Saturday 26th August 2023

• Drive time from Christchurch- 1.5 – 2 hours.
• Walking time 3.5 – 5 hours
• Distance – 10.4km
• Elevation gain – 850 meters
• Weather – clear & cold
• Hikers – Antonia & myself.

This is our first hike in about a month & had changed the plan Friday night to be Tarn hut from another hike as it seemed less of a drive & less distance but still afforded us to get some elevation gain & the chance of a bed in a hut.

We left home just before 8am & headed to the local bakery for a hot pie & coffees to start the day & also bought some lunch to takeaway.

It was a fairly straightforward drive to Lees valley, a very windy drive & then the vehicle track to the start of the hike was the first challenge. It was quite muddy & challenging to line the wheels up, but we made it in easily enough in our 2wd Mazda cx5.

After getting ready we were off along the initially muddy farm track, through a few gates and then into our 1st & only river crossing 4km in.

Not long after here we met the junction, you either carry on the valley floor direction to youngman stream hut or start a nice steep climb of the ridge towards Lilburne hill, where Tarn hut is.

We took the later. With a 750m climb & 5.5km to our destination. We both felt the climb & realised we haven’t done enough hiking lately! Stopping at just over 1000 metres elevation for lunch at a nice viewpoint.

The climb seem to take a long time before gaining the ridge line at the top, here was where we encountered snow. At some points I ended up knee deep as the snow gave way.

Luckily this tricky section was the last 500 metres before the hut. Walking up to the hut was such a welcoming site! I opened the door & we were the first there! Such an amazing thing considering it’s only 4 beds & I was dreading having to pitch the tent. I also seen earlier that there was another couple about a kilometre behind me, so this meant they would also get a bed.

I went about unpacking & getting changed then needed to refill my water. The water source is the tarn itself, this was frozen over! There was a shovel & pick at the hut so I picked a hole in the tarn to get water. The ice was about 15cm thick before reaching the water underneath.

Antonia & I then went for a firewood hunt. Having taken my electric chainsaw this made it a fairly easy task, taking down 5 big branches from standing deadish looking beech trees. Cutting 10-20 cm logs for the fire.

It was a pleasant night hanging out & talking with our hut mates Adam & Ange (who arrived 30 minutes after us). We chatted in front of the fire until just after 8 at which point we all retired to bed.

Waking in the middle of the night to strong winds & then the sound of snow, this morning everything is white! A fresh layer of snow overnight with the occasional snow falling lightly this morning. Such a beautiful but cold site!

No rush this morning, 2 coffees & breakfast with a planned leaving time of just after 9am.

We got some photos standing on the frozen tarn & then we headed off back down the mountain with micro spikes on our shoes. The snow seemed a lot firmer this time with only the occasional knee deep drop.

It was such a nice easy walk out & took us just on 3 hours to the car. Definitely a favourite this weekend where we had great company, excellent scenery & just an amazing weekend.