On May 29, 1953, Edmund Hillary of New Zealand and Tenzing Norgay, a Sherpa of Nepal, become the first explorers to reach the summit of Mount Everest in Asia’s Great Himalayas. News of their achievement broke around the world on June 2, the day of Queen Elizabeth II’s coronation. Since that time, numerous expeditions have made the effort; some have been successful but many have failed. Almost 300 people have died attempting the ascent.
