24 moments

1. Birth at Tengboche

   1914-05-01 · Tengboche, Khumbu, Nepal

   Tenzing's own autobiography located his birth and upbringing at Tengboche in Nepal, though later accounts place his birth in Tibet. The date is known only to the month. Birthplace is disputed; Wikipedia also reports later accounts placing his birth at Tse Chu in Tibet. Exact day is unknown.

2. Recruited for Everest reconnaissance

   1935-05-21 · Darjeeling, West Bengal, India

   

   Norgay was selected as a Sherpa for Eric Shipton's reconnaissance expedition after its members met in Darjeeling. This was his first opportunity to join an Everest expedition.

3. 1935 expedition reaches Rongbuk

   1935-07-04 · Rongbuk Monastery, Tingri County, Tibet

   

   As a member of Shipton's 1935 Everest reconnaissance party, Norgay reached Rongbuk Monastery on the Tibetan approach to Everest. The quoted party is the expedition whose Darjeeling roster explicitly includes Tenzing Norgay.

4. Carrying loads to the North Col

   1936-01-01 · North Col, Mount Everest, Tibet

   

   Norgay returned to Everest with Hugh Ruttledge's expedition and carried supplies to the North Col, further establishing his high-altitude experience. The source gives the year but not a more precise date.

5. High point on the 1938 Everest expedition

   1938-01-01 · North Ridge, Mount Everest, Tibet

   

   Norgay was among the members of Bill Tilman's Everest expedition who reached 8,293 metres, then the expedition's highest attained altitude. The exact location of the 8,293-metre high point is not specified; coordinates are a representative point on Everest's northern climbing route.

6. Kangchenjunga reconnaissance

   1945-01-01 · Kangchenjunga region, Himalayas

   After the Second World War period in Chitral, Norgay joined a reconnaissance party in the Kangchenjunga region that also searched for missing climbers. The source identifies a broad mountain region rather than a particular camp or peak; coordinates are representative.

7. Illegal Tibetan-border crossing with Denman

   1947-01-01 · Sikkim–Tibet border, Himalayas

   Norgay and Ang Dawa accompanied Earl Denman across the Tibetan border from Sikkim for an unauthorized Everest attempt. The crossing point is not identified; coordinates are a representative point near Nathu La on the Sikkim–Tibet frontier.

8. Return to Darjeeling during Partition

   1947-01-01 · Darjeeling, West Bengal, India

   

   During the Partition of India, Norgay returned to Darjeeling with his two daughters after his time away from the town. The source does not give a month or day.

9. Summit of Kedarnath

   1947-01-01 · Kedarnath, Garhwal Himalaya, Uttarakhand, India

   As sirdar of a Swiss expedition in Garhwal, Norgay was among the party that reached the main summit of Kedarnath. The source provides only the year.

10. Denman Everest ascent attempt

    1947-04-09 · North side of Mount Everest, Tibet

    

    Norgay began the Denman party's ascent of Everest from Tibet; the attempt later turned back after a storm. The source does not specify the party's exact position on 9 April; coordinates represent the north-side Everest route.

11. Stay at Yatung en route to Lhasa

    1949-01-01 · Yatung, Tibet

    While assisting Professor Giuseppe Tucci's scientific research journey in Tibet, Norgay stayed at a home in Yatung while the party travelled toward Lhasa. The source gives spring 1949 but not a precise date.

12. First ascent of Bandarpunch

    1950-01-01 · Bandarpunch, Garhwal Himalaya, Uttarakhand, India

    Norgay made the first ascent of Bandarpunch with Jack Gibson's expedition, expanding his climbing record beyond Everest. The source specifies summer 1950 but no exact date.

13. Nanda Devi East search expedition

    1951-01-01 · Nanda Devi East, Uttarakhand, India

    Norgay climbed Nanda Devi East while searching for two French climbers who had disappeared attempting the ridge traverse between the west and east peaks. The source gives only the year.

14. Autumn Swiss expedition high point

    1952-01-01 · South Col route, Mount Everest, Nepal

    Norgay participated in the autumn Swiss Everest expedition, whose team was forced back by bad weather after reaching 8,100 metres. Norgay's participation in both 1952 Swiss expeditions is stated immediately before this sentence. The exact high-point location is not specified; coordinates represent the South Col route.

15. Swiss Everest altitude record

    1952-05-28 · Southeast Ridge, Mount Everest, Nepal

    With Raymond Lambert, Norgay reached about 8,595 metres on Everest's southeast ridge, setting a new climbing-altitude record. Coordinates are an approximate representative point on the southeast ridge at the reported elevation.

16. Meeting Edmund Hillary

    1953-03-05 · Kathmandu, Nepal

    

    Norgay met Edmund Hillary in Kathmandu as preparations began for the British Everest expedition that would later reach the summit.

17. High camp below Everest summit

    1953-05-28 · Camp IX, Southeast Ridge, Mount Everest, Nepal

    Norgay and Hillary established their final high camp at 8,500 metres before attempting the summit the next morning. The expedition source identifies this as Camp IX above the South Col; coordinates are approximate for the documented elevation on the southeast ridge.

18. First confirmed ascent of Mount Everest

    1953-05-29 · Summit of Mount Everest, Nepal–Tibet border

    Norgay and Hillary reached the summit of Mount Everest together, completing the first confirmed ascent of the world's highest mountain.

19. Director of Field Training at HMI

    1954-01-01 · Himalayan Mountaineering Institute, Darjeeling, West Bengal, India

    

    After Everest, Norgay became the inaugural Director of Field Training at the Himalayan Mountaineering Institute in Darjeeling. The source gives the year of the institute's establishment and appointment, not a precise date.

20. Mount Field visit

    1963-01-01 · Lake Dobson, Mount Field National Park, Tasmania, Australia

    During a 21-day Tasmanian visit, Norgay took part in a four-day camping trip at Mount Field National Park and was encountered at Lake Dobson. The article's later text identifies the visit as occurring in 1963; no exact date is supplied.

21. Guide of Bhutan's first American tourist party

    1975-01-01 · Paro, Bhutan

    Norgay served as sirdar for the first American tourist party permitted to enter Bhutan; its official trek began at Paro. The source supports month-level precision only.

22. Visit to Paro Taktsang

    1975-01-01 · Paro Taktsang, Paro, Bhutan

    While guiding the first permitted American tourist party in Bhutan, Norgay joined its visit to Paro Taktsang, commonly called Tiger's Nest. The visit occurred during the January 1975 trek; no exact day is supplied.

23. School of Adventure anniversary

    1984-05-10 · Institution of Engineers auditorium, Mysore, Karnataka, India

    

    Norgay attended the School of Adventure's tenth-anniversary celebration alongside the Himalayan Mountaineering Institute principal.

24. Death in Darjeeling

    1986-05-09 · Darjeeling, West Bengal, India

    

    Norgay died of a cerebral hemorrhage in Darjeeling, where he had spent his final years. The exact residence or medical site is not specified; coordinates represent Darjeeling town centre.