1921 British Mount Everest reconnaissance expedition

First attempt to find a route to climb Mount Everest March 2018 March 2018 thumb|upright=1.6|United Kingdom and Canadian participants of the expedition at Kharta Advanced Base Camp, September 1921. Standing (left to right): Wollaston, Howard-Bury, Heron, Raeburn. Sitting (left to right): Mallory, Wheeler, Bullock, Morshead. thumb|upright=.9|Everest Northeast Ridge joined by the Fantasy Ridge (left) and the North Col at the Northeast shoulder (right); photo taken by Wollaston from Kharta Glacier 20,000ft camp. The 1921 British Mount Everest reconnaissance expedition set off to explore how it might be possible to get to the vicinity of Mount Everest, to reconnoitre possible routes for ascending the mountain, and – if possible – make the first ascent of the highest mountain in the world. At that time Nepal was closed to foreigners, so any approach had to be from the north, through Tibet. A feasible route was discovered from the east up the Kharta Glacier and then crossing the Lhakpa La pass north east of Everest. It was then necessary to descend to the East Rongbuk Glacier before climbing again to Everest's North Col. However, although the North Col was reached, it was not possible to climb further before the expedition had to withdraw. Initially, the expedition explored from the north and reached the main Rongbuk Glacier, only to find that it seemed to provide no likely routes to the summit. However, at the time it was not realised that the East Rongbuk glacier actually flowed into the Rongbuk glacier via its meltwater stream – it was thought it descended away to the east. As a reconnaissance the expedition was a success because it determined that a good route might be to approach the East Rongbuk glacier via the Rongbuk glacier, and then follow the North Col route to the summit. In the following year, the 1922 British Mount Everest expedition took this route and was able to climb above the North Col, although it did not reach the summit. Charles Howard-Bury led the 1921 expedition and George Mallory, who had never before been to Himalaya, was included in the team. As events were to turn out, Mallory became the de facto lead climber. Howard-Bury wrote a book about the expedition, Mount Everest, the Reconnaissance, 1921, to which Mallory contributed six of the chapters. Background thumb|1858 representation of the triangulation of Mount Everest In 1856 the Great Trigonometric Survey was able to calculate that the highest peak in the world was not Kangchenjunga, but, rather, the somewhat unnoticed Peak XV, which was measured to be 29,002 feet high.The nearest observation was from a distance of 108 mi flip. Modern techniques would have measured the height at that time to be about 29,030 feet.Davis 2012 45 Mountaineering was in its infancy but antagonism and apathy towards it were waning so, by 1907, to celebrate the fiftieth anniversary of the Alpine Club, a plan was hatched for a British reconnaissance of Everest.Murray 1953 4 General Charles Bruce, who later on became the president of the club, was chosen to lead the expedition. Entry to Tibet, which had historically refused entry to foreigners, became possible due to Sir Francis Younghusband's imperial and exploratory activities, which culminated in his "Mission to Lhasa" and subsequent 1904 Treaty of Lhasa.Murray 1953 4Holzel Salkeld 1999 32 Initially, the British Secretary of State for India, Lord Morley, refused permission for an expedition out of "consideration of high Imperial policy".Gillman 1993 18–19 This political delay and World War I, in John Buchan's words, "put an end to these pleasant fancies".Murray 1953 4Holzel Salkeld 1999 34–35 thumb|Tibetan visa issued to the expedition By 1920 the Secretary of State had given approval for an expedition so Colonel Charles Howard-Bury was sent on a diplomatic mission which persuaded the Viceroy of India, Lord Reading, to support that idea.Murray 1953 4Howard-Bury 1922 23 Because Nepal was closed to entry at the time, the expedition's planned approach march would be through Sikkim.Howard-Bury 1922 1 (Introduction by Younghusband) The viceroy's agent there, Sir Charles Bell, had been working in Lhasa and he had formed a good relationship with the Dalai Lama, who granted an entry pass for the expedition.Murray 1953 4,5Translation at s:Tibetan passport issued to 1921 British Mount Everest reconnaissance expedition. In January 1921 the Alpine Club and the Royal Geographical Society (of which Younghusband was now President) jointly set up the Mount Everest Committee to co-ordinate and fund the expedition.Gillman 1993 18–19Howard-Bury 1922 16–17 (Introduction by Younghusband)Holzel Salkeld 1999 34–35 Although they initially supported an all-out attempt at the summit, members of the committee eventually agreed that the primary purpose of the mission should be reconnaissance.Howard-Bury 1922 17–18 The expedition team and the march in thumb|Morshead's map showing routes taken during the expedition Bruce's military duties prevented him from participating so Howard-Bury was chosen as leader. It was a reconnaissance expedition and at the time 60 mi was the closest any Western explorer had been to the mountain.Murray 1953 5 The expedition set off in April 1921 – the climbing team consisted of two experienced mountaineers, Harold Raeburn and Alexander Kellas, and two younger men, George Mallory and Guy Bullock, both Old Wykehamists without any Himalayan experience.Murray 1953 5–6Howard-Bury 1922 194 The expedition team also included Sandy Wollaston, a naturalist and doctor and Alexander Heron, a geologist. Henry Morshead (also an Old Wykehamist) and Oliver Wheeler were surveyors seconded from the army.Gillman 1993 18–19Murray 1953 6Howard-Bury 1922 26 When George Bernard Shaw saw a photograph (above) of them wearing Norfolk jackets, knickerbockers, puttees and tweeds he quipped that they "looked like a Connemara picnic trapped in a snowstorm".Davis 2012 212 thumb|upright|left|Kampa Dzong (expedition photo) thumb|Shekar Dzong (expedition photo) The expedition, having gathered Sherpas, Bhutias, porters, supplies and 100 Army mules (which later had to be replaced with hill mules and yaks), set off from Darjeeling in British India on 18 May 1921 for the 300 mi on march to Everest. Murray 1953 6Gillman 1993 18–19 During their march, the climate changed from hot and humid with verdant growth and heavy, frequent rain, to cold, dry and very windy.Howard-Bury 1922 Chapters I & II The route took them through Sikkim – northeast through Tista valley, over the Jelep LaLa is Tibetan for "pass" or "col". into Tibet and on into the Chumbi Valley, passing Phari at 14300 ft flip, crossing the Himalaya watershed at Tang La and continuing to the Tibetan plateau.Murray 1953 6–8Howard-Bury 1922 45 Then, leaving the Lhasa road and taking a westward course, the expedition reached Khamba Dzong.Murray 1953 9Howard-Bury 1922 50 Here, on 6 June, Kellas died suddenly of heart failure and Raeburn became sick and had to return to Sikkim.Murray 1953 9–10 The party followed the valley of the Arun River to the west and at Shiling were first able to see Everest well enough to begin to gauge its topography.Murray 1953 10 Travelling on through Shekar DzongShekar, or Shelkar.Dzong is Tibetan for "fort". they reached Tingri Dzong which became the base for the northern phase of their explorations.Murray 1953 11 By that time, Mallory and Howard-Bury had taken a dislike to each other, with Mallory writing that Howard-Bury was "too much the landlord with not only Tory prejudices, but a highly developed sense of hate and contempt for other sorts of people than his own."Gillman 1993 18–19 Northern reconnaissance thumb|Topographic map, based on Wheeler's surveys From Tingri, several valleys could be followed south towards Everest and on 23 June Mallory and Bullock started off to the south with sixteen Sherpas and porters.Murray 1953 12–13 Two days later, at Chobuk they reached the foot of the Rongbuk valley and were then able to see Everest.Murray 1953 12–13 Ten miles further was the snout of the Rongbuk GlacierRongbuk, or Rongpu. near where they pitched base camp at 16500 ft flip, just beyond the Rongbuk Monastery (Mallory called it "Chöyling"Howard-Bury 1922 194).Murray 1953 14–16 Only familiar with Alpine glaciers, they had difficulty negotiating 50 ft flip on seracs and retired back at 18500 ft flip where the West Rongbuk Glacier debouches.Howard-Bury 1922 194–197 Rongbuk Glacier thumb|Everest North face, partially obscured by Changtse, seen from near the terminus of the Rongbuk glacier. Photograph taken by Mallory. Taking six days to acclimatise and recuperate they established Camp II at 17500 ft flip.Murray 1953 17–18 On 1 July Mallory with five Sherpas went towards the head of the glacier near the North Face of Everest and at 19100 ft flip he was able to evaluate the western side of the North Col.The North Col was and is frequently called, Chang La, chang being Tibetan for "north". Now sometimes called Bei'ao There seemed to be no satisfactory way to reach the North Col but above the col, and towards the summit, there seemed to be a feasible route. Everest's west ridge also did not seem encouraging from this location so Mallory decided the West Rongbuk glacier should be explored.Murray 1953 18–19 West Rongbuk Glacier thumb|Sketch map of region north of Mount Everest The topography to the west is very complex so on 5 July Mallory and Bullock climbed the 22500 ft flip on Ri Ringnote A footnote to Bullock's diary says it was called "Mary" by Mallory and Bullock but this was later disallowed and that W. H. Murray called it "Ri-Ring".Bullock 1962 I 143 However, Davis says Mallory wanted to call it "Mount Kellas" and states its "true elevation" as 22520 ft – the second highest mountain climbed at that time.Davis 2012 281 The 1988 National Geographic map marks an unnamed peak at 28.0901 N 86.8154 E, 6975 m and this has the same location and topographical setting as the "Ri Ring" marked on Morshead's 1921 expedition map.Mount Everest 1:50000 November 1988 National Geographic Society About 2.5 km NE of here the National Geographic map (and Google Maps) marks "Shuguang Peak" at 28.1090 N 86.8300 E, 6622 m and other lists give "Hongxing Ri" at this location while saying it is also called "Ri Ring". to get a better perspective. They were able to examine the upper North Face and the north ridge above the North Col and considered the latter was manageable. However, they formed a wrong impression that a high ridge ran from Everest's North PeakThe expedition also called North Peak Changtse – now sometimes Bei Peak stretching away east to the Arun river. They therefore thought that any approach to the eastern side of the North Col could not be from Rongbuk, never imagining that the glacier on the other side of the North Col would turn back into the main Rongbuk glacier. In fact, where it joins, just above the Rongbuk Monastery, only a small stream is to be seen.Murray 1953 19–21 Looking more to the west, two routes to Everest looked promising, one over the Lho La at the head of the Rongbuk glacier and one over an unnamed col between Pumori and Lingtren – the hope was that a valley to the south of these cols might provide a good route to the summit. Mallory climbed a peak he called the "Island Peak" (LingtrennupMurray 1953 23note Lingtrennup (also known as Xi Lingchain) is at the divide of the West Rongbuk and Pumori glaciers. It is not to be confused with Imja Tse due south of Lhotse which was named "Island peak" by Eric Shipton in 1951.) from where he attempted to photograph Changtse, Everest and Lhotse, which was just visible.Howard-Bury 1922 213Murray 1953 21–24 They eventually reached the unnamed col by going west up what is now known as the Pumori Glacier and so by 19 July were able to look down into the Western Cwm and the Khumbu Glacier.Murray 1953 21–24 They were not able to see the South Col but they thought the Khumbu glacier looked "terribly steep and broken" and anyway the 1500 ft flip on drop from their col to the glacier was a "hopeless precipice".Howard-Bury 1922 214–215 Any approach through the Western Cwm would therefore have to be from Nepal and by a different expedition.Murray 1953 21–24 thumb|From l-r, Lingtren, the upper north face of Everest, Lhotse behind Everest's west shoulder, and Pumori's eastern ridge. In the foreground, Pumori glacier joins the West Rongbuk glacier. Photograph taken by Mallory near Lingtrennup. Camps were struck on 20 July with no route having been selected but there remained the possibility of reaching the North Col from the east. Before heading that way, Mallory and Bullock started to investigate the place where, unknown to them, the East Rongbuk glacier debouches. They had to curtail their exploration here because bad news came that the photographs Mallory had taken were all useless because he had been putting the photographic plates in back to front.Howard-Bury 1922 216–218Murray 1953 24–26 Photographs were vital as part of the reconnaissance so for two days Mallory and Bullock raced around retaking as many as possible. On this occasion Mallory re-took his photographs from "Island Peak" and Bullock actually reached the Lho La and was able to photograph the Khumbu Icefall. On 25 July they rejoined Howard-Bury's party at Chobuk.Murray 1953 24–26 Morshead and Wheeler's surveys and other work thumb|Heron's geological map of Everest region From the Survey of India, Morshead and Wheeler, with the assistance of Indian surveyors Lalbir Singh Thapa, Gujjar Singh, and Turubaz Khan, produced the first accurate maps of the Everest region.Howard-Bury 1922 20 & 319–337Morshead 1923 357Boswell Randy 13 November 2011 Canadian geographer conquered Mount Everest in 'epic quest' https://nationalpost.com/news/canada/canadian-geographer-conquered-mount-everest-in-epic-quest live National Post Postmedia Toronto, Ontario, Canada https://archive.today/20220813130142/https://nationalpost.com/news/canada/canadian-geographer-conquered-mount-everest-in-epic-quest/ 13 August 2022 13 August 2022 They surveyed 12000 sqmi flip of difficult unknown territory producing a map of four miles to an inch (1:250,000) and updating the map of Sikkim.Howard-Bury 1922 179, 319, & 328Morshead 1923 363 Using photo-topographical surveying instruments, Major Wheeler single-handedly completed a methodical and detailed 600 sqmi flip photographic survey of the environs of Everest itself producing a one-inch (1:63360) map.Murray 1953 27–28Ward 1994 103Howard-Bury 1922 179, 319, & 328–337Morshead 1923 363 Expedition naturalist and medical officer Wollaston had collected and identified plants, birds and mammals, including new specimens,Howard-Bury 1922 20, 281–303, & 344–350Morshead 1923 363 and Heron had made geological investigations over 8000 sqmi flip and produced a geological map.Murray 1953 27–28Howard-Bury 1922 338 Reports of these activities appeared in Howard-Bury's book along with a description of the scientific equipment and cameras that were used.Howard-Bury 1922 281–343 Wheeler, Heron and Howard-Bury reached Nangpa La west of Everest and on the Nepalese border.Davis 2012 266–267,284–286 Morshead and Wollaston crossed the border further west at Lapche, south of Lapche La (Labuche La), and got as far west as Nyenyam.Davis 2012 304,321 The geographical and geological surveying reached as far north as the Tsangpo river.Davis 2012 336 Howard-Bury had been exploring to the east to find a location for a future base camp. Unable to cross a tributary of the Arun, he had come to the district of KhartaKharta, or Karda. where no one knew anything about where their local river came from. Since it was glacial, Howard-Bury presumed it came from Everest and so would be a good place for an eastern base camp, if one was to be necessary. Howard-Bury then returned west for further exploration and to organise the removal of the whole expedition to Kharta on 29 July.Murray 1953 27–28 Eastern reconnaissance Kharta valley to Kama valley thumb|Dzongpen of Kharta and his wifenote Howard-Bury, who probably took the photograph, wrote "After we had finished this meal, I induced the Jongpen and his young wife to be photographed. She had a most elaborate head-dress of coral and pearls, with masses of false hair on either side of her head. It was not becoming."Howard-Bury 1922 107 Suspecting the river at Kharta flowed from the North Col, Mallory and Bullock set off upstream on 2 August. The next day local inhabitants told them a different river flowed from Chomolungma.Tibetan name for Everest So they crossed a 18000 ft flip pass to reach the valley of the Kama River which runs parallel but to the south. They were now very close to Makalu which was further south again. Ahead of them to the west they could see Lhotse and Everest as they approached the Kangshung GlacierKangshung, or Kangxung. and the Kangshung Face. Surrounded by three of the highest peaks in the world Mallory wrote of the Kama valley, "For me the most magnificent and sublime mountain scenery can be made lovelier by some more tender touch; and that too is added here".Murray 1953 28–30 They regarded scaling the Kangshung Face as impossible, with Mallory noting, "Other men, less wise, might attempt this way if they would, but, emphatically, it was not for us."Venables 2000 8note The Kangshung Face was not climbed until 1983.Unsworth 2000 501 thumb|upright|left|Kama valley. Photograph taken by Wollaston. thumb|upright|Junipers in Kama valley. Photograph taken by Wollaston. They realised that they would have to return to the Kharta valley and to achieve this they climbed the 21390 ft on flip Khartse de on 7 August so they could examine the North Col as well as the Kangshung Face. They wondered if the glacier in the valley to the north was the one that came down from the North Col or whether that glacier was further north again. Everest's northeast ridge they judged very difficult.note The northeast ridge was first climbed in 1995.Solomon 1996 312–314 The North Col and the north ridge above it were the only possibility left. They descended Khartse to Kama and returned to the Kharta valley.Murray 1953 30–33 Return to Kharta valley Mallory was taken ill and so it was left to Bullock to head on west to the head of the Kharta glacier on 13 August. However, a runner came back very soon to tell Mallory that Bullock had observed that the glacier ended in a high pass ahead. He would explore further but it was looking as if the glacier from the North Col did not flow east.Murray 1953 33–34 Bullock returned and Howard-Bury received a letter from Wheeler showing the results of his survey – the glacier flowing down the east side of the North Col turned sharply north and joined the main Rongbuk Glacier. Time was too short to return to Rongbuk, which now seemed clearly the best way to the North Col, so they decided the best thing to do was to prospect a route to the pass Bullock had seen, which they called Lhakpa LaLhakpa La, or Lhagba La. ("Windy Gap") to see whether the North Col could be reached in this way.Murray 1953 35–37Shipton 1955 31 The weather was bad and the glacier was treacherous but eventually they reached the 22200 ft on flip Lhakpa La on 18 August. Mallory decided the route was feasible and so it was agreed the reconnaissance could be concluded. They returned to base camp for ten days' rest.Murray 1953 35–37 centre horizontal Mallory's original map of northeast of Everest.jpg 200 Diagram based on Mallory's original sketch (about 22 July 1921)Howard-Bury 1922 217 Mallory's revised map of northeast of Everest.jpg 320 Diagram based on Mallory's revised sketch (about 12 August 1921)Howard-Bury 1922 232 The glacier originating between Everest and the North Peak does not flow east down the "Observed Valley". Instead it turns north and then west to emerge at the "Stream met on June 27" and to join the Rongbuk Glacier as it flows north.Howard-Bury 1922 206–207, 216–218, 232–234 Illustrations based on Mallory's sketches of the region east of the North Col centre North Col thumb|North Col (right) joining the North East shoulder of Everest (left) taken from Lhakpa La. Everest's summit is just visible behind the shoulder. Photograph taken by Howard-Bury. thumb|Diagram of expedition's routes near North Col. While Mallory and Bullock rested, advance base camp was set upThe team photograph (top) was taken by Wollaston at this location. at 17300 ft flip and camp II at 20000 ft flip on the Kharta glacier, with both camps being left unoccupied. The plan was for camp III on the Lhakpa La, IV on the North Col and one more camp before the summit although, as it turned out, this was to seriously underestimate the difficulties. They had to wait for a month for the monsoon to end and on 31 August all the team tentatively moved to advance base camp with Raeburn, who had unexpectedly returned, able to join them.Murray 1953 38 They had to stay at advance base camp until 20 September for the weather to improve and then Mallory, Bullock, Morshead and Wheeler set off for and reached Lhakpa La.Murray 1953 38–40 It was now recognised that the North Col could not be reached without an intermediate camp so they returned to camp II for further supplies so that all the team (except Raeburn) along with twenty-six Sherpas could set off again for camp III. Next morning Mallory, Bullock, Wheeler and three Sherpas went down to the East Rongbuk glacier while the rest of the party turned back. After a very difficult night on the glacier in cold and windy conditions, the following day, 24 September, saw the party reach the North Col although without carrying loads.Murray 1953 40–41 The terrain on the Col was good for a camp but the wind was extreme and no progress would be possible. They descended to the glacier where Mallory and Bullock calculated that they would not be able to set up a camp on the North Col, nor could they survive a bivouac up there at 23000 ft flip. Also, the gales were getting worse. On 25 September the party was forced to climb again to the Lhakpa La and on 26 September the entire expedition struck all the upper camps, returned to Kharta, and eventually reached Darjeeling on 25 October without mishap.Murray 1953 41Howard-Bury 1922 179 Howard-Bury was awarded the 1922 Founder's Medal of the Royal Geographical Society for his leadership of the expedition.http://www.rgs.org/NR/rdonlyres/C5962519-882A-4C67-803D-0037308C756D/0/GoldMedallists18322011.pdf List of Past Gold Medal Winners Royal Geographical Society 24 August 2015 dead https://web.archive.org/web/20110927221002/http://www.rgs.org/NR/rdonlyres/C5962519-882A-4C67-803D-0037308C756D/0/GoldMedallists18322011.pdf 27 September 2011 Subsequent events thumb|320px|Mount Everest panoramas, taken on the 1921 expedition Before the expedition had left Tibet, the Mount Everest Committee met and decided that a full assault should be made on the mountain in 1922 with General Bruce as leader. The Rongbuk – East Rongbuk – North Col route would be followed but on this occasion oxygen cylinders would be taken for the climbers.Murray 1953 42–43 The 1921 expedition was regarded as successful by experts as well as the general public with large numbers of people turning up for the official welcome home by the Royal Geographical Society and the Alpine Club at the Queen's Hall in London. Howard-Bury had become a celebrity.Shipton 1955 35Howard-Bury Mallory 1991 15–23 (Introduction by Marian Keaney) Speaking of the future summit attempt in his Queen's Hall address Mallory said he was "very far from a sanguine estimate of success ... A party or two arriving the top, each so tired that it was beyond helping the other, might provide good copy for the Press but the performance would provoke the censure of reasonable opinion".Prospects of climbing Mount Everest http://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0000687/19211221/230/0009 3 July 2014 Yorkshire Post and Leeds Intelligencer British Newspaper Archive 21 December 1921 9 subscription Mallory had hoped to give up schoolteaching and to become a mountaineer and writer. When he provided his chapters for Howard-Bury's 1922 book of the expedition it had been on the clear understanding he would be paid. However, in 1923, three months before departing on the 1924 Everest expedition, he had still not received payment. When he pressed the Committee they rescinded their agreement and said he would not be paid but nevertheless they "fully appreciated the value of your contributions".Mallory 2010 5–10 (Introduction by Peter Gillman). The 1924 expedition was the one from which he would not return, the identity of his remains being discovered in 1999. Bullock's expedition diary was published in 1962.Bullock 1962 IBullock 1962 II Notes Footnotes note 2 Romanisations Romanization of place names is very variable so this list is merely to relate those used in Howard-Bury's book to alternative romanisation. lower-alpha 2 References Citations 25em Works cited Bullock G. H. Everest Expedition, 1921. Diaries of G. H. Bullock (Part I). Alpine Journal 1962 304 130–149 Bullock 1962 I https://www.alpinejournal.org.uk/Contents/Contents_1962_files/AJ%201962%20130-149%20Bullock%20Everest%201921.pdf 18 June 2014 Bullock G. H. Everest Expedition, 1921. Diaries of G. H. Bullock (Part II). Alpine Journal 1962 305 291–309 https://www.alpinejournal.org.uk/Contents/Contents_1962_files/AJ%201962%20291-309%20Bullock%20Everest%201921%20Pt%202.pdf Bullock 1962 II 18 June 2014 Davis Wade Wade Davis (anthropologist) Into the Silence: The Great War, Mallory, and the Conquest of Everest 2012 Random House 978-0099563839 https://books.google.com/books?id=MsWN1v8V8UMC&q=%22Connemara%20picnic%20surprised%20by%20a%20snowstorm%22&pg=PA212 14 June 2014 Gillman Peter Peter Gillman Everest: The Best Writing and Pictures from Seventy Years of Human Endeavour 1993 Little, Brown Boston 0316904899 Holzel Tom Salkeld Audrey The Mystery of Mallory and Irvine 1999 Pimlico London 0712664882 Howard-Bury C. K. Mount Everest the Reconnaissance, 1921 1922 Longman & Green New York 1 https://archive.org/stream/mounteverestreco00howa 13 June 2014 Howard-Bury Charles Mallory George Leigh Keaney Marian Everest Reconnaissance : The First Expedition of 1921 1991 Hodder & Stoughton London 0340556021 Mallory George Climbing Everest 2010 Gibson Square London 9781903933305 1 Morshead Henry Treise Henry Morshead Mount Everest: By Major H. T. Morshead, D.S.O., R.E. https://archive.org/details/dli.pahar.2214/mode/2up The Royal Engineers Journal The Institution of Royal Engineers Chatham, UK September 1923 37 No. 3 1923 353–368 18 February 2023 Murray W. H. W. H. Murray The Story of Everest 1953 J. M. Dent & Sons Shipton Eric Eric Shipton Man Against Everest 1955 Prentice-Hall 20–35 https://archive.org/details/menagainsteveres007427mbp 15 June 2014 Solomon (transl) Harold American Alpine Journal, 1996 1996 American Alpine Club Press 9781933056432 https://books.google.com/books?id=pXR4estfVQIC&q=editions%3AkTJn1IOYFPkC&pg=PA312 Solomon 1996 16 June 2014 Unsworth Walt Everest, The Mountaineering History Mountaineers Books 2000 Seattle, WA, USA 978-0898866704 Venables Stephen Stephen Venables Everest: alone at the summit: a survival story 2000 Thunder Mouth Press New York 978-1560252894 https://archive.org/details/everestaloneatsu00vena 16 June 2014 registration Ward Michael The Exploration and Mapping of Everest Alpine Journal 1994 97–108 https://www.alpinejournal.org.uk/Contents/Contents_1994_files/AJ%201994%2097-108%20Ward%20Everest%20Mapping.pdf 15 June 2014 External links Selection of images from RGS exhibition 1921 Category:1920s in Tibet Category:1921 in Asia Category:Expeditions from the United Kingdom Category:Tibet–United Kingdom relations