edmund hillary and tenzig norgay climbed mount everest 57 years ago today

fifty seven years ago today, on may 29, 1953, edmund hillary and his sherpa guide, tenzig norgay, became the first men to climb to the top of mount everest. for this accomplishment, time magazine named him one of then 100 most influential people of the 20th century - and the queen honored him with a knighthood.

many climbers have summitted everest in the years since - most notably, last week the record for the youngest climber was set when a 13 year reached the summit! - but hillary led the proverbial way. he died two years ago, in 2008, at 88 years old.