3 hours up, 3 hours down to Penn Creek hut

To celebrate VUWTC's 105th anniversary, we're carrying a club-themed cake and hut maintenance presents to Penn Creek hut. Our club used to look after it, so we'll take a trip down (and up) memory lane to celebrate the volunteer work of VUWTC and others who have cared for the hut (such as exNZFS and the Backcountry Trust) 🥳

Route:

NOTE: This trip is medium-hard difficulty. Day 1 involves 1000m ascent in the first few hours, before descending 833m (reversed on day 2). Penn Creek has 6 bunks with some camping space outside, so trip is capped at 10.

Day 1 (Fri 25 July) - We'll meet at Kelburn campus at 8am and leave shortly after. After collecting the cake, we'll drive 1hr 15min to Ōtaki Forks carpark. We'll bag Parawai Lodge at the road end, then walk 3-3.5hr (5km) to Field hut. After lunch, we'll depart for Penn Creek which is another 3-3.5hr (3km). Arrive about 5pm.

Day 2 - Let's have a chill morning and leave at 10! Current plan is to return to carpark the way we came via Field hut (6hr or so, 8km). We can take a chill pace, will take less time without carrying hut equipment!

We may stop in Ōtaki for fish and chips on the way home?!

Field Hut info

Penn Creek Hut info

Gear:

Please bring overnight tramping gear. Key things are a tramping pack, warm clothing, a windproof raincoat, tramping boots or trail runners, a sleeping bag, a bowl/cutlery, a headtorch, a big water bottle, and a first aid kit/personal medication. Bring a pot/cooker if you have them.

You can borrow club gear (eg packs, sleeping bags), but please ask in advance :)

Full gear list here.

Food:

Please bring 1 breakfast, 2 lunches, 1 dinner, snacks, drinks (NO glass please!), and at least 1 day's emergency food in case we get delayed.

Cost:

- Roughly $15 fuel per person

- Hut payment ($15 for a blue standard DOC hut ticket, you can buy at outdoor stores eg Bivouac, Macpac) - also can use DOC hut pass, or camp for free if you bring a tent

Previous VUWTC visits to Penn Creek:

"A dedicated team of Victoria University Tramping Club members..." - Wilderness mag

VUWTC 2022 trip: "Two small trips to repaint Penn Creek"

"VUWTC are the nominal caretakers of this hut..."

Article discussing BCT, exNZFS, VUWTC efforts