Head of the National Geographic Film Crew on Mount Everest
The National Geographic 50th Anniversary Everest Expedition commemorates the first ascent of the world's highest mountain, by Edmund Hillary and Tenzing Norgay in May 1953. It also honors the first Americans to stand on the top of the world, including Barry Bishop, in 1963.
The sons of Everest pioneers Hillary, Norgay, and Bishop—Peter Hillary, Jamling Norgay, and Brent Bishop—are helping make a documentary that will air on the National Geographic Channel in the United States and internationally in 2003.
The National Geographic 50th Anniversary Everest Expedition is made possible in part by the generous support of American International Group, Inc.
This dispatch was sent by Liesl Clark, head of the National Geographic Television & Film unit from the Everest Base Camp at the weekend. It was written on May 4, 2002.
"Like the Buddhist Wheel of Life, my own life had made its great turning. I was back with Everest—with Chomolungma—where I started; with the dreams of a boy who looked up from the herds of yaks. Only now the dream had come true."—Tenzing Norgay Sherpa
None of us thought we would return to Everest so soon. It is a mountain that reduces you to your bare essence, forces you to face yourself, your weaknesses, and yourlongings.
Yet here we all are:
• Peter Hillary, son of Edmund Hillary, whose life has been shaped by the presence of this mountain. Peter's been here six times and has successfully climbed Everest once.
• Jamling Tenzing Norgay, son of Tenzing Norgay Sherpa, who climbed Everest with the IMAX team in 1996. Jamling essentially grew up in the lap of Everest in Darjeeling, India, in the shadow of the mountain and his famous father.
• Pete Athans is our expedition leader. He has climbed Everest more than any other non-Sherpa, a daunting six times, but he's been on Everest's slopes on 16 different expeditions.
• Brent Bishop, son of Barry Bishop, one of the first Americans to reach Everest's summit in 1963. Brent has climbed Everest once but has been here four times.
• Dawa Sherpa, who is climbing Everest with us for what will be his first time, but has worked on the mountain carrying loads and as a cook for 12 years.
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