“Gosh, the quality of this hut book is superb… ‘Just two geotechnical engineers f*cking off work’.”
Cameron Hut and Canterbury climbing go together like a rope and carabiner. The hut provides a base for visitors to the Arrowsmiths—a fearsome set of peaks whose serrated, glaciated summits to rival those of the island’s spine.
It’s a 16km, six-hour walk into Cameron Hut. Macronavigation is straightforward—simply follow the Cameron River on its true right bank. The track is well marked to Highland Home, moving gently across river flats alongside the cerulean Cameron River. Distance-wise, Highland Home is roughly halfway, coming into view on the opposite side of the river after 8km.
After Highland Home, some sections of the route are less obvious, the ground trail coming and going like a teenager. The cairns between waratahs are useful, if you can spot them and stick to them, otherwise you may find yourself in thorns and spaniards.
A short but steep 100m climb sidles a gorge. After 2km, the track descends back to the river. As it does, a chocolate-box panorama of the upper Cameron Valley opens before you.
The route to the hut ascends a rocky stream and then climbs over the moraine wall. Quite suddenly you’re in superb alpine country, the tongue of the Cameron Glacier just out of view. Cameron Hut appears as a dark green crib with a rose-coloured door.
The nine-bunk hut was built by Canterbury Mountaineering Club in 1952, and rebuilt in 1982. Hut fees should be paid to the club.
“Gosh, the quality of this hut book is superb,” said Culinary Advisor, relaying the inscription, “Just two geotechnical engineers f*cking off work.” The whole intentions book was like that—paragraphs of prose, poems and pithy statements from Cameron Hut’s many visitors. It was refreshing. And it’s indeed a popular destination. On the way in we’d met a family coming out with young children (the hut had been overflowing the night before). It wasn’t long before more hikers and their pooches turned up as well.
I cooked up a storm that night—a chicken satay with mushrooms, capsicum, chilli, wasabi peas, noodles… and all kinds of delicious things.
I secured the best bunk—not intentionally, I just wanted the bunk closest to the loo. Looking up and out through the window, Couloir Peak and The Twins soared like a 1,000m wall above. There are numerous trips one can do from Cameron Hut, including visiting the Douglas Glacier or climbing Arrowsmith itself.
I woke early, watching the sky change from ultramarine to the break of day. We headed off to explore Peg Col, or as far as we might be able to go that morning, aware we still had to get back to the car. We finally found snow at the 1,600m contour and there decided it was time to turn back. The col was still a good 400m above.
The high snowline in the Arrowsmiths was something of a surprise. While the previous morning had seen fresh snow on the Southern Alps’ eastern foothills, the snowline at Cameron Hut was much higher. I suspect this is due to the Arrowsmiths’ location east of the Main Divide, and inland from the southerlies that sweep up the plains.
We collected our things at Cameron Hut, readying ourselves for a long, hot walk out. It was a beautiful hike out, but it’s not a fast 16km and it can feel a long way back to the car. But it’s a spectacular area, and I can thoroughly recommend Cameron Hut as an ideal base to explore the mid-Canterbury Alps.
Need to know
Access: Drive up the Hakatere Heron Road, and turn left onto the 4WD track at the quarry.
Grade: Moderate. Not particularly hard, but you need to be happy to walk offtrack up stream beds.
Accommodation: 9 bunks. $20 per night if not a Canterbury Mountaineering Club member, payable to the club.
Distance and ascent: 16km, 880m.
Time: 6-7 hours each way.
NZ Topo 50: BW18 Whitcombe Pass, BX19 Hakatere
