A relatively popular historic hut, not too far from Wanaka.
Location: Pisa Conservation Area above Cardrona Valley. About 1/2 way between Wanaka and Queenstown on the Cardrona Valley Road.
Access: ‘Standard’ route – Tuohys Gully route, 6.5km and about 650m height gain. Access from bottom of the Snow farm road off the Cardrona road. Well worn and marked track up to Touhys saddle. Fairly relentless uphill climbing, good views then a drop down 200m to the hut. A good option for kids who like uphill.
‘Harder’ route – Roaring Meg Pack track from Roaring Meg power station, SH6. This is a longer 12.5km to 14km depending on choice of route. This is a proper kiwi tramping route, first following gravel road to the power station dam. From here you follow a track on private land which is challenging at times. It’s poorly marked and requires some route finding. Spear grass and Matagouri were passable when we went with some sacrifice of adult legs to let small person pass. There is a fairly exposed section of track toward the DOC land which was fairly unnerving even with my sure footed 8 year old. The track then crosses the river and then continues on Pisa range DOC land right up to Tuohys saddle. This track is much better marked, crossing tussock with little challenge. Meg Hut can be reached either from Tuohys saddle or by scrambling around the valley bed from the small private hut about 1.5km from Tuohys saddle. The valley route did involve rock scrambling and river crossing, it’s easy to follow the route but there is little in way of a track.
I did this route with my motivated tramping 8 year old. It was a good 7 1/2 hours and he loved it but I would not have picked this for younger or less motivated little people.
Hut features: 8 bed hut, really nice little hut, scruffy on the outside but tidy and clean inside. Open fire. Dead pines can be cut with the hut axe for firewood. Nice stream for playing. Gold mining remnants all around.
NB: This hut is close to Wanaka and is fairly popular from the hut book. Bu there is lots of room for camping. Gets shady early so can cool down quickly.
Visited by James and Nic, October 2020.
trampingforlittlepeople 