The Mt Somers Walkway have been at this stuff for years. This group, largely made up of farmers, even pre-dates much of Mt Somers and surrounds becoming public conservation land.
Their current focus is improving the track on the southern side of the mountain, and the latest project funded by the Outdoor Recreation Consortium, a boardwalk to protect a fragile area from increasing foot traffic, is another step forward.
The Hanmer Springs Horse Riders, together with their allies the High Country Pleasure Riders are doing a great job improving backcountry riding opportunities in the St James. This area has long been a special place for horse riders (and even those who like seeing horses in the backcountry) and its great to see more people been given this an opportunity to get in there.
Projects have included a do-up of Stanleyvale Hut (with nice new macrocarpa bunks), improvement of the route between the Boyle and Anne Saddle, and also between the Boyle and the Waiau. Read a couple of their reports here: Boyle Gorge to Anne Saddle project Tin Jug route & Stanleyvale Hut project
The Kowai Deer Hunters were stoked to get our fires burning again at Top Hope Hut. This wins the Outdoor Recreation Consortium stoked volunteer photo of the year award 😉 Read their full report: Upper Hope Hut repair project by Kowai Deer Hunters
Another project that the Ex NZFS Deer Culler group has going on in the Tararuas is Arete Forks Hut. This hut has been restored to the original S70 NZFS 6-Bunk Hut design, including the re-instatement of an open fireplace (the only other hut of this type in the Tararuas that remains the original design is the Mid-Waiohine Hut).
Restoring an open fireplace is somewhat of a milestone, and required a change of thinking, but the outdoors people of the future will enjoy the opportunity to sit in front of, and cook on open fireplaces in the right situations we reckon.
Derrick Field has also prepared extensive historical information regarding this and other Tararua Huts: Read here (or wait until you get in there!)
A handful of outdoor legends, a bit of time, a splash of money and some decent weather…marvellous Mungo Hut (the slideshow is in reverse!)
[rev_slider Mungo]
The Ex NZFS Cullers group, ably co-ordinated by Derrick Field have been busy. Carkeek Hut has a reputation as the most remote hut in the Tararuas, it is now remote and cosy. Here’s the report: Carkeek Hut Report
Geoff Spearpoint and friends have nearly completed their adventures in South-Westland (at least their hut saving adventures). Read the full report of the Roaring Bill makeover here: Outdoor-Recreation-Consortium-Roaring Billy Hut
The Outdoor Recreation Consortium has been able to support both the High Country Pleasure Riders and the Hanmer Springs Horse Riders with their complementary projects to create a backcountry riding trail spanning several valleys in Lewis Pass, including the legendary St James.
Read more about part of this work here, in a report from Peter Hurst: Windy Point Report
Waimea Tramping Club, in partnership with DOC, have completed a project to improve Balloon Hut on the Mt Arthur Tablelands. Read a full report here: Balloon Hut report
[rev_slider balloonhut]
This project encapsulates so many of the reasons why we established the Outdoor Recreation Consortium:
– to protect and enhance our backcountry hut network
– for clubs and individuals to get the satisfaction of active contribution to their local huts and tracks
– to encourage great collaboration between locals and DOC
– to reinvigorate #backcountryculture, it is the little things that matter, like the checkerboard in Balloon Hut
– to complement community conservation…huts full of volunteer trappers.
– to tell stories about it all sometime in front of a roaring fire.
Paul Reid and friends sure know how to make a silk purse out of a sow’s ear. While the chopper couldn’t get in to Top Trent Hut, it could just squeeze into the nearby Top Crooked Hut, which also happens to be one of Paul’s projects, on behalf of the Permolat Trust.
Despite having planned for a totally different challenge, we reckon these guys made the most of their time. Check out Paul’s report here: Top Crooked Report June 2016
