Digitalized letters from Mount Everest climber George Mallory reveal challenges faced during first ascent in 1924
Digitalized letters from George Mallory, an English mountaineer attempting to become the first to climb Mount Everest in 1924, have recently been archived online. Mallory’s handwritten letters provide a captivating account of his journey on the world’s tallest mountain, documenting the obstacles and hardships he faced during the ascent.
In a final letter to his wife Ruth, dated May 27, 1924, Mallory candidly expressed the difficulties he encountered on Mount Everest. He wrote, “Dear girl, this has been a bad time altogether. I look back at the tremendous effort and exhaustion, the door to a world of snow and vanishing hopes, and get, and get, and get. There have been a good many things to set on the other side.”
Mallory’s Everest attempts began in 1921
Mallory’s first attempt to climb Mount Everest took place in September 1921, accompanied by his school friend Guy Bullock. Unfortunately, their journey was hindered by high winds, forcing them to halt their ascent at a valley known as North Col. Nevertheless, Mallory’s excitement persisted in his 1924 letter, expressing triumph after conquering the same troublesome area.
Mallory’s determination to scale Everest is evident as he remarked, “The first visit to the North Col was a triumph for the old gang. I enjoyed the conquest of the ice wall and cracking the crux of the route, and making the steps too in the steep final 200 ft. Odell did very useful work leading the way from the camp to the Col.”
After conveying the challenges he faced in great detail, Mallory abruptly ceased his letter, stating, “The candle is burning out and I must stop.”
However, he concluded by trying to ease his wife’s concerns and instilling hope of a successful summit attempt. Mallory’s final words in the letter emphasized the struggle they faced, stating, “Darling, I wish you the best I can. That your anxiety will be at an end before you get this, with the best news which will also be the quickest. It is 50 to 1 against us.”
Who is George Mallory?
George Mallory, born on June 18, 1886, exhibited a passion for mountain climbing from a young age. While studying at Winchester College, Mallory was recruited by a teacher to venture into the expansive and towering Alps mountain range in Europe. His climbing ability and graceful technique made him unrivaled according to fellow climbers.
Mallory briefly put his mountaineering endeavors on hold to serve in World War I, stationed in France. After the war, his desire to climb never diminished. Mallory joined the Alpine Club, becoming a leading climber as the group prepared for their inaugural expedition to Mount Everest in 1921.
The precise date of Mallory’s third and final attempt to scale Everest remains uncertain, but records indicate that he signed the “Mount Everest Expedition Agreement” on February 13, 1924. His final letter to his wife, which was penned a little over three months later on May 27, 1924, reveals the hardships and uncertain fate that awaited him.
It was not until May 4, 1999, a staggering 75 years later, that Mallory’s remains were discovered on Mount Everest. His body was identified by the name tag still intact. Unfortunately, his climbing partner and friend, Andrew Irvine, has never been found.
Magdalene College shares Mallory’s letters in public archive
The letters, archived by Madgeline College, provide a remarkable insight into Mallory’s monumental journey on Mount Everest. Katy Green, the college’s archivist, expressed her pleasure in working with these letters and how they shed light on Mallory’s life as a renowned alumnus of Magdalene College.
According to Green, “Whether it’s George’s wife Ruth writing about her attempts to send him plum cakes and a grapefruit to the trenches, or Mallory’s poignant final letter where he indicates the odds of scaling Everest as ’50 to 1 against us,’ these letters offer a fascinating glimpse into his life.”
