Ernest Hofstetter, 95; helped forge route used to conquer Mt. Everest

Ernest Hofstetter, 95, part of the Swiss climbing team that first traced the route used by Sir Edmund Hillary to conquer Mt. Everest, died June 1 at his chalet in the French Alps, his son Michel told the Associated Press.

The Swiss expedition had to turn back just short of the peak in 1952 but is credited with forging the path that Hillary and Tenzing Norgay used in their successful assault a year later. The path is still used today in climbs to the 29,035-foot peak.

The Swiss mountaineers had unexpectedly received the permit for 1952 from the Nepalese government, taking it away from the British, who had monopolized it the previous 21 years.

Aided by the Sherpa climber Tenzing, the Swiss conquered the Khumbu Icefall -- one of the most dangerous stages of the expedition, which has claimed many lives due to collapsing towers of ice and large crevasses that open without warning. Reaching the broad glacial basin called the Western Cwm, they scaled the huge Lhotse face at 23,620 feet to reach the desolate, wind-swept South Col.

While Tenzing and Raymond Lambert forged on, Hofstetter remained with another group at 26,250 feet, ready to try if the pair failed.

Lambert and Tenzing reached 28,380 feet, 650 feet from the summit, but were forced back down because of fatigue and bad weather on May 26, 1952.