Bishop's work on shear moraines brought him to the attention of Sir Edmund Hillary, who invited him to join the 1960-1961 Himalayan Scientific and Mountaineering Expedition known as the Silver Hut expedition, where he served as the expedition's official glaciologist and climatologist. Though he was not sponsored by National Geographic on the trip, his photographic, scientific, and mountaineering accomplishments cemented his career with the Society. With fellow expedition members Mike Gill, Mike Ward and Wally Romanes, Bishop made the landmark first ascent of Ama Dablam, which was also the first winter ascent in the Himalayas.