Eric Shipton led the 1935 British Mount Everest reconnaissance accompanied by Bill Tilman and a small team on an "alpine-style" expedition. The purpose was not to reach the summit (indeed the remit specifically excluded that) but was to reconnoitre the North Col route in post-monsoon conditions and to carry out wider mountain exploration. On the recommendation of Colin G. (Ferdie) Crawford who had been on the 1922 and 1933 British Mount Everest expeditions, Bryant was invited to take part, so making him the first New Zealander to go on a Himalayan mountaineering expedition. After resigning from Palmerston North Boys' High School, Bryant sailed from Auckland to Bombay via Sydney and then went by train to Darjeeling where he joined up with the rest of the party.