page_title: 1922 British Mount Everest expedition
section_title: Approach to Mount Everest
hierarchical_section_title: 1922 British Mount Everest expedition / Approach to Mount Everest
caption_attribution_description: Deutsch: Karte der Region um den Mount EverestEnglish: Map of the region surrounding Mount Everest
context_page_description: The 1922 British Mount Everest expedition was the first mountaineering expedition with the express aim of making the first ascent of Mount Everest. This was also the first expedition that attempted to climb Everest using bottled oxygen. The expedition would attempt to climb Everest from the northern side out of Tibet. At the time, Everest could not be attempted from the south out of Nepal as the country was closed to Western foreigners.
  The 1921 British Mount Everest reconnaissance expedition had explored the whole eastern and northern surroundings of the mountain. In searching for the easiest route, George Mallory, who was also a participant of the 1924 expedition, had discovered a route which, according to his opinion, would allow an attempt on the summit.
  After two unsuccessful summit attempts the expedition ended on the third attempt when seven porters died as the result of a group-induced avalanche. Not only had the expedition failed to reach the summit but it also marked the first reported climbing deaths on Mount Everest.
context_section_description: The journey to base camp primarily followed the route used in 1921. Starting in India, the expedition members gathered in Darjeeling at the end of March 1922. Some participants had arrived one month earlier to organise and recruit porters.  The journey started on 26 March for most participants. Crawford and Finch stayed a couple more days to organise transportation for the oxygen systems. These items had arrived too late in Kolkata when the main travel started in Darjeeling. This further organisation went well and further transportation of the bottles was without incident.
  For the journey through Tibet they had a travel permit from the Dalai Lama. From Darjeeling the route went to Kalimpong where they visited St Andrew's Colonial Home. Here they were welcomed by the homes founder John Anderson Graham and the schoolmaster and writer Aeneas Francon Williams. At the homes they spent a couple of days rest before traveling onto Phari Dzong and further to Kampa Dzong which they reached on 11 April.  Here the group rested for three days so that Finch and Crawford could catch up to the team with the oxygen bottles. Then they went to Shelkar Dzong, then north to the Rongbuk Monastery and to the spot where they wanted to erect base camp. To promote the process of acclimatisation the participants alternated their travelling methods between walking and horse riding. On 1 May, they reached the lower end of the Rongbuk Glacier, the site of base camp.
caption: Map of Mount Everest region
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