Mountaineering

Red Peak – Ascent of Pik Kommunizma [Now named Ismoil Somoni Peak in Modern Day Tajikistan - 7,495 m]

An unusual mountaineering event form start to finish written by the expedition second Malcolm Slesser seemingly without the authority of leader Sir John Hunt.

First American Edition, published by Coward McCann, New York in 1964. Octavo, 256 pages well illustrated from expedition photographs, charts , diagrams etc. A little ageing but still a very good copy.

The first British / Soviet joint expedition to climb in the Soviet Asia Pamir Mountains [Now Tajlikistan]. And a venture not without drama. No local porters were taken. Things got tense between the groups, two Englishmen died during the ascent of a particularly rugged stage. Hunt and several others gave up and went home. Slesser elected to stay … the frankness with which he describes the flare-ups as they struggled to reach the 25,000 foot peak adds to the drama of this unique climb

Slesser writes frankly about the first British / Soviet joint mountaineering expedition.

$25.00

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The Search for Mallory & Irvine – Peter Firstbrook.

A very good copy of this BBC sponsored climb to find any evidence of the disappearance of Mallory and Irvine in their “so close” attempt to conquer Everest in 1924. Some believe they did.

A first edition of the record of climb undertaken in 1999 and published later that year. Octavo, 224 pages, many photographs both from 1924 and 1999, good maps etc. Very good condition.

Few adventure readers do not know of the Mallory mystery and a pity that his buddy Irvine does not quite get the same billing. Less know about this book and we hope it does not spoil the drama to tell you that they did find Mallory and albeit a bit grotesque there are images of his frozen body and the belongings on him at the time of death – no climber of the day left without Swan Vestas matches.

This is a special book in that it puts certain things to bed once and for all … it’s also a great record of the events at each end of a 75 year timeline. We love it.

Mallory resolved and a super Everest account.

$30.00

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The Springs of Adventure – Wilfred Noyce

A first edition published by John Murray, London in 1958.

A super book about adventure by the definition of adventurer Wilfred Noyce.

Octavo, 240 pages, illustrated from photographs. Chipped dust jacket and page edges a bit foxed otherwise a very serviceable copy.

Noyce was a Cambridge Graduate and Master at Charterhouse. In WWII he was in Nepal and found time to climb a couple of very high mountains. Later he would be in the South Col party about which he would write another book. Here he mixes his exploits with those of other under the true adventure label … that and his talent for writing makes for good reading.

Wilfred Noyce about true adventure including his own

$25.00

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In the Footsteps of [Captain Robert Falcon] Scott – Mear and Swan

Large octavo, 306 pages, published by Jonathan Cape, London in 1987. Nicely illustrated and with end paper maps.

Robert Swan had an ambition to walk to the South Pole in honour of Robert Scott and his party. He enlisted Mear and another. They were supported by Peter Scott and Lord Shackleton. There were many challenges and they accomplished a number of firsts in their preparation – first up Erebus in the Winter. A really great account.

Swan always an adventurer cycled from Cape Town to Cairo and circumnavigated (if that’s the correct term) the Vatnajokull Ice Cap in Iceland on skis. What fun he had.

Swan all the way to the Pole

$25.00

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Peaks and High Places [Tasmania] – Ian Boss-Walker

Well it had to be a “Walker” to put together such an amazing book.

Published in 1950 by the “Scenery Preservation Board” in 1950. Soft cover with a striking period style front cover, internally many charts of tracks and images from period photographs of the mountain scenes along the way.

For anyone planning a nowadays hike this would make an interesting reference to support you iphone or whatever. We particularly like when the mountain huts are listed we are given information on who built, them when and why …

Hiking in among the Tasmanian Peaks

$25.00

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Explorations in Garhwal around Karmet [Important Mountaineering Report] – Journal of the Royal Geographical Society – January 1932.

The Journal of the Royal Geographical Society, January 1932, containing a report by legendary mountaineer Frank Smythe relating to the climbing of Kamet, then the highest peak climbed in the World. During the expedition they discovered and named the “Valley of Flowers” now a National Park in Sikkim. Smythe wrote well and his report is a good example of “in the moment narrative” .. you can almost feel the chills. Super images from original photographs accompany this article.

Other articles of substance include, in the Rockies, the confirmation of the Purcell as the source of the Kootenay River and, a traverse through Norwegian Lapland by Charles Elton.

Usual original blue wrappers, good photographs as mentioned and maps for reference. A crease across early pages from storage [priced accordingly], else clean and bright, a worthy copy of a scarce mountaineering report.

Frank Smythe later overshadowed by Everest but up there with the best Mountaineer explorers.

$70.00

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Red Peak – Ascent of Pik Kommunizma [Now named Ismoil Somoni Peak in Modern Day Tajikistan - 7,495 m]

The Search for Mallory & Irvine – Peter Firstbrook.

The Springs of Adventure – Wilfred Noyce

In the Footsteps of [Captain Robert Falcon] Scott – Mear and Swan

Peaks and High Places [Tasmania] – Ian Boss-Walker

Explorations in Garhwal around Karmet [Important Mountaineering Report] – Journal of the Royal Geographical Society – January 1932.

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