A curious pastime....Hut Bagging!

"It's all about bagging those huts, baby....!!!"

Hut Bagging:  I have talked about this subject before but I thought a more in depth exploration could be useful.

Newest public hut in New Zealand...Rod Donald Hut on Banks Peninsula

We are very lucky in New Zealand to have a collection of huts available for the public to use at a minimal charge,  at last count there were over 970 huts. These range from tiny 2 person bivouacs or "dog boxes" (they look like a doghouse),  right up to Great Walk monster huts which sleep 50-100 people. They have a varied background: DOC huts, ex New Zealand Forestry Service huts, miner's huts, research stations, climbing/skiing/tramping club shelters or ex farm accommodation.

How about bagging John Tait Hut in Nelson Lakes National Park?

These are mostly managed by the Department of Conservation or DOC as we call it.

No one including DOC are exactly sure how many huts exist as a variety of factors effects what you class as a hut. Huts are constantly being added and subtracted from the equation.

Hut bagging: the hobby!

Because of this profusion of huts we have a peculiar outdoor hobby in New Zealand of visiting or "bagging" as many of them as possible. There are many trampers who have visited over 400 huts and there several people close to reaching all 970+ huts. I would be surprised if anyone has visited all of the potential huts but a lot of people must be close.

Coldwater Hut, Nelson Lakes National Park

My personal hut bag is now 236, by the end of 2020 I hope to have passed the 250 mark. (As of November 2020 I am up to 237 huts visited....) I don't usually tramp just to claim a hut but I have pointed my trips towards this end on occasion. For example, I have the Windy Point-Hope River-Doubtful River-Nina River circuit on my to do list both as a great trip and an opportunity to bag 6 new huts....Harpers Pass route equals 8 new huts etc.

There is a website called Hut Bagger NZ where you can collate information about your particular bag. This can be shared with others on the site or kept personal, you should check it out if interested.

My favourite North Island Huts

I don't often get up to the North Island, so haven't done that much tramping north of Wellington. When I was in the Army in the late 1980-1990's I did a few trips, mostly in the Lake Waikeremoana/Kaimaniwa's/Central Plateau regions. 

One of my most memorable trips was the Lake Waikeremoana circuit, it is a Great Walk now but back then it was less developed. 

You stay for a night at Panekire Hut on the bluffs high above Lake Waikeremoana. 

Panekire Hut high on the Lake Waikeremoana Great Walk

Awesome views of the surrounding wilderness from the bluffs, really spectacular.

The famous view from the Panekire Bluffs, from Wilderness Magazine

Another oddity I have visited is Westlawn Hut which is a historic 1890's station house deep in the back blocks of the Army Training Grounds, Waiouru. It is used by military personal as a hunting/tramping hut now. This charmer is a bit draughty but still keeps out the rain by the way, it is the oldest hut I have ever visited in New Zealand. 

Historic Westlawn Hut built in the 1890's

One more from the North Island is Ketetahi Hut on the Tongariro Crossing. It used to be a 20 bunk hut, but it was damaged in a volcanic eruption in 2012 and is now only a day shelter.  

Back in the 1990's I stayed here with some army buddies for a night. 

Ketetahi Hut on the flank of Mt Tongariro from NZ Trampers

My favourite South Island Huts

I live in the South Island of New Zealand and have done most of my tramping here so it is difficult for me to chose a best hut. Some are best for location, some are best for scenery some for the memories I have of them.

The first hut I visited after DOC was formed was the old Hawdon Hut in Arthurs Pass. I have always loved the all wood construction and the golden varnished finish of these Lockwood Huts. 

Old Hawdon Hut, Arthurs Pass NP: cira early 1990's...my first DOC Hut

Interior of a DOC Lockwood Hut...this is Carrington Hut

 
My two main tramping haunts are Arthur's Pass NP and Lewis Pass Scenic Reserve, I am slowly but surely walking all the tracks in both locations.

One of my favourites:Nina Hut Lewis Pass Scenic Reserve

The most scenic hut I have ever stayed in is Mueller Hut in Mt Cook/Aoraki National Park. It sits high above the surrounding valleys with spectacular views of Mt Cook, Mt Tasman and various glaciers. The photo below is of Mueller Hut IV, the hut I stayed at Mueller Hut III was replaced in the early 90's.

Mt Cook from Mueller Hut III, DOC website

The hut I have visited the most in all of New Zealand is Packhorse Hut on Banks Peninsula. I have been here either for day trips or overnight stays 11 times now. It is a real charmer with those stone walls and dramatic location.

Recently renovated and added to the hut booking system, this is a great location for a first overnight tramping trip. It is part of the Summit Walkway/Te Ara Pataka, an awesome first multi day tramp.

Packhorse Hut, high above Lytelton Harbour

This is the hut I have stayed the most consecutive days in, Magdalen Hut near Lewis Pass. I stayed here for 4 days, 3 nights in early 2017...it is a lovely new style 6 bunker.

Magdalen Hut, St James Conservation Area

The smallest hut I have ever stayed in is the Packhorse Biv near Kaituna Pass on Banks Peninsula. My daughter and I stayed here twice while acting as the volunteer hut warden for nearby Packhorse Hut.

Packhorse Biv, Kaituna Pass, Banks Peninsula

My favourite Great Walk hut is Bark Bay Hut in the Abel Tasman National Park. The hut is huge with 32 bunks in it but the real draw-card is the beautiful lagoon right outside the front door...an awesome place for a swim in the heat of summer.

Bark Bay Hut, Abel Tasman National Park

The beautiful lagoon at Bark Bay, Abel Tasman NP

Upper Travers Hut has majestic vistas of the massive mountains that surround it...

Upper Travers Hut in Nelson Lakes NP

The most recent hut I have visited is Awapoto Hut on the Inland Track Abel Tasman National Park in the summer of 2018...

Awapoto Hut, Inland Track, Abel Tasman NP

Each of these huts have appealed to me on one level or another...

 A special note on walking the Te Araroa Trail

Te Araroa is the long distance trail running from Cape Reinga in the far north to Bluff deep in the south. If you are trekking the whole way and complete all sections you will stay in or pass by 58 huts, the rest of the time you will be camping. This puts you in the mid regions as a hut bagger.

Dracophyllum Hut in the Tararua Range is on the Te Araroa trail

Lagoon Saddle Hut, Craigieburn Forest Park is on the Te Araroa Trail

Anne Hut,  St James Conservation Area is on the Te Araroa...

Roses Hut on the Motatapu Track is also a Te Araroa trail hut

If travelling south, the first hut you will visit will be Pahautea, in Pirongia Forest Park, the last is Martins Hut down in Longwood Forest, Southland.

Pahautea Hut, Pirongia Forest Park

'Rustic' Martins Hut, Longwood Forest

 

When I finish section walking the TA it will have added an extra 40 odd huts to my bag. Now that is what I call an incentive to get out and do some tramping......