June 6, 1924

Table of Contents
Introduction June 5, 1924 June 6, 1924 June 7, 1924 – Comments on Mallory’s note to Noel – Comments on Mallory’s note to Odell – Some notes on the oxygen question – Some notes on Mallory’s equipment list – The sleeping bag issue	June 8, 1924 – Mallory & Irvine’s ascent to 8500 m/28,000 ft. – Mallory & Irvine’s ascent beyond 8500 m/28,000 ft. – Climbing the Second Step – Is the Mystery finally solved? Beyond the Second Step – Hypotheses & Considerations Where is Andrew Irvine? Conclusions Expedition Waste

• Mallory & Irvine + 8 porters (Norton 4, p. 125; Norton 1 mentions at first only 5, later 9, pp. 222 & 232f.) from C 4 to C 5, start 8:40 a.m. (Norton 4, p. 125; no entry in C4 diary!), using oxygen.

Personal loads “consisted of the modified apparatus with two cylinders only and a few other small items such as wraps and a food ration for the day, amounting to not more than perhaps 25 lb.” Porters’ loads are described as containing bedding, provisions and spare oxygen cylinders (Norton 4, p. 125). 4 porters return from C 5 soon after 5 p.m. (Norton 4, p. 125), reporting that Mallory & Irvine were “travelling well” (Odell, p. 266; Norton 3, p. 13) and bringing down note from Mallory to Odell:

Dear Odell,
Here with Ang Tenjin Tewang Nimija Dareda
The first is anxious to go down to III & as he has done well I should be glad if you could let him go.
The provision rucksack which he carries has been pretty well gone through by us.
No wind here & things look hopeful.
   G.M

The fairly late returning time of the porters indicates that the going time of the party must have been comparable to the first attempt by Mallory & Bruce on June 1, when they set off from C 4 with 8 porters at 8:30 a.m. (Irvine, p. 109; C4 diary states 6:10 a.m., probably illegible writing meaning 8:10 a.m.) and 5 of the porters returned to C4 in the afternoon (Irvine, p. 109; Norton 4, p. 97).

Norton 3 gives 5 hours 10 min as average time for the ascent from C 4 to C 5, based on 3 recorded ascents (presumably Norton & Somervell and 2x Odell, or 1x Odell and Mallory & Bruce) and 1 hours 35 min as average time for the descent, based on 2 recorded descents (presumably Norton & Somervell and Odell).

If Mallory and Irvine’s party took an average of 5 hours to climb from C 4 to C 5, arriving there around 2 p.m., and assuming a more conservative 2 hours for the porters’ descent to arrive back at C 4 soon after 5 p.m., this would result in a very plausible scenario of the porters staying at C 5 for about 1 hour before descending.

In contrast, any assumption of a considerably faster climbing time by Mallory’s party would by default result in an unduly long stay of the porters at C 5, given that their late returning time is known.

The significance of this for the reconstruction of Mallory & Irvine’s final climb will be further explained in the section dealing with the events of June 7 (see 3.).

• Hingston + 2 porters (Nima Tundrup, Chutin) up from C 3 to C 4 at 10:30 (Norton 4, p.118; Odell states 9:45, ibid., p. 125; C3 diary states 5:30 a.m., probably illegible writing meaning 9:30 a.m.), guiding Norton down to C 3, assisted by Hazard as far as top of the ice chimney. Party arrives back at C 3 5 p.m. (Norton 4, p. 119; C3 diary states 4 p.m.).

Weather that day: “Though a brilliant morning, it [was] very cloudy in the afternoon and even snowing a little in the evening.” (Norton 4, p. 125) No wind at C 5 (see Mallory’s note previous page).