Mount Everest Climbers

mount everest climbers

INTRODUCTION

Mount Everest is the tallest mountain in the world and therefore the scaling of Everest has been one of the ultimate feats for mankind. The following charts show the most common occupations of people who reached the summit of Mount Everest. There are also charts showing the most common occupations in certain nationalities and among female climbers. Also shown are the most common nationalities between 1953 to 1975 and from 1953 to 1989.

Charts

1. Most Common Occupations of Everest Summitters 1953 - 1989

2. Most Common Occupations of Everest Summitters

3. Most Common Nationality of Everest Summitters 1953 - 1989

4. Most Common Nationality of Everest Summitters 1953 - 1975

5. Most Common Occupations of American Everest Summitters

6. Most Common Occupations of British Everest Summitters

7. Most Common Occupations of Indian Everest Summitters

8. Most Common Occupations of Chinese Everest Summitters

9. Most Common Occupations of Female Everest Summitters

Data Table

10. Nationality, Occupation, Age and Gender of Mount Everest Summitters 1953-1989

I looked at 1953 – 1989 because climbing Everest became much easier in the 1990s. The two leading occupations, Alpine guide and high-altitude porter, are related to mountain climbing. It's not surprising that two such occupations are first and second. Occupations not directly related to mountain climbing, physician is the most common. This is perhaps related to their understanding of the human body and what it can endure and how to remain in the right condition. The first physician to climb Everest was American anesthesiologist Thomas Frederick Hornbein. Engineers are also quite common among summiteers. The first engineer to climb Everest was the Swiss oxygen expert Juerg P. Marmet who reached the summit in 1956. The 4 individuals with occupation listed as "officer worker" shows that people from regular lower middle class occupations have also been among those who have climbed to the top of Everest in this period.

Edmund Hillary and Tenzing Norgay were the first people to reach the summit of Mount Everest in 1953.

Photo by Jamling Tenzing Norgay

Licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0

For the total period, from 1953 – present, students have become the most common group along with physicians among non-professional mountaineers. Student climbers became much more common in the 90s. However professional mountaineers remain by far the dominant group. Engineers, along with physicians, have remained the most common non-mountaineering profession among successful Everest climbers over the longer period as well.

Jürg Marmet was part of the Swiss pair, along with Ernst Schmied, who reached the summit on 23rd May 1956. They were the first after Hillary and Norgay. Marmet was a chemical engineer by profession.

Photo by Ernst Schmied

Nepalese climbers and climbers from developed countries such as USA, Japan and countries of western Europe surpassed China and India by the end of the 80s as groups of well financed expeditions of western climbers used local Nepalese sherpas in their expeditions.

Kami Rita, a Nepalese sherpa, has reached the summit of Everest a record 24 times.

Photo taken from Smithsonian Magazine

In the first 20 years, climbing Everest was dominated by climbers from Asian countries with China, India, Nepal and Japan being the top 4 in that order. However climbers from western countries were well represented too. The top western European country is Italy with 5 climbers and 2nd is Switzerland with 4. Italy and Switzerland together encompass much of the Alpine region so it's unsurprising they produce many mountain climbers since they grow up in close proximity to a large mountain range. Switzerland is notable since it's a small country but had 4 climbers between 1953 and 1975, one less than the USA which had around 20 times the population of Switzerland. The 4 Swiss climbers comprised of two pairs who reached the summit on 23th and 24th May 1956. They were the first to reach the summit after the Edmund Hilary and Tenzing Norgay made the famous first summit in 1953.

Professional mountaineering occupations such as alpine guides are most common. Upper middle class occupations such as Physicians, Attorneys, Engineers and Bankers are the most common occupations among non-professional mountaineers. This is mostly due to the expenses of training and climbing Everest.

The occupational profile of British Everest Summitters is similar to Americans. Upper middle class occupations such as physicians represent a high proportion of British Everest Summitters too. Professional mountaineers are a lower proportion of British summitters than Americans.

The original expedition to Everest in 1953 was largely a British expedition although no Brits actually made it to the summit with Edmund Hilary (New Zealand) and Tenzing Norgay. The first Britons to climb to the top of Everest were Dougal Haston, Director of International School of Mountaineering, and Doug Scott, a school teacher. They reached the summit 24th September 1975.

Students and military personel are the most common groups for Indian summitters. Among the 4 countries examined here, Indian Everest summitters are far less likely to be professional mountaineers than American, British or Chinese climbers.

The first person with Indian nationality to reach the summit was Tibetan born Nawang Gombu. The first Indian born person to reach the summit was Avtar Singh Cheema, a Major in the Indian Army, on 20th May 1965. He reached the summit with Nawang Gombu who became the first person to reach the summit of Everest twice.

Photo by Alfred Gregory/RGS

Tibetan born Nawang Gombu was the first person with Indian nationality to reach the summit of Everest. He also became the first person to reach the summit twice when he was part of the 1965 Indian expedition.

Wang Fuzhou, who was part of the 1960 Chinese Mount Everest expedition, graduated from the Beijing Institute of Geology in 1958.

There is less available data for occupations of Chinese summitters. The information available shows a higher proportion of businessmen than students, physicians or engineers. However professional mountaineers are the most common group as with America and Britain.

On 25th May 1960, Wang Fuzhou, Qu Yinhua and Gongbu (Tibetan) became the first people from Chinese team to reach the summit. They were the first ever to reach the summit from the north side.

The first woman to reach the summit of Everest was Japanese housewife Junko Tabei in 1975. Just 11 days later, Tibeten female climber, Ms Phantog (Phandu, Pando), reached the top of Everest. Professional mountaineering occupations such as alpine guides represent a much smaller proportion of female climbers than male climbers. Students represent a higher proportion of female Everest summitters than male summitters. Students, physicians, engineers and attorneys are well represented as they are with males. Housewives and nurses are also common among female climbers.

Junko Tabei, of Japan, was the first woman to reach the summit of Mount Everest in 1975.

Photo by Jaan Künnap

Licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0

10. Nationality, Occupation, Age and Gender of Mount Everest Summitters 1953-1989

Date	Name	Nationality	Occupation	Age	Gender
29/05/53	Edmund Percival Hillary	New Zealand	Apiarist & alpinist	33	M
29/05/53	Tenzing Norgay	Nepal & India		39	M
23/05/56	Juerg P. Marmet	Switzerland	Engineer (oxygen expert)	28	M
23/05/56	Ernst Schmied	Switzerland	Business executive	31	M
24/05/56	Adolf (Dolf) Reist	Switzerland	Photographer & aircraft mechanic	35	M
24/05/56	Hans-Rudolf Von Gunten	Switzerland	Chemist	27	M
25/05/60	Gombu (Konbu)	China		25	M
25/05/60	Ying-Hua Qu	China		25	M
25/05/60	Fu-Chou Wang	China		24	M
01/05/63	James W. (Jim) Whittaker	USA	Manager, Recreational Equipment Inc, Seattle retail co-op	34	M
01/05/63	Nawang Gombu	India (2)	Instructor, Himalayan Mountaineering Institute	26	M
22/05/63	Barry Chapman Bishop	USA	Photographer & geographer, National Geographic Society	31	M
22/05/63	Luther Gerald (Lute) Jerstad	USA	Speech instructor, University of Oregon alpine guide	26	M
22/05/63	Thomas Frederick Hornbein	USA	Physician (anesthesiologist)	32	M
22/05/63	William Francis (Willi) Unsoeld	USA	University professor of philosophy & religion, deputy director	36	M
20/05/65	Autar Singh Cheema	India	Major, Indian Army	27	M
22/05/65	Sonam Gyatso	India		42	M
22/05/65	Sonam Wangyal	India		23	M
24/05/65	Ang Kami Sherpa	India		0	M
24/05/65	C. P. Vohra	India		30	M
29/05/65	Hari Pal Singh Ahluwalia	India	Captain, Indian Army	27	M
29/05/65	Harish Chandra Singh Rawat	India		30	M
29/05/65	Phu Dorje Sherpa (Khumjung)	Nepal		39	M
11/05/70	Teruo Matsuura	Japan		36	M
11/05/70	Naomi Uemura	Japan		29	M
12/05/70	Katsutoshi Hirabayashi	Japan		35	M
12/05/70	Chotare Sherpa (Namche Bazar)	Nepal		37	M
05/05/73	Rinaldo Carrel	Italy	Alpine guide	21	M
05/05/73	Mirko Minuzzo	Italy	Alpine guide	26	M
05/05/73	Lhakpa Tenzing Sherpa (Namche Bazar)	Nepal		32	M
05/05/73	Shambu Tamang (Lisankhu) (2)	Nepal		17	M
07/05/73	Claudio Benedetti	Italy	Alpine & ski instructor in Military School of Aosta	27	M
07/05/73	Virginio Epis	Italy	Alpine & ski instructor in Military School of Aosta	41	M
07/05/73	Fabrizio Innamorati	Italy	Ski & alpine instructor in the Military School	30	M
07/05/73	Sonam Gyaltzen Sherpa (Bagam)	Nepal		29	M
26/10/73	Hisashi Ishiguro	Japan	Office worker	28	M
26/10/73	Yasuo Kato (3)	Japan	Student of university	24	M
16/05/75	Ms. Junko Tabei	Japan	Housewife	35	F
16/05/75	Ang Tshering Sherpa (Namche Bazar)	Nepal		25	M
27/05/75	Da Phuntsok (Darphuntso)	China		30	M
27/05/75	Kunga Pasang (Gonga Basang)	China		27	M
27/05/75	Lhotse (Louze)	China		36	M
27/05/75	Ngapo Khyen (Abu Qin)	China		18	M
27/05/75	Ms. Phantog (Phandu, Pando)	China		36	F
27/05/75	Samdrup (Samdruk)	China	Alpinist	22	M
27/05/75	Sonam Norbu	China		28	M
27/05/75	Tsering Tobgyal	China		0	M
27/05/75	Sheng-Fu Hou	China		35	M
24/09/75	Dougal Haston	UK	Director of International School of Mountaineering, Leysin	33	M
24/09/75	Douglas Keith (Doug) Scott	UK	School teacher, writer and photographer	34	M
26/09/75	Peter David Boardman	UK	National officer, British Mountaineering Council	24	M
26/09/75	Pertemba Sherpa (Khumjung) (3)	Nepal		27	M
16/05/76	Michael P. (Bronco) Lane	UK	Royal Artillery (Corporal)	30	M
16/05/76	John Henry (Brummie) Stokes	UK	Royal Green Jackets (Sergeant)	30	M
08/10/76	Chris H. Chandler	USA	Physician	28	M
08/10/76	Robert (Bob) Cormack	USA	Pilot	30	M
15/09/77	Sang-Don Ko	S Korea	Works for Korean state cigarette monopoly	28	M
15/09/77	Pemba Nurbu/Norbu Sherpa (Namche Bazar)	Nepal		28	M
03/05/78	Wolfgang Nairz	Austria	Staff member, Austrian Alpine Club	33	M
03/05/78	Horst Bergmann	Austria	Owns & manages motor car body repair shop & cameraman	36	M
03/05/78	Hans Robert Schauer (3)	Austria	Alpine guide	24	M
03/05/78	Ang Phu Sherpa (Khumjung) (2)	Nepal		27	M
08/05/78	Peter Habeler	Austria	Alpine guide & ski Instructor	35	M
08/05/78	Reinhold Messner (2)	Italy		33	M
11/05/78	Reinhard Karl	W Germany	Student	31	M
11/05/78	Oswald Oelz	Austria	Staff of the Univ. Hospital	35	M
14/05/78	Franz Oppurg	Austria	Alpine guide	29	M
14/10/78	Josef Mack	W Germany	Dental surgeon	28	M
14/10/78	Hubert Hillmaier	W Germany	Alpine guide	34	M
14/10/78	Hans Engl	W Germany	Carpenter	34	M
15/10/78	Jean Afanassieff	France	Alpine guide	25	M
15/10/78	Nicolas Jaeger	France	Alpine guide & physician (mountaineering medicine)	31	M
15/10/78	Pierre Mazeaud	France	Former Minister of Youth and Sports/former member of parliament	49	M
15/10/78	Kurt Diemberger	Austria	Alpine guide & cameraman	46	M
16/10/78	Siegfried (Sigi) Hupfauer	W Germany	Alpine guide	37	M
16/10/78	Ms. Wanda Rutkiewicz	Poland	Electronics engineer	35	F
16/10/78	Robert Allenbach	Switzerland	Machine-tools salesman	28	M
16/10/78	Wilhelm Klimek	W Germany	Installs heating & cooling equipment in buildings	37	M
16/10/78	Ang Dorje Sherpa (Thamo) (2)	Nepal		29	M
16/10/78	Ang Kami Sherpa (Tsermadingma) (2)	Nepal		0	M
16/10/78	Mingma Nuru Sherpa (Khumjung)	Nepal		0	M
17/10/78	Bernd Kullmann	W Germany	Student (biology & physical education)	24	M
17/10/78	Georg Ritter	W Germany	Surveyor	31	M
13/05/79	Andrej Stremfelj (2)	Yugoslavia	Student of physical education	22	M
13/05/79	Jernej (Nejc) Zaplotnik	Yugoslavia	Teacher	27	M
15/05/79	Stanislav (Stane) Belak-Srauf	Yugoslavia	Mechanical technician	38	M
15/05/79	Stipe Bozic (2)	Yugoslavia	Mechanical engineer	28	M
01/10/79	Gerhard Schmatz	W Germany	Attorney	50	M
01/10/79	Johann (Hans) Von Kaenel	Switzerland	Head of department in sporting-goods shop	38	M
01/10/79	Hermann Warth	W Germany	University lecturer in political science	38	M
01/10/79	Lhakpa Gyalzen/Gyalu Sherpa (Phortse)	Nepal		30	M
02/10/79	Nicholas Victor Aloysius (Nick) Banks	New Zealand	Alpine instructor	27	M
02/10/79	Tilman Fischbach	W Germany	Holds a diploma as a chemist & is candidate for medical degree	31	M
02/10/79	Raymond Edward (Ray) Genet	USA	Alpine guide	48	M
02/10/79	Guenter Kaempfe	W Germany	Mechanical engineer	46	M
02/10/79	Ms. Hannelore Schmatz	W Germany	Housewife	39	F
02/10/79	Ang Jangbu (Ang Jambu) Sherpa (Pangboche)	Nepal		21	M
02/10/79	Ang Phurba Sherpa (Namche Bazar)	Nepal		22	M
02/10/79	Sungdare Sherpa (Pangboche) (5)	Nepal		24	M
17/02/80	Leszek Cichy	Poland	Geodesic engineer	28	M
17/02/80	Krzysztof Wielicki	Poland	Electronics engineer	30	M
10/05/80	Tsuneo Shigehiro	Japan	Sporting goods salesman	32	M
10/05/80	Takashi Ozaki (2)	Japan	Employee of Kameyama-Automobile Co.	27	M
14/05/80	Martin Zabaleta Larburu	Spain	Works in Uriarte's trekking company leading treks overseas	30	M
14/05/80	Pasang Temba Sherpa (Ghat)	Nepal		29	M
19/05/80	Andrzej (Leszek) Czok	Poland	Electronics engineer	31	M
19/05/80	Jerzy Kukuczka	Poland	Mechanical engineer	32	M
21/10/81	Christopher M. (Kris) Kopczynski	USA	Building contractor	33	M
24/10/81	Christopher J. (Chris) Pizzo	USA	Physician	32	M
24/10/81	Young/Yong Tenzing Sherpa (Namche Bazar)	Nepal		28	M
24/10/81	Peter Harvey Hackett	USA	Physician	33	M
04/05/82	Vladimir Sergeevich Balyberdin (2)	USSR	Senior engineer	32	M
04/05/82	Eduard Vikentevich Myslovsky	USSR	Senior researcher, State Machine Building Institute	44	M
04/05/82	Sergei Igorevich Bershov (3)	USSR	House painter	35	M
04/05/82	Mikhail Mikhailovich Turkevich	USSR	Senior instructor, Mountaineering club "Donbass"	29	M
05/05/82	Sergei Borisovich Efimov	USSR	Instructor (Sverdlovsk)	38	M
05/05/82	Valentin Andreevich Ivanov	USSR	Department chief, Designing Bureau	40	M
08/05/82	Valeri Nikolaevich Khrishchati	USSR	Engineer and geologist	30	M
08/05/82	Kazbek Shakimovich Valiev	USSR	Senior engineer, seismology institute, Acadamy of Sciences	29	M
09/05/82	Yuri Fedorovich Golodov	USSR	Senior researcher, Fish-breeding Research Institute	38	M
09/05/82	Valeri Vasipevich Khomutov	USSR	Department chief (Moscow Radio Research Institute)	40	M
09/05/82	Vladimir Nikolaevich Puchkov	USSR	Mechanic, plant named after M. I. Kalinin	33	M
05/10/82	Laurie Skreslet	Canada	Alpine guide	32	M
05/10/82	Lhakpa Dorje Sherpa (Khunde) (2)	Nepal		27	M
07/10/82	Patrick (Pat) Morrow	Canada	Photographer	29	M
07/10/82	Lhakpa Tshering Sherpa (Khunde) (4)	Nepal		26	M
07/10/82	Pema Dorje Sherpa (Khumjung) (3)	Nepal		23	M
07/05/83	David Finlay Breashears (5)	USA	Film-maker	27	M
07/05/83	Peter Jamieson	USA	Manager, mountaineering-equipment shop	27	M
07/05/83	Gerard A. (Gerry) Roach	USA	Computer scientist	39	M
07/05/83	Ang Rita Sherpa (Yilajung) (10)	Nepal	High-altitude porter	34	M
07/05/83	Lawrence Darius (Larry) Nielson	USA	School teacher	35	M
14/05/83	Gary R. Neptune	USA	Sells mountaineering equipment	37	M
14/05/83	James H. (Jim) States	USA	Physician	37	M
14/05/83	Lhakpa Dorje Sherpa (Phortse)	Nepal		25	M
08/10/83	Carlos Paltenghe Rockhold Buhler	USA	Alpine guide	28	M
08/10/83	Kim A. Momb	USA	Construction worker	27	M
08/10/83	Louis French (Lou) Reichardt	USA	Professor of neurobiology	41	M
08/10/83	Haruichi Kawamura	Japan	Designer, mountaineering clothing and equipment	35	M
08/10/83	Shomi Suzuki	Japan	Alpine guide	30	M
08/10/83	Haruyuki Endo	Japan	Civil engineer	26	M
08/10/83	Hiroshi Yoshino	Japan	Salesman, mountaineering equipment shop	33	M
08/10/83	Hironobu Kamuro	Japan	Buddhist monk	31	M
09/10/83	George Henry Lowe	USA	Physicist	39	M
09/10/83	Jay L. Cassell	USA		35	M
09/10/83	Daniel Allen (Dan) Reid	USA	Cardio-thoracic surgeon	41	M
16/12/83	Noboru Yamada (3)	Japan	Electrical engineer	33	M
16/12/83	Kazunari Murakami	Japan	Plumber	28	M
16/12/83	Nawang Yonden Sherpa (Beding)	Nepal	Alpine guide	31	M
20/04/84	Christo Ivanov Prodanov	Bulgaria	Metallurgical engineer	41	M
08/05/84	Metodi Stefanov Savov	Bulgaria	Television cameraman	36	M
08/05/84	Ivan Georgiev Valtchev	Bulgaria	Mechanical engineer	36	M
09/05/84	Kiril Dimitrov Doskov	Bulgaria	Student, geology and geography	25	M
09/05/84	Nikolay Mihaylov Petkov (2)	Bulgaria	Student (Sofia University)	25	M
09/05/84	Phu Dorjee Sherpa	India	Alpine instructor	34	M
23/05/84	Ms. Bachendri Pal	India	Teacher, physical education	29	F
23/05/84	Dorje Lhatoo Sherpa	India	Alpine instructor	39	M
23/05/84	Sonam Palzor Sarapa	India	Company commander of Indian Border Police	40	M
03/10/84	Timothy John Macartney-Snape (2)	Australia		28	M
03/10/84	Gregory (Greg) Mortimer	Australia	Geologist	31	M
15/10/84	Zoltan Demjan	Czechoslovakia	Geologist	29	M
15/10/84	Jozef Psotka	Czechoslovakia	Electronics and physics teacher, high school	50	M
20/10/84	Philip Michael (Phil) Ershler (2)	USA	Alpine guide	33	M
21/04/85	Christian John Storey (Chris) Bonington	UK	Alpinist	50	M
21/04/85	Odd Eliassen	Norway	Master carpenter	40	M
21/04/85	Bjorn Age Myrer-Lund	Norway	Student	33	M
21/04/85	Dawa Norbu Sherpa (Yilajung)	Nepal	High-altitude porter	27	M
21/04/85	Lhakpa Dorje (Ang Lhakpa) Sherpa (Khunde)	Nepal	High-altitude porter	26	M
29/04/85	Arne Ludwig R. Naess Jr.	Norway	Shipping executive	47	M
29/04/85	Stein P. Aasheim	Norway	Journalist	34	M
29/04/85	Ralph Hoibakk	Norway	Computer specialist	47	M
29/04/85	Havard Nesheim	Norway	Physician	29	M
29/04/85	Chowang Rinzi Sherpa (Namche Bazar)	Nepal	High-altitude porter	35	M
30/04/85	Richard Daniel (Dick) Bass	USA	Oil geologist	55	M
30/04/85	Ang Phurba Sherpa (Thami) (3)	Nepal	High-altitude porter	23	M
28/08/85	Oscar Cadiach Puig (2)	Spain	Shopkeeper (mountaineering & skiing equipment)	32	M
28/08/85	Antoni Sors Ferrer	Spain		35	M
28/08/85	Carles Valles Ocana	Spain	Shoe salesman	27	M
28/08/85	Ang Karma Sherpa (Dhorphu)	Nepal		26	M
28/08/85	Narayan Kumar Shrestha	Nepal		25	M
30/10/85	Etsuo Akutsu	Japan	Cameraman	47	M
30/10/85	Satoshi Kimoto	Japan	Quality-control inspector in factory	29	M
30/10/85	Hideji Nazuka (2)	Japan	Truck driver	30	M
30/10/85	Teruo Saegusa (2)	Japan	Office worker	28	M
30/10/85	Mitsuyoshi Sato	Japan	Warehouse worker	24	M
30/10/85	Kuniaki Yagihara	Japan	Telephone technician	38	M
20/05/86	Dwayne Congdon	Canada	Alpine guide & alpinist	29	M
20/05/86	Ms. Sharon Wood	Canada	Alpinist & instructor	29	F
30/08/86	Erhard Loretan	Switzerland	Alpine guide	27	M
30/08/86	Jean Fernand Troillet	Switzerland	Alpine guide	38	M
22/12/87	Young-Ho Heo (5)	S Korea	Office worker	33	M
05/05/88	Tsering Dorje (Cerin Duoji) (2)	China	Peasant	27	M
05/05/88	Lhakpa Nuru (Ang Lhakpa) Sherpa (Khunde) (2)	Nepal	Alpinist	24	M
05/05/88	Zhi-Xin Li	China	Chinese Mountaineering Association, staff member	25	M
05/05/88	Lhakpa Sona Sherpa (Phortse)	Nepal		27	M
05/05/88	Munehiko Yamamoto	Japan	Staff member, junior high shcool	28	M
05/05/88	Shoji Nakamura	Japan		45	M
05/05/88	Susumu Nakamura	Japan		42	M
05/05/88	Rinchen Phuntsok (Rinchen Phinzo)	China	Vice leader, Tibetan mountaineering team	44	M
05/05/88	Da Ciren (Da Cering)	China	Alpinist	37	M

Source

https://www.upeverest.com/summitteers

Charts created using OpenOffice Calc.