Unlocking the Past: A Human Foot Found on Everest Sparks New Hope
DNA testing could confirm the identity of a climber lost to time and ice
- Boot and sock discovered in a melting glacier
- Items believed to belong to Andrew “Sandy” Irvine, who vanished in 1924
- The boot discovery marks a pivotal moment in mountaineering history
A recent discovery by a National Geographic documentary team on Mount Everest has brought new hope to solving one of mountaineering’s greatest mysteries.
In September, as the glaciers melted, the team found a boot and sock, revealing a name stitched into the wool: “A.C. Irvine.”
This suggests the items likely belonged to British climber Andrew “Sandy” Irvine, who vanished in 1924 alongside George Mallory.
On June 8, 1924, Irvine and Mallory were just 800 feet from the summit when they disappeared, leaving their fate a tantalizing enigma.
While Mallory’s body was recovered in 1999, Irvine’s remains and the camera they carried—potentially holding the key to their summit success—have remained elusive until now.
The National Geographic team, featuring “Free Solo” co-director Jimmy Chin, believes they’ve uncovered the first evidence of Irvine’s demise, with a foot found inside what is presumed to be his boot.
They await DNA confirmation, comparing samples with those from Irvine’s relatives. Chin remarked, “This is the first real evidence of where Sandy ended up,” emphasizing the significance for both the family and the climbing community.
Before the boot was discovered, the team had also located an oxygen cylinder from a 1933 expedition that had tried to summit Everest, alongside an ice ax belonging to Irvine.
These finds led them to intensively search the glacier, culminating in the exciting revelation of the boot.
As they transported the boot and foot off the mountain in a cooler, they were prompted by concerned birds to take action.
They promptly handed the findings over to the China-Tibet Mountaineering Association.
Irvine’s family, including his great-niece Julie Summers—who has chronicled her uncle’s story—was informed of the discovery. Summers expressed her deep emotion upon learning about the boot, recalling how her father’s tales of Uncle Sandy had shaped her childhood.
“I never thought anything new would be found after 25 years,” she shared, reflecting on the enduring mystery surrounding her uncle’s fate.
