Australian-Geographic-Magazine-September-Octobe..

28 Australian Geographic

This year marks 30 years since Australians first

summitted Everest. On the way they named

‘W hite Limbo’, one of the peak’s diciest routes.

looking back at an aussie first

Victorious few

Mountain men. From left to right: Greg Mortimer, Andy

Henderson, Geoff Bartram, Tim Macartney-Snape and the

late Lincoln Hall. Here they are huddled around Swiss maps

shortly before attempting the summit. On Everest’s lower

slopes Greg (above centre, at right) and Andy had time to

chat. Aussie fl ags (right) were planted along the route.

Top shot. Greg Mortimer (below), having just become one

of the fi rst Australians to summit Everest, holds up prayer

fl ags. He arrived late, he says, at roughly 9pm. Prior to this, the

team (right) had waited in Advanced Base Camp for a break in

conditions as avalanches complicated their route up the snow-

covered gorge, known as the Great Couloir (below centre).

ag0914p028_everest - 28 2014-08-12T14:35:09+10:00