Past explorers like Tenzing Norgay and Edmund Hilary, who were the first to climb Mt. Everest, inspired Charles Howard to explore mountains. Charles Howard was in the British army for three years without being shot and explored Mt. Everest from 1921 to 1921. He started the Blue Mountain program to help poor people by giving them homes, and was inspired by Norgay, Hilary, and his general in the British army to explore.