A team of climbers recently discovered a boot on Mount Everest, believed to belong to Andrew “Sandy” Irvine, a British climber who disappeared 100 years ago while attempting to reach the summit with George Mallory. The boot, found on a melting glacier, might help solve the mystery of whether the pair were the first to summit Everest, years before Edmund Hillary and Tenzing Norgay.
The discovery has stirred emotions for Irvine’s family, especially his great-niece, Julie Summers, who said the family had lost hope of finding any trace of him. Irvine’s body may be nearby, and some hope his camera, which might contain photos from their climb, could still be found.
The family has provided a DNA sample to confirm the boot’s identity, as it was found with a sock labeled “A.C. Irvine.” While the discovery is significant for the climbing world, for Irvine’s descendants, it is a reminder of a young adventurer who lived life fully.
