Happy trails

At a time of year when the wilderness beckons, here are two books to make you head for the hills.

High peaks and snow-covered summits have held a deeply mystical allure for generations of trampers and mountaineers. Such emotions are distilled into the pages of Geoff Spearpoint’s THE GREAT UNKNOWN: MOUNTAIN JOURNEYS IN THE SOUTHERN ALPS (Potton & Burton, $59.99). To dismiss this book as a prosaic series of logs and photographs tracking climbs in the South Island’s Southern Alps from the 1970s to 2009 wouldn’t do it justice. Spearpoint’s writing might be crisp and, at times, frustratingly matter of fact, but his underlying sensitivity and deep personal attachment to exploring environments totally indifferent to any human presence make this a potent experience to read. A stubborn tenacity is embedded into Spearpoint’s almost nonchalant accounts of hazards encountered and dangers beaten.

But if you can’t read between the lines, simply relish the magnificent photographs.

If you are not inclined to giving the Aoraki/Mt Cook grand traverse a go or, like me, suffer from fear of heights, Shaun Barnett has the perfect solution in a reprint of the hugely popular DAY WALKS IN NEW ZEALAND (Potton & Burton, $49.99). The book proffers 100 of New Zealand’s “best” short tracks in an admirably reader- (and walker-) friendly way. Covering both North and South islands, Barnett provides an outline of each walk, its grade, walking time and access points. Although the Geopraphx maps give an immediate outline of the routes, a topographical map is still required – the book indicates the relevant number. These walks range from easy to hard (definitely something to note) and cater for every type of walker from the experienced to the family group. What is especially good about the book is that it fits easily into a day pack or car glove box.