SIGNED BY DESMOND DOIG, SIR EDMUND HILLARY, AND GEORGE LOWE

HILLARY, Edmund and DOIG, Desmond. High in the Thin Cold Air. (London): Hodder & Stoughton, (1963). Octavo, original gray cloth, cartographic endpapers, original dust jacket. $600.

First English edition of this account of the 1960-61 Himalayan Scientific and Mountaineering Expedition, signed on the title page by Doig, Hillary, and George Lowe.

This expedition, sponsored by the World Book Encyclopedia, had two objectives: to study how the Sherpa people, famous for their mountaineering skills, were able to survive the Himalayan winters at high altitude, and to explore the legend of the Yeti, better known as the Abominable Snowman. Noted Everester Hillary and his team were struck down by altitude-induced illness while attempting to scale Mount Amadablam, and an attempt to climb Mount Makalu without supplementary oxygen also failed. Although some bones and furs were collected from the Sherpas and sent for scientific analysis, evidence of the existence of the Yeti was inconclusive. With maps depicting the assault routes on Mounts Amadablam and Makalu. Illustrated with 31 pages of black-and-white photographs. Published one year after the American edition.

Book with only occasional faint foxing, faintest offsetting from dust jacket to front board, slight soiling to cloth, and most minor toning to spine. Price-clipped dust jacket with only slightest soiling, light wear to extremities, and mildest toning to spine. An extremely good copy.