Exploring the Extremes

The first human to ever reach the South Pole (geographic South pole, that is) was Roald Amundsen in 1911 on December the 14 th. The North Pole was supposed to have been first reached by Robert Peary on April 6, 1909, however this fact is still debated but much proof has been found that supports the claim. The Mt. Everest summit attempt in 1924 was led by the British. The man in charge was Charles G. Bruce. Three attempts were made and the third attempt made by a climber named Irving and fellow climber Mallory. These two men died on the Mountain and there is some disagreement about whether they were the first. The first documented summit was in 1953 by Sir Edmund Hilary and Tenzing Norgay. Why would people do this? the sense of adventure yearns in the soul. People like Sir Edmund are driven to push themselves and to explore the little corners of the world that were untouched by man. Man has a sense to explore the globe and I understand completely how these explorers felt, the urge to leave society and see the world. I love to travel and only wish I could have been born 100 years ago so places like Everest and even Africa were still wild and open for adventurers. A great adventure is worth risking one's life for, without danger it wouldn't be as exciting.