1963 American Everest Expedition: The West Ridge

Everest’s West Ridge has long represented a foreboding challenge and a dangerous route to the summit. On the 1963 AMEE expedition, climbers Tom Hornbein and Willi Unsoeld completed the first successful ascent of the West Ridge route. Climbing in alpine style they traversed past the point of no return above the Hornbein Couloir and linked up on their descent with Lute Jerstad and Barry Bishop who summited via the South Col route just hours before. The climb was historic, but the descent was legendary. All four were forced into a desperate bivy at 28,000 feet with no tents and no bottled oxygen. The foursome survived due to good weather, good fortune and the warmth of their minus-85-degree Eddie Bauer Mount Everest Parkas. The first ascent of the West Ridge is still universally respected as one of the greatest achievements in the history of mountaineering. The route is a dangerous one that has presented an equal chance of death or success during the past 50 years. Including the West Ridge direct