Marking the 70th anniversary of the first Everest summit, Jonathan Westaway answers listener questions on the history of expeditions on the mountain

By Dr David Musgrove

Published: Sunday, 28 May 2023 at 12:00 am


When were the first attempts to summit Mount Everest? Did Mallory really say he wanted to climb it just “because it’s there”? How did climbing expeditions spark diplomatic crises in the 20th century – and what was the ‘Affair of the Dancing Lamas’? To mark the 70th anniversary of the first summit of Everest on 29 May 1953, Dr Jonathan Westaway answers listener questions on the history of Everest mountaineering.