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The Conquest of Everest: Original Photographs from the Legendary First Ascent
Celebrating the first ascent of Mount Everest in May 1953 with exclusive access to the remarkable imagery and private archives of legendary climber and photographer George Lowe, who accompanied Hillary and Norgay on that first triumphant expedition
Published to mark the sixtieth anniversary of the conquest of Mount Everest, this visually spectacular book features a trove of original photographs and other rare materials from the George Lowe collection, many unpublished, complemented by classic images from the final ascent. Stunning landscapes, candid portraits, and action shots describe the day-by-day moments of the historic expedition as never before.
The extraordinary journey is retold from Lowe’s point of view, capturing the drama of the expedition and the personal stories of those involved. In addition, earlier attempts at climbing the world’s highest mountain and key later ascents are described. The book also includes contributions from an impressive team of mountaineers and explorers, including Reinhold Messner, Sir Chris Bonington, the late Sir Edmund Hillary, Peter Hillary, Doug Scott, Stephen Venables, Norbu Tenzing Norgay, Tom Hornbein, Kenton Cool, and Jan Morris.
Not only the anniversary of the first successful ascent, 2013 also marks fifty years since the first American ascent and the epic first ascent of the West Ridge.
167 illustrations in color and black and white
Published to mark the sixtieth anniversary of the conquest of Mount Everest, this visually spectacular book features a trove of original photographs and other rare materials from the George Lowe collection, many unpublished, complemented by classic images from the final ascent. Stunning landscapes, candid portraits, and action shots describe the day-by-day moments of the historic expedition as never before.
The extraordinary journey is retold from Lowe’s point of view, capturing the drama of the expedition and the personal stories of those involved. In addition, earlier attempts at climbing the world’s highest mountain and key later ascents are described. The book also includes contributions from an impressive team of mountaineers and explorers, including Reinhold Messner, Sir Chris Bonington, the late Sir Edmund Hillary, Peter Hillary, Doug Scott, Stephen Venables, Norbu Tenzing Norgay, Tom Hornbein, Kenton Cool, and Jan Morris.
Not only the anniversary of the first successful ascent, 2013 also marks fifty years since the first American ascent and the epic first ascent of the West Ridge.
167 illustrations in color and black and white
240 pages, Hardcover
First published May 15, 2013
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Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews
April 28, 2013
As a new Zealander of a certain age, Edmund Hilary was my hero when growing up, and my fascination with Mount Everest hasn't wilted over the years. The Conquest of Everest to me then, is a revelation. Everest was named in 1865, and has captured the imagination of adventurers and mountaineers to this day. Nearly 200 climbers have perished attempting to summit the mountain, among them Mallory and Irving in 1924. They were last seen just 200 or so metres from the top and never seen again, with Mallory's body recovered in 1999, but not supplying any answers to the mystery of whether they'd managed to attain their goal.
The most remarkable aspect of this new book, published last year, to recognise the 60th anniversary of Hilary and Tenzing's successful ascent, is the photography. Its almost like climbing alongside the expedition as they together worked towards a push for the top of the world's highest mountain. George Lowe is the mastermind, working with editor Huw lewis Jones to deliver a photographic record of the 1953 expedition of which he was a prominent climber. The images are stunning, and the excitement is heightened by the stories George also tells. Like keeping his Retina 2 camera in his sleeping bag to keep it warm.
If you have any interest in Everest or adventure you will enjoy this book, and recognise the huge difference in technology that has developed in the 60 years since Hilary and Tenzing stood atop the highest point of our planet back in 1953.
The most remarkable aspect of this new book, published last year, to recognise the 60th anniversary of Hilary and Tenzing's successful ascent, is the photography. Its almost like climbing alongside the expedition as they together worked towards a push for the top of the world's highest mountain. George Lowe is the mastermind, working with editor Huw lewis Jones to deliver a photographic record of the 1953 expedition of which he was a prominent climber. The images are stunning, and the excitement is heightened by the stories George also tells. Like keeping his Retina 2 camera in his sleeping bag to keep it warm.
If you have any interest in Everest or adventure you will enjoy this book, and recognise the huge difference in technology that has developed in the 60 years since Hilary and Tenzing stood atop the highest point of our planet back in 1953.
February 4, 2018
I am fascinated by Mount Everest and love everything related to it, so it's not really a surprise that I thought this book was amazing. There are so many stunning pictures from the 1953 expedition as well as stories and interesting information.
April 7, 2020
With the death of George Lowe earlier this year (2013), the last of the 1953 Everest mountaineers has gone. Lowe, one of two New Zealanders on the expedition, played a crucial role as camerman, photographer, route forger and support team for Hillary and Tenzing’s final summit push. And it was also Lowe who revealed Hillary’s infamous “We knocked the bastard off’ quote. Hillary could not know that these words would echo around the world, and later rued them, and it says something for Lowe’s impish sense of humour that this quip between mates leaked out.
In the foreword to this book, Hillary wrote of Lowe ‘most of all I enjoyed his sense of humour – I don’t think I have ever laughed harder or louder than when I was with George in a mountain hut.’ There’s a great picture of Lowe and Hillary outside Malte Brun Hut, and another of them sharing a joke on the Everest expedition.
Despite his prominent role in the successful ascent, for which he was called ‘the hero of the Lhotse Face’, Lowe remained very much in the shadow of Hillary, and seemed to appreciate the shade. Finally, we have two books from Lowe to shine more light onto the man’s achievements. In Letters from Everest (see next review) we have Lowe’s words, fresh from the field. And in The Conquest of Everest we have his photographs. Lowe called himself a ‘good amatuer’ photographer but the quality of his work exceeds that modest statement, and soon got recogntion. Lowe: ‘It was our successful 1953 Everest Expedition that created a minor myth about my prowess, and within a couple of years I was assigned as official photographer to the grand Commonwealth Antarctic Expedition led by Vivian Fuchs.’
On Everest, Lowe used a Kodak Retina II camera, and kept it warm at night in his sleeping bag. Recording the ascent played an important role in the success, and leader John Hunt took no chances. Lowe’s work complemented that of official expedition photographer Alf Gregory, with Tom Stobart in charge of movie footage. However, when Stobart could not go high on the mountain, Lowe took over and did a commendable job.
Happily, this volume contains finely reproduced images not just from Everest in 1953, but from New Zealand, the Indian Garwhal expedition of 1951, and the Everest reconnaissance that followed it, as well as the 1952 Cho Oyo Expedition. Many, like those showing Earle Riddiford, Ed Hillary and Guy Cotter climbing the Maximilan Ridge of Elie de Beaumont, I’ve never seen published before.
Lowe used black and white film plus colour Kodachrome, and had a great eye for recording not just the big, dramatic moments, but the little ones too. There’s humour in one showing Eric Shipton and two others neck-deep in a river, with umbrellas over their heads in an attempt to cool off during a hot approach march. There’s a sherpa balanced precariously on a ladder spanning a gaping crevasse. And a famous one of Hillary and Tenzing high on their push to the final high camp.
Equally revealing are several stories told by Lowe. Harrassed by kea during the Maxamilian Ridge expedition, Hillary made a bow and arrow, much to everyone else’s amusement, but surprised them all by returning 30 minutes later with a skewered bird. Lowe recalls ‘We cooked the poor thing in our pressure cooker and had an inadequate, indigestible mouthful each.’
Lowe is equally candid about the bombshell created by Shipton’s famous cable inviting two of the four New Zealand climbers onto the 1951 Everest recconaissance. Content until then with their success in the Garwhal Himalaya, Cotter, Riddiford Hillary and Lowe were transformed into ‘four tense tigers, caged, self-seeking, eying each other with jealousy.’
Lowe also reveals that Hillary’s famous competitiveness extended to banana eating, and on one march, the gangly mountaineer managed 132 compared to Lowe’s 120.
As well as several autobiographical chapters written by Lowe, there are reflections from a plethora of high-profile mountaineers to mark the 60th anniversary of the expedition. These include Reinhold Messner, Peter Hillary, Doug Scott, Chris Bonington, Colin Monteath, Stephen Venables and Tom Hornbein. All have their own Everest stories to tell, which are interesting and sometimes enlightening, but Lowe’s fine images remain the book’s highlight.
In the foreword to this book, Hillary wrote of Lowe ‘most of all I enjoyed his sense of humour – I don’t think I have ever laughed harder or louder than when I was with George in a mountain hut.’ There’s a great picture of Lowe and Hillary outside Malte Brun Hut, and another of them sharing a joke on the Everest expedition.
Despite his prominent role in the successful ascent, for which he was called ‘the hero of the Lhotse Face’, Lowe remained very much in the shadow of Hillary, and seemed to appreciate the shade. Finally, we have two books from Lowe to shine more light onto the man’s achievements. In Letters from Everest (see next review) we have Lowe’s words, fresh from the field. And in The Conquest of Everest we have his photographs. Lowe called himself a ‘good amatuer’ photographer but the quality of his work exceeds that modest statement, and soon got recogntion. Lowe: ‘It was our successful 1953 Everest Expedition that created a minor myth about my prowess, and within a couple of years I was assigned as official photographer to the grand Commonwealth Antarctic Expedition led by Vivian Fuchs.’
On Everest, Lowe used a Kodak Retina II camera, and kept it warm at night in his sleeping bag. Recording the ascent played an important role in the success, and leader John Hunt took no chances. Lowe’s work complemented that of official expedition photographer Alf Gregory, with Tom Stobart in charge of movie footage. However, when Stobart could not go high on the mountain, Lowe took over and did a commendable job.
Happily, this volume contains finely reproduced images not just from Everest in 1953, but from New Zealand, the Indian Garwhal expedition of 1951, and the Everest reconnaissance that followed it, as well as the 1952 Cho Oyo Expedition. Many, like those showing Earle Riddiford, Ed Hillary and Guy Cotter climbing the Maximilan Ridge of Elie de Beaumont, I’ve never seen published before.
Lowe used black and white film plus colour Kodachrome, and had a great eye for recording not just the big, dramatic moments, but the little ones too. There’s humour in one showing Eric Shipton and two others neck-deep in a river, with umbrellas over their heads in an attempt to cool off during a hot approach march. There’s a sherpa balanced precariously on a ladder spanning a gaping crevasse. And a famous one of Hillary and Tenzing high on their push to the final high camp.
Equally revealing are several stories told by Lowe. Harrassed by kea during the Maxamilian Ridge expedition, Hillary made a bow and arrow, much to everyone else’s amusement, but surprised them all by returning 30 minutes later with a skewered bird. Lowe recalls ‘We cooked the poor thing in our pressure cooker and had an inadequate, indigestible mouthful each.’
Lowe is equally candid about the bombshell created by Shipton’s famous cable inviting two of the four New Zealand climbers onto the 1951 Everest recconaissance. Content until then with their success in the Garwhal Himalaya, Cotter, Riddiford Hillary and Lowe were transformed into ‘four tense tigers, caged, self-seeking, eying each other with jealousy.’
Lowe also reveals that Hillary’s famous competitiveness extended to banana eating, and on one march, the gangly mountaineer managed 132 compared to Lowe’s 120.
As well as several autobiographical chapters written by Lowe, there are reflections from a plethora of high-profile mountaineers to mark the 60th anniversary of the expedition. These include Reinhold Messner, Peter Hillary, Doug Scott, Chris Bonington, Colin Monteath, Stephen Venables and Tom Hornbein. All have their own Everest stories to tell, which are interesting and sometimes enlightening, but Lowe’s fine images remain the book’s highlight.
January 3, 2025
A personal account of the first recorded summit of Everest. The writing is engaging and reflects the humble attitude of the team assembled by John Hunt, aiming to be the first to peak the highest mountain but the drive really being the passion for climbing. The main attractions of this account are the stunning photographs. George Lowe regarded himself as an amateur photographer but he had climbing experience from treks with Ed Hillary in New Zealand. He was a critical part of the 1953 team to summit Everest, making a pathway to camp VII up the Lhotse face and providing support at the final camp IX. His photos and a few from others show the dramatic scenery, the gear, the people, the hardship, the camaraderie, the joy.
August 18, 2026
An absolutely fascinating, breathtaking book documenting the legendary first ascent on Mount Everest with original photographs and storytelling from those who were there. Full disclosure: I didn't read the whole book, but I read portions and got lost in the phenomenal photography.
June 18, 2013
Well, of course I loved this! It's partly about the original climb 60 years ago, when Edmund Hillary and Tenzing Norgay reached the summit of Everest for the first time, as told by team member and Hillary's best friend, George Lowe, and it's also partly about George Lowe himself, as told by numerous other climbers, such as Reinhold Messner, and the sons of Hillary and Norgay. And, of course, it's about the mountain and about climbing in general as well. Lowe's photographs are fantastic, and I loved the story he tells here of friendship and a love of the mountains. Beautifully done indeed!
January 5, 2014
An awesome and beautiful book with most of the text by George Lowe, a NZer on the 1953 successful campaign to climb Everest. Lowe is clearly well-liked and a good friend of Edmund Hillary. Lowe was a photographer and the photos in this book are just beautiful.
July 25, 2016
Great compilation of George Lowe's account (the hero of Everest), his stunning photographs, as well as the perspectives of everyone from Sir Edmund Hillary, Reinhold Messner, Tenzing Norgay's son Norbay, and other mountaineering notables.
March 18, 2014
Beautiful photography from the first summit of Everest. The different perspectives that are explained in the various chapters of the book also help portray all these men went through.
June 19, 2014
Lots of amazing photographs and stories, but a little thick (couldn't finish before it was due back).
September 17, 2014
Excellent book, with lots of photos from the original 1953 climb.
December 20, 2014
Stunning photos by George Lowe and of course Hillary a NZ hero.
December 17, 2018
Didn't read all of the text, got this to see the photos. Good thorough firsthand account.
Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews