Exciting New Clue Discovered in 100-Year-Old Mystery of 1924 Everest Expedition!

Clues in 100-Year-Old Everest Mystery Emerge as Climber’s Foot Is Found

The long-standing mystery of Mount Everest climbers Sandy Irvine and George Mallory may have finally been solved after 100 years. A team working with National Geographic was believed to have found the remains of one of the climbers. In September, the team recovered a boot and sock that had emerged from a melting glacier on Mount Everest. This discovery intrigued the experts, and the team began searching for more evidence that could help uncover the fate of the lost explorers and their expedition. Now, let's explore the details of the discovery and look at what researchers had to say.

Details About the Shocking Discovery

The National Geographic documentary team found a human boot and foot along with a sock with the name 'A.C. Irvine' stitched into it. The explorers discovered this on the melted ice of the Central Rongbuk Glacier. A few days before finding the boot, the team also discovered an oxygen cylinder that revealed clues about another explorer from the 1933 expedition. 'Free Solo' co-director Jimmy Chin explained to CNN , "It was the first real evidence of where Sandy ended up. A lot of theories had been put out there." The team was continuously searching for items like Irvine's Kodak Vest Pocket camera, which could provide pictures of their climb and help solve the mystery.

Remembering the 1924 Expedition

Knewz.com learned that Andrew Irvine and his climbing partner, George Mallory, wanted to be the first to climb Mount Everest but disappeared on June 8, 1924. In 1999, Mallory's remains were found , prompting researchers to think about Irvine's fate. However, with the discovery of the boot, historians were eager to learn more about what happened on the expedition and provide closure regarding the untimely death. Chin told The Independent , "When someone disappears and there’s no evidence of what happened to them, it can be challenging for families. Just having some definitive information about where Sandy might have ended up was certainly helpful, and it was also a big clue for the climbing community about what happened."

Irvine’s Neice Got Overwhelmed

Chin, along with his team, very carefully removed the boot after they saw birds disturbing the find. They transferred it and handed it over to the China-Tibet Mountaineering Association (CTMA). After the discovery, the team immediately reached out to Irvine's family, who had been looking for closure , especially his niece, who had even written a book about him: Fearless on Everest: The Quest for Sandy Irvine . Irvine's great-niece, Julie Summers, told CNN , "I had lived with this story since I was seven years old when my father told us about the mystery of Uncle Sandy on Everest." She added, "The story became more real when climbers found the body of George Mallory in 1999, and I wondered if Sandy’s body would be discovered next. A quarter of a century after that discovery, it seemed extremely unlikely that anything new would be found."

Theories Speculating Mallory Irvine's Fate

According to Chin, experts shared their views on different theories related to the tragic expedition. One theory suggested that the Mallory-Irvine duo might have faced difficulties in reaching their goal. They were last seen by fellow climber Noel Odell near the Second Step, appearing healthy and making progress. Another theory proposed that both may have fallen while descending from the summit. Deep rope marks found on Mallory's remains hinted at high-altitude climbing challenges. Other theories included poor weather and health conditions. In her biography, Summers wrote, according to Newsweek , "It's an object that belonged to him and has a bit of him in it. It tells the whole story about what probably happened."