Artist unknown :[The upper reaches of Mount Cook observed from the Linda Glacier side. 1884-1894?]

Shows the upper part of Mount Cook or Aoraki, with the head of the Linda Glacier labelled in the foreground. In the lower centre foreground a small figure of a climber can be seen, about the follow a dotted line up the mountain towards "Green's ledge". Also labelled are (at right) the saddle between the Hooker and Linda, the ridge named the Tasman arete by Green, and (at left) the north east arete and the top and bottom couloirs. Also marked are the seracs just below the peak, and the "bergschrund [crevasse] all round" at lower right.

Artist may possibly be Kenneth Ross who was one of several climbers who made early attempts of Mt Cook, following an earlier attempt in 1882 by the Rev W S Green. These climbers included Ross and his brother Malcolm Ross, and A. P. Harper, who returned to New Zealand in 1889 after two seasons of climbing in the European Alps. Three young men who worked at the Hermitage, Tom Fyfe, George Graham and Jack Clarke, also began climbing on their days off. From 1884 to 1894, this small group of men brought New Zealand climbing into existence. Eventually Jack Clarke, Tom Fyfe and George Graham succeeded on Christmas Day 1894, in making the first complete ascent of the highest peak of Mount Cook (Some content taken from Te Ara website http://www.teara.govt.nz/TheBush/BushandMountain... on 29 June 2009).

Quantity: 1 watercolour(s).

Physical Description: Ink and wash 130 x 180 mm.

Provenance: Probably from the papers of the family of Malcolm Ross.