Washpool Hut
Aorangi Forest Park
A standard DOC hut in the Haurangi Ranges on a small terrace in thick bush 60m above Washpool Creek. It manages to occupy the dampest location in the whole park - in the morning the hut, trees, grass were soaked, but travel 50m in any direction they were stone dry! This is confirmed by the mold-blackened mattresses inside. Not appealing - but thankfully there's enough visitors to wear a body-shaped clean patch on each!
There's a wood-burner, and firewood around. No water tank - but a small stream lies 20m to the west, or there's the Makatukutuku at the bottom of the hill.
Most visitors are overnighters coming from the Pinnacles, or walking the 2-3 day track from the pinnacles to Cape Palliser. The river offers possibility of loop walks back to the coast, and the ridgeline to the south of the hut has a good, marked route to the 4wd Sutherland Road and Sutherlands Hut.
See the related article for a good account of the Pinnacles track and river route.
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Owner
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Owner: DOC |
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Category
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Standard Hut |
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Sleeps
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Sleeps 6
6
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Facilities
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Toilet, Enclosed wood/coal burner |
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Water supply
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Natural water source
There's no water tank, but there is a stream maybe 50m NE of the hut with reasonably easy access.
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Getting there
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Makatukutuku Bridge, Cape Palliser Road: 9km 2-4hrs, riverbed route. Permission required, D. McIlraith, 06-3077823 Cape Palliser: 18.5km. Here -> Pararaki Hut, 3km (1.5-3 hrs, cut track) -> Kawakawa Hut 5km (1.5-3 hrs, cut track) -> Mangatoetoe Hut, 7km (2-4 hrs, riverbed route) -> Road 3.5km (1-2hrs, riverbed route) The Pinnacles carpark: 10km, cut track Sutherlands Hut, 7km. Here -> Pararaki/Washpool ridgeline 1.5km track -> Sutherland Rd 2.5km route -> Hut 3km |
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Unlocked
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This hut is unlocked and open to access. |
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Bookings
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No bookings — open access
No — open access
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Altitude
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260m |
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Mobile phone coverage
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No coverage |
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Maps
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NZTopo50-BR33
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Link
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www.doc.govt.nz/p...http://www.doc.govt.nz/parks-and-recreation/places-to-stay/backcountry-huts-by-region/wairarapa/wairarapa/washpool-hut/ |