the character of mountains and the ethics of adventure
On the drive away from Mount Roland in northern Tasmania, we were talking about how this mountain felt inviting, friendly almost. It's not that her dolerite peaks and jagged rocky faces don't deserve deep respect. We wondered out loud ... I'm not a mountain person really, but I am fascinated by the idea that mountains, and the environment more generally, have personality and character. Mount Roland is not part of a range, at least not a significant one. It rises alone from the farming landscape. It owns a community ... the rural village of Sheffield is strongly associated with the mountain and indeed, she gives the town its character. Her foothill slopes appear gentle and even 'organised' as the cleared land and forests give way to imposing cliff faces. The way the cleared land and trees are organised around her skirt invite excursion. In my uni days I was friends with people who built a hut at the top of one of the bits of cleared land, right on the edge of the dol
