Nepal rally marks anniversary of Everest conquest

The lone surviving member of the first successful expedition to reach the top of Mount Everest led a rally Thursday in the Nepali capital, marking the 61st anniversary of the achievement, a day after a memorial was held to remember the 16 Sherpa guides who died in an avalanche on the mountain last month.   81-year old Kancha Sherpa led the rally of 500 people in Katmandu on Thursday, with mountaineers and trekking guides also taking part. New Zealander Edmund Hillary and his Sherpa guide, Tenzing Norgay, became the first climbers to reach the top of Everest on May 29, 1953.  Kancha had carried loads on his back up the mountain for the expedition and went up to the last camp on Everest, but did not climb to the summit.   ``We were all very happy on that day. It was the biggest day of my life,'' Kancha said, recalling the day Hillary and Tenzing reached the world’s highest peak.   More than 4,200 climbers have scaled the world's highest mountain since then.  

Earlier on Wednesday night, a service was held in memory of the 16 guides killed in an April 18 avalanche just above Everest's base camp. The avalanche swept the Sherpas early in the climbing season, while they were carrying equipment and tents to set up camps.   (Source: AP)