1. Skip to content
  2. Skip to main menu
  3. Skip to more DW sites

Everest: 60 years at the top

May 28, 2013

This year marks the 60th anniversary of the first successful summit of the highest point on Earth - Mount Everest. Since 1953, thousands of people have reached the top of this famed peak.

https://p.dw.com/p/18fuB

On May 29, 1953 New Zealander Sir Edmund Hillary and Sherpa Tenzing Norgay became the first climbers to successfully reach the top, which makes Wednesday the 60th anniversary of the feat.

Since then, at least 6,000 successful ascents have been recorded. At 8,848 meters (29,028 feet), there is no place higher up in the world.

The world's finest alpinists have tackled Everest, leaving no challenge unconquered. In 1978, the South Tyrolian Reinhold Messner and the Austrian Peter Habeler became the first to ascend to the peak without oxygen.

Every year records are broken. This spring, 80-year old Japanese man, Yuichiro Miura, reached the highest point, making him the oldest person to ever do so. The youngest is Jordan Romero, who set the record in 2010 at the age of 13.

However, this mythical peak is also full of dangers. About 300 people have died trying to reach the summit.

hc/jr (Reuters, AP, AFP)