Sir Edmund Hillary, who conquered Mt. Everest, has died.

Edmund Hillary, 88, a beekeeper-turned-mountaineer from New Zealand who with his Sherpa guide in 1953 became the first men known to conquer Mount Everest, the world's tallest peak, died early today at Auckland City Hospital. No cause of death was reported.

Hillary's 29,035-foot climb up the Himalayan mountain was achieved amid subzero temperatures, unpredictable winds and daunting crevasses, and with a grade of equipment now considered primitive. The ascent ended a decades-long quest undertaken by countless men to test human endurance. In the 1920s, English adventurer George Mallory memorably quipped that he wanted to climb Everest "because it's there" and perished trying.

On May 29, 1953, the successful ascent and return by Hillary and Tenzing Norgay in a team led by British army Col. John Hunt made them instant international celebrities.

"Well, we've knocked the bastard off," an exhausted Hillary famously said upon his return from the apex.

And despite having reached the pinnacle of his chosen avocation at a relatively young age, Hillary spent the next half century productively, promoting humanitarian and environmental causes. In addition, he continued his explorations and difficult treks , reaching the South Pole and crossing Antarctica. He also wrote extensively about the explorations, and became a best-selling author.

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