Nelson Lakes National Park, Lakehead Hut, May 26-27th

A overnight trip to Lakehead Hut

 I went up to Lakehead Hut in late May to visit one my old stomping grounds. I like Nelson Lakes National Park as it is a good place to adventure to with its many good huts and clear to follow tracks. I was visiting Lakehead Hut which is there at the end of Lake Rotoiti approximately 2.5 hours from my start point. 

Lake Rotoiti seen from Kerr Bay

 

I started from Kerr Bay with the intention of visiting the early part of the Travers Valley...at this time of the year Lakehead Hut is clear of avalanche danger and is easily reached by trampers leaving the Bay. This was a part of my Winter 2023 series of tramps before I got sick. 

This trip was partially an attempt to get some tramping time in for my big Milford Track tramp which you have probably seen several times now. 

 Anyway this is how the Nelson Lakes trip went....

Day One: Kerr Bay to Lakehead Hut:

It was noon before I got to St Arnaud so I didn't mess around but grabbed my gear and started walking as soo as I arrived. I walked up the Lakehead Track as it only takes about two and a half hours to get to the hut. 

Start of the track at Kerr Bay, Nelson Lake National Park

Information panels sitting in the forest

I like the Lakehead Track it is interesting without being overly strenuous and you can set a cracking pace for most of its length. Most of the people I saw were coming down the valley after going for day walks and the such...there weren't many of them. It was periodically raining off and on as I was walking.

The point where the track deteriorates into Lakehead Track

You travel through open beech forest, Lakehead Track

I got to the Loop Track-Lakehead Track junction after about 40 minutes walking...this was one of the tracks I walked before and mentioned on the blog. It is about an hour around and sets down at the start of the track. 

Here I am at the far end of the Loop Track

I spent about 10 minutes stopped at the junction before setting out for the hut once again. 

Sign marking the transition between the Loop Track and Lakehead Track

Further down the track I came apoun this bridge...it is almost buried in rock because every time it rains a big load of shingle is released down it. Eventually it will be covered over and the route will be re-routed. 

Gravel covered bridge on the Lakehead Track

Point about half-way to the wharf, Lakehead Track

I got a good look up and down Lake Rotoiti when I got to the beach halfway to the hut....the track goes out onto a small shingle beach for about 20 meters and then jumps back into the forest. The sun had come out and I actually saw some blue skies for a short while. 

The Lake was very quiet...there were a couple of boats going up and down but that was it really. I saw a boat load of people heading for the wharf at Whiskey Falls so I imagine they were going for a sightseeing trip

...beach opposite Mt Roberts...

The track continues in the beech forest...Nelson Lake National Park

This is a part of the track which has been blasted out of the surrounding face and the track trough here is benched.At one time a farmer ran sheep up around the flats near Lakehead Hut.

Blasted track is easygoing on the Lakehead Track

There are only two sizable streams along the track the first one is about halfway to the hut and the second is before the Lakehead Hut wharf. These are the only places where heavy rain could thwart your forward progress as neither of them are bridged. Most of the time they are easy to cross but just use a bit of caution if it has been or is raining

River running down off the St Arnaud Range

Lake Rotoiti is a deep post glacial lake...an ancient glacier carved the lake depression as it moved back and forth in the valley. Because of this the lake is quite deep in places but shallow in others. There are a couple of spots along the track where you can see the lake bed...it is covered in old dead trees and stumps of trees.

I would think most of them came down the Travers River in floods but some would mark old shoreline.

Looking back at the exit of Lake Rotoiti

One of the beaches up Lake Rotoiti

Most of the track is nice flat sections running through open beech forest but there are also rocky sections on old stream-beds, rock gardens where the track makers have blasted through hard rock and even some sections of the old benched dray road that used to wind along the lake side.

Back on the Lakehead Track, Nelson Lakes National Park

From this point onward you start to see the head of Lake Rotoiti about two kilometers distant...you can also see up the Travers Valley along Robert Ridge, the St Arnaud, and Travers Ranges. 

Another of the rivers, Lakehead Track

 Traver's  River runs down the true left of the valley and its outlet is close to Coldwater Hut on the distant shore. Most of the land between the two sides of the lake are an enormous reed swamp.

Going up on a point over looking the wharf...Lakehead Track

Eventually you reach the Lakehead Hut wharf after walking for about 2 hours. You have good views of the outlet of the Travers River and also Coldwater Hut on the opposite side of the lake. 

Finally arrive at the wharf...Lakehead Track

I could see Coldwater Hut was occupied as it had wood smoke coming out of the chimney and a boat tied to the wharf. The wharf here is a good spot for swimming as the lake is shallow but keep an eye out for the massive native eels which live in this lake.

View from the Lakehead Wharf

The swamp around the head of Lake Rotoiti

From the wharf it is only 700 meters to the hut or about 20 minutes walk...it is longer than it sounds but you are buoyed by the fact that you are nearly there. The track passes the head of the lake and the swampy terrain which lies there.

...Lakehead Track making for the hut...

This is the 9th time I have stayed in Lakehead Hut as I really love Nelson Lakes National Park and get up here on a regular basis. I thought I might have the hut to myself and so it proved. I was the only resident of the hut on the night I stayed.  

First view of Lakehead Hut

Lakehead Hut, Nelson Lakes National Park

I got to the hut around 3 pm which was fine as there was still 2-3 hours of sunlight left for me to get my evening preparation underway before it got too dark. I cut some wood for the fireplace and settled inot the hut.

..making a brew in the hut...

...organising some lunch in Lakehead Hut...

I took some photos of my suroundings as I sat there..

...Interior shot of Lakehead Hut...

I used up the meager firewood on the first night...the wood shed at Lakehead Hut was totally empty which is the first time I have ever seen it like this.There were some forestry off cuts staked up outside the hut and I helped myself to them even though they were wet. I spent the night drying the rest of the wood so I could then feed it in the fire. 

Jon at Lakehead Hut

I had a good night in the hut even though I was by myself. I had a Chicken Italiano meal for dinner and some Mashed potato to eat on the side. It was nice then i spent the rest of the night baking myself in front of the fire before I turned in early to try and get some sleep.

...My dinner I enjoyed at the hut...

I had a good sleep in the deserted hut and got 10 hours sleep.

Day Two: Lakehead Hut to St Arnaud:

I was up and getting ready to go by 07.30 the next day...I was keen to get back to the car as I wasn't sure if I might not have to drive down the coast to get home. 

Early morning and I'm brewing a coffee, Nelson Lake National Park

Interior detail of the hut showing fireplace...Lakehead Hut

It was cloudy as I set off but I didn't have any rain or drizzle on my way back to St Arnaud and in fact the sun came out around 8.40 am and it got finer and warmer as the day went on. 

...I leave the hut enroute for the road...

Nice fine weather over the lake as I passed by...I saw a boat collecting people from Coldwater Hut so they must have pre booked an early morning pick up from the dude who runs the water taxi service on the lake. 

Looking at Lakehead Hut dock

Despite all the rain the track was relatively dry and easy to walk along...I only had a couple of puddles to walk through and the river levels were fine for a solo tramper to ford. This was good as I was a bit worried after all the rain. 

Making my way trough the forest enroute for my car

View of Lake Rotoiti as I walked out

After the early morning mist blew away it was a blue sky day and I could see all the new snow which had fallen on the higher peaks over the last three days. I imagine anyone at Angelus Hut up on Robert Ridge had a sporty trip back to the road head as there would be deep snow drifts up at that altitude. 

Rock garden i walked through...Lakehead Track

...Making my way down the track...

Whiskey Falls was roaring away when I passed...I could clearly hear it from the other side of the lake...it would have got a good feed from all that rain over night. I would have liked to walk out via Lakeside Track but there was no damn way anyone was getting over the Travers River ford for a couple of days at least. 

Beach opposite Whiskey Falls, Nelson Lake National Park

I was soon back on the flat track, Lakehead Track

I got to the edge of the inland predator free island after 1 hour and 15 minutes so I was moving quickly. The walk back to St Arnaud always seems quicker than the walk into the Travers...probably because you have those track way-points fresh in your head from the trip up lake

Passing the point where Loop Track intersects Lakehead Track

I was at the Loop Track-Trackhead Track junction after an hour and 35 minutes, I stopped for my first break of the morning, had drink/snacks and took some photos. From the junction you only have 20 minutes of walking left along fairly nice track so the end is in sight as they say. 

On the easy section of the track near the start

You always boost your pace when you get close to the end of a tramp so you have to slow yourself down. I almost inevitably stumble or fall over and hurt myself close to the end of a track s

so I have learnt to slow down and walk the same steady pace so I don't injure myself.

Climbing over a headland, Lakehead Track

Back near the start of the Lakehead Track

 

I finally walked off the end of Lakehead Track after 2 hours and 10 minutes so I made excellent time. It was busy at the Kerr Bay boat ramp with groups launching boats, boarding water taxis, walking around etc. 

I will have to come back up after the holiday madness to do the camping trip that I had planned for this weekend. A few days of good weather in early January/Feburary would fit the bill....

I arrive at Kerr Bay. Nelson Lakes National Park

Farwell Lake Rotoiti. Nelson Lake National Park

Any time I can get away to Nelson Lakes National Park is a good time for me. I love it up here and once again wished I lived in Nelson (only 2 hours away...) so I could enjoy it more often. 

I might be back late in 2023 for a couple of trips I have planned for the park but we will just have to see how things pan out. Cheers...

Access: Lakehead Track is in the Travers Valley, Nelson Lakes NP. Access is from the Kerr Bay boat ramp around the edge of the lake. There is a water taxi service, cost is $100 per boat and can be found at the Kerr Bay jetty.  

Track Times: It is 2-3 hours to Lakehead Hut from St Arnaud. It is another 20 minutes to the ford near the mouth of the Travers River, then 10 minutes to Coldwater Hut. 

Hut Details: Lakehead Hut : Serviced, 28 bunks, water tank, wood shed, toilets: Coldwater Hut: Serviced. 14 bunks, water tank, woodshed, toilet.  

Miscellaneous: Some un-bridged side streams, only a problem in major rain events but care is required at all times. You cannot go up the valley from May until November due to the avalanche risk.