Latecomers
Original post
I'm interested to hear the group's comments regarding latecomers to huts.
As we all know, our backcountry huts are special and unique assets to New Zealand. They are, for the most part, available to the public at a minimal cost on a first-come, first-served basis.
All are welcome and I believe most of us act in good faith and welcome fellow travelers when they arrive, sometimes wet and cold and in need of warmth and shelter.
However, when does that good-natured, backcountry Kiwi welcome get worn thin? And how do people respond to fellow trampers who do not share our backcountry principles?
My patience was spread thin this past weekend at Wharfedale Hut in the Oxford Forest Conservation Area. Me and 5 young German women were peacefully sleeping away when at 12:40am a clamorous group of 5 (4 Czechs and 1 Scot) showed up, ready to party. They made no attempt to quietly approach the hut. It sounded like the aliens had landed and we were all about to be probed. I greeted them at the door and asked incredulously, "Are you all just now arriving at the hut?"
The answer was a resounding, "Yes!".
"Well, there's 5 of us in the hut."
"Hey! That's how many of us there are!"
"...and we're all sleeping!"
Well, that shut them up a bit and they skulked into the hut and went to bed, their bladders and plastic bottles still filled with rum.
These guy were completely clueless that their would-be party house would be occupied by others. They were obtusely rude to approach the hut in full throat at nearly 1am. They were not in the bush to enjoy nature: they were there to par-tay! The kicker was the next morning, when a young man lit a fire outside, only to wander off a short time later. I told him squarely to fully extinguish that fire before leaving the area and that huts often burn down with such ill-thought, unattended fires. "Really?" he asked in disbelief. "Yes... really."
Since I haven't heard about Wharfedale Hut burning down in the last day, I'll assume he followed through and extinguished the fire.
Have you experienced latecomers to huts? Have you experienced clueless, inconsiderate types who don't care about the people already soundly asleep? How did you handle it?
29 comments
Last couple of trips we’ve come across people asleep in huts at mid day. Without evening discussing, we were quiet to let them rest, even if we were within our rights to make a racket at that time of the day. Simple courtesy to fellow travellers...
Back in the day we quite often tramped into Powell, Jumbo, Mitre Flats on a Friday night. Never really had any problem except the occasional grumpy old fart that let his/her displeasure at an interrupted beauty sleep known by sitting up and making a point of shining their torch at us.
I think I pissed more people off with my snoring :-D
You want quiet pitch a tent. It's a communal shed. There will be noise.
If you want a hut to yourself for solitude, head somewhere remote.
If you go to a hut that is very popular you will get idiots.
Back in the day it was common to have group sing a longs it could be quite a raucous evening. It was a social activity.
Now I get the point of the thread. But sometimes it seems a bit precious, especially when the huts named are such popular huts. That's why I avoid them.
nothing wrong with a sing song, and a bit of rowdy banter, but not into the wee hours in a hut. doesnt hurt to show some respect and consideration for others
I don’t mind a rowdy hut (and have probably contributed to this myself!) I do still have issues with people who arrive late or leave disgustingly early and disrupt anyone who is sleeping or trying to sleep, which seems to be more OP’s point - inconsiderate people who don’t consider their timing and the impact on people who have arrived there.
I'm with @Gaiters. Daytime trampers do not have a monopoly on huts. Those of us for whom walking into a hut by torchlight after work on a Friday is the only to get into the interesting country beyond have the same right of use. Hunters up at 3am to get to that dawn pozzie have the same right of use. Alpinists up at whatever ridiculous hour to get stable snow conditions before the heat if the day have the same right of use.
Sure. Be as considerate as practical. But don't feel a second class user because you're not tramping 9-5. And definately don't skip that much needed breakfast or evening meal because others are sleeping. Unpacking, changing and cooking on the deck is often possile and a good, considerate option. But there's times conditions don't allow.
If people want silence ... a tent is the answer. I use a tent myself most times I hit busy huts with time to pitch one and need a good sleep. Otherwise we all need to tolerate and accept the genuine needs & timetables of other users.
are we complaining about peopl getting in late or geting up early? I dont see that, we've all done that,
its when people come in at iregular hours and make little or no effort to minimise their noise.
i've never complained about people getting in late or getting up late if they arent making an unreasonable amount of noise,
thats hut life, always has been and always will be...
Yep. They're PUBLIC
I am usually the first one up, aiming to hit the trail just before or on first light.
I pack as best I can the night before. When I get up, I take everything onto the deck and finish packing/getting dressed there.
I usually have my first meal of the day a bit later.
I'm one of those snorers who sounds like a forest full of chainsaws. I can't help it; I've had multiple surgeries, including a septoplasty and turbinate reduction (got my nose chiselled out), which, believe it or not, actually helped a lot.
Still, the chainsaws.....
So I pick the smallest room to sleep in, figuring I'll annoy the least number of people, or even sleep in the communal area.
I carry a big packet of individually-wrapped ear plugs to give to anyone who wants them.
So I figure I can't really say much about noise. Except for tools who insist on slamming doors, or those morons who insist on berating people for making noise; thereby making even MORE noise!
And yeah, as Madpom says; if I'm at a particularly raucous hut, and don't choose to join in with the festivities, I go and pitch a tent.
The only time I was really pissed with a group was on Stewart Island, where I and a whole bunch of other people were trying to remain quiet in the hopes of seeing a kiwi.
A VERY obnoxious group came along and absolutely shattered any chance people had of seeing one. I, shall we say, passed along my displeasure.....
If your snoring is that bad, kreig, shouldn't you tent it as a norm?
Usually not an issue for me as I always carry/use a tent. However, it happens occasionally that I'm in a hut with a excessively loud snorer - I think it's reasonable to wake them up (gently poke with a stick).
I appreciate they are not doing it deliberately, but no one else is sleeping so why should the snorer?
I don't think so. If you can't hack snorers in a place that can always become a crowded sleeping area, bring earplugs.
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| Forum | The campfire |
|---|---|
| Started by | Gregor |
| On | 17 October 2017 |
| Replies | 28 |
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