Archive for January 17, 2008

Sir Edmund Hillary

January 17, 2008 @ 9:49 pm · Filed under Adventure, Mountaineering

Sir Edmund Hillary
Sir Edmund Hillary
July 20, 1919 – January 11, 2008

Last week, one of the greatest explorers and adventurers of our time, Sir Edmund Hillary passed away.

In an age without goretex and spring-loaded cams, he and Tenzing Norgay managed to climb Everest against all odds.

As a mountaineer, I am still in awe of the climbs that they accomplished during a time when things must have seen a lot harder, and Everest a lot taller than it is today. In fact, for the longest time, I had a poster of the Hillary Step in my room that reminded me every day of perseverance and the motto “Carpe Diem” — seize the day, while you still can.

More importantly, Sir Hillary embodied a sheer force of will, respect for the outdoors and for other climbers — something that is sorely missing in a lot of today’s adventurers.

So here’s to Sir Edmund Hillary. Way to climb, just for the hell of it.

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