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Background: Former PTC member Leo Manders died in 2020, leaving $10,000 in his will to PTC. The executive sought suggestions from members on how this bequest should be used and after much consideration, the executive agreed that the best use was to donate the sum to the Back Country Trust (BCT) to assist in hut renovation. Yeats Ridge Hut was selected because of its proximity to the West Coast area that Leo had previously worked in. BCT matched the PTC donation, and it was agreed that a PTC party would assist in the work at the hut. We have Merv Meredith to thank for his work behind the scenes to organise this with BCT.
The planned BCT maintenance work on Yeats Ridge Hut had already been postponed once in January, but a promising weather forecast of four consecutive fine days looked good enough to get the job done in late February.
The PTC party of four travelled to Hokitika late on Monday 19th so that we were ready to meet the BCT party of three at the Kokatahi road-end early on the Tuesday morning, where the helicopter was to lift us, plus gear up to Yeats Ridge Hut. It was a short but scenic flight past Cedar Flats Hut and up above the bush-line to Yeats Ridge. There were two flights to get personnel to the site and four flights to transport the building materials (roofing iron, windows, timber, aggregate and cement) plus tools and food sufficient for at least four days at the site.
In four days of brilliantly fine weather, we only saw two trampers, headed for Crystal Bivouac. We also heard a kea and a weka. Despite the rich pickings strewn around the building site, neither bird ventured close enough to alert site security.
The sloping, spongy nature of the ground surrounding the hut proved challenging when moving around or even standing still, as we were liable to start sinking into the boggy ground. Tents were spread across any suitable sites away from the hut – some sites were more suitable than others. A near-frost greeted us on the first morning, but the rest of the time was warm and sunny.
Renovation of the hut started as soon as the last helicopter load arrived, and each day’s work continued into the evenings, as we were keen to get the job done before the forecast change of weather on the Saturday. The bulk of the work was completed by Thursday evening, and Friday saw the finishing touches on the hut, packing up of tents and building gear, ready to be flown out later on Friday morning in four flights, two less than for the flight in.
Thanks to Ollie Clifton of BCT and builders Ben Norris and Hamish Cochrane for providing the technical expertise and logistical organisation that saw the work completed within the weather window available. Helicopter pilot Fletch Anderson made our job easier by strategically positioning loads around the hut, saving us much time and effort. Thanks also to the PTC party of four: Mike Bourke, Mike Flaws, John Robinson and Peter Umbers who cleared vegetation, dug holes, assisted with replacing all the old piles, and then filled up the same holes with wheelbarrow loads of concrete, hand-mixed on site, to secure the new piles underneath the hut. While this was going on, the hut exterior was repainted, and the roof and two windows were replaced. The door was also changed from inward opening to outward opening to make the doorway more rain resistant.
It was a busy, but enjoyable time, spent in a lovely setting. I am sure Leo would approve. [MB].
Peter and John get artistic, 10.45am Wednesday
Wednesday 11:15am. The concrete mixers
The new roof. Thursday 3pm
Friday 10:15am. A refurbished Yeats Ridge Hut
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