After successful expeditions to the North and South poles, a race began to see who would be the first to reach the summit of Everest, the so-called “third pole”. The story is part boys’ own adventure and part international intrigue. On 29 May 1953, the race was ‘won’ by Hillary and Tenzing, forging a legend which helped to create today’s mountain climbing industry in Nepal.

DELIVERY MODE

• Face-to-Face / Online

COURSE OUTLINE

• History of mountaineering on Everest focusing on the British expeditions to Everest in 1921, 1922 and 1953
• The Sherpa and their relationship with Everest
• The challenges for managing the climbing industry on Everest today

LEARNING OUTCOMES

By the end of this course, students should be able to:

1. Understand the political and social context of early twentieth century British and international attempts to climb Everest
2. Appreciate the complexities of the Mount Everest climbing industry and its impact on the lives of the Nepali and Tibetan peoples, particularly Sherpas