Carrington Hut

Carrington Hut is a serviced 36-bunk backcountry hut at the meeting of the White and Waimakariri rivers, below Arthur’s Pass National Park’s high peaks. It is a base for exploring the upper Waimakariri catchment, not a quick stop from the highway. The usual marked approach is 12.3 km one way and DOC grades it Expert, at 4–6 hours. Book a bunk before setting out.

The route starts on SH73 near Klondyke Corner, about 10 km east of Arthur’s Pass village. It follows O’Malley’s Track past Anti Crow Hut, then crosses open river flats and beech forest before reaching Carrington. Expect several unbridged channels and changing river conditions; river-crossing skill is essential. Avoid the route during or after heavy rain, check DOC’s latest access advice, and be ready to turn back. Carry spare food in case high water delays your return. Dogs are not allowed. Avalanche risk affects day trips above the hut, usually from May through November, though snow can bring danger outside that period.

There are mattresses for 36, a log burner for heat, and a non-flush toilet. Tap water is untreated, so boil it before drinking. Bring your own food, cooker and utensils. A radio links the hut with Arthur’s Pass Visitor Centre during office hours.

The present building was put up in 1975, the third Carrington Hut in this vicinity. The first, opened in 1928, was built by the Canterbury Mountaineering Club and named for its first captain, Gerard Carrington, who drowned while rafting through the Waimakariri gorge. A second hut replaced it in 1941.

The approach crosses hard, rounded rock knolls called roche moutonnées. Glaciers sculpted them as ice moved across this valley thousands of years ago; they give the river-flat walk a rough, rolling texture between the forested sections.

The hut sits just before the White River joins the Waimakariri, among braided channels and beneath the park’s high peaks. Look for the serrated crest of Carrington Peak. For a photo, include the hut with the mountain skyline or use the open river flats to show how remote the building is.