Solo
by Hazel Phillips

Read: Jul 28-2, 2020
Genre: Adventure

Jen and I listened to an interview by Kim Hill of Phillips about this book on our way home from Te Anau. We had just completed the Kepler, one of the Great Walks of New Zealand. It was perhaps our most adventurous trip yet, despite being a Great Walk. We completed it in midwinter and there was a good deal of new snow, and some heightened avalanche conditions. We had our bags full of food, warm clothes, safety gear and “unknown unknowns”. Knowledge we didn’t know we lacked as Phillips describes it.

Phillips takes you on a whirlwind tour of New Zealand tramping, alpine climbing, history, risk, death, feminism and confidence. I think this is a really valuable read for anyone into the outdoors - it has a lot of lessons to teach if you are ready to receive them. It is also equally entertaining and makes for a good story, if that is what you are into!

Other Reading:

• Going Up Is Easy by Lydia Bradley
• The Conquest of Mount Cook and Other Climbs by Freda du Faur
• High Misadventure by Paul Hersey
• To the Mountains by Laurence Fearnley and Paul Hersey