Washburn: Extraordinary Adventures of a Young Mountaineer
Bradford Washburn is well known for his daring climbs of the world's highest peaks and his pioneering work in aerial photography and mountain cartography. But Washburn's bold exploits started long before he first set eyes on McKinley and the Yukon.As a teenager, Washburn scaled the high peaks of the French Alps and climbed Mount Washington - home of the "worst weather in the world" - in winter. At age 20, he led a team of fellow Harvard Mountaineering Club members on an expedition to make the first ascent of 15,300-foot Mount Fairweather, the highest peak in Alaska's coastal range. Through these adventures, Washburn established himself as an accomplished young mountaineer. He also became a successful teen author when G.P. Putnam's Sons published accounts of these early achievements as part of the true-life adventure series Boys' Books by Boys.Now you can read about Washburn's extraordinary adventures in this collection of three rare early works – back in print after nearly 70 years. From precocious teen in the French Alps to expedition leader in Alaska, in each book Washburn reveals a boyish clarity of purpose and enthusiasm, offering insight into the incredibly accomplished author, photographer, and mapmaker that he would become.Illustrated with original photographs, this collection is an invaluable contribution to the history of mountaineering, as well as immensely fun reading for anyone who loves a good adventure.