The roof of the world, on the border between Nepal and China, rises to 8848 m in altitude. Here the southern slope, in Nepalese territory. The American expedition was tasked with filming the first ski descent of the north face of the roof of the world by the Hornbein couloir, on the Tibetan side. And perhaps, who knows, cross the path of the Frenchman Marco Siffredi, snowboarder who disappeared in 2002 in this gigantic slide. This mystery, the American expedition, dubbed American Everest ski project did not dispel it, having to give up its descent. On the other hand, the find of the filmmakers, commissioned by National Geographic magazine, for which they were shooting a documentary, could solve another enigma, even greater, attached to the imagination of the highest point of the globe, 8,848 m. Indeed, in September, the team following extreme skier Jim Morrison, led by photographer and director Jimmy Chin, found the remains of a climber at the foot of the north face, in the central Rongbuck glacier. It is a shoe, with a human foot, and a red sock, the latter bearing a label that read "AC Irvine", according to National Geographic. A clue that suggests that it is indeed Andrew "Sandy" Irvine, who disappeared on June 8, 1924, with his companion Mallory. The body of the latter was found by another expedition in 1999, at 8,300 m. When a previous team had found Irvine's ice ax and oxygen mask in 1933.
Discoveries that fuel one of the greatest mysteries of the Himalayas: did Irvine and Mallory disappear on the ascent, or on the descent, after climbing Everest, 29 years before the official first ascent of the victorious expedition of New Zealander Sir Edmund Hillary and Sherpa Tenzing Norgay, by the Nepalese side? The two men were last seen by their companions on June 8, 1924, a few hundred meters from the summit.
Descendants of the British climber have offered to share DNA samples to confirm the identity of the recovered remains. According to National Geographic, this discovery could put them on the trail of the famous camera that the two men had taken with them, and whose film could contain proof of their feat. The quest for the iconic Kodak Vest Pocket has already mobilized many energies, fueling fantasies and literary scenarios. Jimmy Chin, author of this latest find, hopes it will help "reduce the search area".
The American expedition that was to ski the Hornbein couloir this fall on Everest did not return empty-handed. No summit of course, but they are said to have found remains on the mountain that belonged to Andrew Irvine. This climber had disappeared on Everest a century ago, during an attempted ascent.
This spectacular discovery should not, however, solve the question that all Himalayan enthusiasts have been asking themselves for 100 years. Did Irvine and his companion Mallory reach the summit before disappearing? Irvine and Mallory disappeared with the answer to that question. The small camera that the British climber was carrying remains missing. It could perhaps lift the mystery. "I lifted the sock", explains Jimmy Chin, "and there was a red label sewn on which read AC IRVINE.". A stroke of luck for the Americans who admit "I think it emerged from the ice a week before we found it". The body of George Mallory, Irvine's expedition companion, was found in 1999.
