Sir Edmund Hillary Born in New Zealand, achieved with Sherpa Tenzing Norgay on May 29, 1953, the first successful ascent of Mount Everest, the highest mountain in the world. 8,850 meters: 29,035 feet.

This sculpture was commissioned by the Hermitage Hotel and is based on a photograph taken when Sir Edmund completed a Grand Traverse of the three peaks of Aoraki Mount Cook in 1970.

Sculptor: Bryn M. Jones Dunedin, New Zealand

Unveiled by Sir Edmund Hillary on July 5, 2003

This sculpture of Sir Edmund Hillary was commissioned by The Hermitage Hotel to recognise the 50th anniversary of the ascent and the influence of the Aoraki Mount Cook National Park on his early climbing experience. In 1939 Hillary stayed at The Hermitage Hotel and looked at the peaks beyond the hotel with a "growing feeling of excitement" and "was stragely stirred by it all." His first climb was Mt Ollivier (near Mueller Hut) and on his return to The Hermitage desribed the experience as "the happiest day I have ever spent."

He often returned to th National Park and climbed many peaks including Aoraki Mount Cook in 1947 and again in 1948 making the first ascent of the South Ridge. Of Aoraki Mount Cook Hillary wrote: "It was a great moment ... to finally stand on the summit of Mt. Cook. It meant I had acheived my first major ambition."

The statue also recognises Sir Edmund's work in providing schools and medical facilities for the Sherpa people of Nepal and for the protection of the culture and beauty of the Himalaya. of his aid projects Sir Edmund said "I was brought up to believe that if you had a chance to help people worse off than you, the you should do it."