Salem State College Series

Jamling Norgay and Peter Hillary
Revisiting Mt. Everest

Speaker series reaches new heights

SALEM - Mount Everest climbers Peter Hillary and Jamling Norgay opened the 21st Salem State College Series Tuesday, March 18 with an inspiring presentation of their mountain climbing adventures.

Using 10-foot projector screens on both sides of the stage, the explorers provided an audience of about 1,600 with a life-like look at their separate trips to the top of the world's highest mountain -- and back down.

Both men spoke of the inspiration of their respective fathers who were the first to conquer Everest in 1953.

Using video footage from an upcoming National Geographic documentary commemorating the 50th anniversary of their fathers' ascent, Hillary and Norgay talked of the total determination required to climb the world's tallest mountain. "There's no other way to describe it," Hillary said. "You have to be completely committed to it because, once you're up there, every fiber of your body tells you to turn around and go back down. But you have to be programmed to keep on going."

The current season of the Salem State College Series will continue with Dr. Christiane Northrup's appearance on April 9 and will conclude with a visit from former New York mayor Rudy Giuliani on May 1.