London, Longmans, Green and Co, 1875, 1st edition. 341 pp. Illustrated with 6 full page plates including the frontispiece, with a vignette on the title page, marbled end papers and folding map. The six illustrations were made by Edward Whymper. All 3 edges of the pages are marbled, as are the endpapers. The binding is tight, and is a full calf leather hardcover, with gilt titles on a raised band spine. Spine is nicely decorated in gold leaf. Internally the book has no foxing, no writing, no stains, no bookplates, a really clean copy. Exterior is very handsome, as leather books usually are, the book has no shelf wear. The edges of the boards are decorated in gold leaf, and the bottom edge shows no wear, the gold is as bright as on the other edges. Fine overall.
This is a true Seven Summit first ascent book, the highest point in Europe. Includes the primary account of the first ascent. In 1874 the team climbed the west summit of Mount Elbrus, 5,642m, 18,510 ft. The first ascent was led by F. Crauford Grove, with Frederick Gardner, Horace Walker, their guides Peter Knubel and Ahiya Sottaiev. The west summit is forty meters higher than the east summit.
Florence Crauford Grove (male) was one of the ablest British climbers of the day and president of the Alpine Club in 1884-6. He also led the condemnation of guideless climbing in the 1870s, against the Rev. Girdlestone. This work is the first edition of his account of climbing in the Caucasus, and is the account of the first ascent of Elbrus, one of the world's 'seven Summits' as the highest point in Europe.
Chapters cover the Upper Rion, the valley of the Upper Tcherek, Bezingi and the Kotchan Tau Group, Tchegem and the Gorge of the Djilki-Su, Urusbieh, the ascent of Elbruz, and the Nakhar Pass. The party was accompanied by A.W. Moore during the trekking through the western Caucasus.
