Aorangi: The Story of Mount Cook

This is a second-hand copy of the book Aorangi: The Story of Mount Cook by Jim Wilson. The book is hardcover with a dust jacket and includes approx 20 pages of photographs. Most are black and white, but a few are in colour.

From the inside flap:

So much for the spectacle provided by Mount Cook. The Maoris called it Aorangi, popularly translated as the cloud piercer'. It is no wonder that New Zealand's highest peak and the National Park enclosing it have become the country's foremost tourist attraction, with splendid facilities for the visitor centred upon the world-famed Hermitage hotel. The story of that resort development, part of the story of Mount Cook, is told in this book.

But Samuel Butler was also a prophet: 'There is a glorious field for the members of the Alpine Club here.' He meant the English Alpine Club, but as it turned out Mount Cook was to offer a challenge to New Zealand as well as overseas climbers. The story of the first attempts on the mountain and of its eventual conquest (just in time!) by three self-taught New Zealanders makes exciting reading. Those early climbs are described in detail in these pages, along · with many subsequent climbs of note, including the difficult and dangerous face ascents of recent times.

From the earliest Maori legends of the mountain to the still uncompleted assaults on the Caroline face, this book gives the full story of Aorangi. It emphasises above all how Mount Cook and its surrounding peaks have bred a type of mountain men (and women) who, with conspicuous success, have taken their spirit and climbing techniques to the Himalayas, the Andes, and other far corners of the world.

Condition: this is a used book. The dust jacket has been scuffed and suffered some tears and creases. It is currently protected by a non-adhesive PVC cover but this can be removed as it is only folded in place. The book itself has some age spots and foxing but the spine is in good condition.

Publisher: Whitcombe & Tombs Ltd
Published Year: 1968
Pages: 245
Book Condition: used book (fair)
Jacket condition: poor