The first step was discovered on November 4th 1922.  Howard Carter then uncovered a further 11 more steps until he had reached a plastered wall, at that point he refilled the entrance until the 24th November when Lord Carnarvon arrived in the Valley Of The Kings.  Lord Carnarvon was thrilled at Carter's discovery, after ploughing 1000's of pounds into his work he had finally something to show for it.

But even at this time Carter was worried that he might have found something other that a tomb, due to a large about of objects found with other Kings names upon them....

'Why this mixture of names?  The balance of evidence so far would seem to indicate a cache rather than a tomb, and at this stage in the proceedings we are inclined more and more to the opinion that we were about to find a miscellaneous collection of objects of the Eighteenth Dynasty kings, brought from Tell el Amarna by Tut,ankh,Amen and deposited here for safety.' -Carter.

But Carter was on the verge of something not seen for over 3000 years....