Quiz of the Day
Mount Everest & Exploration
Friday, 29 May 2026
Hillary & Tenzing summit anniversary 1953 — mountaineering, explorer trivia
1. On what date did Edmund Hillary and Tenzing Norgay first summit Mount Everest?
- 29 May 1953
- 29 May 1958
- 29 May 1950
- 29 May 1955
News of the conquest reached London on the morning of Queen Elizabeth II's coronation on 2 June 1953, creating a wave of national celebration. Hillary was knighted, while Tenzing received the George Medal — a distinction that caused lasting controversy about unequal recognition.
2. How tall is Mount Everest?
- 8,486 metres
- 8,849 metres
- 9,102 metres
- 7,848 metres
Everest's official height was revised to 8,849 metres in 2020 after a joint Chinese-Nepalese survey. The mountain grows about 4 mm per year due to tectonic activity. Its summit is roughly the cruising altitude of a commercial aircraft, where oxygen levels are one-third of sea level.
3. What nationality was Tenzing Norgay?
- Nepalese (Sherpa)
- Nepali-Indian Sherpa — his nationality was debated
- Tibetan
- Indian
Tenzing was born in Tibet, grew up in Nepal, and lived in India — so three countries claimed him. When pressed about who reached the summit first, he and Hillary agreed to say they reached it 'together as a team,' a pact they honoured for life.
4. What is the 'Death Zone' on Mount Everest?
- A specific crevasse field near Camp 2
- The altitude above 8,000 metres where the body deteriorates rapidly
- The Khumbu Icefall
- Below base camp where avalanches are most common
Above 8,000 metres, the human body literally begins to die — cells cannot regenerate, digestion stops, and the brain becomes impaired. Climbers in the Death Zone burn over 10,000 calories per day. Most spend less than 24 hours there; longer stays dramatically increase the risk of death.
5. Who was the first person to reach the South Pole?
- Robert Falcon Scott
- Roald Amundsen
- Richard Byrd
- Ernest Shackleton
Norwegian explorer Roald Amundsen reached the South Pole on 14 December 1911, beating Robert Scott by 34 days. Amundsen used dog sleds and Inuit survival techniques, while Scott relied on ponies and man-hauling. Scott's entire return party perished just 18 km from a supply depot.
6. How many people have summited Mount Everest as of 2025?
- About 1,500
- About 6,000
- About 3,000
- Over 6,600
Over 6,600 different people have reached the summit, with many doing it multiple times. Kami Rita Sherpa holds the record with 30 ascents. In 2023, a record 600+ people summited in a single season, leading to notorious 'traffic jams' near the top.
7. What did Edmund Hillary do after climbing Everest?
- Built schools and hospitals in Nepal
- Retired from exploration
- Became a politician
- Became a professional lecturer
Hillary spent decades building over 30 schools and 2 hospitals in Nepal's Solu-Khumbu region through his Himalayan Trust. He said his humanitarian work was more important than climbing Everest. He appeared on the New Zealand $5 note and was the only living New Zealander on currency.
8. Which explorer's ship was called 'Endurance'?
- Ernest Shackleton
- Captain Cook
- Ferdinand Magellan
- Francis Drake
Shackleton's Endurance was crushed by Antarctic pack ice in 1915, stranding 28 men. Shackleton then sailed 1,300 km in a tiny lifeboat across the Southern Ocean — one of the greatest feats of navigation in history. Every crew member survived. The wreck was found in 2022, remarkably intact on the seafloor.
9. What is the youngest age anyone has summited Mount Everest?
- 13 years old
- 17 years old
- 15 years old
- 19 years old
Jordan Romero from California summited Everest in 2010 at age 13. This prompted Nepal to set a minimum age of 16, while China set it at 18. The oldest person to summit was Yuichiro Miura of Japan at age 80 in 2013.
10. What is the name of the base camp most Everest climbers start from?
- North Base Camp in Tibet
- Western Base Camp in India
- Both are commonly used
- South Base Camp in Nepal
South Base Camp (Nepal, 5,364 m) is far more popular, with about 80% of climbers using it. North Base Camp (Tibet, 5,150 m) can be reached by vehicle. South Base Camp has grown into a small city during climbing season, with a bakery, coffee shop, and even Wi-Fi.
11. Who was the first woman to summit Mount Everest?
- Lydia Bradey
- Junko Tabei
- Phantog
- Wanda Rutkiewicz
Japanese mountaineer Junko Tabei reached the summit on 16 May 1975, just 12 days after being buried by an avalanche at Camp II. She also became the first woman to complete the Seven Summits (the highest peak on every continent). She continued climbing until cancer treatment stopped her in 2012.
12. What did the ancient Greeks believe was at the edge of the world?
- An infinite ocean
- A wall of fire
- The pillars of Hercules
- A great waterfall
The Pillars of Hercules (modern Strait of Gibraltar) marked the boundary of the known world. The phrase 'Ne Plus Ultra' (nothing further beyond) was inscribed there as a warning. After Columbus's voyage, Spain changed its motto to 'Plus Ultra' (further beyond), which remains its motto today.
13. How much does it typically cost to climb Mount Everest with a guided expedition?
- $30,000 - $100,000
- $150,000 - $200,000
- $15,000 - $25,000
- $5,000 - $10,000
The Nepal climbing permit alone costs $11,000 per person. Full guided expeditions range from $30,000 to over $100,000 depending on support level. Luxury expeditions with personal Sherpas and espresso machines can exceed $200,000. The Sherpa guides who make it possible earn around $5,000-$10,000 per season.
14. Which explorer is credited with the first circumnavigation of the globe?
- Magellan's expedition, completed by Elcano
- Francis Drake
- Juan Sebastián Elcano
- Ferdinand Magellan
Magellan was killed in the Philippines in 1521, so he never actually completed the voyage. Juan Sebastián Elcano took command and finished the circumnavigation, arriving back in Spain in 1522 with just 18 of the original 270 crew. It had taken nearly three years.
15. What is K2, and why is it considered harder than Everest?
- A volcano in the Andes
- A peak in the Alps
- The tallest mountain measured from base to summit
- The second tallest mountain with a much higher fatality rate
K2 (8,611 m) has a fatality rate of about 1 death for every 4 summits, compared to Everest's roughly 1 in 100. It has never been climbed in winter successfully until 2021, when a Nepali team finally achieved it. The 'K' stands for Karakoram — it was simply the second peak surveyed in the range.