High Sierra Topix

I hope this is suitable for our Campfire, though I can only connect it to the Sierra at an oblique angle-- I am thinking of the ongoing (I hope) search for the remains of Mathew Greene in the Minarets.

So, I just today had this story pop up on the web, as I trolled through Youtube looking for travel or sports highlights. Did most of you already know that Andrew Irvine, the partner of George Mallory on their last gasp effort to summit Everest in 1924, has been found? This was news to me, though the remains of Irvine were located in September of this year. This, coupled with the finding in 1999 of his partner, the famous Mallory, has once again reopened the discussion of who first summited the highest mountain in the world. The body-- just a boot, and a sock with Irvine's name embroidered on it, with a foot inside-- was found much lower down the face of the mountain from that of Mallory, and the pocket Kodak camera was not among the remains-- not yet anyway. That camera is a much sought after item, as it just might contain footage documenting their time on the summit.

The salient points of the Mallory-Irvine summit story are the fact that when Mallory's entire body was found, his snow goggles were inside his shirt pocket, indicating that they were likely descending the mountain in relative darkness (after a long climb to the summit?); secondly, it was noted that the photographs of Mallory's wife were not found in his things, and he had said that he intended to put them on the summit. And then, going back in time, recall that the photographer Odell (or was is the climber Norton?), had stated that the climbers were last seen nearing the Second Step, and going strong.

Okay then, in my effort to tie this back to the Sierra, there is first the analogous situation with Matthew Greene-- that is, the mention in this article of how the families of lost climbers are very gratified for the discovery of their loved ones. Secondly, we have the mountainous monuments to these lost climbers in the southern Sierra peaks: "Mallory" and "Irvine." Here is a link to the Nat. Geo. article:

https://www.nationalgeographic.com/adve ... nd-everest

Ian, Odell was indeed the last to see them on the ‘24 expedition (he was a climber and geologist; John Noel was the photographer), but it has never been definitively proven if M & I were last seen on the First or Second Step…even Odell vacillated on that point. The Irvine discovery was big news a few weeks ago. The ubiquitous Jimmy Chin was significantly involved in that finding. Fascinating how this story still captivates mountaineers’ imagination 100 years later.

ironmike wrote:)

Ian, Odell was indeed the last to see them on the ‘24 expedition (he was a climber and geologist; John Noel was the photographer

Right you are Mike, now I remember. Like me, you remain fascinated? Thanks for the correction, Ian.

Harlen wrote: ↑Fri Nov 22, 2024 6:26 pm ironmike wrote:)

Ian, Odell was indeed the last to see them on the ‘24 expedition (he was a climber and geologist; John Noel was the photographer

Right you are Mike, now I remember. Like me, you remain fascinated? Thanks for the correction, Ian.

Absolutely…this is the biggest historical mystery in all of mountaineering. Though I confess a special interest, having climbed in the Himalaya just north of Everest back in the 80’s and 90’s, and seen those ramparts in person. Someday, I hope the families of Mallory and Irvine get some resolution in terms of their summit success, but it looks unlikely.

The Mallory-Irvine mystery is the most well known, but mountaineering is rich in tragic and infamous lore. Several exploits by others are equally enigmatic, albeit repose in near total obscurity.

One near the top of my list is the mystery that is John Waterman (not to be confused with the renown mountaineer/author Jon Waterman). John had no equal in his generation. He was a climbing prodigy who cut his teeth as a teen, climbing in the Presidential Range. Perhaps his greatest accomplishment was his 1978, 145 day, solo, winter ascent of Mt. Hunter's southeast spur. Mt Hunter, a sister summit of Denali is much lower in altitude, but technically more demanding. Two years later John is believed to have set out on a clandestine, solo, winter ascent of the east buttress of Denali, never to be seen again. It was assumed he (literally) fell victim to a glacier crevasse. Here is a brief memorial article from AAC on the the man:https://publications.americanalpineclub ... -1952-1981. I highly recommend further reading, there are several books addressing John. His solo project on Mt Hunter is the central topic of one, and another is a biography; while several others offer other accounts of the man and his mountaineering accomplishments.

Ed