The first expedition was a reconnaissance expedition in 1921, and after a few decades an expedition in 1953 reached the top of Everest. Everest expeditions, especially in the late 1900s had a certain grandiose reputation, because they were often such large undertakings. The 1953 expedition had 320 porters that carried supplies across a remote wilderness. The 1963 American expedition had over 900 porters that carried over 25 tons of supplies, supporting a climbing crew of dozens.