Everest 2005: Mallory and Irvine The Final Chapter: Q&A Autumn 2005 Part 1

Q&A Autumn 2005 Part 1

©EverestNews.com

Hello from Canada and keep up the great work in unraveling the M&I mystery. I look forward to your updates every day and have the following four questions for you:

Q1: How many locations are there between the 2nd step and the summit that would allow descent into the couloir?

A. EverestNews.com: It depends on how you count "locations". This is not like a route, path, in a park. There are logical places where you would descend, but it is a large area. He could of went this way or that way to get to the couloir, so we guess the answer is many. You might want to look at the various pictures we have posted over the years above the Third Step to get a better understanding. The above picture might help some.

Q. Continued: That is, how many places would offer Mallory a return via the couloir if he would decide the summit was out of reach once he climbed the 2nd step?

A. EverestNews.com: We do not believe it is at all logical that George with the summit clearly in sight, would turn and descend the couloir without touching the top. The naysayers will surely use this argument forever, but you can always find those kind of people in life. It is not in any way logical, that any man or woman would turn around at that point.

Q. Is the location where Mallory’s body was found on a likely route back to their tent/camp?

A. EverestNews.com: Only if one is descending the Couloir, in our opinion.

Q. If so, how likely is it (given the location of where the body was found), that Mallory was on his way back to tent/camp (i.e. as opposed to heading elsewhere or happening upon that place by mistake)?

A. EverestNews.com: That is our theory, that he was headed back from the Couloir, and others feel the same way.

Q. You have suggested that Irvine’s body is no longer located at/near the location of the sightings. In your opinion, is this the result of human intervention, or Mother Nature?

A. EverestNews.com: Mother Nature, we hope.

Q: You have made mention of Mallory’s ice axe being found. Can you please clarify for me if this is referring to the same axe found in 1933 and believed to belong to Irvine, or are you referring to a different axe at a different location altogether?

A. EverestNews.com: Xu Jing stated, they found a body and the ice axe next to the body of Mallory in 1975. We had 3 different translators check the tape, that all agreed that is what Xu Jing said. Therefore, this is clearly a different ice axe than that found in 1933.

Q. What is the probability that Sandy will be found?

A. EverestNews.com: The Chinese claim his body has already been found. They also claim to have found George. We believe them. Our question is: Did George summit? We have moved on from the location Sandy's death.

Q. What happens if Sandy is found and there is still no camera?

A. EverestNews.com: We are not at all focusing on the camera. As we covered before, there is no proof they even carried one.

Q. What happens if the camera is found, and the developed pictures prove that Sandy and George were, in fact, the first to stand on the Roof of the World?

A. EverestNews.com: Well time will tell... But Sir Edmund Hillary and Tenzing Norgay Sherpa were still first in many ways and both carried the titles very well.

Q. Or, if it proves that they never reached the summit?

A. EverestNews.com: If Sandy did not summit, and Sandy had a camera, which no one knows if he did, then it would not have a summit photo in it. Therefore, if our theory is correct, any camera that Sandy carried, if existing, would prove nothing concerning if they summited because it would not have a summit photo.

Q. If Sandy is found, will there be pictures taken of his body?

A. EverestNews.com: That is up to the climbers. For example, this year we understand only one picture was taken of the torso. If most cases last year, only 1 or 2 pictures were taken of the various bodies found. However, some were "filmed".

Q. How long do you think it will take to study the film from 2005?

A. EverestNews.com: It is coming long. We expect it will be completed in 4-6 months. The film is again revealing objects that it would be nice to study. Trash or treasure? As one of our friends said, you need to touch it to tell.

Q. Hello from Germany! I like to get your opinion about the following two points: 1) Do the observation from Odell correspond to the climb of the real second step; following the ridge? 2) From the position of the bodys of Mallory and Irvine it seems unlikely that Irvine have climbed the second step. When Odell saw two points climbing a prominent rock step do you think it is possible that the second point wasn't Irvine but Mallory's oxygen rack which he pulled up after he has climbed that step? Please go on with your reports at everestnews.com. I look for news there nearly every day! You make a great job!

A. EverestNews.com: Our opinion on Odell is: we don't know what he saw or where he saw it.

Q. With all the hype on unclimbed routes up and down Everest, why has the north ridge route up the true 2nd step never been attempted?

A. EverestNews.com: It appears 99% of the climbers prefer the normal route based on their actions. One does wonder, after the fact that we now have over 2500 summits of Everest, if the demand to Summit the Normal route will continue.

Q. Hi from jolly old England, Just to say well done for all the effort everyone has made to solve this intriguing mystery.  Was any (however vague the evidence) thing found to suggest M & I got above the second step? this year. Do you think that the body or parts could have been Irvine? Many regards

A. EverestNews.com: Much too early to know. However, objects in the film are showing up that might be just trash or clues. Impossible to judge without picking them up.

"Picking them up" in these location above the Third Step will take climbers willing to take the risk of unhooking from the ropes and taking risks beyond the normal.

We are currently taking the position of not trying to identifying body parts.

Part 2 soon..

We returned to Mount Everest in search of an answer.

Dispatches

  Altitude pre-
   acclimatization

   Ascenders

   Atlas snowshoes

   Black Diamond

   Botas

   Brunton

   Carabiners

   CaVa Climbing Shoes
   Clearance

   Clif Bar

   Cloudveil

   CMI

   Crampons

   Edelweiss ropes
   Eureka Tents

   Featured

   FoxRiver

   Garmin

   Granite Gear

   Harnesses
   Headlamps
   Helmets

   HighGear
   Ice Axes

   Kavu Eyewear

   Katadyn

   Kelty

   Kong

   Lekisport

   Lowepro

   Motorola

   Mountain Hardwear

   Mountainsmith

   MSR

   Nalgene

   New England Ropes

   Nikwax

   Omega

   Patagonia

   Pelican

   Petzl

   PowerBar

   Princeton Tec

   Prescription Glacier

   Glasses

   Primus

   Rope Bags

   Seattle Sports

   Serius
   Sleeping Bags

   Stubai

   Suunto

   Tents

   Thermarest

   Trango

   Tool Logic

   Trekking Poles
   Yaktrax
   and more here