1936 Hugh Ruttledge MOUNT EVEREST ADVENTURE Pre-Book

Author: RUTTLEDGE, Hugh.
Title: The Mount Everest Expedition of 1936.
Publisher: London: Royal Geographical Society, 1936.    Pre-Dates Book!
Item is in ORIGINAL Condition, With Blue Wrappers - As Issued, Complete with All the Ads!!!

Notes: Ruttledge, leader of the fourth expedition to Mount Everest, recounts a most arduous mountaineering endeavor, unfavorable climbing conditions, remarkable reconnaissance work in spite of the latter, and a chronology of the adventure, illustrated with awe-inspiring photographic views. His undaunted team included Frank Smythe, Eric Shipton, Wyn Harris, and L.R. Wager. Harris and Wager made a summit attempt from the famous Camp VI, reaching 28,200 feet in attempting to determine whether the northeast ridge was capable of being climbed. During this climb, they came upon the ice-axe of either Mallory or Irvine, lost nine years before on their fateful climb. Harris and Wager found the 'second step' unclimbable and had to revert to a traverse of the face, when time ran out. On the return to the high camp Wager struggled to the crest of the ridge and became the first man to look down the awesome east face of Everest.

Other members of the expedition contribute the following nine informative appendices:
 *  Selection and Training of Porters, by C.J. Morris
 *  Transport, by C.J. Morris
 *  Wireless, by W.R. Smijth Windham
 *  Photography, by F.S. Smyth
 *  Snow Conditions on the North Col., by F.S. Smythe
 *  Health, by Dr. Noel Humphreys
 *  Physiology, by C.B. Warren
 *  The Oxygen Problem, by C.B. Warren
 *  Collecting, by Noel Humphreys

This is the Scarce Preliminary Account which Pre-Dates the Author's Classic Book!
"Everest: The Unfinished Adventure" was published the following year.

This expedition was a critical stage in the evolution of mountaineering, in the adaption of the body to extreme conditions, and in the mastery of matter by the spirit. Through toil and danger, it stretched men to their breaking points. For the first time, mountaineers were able to sustain sleep conditions at the highest altitudes and were able to adapt rather successfully to conditions in the highest regions. The climbing of Mount Everest remained a challenge yet unmet when this expedition ended, but the foray laid important foundation for the journey that would eventually succeed, in 1953, under the leadership of Sir Edmund Hillary.

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Condition: 33 pages. Plus several remarkable black and white plates. Original condition with blue wrappers, titles to front, and containing all the ads. This is a complete issue of the Geographical Jounral, containing the above described narrative. Seldom found in such good and original condition.