The Everest Discrepancy 

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The 20s were fucking wild. People literally were like "what should I wear to climb a mountain that you can literally not breath at the top and is perpetually snowed over?" A sports jacket and oxfords. Don't forget your tie.

7:54 Mallory: "Oxygen is a necessity to reach the summit" Also Mallory: smoking a fat cigar immediately before attempting to climb the mountain

Cards on the table - I would love that Mallory and Irving DID summit. However, Edmund Hilary put it well when he said (I paraphrase) "Surely a key attribute of a successful summit attempt is to return alive".

Mallory after condeming 7 people to death: "I have made a severe, and continuous, lapse in my judgement,"

Dude, George Mallory II climbed Everest and walked past his own dead grandpa's frozen body without even knowing it, shit.

What's interesting is that Everest is still growing, by a few centimeters a year. It's the result of an entire tectonic plate being forced up. The first person to climb everest may have done it first, but the last person to climb it will have climbed the highest.

I knew Ed personally, I asked him "if Mallory was the first to climb Everest" how would you feel?. He said "if he was the first, I would be happy for history to be re-writen".

As a person who’s summited two mountains(I.e. Kings mountain and an attempt on St. Hellens) that summit fever is no joke. There were times while climbing where my entire thought process was on that single point. When I was trying to summit St. Hellens suffering from Oxygen sickness and blisters all over my feet from the shoes that weren’t properly fitted to my feet, I still wanted to get to the top more than anything. It was only until I was falling over several times and struggling to get off my knees about 2,000 feet from the summit when my guide pulled me aside and asked if I thought I was well enough to this. I almost answered yes in spite of my current problems and my drive to get to the top but begrudgingly answered no(not towards my guide but towards my inability to summit the mountain). So glad I did though, and plan to summit that mountain someday. I know this isn’t nearly what the guys on Everest are dealing with but thought I would put into perspective how alluring the top of a mountain can be and how I sorta understand what was going through Mallory’s head when wanting get to the top.

I “love” how the sherpas always get overlooked as if they’re not doing the same thing, or as if they’re just animals that are carrying supplies.

When I was a teenager in the early 2000s I provided care services for an elderly man who was a Mallory theorist. He was around 12 when Mallory’s final ascent happened. He had all sorts of information on Mallory, and it was fascinating. But he always said “Mallory may have reached the summit first, but Hillary was the first to reach the summit and return, so he deserves the accolades”. He was clear that his obsession with Mallory was because he saw something inspirational and tragic in Mallory’s own obsession with summiting Everest, not to take away from Hillary.

Respect to Edward Norton for being able to return from Everest and continuing his acting career

Thanks for the interesting story! The Sherpas definitely deserve the credit too.

It's astounding to me that climbing this thing means you are literally in a race against your own death.

Fun fact about Mount Everest: When the first measurements of Mount Everest were taken by British surveyors, they found that Everest was exactly 29,000 feet tall. They were concerned that no one would believe that the highest mountain in the world would be such a round number, so they added 2 extra feet. And for decades after, it was taught that Mount Everest was 29,002 feet tall

The fact that Irvine had the camera in the end is enough proof for me. I’d put money on the idea that Mallory handed it to him at the summit and told him to take a picture to document Mallory’s successful summit. The proof is with Irvine, wherever he is.

Another interesting tidbit: Mt. Rainier, which is often seen as a preparation mountain for people who wish to climb Everest, was actually first summitted right after the American Civil War by veterans of that same war, similar to how George Mallory was a WWI veteran.

I think it's absolutely crazy that Mallory's body was finally discovered after being missing for 75 years.

As long as the camera wasn’t broken open by the environment, the extreme cold and dryness of the mountain would actually make the film last longer.

It would've been sick to see Emp cover a bit more the incredible and vital contribution that the Sherpas brought to these attempts. They were every bit as amazing humans as the climbers who hired them, yet often throughout history they're literally thought of as tools.

There's only one event I can think of that would've compelled Mallory to stop and give Irvine the camera.

Mallory and Irving's last sighting being for a few minutes as the clouds were parting is kinda beautiful in a way I kinda want the evidence to point to them reaching the summit

“The Everest Discrepancy” sounds like a dang Hitman escalation

I like to think Mallory did make it and died on the descent. While he did make mistakes, he did also go through a lot to be the first and it's nice to imagine he was, even if we'll likely never know.

Mallory was actually overestimated in terms of how good of a climber he was because they failed to account for the weight of his enormous balls.

Fascinating that Mallory’s body wasn’t found until 1999.

Just want to point out that Edmund Hillary AND Tenzing Norgay were jointly the first ones to climb Mount Everest. It is important to mention this as Tenzing is so often overlooked.

The fact that Mallory and his guys set the first record at a little over 8250 without oxygen and the guys that broke it only going about 115 meters further shows the sheer will of four men. For 300 meters they said we don't need oxygen

Mallory gets plus 5 to his climbing skill for the time period he was in. These modern scales are all well and good but there were some big technological differences

this reminded me a lot of the race for the south pole in 1911/12, Amundsen vs Scott. after months of hard trekking over the antarctic tundra, Scott reached the pole, only to find a note left by Amundsen dated to reflect that they were about a month too late. Scott and his party died on the trek back, and Scott himself managed to maintain a journal up until his final moments. a chilling and cosmically tragic story.. ngl i'm interested in how Emp would tell it.

Recently a Nepalese Soldier and expert climber Nirmal Purja managed to climb 14 of the 8000m + mountains of the world in 7 months and set a new world record. He climbed K2 which is the second highest mountain in the world in winter without supplimental oxygen. Talk about being a badass. He's getting a documentary in Netflix soon about the climbs. Made the whole country proud. What a lad!

I only thought I liked Edward Norton in rounders but to hear about his expeditions from before he was even born truly shows his range as an actor

Stuff like this makes it even more incredible that Tibetans can live in places like the Tibetan plateau and sherpas just casually haul supplies between camps. Whether it’s conditioning from birth or genetic adaptation or both they’re just built different.

That part about George Mallory II made me smile. I like to imagine the original George is in the afterlife now and likes to bring that little tidbit up in conversation whenever he can. "My grandson conquered Everest, you know!"

Plot twist:irvin made it to the top and was accepted by the gods for his courage and that's why we can't find him

This might need revisited - Michael Tracy has some really interesting information on his channel that goes into further detail on things like the original plan, the watch found when they found the body, the letter to Mallory's wife that he wanted to leave on the summit (and how it wasn't found in his pockets) and much, much more.

25:53 because it so dry and cold it means that the film is preserved for longer. You can put film in the fridge or freezer to do the same thing. It's likely that if found, we can still develop the film.

When I was 10 I had an obsession with Everest purely because of how eerie and dangerous it was. I read 2 books on Mallory, never thought I’d hear someone speak about him, glad to see you did. May him and his team Rest In Peace.

The cruel irony is Mallory's body was found 300 horizontal meters, about 1,000 feet, from camp VI, the last camp he and Irvine stayed at. And roughly the altitude and given the injuries he had, he didn't fall far, he likely wasn't more than an hour from camp VI when he fell.

on the survivors guilt point, the folks that died on his previous attempt could have also effected him in a more direct way since they died because of 1 his decision making and 2 the mountain itself

The sponsor bit was an interesting way of finding out you’re a Gainesville resident. I too have summited that deadly slope.

I legit think you have a dartboard of random shit, and you just make videos based on where the dart lands and it's somehow always interesting

I half expected you to actually be at Iron Mountain in lakes wales FL, which is the highest point in Florida.

These videos always give me such, a atmosphere that makes me fully interested in the video. Even when its a 30 minute to an hour, it goes by so quick and i felt like ive heard and seen so much but learned nothing. I feel great while I watch these videos. Its like every jumble of anxiety and hatred leaves my body for that timespan of the video. Thank you EmpLemon, I wish and hope to see more.

I have a theory that they did made it and before they returned to the crew the rope snapped and the two met their fate, Mallory put the photo of him and his wife in the summit but eventually it washed away like a chunk of sand in a beach. Its best we still have high hopes that Irvine has those rocks.

"Why did you watch a video on something so niche?" "Because it's there."

*_"Because it's there"_* would've been a pretty cool title if Mallory ever successfully returned and wrote a book about it.

Based on the relative variables, I choose to believe Mallory and Irvine made it but died on the return.

Mr. Lemon sir, I have to say that your videos are spectacular. The editing, the writing, the way you weave together seemingly unrelated topics into a broader discussion. It's incredibly well-done, and anyone with eyes can see the amount of time and effort you put into each video. Thank you for making these videos, I can only hope that they bring you as much enjoyment as they do for those that watch them.

Due to the commercialization of Everest climbing, there's this popular mindset that climbing it is pretty easy. As this guy put it "Everest has become so foolproof that practically anyone in good health with $50,000 and a few weeks to spare can reach the top of the tallest mountain in the world." It is not easy. I haven't climbed it myself but I've been obsessing over it for the past month or so and watched enough documentaries to get a decent idea of what it's like. It is not easy. Not even close. And it certainly isn't foolproof. Many, many people have died to Everest, at least a few every year. Yes, even with the fixed rope. Every person who has climbed it, from the rich with not much else to do with their time, to the most experienced mountaineers, to the sherpas themselves, have described it as one of the most grueling, intense, demanding, exhausting, and terrifying experiences of their lives. The lack of oxygen makes every step a battle, even with supplementary oxygen. The traffic on Everest has even made it tougher, because climbers are forced to stand still, wasting precious oxygen while simultaneously freezing to death. Even the sherpas are scared for their lives every year they climb, and many fail to summit it in their first few attempts. Those who think they're in for easy bragging rights typically end up failing and turning back, forced to re-attempt it when they're actually physically and mentally prepared. Never let the commercialization and popularization of Everest fool you into believing it's easy. It is easily one of the hardest and most dangerous things a human can do.

Fighting at the meat grinder known as the Somme wasn't enough excitement for one life for Mallory. You must admire the balls of that man.

it's very poetic that the first people to reach the top died there. it's like the mountain itself took them as a sacrifice for the ultimate triumph

Your research and presentation is remarkable!

As Mallory famously said: "Why climb it?" _because it's there_

EmpLemon: "At 29000 feet, air pressure is three times lower than at sea level meaning that climbers have access to only one third as much oxygen." Mallory: *Imma smoke my pipe.*

A few details I liked: - The amazing feat and effort for the sponsorship! Truly a glorious journey! - the Christmas(?) music in the background at 15:03?? Keep it up!

This was the first vid of Emps I watched, after watching every other vid and rewatching, it is even better. Why is he so good.

Haven't watched it yet, but I've got a good feeling you'll be talking a lot about trash and corpses, Everest's main imports.

Seeing the photos of Mallory face down in the rocks was brutal. His gear sheered from his bleached white skin. His body in places looking to have the quality of broken porcelain. Hollow, and brittle.

that was , by far, the very best ad read I have ever seen. I know this video is two years old, I hope you are still posting because this is amazing

Your presentation was well written; excellently timed and informative. Well Done, Sir

It's scary to think about what it's like to be the first person. You're doing something NO ONE HAS EVER ACCOMPLISHED, it might not even seem possible yet I see the allure of wanting to cement your place in history.

it’s impossible to predict the videos on this channel and that’s a reason why this is my favorite channel. High quality videos on random topics that leave you with a philosophical mind

I love your choices for the background music here!

I really enjoyed this. Well made. Thank you for sharing.

"Because it's there" is such a succinct expression of the human will. This was a great video, even the ad.

4:13 that geowizard music was a welcome addition.

Just had my second watch of this video. It truly does give me chills, and you did such an amazing job exploring it. It's a horrible death to imagine, and one made even worse by the idea that they could've succeeded, and be the only people who'll ever know it.

"because it's there" literally the hardest response in history

I fucking love how he keeps the “why are the simpsons green” joke alive to this day

“Second place is just first place but for losers” Margaret’s Dad in Regular Show

Coming back to this video, such a good one. Great job emp.

I've seen this video a couple of times now, but I keep coming back to it. It's so fascinating and presented in such an interesting way.

I'm a hopless romantic who loves the idea that Mallory and Irvine made it, and that one day Irvine and a camera with proof will be recovered. I still hold major respect for Tenzing and Sir Ed for their accomplishment, and they get my nod as the first uncontested ascent, not to mention the first successful descent. Messner and Habeler also deserve major credit for the first ascent without supplementary oxygen.

My scout leader climbed Everest and it really put into perspective how difficult it really is. He did 14ers with 100 pounds on his back with ease. He did 14ers three times a week for almost a year in preparation for Everest. And he said it was the most difficult thing he’s ever done. He was a big help at Philmont

Amazing job as always Emp! Love the content.

Looking back at this video, I think this video can also serve as a really powerful lesson on how sometimes being first for anything isn't always a good thing. There is always a price for every thing you gain. It just so happened that the price for this bargain was just too much.

Climbers: Spend years debating the feasibility of the second step. Also climbers: Just install a ladder lol

5:45 Wow, Edward Norton has had quite an interesting life. He climbed Everest, became best friends with Ralph Kramden and starred in Fight Club.

I am ALWAYS blown away by your exceptional writing and narration! cheers lad!

What a great video. I find this topic extremely fascinating/engrossing/riveting. One of my favorite things to learn about.

As a fellow green person, I feel proud for emplemon for climbing the tallest peak in Florida

I would love a video of emplemon just talking about his favorite most obscure piece of media

Thanks for the good info! I hadn’t heard a lot of that info in a way that made me interested to the point where it can stick. Anyway- I really appreciated how you told this story. Thanks! Also, you told in a friendly / glad sounding voice. Honestly enjoyable content. I even got to enjoy your ad for bespoke post… lol I watched the whole thing while I was writing this comment. You seem like a curious and honest person so I’ve subscribed- keep it up!

Fun Fact: Hawai'i's Maunakea is actually the world's tallest mountain from base to pinnacle. It is 10,211 meters (for comparison, Everest is 8,849 meters), but 4,207 meters of Maunakea are underwater, so Everest is the tallest if measured from sea level even though in actuality Maunakea is about 25% higher than Everest.

Amateur. The snorkel was pointed upwards, drawing in even THINNER air. Had you pointed it downwards, you'd have had an easier time.

For anyone looking for more stories about Everest, I strongly recommend reading Into Thin Air by Jon Krakauer, which chronicles the 1996 Everest disaster. He was actually present at the summit on that day. All of his books are great pieces of investigative journalism. Into The Wild, Under the Banner of Heaven, and Where Men Win Glory are all also definitely worth a read.

excellent commentary and research. Thank you so much for sharing your thoughts on exploration. It is the same drive for reaching the yet unexplored that pushes speleologists in ever deeper caves. Exhilarating when the attempt is successful despite the danger. Now, space beckons.

Another fantastic video, thank you!

Whether or not Mallory made it, his colleagues definitely wanted him to have made it. From what you said, they must have been very good friends, or at least respected rivals. I know I would have wanted to think Mallory and Irvine completed their goal before dying

emplemon really is the only dude pump out banger after banger about relatively inconsequential topics that are remarkably interesting

Well done, I’ve heard of their attempt however not in this detail. Great job.

I’ve never seen any of your videos before. Not only was this interesting but that product placement was hilarious. Good to see someone actually making an effort. You earned yourself a Sub my man…

learning that his grandson reached the peak was just too much, I actually almost cried

mt everest was the first strand type game

I like to believe that Mallory & Irvine did it. I'm British. Believing that comes naturally. But I like to believe it because Mallory & Irvine's expedition was the first documentary that I ever saw about climbing the mountain & I just really want to believe that they died achieving something amazing. I also can never forget about Mallory's body & personally, I'd love to die on Everest. (I am aware that is a strange ambition)

I think there is a very decent chance he made it. He was smart, brave and obsessed I don't think they would have turned back and fell on the way down without reaching the summit first.

"In a spiritual sense the greatest pioneers are never truly alone. While on the precipice of making history all of mankind is with them. If they were to fail, so would the rest of us." Dang, Emp. Dang.

I truly admire Odel, who could have easily said he didn’t believe they made it in a n effort to be first himself. But he along with many of his colleagues chose to claim their belief in Mallory’s success!

Thank you for covering Michael Tracy's data on Mallory using the Great Couloir and then up the “Zig Zag” route to the summit. O’Dell saw Mallory climb over the THIRD step. Lastly, there are pictures of Everest on June 8th…no storm! There’s a very good chance they made it…