First Edmund Hillary, now tapatios top Everest. (Breves).

Add two Jalisco boys to the list of Mexicans to sit atop the world. Rodrigo Ponce and Alejandro Minakata brought the total number of Mexicans to reach the summit of Mt. Everest to 20, as the two hit the top of the 29,035-foot mountain one morning in late May, considered the best time of year to attack the world's highest peak.

This year marked the 50th anniversary of Edmund Hillary and Sherpa Tenzing Norgay's historic ascent of what is often referred to as the world's "Third Pole."

Since their climb, 176 climbers have died attempting the feat, which requires not only enormous patience in adjusting to the altitude (the jet stream slices across the peak at certain times of the year) but also top fitness. Avalanches kill many climbers, as do falls, often caused by dizziness or disorientation due to the effects of altitude. Of the Mexican visitors, three have been repeat visitors (Yuri Contreras, Hugo Rodriguez and Hector Ponce de Leon), and four have been women (Elsa Avila, Karla Wheelock, Badia Bonilla and Carmen Pefia). More than 1,700 people have stood atop Everest.

Ponce and Minakata took the popular South Col route to the top, a path pioneered by New Zealand native Hillary and the late Norgay. Hillary returned to Everest base camp this year in a wheelchair to take part in the golden anniversary celebrations.