Seeking The Light

This book comprises the most significant collection of modern NZ mountaineering photography ever published, and provides a rare and unique view of our Southern Alps from the perspective of a dedicated mountaineer on and amongst our highest mountains.

But it’s not just pretty pictures, it’s the story of Gavin’s quest to climb all 24 of New Zealand’s highest mountains, those peaks in the Southern Alps/Kā Tiritiri o te Moana that rise above 3000 metres. The images, and Gavin’s fascinating narrative combine to take the reader on a journey through mountains that few New Zealanders ever see.

This is a personal account of my findings on the rewards of nature and adventure on our mental health. Resilience and the mental health benefits of challenge in nature are what drive me to return again and again to the natural mountain environment and to give attention to the importance of spending quality time in the outdoors.

I hope to inspire mountaineers and non-climbers alike to embrace and appreciate our wild places, and to describe in more detail the relationship that we all understand intuitively.

This project has expanded into creating not just a book, but also a film that will feature all 24 of the 3000m mountains in the Southern Alps.

The book is highly illustrated with over 170 action and landscape images of each mountain.

Seeking the Light : Climbing all 24 of New Zealand’s Highest Mountains
Published by Potton & Burton New Zealand.

A mountain takes us to the edge physically, it can break our hearts emotionally, it can render our dreams unfulfilled, and it can lift our spirits beyond what we imagined. That is why we go.

~ Peter Hillary’s words in the foreword to Seeking The Light

Fifteen years ago, I came up with the idea of climbing and filming New Zealand’s highest and most aesthetic mountains. This ambitious idea is now a goal. Over the last year, I’ve been moving towards completing the goal of climbing and documenting all 24 of the 3000m mountains in the Southern Alps. Follow me on my journey….

This is my largest mountaineering project to date and has expanded into creating not just a film, but a book that will feature all 24 of the 3000m mountains in the Southern Alps.

The book will be highly illustrated with action and landscape images of each mountain.

The writing is also an in-depth personal account of my findings on the rewards of nature and adventure on our mental health. Resilience and the mental health benefits of challenge in nature are what drive me to return again and again to the natural mountain environment and to give attention to the importance of spending quality time in the outdoors.

I hope to inspire mountaineers and non-climbers alike to embrace and appreciate our wild places, and to describe in more detail the relationship that we all understand intuitively.

The current working title is ‘Seeking the Light: Climbing all 24 of New Zealand’s 3000m Mountains’