Correspondence

Publication Year: 1931.

London, February 20, 1931.

The Editor,

American Alpine Journal.

Sir:

In my article in the American Alpine Journal, Vol. I, No. 2, “Reflections on Guidelcss Climbing,” I stated that to A. F. Mummery is often attributed the distinction of having broken away from the prevailing tradition of climbing with guides, but that by his guideless ascent of Mont Blanc (in 1855) the Rev. Charles Hudson should correctly be called the “Father of Guideless Climbing.”

Colonel E. L. Strutt has kindly called my attention to the fact that Mummery should not be considered as the first to have climbed guideless systematically. This distinction goes to the C. and L. Pil- kington-Frederick Gardiner party in the late ’70s and early ’80s, and also to the Ludwig Purtscheller-E. and O. Zsigmondy combination in the ’80s (and even earlier in the Eastern Alps). Moreover, the George Morse-Gibson-Wicks party was of the same date as Mummery, when the latter took to guideless work.

For the sake of historical accuracy the above facts should be noted.

N. E. Odell.