Around 70 DOC huts across the country must be booked in advance. Kirtle Burn Hut in the Pisa Conservation Area is one of the latest to join the booking system.

DOC director of heritage and visitors Catherine Wilson said the decision to add the seven-bed hut to the system was made with safety in mind. The small hut has become increasingly popular, resulting in instances of overcrowding.

“We have had situations where people arrived late in the day in winter only to find the hut fully occupied, forcing them to return to the car park in the dark after a long day of skiing,” Wilson said. “This raised significant safety concerns that we needed to address.”

DOC considers several factors when deciding whether to add a hut to the booking system, such as access, usage, frequent overcrowding and popularity with families. 

If you arrive at a full hut that you have booked in advance, you still have priority for a bunk. “Someone will have a sleeping mat, there may be an extra mattress, or a group may squish up to accommodate an extra person. It’s all part of the camaraderie of getting into our outdoors,” Wilson said.

DOC is currently considering making all serviced huts bookable to enforce hut fee payment compliance and manage safety. Standard huts may be made bookable on a case-by-case basis if overcrowding, safety or fee payment issues arise.