I’m getting into this whole entire mystery. What I can’t understand is the expeditions to find George Mallory and Sandy Irving have been shrouded in secrecy. Videos and photos not being released, why? I can’t help but to think it’s ego. From this guy on this channel to others on other channels. I’m beginning to hate all involved. Why are all yall so petty to eachother? I do t get it. Yeah you worked hard to get the video, but you won’t release it? Wow.
No expeditions that I know of are hiding anything. A channel intent on conspiracy has said something is being held back for ulterior motives. The same channel has built its reputation on endeavoring to defame and harm the reputation of those it has targeted In terms of releasing information and content, the 1999 expedition I was on has two full length documentaries and a half dozen books about it. My 2019 expedition has a full length documentary and a book about it. I’ve no interest in posting images of a long passed individual (most of which were already published in many magazines and several books). All the other content is not my copyright ~ but I can say none of it holds anything that will reveal new intel. As I’ve said to many, my intent on this channel is to publish well researched, unbiased and transparent accounts of my experiences, as well as welcome noted authors, journalists, historians, and mountaineers of high moral integrity and transparency. All the prodding and naysaying and conspiracies and lies will not make me change how I approach my work. I focus on positive, empowering communication with all my viewers and subscribers. My intent is to build a place where you feel safe to share differing opinions in a respectful manner. People who refuse to follow those guidelines are not welcome here. Decide for yourself, but I’ll give you a hint that there’s nothing being hidden anywhere. If you’re being told otherwise, check your sources. Cheers, and thanks for being here!
@ I appreciate the insight and response. Maybe I’ve been misled on a few things. I’ll keep reading and listening. Admittedly, I’m just getting started with M&I, but have been kept up nights trying to get caught up. The Irving boot location is what I’m hung up on right now. Why not specify the location? I feel I’m way too naive, dumb or inexperienced to even talk to you on this subject. 😂 I have no clue about mountaineering to begin with. I hope I didn’t offend and absolutely give massive respect to the comment board, your channel and you! You have done things most men read about. New loyal follower 🫡
@@tysonpotter3205 The Nat Geo crew is holding onto the location to guard it being used by future expeditions to descend upon it next year. They may wish to return themselves and are guarding it, rightly so. In terms of the precise location of the remains of George Mallory, who as found in 1999, it's simply to protect his remains from becoming a destination location. That prevents photos being released all over social media of his body (offensive to the family). You definitely didn't offend me. I'm approached often by individuals (in comments, emails and on social media) wondering why there is a vocal (and extremely small) group of people endeavoring to make viewers like you feel animosity and hatred toward me and my colleagues (many of whom have been on this channel), ie Jake Norton, Jamie McGuinness, Mark Synnott to name a few. There are many conspiracies being spun that are laughable, but people believe them. It is a phenomenon that mystifies and befuddles me, yet doesn't anger me. I harbor no ill will to anyone who chooses to use their time in such manners. It's a free will realm we live in. I just prefer to shine light into the darkness, as opposed to trying to darken the light. I'm glad you took the time to comment, thank you. One last thing, do check out the channel of Jake Norton, who has done more searching boots on the ground for Mallory and irvine than any. He is an individual of high moral integrity and a beautiful human being. Check out his video called 'Lies and Conspiracies'. All the best to you
@@EverestMystery I was thinking they too wanted to keep those spots a little secret for future expeditions and respect for Mallory. Makes sense. Maybe it’s the total mystery that makes getting to the bottom of it completely emotional. I’m amazed how invested (albeit with surface level knowledge) I’ve become in such a short amount of time. I’m really rooting for George and Sandy. Maybe that’s my biased? Anyways, thanks for your patience and being a good person. And thank you for the advice to check out Jake Nortons episode on lies and conspiracies. I’m gonna check it out right freaking now, dude!
This is fascinating. I remember when Mallory's body was found. Soon after that I realized for the first time that the elderly British Quaker lady, so quaint and charming, that was a family friend of ours since I was little, was George Mallory's daughter, Claire Millikan. I never heard her talk about her famous father. But after the news media of the world descended on her house here in Santa Rosa, California, she opened up to me a little bit about the discovery and what it meant to her. Perhaps she never talked about him because it was a sore, painful subject . After asking her a stupid and trite question about whether she got closure from this event, she said no, there was never closure. She indicated to me that she would so much rather have had her Dad while she was growing up than this world-famous icon. Her main emotion was grief about how long he may have lain there dying after his foot or leg was injured and how much pain he was probably in. She was very upset thinking about that....Claire was a remarkable woman, devoted to creating peace in the world and she was a climber herself, as were her boys. Her husband, also a climber, died in a climbing accident. She passed on some years ago; I went to her Menorial service.
He didn't lay there and died, Mallory had a golf-ball-sized hole in his forehead that was definitely fatal. The most likely theory is that he was glissading down the mountain while controlling his descend using his ice axe, when it bounced off a rock and struck him in the head, wounding him fatally
@@BigTdeluxewas that reported, when they found his body? I remember watching the documentary and reading about it at the time, they said they saw his face then buried him under rocks in a respectful way, but don't recall any descriptions of injuries or what they saw.
@@MikePhillips-pl6ov I don't know if they mentioned it in the documentary. It's been a long time since I watched it, but Conrad Anker mentions it in his book "The lost explorer: finding Mallory on Mount Everest" as well as Jochen Hemmleb in "Ghosts of Everest: The search for Mallory & Irvine". Both were part of the expedition that discovered his body and both said he had a golf-ball-sized puncture wound in his forehead above the left eye. The wikipedia article states this as well.
@@glendabarton1914 It is sad how we ignore how these events, finding the lost, impact the survivors . Thank you for reminding us. To have lost her father and husband to the cold mountains had to be so heartbreaking and so hopeless knowing you can’t do anything to reach your loved ones. I can’t imagine losing someone literally, they are just gone.
geezus---much to do about nothing--have a family member who does airplane accident investigations --the gore and destruction he has to deal with that involves hundreds--and these two guys willfully walked into their own death==who cares? they are nobodies and your trying to create massive drama over nothing
The explanation of relevant positions in relation to Mallory, the Ronbuk Glacier and the incremental power of these glaciers, plus your excellent eye for detail, (right down to the reflections in Jimmys sunglasses), make this mystrey unfold in a way that is easy to follow and imagine - an absolute gift, especially to people like myself who've never been to Everest, or any mountain scenario - despite reading all the books, (Krakauer's in particular), that sparked my interest in all things mountain, lol...now I can go straight to your videos and be sure that I'm getting the best possible rundown out there. This mystrey is far more compelling than I realized, and with my deepest respect to Mallory and Irvine, I know this channel will keep it real, non-sensationalist and of the highest quality on all levels. Exceptional work Thom...its honestly a privilege.
@@EverestMystery Is it not a remarkable coincidence, that a 'big money' film crew, planned an expedition/documentary, and found spectacular evidence that would give reason for the documentary to be made? The Chinese would have known the significance (and value) of Sandy's body - it being name tagged on all clothing. Why would they throw the body into the glacier? It makes no sense. It would have had no significant weight (zero water), to hinder transport. The 'throwing story' sounds like 'planted false information'. Assuming that money is easily transferable... Why not release the boot, sock, and foot 'on loan' to the film crew. They get to photograph it, and then return it to the Chinese. Everyone wins! Nice. This scenario doesn't even stretch the imagination...... Whether it actually happened like this ... who knows?
@EverestMystery You're the one I depended on to give the facts as made public so far, and to provide context. The regular news channels haven't got a clue what this actually means. Thanks again, Thom.
@@EverestMystery geezus---much to do about nothing--have a family member who does airplane accident investigations --the gore and destruction he has to deal with that involves hundreds--and these two guys willfully walked into their own death==who cares? they are nobodies and your trying to create massive drama over nothing
It's what I was waiting for since when the news first came out. I checked a bunch of them at the time, and there were a lot of interviews or the host talking, but none showing maps.
@@the_card_closet Absolutely agree. .I feel I know when Everest place names are mentioned I’m not bamboozled . the great holy Mountain looks so small from google earth. Ha 🦄 💜
Despite not being a climber, I'm fascinated by Everest and mountains in general. You do a wonderful job presenting information and stories about Everest (and other mountains) in an interesting, clear, and non-sensationalized way. I'm looking forward to learning more about this latest chapter of the Irvine/Mallory mystery; but, I realize that we may need to be as patient as a mountain if we want to discover the final chapters of this mystery story. Thank you for this channel and all the great content!
Hi, my name is Daniel. I come from Germany. I actually only go hiking in the Alps, the Balkans or the Canary Islands. But I find your videos very fascinating and exciting. I really enjoy watching the videos.
@@simfluencer1199 hi Daniel, were you born and raised in Germany? What a great historical country. Some of the Greatest men ever have come from Germany. I just wanted to let you know that we all have been lied to about what happened in that period of war in the first half of the twentieth century. You don't have to listen to me. You shouldn't ever trust anyone else. But you should do your own homework. Make sure you are objective and I think you will be very surprised.
I was so thrilled to hear that we found something from Irvine, but at the same time sad because I think we will not be able to solve the mystery. personally with all the information we have I believe they summited, but I still crave for something that would prove it.
Couldn’t agree more. 👍 Have to say I didn’t bother looking anywhere else, I knew Thom would give it to us when there was something to report, so I saved myself the effort of looking 😂😂
@@naughtyskweet6 there’s no definitive answer but he did a thorough analysis of where it likely was based on images, glacier movement, limited available information, etc.
When I first heard about finding the boot, I had many questions about where it was found in relation to the other artifacts and Mallory's body. Your use of graphics explained so much. Thank you and I look forward to more videos.
Everest Mystery is my favorite UA-cam channel. Your vast knowledge, story telling, quality of images and visuals about mountaineering and Mt. Everest history, Mallory and Irvine are excellent.
I really like the Google Earth demonstration. It's perfect for me, who has never been to that area to visualize the different locations. Also, Julie seems to be amazing. I'm looking forward to watching the entire interview with her.
Great video. Glad to see you have explored this thoroughly. When I first heard the news I was convinced that Sandy had been high up on the mountain a long time (possibly until 1995). I think he has then fell / been pushed off the mountian and ended up almost directly below Mallory. As he was frozen he would have broken up during the descent. As its probably only 20 - 30 years since I think he fell, I think he is still up towards the top of the glacier, proabably within 1km of the North Col.
We can always rely on you Thom for a balanced, well researched and eloquently presented perspective. Thank you. And I just have to say, what an amazing lady Julie is. Can’t wait to see the interview!
This is one of the best videos I've seen on this channel. And although I don't necessarily agree with all of the conclusions and opinions expressed in the video, the analysis of the mountain and glacial geography is extremely helpful to someone who hasn't been there in person. Well done Mr. Pollard! Great content.
Thank you for explaining everything including how long it would take for Sandys body to move down the mountain & glacier. And thank you for explaining in miles & feet because I don’t understand meters. A little dumb I am but so thankful for you explaining. I was never really interested in Mt Everest , Sandy Irvine or George Mallory until the first time I watched one of your videos. I have been hooked ever since & am a big fan of yours!!! And in my honest opinion, I like to think Sandy & George made it to the top & quickly turned around. And fell on the way down. The google earth demonstration was amazing!!Thank you for everything you do!!💜💜
I think it is likely that the boot/foot were moved to this location to be "discovered". Why? As much to hide the actual spot of discovery in the hopes that a follow-up search will be easier to keep off the radar. I am more impressed that they found him, or as much as they found, so that his life and fate may finally get the recognition they deserve, along with Mallory. Thanks for sharing the maps/locations. So much of this makes more sense now.
I'm with you. And I'm not fully convinced that they did not take the boot off the mountain, knowing that the Chinese would be vigilant in monitoring future expeditions. In my opinion I think that the photo was staged and the boot is somewhere in a forensic lab being analyzed.
@brendanoneill1466 Given that Messner found very little of his younger brother left on Nanga Parbat a few years back, I'm not surprised they didn't find much. Messner had a jump suit and a few bones. People always jump to conclusions. Sad there is so much jealousy regarding the finding of AIs partial remains. It says a lot about what Everest has become today rather than what it represented in 1924.
@@richardhelliwell1210I'm not sure that the guarding of the location is based on jealousy, although I obviously can't be sure. I'm more inclined to think that it is to protect an important site, which may contain further clues/evidence from a gold rush of less respectful expeditions that might not treat the area with the care it needs if any further secrets are to be revealed. But I don't buy in to the Chinese body throwing or film destroying theories either...
@@brendanoneill1466 Call me nuts, but it makes more sense that the boot was placed to deliberately deceive, than something a few inches long was suddenly discovered just lying on the ground in miles of mountainous terrain by a team who just happened to be looking for Irvine in that particular spot at that particular time. A needle in a haystack… with his name on it? Occam’s Razor would suggest a regime that has created the richest dictatorship on earth out of lies in all likelihood placed and arranged for it to be ‘discovered’ for prestige, publicity and money prospects in the form of creating a ‘gold rush’ style flood of western tourists to Everest, and to deflect away from the theory that the CCP had Irvine’s body all along.
Great doco. Well researched, as always, and certainly very mindful of the well-known fact that in the Chinese sector of Mount Everest, there will always be information that won't be forthcoming or factually correct. Also lovely to know that Andrew Irvine's family have been kept in the loop
I know nothing about climbing, and I have never had any desire to climb anything! But I know who these two famous missing climbers were. And your videos are always fascinating. Thank you.
What an amazing discovery, I ran to this channel as soon as I saw the Nat Geo article. To imagine finding Irvine’s remains 100 years later. This story is still so fascinating almost a century later. Thank you for your excellent coverage and I look forward to your further analysis of this mystery!!!
OUTSTANDING! I have long wondered what happened to them and remember hearing about Mallory being found! MOST importantly seeing their families get closure! Can't wait for the rest of the story !
You're awesome Thom, remarkable video, thank you. Really looking forward to how this all plays out, it's so important there's independent commentators such as you working on this stuff.
Okay, Thom. Here’s a test. Have a forensic pathologist look at the lower tibia protruding from the boot and see if that bone was “green” when broken (time of death, June 9th, 1924) OR was it a dry fracture (much later time when the body might have been thrown down the mountain by the CTMA). It’s obvious that detailed photos of artifacts and bodies are critical later. I hope Chin, et. al. took many macro photos while they had the boot, and that they photographed the fracture when they took the tissue for DNA. .
That is a great question to ask. What was found has been left in China with the CTMA, and the DNA sample, as well, is in China. More on that in a future episode. I'm sure they filmed the hell out of it and took a ton of photos for their film/book/article/speaking tour and whatever else might be down the road.
@@EverestMystery Thom would it be possible for you to interview a forensic anthropologist? If you don’t know of someone might I suggest Dr. Murray Marks. He was a graduate from the University of TN, (the “Body Farm”), and worked with Dr. William (Bill) Bass.
My theory: George and Sandy got to the top at dusk..one of them fell descending the step, dragging the other off the mountain. They were both killed or badly wounded and expired soon afterwards. 1960s Chinese find Sandy.. find the sunglasses in the pocket find the camera and maybe some other evidence that they made it to the Summitt. Likely that Sandy would carry any samples due to his huge strength. They take the evidence and throw Sandy off the mountain.
Or they took the body off the mountain and back to China and have subsequently 'found' the foot... although I suspect my first theory is more likely due to the challenge of getting a body off the mountain especially back then
This crazy discovery on Everest comes at a time when the world can use all the diversion that we can get. Especially when said diversion reminds us of how capable we are when we put our efforts toward excellence over evil. The following is certainly no criticism of Jimmy Chin. I admire his work bigtime. Chin’s documentary “Free Solo” about Alex Honnold’s mind blowing free climb in Yosemite is incredible. But doesn’t it seem a little odd that this incredible forensic discovery (arguably second only to the discovery of Mallory himself) doesn’t it seem a tad too “perfect” that the boot and remains were found by the most famous, Academy Award winning climber/cinematographer of our time? It’s akin to if James Cameron found Captain Smith’s pocket watch down at Titanic. But with a nod to Andy Warhol sometimes life truly imitates art. And sticking with my analogy, given that James Cameron has been to Titanic more times than any other human being alive, if he did discover such an unlikely personal artifact, it stands to reason that his probability would be significantly higher than anyone else’s. Guess we should chalk this up to a massive “whoa, dude.” At a time when we can really use one.
Really enjoyed this. While I find the idea of Chinese climbers removing the body as unlikely, I found the analysis of Irvine's remains very reasonable and interesting. Looking forward to the full interview with Julie. Thanks Thom.
This is the first time I have watched your video and I found it fascinating! What an amazing storey! I know of the two climbers and them going up Everest but not the whole story. You are extremely knowledgeable and great to listen to. So I want to hear more! I will be subscribing. You held my attention.
First time seeing your videos and just clicked out of boredom and always being interested in Everest. When your Raycon ad came on i immediately saw Jerry in your shirt and that alone got you my sub. Always support a fellow deadhead in any way i can.
AW man thanks so much. Jerry was/is a big part of my life. That T-shirt....get this...glows in the dark. It's probably my favorite T : ) Thanks again, great having you here!
Thank you for putting everything out there so we could see where the boot was found in relation to where George Mallory was found. I pray one day soon they find the rest of Sandy Irvine's remains. I am glad his family has found some closure after all of these years.
When putting the video together I thought most would think of it as a yawner....so, I'm happy that people are finding the graphics are useful. Thank you!
Thom, Always great to see your videos! I sure wish I had taken my love for climbing and advanced to be able to climb 8,000m peaks. Thank you for covering this great discovery. A discovery that might help give closure to the Irvine family.
He said that they were keeping the location secret. It only makes sense the boot was moved to be photographed so as not to reveal the actual location of the find
The boot/foot does actually look wet/damp to me. Weren’t Mallory’s remains similarly sun-bleached/mummified? So it stands to reason that if they fell together and landed fairly close, their bodies would’ve been in similar condition until Irvine’s body was carried by whatever means further down the mountain where it was frozen over by the glacier. It would be super fascinating to have a forensic anthropologist’s opinion on this matter. Your diagrams were exceedingly helpful and decidedly NOT boring. Please do an updated diagram with all of the evidence that we have regarding the mystery so far. Also, is it just me or is it hilarious how easy Google Earth makes the Everest climb look? 😂
I don't climb mountains. Even before I was disabled I had a great fear of heights, yet I am somehow subscribed to a ton of great channels related to mountaineering! Now, you have shown up in my feed and appear very knowledgeable, experienced, credible, and a joy to listen to! So, I am now subbed to another mountaineering related channel for reasons I still do not understand. I just like it, I guess?
Do you think it's possible that the boot was placed there to be found to quell the speculation that Irvines belongings had been removed in 1975. Seems coincidental that the timing of the finding of the boot and the fact it was found by a National Geographic film crew seems more like a cover up than a actual natural find by accident. The mystery deepens.
11:33 that is the most fascinating part of Everest to me and i wish more people went there because it's very hard to find pictures or videos from that side of Everest. There is a single documentary on UA-cam from the 80s that show a bit of that part, from an attempt to climb the North Face. Not sure why almost nobody goes there i think the view up would be amazing.
It's a thriller. I studied a lot about this expedition a couple of years ago, then let it go. Now I am more than back to it. After the find. I can't hv more tens. I believe your research is right and logical. Some details are speculation, of course, others are obvious. NetGeo is not letting much out, more is to come. May the glacier will keep it for a time, but we will for sure find more....one day every glacier melts the ice....great job done with this video..!
Very interesting, thanks for your work and postings. It must have been fascinating chatting to Irvine's relative. The only video I have seen was mostly about Mallory; so it was good to hear more about Irvine. I know they were great friends. I don't know if you're aware of it, but I found Wade Davies' audiobook Into The Silence to be easy to follow, and hard to switch off. hahaha Thanks again mate. Jack.
One of the best content involving this climbing pair as well as the discovery of the two famous climbers. I will add, discovery of Mallory and perhaps Irvine. I hope so. Regardless, you have done something that was not bias and very well presented
As someone who has done some clever photo-editing for personal projects, the photo of Jimmy Chin (and even the close-up photo of the boot) to me look completely fake; ie. The boot was Photoshopped into a picture of Jimmy Chin. This is just my opinion, and of course I have no knowledge whatsoever of climbing or conditions on Everest or ANY snow/ice-covered mountain. But I just got this “no way” feeling the second I saw the photo. The shadows around the boot are completely wrong as is the lighting. In fact, it looks like really hurried Photoshop; like something I would do just to impress my young daughter. My first thought was the boot, as you said, was found somewhere else, then Photoshopped into a more serene photo of Jimmy Chin because the boot’s location was no place to take an actual photo of the discovery. Again… just my opinion… but historical photos are intended to convey moments and subject matter not always intended to be seen other than by the photographer. The brutal Civil War photos of Matthew Brady come to mind. When you look at a photo like that, you’re immediately drawn to one or more key objects Brady wants you to see. However, those objects are so much a part of the overall subject matter of the complete photo that it can take you a minute or two to finally see the dead bodies under a wagon (or something to that effect). The second I saw the Jimmy Chin photo, I was IMMEDIATELY drawn to the boot. It’s as if too much effort was put into making it stand out. It doesn’t fit the atmosphere of the surroundings. Regardless, this is truly a magnificent story.
Great video Thom! Question I've never known the answer to: When you found Mallory in '99, how far away from his location was your camp? 200 metres, or two km's or what? I'm guessing not to far away as you went up two weeks later and rediscovered him with no trouble, right?
This is such a fascinating subject. As to the location of the find, I am sure there are some clever people out there who could do an analysis of the reflection in the sunglasses to get at least a rough approximation of the location. It might be you would first have to examine an identical pair of sunglasses to work out the distortion caused by the lens shape. Then the camera lens and settings, such as focal length. Luckily we can tell from the reflection how far the photographer was from his subject. But those peaks are probably relatively easily identifiable.
Your videos have always been intriguing and well presented and this one continues in that vein. Very well done mate. A stray thought or two: I'm glad that you touched upon what a mountain can do to a human body that has the misfortune to fall upon it. Even if Irvine didn't fall all the way to the glacier initially there really wasn't going to be a 'body' left whenever it was that he did reach it. Recall the tragedy on Whymper's successful ascent of the Matterhorn in 1865 when four of his team fell to the deaths. These men fell somewhat more than half the distance Irvine eventually did. Despite this disparity in distance only bits and pieces of them remained to be discovered (one has never been found), so I don't know that anyone should be getting their hopes up regarding any significant discovery of remains. What makes this all the more relevant is that it probably makes the recovery of a camera or summit rocks something near impossible if not in actuality completely so. Regarding Chin and National Geographic: No-one should be surprised that their cards are going to be held very closely to their chests, there's a load of money to be made concerning this, reputations at stake as well as to be made, etc . . . . so the interested public (which is 99.99% of the rest of us) is just going to have to wait. Looking forward to your next vid on this enduring and fascinating topic. Cheers!
Just found your channel, thank you for your amazing work and talented ability to tell these stories with facts, respect, and empathy. Subscribed and have been encouraging others to do so as well.
The location of the find is big. With some reasonable estimation, they could back into a time frame of when the remains first ended up in the glacier. I’d be curious too if there was blood on the sock and boot. If Irvine fell when Mallory did (which given the sightings is less likely, IMO), he would’ve bled upon losing the foot. Im sure there will be more info coming out. Thanks for these great videos!
If what you describe about a body being broken into pieces by fall/elements/environment on the mountain then it's possible Sandy's foot was already separated and in a different location than the main part of his body and the the Chinese did throw his body down the mountain AND his foot was left behind.
Excellent video I enjoyed watching it especially the part where you described what the National Geographic guy was wearing and his sunglasses very good points 🇨🇦.
In addition, I absolutely love your t-shirt while advertising ear buds. I was fortunate enough to see Jerry Garcia and The Grateful Dead! The most eye opening concert I’ve ever been to! LOL!
I skipped an opportunity to go see Jerry and the DEAD up in Highgate VT back in 95. I was 16 and stupid. A large group of friends drove up there in a van. " I dont have the money, and dont really care for that hippy stuff". 10 years later I have the epiphany and realize how amazing they are, and that they transcended labels and categorization. And...the fence/ gate or whatever at the show was absolutely obliterated, so I had not need worry about being able to purchase a ticket anyway, If you could have got yourself there, you got in!!! Lesson somewhat learned.
@@saltpeter7429 they played Highgate two years in a row....I attended the first year, I believe in '94. Jerry forgot some lines to Uncle John's Band. The crowds on the way out after the show formed a mass and were squeezed into an area....I literally thought it was going to be a life or death trampling incident. Looking back now, I'd just gotten a job around the time of the '95 show, and thought better not to go. Big Mistake : ) RIP Jerry
@@EverestMystery well, I guess we both regret missing Highgate 95. Lol. None of us knew he would be gone so soon... "Like a locomotive rollin off the track, he's gone, he's gone, he's never comin back..." RIP Jerry.
Hey man - this has to be mindblowing for you and, like literally everyone else, I’m just so pleased that Sandy’s story can begin to be pieced together. There’s always so much opinion and controversy around that expedition, for better or worse, and I’m sure you already have people insisting you’re wrong about whatever. For this reason, I’m not at all unhappy that a NatGeo team made this discovery and that it included Jimmy Chin, a person whose character has always appeared to me to be a good one. NatGeo might drop an iron curtain, but I do expect their practices to be rigorous and “archeological,” if that’s a word. That is to say, I think a NatGeo effort will recognize the gravity of what they’ve found and treat their part in it with seriousness and dignity. Hope so anyway, because this is a big deal for his family, British Mountaineering, and human history at large.
I remember reading somewhere about an old English man found that was sat upright with a hole in his cheek wearing the same style of clothing as in the 20s. If that indeed was that of Irvine, it still seems to be in a totally different area than the potential location of the boot. Apologies if I’m totally wrong here, I wish I could find my reference again! Others here might of read it. Fascinated by the Mallory & Irvine climb
You probably read it in the book Fearless on Everest - the search for Sandy Irvine written by his grand niece Julie Summers. Summers mentions in the book an account of a climber on Everest who claimed to see the body of a dead climber seated upright wearing 1920s clothes.
I'm not convinced that Irvine's remains were ever sighted prior to this discovery, none of these so-called discoveries were photographed or otherwise recorded. That alone says a lot, like the numerous Yeti sightings they should be treated with a fair amount of scepticism.
I am in complete agreement. No one saw Irvine. The Chinese team saw "a body". I believe they seen Mallory, and told the 99 crew where abouts to look for him.
It is my understanding that a frozen body on Mt. Everest comes to weigh about 300 lb., and would be essentially welded to the frozen surface by ice and snow. Trying to picture "throwing" such an object off of the mountain. Not so easy unless you had a team and why would they attempt such a thing?
Two explanations come to mind: 1) the body was close to the modern climbing route and the authorities found its presence unsettling; 2) the Chinese claim that they were the first to climb Everest from the north side which is 'their' (Tibetan) side. By removing traces of previous expeditions it is easier to 'support' that claim.
I am a retired climber in Canada . I have followed this story for years. Did they reach the top ? We will never know . The Chinese will never tell us .
Thank you for the mapping, It's a real plus to all us "under the blanket climbers", in order to understand more precise the area for the findings. At least for me. 😺 I will follow every tiny bit of information regarding the exciting findings of Irvine's whereabouts.
I’m getting into this whole entire mystery. What I can’t understand is the expeditions to find George Mallory and Sandy Irving have been shrouded in secrecy. Videos and photos not being released, why? I can’t help but to think it’s ego. From this guy on this channel to others on other channels. I’m beginning to hate all involved. Why are all yall so petty to eachother? I do t get it. Yeah you worked hard to get the video, but you won’t release it? Wow.
No expeditions that I know of are hiding anything. A channel intent on conspiracy has said something is being held back for ulterior motives. The same channel has built its reputation on endeavoring to defame and harm the reputation of those it has targeted
In terms of releasing information and content, the 1999 expedition I was on has two full length documentaries and a half dozen books about it. My 2019 expedition has a full length documentary and a book about it. I’ve no interest in posting images of a long passed individual (most of which were already published in many magazines and several books). All the other content is not my copyright ~ but I can say none of it holds anything that will reveal new intel.
As I’ve said to many, my intent on this channel is to publish well researched, unbiased and transparent accounts of my experiences, as well as welcome noted authors, journalists, historians, and mountaineers of high moral integrity and transparency. All the prodding and naysaying and conspiracies and lies will not make me change how I approach my work. I focus on positive, empowering communication with all my viewers and subscribers. My intent is to build a place where you feel safe to share differing opinions in a respectful manner. People who refuse to follow those guidelines are not welcome here.
Decide for yourself, but I’ll give you a hint that there’s nothing being hidden anywhere. If you’re being told otherwise, check your sources.
Cheers, and thanks for being here!
@ I appreciate the insight and response. Maybe I’ve been misled on a few things. I’ll keep reading and listening. Admittedly, I’m just getting started with M&I, but have been kept up nights trying to get caught up. The Irving boot location is what I’m hung up on right now. Why not specify the location? I feel I’m way too naive, dumb or inexperienced to even talk to you on this subject. 😂 I have no clue about mountaineering to begin with.
I hope I didn’t offend and absolutely give massive respect to the comment board, your channel and you! You have done things most men read about.
New loyal follower 🫡
@@tysonpotter3205 The Nat Geo crew is holding onto the location to guard it being used by future expeditions to descend upon it next year. They may wish to return themselves and are guarding it, rightly so. In terms of the precise location of the remains of George Mallory, who as found in 1999, it's simply to protect his remains from becoming a destination location. That prevents photos being released all over social media of his body (offensive to the family). You definitely didn't offend me. I'm approached often by individuals (in comments, emails and on social media) wondering why there is a vocal (and extremely small) group of people endeavoring to make viewers like you feel animosity and hatred toward me and my colleagues (many of whom have been on this channel), ie Jake Norton, Jamie McGuinness, Mark Synnott to name a few. There are many conspiracies being spun that are laughable, but people believe them. It is a phenomenon that mystifies and befuddles me, yet doesn't anger me. I harbor no ill will to anyone who chooses to use their time in such manners. It's a free will realm we live in. I just prefer to shine light into the darkness, as opposed to trying to darken the light. I'm glad you took the time to comment, thank you. One last thing, do check out the channel of Jake Norton, who has done more searching boots on the ground for Mallory and irvine than any. He is an individual of high moral integrity and a beautiful human being. Check out his video called 'Lies and Conspiracies'. All the best to you
@@EverestMystery I was thinking they too wanted to keep those spots a little secret for future expeditions and respect for Mallory. Makes sense. Maybe it’s the total mystery that makes getting to the bottom of it completely emotional. I’m amazed how invested (albeit with surface level knowledge) I’ve become in such a short amount of time. I’m really rooting for George and Sandy. Maybe that’s my biased?
Anyways, thanks for your patience and being a good person. And thank you for the advice to check out Jake Nortons episode on lies and conspiracies. I’m gonna check it out right freaking now, dude!
@@EverestMystery watched Jake Norton’s video. Huge slice of humble pie. Thanks again for the reference and great chatting. I’ve learned a lot.
This is fascinating. I remember when Mallory's body was found. Soon after that I realized for the first time that the elderly British Quaker lady, so quaint and charming, that was a family friend of ours since I was little, was George Mallory's daughter, Claire Millikan. I never heard her talk about her famous father. But after the news media of the world descended on her house here in Santa Rosa, California, she opened up to me a little bit about the discovery and what it meant to her. Perhaps she never talked about him because it was a sore, painful subject .
After asking her a stupid and trite question about whether she got closure from this event, she said no, there was never closure. She indicated to me that she would so much rather have had her Dad while she was growing up than this world-famous icon. Her main emotion was grief about how long he may have lain there dying after his foot or leg was injured and how much pain he was probably in. She was very upset thinking about that....Claire was a remarkable woman, devoted to creating peace in the world and she was a climber herself, as were her boys. Her husband, also a climber, died in a climbing accident. She passed on some years ago; I went to her Menorial service.
He didn't lay there and died, Mallory had a golf-ball-sized hole in his forehead that was definitely fatal. The most likely theory is that he was glissading down the mountain while controlling his descend using his ice axe, when it bounced off a rock and struck him in the head, wounding him fatally
@@BigTdeluxe At least, this is nice to know!
@@BigTdeluxewas that reported, when they found his body? I remember watching the documentary and reading about it at the time, they said they saw his face then buried him under rocks in a respectful way, but don't recall any descriptions of injuries or what they saw.
@@MikePhillips-pl6ov I don't know if they mentioned it in the documentary. It's been a long time since I watched it, but Conrad Anker mentions it in his book "The lost explorer: finding Mallory on Mount Everest" as well as Jochen Hemmleb in "Ghosts of Everest: The search for Mallory & Irvine". Both were part of the expedition that discovered his body and both said he had a golf-ball-sized puncture wound in his forehead above the left eye.
The wikipedia article states this as well.
@@glendabarton1914 It is sad how we ignore how these events, finding the lost, impact the survivors . Thank you for reminding us. To have lost her father and husband to the cold mountains had to be so heartbreaking and so hopeless knowing you can’t do anything to reach your loved ones. I can’t imagine losing someone literally, they are just gone.
👍👍 The graphics were a big help in trying to visualize the various locations involved . Looking forward to this journey of discovery . Thanks Thom .
I don't climb but i'm fascinated with Everest and all it's stories. I appreciate your videos and the interview with Julie was really great! Thanks
geezus---much to do about nothing--have a family member who does airplane accident investigations --the gore and destruction he has to deal with that involves hundreds--and these two guys willfully walked into their own death==who cares? they are nobodies and your trying to create massive drama over nothing
I don't climb either, but I knew someone that fell off the mountain. Her body will turn up one day too.
The explanation of relevant positions in relation to Mallory, the Ronbuk Glacier and the incremental power of these glaciers, plus your excellent eye for detail, (right down to the reflections in Jimmys sunglasses), make this mystrey unfold in a way that is easy to follow and imagine - an absolute gift, especially to people like myself who've never been to Everest, or any mountain scenario - despite reading all the books, (Krakauer's in particular), that sparked my interest in all things mountain, lol...now I can go straight to your videos and be sure that I'm getting the best possible rundown out there. This mystrey is far more compelling than I realized, and with my deepest respect to Mallory and Irvine, I know this channel will keep it real, non-sensationalist and of the highest quality on all levels.
Exceptional work Thom...its honestly a privilege.
Thank you so much, I really appreciate you being here and for supporting the channel. Much more to come, my friend!
@@EverestMystery
Is it not a remarkable coincidence, that a 'big money' film crew, planned an expedition/documentary, and found spectacular evidence that would give reason for the documentary to be made?
The Chinese would have known the significance (and value) of Sandy's body - it being name tagged on all clothing.
Why would they throw the body into the glacier?
It makes no sense.
It would have had no significant weight (zero water), to hinder transport.
The 'throwing story' sounds like 'planted false information'.
Assuming that money is easily transferable...
Why not release the boot, sock, and foot 'on loan' to the film crew.
They get to photograph it, and then return it to the Chinese.
Everyone wins!
Nice.
This scenario doesn't even stretch the imagination......
Whether it actually happened like this ... who knows?
@EverestMystery You're the one I depended on to give the facts as made public so far, and to provide context. The regular news channels haven't got a clue what this actually means. Thanks again, Thom.
@@EverestMystery geezus---much to do about nothing--have a family member who does airplane accident investigations --the gore and destruction he has to deal with that involves hundreds--and these two guys willfully walked into their own death==who cares? they are nobodies and your trying to create massive drama over nothing
That Google earth demonstration was exactly what i needed to put things together. Thanks!
It's what I was waiting for since when the news first came out. I checked a bunch of them at the time, and there were a lot of interviews or the host talking, but none showing maps.
@@the_card_closet
Absolutely agree. .I feel I know when Everest place names are mentioned I’m not bamboozled . the great holy Mountain looks so small from google earth. Ha 🦄 💜
I absolutely now have a better understanding of Everest and its different areas . Thank you so much .. all the way from Scotland 🏴
Despite not being a climber, I'm fascinated by Everest and mountains in general. You do a wonderful job presenting information and stories about Everest (and other mountains) in an interesting, clear, and non-sensationalized way. I'm looking forward to learning more about this latest chapter of the Irvine/Mallory mystery; but, I realize that we may need to be as patient as a mountain if we want to discover the final chapters of this mystery story. Thank you for this channel and all the great content!
Wow I never thought any clues about Irvine would ever be found. What an amazing story.
Hi, my name is Daniel. I come from Germany. I actually only go hiking in the Alps, the Balkans or the Canary Islands. But I find your videos very fascinating and exciting. I really enjoy watching the videos.
@@simfluencer1199 hi Daniel, were you born and raised in Germany? What a great historical country. Some of the Greatest men ever have come from Germany. I just wanted to let you know that we all have been lied to about what happened in that period of war in the first half of the twentieth century. You don't have to listen to me. You shouldn't ever trust anyone else. But you should do your own homework. Make sure you are objective and I think you will be very surprised.
I haven't climbed a mountain since the 90s, but I truly enjoy these videos. Fascinating.
@@simfluencer1199 jup, ich auch.
@@magic4496 Ja moin
I was so thrilled to hear that we found something from Irvine, but at the same time sad because I think we will not be able to solve the mystery. personally with all the information we have I believe they summited, but I still crave for something that would prove it.
You rock! I’ve been digging everywhere for an analysis of this find to give some idea of where it was. You never fail to deliver!
Couldn’t agree more. 👍 Have to say I didn’t bother looking anywhere else, I knew Thom would give it to us when there was something to report, so I saved myself the effort of looking 😂😂
So where was it then? I might have missed that part. Where did yet find it?
@@naughtyskweet6 there’s no definitive answer but he did a thorough analysis of where it likely was based on images, glacier movement, limited available information, etc.
"I don't know."
That is the most intelligent and honest thing a person can say.
...Ozzy Osbourne also said it :-D
I don’t know is extremely powerful when you’re asked a question especially if you followed up by saying I don’t know, but I’m gonna try and find out
When I first heard about finding the boot, I had many questions about where it was found in relation to the other artifacts and Mallory's body. Your use of graphics explained so much. Thank you and I look forward to more videos.
Everest Mystery is my favorite UA-cam channel. Your vast knowledge, story telling, quality of images and visuals about mountaineering and Mt. Everest history, Mallory and Irvine are excellent.
It's truly appreciated, thank you!
I really like the Google Earth demonstration. It's perfect for me, who has never been to that area to visualize the different locations. Also, Julie seems to be amazing. I'm looking forward to watching the entire interview with her.
Thank you, I'm glad you enjoyed the Google Earth material!
Great video. Glad to see you have explored this thoroughly. When I first heard the news I was convinced that Sandy had been high up on the mountain a long time (possibly until 1995). I think he has then fell / been pushed off the mountian and ended up almost directly below Mallory. As he was frozen he would have broken up during the descent. As its probably only 20 - 30 years since I think he fell, I think he is still up towards the top of the glacier, proabably within 1km of the North Col.
One of your best videos. The graphics were indeed a big help and your analysis was cogent and easy to follow.
We can always rely on you Thom for a balanced, well researched and eloquently presented perspective. Thank you. And I just have to say, what an amazing lady Julie is. Can’t wait to see the interview!
Amen.
That's a great breakdown for those of us who have never been there. Thanks
This is one of the best videos I've seen on this channel. And although I don't necessarily agree with all of the conclusions and opinions expressed in the video, the analysis of the mountain and glacial geography is extremely helpful to someone who hasn't been there in person. Well done Mr. Pollard! Great content.
Fascinating - looking forward to full Julie interview - she seems lovely and lively!
Thank you for explaining everything including how long it would take for Sandys body to move down the mountain & glacier. And thank you for explaining in miles & feet because I don’t understand meters. A little dumb I am but so thankful for you explaining. I was never really interested in Mt Everest , Sandy Irvine or George Mallory until the first time I watched one of your videos. I have been hooked ever since & am a big fan of yours!!! And in my honest opinion, I like to think Sandy & George made it to the top & quickly turned around. And fell on the way down. The google earth demonstration was amazing!!Thank you for everything you do!!💜💜
I think it is likely that the boot/foot were moved to this location to be "discovered". Why? As much to hide the actual spot of discovery in the hopes that a follow-up search will be easier to keep off the radar. I am more impressed that they found him, or as much as they found, so that his life and fate may finally get the recognition they deserve, along with Mallory. Thanks for sharing the maps/locations. So much of this makes more sense now.
I'm with you. And I'm not fully convinced that they did not take the boot off the mountain, knowing that the Chinese would be vigilant in monitoring future expeditions. In my opinion I think that the photo was staged and the boot is somewhere in a forensic lab being analyzed.
@brendanoneill1466 Given that Messner found very little of his younger brother left on Nanga Parbat a few years back, I'm not surprised they didn't find much. Messner had a jump suit and a few bones. People always jump to conclusions. Sad there is so much jealousy regarding the finding of AIs partial remains. It says a lot about what Everest has become today rather than what it represented in 1924.
@@richardhelliwell1210I'm not sure that the guarding of the location is based on jealousy, although I obviously can't be sure. I'm more inclined to think that it is to protect an important site, which may contain further clues/evidence from a gold rush of less respectful expeditions that might not treat the area with the care it needs if any further secrets are to be revealed. But I don't buy in to the Chinese body throwing or film destroying theories either...
@@brendanoneill1466 Call me nuts, but it makes more sense that the boot was placed to deliberately deceive, than something a few inches long was suddenly discovered just lying on the ground in miles of mountainous terrain by a team who just happened to be looking for Irvine in that particular spot at that particular time. A needle in a haystack… with his name on it? Occam’s Razor would suggest a regime that has created the richest dictatorship on earth out of lies in all likelihood placed and arranged for it to be ‘discovered’ for prestige, publicity and money prospects in the form of creating a ‘gold rush’ style flood of western tourists to Everest, and to deflect away from the theory that the CCP had Irvine’s body all along.
@@Robutube1why not?
Great doco. Well researched, as always, and certainly very mindful of the well-known fact that in the Chinese sector of Mount Everest, there will always be information that won't be forthcoming or factually correct. Also lovely to know that Andrew Irvine's family have been kept in the loop
Great analysis. I'm hanging on every update on Sandy, and I'm sure many others are too.
excellent breakdown. Answered all the questions I was wondering. Well done.
I watched your whole ad read very authentic great job. First time I haven’t skipped an ad read in a while.
My sponsor with truly appreciate that, as I very much hope viewers are inspired to check out the product. Thanks very much!
Likewise
Thom. Thank you so much for your time and energy. Sending you and your loved ones positive vibrations ❤
Love your videos Thom. Always meticulously done and captivating.
I know nothing about climbing, and I have never had any desire to climb anything! But I know who these two famous missing climbers were. And your videos are always fascinating. Thank you.
What an amazing discovery, I ran to this channel as soon as I saw the Nat Geo article. To imagine finding Irvine’s remains 100 years later. This story is still so fascinating almost a century later. Thank you for your excellent coverage and I look forward to your further analysis of this mystery!!!
OUTSTANDING! I have long wondered what happened to them and remember hearing about Mallory being found! MOST importantly seeing their families get closure! Can't wait for the rest of the story !
Wow! Using the graphics really helps to visualise the story 🙏🏻 Thank you for taking the time to show the distances and discrepancies
You're awesome Thom, remarkable video, thank you. Really looking forward to how this all plays out, it's so important there's independent commentators such as you working on this stuff.
Okay, Thom. Here’s a test. Have a forensic pathologist look at the lower tibia protruding from the boot and see if that bone was “green” when broken (time of death, June 9th, 1924) OR was it a dry fracture (much later time when the body might have been thrown down the mountain by the CTMA). It’s obvious that detailed photos of artifacts and bodies are critical later. I hope Chin, et. al. took many macro photos while they had the boot, and that they photographed the fracture when they took the tissue for DNA.
.
That is a great question to ask. What was found has been left in China with the CTMA, and the DNA sample, as well, is in China. More on that in a future episode. I'm sure they filmed the hell out of it and took a ton of photos for their film/book/article/speaking tour and whatever else might be down the road.
Exactly what I was thinking. Preservation and get it to a forensic pathologist.
@@EverestMystery Thom would it be possible for you to interview a forensic anthropologist? If you don’t know of someone might I suggest Dr. Murray Marks. He was a graduate from the University of TN, (the “Body Farm”), and worked with Dr. William (Bill) Bass.
My theory: George and Sandy got to the top at dusk..one of them fell descending the step, dragging the other off the mountain. They were both killed or badly wounded and expired soon afterwards.
1960s Chinese find Sandy.. find the sunglasses in the pocket find the camera and maybe some other evidence that they made it to the Summitt. Likely that Sandy would carry any samples due to his huge strength. They take the evidence and throw Sandy off the mountain.
Or they took the body off the mountain and back to China and have subsequently 'found' the foot... although I suspect my first theory is more likely due to the challenge of getting a body off the mountain especially back then
Excellent video Thom! Not only interesting but quite informative as well.
I appreciate your input on this and the graphics were helpful.
This crazy discovery on Everest comes at a time when the world can use all the diversion that we can get. Especially when said diversion reminds us of how capable we are when we put our efforts toward excellence over evil. The following is certainly no criticism of Jimmy Chin. I admire his work bigtime. Chin’s documentary “Free Solo” about Alex Honnold’s mind blowing free climb in Yosemite is incredible. But doesn’t it seem a little odd that this incredible forensic discovery (arguably second only to the discovery of Mallory himself) doesn’t it seem a tad too “perfect” that the boot and remains were found by the most famous, Academy Award winning climber/cinematographer of our time? It’s akin to if James Cameron found Captain Smith’s pocket watch down at Titanic. But with a nod to Andy Warhol sometimes life truly imitates art. And sticking with my analogy, given that James Cameron has been to Titanic more times than any other human being alive, if he did discover such an unlikely personal artifact, it stands to reason that his probability would be significantly higher than anyone else’s. Guess we should chalk this up to a massive “whoa, dude.” At a time when we can really use one.
Not sure how I got here but I am not disappointed!
@@gebarton1225 same!
Really enjoyed this. While I find the idea of Chinese climbers removing the body as unlikely, I found the analysis of Irvine's remains very reasonable and interesting. Looking forward to the full interview with Julie. Thanks Thom.
Great video! Can’t wait to see more of Irvine. I hope someone finds his body.
This is the first time I have watched your video and I found it fascinating! What an amazing storey! I know of the two climbers and them going up Everest but not the whole story. You are extremely knowledgeable and great to listen to. So I want to hear more! I will be subscribing. You held my attention.
Love your content. Kind regards from Bonnie Scotland 🏴
Thanks so much!
First time seeing your videos and just clicked out of boredom and always being interested in Everest. When your Raycon ad came on i immediately saw Jerry in your shirt and that alone got you my sub. Always support a fellow deadhead in any way i can.
AW man thanks so much. Jerry was/is a big part of my life. That T-shirt....get this...glows in the dark. It's probably my favorite T : ) Thanks again, great having you here!
I learned a lot from this video. Very interesting. Thanks for all the hard work!
Thank you for putting everything out there
so we could see where the boot was found in relation to where George Mallory was found. I pray one day soon they find the rest of Sandy Irvine's remains. I am glad his family has found some closure after all of these years.
When putting the video together I thought most would think of it as a yawner....so, I'm happy that people are finding the graphics are useful. Thank you!
@@EverestMystery It was great and I found it very interesting. I hope National Geographic gives us more information.
Thanks for the content once again and congrats on the sponsor!!! 🎉
Thank you very much, I truly appreciate it and grateful that you are cool with the ad inserts. They make doing this possible : )
@@EverestMysterylove your work and I’ve been really pleased with my raycons as well!
Thom,
Always great to see your videos! I sure wish I had taken my love for climbing and advanced to be able to climb 8,000m peaks.
Thank you for covering this great discovery. A discovery that might help give closure to the Irvine family.
Thanks Thom every video Ive seen on the topic just covers the same stuff we've all read in articles. But you always have the full story :)
Really exciting stuff, thanks for this info! So interesting to see Julie at the end! Can’t wait for the next video, thom!
He said that they were keeping the location secret. It only makes sense the boot was moved to be photographed so as not to reveal the actual location of the find
Looking forward to the interview! 😎👍
The interview was truly inspiring. I also can't wait!
Absolutely brilliant, thanks so much Thom.
This was excellent. Well done Sir. I’m curious about the reflections of the glasses. Obviously, they knew people will zoom in on that.
Rookie mistake?😂 One of the biggest mistakes in many pictures and videos today.
@@adrienneclarke3953highly unlikely.
You do the most thorough job telling this story.
This story just becomes more fascinating. Lets hope we do find the rest of him.
I am so happy I have found your channel! What a great story telling and analysis.
Thank you so much, I'm glad you found it too!
excellent stuff as always Thom
Thank you for sharing the graphics. Really helped me understand where Irvine's boot ended up. Great job!
I was kind of worried people would be running for the doors to leave the video during the graphics....but, it really does map it out nicely. THANK YOU
The boot/foot does actually look wet/damp to me. Weren’t Mallory’s remains similarly sun-bleached/mummified? So it stands to reason that if they fell together and landed fairly close, their bodies would’ve been in similar condition until Irvine’s body was carried by whatever means further down the mountain where it was frozen over by the glacier. It would be super fascinating to have a forensic anthropologist’s opinion on this matter.
Your diagrams were exceedingly helpful and decidedly NOT boring. Please do an updated diagram with all of the evidence that we have regarding the mystery so far.
Also, is it just me or is it hilarious how easy Google Earth makes the Everest climb look? 😂
Love this channel! This is top class content!
I don't climb mountains. Even before I was disabled I had a great fear of heights, yet I am somehow subscribed to a ton of great channels related to mountaineering! Now, you have shown up in my feed and appear very knowledgeable, experienced, credible, and a joy to listen to! So, I am now subbed to another mountaineering related channel for reasons I still do not understand. I just like it, I guess?
Fantastic video. Thank you for the walk through on the map. I’m a visual person and this is exactly what I needed to get my bearings
What a great mystery! If Irvine was carrying the camera, as we think then, just maybe, we are closer to a final answer than ever.
Great video! Thank you for sharing your wisdom and insights!
Ah Ueli Steck, I was heartbroken when he passed, legend he was.
That was indeed a tough one to stomach....
Unfortunately, in his case it was just a matter of time. His climbing style was just very risky.
@gutcassidyandthesundancech5925 Ueli a rare human. He created his own date with destiny ... while experiencing every breath he possibly could.
Do you think it's possible that the boot was placed there to be found to quell the speculation that Irvines belongings had been removed in 1975.
Seems coincidental that the timing of the finding of the boot and the fact it was found by a National Geographic film crew seems more like a cover up than a actual natural find by accident.
The mystery deepens.
11:33 that is the most fascinating part of Everest to me and i wish more people went there because it's very hard to find pictures or videos from that side of Everest. There is a single documentary on UA-cam from the 80s that show a bit of that part, from an attempt to climb the North Face. Not sure why almost nobody goes there i think the view up would be amazing.
Fantastic contribution. Thank you!
It's a thriller. I studied a lot about this expedition a couple of years ago, then let it go. Now I am more than back to it. After the find. I can't hv more tens. I believe your research is right and logical. Some details are speculation, of course, others are obvious. NetGeo is not letting much out, more is to come. May the glacier will keep it for a time, but we will for sure find more....one day every glacier melts the ice....great job done with this video..!
Beautifully done, Thom! Love the Google Earth stuff! That really helps to conceive the locations.
Very interesting, thanks for your work and postings. It must have been fascinating chatting to Irvine's relative.
The only video I have seen was mostly about Mallory; so it was good to hear more about Irvine. I know they were great friends.
I don't know if you're aware of it, but I found Wade Davies' audiobook Into The Silence to be easy to follow, and hard to switch off. hahaha
Thanks again mate. Jack.
One of the best content involving this climbing pair as well as the discovery of the two famous climbers. I will add, discovery of Mallory and perhaps Irvine. I hope so.
Regardless, you have done something that was not bias and very well presented
As someone who has done some clever photo-editing for personal projects, the photo of Jimmy Chin (and even the close-up photo of the boot) to me look completely fake; ie. The boot was Photoshopped into a picture of Jimmy Chin. This is just my opinion, and of course I have no knowledge whatsoever of climbing or conditions on Everest or ANY snow/ice-covered mountain. But I just got this “no way” feeling the second I saw the photo. The shadows around the boot are completely wrong as is the lighting. In fact, it looks like really hurried Photoshop; like something I would do just to impress my young daughter. My first thought was the boot, as you said, was found somewhere else, then Photoshopped into a more serene photo of Jimmy Chin because the boot’s location was no place to take an actual photo of the discovery. Again… just my opinion… but historical photos are intended to convey moments and subject matter not always intended to be seen other than by the photographer. The brutal Civil War photos of Matthew Brady come to mind. When you look at a photo like that, you’re immediately drawn to one or more key objects Brady wants you to see. However, those objects are so much a part of the overall subject matter of the complete photo that it can take you a minute or two to finally see the dead bodies under a wagon (or something to that effect). The second I saw the Jimmy Chin photo, I was IMMEDIATELY drawn to the boot. It’s as if too much effort was put into making it stand out. It doesn’t fit the atmosphere of the surroundings. Regardless, this is truly a magnificent story.
Great video Thom! Question I've never known the answer to: When you found Mallory in '99, how far away from his location was your camp? 200 metres, or two km's or what? I'm guessing not to far away as you went up two weeks later and rediscovered him with no trouble, right?
Incredible interview! I got chills!
Great piece. This is so fascinating. Thank you.
This is such a fascinating subject.
As to the location of the find, I am sure there are some clever people out there who could do an analysis of the reflection in the sunglasses to get at least a rough approximation of the location. It might be you would first have to examine an identical pair of sunglasses to work out the distortion caused by the lens shape. Then the camera lens and settings, such as focal length. Luckily we can tell from the reflection how far the photographer was from his subject.
But those peaks are probably relatively easily identifiable.
Amazing news. Had been following this mystery for the last 15 years
Your videos have always been intriguing and well presented and this one continues in that vein. Very well done mate. A stray thought or two: I'm glad that you touched upon what a mountain can do to a human body that has the misfortune to fall upon it. Even if Irvine didn't fall all the way to the glacier initially there really wasn't going to be a 'body' left whenever it was that he did reach it. Recall the tragedy on Whymper's successful ascent of the Matterhorn in 1865 when four of his team fell to the deaths. These men fell somewhat more than half the distance Irvine eventually did. Despite this disparity in distance only bits and pieces of them remained to be discovered (one has never been found), so I don't know that anyone should be getting their hopes up regarding any significant discovery of remains. What makes this all the more relevant is that it probably makes the recovery of a camera or summit rocks something near impossible if not in actuality completely so. Regarding Chin and National Geographic: No-one should be surprised that their cards are going to be held very closely to their chests, there's a load of money to be made concerning this, reputations at stake as well as to be made, etc . . . . so the interested public (which is 99.99% of the rest of us) is just going to have to wait. Looking forward to your next vid on this enduring and fascinating topic. Cheers!
Oh she was wonderful to hear. Thank you so much for including that!
I don't normally watch these videos but I can't stop watching this
Just found your channel, thank you for your amazing work and talented ability to tell these stories with facts, respect, and empathy. Subscribed and have been encouraging others to do so as well.
The location of the find is big. With some reasonable estimation, they could back into a time frame of when the remains first ended up in the glacier. I’d be curious too if there was blood on the sock and boot. If Irvine fell when Mallory did (which given the sightings is less likely, IMO), he would’ve bled upon losing the foot. Im sure there will be more info coming out. Thanks for these great videos!
Interesting thoughts! I was thinking what was found was separated post-mortem, but I shouldn’t assume.
Thank for your wisdom. Nice to hear an experienced climber sharing information That National Geographic is too stuck up to share. : )
Bodies can fare even worse on K2. Body parts are constantly coming down the mountain and are collected and buried at the Gilkey Memorial.
Hey mountain man,Thanks for the info.Looking forward for any new updates..Peace
Thanks my friend, I'm already deep into the next one! Stay tuned and thank you
If what you describe about a body being broken into pieces by fall/elements/environment on the mountain then it's possible Sandy's foot was already separated and in a different location than the main part of his body and the the Chinese did throw his body down the mountain AND his foot was left behind.
Excellent video I enjoyed watching it especially the part where you described what the National Geographic guy was wearing and his sunglasses very good points 🇨🇦.
In addition, I absolutely love your t-shirt while advertising ear buds. I was fortunate enough to see Jerry Garcia and The Grateful Dead! The most eye opening concert I’ve ever been to! LOL!
YES! We love our Jerry. Legend and truly one of a kind : )
I skipped an opportunity to go see Jerry and the DEAD up in Highgate VT back in 95. I was 16 and stupid. A large group of friends drove up there in a van. " I dont have the money, and dont really care for that hippy stuff".
10 years later I have the epiphany and realize how amazing they are, and that they transcended labels and categorization.
And...the fence/ gate or whatever at the show was absolutely obliterated, so I had not need worry about being able to purchase a ticket anyway, If you could have got yourself there, you got in!!!
Lesson somewhat learned.
@@saltpeter7429 they played Highgate two years in a row....I attended the first year, I believe in '94. Jerry forgot some lines to Uncle John's Band. The crowds on the way out after the show formed a mass and were squeezed into an area....I literally thought it was going to be a life or death trampling incident. Looking back now, I'd just gotten a job around the time of the '95 show, and thought better not to go. Big Mistake : ) RIP Jerry
@@EverestMystery well, I guess we both regret missing Highgate 95. Lol.
None of us knew he would be gone so soon...
"Like a locomotive rollin off the track, he's gone, he's gone, he's never comin back..."
RIP Jerry.
@@saltpeter7429 Amen brother
Hey man - this has to be mindblowing for you and, like literally everyone else, I’m just so pleased that Sandy’s story can begin to be pieced together. There’s always so much opinion and controversy around that expedition, for better or worse, and I’m sure you already have people insisting you’re wrong about whatever. For this reason, I’m not at all unhappy that a NatGeo team made this discovery and that it included Jimmy Chin, a person whose character has always appeared to me to be a good one. NatGeo might drop an iron curtain, but I do expect their practices to be rigorous and “archeological,” if that’s a word. That is to say, I think a NatGeo effort will recognize the gravity of what they’ve found and treat their part in it with seriousness and dignity. Hope so anyway, because this is a big deal for his family, British Mountaineering, and human history at large.
I remember reading somewhere about an old English man found that was sat upright with a hole in his cheek wearing the same style of clothing as in the 20s. If that indeed was that of Irvine, it still seems to be in a totally different area than the potential location of the boot. Apologies if I’m totally wrong here, I wish I could find my reference again! Others here might of read it. Fascinated by the Mallory & Irvine climb
Also, thank you for your content Sir, very interesting
You probably read it in the book Fearless on Everest - the search for Sandy Irvine written by his grand niece Julie Summers.
Summers mentions in the book an account of a climber on Everest who claimed to see the body of a dead climber seated upright wearing 1920s clothes.
I remember. It was a Chinese climber saying "an old English found" or something like that.
Love your vids, great job. I believe they did make it and the Chinese have the camera.
I'm not convinced that Irvine's remains were ever sighted prior to this discovery, none of these so-called discoveries were photographed or otherwise recorded. That alone says a lot, like the numerous Yeti sightings they should be treated with a fair amount of scepticism.
I am in complete agreement. No one saw Irvine. The Chinese team saw "a body". I believe they seen Mallory, and told the 99 crew where abouts to look for him.
yeah I've always felt "the body" was likely Mallory's, especially because Mallory was actually visible
It is my understanding that a frozen body on Mt. Everest comes to weigh about 300 lb., and would be essentially welded to the frozen surface by ice and snow. Trying to picture "throwing" such an object off of the mountain. Not so easy unless you had a team and why would they attempt such a thing?
Two explanations come to mind: 1) the body was close to the modern climbing route and the authorities found its presence unsettling; 2) the Chinese claim that they were the first to climb Everest from the north side which is 'their' (Tibetan) side. By removing traces of previous expeditions it is easier to 'support' that claim.
@@baze3SC That also might explain why the film was botched when the Chinese found the camera.
Sir, thank you for sharing your wisdom x
Thanks for a great informative video Those "maps" really helped.
I am a retired climber in Canada . I have followed this story for years. Did they reach the top ? We will never know . The Chinese will never tell us .
Thank you for the mapping, It's a real plus to all us "under the blanket climbers", in order to understand more precise the area for the findings. At least for me. 😺
I will follow every tiny bit of information regarding the exciting findings of Irvine's whereabouts.
Thanks for videos, and I love the Jerry shirt!