Trip Reports

Re: Hut-bagging, lost sheep style?

Richard — Wed, 28 Feb 2007 21:57:24 GMT

The new Carkeek could well become Burn Creek Biv in Nelson Lakes NP. Was in there a week or so back and the last entry was Alyn, Sam, Regan, Bernie and Jeroen. Before them no one for four years and 3 months. Its marked a wee bit wrong on the map, maybe thats why..... VUWTC domination awaits. Mwah ha ha ha

Re: Hut-bagging, lost sheep style?

Belle — Tue, 13 Feb 2007 02:13:12 GMT

Future note to all hut baggers... Don't take me.

Most recent disregard to hut bagging includes MacGregor Biv, Tararuas. Foggy day, walked straight passed it (within 10 meters or so) and I couldn't be arsed to go back and find it. Puh - 50 meters!

Did you hear Mr Richie that the Tararua Hut Bagging comp has been extended until the 10th of April? See my little message on the Club Trip Forum (my attempt to encourage blatant disregard to tramping safety, although note that all participants must lodge a flight plan).

Huts to bag for non hut baggers include (all beautiful and within reasonable walking/boating distance):

Fennella Hut (the loo is outstanding) - Kahurangi

Blue Lake Hut (it feels so wrong telling people about it) - Nelson Lakes

Welcome Flat Hut ('that's hot' pools) - Copland Track, South Westland

Te Puia Lodge (bag it, but I would encourage you camp at the Mangatainoka Hot Springs) - Kawekas

Lake Angelus (reccomend you carry own loo and accommodation - both usually full) - Nelson Lakes

Awaroa Lodge - Able Tasman (be sure to take your credit card)

Re: Hut-bagging, lost sheep style?

Richard — Mon, 12 Feb 2007 19:42:40 GMT

Would be nice to be able to bag some of these but choose your partners wisely...... Have walked within 5hrs of several huts this summer and not got there.

[Hannah says] The rest of us can say, how close have we got to huts and not bothered, I reckon about 50metres is my record.

Re: Hut-bagging, lost sheep style?

Quentin — Mon, 12 Feb 2007 06:52:49 GMT

Having stayed there last night, I must add Koropuku Big Tops Hut to the 'must bag' list. It has some VUWTC alumni in the log book, most notably the late Simon Hassel, but also Alistair Millward, Graham Bussell and Jo Hoare. As Alistair/Graham wrote, Koropuku could be considered the 'Carkeek of the South Island'! If you want to know how to get there via the Koropuku gorge (which is rather spectacular and definitely a fine weather and low river route only, let me know). q@pleroma.org.nz

Re: Hut-bagging, lost sheep style?

Belle — Fri, 09 Feb 2007 20:47:32 GMT

I am the bagman, I am the walrus doopdoopdedoo....

Envious as always.

Belle

Re: Hut-bagging, lost sheep style?

Quentin — Fri, 09 Feb 2007 20:12:17 GMT

No, not a student. Just work part of the year to allow months of tramping.

Re: Hut-bagging, lost sheep style?

rob — Fri, 09 Feb 2007 20:06:19 GMT

Impressive list for one summer. Please tell me you're still a student with 'bags' of time?

Hut-bagging, lost sheep style?

Quentin — Fri, 09 Feb 2007 19:56:35 GMT

You will be aware of VUWTC's tradition of hut-bagging, well here's a brief trip report on just how addicted one can become. You have been warned.

On the way out from a recent Lake Sumner Forest Park tramp with Christchurch friends Simon and Mauricio (of Permolat www.remotehuts.co.nz), I convinced them that we should attempt to bag Woolshed Hut* on the other side of the Hurunui river from the Lake Sumner road. It is visible from the road, and is on the Parkmap and M33 topo sheet. All I knew was that is was old (historic), had disappeared off DOC's radar (i.e. the Recreation Opportunities Review had mentioned ceasing maintenance on the track to it, but didn't mention a status or future of the hut), the bridge to it was long gone, and the track from the bridge to the hut probably non-existent. From the road it looked very dilapidated, like some of the wall was missing.

The best looking ford of the river we could find was about 1km downstream of hut. The ford was OK (it is a surprisingly big river) and so was the initial rock-hop, often in the water to avoid the gorse. A bluff meant pushing through gorse (ouch, and we were all in shorts!), but once in the patchy mountain beech it wasn't too bad. Indeed some foot/animal trails were found and led to the hut. It took nearly an hour.

Of course it was worth it for a classic bag: a genuine historic hut with mud walls boxed with manuka poles and open ends. I have no idea what it was build for, or when. Nathan and Terry (whoever they are) have made it their private fishing/hunting base and left it all equipped with two camp stretchers, food and gear. No one else seems to visit (at least since N & T installed a logbook last year) despite it being visible from the road.

But it was not over yet. To avoid the messy gorse, on the way back we went up the old but followable track upstream to the old bridge site looking for a ford to take us back across. Alas, we got 1km upstream without finding one and ended up crashing through as much gorse to get there. Attempted one but when the water reached the rib-cage and was still getting deeper, we pulled back. So, back downstream through all the gorse again to the original ford... To top it off Simon got stung twice by wasps while we were in the beech avoiding gorse... and he was the 'non-hut-bagger' among us! (although he does bag vertical metres!)

Needless to say, we were laughing at ourselves by the end - it took 3 hours all up. But it was worth it, and constitutes another tick on my hut list. I'll try and post a photo on here in due course.

If you are also addicted, a few gems I've got to this summer and I thoroughly recommend are: McCormacks Hut, Westland NP; Robin Saddle Hut, Fiordland NP; Pyke Camp Buildings, Mt Aspiring NP; Spoon Hut, Mt Aspiring NP; The Dog Box Biv and Beech Hut, Eyre Mountains CP; Hideaway Biv, Ruataniwha CP.

Quentin Duthie

* Not to be confused with the new Woolshed Creek Hut at Mt Somers.