Collector's Package: Signed 1979 K2 American Alpine Journal 1979 and Original Whillans Harness

Every collector and lover of climbing history needs this package in their life!

For decades the AAC has been publishing climbing's foremost authority on climbing, chronicling major assents and expeditions. In all the years, the 1979 edition is one of the most remarkable! It features the harrowing story of the first Americans to stand atop K2: the 1978 American K2 Expedition. Signed by expedition leaderJim Whittaker, and team members Louis Reichardt, Jim Wickwire, Rick Ridgeway, Dianne Roberts, Bill Sumner, Terry Bech, and Skip Edmonds.

Plus, 1970's Whillans Harness from Jed Williamsonn is piece of history. It is a testament to how far climbing gear tech has progressed!

Rope, leather and webbing from parachute harnesses were just some of the materials used for early climbing harnesses until nylon tape was invented, sometime in the 1960's, we think. The Americans wrapped tape around their bodies in various configurations and called it a 'Swami belt.

In 1970, not long after his successful climb of the Troll Wall in Norway, Tony Howard set up his mountaineering equipment company, Troll. Pretty soon after they teamed up with legendary climber, Don Whillans and between them they produced one of the first sit harnesses made/sewn with tape - Whillans used one on the South face of Annapurna and climbers all over the world used them for decades to come.

The central crutch strap on the Whillan's was said to have rendered several male climbers impotent and they were not the most comfortable for abseiling, though they did probably prevent lots of male climbers from falling off as the resultant damage to the nether regions was unthinkable!
The Troll Whillan's Harness was however a major step forward in climbing equipment development and just about every climbing harness on the market some forty or fifty years later is based on this original design.

This particular harness saw its fair share of adventure. Here is its story:

Hello, I'm Jed Williamson's Whillans Sit Harness made in England by Troll. I've been kept in the dark for about 30 years, so I'm probably as strong as ever! But never mind that! I've had a great time protecting Jed over many years. He wore me on a couple of big climbs (like Half Dome in 1979) and for a lot of years guiding for the Glenn Exum School of American Mountaineering. I was honored that his daughter, Heather, wore me on her ascent of the Grand Teton in 1988 with Jed. There was a moment of panic on that climb. Heather was out of sight from Jed, ready to make the big move up from Wall Street. "Climb, Heather." "Climbing..." Then, "Falling, Dad!" But not far! The rest of the climb went well! Photo is of Heather climbing in the harness.