Almer Hut

Almer Hut is a 12-bunk serviced alpine hut on the north side of Franz Josef Glacier, with views down the valley and toward the high peaks. This is a mountaineering overnight, not a short walk from the road. A described route from the Waiho valley leaves Roberts Point Track and crosses steep loose ground, a ridge and snowfields; the link from Centennial Hut also crosses glacier snow. Plan it only with alpine experience, good navigation and current route advice.

The two-room hut has 12 bunks and a non-flush toilet. Its tap water is untreated, so boil it before use. No catered food is listed; bring your own meals. Bunks are first come, first served, with no booking required.

The current hut is the third structure to carry the name. Before it, there was a small A-frame bivvy and a 1930s hut on a lower terrace. The prefabricated hut was dropped onto the glacier’s north side in the early 1950s; sources differ on whether that was 1950 or 1952–53. It’s one of a few surviving huts from the shift between packhorse supply and helicopter access. A 2024 restoration strengthened the walls, repaired windows and rebuilt the roof after storm damage.