Cookies Hut

16-17 May 2026

We arrived at the track start (directly across the Rakaia from Lake Coleridge Village) to find a cool, cloudy but windless day. Happily the one area of clear blue sky was up the valley where we were headed. The track was more varied than I had remembered with a few sections of easy river travel and a few parts where the track has been diverted around some slips. The 400m climb to the saddle was very gentle with only a 100m section that was a bit more steadily uphill. 

We enjoyed lunch in the sunshine with great views across the valley. 

The next section to Tribulation hut was all in open country and we covered the ground more quickly.

After a pleasant break at the hut we headed on to Cookies hut. There was a track down into the river bed but the sign seemed to indicate an equally distinct track up behind the hut. We decided to take the high ground (maybe influenced by the sunny tops as opposed to the now shaded river bed). It started well and the first gully was easy to bypass but at the second one it became apparent that, due to Matagouri filled gullies, this was probably not going to be a good route. We dropped down into the gully and back to the riverbed where we found the travel much easier. We did have to cross the river a half dozen times but it was only a little over ankle deep.

We arrived at the 6 bunk hut to find we had it to ourselves. It is a nice enough hut but not a warm one. With only matagouri around us there was little wood to be gathered so we elected not to light the fire and to leave the small amount of wood for people arriving in the rain. After dinner, dessert and a game of monopoly cards we opted for our sleeping bags to keep warm. The night was chilly and there was frost on the windows in the morning (and some socks and boot laces were frozen solid) so we had a later start than intended. The sun was just reaching the hut as we left it and though the first few river crossings were not pleasant the sun quickly warmed us so that by the time we reached tribulation hut an hour later we were warm enough to remove long johns and several layers.

We had lunch at the same place as the day before and when we took a higher track at one point it worked out well affording nice views and easy travel. After a pleasant walk out we were back at the car at about 3pm.

Trampers were Heather and Kevin Hughes, Chris Leaver and Graeme Nicholas. HH