JPFreek - Index

JPFreek - Spring 2008 - Index

In Memoriam
Sir Edmund Hillary
(1919-2008)
The mountaineering community lost a true
pioneer on January 11, 2008 with the death of
Edmund Hillary, a native of New Zealand and
the first climber to summit Mt. Everest. Hillary’s
1953 British expedition and successful summit
of the world’s tallest mountain brought him
and fellow climber/ Sherpa Tenzing Norgay
instant celebrity.
As a mountaineer, Hillary set a standard for
responsible exploration and appreciation for
the natural world. In addition to his success as
a climber, Hillary excelled as a devoted
philanthropist who played an integral part in
helping the Sherpa people of Nepal through
the Himalayan Trust, which he founded.
Through his efforts many schools and
hospitals were created and have continued to
provide countless benefit to the natives of the
Himalayan Nepal region.
Often times outspoken about his disdain for
attitudes of modern mountaineers, Hillary
made it a point to articulate his concerns and
expressed criticism of mountaineers who
followed a code of ethics sub-par from moral
conscious.
JPFreek Adventure Magazine recognizes and
pays tribute to a man who has provided
inspiration to us as a mountaineer and as a
person who made it his life calling to help
those in need.