1963 American Mount Everest West Ridge Expedition

The unclimbed 1963 West Ridge ascent on Everest was one of the last true challenges for mountaineers. Learn about the heroic efforts of Tom Hornbein and Willi Unsoeld!

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| The Impossible Climb: The 1963 Everest West Ridge Expedition |

In this video we explore the incredible story of the 1963 Everest West Ridge Expedition. With Jim Whittaker being the first American to summit Everest just weeks before, Tom Hornbein and Willi Unsoeld wanted to do something no one else ever dreamed of - Summiting Mount Everest via the West Ridge.

The two climbers and their team, faced some of the most difficult and dangerous terrain on the planet in their quest to conquer the West Ridge of the world's highest peak. They were up against something mountaineers claimed to be impossible, as the route was extremely difficult and required over 4,000 meters of climbing up a steep vertical.

The 1963 Everest West Ridge Expedition was a landmark moment in mountaineering history, as it marked the first successful ascent of Everest via the West Ridge and what became to be known as the Hornbein Couloir route.

The climb was especially challenging due to the steep and technical nature of the route, as well as the extreme altitude and unpredictable weather conditions. Despite facing numerous setbacks and near-death experiences along the way, the climbers persevered and ultimately succeeded in achieving their goal.

However, even though they had summited, they still had to find their way down via the South Col which ended up being the most deadly part of their expedition!

Hope you enjoy this account of the first ever Everest summit via the West Ridge in 1963!

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