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Watusi
Social climber
Newport, OR
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Jan 11, 2008 - 12:10am PT
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I am greatly saddened to hear about this...
It was photos such as these that inspired me as a lad...God's speed Sir Edmund.
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Ed Hartouni
Trad climber
Livermore, CA
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Jan 11, 2008 - 12:14am PT
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I will never forget...
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Jerry Dodrill
climber
Bodega, CA
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Jan 11, 2008 - 12:15am PT
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Feature on the BBC right now.
Sad news.
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Fletcher
Trad climber
Varied locales along the time and space continuum
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Jan 11, 2008 - 12:35am PT
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What a life... he aimed big, inspired countless others, was humble and without overweening ego, gave back (a lot!) and looks like he had a hell of a lot of fun along the way. What more could one ask?
Namaste Sir Edmund.
Fletch
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bhilden
Trad climber
Mountain View, CA
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Jan 11, 2008 - 12:38am PT
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What made Hillary and Tenzing's success so important to the British people was that in the 1920's, 1930's and early 1950's they had launched no less than six unsuccessful attempts on Everest and had lost countless lives including Mallory and Irvine in the process.
In the early 1900's the Brits had set their sights on conquering the South Pole and had lost Scott and his party and almost Shackleton and his party in their attempts. They were ultimately beaten by the Norwegians.
After the loss of their South Pole, it was a huge triumph for Britain (well, the British Empire)to succeed on a mountain on which they had paid such a price in trying to climb. Hillary gave them that, but he also went on to show such humbleness and gratitude for what had been bestowed upon him. Men like him don't come around very often. He will be missed.
Bruce
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SteveW
Trad climber
Denver, CO
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Jan 11, 2008 - 10:11am PT
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Not only a great explorer, but a great human being--
he realized the responsibility to help those less fortunate--
how many schools and clinics he helped build in Nepal
to give back to those that had assisted his efforts.
A great man, he will be missed.
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10b4me
climber
1/2way between Yos and Moab
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Jan 11, 2008 - 10:31am PT
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who was the first American to summit Everest??
Jim Whittaker
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captain chaos
climber
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Jan 11, 2008 - 11:12am PT
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Well... a big honorable and respectful goodbye to one of the worlds more celebrated and inspirational climbers, Hillary was as big as Everest itself. I especially respected what he did for Nepal after the fact, which was setting up schools, hospitals, creating national parks, and establishing a program to keep deforestation from continuing, as the people were going crazy and cutting everything in sight without knowledge of the outcome of deforestation. Its always sad to see special people like this go, but he did live a great life and I do not think he wasted a minute of it. I have nothing but greatest respect for the man... my condolences too all family and friends-
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elcap-pics
climber
Crestline CA
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Jan 11, 2008 - 11:19am PT
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When I was a kid of 13, in 1957, and spending a couple of weeks with my grandparents in northern North Carolina, I got bored one day and flipped through National Georgaphic mags for something to do. I came upon the issue with the ascent of Mt. Everest in it. I had never even thought about climbing at all... well, that story fired my imagination and started my long interest in climbing. I read everything I could get my hands on and it was like magic for me... it obviously changed my entire life!
Thank you Ed Hillary for making my life unique and interesting. I will always remember what you did to inspire me and you will be sorely missed my friend. Thanks for being one of my heroes, and for all you did for humanity.
Tom Evans
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grover
Social climber
Akanada
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Jan 11, 2008 - 11:56am PT
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From.... [url]http://www.cbc.ca/world/story/2008/01/10/hillary-obit.html[/url]
"But Everest was just one of Hillary's adventures. He later led the New Zealand group that participated in the British Commonwealth Trans-Antarctic expedition from 1955 to 1958. In 1958, he reached the South Pole by tractor."
Tractor?!?!?!
Whoa!
RIP Sir.
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happiegrrrl
Trad climber
New York, NY
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Jan 11, 2008 - 12:28pm PT
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One of the news reports linked above said he'd had a fall back in April, while on a trip to Nepal, and his health had been failing since then.
So it often is with the aged.
I know that it is always sad when someone dies, but I can't help but feel joy as well. Hillary was 88 years old, a good age. Especially when we think of how many adventurers get cut down while still in the prime of their life. Hillary made it through many adventures and was able to show how the strengths and goodness that come from humility and charity. He led, and I don't use that word lightly, a good life. So many of us have benefited from his lead.
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Ghost
climber
A long way from where I started
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Topic Author's Reply - Jan 11, 2008 - 01:10pm PT
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Tractor?!?!?!
Yeah, tractors. On glaciers with huge crevasses. Really scary sh#t.
He wrote a book about it: "The crossing of Antarctica; the Commonwealth Transantarctic Expedition, 1955-1958" Long out of print, but definitely worth reading if you can find a copy somewhere.
The guy he was with on that expedition had the curious name of Vivian Fuchs. And the even more curious nickname "Bunny" Later became Sir Vivian Fuchs, but how'd you like to go through life being called Bunny Fuchs.
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Mighty Hiker
Social climber
Vancouver, B.C.
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Jan 11, 2008 - 01:59pm PT
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Sir Vivian Fuch's family name was German, and properly pronounced as though spelt with a "k", not and "h". He was involved in Arctic and Antarctic exploration for many years, and the British tabloids liked to have the headline "Polar explorer Fuchs off again" when he set out.
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LB4USC
Trad climber
Long Beach
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Jan 11, 2008 - 02:07pm PT
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"... because you don't know what you've got 'til it's gone." -- Joni Mitchell
God's speed, Ed.
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screelover
Mountain climber
Canuckistan
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Jan 11, 2008 - 03:56pm PT
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A life truly well-lived.
A great gentleman and an inspiration to so many.
God-speed Sir Edmond
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divad
Trad climber
wmass
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Jan 11, 2008 - 06:05pm PT
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"We knocked the bastard off."
Gotta love that quote.
RIP Sir Edmond
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Erik
Ice climber
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Jan 11, 2008 - 06:20pm PT
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"What made Hillary and Tenzing's success so important to the British people was that in the 1920's, 1930's and early 1950's they had launched no less than six unsuccessful attempts on Everest and had lost countless lives including Mallory and Irvine in the process.
In the early 1900's the Brits had set their sights on conquering the South Pole and had lost Scott and his party and almost Shackleton and his party in their attempts. They were ultimately beaten by the Norwegians.
After the loss of their South Pole, it was a huge triumph for Britain (well, the British Empire)to succeed on a mountain on which they had paid such a price in trying to climb."
--Didn't the Brits stack the odds in their favour by limiting the amount of attempts other nationalities made on Everest (which, being in Nepal, was goverend by the British)?
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Jaybro
Social climber
The West
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Jan 11, 2008 - 08:18pm PT
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With the second of those guys going, it's the end of a chapter. Sir Ed's contribution lives on with the schools, etc.
Part of Tenzing's lives on in his Son(Jamling Tenzing Norgay)'s, book, 'Touching my father's soul'. This one, I thought, was the most interesting and moving book of those about that disaster year on Everest (Into thin Air, etc)
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