2024 - Highest mountain on the way - Brits cheered on Everest - thanks to the Swiss

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The British were the first to climb Mount Everest 70 years ago. But the Swiss paved the way for this.

Author:
Bahram Alagheband

The rocky outcrop is called «Geneva Spur», in German «Geneva Spur». It got its name from Geneva mountaineers who first crossed this rock in 1952, paving the way for the first ascent of Mount Everest the following year. It was New Zealander Sir Edmund Hillary and Tenzing Norgay Sherpa who made the first ascent as part of a British expedition.

Legend:

The Geneva mountaineers together with Tenzing Norgay Sherpa (L) 1952.

ETH Library Zurich

«After the success of the English, the deeds of the Swiss were somewhat forgotten. However, the merits of the Swiss were shown later by historians,” explains Hansrudolf Keusen, alpinist, geologist and member of the board of trustees of the Swiss Foundation for Alpine Research.

Keusen is among those who spoke to several of the pioneers of the time. Among others with Hansruedi von Gunten, who made the third ascent of Everest and died two years ago.

The English considered Mount Everest their mountain.

When the Swiss set out to climb Everest, the British have been unsuccessful for around 30 years – and accordingly snubbed. Keusen knows that when Switzerland received permission for two expeditions from Nepal in 1952, it was “a minor diplomatic catastrophe” for the British.

“They considered Mount Everest their mountain.” And the Swiss initially made good progress on “their mountain” during the first attempt in the spring of 1952. “They spectacularly overcome the crevasse and open up new access to the southern ridge. This is how the ‘Geneva spur’ is later created,” says Keusen.

70 years later, climbing Mount Everest has become a business. Crowds of mountaineers are drawn to the mountain, so long queues are not uncommon – even in the so-called death zone above 7000 meters above sea level. A permit to climb Everest costs 10,000 francs. According to its own statements, Nepal issued 454 permits this year – a new record.

In the end it gets bitter: 250 meters before the summit, the Swiss rope team has to give up. The weather conditions are extreme and a first ascent is out of the question. The Swiss also fail on the second attempt in the fall of 1952.

But the British can learn lessons from this, for example the use of oxygen masks. Or the choice of route, because the British will choose the Swiss route for the first ascent. Where they have failed so far, they are now successfully scaling the summit.

“The English expedition leader, Hunt, said after the expedition that they would not have been able to climb Everest without the Swiss and without this preparatory work,” confirms Keusen. “Also because the English had Tenzing Norgay Sherpa with them, who had been on the Swiss expeditions and knew the route.”

A lot of material had to be provided for the expedition to Everest in 1952.

In a review of the “Swiss summit storm”, the “NZZ” documented the contents of the packing list: clothing suitable for high mountains was packed, including reindeer boots with non-slip Vibram soles, sleeping bags and bivouac tents and even an “Everest battle dress” (combat suit). In addition, there was further technical equipment and a complete kitchen equipment.

For food, 60 cans of condensed milk, 805 boxes of Gerber cheese, 75 packages of dried beans, 16 kilos of hazelnuts and 1000 cigarettes were packed.

The expedition equipment, weighing several tons, was carried to the base camp by local porters from the Sherpa people.

Keusen believes that the fact that the British forestalled the Swiss did not cause resentment. He also spoke about it with the late Everest pioneer Von Gunten. “He told me that the Swiss gave it to the English. Because the English have tried to get up the mountain so many times.”