Capt. John Noel (26 February 1890 – 12 March 1989) documented the Mallory Everest expeditions in 1922 and 1924 developing many initiative camera systems in the process. His photographs can be seen here: http://www.mounteverest.uk.com
In 2007 I was lucky enough to meet his daughter and also to follow in his footsteps, through Tibet, to Mount Everest.
Potala Palace, the former residence of the Dali Lama, before he fled to India during the failed uprising to the invading Chinese in 1959. The palace contains chapels to past Dali Lamas and is an important Tibetan pilgrimage site. To the Chinese it is a state museum and popular tourist attraction, March 2007.
Man taking a nap outside the Potala Palace, March 2007.
Pilgrim at The Potala Palace, March 2007.
Steps leading up to The Potala Palace, the former residence of the Dali Lama, March 2007.
Prayer wheels outside the Potala Palace, March 2007.
An old Tibetan lady near the Jokhang temple, March 2007.
An old man in the Tibetan quarter of town near the Jokhang temple, March 2007.
An old lay resting in the sun in the Tibetan quarter of town near the Jokhang, March 2007.
The Jokhang Temple or "House of the Lord" is the holiest site in Tibet and the ultimate pilgrimage site in Tibetan Buddhism. Every day hundreds of pilgrims gather and prostrate themselves in front of the main entrance. Starting from a standing position they drop to their knees and then slide forward on their hands repeating the procedure many times- hence the hand protection seen in the photograph, March 2007.
The eight spoke Dharma Wheel, representing the eight fold path to enlightenment, and deer representing Buddha's first sermon in a deer park, above the entrance to the Jokhang. The hub represents discipline, the spokes wisdom, and the rim concentration. The Jokhang Temple or "House of the Lord" is the holiest site in Tibet and the ultimate pilgrimage site in Tibetan Buddhism. Every day hundreds of pilgrims gather and prostrate themselves in front of the main entrance, March 2007.
Candles in the The Jokhang Temple or 'House of the Lord'- the holiest site in Tibet and the ultimate pilgrimage site in Tibetan Buddhism, March 2007.
Monks from the Gelugpa, or Yellow Hat Sect of Tibetan Buddhism, practicing their debating skills at the Sera monastery, just north of Lhasa, Tibet. The debates take place in the evening, after afternoon meditation, with a noisy battle of words, including hand clapping, karate style moves and many facial gestures, March 2007.
The huge Maitreya Buddha (future Buddha) at the Tashi Lhunpo Monastery Shigatse, Tibet. To get a sense of the scale the fingers are 4 feet long. The Tashi Lhunpo Monastery, the power base of the Panchen Lama- the second highest ranking Lama behind the Dali Lama. The present and 11th incarnation of the Panchen Lama is a matter of great political controversy between the Chinese government and the Tibetan government in exile. Gyancain Norbu has been chosen by the Chinese and the Tibetan choice, Chedhun Choekyi Nyima is under house arrest in China, his whereabouts unknown, March 2007.
Every day hundreds of pilgrims gather and pray in front of the main entrance. Starting from a standing position they drop to their knees and then slide forward on their hands prostrating themselves on the floor, March 2007.
Pilgrims gathering in-front of the Jokhang Temple or 'House of the Lord'- the holiest site in Tibet and the ultimate pilgrimage site in Tibetan Buddhism, March 2007.
The Tashi Lhunpo Monastery, the power base of the Panchen Lama- the second highest ranking Lama behind the Dali Lama. The present and 11th incarnation of the Panchen Lama is a matter of great political controversy between the Chinese government and the Tibetan government in exile, March 2007.
The Brahmaputra river in Tibet, where it is known as the Yarlung river. The Yarlung is 1700km at an average height of 4000m making it the highest of the major rivers in the world. The river flows through Tibet, India and Bangladesh. March 2007.
View from the fortress town of Shekar. At 4500m above sea level the town is a popular stopping off point for climbers on route to Mount Everest base camp. The altitude and nearby hill fort are an ideal place to stretch legs and aclimatise to the altitude. March 2007.
The fortress town of Shekar, March 2007.
Children from the fortress town of Shekar, 4500m above sea level, enjoying their ice cream, March 2007.
Children playing outside the Rombok Monastery, March 2007.
The entrance to Chomolunga (Mt Everest) national park. The sign says :'Economy wants to be revitalyzed. Education has to go first', March 2007.
The Himalayas from the edge of Mount Everest national park, March 2007.
Rombok Monastery, the highest monastery in the world at 5000m, originally built as a shrine to the highest mountain known to man. A small community of monks still study and pray at the monastery in quite harsh conditions. Mount Everest is just visible through the clouds 15 miles away in the distance, April 2007.
An ornate Buddhist mural at the Rombok Monastery, April 2007.
Yaks are used to ferry gear from base camp to advanced base camp on the Tibetan side of mount Everest, April 2007.
Himex basecamp, April 2007.
Chomolunga (Mt Everest) viewed from Rombuk Glacier, April 2007.
Chomolunga (Mt Everest) viewed from Rombuk Glacier, April 2007.
A yak herder drives one of his yaks over the East Rombok Glacier, April 2007.
Ice formations at Interim camp, 5700m, between base camp and advanced base camp. The climb from Base Camp to Advanced Base Camp is too much of a gain in altitude for un-acclimatised climbers to climb in one day hence the need for an interim camp, April 2007.
Himex staff at interim camp, April 2007.
Himex staff member at interim camp, April 2007.
Base camp on the Rombok Glacier is the starting off point for an Everest summit attempt on the North side of the mountain. It is the same camp used by the British on the infamous General Bruce led expedition of 1924- where Mallory and Irvine were last seen heading for the summit, but never returned, April 2007.
Memorial hill, at Base camp on the Rombok Glacier, to lost climbers. The memorials are a poignant reminder to climbers how dangerous and unforgiving climbing can be as a sport. Every year people die attempting to climb Everest, yet year on year more people make the attempt. By may 28th 2007 over 514 climbers had summited the mountain from both sides, with the death toll confirmed at 7. April 2007.
Tourist buggy, used to ferry tourists from a dropping off point further down the mountain up to base camp and back again, April 2007.
Prayer flags at basecamp, April 2007.
Toilet tent blowing in the wind at Everest Base Camp, April 2007.
The route to the North Col- first climbed by George Mallory, Edward Oliver Wheeler and Guy Bullock on September 23, 1921 during the British reconnaissance expedition. May 2007.
A view above the clouds, early morning, from a tent at camp 2, on the Tibetan side of Mount Everest. May 2007.
A lone climber approaching camp 2 on the North side of Mount Everest, May 2007.
The North Col on the Tibetan side of Mount Everest at 7000m. April 2007.
View from camp three on the North side of Mount Everest, May 2007.
Carrying a flag in memory of James Brolan, who was killed in Iraq in May 2006.
An early morning view of Chantse taken from camp 3 on the Tibetan side of mount Everest. May 2007.
My tent tied to the side of the mountain at camp 4, the last camp on mount Everest before the summit. Climbers arrive here at about 2pm and then depart for the summit at midnight. This was the highest point I reached this year. May 2007
Rubbish left at camp 4, after many a long climbing season, includes tents, bottles, plastic and even dead climbing colleagues. Camp 4, high in the 'The Death Zone' isn't a nice place to be- a place almost impossible to mount rescue attempts. May 2007.
With my mate, Ed Wardle (no mask!), at camp 4 of Mount Everest, 8300m. The summit attempt takes place from here at midnight, about 8 hours after arriving at the camp. I stayed here for two nights documenting climbers arriving and leaving camp. Ed summited for the first time this year. May 2007.
Team Tigress film crew. Photo in homage to a famous photograph taken by Capt John Noel on the 1924 Everest Expedition. May 2007.