News A regular companion on expeditions to the Himalayas, Rolex sets out once more to conquer Everest.
Exactly fifty years ago, for the first time in history, Raymond Lambert and Sherpa Tenzing Norgay, two members of an expedition composed entirely of Genevan alpinists, climbed to within 200 metres of the summit of Mount Everest without the aid of oxygen. One year later, in 1953, an English expedition led by John Hunt, with Edmund Hillary and Sherpa Tenzing Norgay once again, reached the roof of the world following the famous South Col route discovered by the team from Geneva. Upon their return, met with world acclaim, they sent this message to the Genevan team: "A good half of the glory goes to you."
In 2002, to commemorate these pioneers and to celebrate this anniversary in a worthy manner, a team of Swiss alpinists will follow the trail blazed by the Genevans. Departing Geneva for Kathmandu on March 15, 2002, led by Himalayan specialist Stéphane Schaffter from Geneva, expedition leader and co-producer of a film being shot for the occasion, the team is made up notably of Yves Lambert, son of Raymond Lambert - "the highest man in the world in 1952" - and Jean-Jacques Asper, member of the 1952 expedition. The ascent of Everest is scheduled to take place between end April and end May.
The main objective of the expedition is the making of a film entitled "In My Father's Footsteps", which will draw parallels between the 1952 and 2002 expeditions. In the film Jean-Jacques Asper will travel in time and space between past and present expeditions. Following his father's trail, Yves Lambert will let his emotions speak for themselves. Tashi Tenzing, grandson of Sherpa Ten-zing Norgay, will be the film's narrator.
In 1951, The Swiss Foundation for Alpine Research was granted permission to explore Everest via its South Col in the spring of 1952. The expedition was entrusted to E. Wyss-Dunant and included the foremost Genevan alpinists of the day: René Dittert, Jean-Jacques Asper, René Aubert, Gabriel Chevalley, Léon Flory, Ernest Hoffstetter, Ray-mond Lambert and André Roch.
With astonishing tenacity these men opened the South Col route (7,900 metres) by forcing their way along the famous West Col. On May 28, after bivouacking at 8,400 metres, under canvas but without sleeping bags, Raymond Lambert and Sherpa Tenzing Norgay climbed in the direction of the summit. They broke a new altitude record, reaching a point above 8,600 metres. As their oxygen supply was defective, it can be said that the two men reached this altitude unassisted. Today specialists agree that the Genevan expedition of 1952 made a major contribution to the English victory in 1953.
As principal sponsor of the "Geneva - Everest 1952 - 2002" expedition, Rolex is perpetuating its time-honoured connection with the highest mountain in the world. The Geneva company has sponsored a number of historic Hima-layan expeditions : from the 1933 expedition to the first women's ascent to the world's highest summit by Junko Tabei ; from Reinhold Messner, the first person to climb to 8,000 metres/26,250 feet fourteen times, to Ed Viesturs - the American with the most Himalayan decorations - and the victorious ascent of Everest in 1953. Not to mention Erling Kagge, Stephen Venables and Robert Anderson. One way or another, Rolex has always been present.
The members of the 1952 Genevan expedition were equipped with Rolex Oyster Perpetual chronometers. In the same tradition, Rolex will be outfitting the Swiss expedition of 2002. The team comprises: Stéphane Schaffter, organiser, team leader and high-altitude cameraman, Yves Lambert, son of Raymond Lambert, Jean-Jacques Asper, member of the 1952 expedition, Tashi Tenzing, grandson of Sherpa Tenzing Norgay and film narrator, Apa Sherpa, 11 times on top of Everest, Jean Troillet, Swiss Himalaya climber, Philippe Arvis, physician, and Guillaume Vallot, photographer and mountain climber. Continuity over time and across generations means the world to Rolex.
March 28, 2002
