--- title: Mount Everest: Photos of Edmund Hillary and Tenzig Norgay, May 1953 description: LIFE pays tribute to Edmund Hillary and Tenzing Norgay, and recalls the controversy around their May 29, 1953, first ascent of Everest. canonical: https://time.com/3879614/mount-everest-photos-of-edmund-hillary-and-tenzing-norgay-1953/ author: Ben Cosgrove article:opinion: false article:content_tier: free article:published_time: 2014-04-18T19:27:16.000Z article:modified_time: 2026-05-11T05:03:44.091Z og:title: Mount Everest: Photos of Edmund Hillary and Tenzig Norgay, May 1953 og:description: LIFE pays tribute to Edmund Hillary and Tenzing Norgay, and recalls the controversy around their May 29, 1953, first ascent of Everest. og:url: https://time.com/3879614/mount-everest-photos-of-edmund-hillary-and-tenzing-norgay-1953/ og:site_name: TIME og:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt740a5d0db6dc7fe6/698847258e0601199845f848/01_01020823.jpg?branch=production&width=664&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 og:image:width: 664 og:image:height: 374 og:image:alt: Edmund Hillary and Tenzing Norgay 1953 og:type: article twitter:card: summary_large_image twitter:title: Mount Everest: Photos of Edmund Hillary and Tenzig Norgay, May 1953 twitter:description: LIFE pays tribute to Edmund Hillary and Tenzing Norgay, and recalls the controversy around their May 29, 1953, first ascent of Everest. twitter:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt740a5d0db6dc7fe6/698847258e0601199845f848/01_01020823.jpg?branch=production&width=664&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 ---  # High Society: LIFE With Hillary and Tenzing After the First Ascent of Everest > Sponsored content. 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They are at time.com/newsletters and are separate from a paid subscription. by [Ben Cosgrove](https://time.com/author/ben-cosgrove/) ## Ben Cosgrove Apr 18, 2014 7:27 PM UTC  Caption from LIFE. "Moving down after triumph, Hillary and Tenzing are still united and delighted." Caption from LIFE. "Moving down after triumph, Hillary and Tenzing are still united and delighted."James Burke—Time & Life Pictures/Getty Images by [Ben Cosgrove](https://time.com/author/ben-cosgrove/) ## Ben Cosgrove Apr 18, 2014 7:27 PM UTC It’s been more than 60 years since Edmund Hillary (later Sir Edmund, of course) and Tenzing Norgay became the first climbers to summit [Mount Everest](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mount%5FEverest), and all these decades later their feat still resonates as one of the 20th century’s signature moments. Here, LIFE.com looks back at that remarkable time with some rare photos from the celebrations after the climb, as well as page spreads from the cover story that ran in LIFE a few months later chronicling the accomplishment — and the bitter controversy that swirled around the entire event. As LIFE noted in its July 13, 1953, issue, the historic ascent was hardly greeted with unalloyed goodwill and enthusiasm from all corners of the globe. In fact, international politics and racial pride were quickly thrust into the conversation about Hillary’s and Tenzing’s astonishing feat. “Everest’s Conqueror’s Come Back,” LIFE roared in one headline in that special issue, then immediately blunted the celebratory tone with a caveat: “They bring thrilling stories of a great deed, but little men besmirch their riotous welcome.” Thus — in a sad foreshadowing of the often contentious debate that had dogged so many attempts on Everest throughout the years (Is it worth [the risk of life and limb](http://www.nytimes.com/2014/04/19/world/asia/fatal-avalanche-on-mount-everest.html)? What does the local community get out of it?) — the very first successful climb to the top of the world’s highest peak sparked some often quite ugly jockeying for credit and supremacy. Jockeying, it should be noted, that both Hillary and Tenzing, who were fast friends, readily denounced. (Also, while LIFE makes more than one mention of “British climbers” in its reporting, Edmund Hillary was in fact a proud, born-and-raised New Zealander. He died in 2008, at the age of 88, in Auckland. Tenzing died two years before Hillary, at age 71, in India.) [\[MORE: See the TIME article, “60 Years After Man First Climbed Everest, the Mountain Is a Mess.”\]](http://science.time.com/2013/05/29/60-years-after-man-first-climbed-everest-the-mountain-is-a-mess/) “The climbers who conquered Everest,” LIFE wrote, “came down to a world eager to see them, honor them and hear their full story. . . . They came down to such a welcome — such surging excitement and hero worship — as had never before stirred the steamy lowlands of Nepal.” --- > “” --- --- > “” --- --- > “” --- Today, as men and women continue to test their own mettle on the peaks of the Himalayas and on the heights of other, equally lethal mountain ranges around the globe — occasionally losing toes, noses, fingers and even lives in the process — the pictures in this gallery are a reminder that for some people, the risks have always, unquestionably, been worth it. _Liz Ronk, who edited this gallery, is the Photo Editor for LIFE.com. Follow her on Twitter_ [_@lizabethronk_](https://twitter.com/LizabethRonk)_._  Caption from LIFE. "Moving down after triumph, Hillary and Tenzing are still united and delighted." James Burke—Time & Life Pictures/Getty Images  Caption from LIFE. "Street banner, like most in Katmandu, singled out Sherpa Tenzing for honors of Everest." James Burke—Time & Life Pictures/Getty Images  Not published in LIFE. Edmund Hillary (later Sir Edmund Hillary), 1953. James Burke—Time & Life Pictures/Getty Images  Not published in LIFE. Tenzing Norgay (George Medal honoree), 1953. James Burke—Time & Life Pictures/Getty Images  Not published in LIFE. John Hunt (later Sir John Hunt), leader of the successful 1953 Everest expedition. James Burke—Time & Life Pictures/Getty Images  Not published in LIFE. Nepalese greet Edmund Hillary and Tenzing Norgay, 1953. James Burke—Time & Life Pictures/Getty Images  Caption from LIFE. "Heroes ride into welcoming throng in Temple Square of Bhandgaon. Tenzing stands in leading jeep, Hunt and Hillary sit in second." James Burke—Time & Life Pictures/Getty Images  Not published in LIFE. Celebrating Edmund Hillary and Tenzing Norgay, Nepal, 1953. James Burke—Time & Life Pictures/Getty Images  Caption from LIFE. "Getting ready for heroes, devil dancers prance in Temple Square." James Burke—Time & Life Pictures/Getty Images  Not published in LIFE. Tenzing Norgay arrives in India after first ascent of Mt. Everest, 1953. James Burke—Time & Life Pictures/Getty Images  Not published in LIFE. From left: John Hunt, Edmund Hillary, Tenzing Norgay in India, after the first ascent of Mt. Everest, 1953. James Burke—Time & Life Pictures/Getty Images  Not published in LIFE. Reception for the 1953 Everest expedition, India. James Burke—Time & Life Pictures/Getty Images  Not published in LIFE. Edmund Hillary at a reception for the 1953 Everest expedition, India. James Burke—Time & Life Pictures/Getty Images  Not published in LIFE. John Hunt, Edmund Hillary, Tenzing Norgay at a reception for the 1953 Everest expedition, India. James Burke—Time & Life Pictures/Getty Images   LIFE magazine, July 13, 1953. LIFE Magazine  LIFE magazine, July 13, 1953\. NOTE: Best viewed in "Full Screen" mode; see button at right. Life Magazine  LIFE magazine, July 13, 1953\. NOTE: Best viewed in "Full Screen" mode; see button at right. Life Magazine  LIFE magazine, July 13, 1953\. NOTE: Best viewed in "Full Screen" mode; see button at right. Life Magazine  LIFE magazine, July 13, 1953\. NOTE: Best viewed in "Full Screen" mode; see button at right. Life Magazine  LIFE magazine, July 13, 1953\. NOTE: Best viewed in "Full Screen" mode; see button at right. Life Magazine  LIFE magazine, July 13, 1953\. NOTE: Best viewed in "Full Screen" mode; see button at right. Life Magazine  LIFE magazine, July 13, 1953\. NOTE: Best viewed in "Full Screen" mode; see button at right. Life Magazine  LIFE magazine, July 13, 1953\. NOTE: Best viewed in "Full Screen" mode; see button at right. Life Magazine  LIFE magazine, July 13, 1953\. NOTE: Best viewed in "Full Screen" mode; see button at right. Life Magazine  LIFE magazine, July 13, 1953\. NOTE: Best viewed in "Full Screen" mode; see button at right. 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