The Mythical Huts of the Tararuas

A curiosity of the Tararua Ranges that I stumbled across in a blog post a number of years ago is the exitence of some unofficial, secret huts throughout the range.
It seems that these are like a kind of urban legend amongst trampers, except that they actually exist. There's a whole sub-culture built around these huts - figuring out if they actually exist, finding stories from someone whose been there, and then actually tracking them down - all the while mantaining the tradition of never publishing detailed route guides or co-ordinates.
All of this adds up to give these huts a certain mystique, a sort-of mythology if you will.

I've not visited any of these hut (I'm more of a lazy, marked track kind of tramper), but have attempted to catalogue (to some degree at least) these huts on this page, so curious internet passers-by such as myself can indulge their curiosity from the comfort of home. A full list of links for further reading is at the bottom of the page.

NOTE: I had previously published a page like this, but seemingly deleted it at some point (although I have no recollection of doing so). I'm slowly reconstructing it here.

Snowy Hut

It was a blog post about this hut that first introduced me to the wonderful world of the secret Tararua Huts.

Located on the southern bank (true left) of the Eastern Waiotauru (Snowy) River. The flats adjacent to the hut, as well as the track leading to it, are apparently readily visible from the river, whilst the hut itself is hidden from view.
Mostly visited by hunters of the standard kind, but also hunters of secret huts.

Links:
https://trippytramping.blogspot.com/2012/02/snowy-hut-and-ridge-666-11-12022012.html
https://tramper.nz/7864/snowy-hut-snowy-river-hut/ 

Joe Gibbs Memorial Hut

Joe Gibbs is a near-mythical figure in-and-of himself. A bushman who first cut many tracks in the Tararus, and built a number of huts, notable Field Hut - the oldest surviving hut in the Tararuas. He also built the original Tauherenikau Hut, which I recall reading somewhere was were he spent most of his latter years.

Joe Gibbs Memorial Hut (aka Rodgers Stream Biv) is found in the Tauherenikau Valley, apparently up Rodgers Stream, downstream of the present-day Tutuwai Hut.
Links:
https://trippytramping.blogspot.com/2014/12/joe-gibbs-memorial-hut.html
https://hutbagger.co.nz/huts/joe-gibbs-memorial

Thornhills (Possumers) Hut

From what I've, one of the easier huts to get to. Found just off the track near the 900m contour on Kapakapanui.

Allegedly built buy a Kapiti local and used as a base camp for possum hunting (hence the alternate name). The location is fairly well documented online, below the bushline off the track south of Kapakapanui peak.
Links
https://tramper.nz/8125/thornhills-hut-tararuas/
https://hutbagger.co.nz/huts/thonhills-possumers-hut

Punga (Miro Valley) Hut

Another hut with a good amount of info available online, located in the northern end of the Tararua range.

Can be accessed from either the west or east, initially via a forestry road or via North Mangahao Biv respectively (more info in links). Couldn't find any info on the huts origins.

Links:
https://trippytramping.blogspot.com/2016/10/punga-hut-or-miro-valley-hut.html
https://tramper.nz/7869/punga-hut-miro-valley-hut

Waitohu Lodge

Punga Hut (Atiwhakatu)

Jacs Biv

Hut on the Makaretu Stream

Pig Flat Hut

DOC Biodiversity Huts

Island Forks Hut

Upper Otaki Hut

Jacks Flat


References/Further Reading 
Trippy Tramper's List of Huts: https://trippytramping.blogspot.com/p/unofficial-ta.html
NZ Tramper Forum discussion: https://tramper.nz/forums/thread/10405
https://tramper.nz/7864/snowy-hut-snowy-river-hut/ 
https://trippytramping.blogspot.com/2014/12/joe-gibbs-memorial-hut.html
https://hutbagger.co.nz/huts/joe-gibbs-memorial
https://tramper.nz/8125/thornhills-hut-tararuas/ 
https://hutbagger.co.nz/huts/thonhills-possumers-hut