Mataketake

Mataketake Hut is a hidden gem in the deep south.
From DOC's website: Mataketake Hut opened in February 2021. It was built by the Andy Dennis Trust, and will be owned and maintained by the Backcountry Trust. Andy Dennis, a renowned New Zealand conservationist and author and a long-time member of Federated Mountain Clubs and Forest & Bird, died in 2016 leaving a bequest to build a new hut in the mountains of the South Island.
What an amazing legacy! Makatetake is reached via the Haast Paringa Cattle Track. It is roughly 8 hours each way from the Northern carpark. By going up the Mica Tops Route and down the Maori Saddle Route, a nice circuit is created, with 3 hours or so of shared track from the carpark to the turn off to the Mica Tops Track. The old minders created a nice track with 23 zig-zags to get you up to the bushline. You then have a relatively easy route along the tops and a last short, steep climb to the hut. Coming down Maori Saddle is a pretty steep descent before getting back onto the Parings Cattle track 'highway'.
Doable in a weekend for fit and experienced trampers. The hut has to be booked in advance. Blowfly/Blue River Hut and Maori Saddle Huts are regular doc huts - standard tickets or a backcountry hut pass.
Camera gear: Sony A7C, Sony FE 2.8/24 lens, Sony FE 4/pz16-35 lens, Sony 4-5.6/28-60mm lens, Sony ECM B-10 shotgun microphone, iphone 12, iphone 14. Edited on Final Cut Pro

[@onefootinfrontoftheothernz]

It is an awesome track. Big rain coming through Sunday evening, Monday and through a couple of days after though so second half of plan might be interesting!

[@TomWoodwardVideos]

Cool mission. I'm looking at heading up there this weekend. Considering heading on from the hut all the way along the ridge then dropping down to the Haast river. Just trying to make sure I don't bite off more than I can chew though.