Earnslaw Hut

Earnslaw Hut is a small, basic four-bunk shelter roughly halfway up the climb to Kea Basin beneath Pikirakatahi / Mount Earnslaw. It is a genuine backcountry overnight stop, not a road-accessed shelter; a rock bivvy sits just above the bush line, and the tussock basin continues higher. The reward is a quiet place to pause with views up the Rees Valley toward Rees Saddle.

From Muddy Creek car park, follow Rees Track and then Kea Basin Track. The route is advanced and takes about 8–10 hours return to Kea Basin. Rees Valley Road is gravel with fords and takes roughly 30 minutes from Glenorchy. The Rees and its tributaries can become dangerously swift when high, so river-crossing experience is essential. Avalanche terrain can cross the track, usually from May to November but possible in any season; check current conditions before setting out. Dogs are not permitted.

There are four first-come, first-served bunks, heating and water from a stream, with no booking needed. Bring your own food and a way to treat water. Current track information lists a non-flush toilet, though older hut reports disagree, so check its condition before relying on it.

The hut was built around 1900 to accommodate tourists. Avalanche airblasts demolished it in 1924 and again in 1936; the next rebuild was placed lower on the slope and used mature beech in the hope that the trees would offer more protection. A renovation by Garth Varcoe and his family in the 1980s helped the old hut survive.

Kea Basin is a subalpine tussock bowl beneath Pikirakatahi / Mount Earnslaw. The basin adjoins the mountain’s Topuni, recognising its historic and cultural importance to Kāi Tahu. From the hut area, the view opens up the Rees Valley toward Rees Saddle.