Mountain book of the year announced

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July/August 2025

Samantha studied law but is now a journalist. She collates Walk Shorts and freelances for Wilderness and other publications.

By Samantha Mythen

Euan Macleod and Craig Potton have won the 2025 Nankervis/Bamford NZ Mountain Book of the Year for Look Out, an artistic collaboration celebrating the Southern Alps.

The $2000 grand prize is awarded in the NZ Mountain Book Competition as part of the NZ Mountain Film and Book Festival.

“Here is a mountain art book that is not over-endowed with words,” said judge Marjorie Cook. “The task for readers then is to observe and reflect on what stories could be revealed in mountain paintings (Macleod) and photographs (Potton). Such is the subjective nature of art, there is unlikely to be just one story.”

The Mountain Book Competition covers literature on the world’s remote places, expedition tales and stories about people and their adventures. Other winners are:

Kahurangi by Dave Hansford – Heritage Award

Swirly World: Lost at sea by Andrew Fagan – Narrative Award.

Look Out and Kahurangi are available on the Wilderness website. Subscribers receive a 10% discount.

About the author

Samantha Mythen

Walk Shorts writer Samantha Mythen is currently adventuring around the world, writing, hiking and cycling. She studied law but is now a journalist. She has worked for RNZ and freelanced for global publications, including Japan Today.