Some notable "firsts" by climbers include:* 1922 – First climb to , by George Finch and Captain Geoffrey Bruce* 1952 – First climb to South Col by 1952 Swiss Mount Everest expedition* 1953 – First ascent by Tenzing Norgay and Edmund Hillary on 1953 British Mount Everest expedition* 1975 – First female ascent, by Junko Tabei* 1978 – First ascent without supplemental oxygen by Reinhold Messner and Peter Habeler* 1980 – First solo ascent, by Reinhold Messner* 1980 – First winter ascent, by Leszek Cichy and Krzysztof Wielicki* 1988 – First descent by paraglider, by Jean-Marc Boivin* 1988 – First female ascent without supplemental oxygen by Lydia Bradey* 1998 – Fastest to reach the summit via the southeast ridge (South Col), without supplemental oxygen, by Kazi Sherpa, in 20 hours and 24 minutes.
Do leta 1921 se Mount Everestu noben Evropejec ni smel približati na manj kot 80 kilometrov.