Last Survivor of First Everest Expedition Team Passes Away at 92

Kanchha Sherpa, the last surviving member of the team that first conquered Mount Everest in 1953, has died at the age of 92. Born in 1933 in Namche Bazar, he began his mountaineering career at 19 and remained active in the expedition sector until 50. Sherpa's concerns about overcrowding and filth at the world's highest peak were voiced in an interview with The Associated Press in March 2024, where he urged respect for the mountain as a goddess.

Key Takeaways:

• Kanchha Sherpa, the last surviving member of the team that first conquered Mount Everest, died at the age of 92.
• Sherpa was born in 1933 in Namche Bazar and began his mountaineering career at 19, remaining active in the expedition sector until 50.
• In an interview with The Associated Press in March 2024, Sherpa expressed concerns about overcrowding and filth at the world's highest peak, advocating for respect for the mountain as a goddess.
• Sherpa was part of the team that took New Zealander Edmund Hillary and his Sherpa guide Tenzing Norgay atop the 8,849-meter (29,032-foot) peak on May 29, 1953.
• He was one of three Sherpas to reach the final camp before the summit with Hillary and Tenzing.
• Sherpa is survived by his wife, four sons, two daughters, and grandchildren.

Statistics:

• Age of Kanchha Sherpa at the time of death: 92 years
• Height of Mount Everest: 8,849 meters (29,032 feet)
• Date of first Everest expedition: May 29, 1953
• Age of Kanchha Sherpa at the start of his mountaineering career: 19 years
• Age of Kanchha Sherpa at the end of his mountaineering career: 50 years
• Number of team members: 35

Sources:

• The Associated Press
• The Nepal Mountaineering Association