Noel Odell
Encyclopedia
Noel Ewart Odell was an English
geologist
and mountaineer
. Educated at Brighton College
and the Royal School of Mines
, Imperial College, in 1924 he was an oxygen officer on the Everest
expedition in which George Mallory
and Andrew Irvine
famously perished during their summit attempt. Odell spent two weeks living above 23,000 feet (7,000m), and twice climbed to 26,800-ft and higher, all without supplemental oxygen. Indeed, his performance on Everest was so remarkable, it was taken as proof that the weight of oxygen equipment nullified any possible benefit.
In his first two accounts, written between June and November 1924, Odell was certain he had seen Mallory & Irvine climbing the Second Step. But in the expedition account published in 1925, and after mounting pessimism by a members of the climbing community as to whether it was the Second Step or the lower First Step, Odell conceded it might had been the First Step where he had seen the pair. After he had been rejected as too old for the next Everest expedition, that of 1933, he recanted his change of mind and returned to the belief that he had seen the two climbers surmount the Second Step. Had they done so, there would have been a fair chance that one of them at least, might have reached the summit.
Following their disappearance, Odell climbed from the North Col
up to around 27,000-feet (8,200 m) searching in vain for the two climbers. ”…in the time available under the prevailing conditions, I found it impossible to extend my search.” [Fight for Everest, p 138.] Mallory & Irvine Research - A Final Word
successfully reached the summit of Nanda Devi
which at the time, and until 1950, was the highest mountain climbed
. Odell returned to Everest with the expedition led by Tilman in 1938.
Noel Odell had a colourful career outside mountaineering as well, serving with the Royal Engineers
in both World Wars, as a consultant in the petroleum and mining industries, and teaching geology
at a number of universities around the world, including Harvard
and Cambridge
.
He was of course also an accomplished rock climber, famous for his solo first ascent in 1919 of Tennis Shoe on the Idwal Slabs, in Snowdonia
. Odell Gully in the Huntington Ravine
of New Hampshire’s Mount Washington
is named after Odell, who was the first to demonstrate its ascent in winter.
, Alan Rickman
acts as the voice of Noel Odell.
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
geologist
Geologist
A geologist is a scientist who studies the solid and liquid matter that constitutes the Earth as well as the processes and history that has shaped it. Geologists usually engage in studying geology. Geologists, studying more of an applied science than a theoretical one, must approach Geology using...
and mountaineer
Mountaineer
-Sports:*Mountaineering, the sport, hobby or profession of walking, hiking, trekking and climbing up mountains, also known as alpinism-University athletic teams and mascots:*Appalachian State Mountaineers, the athletic teams of Appalachian State University...
. Educated at Brighton College
Brighton College
Brighton College is an institution divided between a Senior School known simply as Brighton College, the Prep School and the Pre-Prep School. All of these schools are co-educational independent schools in Brighton, England, sited immediately next to each another. The Senior School caters for...
and the Royal School of Mines
Royal School of Mines
Royal School of Mines comprises the departments of Earth Science and Engineering, and Materials at Imperial College London.- History :The Royal School of Mines was established in 1851, as the Government School of Mines and Science Applied to the Arts...
, Imperial College, in 1924 he was an oxygen officer on the Everest
Mount Everest
Mount Everest is the world's highest mountain, with a peak at above sea level. It is located in the Mahalangur section of the Himalayas. The international boundary runs across the precise summit point...
expedition in which George Mallory
George Mallory
George Herbert Leigh Mallory was an English mountaineer who took part in the first three British expeditions to Mount Everest in the early 1920s....
and Andrew Irvine
Andrew Irvine (mountaineer)
Andrew "Sandy" Comyn Irvine was an English mountaineer who took part in 1924 British Everest Expedition, the third British expedition to the world's highest mountain, Mount Everest....
famously perished during their summit attempt. Odell spent two weeks living above 23,000 feet (7,000m), and twice climbed to 26,800-ft and higher, all without supplemental oxygen. Indeed, his performance on Everest was so remarkable, it was taken as proof that the weight of oxygen equipment nullified any possible benefit.
Everest 1924
On 8 June 1924 George Mallory and Andrew Irvine attempted to climb to the top of Mount Everest via the Northeast Ridge route. Keen-sighted Odell reported seeing them at 12:50 p.m. ascending one of the major "steps" on the North-East ridge, "the last step but one from the base of the final pyramid" and "going strongly for the top." But no evidence thus far has proved that they reached the summit, or that they were ever higher than the major Second Step obstacle. They never returned and died somewhere high on the mountain. Odell was the last person to see the pair alive.In his first two accounts, written between June and November 1924, Odell was certain he had seen Mallory & Irvine climbing the Second Step. But in the expedition account published in 1925, and after mounting pessimism by a members of the climbing community as to whether it was the Second Step or the lower First Step, Odell conceded it might had been the First Step where he had seen the pair. After he had been rejected as too old for the next Everest expedition, that of 1933, he recanted his change of mind and returned to the belief that he had seen the two climbers surmount the Second Step. Had they done so, there would have been a fair chance that one of them at least, might have reached the summit.
Following their disappearance, Odell climbed from the North Col
North Col
The North Col refers to a sharp-edged pass or col carved by glaciers connecting Mount Everest and Changtse in Tibet. It forms the head of the East Rongbuk Glacier....
up to around 27,000-feet (8,200 m) searching in vain for the two climbers. ”…in the time available under the prevailing conditions, I found it impossible to extend my search.” [Fight for Everest, p 138.] Mallory & Irvine Research - A Final Word
Achievements
In 1936 Noel Odell with Bill TilmanBill Tilman
Major Harold William "Bill" Tilman, CBE, DSO, MC and Bar was an English mountaineer and explorer, renowned for his Himalayan climbs and sailing voyages.-Early years and Africa:...
successfully reached the summit of Nanda Devi
Nanda Devi
Nanda Devi is the second highest mountain in India and the highest entirely within the country ; owing to this geography it was the highest known mountain in the world until computations on Dhaulagiri by western surveyors in 1808...
which at the time, and until 1950, was the highest mountain climbed
World altitude record (mountaineering)
In the history of mountaineering, the world altitude record referred to the highest point on the Earth's surface which had been reached, regardless of whether that point was an actual summit. The world summit record referred to the highest mountain to have been successfully climbed...
. Odell returned to Everest with the expedition led by Tilman in 1938.
Noel Odell had a colourful career outside mountaineering as well, serving with the Royal Engineers
Royal Engineers
The Corps of Royal Engineers, usually just called the Royal Engineers , and commonly known as the Sappers, is one of the corps of the British Army....
in both World Wars, as a consultant in the petroleum and mining industries, and teaching geology
Geology
Geology is the science comprising the study of solid Earth, the rocks of which it is composed, and the processes by which it evolves. Geology gives insight into the history of the Earth, as it provides the primary evidence for plate tectonics, the evolutionary history of life, and past climates...
at a number of universities around the world, including Harvard
Harvard University
Harvard University is a private Ivy League university located in Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States, established in 1636 by the Massachusetts legislature. Harvard is the oldest institution of higher learning in the United States and the first corporation chartered in the country...
and Cambridge
University of Cambridge
The University of Cambridge is a public research university located in Cambridge, United Kingdom. It is the second-oldest university in both the United Kingdom and the English-speaking world , and the seventh-oldest globally...
.
He was of course also an accomplished rock climber, famous for his solo first ascent in 1919 of Tennis Shoe on the Idwal Slabs, in Snowdonia
Snowdonia
Snowdonia is a region in north Wales and a national park of in area. It was the first to be designated of the three National Parks in Wales, in 1951.-Name and extent:...
. Odell Gully in the Huntington Ravine
Huntington Ravine
Huntington Ravine is a glacial cirque on Mount Washington in the White Mountains of New Hampshire. It is named for Joshua H. Huntington, the Principal Assistant to State Geologist Charles H...
of New Hampshire’s Mount Washington
Mount Washington (New Hampshire)
Mount Washington is the highest peak in the Northeastern United States at , famous for dangerously erratic weather. For 76 years, a weather observatory on the summit held the record for the highest wind gust directly measured at the Earth's surface, , on the afternoon of April 12, 1934...
is named after Odell, who was the first to demonstrate its ascent in winter.
Legacy
In the 2010 documentary film about Mallory's expedition, The Wildest DreamThe Wildest Dream
The Wildest Dream is a 2010 theatrical-release feature documentary film about the British climber George Mallory who disappeared on Mount Everest in 1924 with his climbing partner Andrew Irvine...
, Alan Rickman
Alan Rickman
Alan Sidney Patrick Rickman is an English actor and theatre director. He is a renowned stage actor in modern and classical productions and a former member of the Royal Shakespeare Company...
acts as the voice of Noel Odell.