Sir Edmund Hillary (Great Explorers)

After two years of training with the British Mount Everest Expedition, Edmund Hillary, along with Nepalese Sherpa Tenzing Norgay, completed the challenging climb to become the first men to reach the summit of the world's highest peak, Mount Everest, on May 29, 1953. But this historic achievement didn't mean the end of Hillary's adventures. In 1955, he led a party across Antarctica by snow tractor, pioneering a new route to the South Pole. Hillary followed this up by leading several expeditions to the Himalayas, and establishing the Himalayan Trust, which has funded more than 30 schools in Nepal, as well as hospitals, medical clinics, and airstrips. Knighted by Queen Elizabeth of Great Britain, Hillary was also granted honorary citizenship in Nepal. In ""Sir Edmund Hillary"", learn about this daring explorer and his accomplishments.

Samuel Willard Crompton has contributed sections on explorers and exploration to a number of works, including the American National Biography and the Atlas of Exploration. Crompton teaches history at Westfield State College and Holyoke Community College.