Noel Odell

Biography

Noel Ewart Odell FRSE FGS (25 December 1890 – 21 February 1987) was an English geologist and mountaineer. In 1924 he was an oxygen officer on the Everest expedition in which George Mallory and Andrew Irvine famously perished during their summit attempt. Odell spent two weeks living above 23,000 feet (7,000 m), and twice climbed to 26,800 feet (8,200 m) and higher, all without supplemental oxygen. In 1936, Odell with Bill Tilman climbed Nanda Devi, at the time the highest mountain climbed.

He was born at St Lawrence, Isle of Wight, the son of Rev Robert William Odell and his wife, Mary Margaret Ewart.

He was educated at Brighton College and the Royal School of Mines, Imperial College. He re...