Today marks 60 years since Sir Edmund Hillary and Tenzing Norgay climbed to the summit of the world, a milestone for the ages, a peak of accomplishment.
The story of Sir John Hunt's British expedition of 1953 is of ambition, teamwork, planning, competitive nationalism and a little luck. While two individuals shared the pinnacle of achievement, their colleagues in the shared enterprise were, of course, the reason Hillary and Tenzing had the opportunity.
The pair were, in fact, second cab off the rank. Englishmen Tom Bourdillon and Charles Evans made the first assault a few days earlier, turning back 100m from the top. But for damage to a small valve on an oxygen set, theirs might have been the glory. Their names could have been emblazoned in history.
Also, as it happened, with favourable weather the Swiss mission of 1952 could well have won the prize.
We need heroes to stir aspiration and inspiration, and Everest has provided.
The legend of Mallory and Irvine, lost on the upper slopes in 1924, epitomised valiant adventure, vanquished but with lasting veneration.
Although real life is never so black and white, their stories, like that of Sir Robert Falcon Scott of the Antarctic, spurred the imagination and the soul of the English-speaking world and made the success of May 29, 1953, all the sweeter.
Because we can claim the brave and modest Sir Edmund as our own, and because he used his fame to raise money to build schools and hospitals for the Sherpa people, New Zealanders have added reasons to revel in the attainment. Pride, properly felt and directed, can be healthy and uplifting.
But even before his death five and a-half years ago, Sir Edmund expressed anguish about the mess made of Everest.
Not only is rubbish and junk littered across the mountain but the prevailing ethic in the so-called death zone above South Col and 8000m has each expedition looking after itself.
Climbers near death are left to freeze. Something is perverted when bodies litter the upper slopes and mountains of faeces pollute the higher camps.
Something seems not right, too, when anyone with $50,000 to $120,000 and good fitness, and who is prepared to take the risks, can reach the top. Last year's long queues of climbers tied to and inching up fixed ropes appear to mock what went before.
Something has also gone very wrong, for whatever reasons, when Sherpas are so upset that they fight and abuse climbers high on the slopes, as happened last month. Humans, capable of such great heights - individually and collectively - also plunge ugly depths, mess things up and sully what is good.
It seems this is the story of our world as well as our highest mountain. Examples abound locally, nationally and internationally, of concern, care and co-operation. Commonplace, too, are cruelty, cynicism and cupidity.
Are we, as a race, trashing our planet just as we rubbish Everest?
Are we, so capable of collaboration and extraordinary technological advance, unable to work together to solve the great issues of our time?
Is Everest a barometer of human stupidity and greed and our inability to deal collectively with environment threats?
Wouldn't it be wonderful, then, if Everest could represent high ideals, symbolise the better elements of human nature, and encourage and affirm our latent desire to reach for the stars.
