Of the four highest mountains in the world, which was the first to be successfully climbed?

Mount Everest, also known in Nepal as Sagarmāthā and in China as Chomolungma, is earth's highest mountain. Its peak is 8,848 metres (29,029 ft) above sea level. It was the first of the four highest mountains to be climbed in 1953. Tenzing Norgay and Edmund Hillary made the first official ascent of Everest on May 29th, 1953 using the southeast ridge route. Tenzing had reached 8,595 m (28,199 ft) the previous year as a member of the 1952 Swiss expedition.

K2, also known as Mount Godwin-Austen or Chhogori, is 8607 m (28,238ft) in height and was first climbed on July 31st, 1954 by A. Compagnoni and L. Lacedelli.

Kanchenjunga is 8,598 m (28,208 ft) in height and was first climbed on May 25th,1955 by G. Band and J. Brown.

Lhotse I is 8,511 m (27,923 ft) in height and was first climbed on May 18th, 1956 by F. Luchsinger and E. Reiss.

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31 Comments

George Oliver Prince

I simply don't understand the need to defy death like this. Of course i do it every time I talk back to my wife

Cheryl Perkins

I remember the day Sir Edmond Hillary reach the top, it was our queens Coronation Day. We had a day off school and had a street party. My father heard on the wireless that Sir Ed had succeeded.

David Colloby

wexlerbob Tenzing Norgay was a Sherpa with Edmund Hillary on the conquest of Everest

billyboy915

Subir Kumar Pal, The question, and it is without a doubt a question, is perfectly clear. Perhaps your grasp of English is not as good as it could be.

wexlerbob

Does anyone know or care weather the Sherpa climbed to peak prior to the westerners hiring them as guides? Why are they never mentioned as reaching the pinnacle. Do they simply stand back a bit and watch their benefactors get to the peak.

hector tubens

George Oliver Prince, cracked up at your comment regarding your wife. You are a WISE MAN!!!

Gold Toy Box

George Oliver Prince, A well founded principal of staying alive.

Irene Townsend

wexlerbob, Sir Ed always included and give credit to Tenzing when he spoke about climbing Everest and many cared about the Sherpa and their families as Sir Ed continued to provide for them, including building schools, etc.

Suzanne Beer

Got it..

Lendus Chartrand

wexlerbob, I totally agree. Westerners have to take the "first" for everything. Self entitlement.

Peter Robertson

wexlerbob, No.Tensing was a full partner in the climb. He and de Lambert just missed the year before. Also,the day before,May 28 1953 an apparatus failure stopped Evans and Boudillon from being first. Ed Hillary always said it was a team effort!

Char

Figured it right as that's the one I know most about

Dennis Oehler

Jas Newman, That's funny, jas

Jas Newman

When I trekked the region, the Sherpas said that Kanchenjunga had never been summitted because it's a holy mountain and the Sherpas will not allow climbers to ascent all the way to the peak.

Jas Newman

Margaret O'Neill, And may have been the first to the summit, but not the first there and back.

Jas Newman

John W Shreve, Re your question (Is it true that Hillary Clinton was named after Sir Edmund?)—That's her story; however, if so, her parents must have been prescient because when she was born Edmund Hillary was an obscure New Zealand bee-keeper.

ninakamwene

George Oliver Prince, I do. I took a tandem sky dive for my 60th birthday and told my daughter and her dad only after I survived. It was either them of God. He sent me back.