An Accessible and Easy Hike Near Queenstown

14/07/18 ~ 15/07/18

Introduction

The Queenstown region has its fair share of day hikes. Choosing only one was a challenge, but there weren’t many accessible to overnight on. This made the options slimmer! Steph (a friend) and I decided on Heather Jock Hut, as it was getting late, and we didn’t have a lot of time.

Heather Jock Hut is near the small township of Glenorchy, about an hour north-west of Queenstown further up Lake Wakatipu. The hut is located in the middle of the Whakaari Conservation Area, which has a rich mining history. The mineral Scheelite was mined here after its discovery in the 1880’s. The hike is quite historical overall, with many remains of old tunnel mines, batteries, transport cables and huts along the way up.

There are several ways to access the hut, but the most straightforward way is via the Judah Track. To access the track, you need to arrive at the car park, which is just outside Glenorchy on the South Eastern side (towards Queenstown). You can also access the hut via the McIntosh Loop Track, but this requires far more time and is less straightforward.

Trail Overview

Terrain Type:

1. Flat
2. Mostly flat with some hills / moderate climbs
3. Hilly with moderate climbs
4. Hilly with steep climbs
5. consistent steep climbs

Trail Condition:

1. Path, marked
2. Graded trail, marked
3. Rough trail, marked
4. Poor condition trail, partially marked
5. Unmarked no trail (backcountry)

Experience Level Required:

1. No hiking experience needed
2. Some hiking skills recommended
3. Hiking experience required (some potentially dangerous terrain)
4. Hiking experience required / additional safety equipment advised
5. Only experienced professionals should attempt

Important Notes:

• In winter, there is likely to be snow on the upper sections of trail. Traction control may be required (i.e. crampons/microspikes)

The Hike

Day 1

It was 3pm by the time we (Steph and myself) got around to starting the hike. We didn’t need too much gear for this hike as we intended on staying in the hut only overnight. It was awesome seeing all the snow-capped mountains surrounding us on both sides of the lake. The beginning of the trail was a gentle climb and fairly easy.

A trail runner overtook us who was aiming for McIntosh Hut and down the other side (a big loop combining the Judah and McIntosh Loop tracks). Trail running up a snowy peak sounded interesting, haha. We had a brief chat before we let him get on with it before he ran out of light.

It was very tempting to do the McIntosh Hut trail, which leads up to the mountain in the distance (in the photo below), but we just didn’t have the daylight hours. The Judah Track it was!

Along the way, there was a small waterfall and a mine that was full of water in the base. It was pretty cool! Shortly after, we passed a couple who were also heading our way. Their attention was fixed on a type of rare deer on the hill. The guy was a hunter, which explained the level of fixation haha!

It was around this point, near Bonnie Jean Hut, that the sun was starting to set and darken the valley. The good thing about continually moving uphill is the sun is setting at a similar pace to the rate of our climbing, and we actually ended up being amongst the sun’s rays once more a bit higher up.

As we ascended higher, it became noticeably colder and patches of snow started to show up. We were entering the snow line! Luckily, the trail wasn’t overly steep at all, and it was easy to walk on, even when it thickened out.

Heather Jock Hut

Eventually, we made it along the ridge to Heather Jock Hut. As we arrived, the sun disappeared as if it was on cue. Heather Jock Hut was tiny, although still larger than Ball Hut which I had visited a few days before near Mount Cook. Shortly after we arrived, the couple we met on the trail arrived too. Looks like it was going to be a crowded stay!

I elected to sleep on the floor on a dingy mat with my sleeping pad on top – glad I brought that now. The couple were Kiwis from Cromwell, not far from Queenstown. They turned out to be pretty cool, and we all had some nice conversations. Steph and I played a couple of games of Monopoly Deal before we all crashed.

Day 2

I went for a walk further up the hill behind the hut to try to get better sunrise shots. I was a little too late it seemed, as most colours had disappeared by the time there was a good view. Stumbling back down the snow and to the hut, I packed up my gear and set off with Steph back down. We took the alternate route down (see the zigzag section on the map above) and passed Jean Hut, which was pretty awesome.

The mining history of the scheelite mineral on the trail was quite interesting. There were three huts in total we passed: Bonnie Jean Hut (sealed off with no access), Heather Jock Hut (the one we stayed in), and Jean Hut (seen below).  Jean Hut was my favourite – it just looked awesome and rustic near the stream, weighted with rocks to stop it from blowing away!

Jean Hut

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