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Archives For 30/11/1999

Don’t lose your torch down the long drop

Department of Conservation —  21/01/2014

Community Relations Ranger Clare Duston writes about proper etiquette when visiting backcountry huts.

Many of us are scared of the unknown. Not always because of any danger, but because we just don’t know what to expect, how to do it, or the etiquette around it. These can be things as simple as going to a really fancy restaurant, catching a bus in an unfamiliar city, or staying in a hut. Staying in a hut is a highlight of an outdoor experience.

Boyle Flat Hut, Lake Sumner.

Boyle Flat Hut, Lake Sumner. Photo by Jon Noble | CC BY-SA 2.0.

They may not be quite as luxurious as your own home; you don’t get a hot shower and they definitely don’t have coffee machines, but when you arrive after a long walk or in the middle of the pouring rain to find that someone has already lit the fire that hut feels like a palace.

It is true that for most huts, you cannot book a bed, although most Great Walk huts have a booking system. For all other DOC huts you can buy hut tickets from any DOC office, and they don’t expire so can be used any time in any part of New Zealand.

Sunrise at Pinnacles Hut, Mt Somers.

Sunrise at Pinnacles Hut, Mt Somers. Photo by Mike Goren | CC BY 2.0.

Bed allocation happens on a first come first served basis – the first one in gets the best bed. It is acceptable practice to place your pack or sleeping bag on a bunk to bag a space. It’s definitely not acceptable to removes someone else’s stuff because you like that bunk better than yours. However, I am definitely not recommending that you walk as fast as you can just so you can get to the hut first and get a bed – it would be a great shame to miss the scenery along the way. Remember that most of the time you are in the hut, you will have your eyes closed, sleeping. Unless there are snorers – earplugs are very small and very light so take them! If there are more people than beds, don’t worry, it can be nice and cosy on the floor by the fire.

Bunks at North Arm Hut, Stewart Island.

Bunks at North Arm Hut, Stewart Island

Hut etiquette basically revolves around common sense and consideration. If you are arriving late or are leaving early, be as quiet as you can. Boots come off at the door, as well as wet raincoats. Clean up after yourself – last person out of the hut in the morning sweeps the floor. If you have a fire, collect some more wood to replace what you have burnt. Conserve wood and water.

Long drops are not the highlight of staying in a hut, but they are necessary, and often have a great view. Take your own toilet paper as it’s not usually provided. My big tip with long drops – don’t drop your torch down the hole.

Toilet facilities at Waitawheta Hut near Tauranga.

Toilets at Waitawheta Hut near Tauranga. Photo by Julie Starr | CC BY-NC-SA 2.0

The great thing about huts is that they are warm and dry when it is stormy outside. You spend time with interesting people from all over the world, who are there for the same reason as you – to get away for a while and unwind in our amazing wild places.

So go on, I dare you – stay in a DOC hut this summer and discover the magic!

Enjoy a backcountry hut experience this summer by finding your ideal hut break on the DOC Website.

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Drawing in the bush

Department of Conservation —  09/01/2014

Felicity Deverell has left her home and studio behind her to embark on a drawing adventure in the New Zealand backcountry. She plans to draw about 50 huts to feature in an exhibition/book. Felicity writes about some of her challenges so far.

Drawing Mangamuka Hut in the Kaimai Range.

Drawing Mangamuka Hut in the Kaimai Range with my co-plotter Caleb

Drawing out in the wilderness is very different from in the studio. It has its difficulties but is very enjoyable on the whole. I love being outside, and I love drawing, so it was a great holiday for me.

A drawing of Te Totara Hut in the Te Urewera National Park.

Te Totara Hut in the Te Urewera National Park

The challenges of drawing huts abounded. In the first place, it was difficult to find a good angle to draw the hut from. It wasn’t just a question of which side the hut looked most interesting from, often finding one possible drawing angle was hard. Most huts were either closely surrounded by bush or long grass, so I had to find ways of getting around that.

Getting far enough away from the hut to get a good view of it, and to get it to fit on my paper, was a challenge, but I always found a way.

At Te Totara Hut in the southern Ureweras I sat up on a slip over the river from the hut. The hut was surrounded with tall grass so that was the only place I could get a proper view of it.

Felicity sketching amongst the native bush.

Sketching amongst the native bush

Before I began drawing the huts, I thought of just doing sketches of them, and working on larger more detailed drawings later, as the main thing to show at an exhibition. But I am now thinking that what I draw out there is worth more than what I could do in my studio. They have more interest and character to them, and capture the feel of the place.

A watercolour paining of a hut hanging on the hut wall.

Watercolour on location

For an exhibition and a book, all I really need is the material I get out there. But I still intend to do a few paintings on canvass and for those I will work on my studio from sketches and photographs.

More information on Felicity Deverell and her ‘The Art of a Hut’ project is available on her blog.

You could enjoy a backcountry hut experience of your own by finding your ideal hut break on the DOC website.

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Heather Jock Hut

Department of Conservation —  29/04/2013

Chrissy Wickes a Biodiversity Ranger based in the Te Anau Area Office tells us why she loved her recent hut break.

Why I loved my recent tramping trip to Heather Jock Hut:

1) It was easy for the family to walk, a great little overnight treat.

The view from Heather Jock Hut.

The view from Heather Jock Hut

2) We stayed in a really cool old hut in the tussock tops

An old biscuit tin at Heather Jock Hut.

A piece of history

3) We saw some amazing historic huts on the way to Heather Jock hut.

Chrissy outside Heather Jock Hut.

Outside the hut

4) There was a wee bit of shade and a small waterfall on the way to give us relief from a very hot afternoon

Chrissy relaxing inside the hut.

Inside the hut

5) Nobody else was staying there when we arrived – just as well as there were only 3 beds!

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Skip to the loo

Department of Conservation —  22/04/2013

Margaret Metcalfe from the Manawatu Rangitikei Area Office writes about a novel approach being taken to paint a new backcountry toilet in the Ruahine ranges.

It is not often you would look forward to the experience of using a backcountry toilet. However, an interesting approach to finishing new visitor facilities in the Western Ruahine Forest Park will have people wanting to make the trip especially to check them out.

Julie Oliver painting the toilet.

Painting the loo

Inspired by seeing public toilets painted with murals, Department of Conservation (DOC) Visitor Assets Manager Andrew Mercer thought he could bring a similar concept to the new outbuildings at Rangiwahia Hut. “I wanted the new toilet and woodshed to complement the landscape and to tell a conservation story,” he said, “and at the same time add another element to the visitor experience, something that might encourage people come up especially to see”. This is a very special location for its breathtaking views on to the Ruahine range and active bird life. And the murals reinforce these aspects.

Julie waving while painting the backcountry toilet.

Saying hello

A conversation with Mangaweka artist Julie Oliver sparked the project off. She jumped at the opportunity, saying it was just the challenge she needed to give herself a break from her usual style of painting fine detail in oils. It wasn’t until she was actually on site that she could finalise her ideas. The results are simply incredible! Seeing buildings emerge out of the natural landscape, complementing the backdrop of the ranges and sky, and featuring New Zealand native birds typical of the location. “It was so gratifying to be up there immersed in the landscape, listening to the birds and painting it all at the same time”.

Ms Oliver took four days to complete the two buildings with a lot of help from her partner Tim. Using six basic colours from Dulux “Colours of New Zealand’ range she completed it all with brush and sponge to blend the colours. Some of the challenges included painting lines onto corrugated iron, keeping on her feet with uneven ground around the buildings and all the variables associated with weather conditions typical of a changeable mountain environment such as wind, rain, sun, ice and fog.

Julie relaxing by the backcountry toilet.

Dulux supplied the paint at no cost

Dulux supplied the paint at no cost as part of a three year “Protecting Our Places” partnership with DOC that will see recreation and historic assets all around the country painted and, as in this case, upgraded for public’s enjoyment.

The loo finished.

The finished product

Photos shown courtesy of Julie Oliver.

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Angelus and Speargrass Hut

Department of Conservation —  15/04/2013

Dean Nelson is based in the Twizel Area Office, he recently took his partner Sandy and nine year old twins, Ryan and Kyle to stay at Angelus Hut in the Nelson Lakes National Park. He shares the adventure with us.

For me it was a chance to revisit a hut, albeit a new version, that I had not been to since a teenager – more than several decades ago. For partner Sandy and nine year old twins, Ryan and Kyle, it was all new country. The grind up Pinchgut track and along Robert Ridge became more challenging as the temperature climbed and the gusty wind had the boys hanging on to their hats and the ridge itself at times. However by early afternoon, we were gazing out over the beautiful Angelus basin from the ridge above.

Angelus Hut overlooking the lake.

Angelus Hut

The new hut is a stunner, well thought out in every way. The large entry vestibules are great for storing boots, parkas and packs and the gleaming stainless bench tops in the kitchen are excellent. There was an eclectic mix of people in the hut that night but it was great to see a number of kiwi families. Ian, the converted Aussie hut warden gave a great talk and everyone settled off to sleep reasonably early. Fortunately the loud snorers were conspicuously absent from our bunk room.

Tramping and overlooking Lake Angelus and the Hut.

Exploring

After going to bed in fine weather, the morning was a timely reminder of how quickly it can all change in the New Zealand backcountry. A dusting of snow and blizzard like conditions greeted us. Conversation was a bit more subdued as there appeared to be a few inexperienced trampers in the group however Ian imparted good advice. Most people packed and left early but we waited for a while on the off-chance it would ease a bit. It didn’t so we rugged up in all our gear and headed out into the swirling snow. This was another new experience for our boys as although they have done quite a few tramping trips, they have always been blessed with fine weather.

Snowing at Lake Angelus.

Snowing at Lake Angelus

Fortunately by the time we climbed over the ridge and down into Speargrass Creek, the weather eased and before long the sun was shining again. An easy wander through tussock basins, alpine shrubland and finally beech forest took us down the creek to emerge onto a gorgeous, tussock filled clearing. Speargrass hut is a much smaller building than Angelus with sleeping benches for 12 people however this creates a more intimate atmosphere. We were captivated and despite having plenty of time left in the day to walk out to the car park, we decided to enjoy the experience of being in the hills. We whiled away the afternoon in the sunshine while the boys made huts in the beech forest.

Speargrass Hut in the Nelson Lakes National Park.

Speargrass Hut

Being on the track from Lake Rotoroa, it was inevitable that other people would turn up but the hut was far from full. The only drama for the night was getting up to investigate all the noise outside on the deck and finding the fat and healthy looking ‘hut’ possum getting into a plastic container of food that someone had left outside. It took a little bit of persuading to let go!!

Making dams at Lake Angelus.

Making dams

Nelson Lakes National Park

Nelson Lakes National Park (established in 1956) is situated in the north of New Zealand’s South Island.  This park protects 102,000 hectares of the northern most Southern Alps. The park offers tranquil beech forest, craggy mountains, clear streams and lakes both big and small.

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