The short, sharp ascent to Carroll Hut offers an express route into the Southern Alps.

From the car park, take Kellys Track to the left of the DOC sign, parallel to Kellys Creek. The track to the right is a short loop that finishes near the car park toilet.

About 100m up the track there is a narrow and fast-flowing stream. The crossing is straightforward after a dry spell but may be impassable after heavy rain.

Beyond the stream the track enters native bush and wastes no time in beginning the steep climb up the south side of Kellys Hill. The track is clearly marked and easy to follow, but the steepness, ever-present moisture underfoot and tree roots demand concentration.

The majority of the climb is completed in just 1.5km and has an average gradient of around 30 per cent, so it can feel long.

The gradient becomes easier at around 900m and the rātā and kāmahi open to present wonderful views of Ōtira Valley and Ōtira River. The final kilometre to the hut along the south face of Kellys Hill is undemanding but exposed and suddenly feels alpine compared to the preceding bush. 

Nestled in an alpine meadow basin just below Kelly Saddle, 10-bunk Carroll Hut    (at 1100m) remains obscured from view until it’s just a stone’s throw away. Beware: the resident weka here are not afraid to rummage in an unattended backpack.

Carroll Hut was named after one of the West Coast Alpine Club’s younger members, Patrick Carroll, who was killed in a mountaineering accident in 1938. The hut became a popular base for skiing on the Kelly Range, especially after the installation of a rope tow in the 1950s, until it was superseded by Temple Basin in the 1960s. After the first hut burnt down in 1980, another was built on site the following year and was substantially overhauled by DOC in 2004. 

The track continues up to Kelly Saddle and can be followed westward along the Kelly Range, passing clusters of tarns. 

The descent from the hut can be rapid but demands as much care as the ascent: slipping and tripping are major hazards. Up or down, this track feels like a bit of an express route.

A post-hike refreshment at the whacky Otira Stagecoach Hotel is highly recommended.