December 05

Pierre Gaultier de Varennes, sieur de La Vérendrye, was born in 1685 in Trois-Rivières, New France. As a fur trader turned explorer, he led a series of groundbreaking expeditions across the Great Lakes and into the western prairies, seeking a route to the Pacific. His establishment of trading posts such as Fort Maurepas and Fort St. Pierre helped expand French influence in North America. La Vérendrye’s maps and journals provided some of the first European documentation of the Canadian interior and its indigenous peoples. He navigated harsh conditions, engaging diplomatically and commercially with First Nations communities. His work laid the foundation for subsequent explorers and fur traders. He died in 1749, leaving a legacy of exploration that shaped the history of Canada’s westward expansion.

Born in London in 1918, Evans trained as a surgeon and served in the Royal Army Medical Corps during World War II. After the war, he lectured in surgery while pursuing his passion for mountaineering. In 1953, he was deputy leader under John Hunt on the expedition that first summited Everest. His expertise in high-altitude medicine contributed to the team's success under extreme conditions. Evans later became a professor and mentor, promoting safety and innovation in climbing. He died in 1995, leaving a lasting impact on both medicine and exploration.