Last week, climbers and filmmakers working with a National Geographic documentary team made a significant discovery on Mount Everest. They found a boot and partial remains that are believed to belong to Sandy Irvine, a British climber who vanished on the mountain 100 years ago. He disappeared alongside his partner George Mallory. The duo took part in the expedition attempting to be the first to reach the summit of Mount Everest. They spotted the label “AC Irvine” stitched into a sock inside the boot, confirming the identification.
This finding could bring some closure to one of the greatest mysteries in mountaineering history. Similarly, to the discovery of Mallory’s body in 1999. The discovery was led by Jimmy Chin, a National Geographic director, photographer, and experienced climber. Julie Summers, Irvine’s great-niece and biographer, was moved to tears when she heard the news. But everyone is still in search of one very important thing, ‘Irvine’s Kodak Camera.’ What does the camera hold? Let’s dive into the details.
The 1924 Expedition and Irvine’s Disappearance
In 1924, a British expedition set out to summit Mount Everest via the north-east ridge. They aimed to be the first to conquer the world’s highest peak. The team was led by seasoned climber George Mallory. He was joined by Sandy Irvine, a 22-year-old climber with strong skills in photography. Their journey was historic but tragic.
On June 8, 1924, Mallory and Irvine were last seen pushing toward the summit. In 1923 in reply to a reporter’s question as to why he wanted to climb Everest, George Mallory said “Because it’s there!.” The quote to this day is famous around the world. It represents how an existential desire can drive people to take such bold risks and do the unthinkable.
Tragically, they never returned, leaving behind an enduring mystery: Did they manage to reach the top before their deaths? The discovery of Mallory’s body in 1999 provided some clues, including rope marks that suggested a fall. However, the absence of a photograph of Mallory’s wife, which he intended to leave at the summit, raised more questions than answers.
“It’s the first real evidence of where Sandy ended up. A lot of theories have been put out there … When someone disappears and there’s no evidence of what happened to them, it can be really challenging for families. And just having some definitive information of where Sandy might have ended up is certainly [helpful], and also a big clue for the climbing community as to what happened.”
Jimmy Chin
Theories Around Irvine’s Fate
Finding Irvine’s body has always been a key focus for climbers and historians. This is because Irvine was believed to be carrying a Kodak camera that might hold photographic evidence of whether the two climbers reached the summit. Over the years, several theories have emerged about Irvine’s potential whereabouts. Some say that avalanches or glacier shifts may have buried his body.
One controversial theory claimed that Chinese climbers, during their 1975 expedition, found Irvine’s body and took the camera. They took the camera to protect the primacy of their 1960 ascent of Everest’s north side. They allegedly buried the body under rocks afterward. Julie Summers, Irvine’s great-niece, disagreed with this theory. She called it “a desperate attempt to explain why this body could never be found.” Jochen Hemmleb has closely followed the theories about Irvine. He said that while last week’s discovery sheds some light, many questions about Irvine’s fate remain valid.
Implications of the Discovery
The remains found last week included a foot inside a boot with a sock labeled “AC Irvine.” According to Chin, this is the first real evidence of Irvine’s location.
“It’s a big clue for the climbing community as to what happened.”
Chin remarked.
Julie Summers said that Irvine’s story has been part of her life since she was seven. Summers described the discovery as “an extraordinary and poignant moment.” Meanwhile, Professor Joe Smith, director of the Royal Geographical Society, called Irvine “an exceptional figure.”
“I have lived with this story since I was a seven-year-old when my father told us about the mystery of Uncle Sandy on Everest. The story became more real when climbers found the body of George Mallory in 1999, and I wondered if Sandy’s body would be discovered next.
A quarter of a century after that discovery, it seemed extremely unlikely that anything new would be found. When Jimmy told me that he saw the name AC Irvine on the label on the sock inside the boot, I found myself moved to tears. It was and will remain an extraordinary and poignant moment.”
Julie Summers, Irvine’s great-niece and biographer
The New Search for the Camera
The discovery of Irvine’s boot has also opened up a promising new search area on Everest. Chin believes that there is a chance of finding additional remains or artifacts, including the Kodak camera. Irvine’s camera could potentially offer historic photos from 1924.
“I like to think that there’s a possibility that it could be found. But if you see this glacier, I mean, there are moulins and crevasses everywhere, hundreds of feet deep. You just don’t know if the camera or anything else could have melted out 10 years ago and got washed into a massive crevasse. And then it’s going to be gone for another 200 years. But I also like to think that there’s always a possibility that it could be found.”
Chin says of the camera.
Despite the slim odds, Chin still holds onto hope: “There’s always a possibility that it could be found.” Experts like Jamie Owen of the Royal Geographical Society are less optimistic. Owen pointed out that the constant freezing, thawing, and avalanches over the years have likely damaged any film that might have survived.
“I think it remains so incredibly unlikely that the camera would be found in a state that would actually give us any sort of relevant information. I mean, if it’s constantly freezing and unfreezing or being exposed to avalanches and then glacier action, then I think it’s very unlikely that there’s anything meaningful you’re going to get from it.”
Jamie Owen, manager of the photo collection at London’s Royal Geographical Society (RGS)
However, Hemmleb suggested that even if the camera does not yield any photographs, other artifacts like notes, broken ropes, or oxygen equipment could still provide meaningful insight.
“I mean, there could be notes in his pocket, an oxygen rig, some broken rope on the body.”
says Hemmleb
Conclusion
Looking ahead, it is unclear whether another search expedition will be organized in the spring of 2025. Chin hasn’t revealed the exact location of the discovery. He only stated that it was “miles away from where other people were looking.” As for Irvine and Mallory, this recent discovery adds another chapter to their story. The fate of Mallory and Irvine remains one of the most intriguing stories of early Everest exploration. An enduring mystery that may now be a step closer to being solved.
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