Haunting death of Brit on ‘most dangerous ever climb’ up Mount Everest

Maurice Wilson, a Bradford-born British Army officer with no mountaineering experience, attempted to climb Mount Everest alone

Mount Everest, often idealised as a must-see destination, is one of the most perilous places on earth, having claimed numerous lives over the years.

Yet, none of these fatalities are as peculiar or chilling as the demise of Maurice Wilson, who embarked on his ascent in 1934 under rather odd circumstances.

Wilson, a Bradford-born British Army officer with virtually no climbing experience, attempted to conquer the peak solo, firmly believing that through prayer and astonishingly, fasting, he could safely reach the top.

Unlike many contemporary Everest disasters, Wilson’s death wasn’t due to overcrowding, bottlenecks or commercial expeditions.

After all, his attempt was made long before the era of guided ascents, queues for bottled oxygen or social media stardom.

Instead, Wilson was convinced that conquering Everest would validate his profound spiritual beliefs to the world, demonstrating the invincible power of faith.

A survivor of the First World War who later believed he had healed himself of tuberculosis through prayer and fasting, he became fixated on the belief that divine intervention would enable him to triumph where seasoned climbers had faltered.

His scheme was, in all honesty, utterly bonkers. Wilson aimed to pilot a small plane from Britain to Tibet, crash-land it high on the mountain, and then simply stroll up the rest of the way, reports the Mirror.

Despite his lack of climbing experience, Wilson was a competent flyer. In 1933, he pulled off a risky solo flight from Britain to India in a second-hand Gypsy Moth biplane, although local officials did seize the aircraft.

Unfazed, the daring Wilson managed to reclaim the plane by masquerading as a Buddhist monk, before selling the aircraft, and then illegally crossing into Tibet on foot, eventually reaching the base of Mount Everest despite his initial plan going awry.

In the spring of 1934, Wilson embarked alone up the remote northern flank of the mountain. His diary later exposed a shocking ignorance of glaciers, altitude, and ice climbing.

He neglected crucial gear, assumed steps carved into the ice the previous year might still be there, and heavily relied on faith to surmount hurdles.

Following numerous unsuccessful efforts, two Sherpas who had briefly joined him pleaded with him to give up the ascent.

Wilson declined.

On 29 May 1934, he departed solo for the North Col..

His last diary entry, dated 31 May, simply stated: “Off again, gorgeous day.”

He was never spotted alive thereafter.

The next year, Wilson’s remains were found at the base of the North Col by a British expedition headed by Eric Shipton.

He lay frozen next to what was left of his tent, having presumably perished from exhaustion or hunger.

He was laid to rest in a nearby crevasse.