Hugh Ruttledge 20 May – was, as a result of disagreements between team members, never established. It was during this expedition that Wyn-Harris found the ice axe which belonged to Andrew Irvine, who had disappeared on the peak on the with George Mallory. One of the men rejected for this expedition was Tenzing Norgay, who made the first ascent of Everest in 1953 with Sir Edmund Hillary. Fortunately, Ruttledge had the foresight to hire Tenzing to come with him to Everest in 1936. In 1934 Ruttledge was awarded a Royal Geographical Society Founder's Gold Medal; his citation read 'For his journeys in
Tenzing Norgay a crevasse but was saved from hitting the bottom by Norgay's prompt action in securing the rope using his ice axe, which led Hillary to consider him the climbing partner of choice for any future summit attempt. The Hunt expedition totalled over 400 people, including 362 porters, 20 Sherpa guides and of baggage, and like many such expeditions, was a team effort. The expedition set up base camp in March 1953. Working slowly, they set up their penultimate camp at the South Col, at . On 26 May, Tom Bourdillon and Charles Evans attempted the climb, but turned back when