Departing Venison Tops Hut in sunshine. Photo: Sam Harrison

A hut bagger’s paradise

Features, Off the Beaten Track

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Sam Harrison

Sam Harrison is a chocolate addict who tramps on the side and works for the Department of Conservation.

By Sam Harrison

Kāweka Forest Park doesn’t get the attention it deserves. It forms part of the North Island’s mountainous spine and harbours numerous huts for aspiring hut baggers to add to their tally.

Sometimes it takes the end of one plan for another to succeed. A long weekend was fast approaching, and my friends and I were desperate to get to the South Island. But a storm was brewing, soon to bring severe rain to the south. We turned our sights instead to the Kāweka Range, part of […]

About the author

Sam Harrison

Sam Harrison is a chocolate addict who tramps on the side. When he’s not in the bush he can be found pushing paper for the Department of Conservation in Te Whanganui-a-Tara. Sam graduated from the University of Otago in 2021 with a Bachelor of Law, a Bachelor of Arts, a large student loan and a love of all things tramping. He is easily identified in the hills by his oversized camera and his distinctive knack for finding type 2 fun.