This post reminds me of a number of things. I remembered that when I was a child or my father showed me a National Geographic with the Paracutin story. Also a good spread on mosquitos and their life cycle. I knew that it blew in 1943, so I Googled NG 1944 and 1945. The only thing they had listed was 1945. Then the next day I was at my storage place where I have many old NGs and found those two years. It was Feb. 1944. I knew I was young because my memory is of just being able to look down a little at the magazine lying on the kitchen table. In fact I was only 5 1/2, but the memory is still vivid. I have been fascinated with volcanoes my whole life.
I also tried to climb Popocatepetl when I was studying in Mexico City. A group of about 100 from my college started out. We had crampons and ice axes but no ropes. There were a number of Korean War veterans on the hike, but they would be stopping for cigarettes and I would slowly trudge past them. Unfortunately, it was the first day of my monthly, and by the time I was 400 feet from the top I started feeling ill. I met students coming back who said there were sheets of ice ahead and none of us had ropes, so we all headed back down. The next day I had severe sunburn under my chin, nose and lower lip. When I went to the school nurse, she remarked I must have been with the mountain climbing group. Those who went to Acapulco beaches had a very different sunburn pattern. My younger brother was into serious rock climbing and also climbed Denali. His group was landed by a creek and 4 tons of food and gear unloaded and they were over 100 miles from the mountain. They would each load up, walk 4 miles leave their load and go back for more. I think it took them 3 weeks to get to the mountain. On Popo my last thought was, “Never Again this Insanity.”
I think the first NG I ever saw was a coverless copy that featured an article about the first winter at the South Pole (1957? ah, there’s this: http://www.southpolestation.com/trivia/igy1/1957.html).
National Geographic February 1944:
http://www.google.com/search?q=National%20Geographic%20February%201944&spell=1&ie=UTF-8
Ah here it is, as you remember, the old-style covers weren’t the flashy full-color pic.
Feb 44:
http://www.coverbrowser.com/image/national-geographic/616-9.jpg
July 57:
http://www.coverbrowser.com/image/national-geographic/737-3.jpg
and my all time favorite cover, at least it’s the one that has stuck with me, the article too:
Aug 74:
http://www.coverbrowser.com/image/national-geographic/943-2.jpg
