Happy trails

igh 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. 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.