While Callaghan Country traditionally boasts of our unique shared experiences that 'engage patrons with the original warmth and character of traditional alpine culture', like so many other businesses, we've had to 'pivot' on this point.    Luckily, connections with the natural world still abound when enjoying recreational pursuits in the outdoors, but we'll all have to hold out on the much anticipated story swapping and Apres vibes until safer days.  During these times, there is no longer a ‘shared’ experience inside Journeyman Lodge; rather the focus will shift to intimate solitude in the privacy of your own accommodation…unplugging to reconnect. For that reason, this is the season we're advising all our guests to Bring a good book! 

The staff here at Callaghan Country have curated a list of books for winter 2021 that resonate with our mountain loving interests and values.  They inspire new connections with the wilderness, offer fresh insights and approaches to live life to the full!  We specifically selected each of these reads as they relay stories of resilience, compelling perspectives, and offer some new tips and ideas for your own adventures this year. 

And the Staff Picks are...

Braiding Sweetgrass: Indigenous Wisdom, Scientific Knowledge, and the Teaching of Plants - Robin Wall Kimmerer 
A perfect read for the nature lover!  This book aligns the methodologies, values, and findings of empirical science with those of Indigenous traditional knowledge systems for a deeper understanding of the world around us and our relationship with it.  Reverence abounds in Robin Wall Kimmerer's writing that is both uplifting and grounding; an ideal read for these strange times. 

Autonomy, Mastery and Purpose in the Avalanche Patch- Bruce Kay
Wanting to learn more about your decisions that you make when you're skiing in the backcountry? Bruce Kay delves into avalanche safety and techniques, but also the psychology behind risk taking and making decisions when in avalanche territory. 

The Overstory- Richard Powers
Awarded for the Pulitzer Prize for fiction, Powers tells the stories of five different families using five species of North American trees as the central characters. He addresses the issues of deforestation and protecting our forests as they entangle with our daily lives. 

Honouring High Places- The Mountain Life of Junko Tabei- Junko Tabei, Helen Y. Rolfe, Yumike Hiraki, and Rieko Holtved
Using the memoir and storied of mountaineer Junko Tabei, this English translation collects memories of the first woman to climb Mount Everest and the Seven Summits. Tabei's stories reflect the difficulties of being a female climber with a passion for mountains, her experience in Japan after World War II, and her death in 2016. 

Welcome to the Goddamn Ice Cube: Chasing Fear and Finding Home in the Great White North- Blair Braverman
Braverman commits her life to independence and fearlessness in the arctic. She faces death and survival in her daily life, and describes her strategies to face the risk and fear of living in a place that has the capacity to end your life. 

We'd love to hear your book recommendations for the season!  Please feel welcome to add yours in the comments below...