Kakapo Hut
Maintenance Status
DOC initially planned ceasing maintenance of Kakapo Hut in 2004, back-tracked to two-yearly maintenance due to local protests, then later reneged on that. In 2012 Jason Campbell of Permolat who worked for DOC lobbied his employer to support a volunteer maintenance project. This was approved and the work took place in 2013. DOC supplied the materials and provided Jason's labour. 2022 looks to be another good year for Kakapo. The BCT intends to use some of its Kaimahi For Nature funds to fly in an Ultimate Descents team to re-roof and seal the Hut. Andrew Barker of Permolat is keen to piggyback a trackcutting team in and do some work on the routes.
The access tracks into the Kakapo valley have not been officially maintained for many years, were very overgrown, and in many places had vanished or been buried under cyclone windthrow. Visits to the Hut were mostly fly-in ones, with foot visits few and far between. Louisa Hines and Hayden Miller did some great work recently opening things up from the Little Wanganui to Lawrence Saddle and are keen to help on Andrew's project. Andrew did some trimming and taping up to the saddle between Bellbird Creek and the Kakapo in September this year.
Location
Karamea Catchment. Grid Ref: E1541722/ N5424106 (BQ23 417 241). Topo Map BQ23. Altitude 360m. Kakapo Hut is located midway up the TL of the Kakapo River, which is a major tributary of the Karamea River. The Hut was averaging around one visit per year during the 1990's and early 00's, probably due to the lack of extant tracks. There was brief surge in 2009 when six parties visited. Since the 2013 visits have been limited to DOC predator control, and the odd tramping group.
DOC initially planned ceasing maintenance of Kakapo Hut in 2004, back-tracked to two-yearly maintenance due to local protests, then later reneged on that. In 2012 Jason Campbell of Permolat who worked for DOC lobbied his employer to support a volunteer maintenance project. This was approved and the work took place in 2013. DOC supplied the materials and provided Jason's labour. 2022 looks to be another good year for Kakapo. The BCT intends to use some of its Kaimahi For Nature funds to fly in an Ultimate Descents team to re-roof and seal the Hut. Andrew Barker of Permolat is keen to piggyback a trackcutting team in and do some work on the routes.
The access tracks into the Kakapo valley have not been officially maintained for many years, were very overgrown, and in many places had vanished or been buried under cyclone windthrow. Visits to the Hut were mostly fly-in ones, with foot visits few and far between. Louisa Hines and Hayden Miller did some great work recently opening things up from the Little Wanganui to Lawrence Saddle and are keen to help on Andrew's project. Andrew did some trimming and taping up to the saddle between Bellbird Creek and the Kakapo in September this year.
Location
Karamea Catchment. Grid Ref: E1541722/ N5424106 (BQ23 417 241). Topo Map BQ23. Altitude 360m. Kakapo Hut is located midway up the TL of the Kakapo River, which is a major tributary of the Karamea River. The Hut was averaging around one visit per year during the 1990's and early 00's, probably due to the lack of extant tracks. There was brief surge in 2009 when six parties visited. Since the 2013 visits have been limited to DOC predator control, and the odd tramping group.
Route from Drain Creek to the unnamed saddle between Bellbird Stream and the Kakapo
Access
Access to the Kakapo valley from the Little Wanganui catchment starts behind the Belltown Manunui Hut at its present site at Drain Creek. It follows the TL of Drain Creek up to the first junction, then follows that side creek TL until it turns to the NE. The track crosses to the TR then follows a shallow gut for about 700m before crossing a spur and sidling around to Lawrence Saddle. (allow 2hrs to the Saddle). The track then drops directly into the TL branch of Bellbird Stream which it follows down to a point about 250m above where it forks. It exits on the TR here and crosses over into the right-hand branch. The track follows the river bed up about 100m before entering the bush on the TR. It then crosses to the TL for about 250m, and back again to the TR where the stream turns a right angle to the ESE. From here the track heads roughly NE across a large clearing, then veers East to the clearing's end.
The track has been taped and trimmed all the way to here. From here to the saddle it is taped but not cut track, initially heading ESE to a couple of permolat markers, then NE up to the saddle at E1539435. The going is relatively easy under the beech canopy for this last bit.
Permolat markers lead from the saddle along to a bench to where they peter out. Continue sidling East around the 500m contour to the next ridge. Drop down this a short distance to where a second lot of permolat markers lead East across a old earthquake slip (cairned in places) to a gut. Cross the gut and drop 60-80 vertical metres in an easterly direction to pick up the remnants of a cut route at the 420m contour (around E1540239/ N5425951 (BQ23 402 260)). This drops diagonally to the valley floor where a Predator control line marked with pink triangles can be followed for the last 2km to the Hut. Andrew Barker suspects it may be easier to drop directly from the saddle down into the Kakapo and follow the stoatline from there. Allow a full day for the trip from Belltown Hut to Kakapo Hut.
Access to the Kakapo valley from the Little Wanganui catchment starts behind the Belltown Manunui Hut at its present site at Drain Creek. It follows the TL of Drain Creek up to the first junction, then follows that side creek TL until it turns to the NE. The track crosses to the TR then follows a shallow gut for about 700m before crossing a spur and sidling around to Lawrence Saddle. (allow 2hrs to the Saddle). The track then drops directly into the TL branch of Bellbird Stream which it follows down to a point about 250m above where it forks. It exits on the TR here and crosses over into the right-hand branch. The track follows the river bed up about 100m before entering the bush on the TR. It then crosses to the TL for about 250m, and back again to the TR where the stream turns a right angle to the ESE. From here the track heads roughly NE across a large clearing, then veers East to the clearing's end.
The track has been taped and trimmed all the way to here. From here to the saddle it is taped but not cut track, initially heading ESE to a couple of permolat markers, then NE up to the saddle at E1539435. The going is relatively easy under the beech canopy for this last bit.
Permolat markers lead from the saddle along to a bench to where they peter out. Continue sidling East around the 500m contour to the next ridge. Drop down this a short distance to where a second lot of permolat markers lead East across a old earthquake slip (cairned in places) to a gut. Cross the gut and drop 60-80 vertical metres in an easterly direction to pick up the remnants of a cut route at the 420m contour (around E1540239/ N5425951 (BQ23 402 260)). This drops diagonally to the valley floor where a Predator control line marked with pink triangles can be followed for the last 2km to the Hut. Andrew Barker suspects it may be easier to drop directly from the saddle down into the Kakapo and follow the stoatline from there. Allow a full day for the trip from Belltown Hut to Kakapo Hut.
GPS line taken on descent from Kakapo Saddle
The other route to Kakapo Hut is from the Wangapeka valley via Kakapo Saddle. An old track up to the Saddle starts behind the Herbert Creek sign and was last trimmed in 2015. The track ends at the Saddle from where the best descent option is reportedly in a NW direction along a bench above some bluffs. This descends diagonally towards the valley floor crossing the bottom end of the big earthquake slip marked on the map and staying above some dense beech regrowth closer to the River.
The route down the upper Kakapo is mostly via the riverbed with more terrace travel further down. DOC Predator control lines with pink markers run through the bush on both sides of the River upstream of the Hut, and can be followed to it. The trail on the TL is straightforward except for one or two places where the river has taken it out. Allow 7+ hours to Kakapo from either Taipo Hut, Helicopter Flat, or the mid-Karamea huts.
There is a helipad near the Hut.
Type
Kakapo Hut is an unlined four-bunker with an open fire and a single four-pane window, built in 1958 by the Nelson NZFS. This design was characteristic of the early Nelson Huts and predates the standard NZFS S81 four-bunk design that eventually became the high-country standard. Only a small number of this type of hut were built, the only other remaining one being Johnson Hut in the Mokihinui catchment. Kakapo's materials were brought in by helicopter, one of the earliest uses of this type of machine by the NZFS (the first was Luna Hut). The Hut's door has carved in it the names and dates of cullers and trampers back as far as 1962.
The route down the upper Kakapo is mostly via the riverbed with more terrace travel further down. DOC Predator control lines with pink markers run through the bush on both sides of the River upstream of the Hut, and can be followed to it. The trail on the TL is straightforward except for one or two places where the river has taken it out. Allow 7+ hours to Kakapo from either Taipo Hut, Helicopter Flat, or the mid-Karamea huts.
There is a helipad near the Hut.
Type
Kakapo Hut is an unlined four-bunker with an open fire and a single four-pane window, built in 1958 by the Nelson NZFS. This design was characteristic of the early Nelson Huts and predates the standard NZFS S81 four-bunk design that eventually became the high-country standard. Only a small number of this type of hut were built, the only other remaining one being Johnson Hut in the Mokihinui catchment. Kakapo's materials were brought in by helicopter, one of the earliest uses of this type of machine by the NZFS (the first was Luna Hut). The Hut's door has carved in it the names and dates of cullers and trampers back as far as 1962.
The upper Kakapo looking downriver: Photo Phillip Collyns 2009
Condition
Kakapo Hut is in good condition thanks to Jason and his crew in 2013. They repainted the exterior, replaced the rusted chimney guttering, patched the chimney's rust holes, and replaced and painted the rotten window framing. The old springs from the bunk were replaced with ply and a new new hearth surround was constructed. An iron capping was placed over the Hut entrance, and the mantelpiece fixed. Wall studs, rotting floorboard sections, a pile and a bearer were replaced. A new toilet hole was dug, the toilet shifted, and a toilet sign put on a post on the NW corner of the Hut. The historic features such as names and old carved graffiti were left untouched. Some of the vegetation around the Hut and helipad was cleared. Another group did more clearing of the chopper pad in 2015. There has been a bit of rat sign reported in the Hut, so those going in may want to consider doing a bit of rodent control. Andrew Barker did a check in September 21 and found bit of water getting into the Hut. probably through some of the old leadhead nails in the roof. He placed a bowl on the bunk to catch the drips coming from the main ridge at the opposite end to the fireplace. The flashing between the main roof and the porch has multiple leaks with water dripping onto the woodpile. The perlin there appears solid from the underside. There is some minor seepage on the right hand side of the fireplace which could probably be fixed with sealant.
Routes
The original tracks in the Kakapo valley have not been maintained since the NZFS days and have vanished in a lot of places. The DOC predator lines where they exist provide a means of travel on the valley floor. There is mention in the hutbook at Greys Hut of an old track up the TL of the Karamea from the Kakapo confluence to opposite Greys (the book goes back to 1987). No recent information is on hand concerning this route.
Repairs needed
The roof will be replaced this summer by an Ultimate Descents team with Kaimahi For Nature funding. Tech screws will be used to replace the leadhead nails. They could take in some rat poison/ traps when the chopper in.
Provisions on site
A broom, a dust pan and shovel, a washing bowl, and maybe an axe.
Kakapo Hut is in good condition thanks to Jason and his crew in 2013. They repainted the exterior, replaced the rusted chimney guttering, patched the chimney's rust holes, and replaced and painted the rotten window framing. The old springs from the bunk were replaced with ply and a new new hearth surround was constructed. An iron capping was placed over the Hut entrance, and the mantelpiece fixed. Wall studs, rotting floorboard sections, a pile and a bearer were replaced. A new toilet hole was dug, the toilet shifted, and a toilet sign put on a post on the NW corner of the Hut. The historic features such as names and old carved graffiti were left untouched. Some of the vegetation around the Hut and helipad was cleared. Another group did more clearing of the chopper pad in 2015. There has been a bit of rat sign reported in the Hut, so those going in may want to consider doing a bit of rodent control. Andrew Barker did a check in September 21 and found bit of water getting into the Hut. probably through some of the old leadhead nails in the roof. He placed a bowl on the bunk to catch the drips coming from the main ridge at the opposite end to the fireplace. The flashing between the main roof and the porch has multiple leaks with water dripping onto the woodpile. The perlin there appears solid from the underside. There is some minor seepage on the right hand side of the fireplace which could probably be fixed with sealant.
Routes
The original tracks in the Kakapo valley have not been maintained since the NZFS days and have vanished in a lot of places. The DOC predator lines where they exist provide a means of travel on the valley floor. There is mention in the hutbook at Greys Hut of an old track up the TL of the Karamea from the Kakapo confluence to opposite Greys (the book goes back to 1987). No recent information is on hand concerning this route.
Repairs needed
The roof will be replaced this summer by an Ultimate Descents team with Kaimahi For Nature funding. Tech screws will be used to replace the leadhead nails. They could take in some rat poison/ traps when the chopper in.
Provisions on site
A broom, a dust pan and shovel, a washing bowl, and maybe an axe.
