
  height: 3001
- url: "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/c/ce/Edmund_Hillary_packs_sack_in_preparation_for_the_1957_Commonwealth_Trans-Antarctic_Expedition_at_the_Department_of_Scientific_and_Industrial_Research%2C_Gracefield%2C_Lower_Hutt%2C_1956.jpg/1280px-thumbnail.jpg"
  thumbnailUrl: "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/c/ce/Edmund_Hillary_packs_sack_in_preparation_for_the_1957_Commonwealth_Trans-Antarctic_Expedition_at_the_Department_of_Scientific_and_Industrial_Research%2C_Gracefield%2C_Lower_Hutt%2C_1956.jpg/800px-thumbnail.jpg"
  caption: Edmund Hillary packs sack in preparation for the 1957 Commonwealth Trans-Antarctic Expedition at the Department of Scientific and Industrial Research, Gracefield, Lower Hutt, 1956
  credit: Unidentified staff photographer for The Evening Post
  width: 3079
  height: 3079
- url: "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/2/28/1956_face_detail%2C_Edmund_Hillary_packs_sack_in_preparation_for_the_1957_Commonwealth_Trans-Antarctic_Expedition_at_the_Department_of_Scientific_and_Industrial_Research%2C_Gracefield%2C_Lower_Hutt%2C_1956_%28cropped%29.jpg/1280px-1956_face_detail%2C_Edmund_Hillary_packs_sack_in_preparation_for_the_1957_Commonwealth_Trans-Antarctic_Expedition_at_the_Department_of_Scientific_and_Industrial_Research%2C_Gracefield%2C_Lower_Hutt%2C_1956_%28cropped%29.jpg"
  thumbnailUrl: "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/2/28/1956_face_detail%2C_Edmund_Hillary_packs_sack_in_preparation_for_the_1957_Commonwealth_Trans-Antarctic_Expedition_at_the_Department_of_Scientific_and_Industrial_Research%2C_Gracefield%2C_Lower_Hutt%2C_1956_%28cropped%29.jpg/800px-1956_face_detail%2C_Edmund_Hillary_packs_sack_in_preparation_for_the_1957_Commonwealth_Trans-Antarctic_Expedition_at_the_Department_of_Scientific_and_Industrial_Research%2C_Gracefield%2C_Lower_Hutt%2C_1956_%28cropped%29.jpg"
  caption: 1956 face detail, Edmund Hillary packs sack in preparation for the 1957 Commonwealth Trans-Antarctic Expedition at the Department of Scientific and Industrial Research, Gracefield, Lower Hutt, 1956 (cropped)
  credit: Unidentified staff photographer for The Evening Post
  width: 605
  height: 760
aliases:
- First Everest Ascent
- Hillary and Tenzing Summit
- 1953 British Everest Expedition
- Everest Conquered
impactStatement: Edmund Hillary and Tenzing Norgay's summit on May 29, 1953, broke the last great geographical barrier on Earth and made them instant global celebrities. The achievement validated modern mountaineering techniques and transformed Everest from an obsession of the wealthy few into a symbol of human capability.
mediaCoverage:
- publisher: The Times
  publisherSlug: the-times
  headline: "Everest Conquered: Hillary and Tenzing Reach the Summit"
  publishedAt: 1953-05-30
  url: Synthesized from period reporting - The Times archive
  excerpt: Sir Edmund Hillary of New Zealand and Sherpa Tenzing Norgay have successfully reached the summit of Mount Everest, becoming the first climbers confirmed to have achieved this feat. The triumph was announced by the British expedition team led by John Hunt on 29 May, crowning the ninth British attempt to conquer the world's highest peak.
  significance: 90
  type: newspaper
  region: United Kingdom
- publisher: The New York Times
  publisherSlug: the-new-york-times
  headline: New Zealander and Sherpa Reach Summit of Everest
  publishedAt: 1953-05-30
  url: Synthesized from period reporting - NYT archive
  excerpt: Edmund Hillary, a New Zealand mountaineer, and Tenzing Norgay, a Sherpa of Nepal, have planted flags atop Mount Everest, fulfilling a quest that has claimed lives and defeated expeditions for decades. The achievement marks a watershed moment in mountaineering and British scientific exploration.
  significance: 89
  type: newspaper
  region: United States
- publisher: The Manchester Guardian
  publisherSlug: the-manchester-guardian
  headline: Everest Victory - The Mountain is Conquered
  publishedAt: 1953-06-02
  url: Synthesized from period reporting - Guardian archive
  excerpt: Synthesized from period reporting - In scenes of jubilation across Britain, the nation celebrates the conquest of Everest by Hillary and Tenzing. The expedition's meticulous planning and the courage of the climbing team have vindicated the British mountaineering tradition and restored national pride in the post-war era.
  significance: 88
  type: newspaper
  region: United Kingdom
- publisher: Time Magazine
  publisherSlug: time-magazine
  headline: Top of the World
  publishedAt: 1953-06-08
  url: Synthesized from period reporting - Time archive
  excerpt: Synthesized from period reporting - In what may be mankind's last great terrestrial conquest, Edmund Hillary and Tenzing Norgay have planted the Union Jack and the flag of Nepal on Everest's 29,028-foot summit. The feat represents not merely a mountaineering triumph but a vindication of human determination against nature's severest challenges.
  significance: 85
  type: magazine
  region: United States
- publisher: Reuters
  publisherSlug: reuters
  headline: British Expedition Conquers Mount Everest - Hillary and Tenzing Reach Peak
  publishedAt: 1953-05-29
  url: Synthesized from period reporting - Reuters wire
  excerpt: Synthesized from period reporting - A British mountaineering expedition has successfully reached the summit of Mount Everest, with New Zealander Edmund Hillary and Sherpa guide Tenzing Norgay confirmed as the first to stand upon the world's highest peak. The news has been transmitted worldwide via wire service within hours of the climbers' descent.
  significance: 87
  type: newspaper
  region: International
comparisonThenNow:
- metric: Time to summit from base camp
  thenValue: ~2 months
  thenYear: 1953
  nowValue: ~40 days
  nowYear: 2024
  note: Modern expeditions with better acclimatization protocols and equipment are significantly faster
- metric: Annual summits
  thenValue: "2"
  thenYear: 1953
  nowValue: 400-500
  nowYear: 2023
  note: Peak season in May regularly sees 100+ summits per day
- metric: Death rate per summit
  thenValue: ~1 in 4
  thenYear: 1953
  nowValue: ~1 in 100
  nowYear: 2023
  note: Modern oxygen systems, weather forecasting, and rescue infrastructure have drastically improved survival rates
- metric: Cost of expedition
  thenValue: £100,000
  thenYear: 1953
  nowValue: $45,000-$100,000+
  nowYear: 2024
  note: 1953 figure was for entire British expedition; individual guided commercial climbs now cost $45-100k
consequences:
- title: Edmund Hillary knighted
  year: 1953
  description: Hillary was appointed Knight Bachelor in the 1953 Queen's Birthday Honours, just weeks after his summit
- title: Everest becomes commercially viable
  year: 1960
  description: Norman Dyhrenfurth's 1960 American expedition made mountaineering a viable commercial enterprise, paving the way for guided commercial expeditions
- title: Hillary launches Himalayan Trust
  year: 1960
  description: Edmund Hillary founded the Himalayan Trust to build schools and medical facilities in Nepal, beginning decades of philanthropic work in the region
- title: Everest becomes overcrowded
  year: 1990
  description: By the 1990s, commercial expeditions and improved logistics transformed Everest from elite mountaineering objective to accessible (though expensive) achievement for paying clients
- title: Environmental degradation awareness
  year: 2008
  description: Decades of climbing traffic led to widespread recognition of Everest's pollution crisis, with estimates of 50+ tons of human waste and abandoned equipment on the mountain
culturalContext:
topMusic:
- title: I Believe
  artist: Frankie Laine
  year: 1953
  note: Number one hit during the year of Hillary's ascent
- title: Such a Night
  artist: Johnny Ray
  year: 1953
topFilms:
- title: Roman Holiday
  year: 1953
- title: Singin' in the Rain
  year: 1952
  note: Still dominant in cinemas during 1953
- title: The Robe
  year: 1953
topTVShows: []
zeitgeistNote: 1953 was marked by post-WWII optimism, the British coronation of Queen Elizabeth II in June, and intense Cold War competition. Hillary's ascent became a symbol of British achievement and human capability during an era of rapid technological progress and exploration.
relatedQueries:
- Edmund Hillary Mount Everest 1953
- Tenzing Norgay first summit
- British Everest expedition John Hunt
- Everest death rate history
- Hillary Himalayan Trust
- Mount Everest commercial climbing history
- Everest environmental impact
- First Everest ascent confirmed
- Hillary knighthood 1953
- Everest summits by year statistics
