author
George Ingle Finch
1888–1970
A pioneering Everest climber and accomplished physical chemist, this remarkable figure helped shape both modern mountaineering and laboratory science. His life joined bold exploration with serious research, making him memorable far beyond the mountains.
1 Audiobook
The making of a mountaineer
by George Ingle Finch
About the author
Born in New South Wales in 1888, George Ingle Finch built an unusual career across two demanding worlds: science and high-altitude climbing. He studied in Europe and became known as a physical chemist, later earning recognition as a Fellow of the Royal Society.
He is especially remembered for his role in early Himalayan mountaineering. On the 1922 British Everest expedition, he was a leading advocate of supplemental oxygen and reached a record altitude for the time, helping prove that new equipment and techniques could change what climbers thought possible.
Finch was also known for his strong-minded, independent character, which made him a vivid presence in both academic and climbing circles. He died in 1970, leaving a legacy as both an inventive scientist and one of the standout mountaineers of his generation.