Reaching for the sky

Fifty years ago, Sir Edmund Hillary and Tenzing Norgay became the first men to reach the 29,035-foot-high peak of Mount Everest.
It's difficult to believe today, but at the time their accomplishment was virtually knocked off page one by the coronation of Queen Elizabeth. The mission was announced in the West by Buckingham Palace, which characterized the British expedition's success as a coronation "gift" to the new queen. Hillary, a New Zealander, and Norgay, a Sherpa, planted a British flag on the mountain's summit.
The fascination with Mount Everest, the highest spot on Earth, and the reign of Queen Elizabeth survive a half-century later -- both somewhat the worse for the wear.
The monarchy has been rocked by scandals that have been reported in a stack of tabloid pages that could reach to the sky. The summit of Mount Everest, which eluded adventurers for more than 100 years, has been conquered by more than 1,300 climbers, each of whom has left some scars behind.
Still, Everest's conquerors remain in an exclusive club. Perhaps only people who have gone into space and men who have walked on the moon can claim higher exclusivity.