The official account of the fourth expedition to Everest, led by Hugh Ruttledge with a team that included Frank Smythe, Eric Shipton, Wyn Harris, and L.R. Wager. Harris and Wager made a summit attempt from the famous Camp VI, reaching 28,200 feet in attempting to determine whether the northeast ridge was climbable. During this climb they came upon the ice-axe of either Mallory or Irvine, lost nine years before on their fateful climb. Harris and Wager found the 'second step' unclimbable and had to revert to a traverse of the face, when time ran out. On the return to the high camp Wager struggled to the crest of the ridge and became the first man to look down the awesome east face of Everest.