Winter Series 2022: Lake Daniell and Manson-Nichols Hut

The start of the 2022 Winter Series

I went for the first of my 2022 Winter series of tramps at the end of May. The destination was (it always is at the start of the Winter series) Manson-Nichols Hut at Lake Daniell. I will be going to Lake Daniell every year for the first tramp of the new winter season as it is a cool hut with a nice lake nearby, close to the road and it can be booked. 

The Silver Surfer parked at the Marble Hill campsite

Start of the Lake Daniel Track at Marble Hill

I tramped into the hut on a Sunday and walked back out on the Monday thus missing the usual weekend crowds. On the night I stayed I was the only occupant although I was supposed to have two others in the hut with me that night. Karen could not get time off work so this was once again a solo trip...

Lake Daniel Track...it is about 8 km's to the lake

The weather was wet over the weekend and I had rain on the way to the lake and on my way home. Luckily the forest is dense so while I did get wet it was not as bad as an exposed ridge top walk would have been. It did mean wet weather gear was needed...

The Sluice Box on the Lake Daniel Track

Crossing the Sluice Box, Maruia River

Upstream from the Sluice Box at Marble Hill 

View downstream from the Sluice Box of the Maruia River

I headed up a wet and boggy Lake Daniell Track towards the hut on the way passing the people who had spent the previous night there. I was passed by 18 people so the hut was almost at capacity on the Saturday night. 

Lower Alfred River from the Lake Daniel Track

Lake Daniel Track...the Alfred River sign

There is a lot of boardwalk on the Lake Daniel Track

The Lake Daniell Track is an easy track with bridges over all the side streams, boardwalk and a decent track surface so it only takes about 2-3 hours to cover the 8.4 kilometers to the lake. The surrounding hills were mist bound and it was chilly in the forest so I had my jacket on for most of the time I was walking to the lake. 

Start of the lower river flat...Alfred River

Top end of the lower flats...Alfred River

My last visit to Lake Daniell was back in July 2021 when I visited on the first of my Winter 2021 trips. Little had changed along the track since then except for a bit more erosion along the sides of the Alfred River particularly at the lower river flats. 

Mixed beech forest along the Lake Daniel Track

Alfred River from the Lake Daniel Track

I was at the iconic tree swing within 40 minutes so I was making good time. There is an overhanging branch next to the track which thousands of kids must have swung on over the years. There was a family group there when I passed taking photos in front of it. 

Tree swing about 30 minutes up the Lake Daniel Track

From the tree swing you start the first real climb of the day as you head up and around the lower gorge of the Alfred River. You climb about 80 meters above the river and sidle along the side of the hills heading for the second and higher of the two river flats along the Alfred River.

Climbing up past the lower gorge...Lake Daniel Track

...more boardwalk on the Lake Daniel Track...

 Prior to the 1990's a trip to Lake Daniell entailed a lot of mud but DOC are constantly upgrading this popular track so it is now a much faster, easier and cleaner route. There are a lot of bridges along this up graded track and you cross 13 between Marble Hill car-park and Manson Nichols Hut.

You cross 13 bridges enroute to Lake Daniell

Side stream along the Lake Daniel Track

There was mist over the second river flat when I arrived and it was lightly raining so I didn't stop for a rest like I usually do. I saw some deer sign along the side of the river and I imagine if you were here at dusk and dawn you would see Red Deer grazing the flats. I noted a big snarl of flood debris trees here...they must have washed down the Alfred River in some rain storm. 

...at the upper flats along the Alfred River...

I passed that chonk of pumice stone once again...I have no idea how it got up here next to the track as this is not a volcanic area. It must have been dug out of the river long ago and chucked up here by someone. It has been next to the  Lake Daniell Track since the first time I visited this area way back in the 1990's. 

Out of place pumice chonk along the Lake Daniel Track

Red Beech trees along the Lake Daniel Track

I was at the river access point just before the upper gorge in the Alfred River after tramping for an hour. I stopped for about 10 minutes before starting the climb up and over the upper gorge. You can cross the Alfred River here to access the Pell Stream 4 W/D track or get down riverside to fetch water from the river. 

There is access to the Alfred River along the track

Alfred River below the upper gorge, Lake Daniell Track

It is possible to ford the Alfred River at this point...

From the river access point you climb up about 100 odd meters above the river on your way to the Pell Stream seat. You are by-passing the upper gorge and this will be the longest uphill section you face on this track. It is not that bad of a climb and 15 minutes will see you up at the old Pell Stream Lookout. 

Climbing up to the Pell Stream seat...Lake Daniel Track

Fallen log along the Lake Daniel Track

Enroute to the seat you cross over Troll Stream which is roughly the mid way point of the track. From here it is 4.1 km's to Marble Hill and 4.3 km's to Lake Daniell. It usually takes me about 1.5 hours to reach this point...

Troll Bridge...half way point!!!

Closer look at Troll Bridge sign, Lake Daniel Track

Bridge number 8 of 13...Lake Daniel Track

About five minutes walk past the Troll Bridge you will pass the side track to an old slip where an open area perches high above the Alfred River. I normally go down to peer down to the river but it was wet and slippery so forwent the pleasure as a fall or slip over the edge would be the end of you...

Old slip face above the upper gorge...Alfred River

Pell Stream seat is just 200 meters further along the  Lake Daniell Track from the old slip and is a good spot for a break. I usually stop here for a drink and snack before continuing on my way. I didn't stop here on the day as there was a family just up the track on their way to the seat. Instead I kept walking and had a break further along the track...

Lake Daniel Track...Pell Stream seat

The Pell Stream seat is a good rest spot

About 50 meters past the Pell Stream seat is a side route down to the Alfred River-Pell Stream confluence. An unmarked track heads down a ridge to the side of the Alfred River. From here you can cross and follow the Pell Stream Track to a hut another 4-5 hours up a side valley. Pell Stream Hut is on a lot of hut baggers 'to do lists' but it is not an easy track...

Side route down to the Pell Stream confluence

From the Pell Stream seat it is downhill as you head for the confluence of the Alfred River and Fraser Stream. Fraser Stream is the outlet for Lake Daniell which flows down from the lake to a point about a kilometer on from the Pell Stream seat.

Alfred River from high on the Lake Daniel Track

The Alfred River was running high...

More boardwalk over a stream...Lake Daniel Track

I passed this Coprosma bush on the way to the confluence...it had loads of these shiny red berries on it. It was a rare splash of color in a sea of verdant green along the  Lake Daniell Track.

Berries on a Coprosma bush, Lake Daniel Track

I soon found myself at the small footbridge over Fraser Stream down near its confluence with the Alfred River. The stream is only about 1.5 meters wide and ankle deep but can be much higher when Lake Daniell is full and the outlet stream fills with flood water. Prior to the bridge this point was sometimes impassable and meant you had to turn back to the hut or the car-park...

Bridge over Fraser Stream near the confluence

Fraser Stream flows from Lake Daniell

From the Fraser Stream bridge you climb up onto an long expanse of flat ground which covers the last 2.5 kilometers to Lake Daniell. The flat is quick, easy walking so when you reach this point you are about 30-40 minutes from the lake. I stopped for a short break here huddled under a big Beech tree as it had started to rain...

Rest spot on the river terrace heading for Lake Daniell

I passed the hollow log near here which sits just alongside the track. It is almost a track marker and I know when I pass it that I am on the home stretch of my tramp...

...the olde hollow log is a track marker...

Fraser Stream sits just off the Lake Daniell Track through here and you keep passing sections of it as you slowly but surely close in on the edge of Lake Daniell. 

Fraser Stream about a kilometer from Lake Daniell

The section of Fraser Stream you see in the photo below is only 200 meters from Manson Nichols Hut and is actually a small, shallow bay off the main lake. When Lake Daniell is full it looks like this but the rest of the time the bed of the stream is clearly visible...

Lake Daniell is just 200 meters away...

Soon I arrived at the edge of the forest and lovely Manson-Nichols Hut came into view...

First view of Manson-Nichols Hut at Lake Daniell

Manson-Nichols Hut at Lake Daniell

It took me 2 hours and 40 minutes to walk from Marble Hill to the hut at Lake Daniell and I arrived just in the nick of time as the heavens opened and it hosed with rain for three hours...

At Manson-Nichols Hut, Lake Daniell:

I was staying overnight at the hut so as soon as I arrived I rolled into my usual set of hut chores so that I was ready for the rest of the afternoon. Some of the tasks included chopping firewood for the night, giving the hut a sweep and clean, setting up my Pit, changing out of wet clothes and getting my gear organised. 

Lake Daniell from Manson-Nichols Hut

Manson-Nichols Hut: the composting toilets

The previous night occupants had done a decent job so I had everything done in 30 minutes and could sit down. I wont go into too much detail about the hut as we have been here before but it was built in late 2020 after the previous memorial hut was deemed uneconomic to repair. It has 20 bunks, solar lighting, indoor water and fancy composting toilets. 

The hut is lovely...it is all plywood inside and has both double glazing and insulation so once you warm it up it stays warm. I have been to Manson Nichols Hut four times now and as I say it will be the first hut I visit each Winter season. 

Interior view of Manson-Nichols Hut

Living space and kitchen at Manson-Nichols Hut

One of the bunkrooms at Manson-Nichols Hut

There is an attached DOC staff quarters as there is a warden in residence over the busy summer period and there is a mud room off the living area so you can take your gear off inside. 

Manson-Nichols Hut: the mud room...

There was next to no wood in the shed when I looked but I cut up what I could find and went and dragged some damp wood out of the forest and into the wood shed. I had just enough wood for the night...DOC will have to resupply the hut before the end of winter. 

Firewood prep at Manson-Nichols Hut

I spent the afternoon and evening in and around the hut...it was raining for most of the time I was there so excursions round the lake will have to wait for better weather. I drank tea and read the pile of old 1990's Wilderness magazines I found in the hut. 

I had about to expire freeze dried meals to eat on this tramp...they were due to expire in June or July so I had to use them. For lunch I had a Backcountry Cooked Breakfast and it was way better than I remember. I think they have improved the recipe because it was bloody delicious...

I had Backcountry Cooked Breakfast for lunch...

The contents of the BCC Cooked Breakfast pack

Jon happily ensconced at Manson-Nichols Hut

There is a nice veranda at Manson Nichols Hut but I couldn't use it as it was raining all afternoon. On a dry, sunny mid winter day it would be a great spot to sit....

Lake Daniell from the Manson-Nichols Hut veranda...rain

The dock at Lake Daniell from the hut veranda...rain

Manson-Nichols Hut: table and benches on the veranda...rain

Campsite cooking shelter at Manson-Nichols Hut

Later in the afternoon I did some vlogging in the hut looking at the BCC meals I was using and about preparing the fireplace for use. I had the hut to myself so it was a great location for making some films. The rest of the time I was reading, drinking tea or snacking...not super exciting but its good to be able to stop and enjoy some quiet time for a change. 

...I did some vlog reviews of some Backcountry Cuisine meals...

Jon vlogging at Manson-Nichols Hut

Cooking bench at Manson-Nichols Hut

It stopped raining for about 30 minutes later in the afternoon so I went out to the dock for a look at the lake. It was eerily quiet at Lake Daniell as there was heavy cloud cover which tends to dampen any sound. The lake was full after a week of rain and was lapping around the bottom of the deck.

View of Manson-Nichols Hut from the dock

I lit the fire about 5 pm as it started to get dark and cold and within 30 minutes the hut was so warm I had to take my polar fleece off. The solar lights in the hut are awesome as they provide more light than a head torch can provide while being safer than candles...

...a blazing fire at Manson-Nichols Hut...

For dinner I had a Chicken Noodle soup (cooked on top of the woodturner) and a Backcountry Spaghetti Bolognaise. Their Spaghetti is o.k. but it is so much better if you pep it up with some extra sauce, flavorings and additives. 

I cooked some soup on the Manson-Nichols Hut wood burner

Setting up for dinner at Manson-Nichols Hut

...Jon has a 20 bunk hut to himself...

I had the hut to myself so sat up reading until about 9.30 when I went and jumped into the Pit. I turned off the lights and went to sleep about 10 pm which is early for me but I was feeling tired after a long day. 

Day 2: heading for home...

I had a great sleep and only woke up at 7 am when the birds starting singing outside...I was warm and comfortable in my winter weight sleeping bag.

My pit set up at Manson-Nichols Hut

I was up and about my business just after 7 am the next day...it was still raining so it was going to be a wet walk out to the carpark at Marble Hill. I quickly had some breakfast, packed my gear up and prepared to leave the hut. As I was the only person there I gave the hut a good tidy before I set out and made sure all the windows, doors and wood burner were closed down tight. 

Getting ready to leave Manson-Nichols Hut on day two

Before leaving Lake Daniell I went down for one last look at the lake and views back towards the hut and took some photos and films. It was another overcast, wet day and it was a bit dim looking out over the lake. 

Misty, wet conditions at Lake Daniell

The classic view of Manson-Nichols Hut

Mist hovers over Lake Daniell near Lewis Pass

After making sure my pack etc. was adjusted and sitting right I headed for the edge of the clearing and the start of the three hour walk back to my car...

Beginning of the Lake Daniel Track at Lake Daniell

Return to Marble Hill is the reverse of the trip in so I headed off into the forest across the big flat from Lake Daniell to Fraser Stream bridge. I had the forest to myself and the only sounds were the dripping rain drops, wind and the occasional bird call. 

Old wind fallen logs on the Lake Daniel Track

Boardwalk about a kilometer from Lake Daniell

...back past Fraser Stream....

It was a little drier in the forest as the canopy caught most of the rain falling on the forest. The track was flooded out in several places as it had been raining hard overnight...this whole section of the track will become waterlogged after any sizable rain storm. 

The Lake Daniel Track was flooded in places

...boardwalk over flood track, Lake Daniel Track...

Soon I was heading down hill off the end of the terrace and down to Fraser Stream bridge. 

Heading down to the Fraser Stream bridge

Fraser Stream was flowing a bit higher after all the rain and the small sill down by Fraser Stream bridge was gurgling away. There is a old tree trunk across the river here and it makes a miniature waterfall as the water tops it. I stopped to have a better look at it and to film in and around the bridge. 

This sill is next to the Fraser Stream bridge

One time when I walked up to the old hut in the rain this bridge had water going over the top of the deck...it gives you an idea of how high the water can get after a good storm. 

Fraser Stream bridge,,,Lake Daniel Track

Fungi growing along the Lake Daniel Track

From here it was off into the bush and the start of the climb up to the Pell Stream seat. 

Waterfall running near the Peel Stream seat

I was back at the Pell Stream seat 40 minutes after leaving the hut door that morning. The trip out from Lake Daniel is always much quicker than the trip in and I think this is due to the very gradual incline from Marble Hill to Lake Daniell. It is gradual but you do gain 100 meters in altitude between the two...

Back at the Pell Stream seat on the Lake Daniel Track

First view of Troll Bridge, Lake Daniel Track

I stopped by the side of the Alfred River at the bottom of the top gorge for a five minute snack and drink break before continuing on my way...

The Alfred River was high and dirty

It was slippery walking on the muddy track across the top river flat so I ended up walking along the grass verge. The soil is clay so once it gets wet your feet will slip and slide all over the place. 

The upper river flat of the Alfred River

All of the side streams were running heading down the valley but with the bridges they are not a problem. There was white water running in most of the streams...

Lake Daniel Track...one of the bridges

This stream runs under the bridge above...Lake Daniel Track

The Alfred River was raised from the previous days level but certainly not as fast or high as I have seen it in the past. I came up here back in 2016 after a big storm and the river was roaring and full from bank top to bank top...a certain death trap for anyone idiotic enough to go into it...

Upper gorge of the Alfred River from the Lake Daniell Track

Safety barrier on the Lake Daniel Track

I had another break below the lower river gorge and sat on a tree stump in the rain eating a muesli bar and drinking some water. I don't mind walking in the rain as it can be quite fun...the forest certainly looks best when it is wet and glistening. However...I don't much like sitting in the rain during my breaks...it is just awkward and uncomfortable.

Rest spot next to Alfred River, Lake Daniel Track

View of the Alfred from my rest spot on the Lake Daniel Track

Soon I was making my way across the lower river flat and on the two last kilometers of the tramp. The surrounding mountains were covered with low cloud and it was dark and misty on the flats.

Rain and mist at the lower flats...Lake Daniel Track

The last track section is along the side of the lower Alfred River and then around the bottom of a ridgeline to the Sluice Box and the bridge over the Maruia River. 

Arrival at the Alfred River sign...Lake Daniel Track

Near the confluence of the Alfred and Maruia Rivers

If you ever happen to be passing over Lewis Pass go down and walk to the Sluice Box. It is a classic footbridge over the Maruia River and it is very photogenic. The Sluice Box is about 10 minutes walk from the Marble Hill car-park and it is flat and very easy walking...

Back at the Sluice Box on my way to Marble Hill

Rain swollen Maruia River downstream of Sluice Box

Maruia River upstream of Sluice Box

Then it was just the last 10 minutes walking from the Sluice Box to the campsite at Marble Hill. I passed the first people of the day near here and chatting to them discovered they were the absent couple from the previous evening finally heading up to the lake. 

Last hundred meters of the Lake Daniel Track

Marble Hill car-park hove's into view

My Atmos 50 AG pack at Marble Hill car-park

I was pleased to see the Silver Surfer intact and still parked where I left it the previous morning. There are no current vandalism problem at the Marble Hill car-park BUT this is a remote parking area right next to a popular highway so there is always a risk.

The Surfer still safe at the Marble Hill car-park

Lake Daniell is an awesome destination any time of the year with a nice track, newer hut and plenty to do in the area. If you have never been you should add it to your 'to do list'. Come back soon for my next Winter series trips which are from a base camp in Punakaiki on the West Coast of the South Island. 

Access: Take SH7, the Lewis Pass Highway, turn off at Marble Hill campsite 5 km's west of Maruia Springs, track starts next to car park shelter

Track Times: 8.4 kilometers or 2-3 hours to Manson-Nicholls Hut at Lake Daniell

Hut Details: Kohanga Atawhai/Manson-Nichols Hut: Serviced, 20 bunks, wood burner, water tank, wood shed, toilets: Lake Daniell campsite: standard rate, space for 5-10 tents with additional space in the forest. There is a very nice campsite cooking shelter with a bench, water tank and several picnic tables. 

Miscellaneous: All weather track to a good standard with all streams now bridged. Kohanga Atawhai/Manson-Nichols Hut is on the DOC hut booking system. It can be busy in summer or over the holidays and a hut warden will be in attendance at these times. 

You Tube: Lake Daniell Track