Comments on How to Understand Everest's Mallory Mystery

The camera that his uncle lent him was not with the body - therefore they both got to the top. Mallory gave Irvine the camera, he took the the picture, which when found in the camera on Irvine's body, will prove they got to the top.

The camera that his uncle lent him was not with the body - therefore they both got to the top. Mallory gave Irvine the camera, he took the the picture, which when found in the camera on Irvine's body, will prove they got to the top.

Mallory was found face down, and he had several ribs badly broken. His hands and fingers were dug into the shaggy rock face of Everest, which proves Mallory was holding on after a small fall from a high altitude. My personal thought is that Mallory made the summit with their last bottle of oxygen, while Irvine (never pass the Second Step) made his way down, clearly having extreme summit sickness. Upon his descent, Irvine drops ax, and collapses after trekking back past the first step. Irvine tumbles a very short distance forward and came to a stop on a small ice ledge. Here is where he remains today covered completely in ice and snow. Mallory, on the other hand, searching for his partner on his descent, locates the fallen ax and begins a search of the area for Irvine. During his exhaustive search, Mallory weakened with summit sickness and frustration, decides to descend to the next lower camp. It is then that several rocks from above Mallory shower down upon him, striking him on his forehead and shoulders. The impact forced Mallory off his feet, and into a sliding motion down the north face. Mallory finally stops his body from sliding by reaching out and gripping the rocks steady in his path. The fall and sliding propelled Mallory's body over fairly large rocks and boulders, and badly broke several of his ribs. Mallory, vexed in pain, just faded off and never moved again.