Early Life
Sir Edmund Percival Hillary was born to Gertrude and Percival Hillary on July 20,1919 in Auckland, New Zealand. As a child, Hillary was know as being “rather small and lonely”. Growing up, Edmund attended an elementary school in a small village called Tuaku. He then transferred to Auckland Grammar school for his secondary education. At 16 years old, Sir Edmund Hillary went on a ski trip to Mount Ruapehu in New Zealand. The trip made him realize how much interest he had in snow and climbing.
Climbing Achievements
At the age of 20, Edmund conquered his first major climb up Mount Ollivier in the Southern Alps. He attended the University of Auckland where he studied math and science. Hillary also joined outdoor clubs which grew his interest in climbing. He then joined the Royal New Zealand Air Force during World War ll. During the war,he got in a boat accident and suffered a serious burn.…show more content… He was driven to climb Mount Everest so he started focusing on climbing after the war. Hillary reached New Zealand's highest peak in January 1948.
Sir Edmund Hillary was asked to join a British expedition to Mount Everest in 1951. The expedition was unsuccessful but he later went on the ninth British expedition up to the world’s highest peak. The successful journey was led by John Hunt. The path they took was through the Khumbu icefall and the South Col. One pair of climbers was sent back down the mountain because of exhaustion. Sir Edmund Hillary and Tenzing Norgay, his Sherpa guide were the first to reach the summit on May 29,1953, at 11:30 am. They spent 15 minutes at the highest point in the world taking pictures and taking in the beauty.
Their achievement was announced the night before Elizabeth ll’s coronation. She then congratulated him when he returned to
