Edmund Hillary
First confirmed climber to summit Everest, later a philanthropist and diplomat.
via Wikipedia: Edmund Hillary · see source
Sir Edmund Hillary was a New Zealander who climbed mountains, explored remote places, and gave back to communities. He is best known for being the first person, along with Tenzing Norgay, to reach the top of Mount Everest on 29 May 1953. That climb was part of the ninth British expedition to the mountain, led by John Hunt. Later in life, from 1985 to 1988, he served as New Zealand’s High Commissioner to India and Bangladesh, and also as Ambassador to Nepal.
Hillary’s interest in climbing began in high school. He made his first significant summit in 1939 on Mount Ollivier. During World War II, he served as a navigator in the Royal New Zealand Air Force and was injured in an accident. Before his famous Everest ascent, he joined a British reconnaissance trip to the mountain in 1951 and attempted Cho Oyu in 1952, which did not succeed.
In 1958, as part of the Commonwealth Trans-Antarctic Expedition, Hillary traveled overland to the South Pole. He later also reached the North Pole, making him the first person to stand at both poles and on Everest’s summit. *Time* magazine listed him among the 100 most influential people of the 20th century.
Starting in 1960, Hillary focused on helping the Sherpa people of Nepal through the Himalayan Trust, an organization he founded. His work led to the building of many schools and hospitals there. He received many honors, including the Order of the Garter in 1995. When he died in 2008, New Zealand held a state funeral for him.
Hillary was born in Auckland on 20 July 1919 to Percival and Gertrude Hillary. His father, a World War I veteran, had been a journalist before the war and later became an editor and beekeeper. The family moved to Tuakau in 1920, where Hillary grew up with his sister June and brother Rex. He attended Tuakau Primary School and then Auckland Grammar School, finishing primary school two years early. He was shy and small at first, but grew to 6 feet 2 inches and gained confidence through boxing. A school trip to Mount Ruapehu at age 16 sparked his love for climbing. He briefly studied at Auckland University College but left after two years. He then worked as a beekeeper with his father and brother, handling up to 1,600 hives and enduring many bee stings. In 1938, his family joined the Radiant Living movement, and Hillary later became a teacher of its philosophy, which helped him speak publicly and mix with others. He made his first major climb, Mount Ollivier, in 1939, and through climbing formed close friendships with Harry Ayres and George Lowe.
During World War II, Hillary initially withdrew his application to join the air force due to his religious conscience. But in 1943, with conscription and the Japanese threat, he joined the RNZAF as a navigator on Catalina flying boats. He was sent to Fiji and the Solomon Islands, where he was badly burned in an accident.
In January 1948, Hillary climbed the south ridge of Aoraki / Mount Cook, New Zealand’s highest peak. That same year, he helped rescue a climber on La Perouse and befriended Norman Hardie. In 1951, he joined Eric Shipton’s British reconnaissance of Everest, climbing high on Pumori to get the first clear view of the mountain’s route.
- born
- 20 July 1919, Auckland, New Zealand
- died
- 11 January 2008, New Zealand
- field
- Mountaineering, exploration, philanthropy
- nationality
- New Zealand
- known_for
- First confirmed ascent of Mount Everest with Tenzing Norgay
Verified Timeline
Lore & Background
Hillary became interested in mountaineering while in secondary school. He made his first major climb in 1939, reaching the summit of Mount Ollivier. He served in the Royal New Zealand Air Force as a navigator during World War II and was wounded in an accident. Prior to the Everest expedition, Hillary had been part of the British reconnaissance expedition to the mountain in 1951 as well as an unsuccessful attempt to climb Cho Oyu in 1952. In 1953, he and Tenzing Norgay reached the summit of Everest on 29 May. As part of the Commonwealth Trans-Antarctic Expedition, Hillary reached the South Pole overland in 1958. He subsequently reached the North Pole, making him the first person to reach both poles and summit Everest.
Reader's Guide
Edmund Hillary's significance extends beyond his historic Everest ascent. Beginning in 1960, Hillary devoted himself to assisting the Sherpa people of Nepal through the Himalayan Trust, which he established. His efforts are credited with the construction of many schools and hospitals in Nepal. He also served as New Zealand's High Commissioner to India and Bangladesh and concurrently as Ambassador to Nepal from 1985 to 1988. Time named him one of the 100 most influential people of the 20th century. His honours included the Order of the Garter in 1995, and upon his death in 2008 he was given a state funeral in New Zealand.
Did You Know?
- Hillary was wounded in an accident while serving as a navigator in the Royal New Zealand Air Force during World War II.
- He made his first major climb in 1939, reaching the summit of Mount Ollivier.
- Hillary reached the South Pole overland in 1958 as part of the Commonwealth Trans-Antarctic Expedition.
- He was the first person to reach both the North and South Poles and summit Everest.
- Time named him one of the 100 most influential people of the 20th century.
Common Misconceptions (Editorial)
Some people believe that Edmund Hillary was a professional mountaineer or guide by trade, but the facts show he also served as a New Zealand High Commissioner and Ambassador later in life. Another common misconception is that he was solely responsible for the first Everest ascent, when in fact he and Tenzing Norgay reached the summit together as a team. Additionally, some might think his mountaineering achievements ended with Everest, but he later became the first person to reach both the North and South Poles and summit Everest.
Why It Matters (Editorial)
Edmund Hillary’s legacy endures not just because he stood atop the world’s highest peak, but because he used that fame to serve others—as a diplomat and philanthropist, he helped build schools and hospitals in Nepal. His life reminds us that great achievement can be paired with humility and a commitment to giving back, making him a role model long after his historic climb.
Notable Quotes (Wikiquote)
"My solar plexus was tight with fear as I ploughed on. Halfway up I stopped, exhausted. I could look down 10,000 feet between my legs, and I have never felt more insecure. Anxiously I waved Tenzing up to me." — Edmund Hillary "I am hell-bent for the South Pole — God willing and crevasses permitting." — Edmund Hillary "Better if he had said something natural like, "Jesus, here we are." — Edmund Hillary "Reaching the summit of a mountain gives great satisfaction, but nothing for me has been more rewarding in life than the result of our climb on Everest, when we have devoted ourselves to the welfare of our Sherpa friends." — Edmund Hillary
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is Edmund Hillary?
Edmund Hillary was a New Zealand mountaineer, explorer, and philanthropist born in Auckland in 1919. He is best remembered for his role in the first confirmed ascent of Mount Everest in 1953.
What is Edmund Hillary most famous for?
He is celebrated as one of the first climbers confirmed to stand atop Mount Everest, achieving the feat on 29 May 1953 alongside Sherpa climber Tenzing Norgay. The climb was part of the ninth British expedition led by John Hunt.
Who was Edmund Hillary's climbing partner on Everest?
Tenzing Norgay, a renowned Nepali Sherpa mountaineer, was Hillary's fellow summiter on that historic 1953 climb.
What did Edmund Hillary do after his mountaineering career?
Beyond the mountains he devoted himself to philanthropy and diplomacy, ultimately serving as New Zealand's High Commissioner to India and Bangladesh while concurrently holding the ambassadorship to Nepal from 1985 to 1988.
When and where did Edmund Hillary die?
He passed away on 11 January 2008 in New Zealand, at the age of 88.
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