Mountain House

Tararua Forest Park

A small 3-sided shelter now occupies the site where the infamous Mountain House once stood. Originally a 3 room structure with 2 (segregated) bunkrooms and a common kitchen / lounge, it became much extended in its heyday, boasting amongst other things two lounges and stabling. Shifting trends in outdoor recreation, and the increasing preference for Powell Hut on the bushline, led to it falling into disuse and disrepair. The previous hut was finally demolished in 2003.

The shelter is most commonly a rest-spot on the climb from Holdsworth roadend to Powell Hut, or similarly for those heading north from Totora Flats. A loop from Holdsworth up to Mountain House and back down the Atiwhakatu valley is another possibility.

Mountain House Shelter • By garth. Licence: C.
Key information
Owner
Owner: DOC
Category
Shelter
Sleeps
Sleeps
Facilities
Toilet
Water supply
Tap or tank water
A rainwater tank is around the side of the shelter.
Getting there
Getting there
Holdsworth Roadend (5.5km) - very good benched, graveled track

Powell Hut (2km, 1-2hrs) - good benched, graveled track.

Totora Flats Hut (6km, 2-4hrs) - well marked cut track.

Unlocked
This hut is unlocked and open to access.
Bookings
No bookings — open access
No — open access
Other
Altitude
760m
Mobile phone coverage
No coverage
Maps
NZTopo50-BP34
Map
ID 5600

About this hut

Added 19 July 2010 by madpommadpom. 1 revision 16 July 2021 by Dakota-VDakota-V.
50 views in the past year (4 per month).