Jonty: 0:00

Today we're heading to the West Coast and one of its most popular tramps, an historic track home to famous hot pools. Let's talk about the Copeland Track and welcome Flat Hut.

Peter: 0:09

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Jonty: 0:17

Kira and welcome to the Tramping Life, a podcast about hiking in RO New Zealand, or as we call it here, tramping. I'm ch and in this episode I'll talk about a specific track or hut. I'll give an overview and share my experience along with the highlights and some practical advice. one of New Zealand's earliest tourist attractions. The Copeland Track was developed around the turn of the 20th century for intrepid hikers to travel from the West Coast over the southern A to Mount cook. However, erosion and the retreat of the Hooker Glacier has led to the eastern side of this route becoming increasingly dangerous to traverse. Is now better known as the home of welcome Flat Hut, and it's accompanying natural hot. Track is 18 kilometers one way from the road end, which is about half an hour's drive south of box glacier. You return the same way. dock time is seven hours each way, which judging by plan, my walk is a reasonable estimate. The track has a steady gradient climbing nearly 500 meters, but there's no significant up or down sections. Welcome Flat Hut is a 31 bunk hut with a huge downstairs kitchen common area, and upstairs four separate bunk rooms. There's also the Sierra private room, a campsite for eight tents And a rather damp, but impressive rock bivy. During peak season, you could have up to 50 people staying in the round The hut. The original welcome Flat Hut was built by the Public Works Department between 1911 and 1913, and upgraded in the 1970s by the Department of Lands and Survey in 1986. It was partially destroyed by a wall of water coming down the Copeland River and replaced with a bigger hut, which incorporated parts of the Old Hut as star Quarter. Unfortunately, in February, 1987, just 13 weeks after it was installed, a landslide engulfed the New Hut, sweeping the staff quarters into the Copeland River. The New Hut was dug outta the day debris and shifted to a new site by the new Dock and Lanson Survey I walked it in October a few years ago at the start of spring. As soon as I got out of the car, I was surrounded by a thick cloud of sand flies, an annoyingly persistent feature of the track and the West coast In general, the first challenge is to cross Rough Creek, a wide area, which had four streams running through it on the day I did it, which was a dry day, three of which were crossable by rock hopping. One wasn't without getting your feet wet. Now this is probably the riskiest part of the entire tramp and it's five minutes into it. So do take care in terms of decision making, there is a bridge that's 1.3 kilometers away, so it adds about an hour to the walk. So it is only really used if the creek is flooded. This can happen quite often though the track is easily flooded and dock will close it during periods of heavy rain. soon after crossing the creek. There were views of the beautiful glacial blue waters of the Copeland River, along which the track runs. early sections of the track were among the most managed I've seen in New Zealand with rock marked edges and a smooth grading thanks to funding from the Jobs to Nature program. During COVID times, I thought it would be fast but dull walking along this, but after about 45 minutes, it started to become a bit more interesting if a bit more challenging with mud, rocks and tree roots. Much more familiar terrain for trampers. The bush, particularly in the morning light, was some of the loveliest I've seen as were the views coming out into the open for a stretch. Getting closer to the Copeland River offered great views, but the pace slowed considerably with filter of boulders to carefully cross before returning into the bush. It took longer than hope to reach Architect Creek Hut, which was built in 1975 and sleeps too. This isn't really somewhere to stay unless you need shelter in bad weather or injured. it was a welcome, if not particularly appealing place to eat lunch, but inside at least offered some respite from the sand flies. Architect Creek itself is crossed by a lengthy suspension bridge, a little bit wobbly, but safer than crossing the waters below. The track climbs steadily for the next three hours, crossing the longest bridge on the track over Shor's Creek, which offered huge views up to the snow cap peaks of the Sierra range. After tougher than expected walk in, it was a great relief to finally reach welcome flat hot, and its hot pools. Welcome, flat Hut is a great place to stay, and it has two novel features, rarely seen elsewhere. The well-known feature are the hot pools fed by natural spring water that comes out of the ground at a constant 57 degrees. Three pools have been developed each a different color and temperature. They're shallow and basic, but quite an incredible experience to enjoy. the best time to visit them is just after dawn and after dusk. When there are far fewer sand flies around, the less well known feature is the Sierra room. A bookable private room for up to four people. Formally the warden's quarters, they now have a flashy standalone building. The Sierra room's at the back of the hut with a separate entrance, It comes with a gas cooker, cooking equipment, Two double bunks, one of which has a double mattress at the bottom and a hot shower. the lateral is particularly useful after the hot pools to wash off the fine mud behind the heart rises the mighty Sierra range of mountains with the 3,151 meter summit of Mount Sefton, most obvious at sunset as it catches the last ray of light. The hut isn't actually on welcome flat. That's a pleasant 20 minute walk upstream to a beautiful open space. If you continue along this for another three hours or so, There's Douglas Rock Hut, an eight bunk hut, which will make a great spot for lunch on a return walk. But note, this is significantly more challenging than a walk to welcome flat hut. I had planned to go there, but I had a bit of a miscalculation when it came to the amount of food bring with me on the trip. So I was a meal or two short, and so stayed at the hut and conserved my energy the following day, I returned the way I came, and it was faster and easier as you'd expect going downhill. and thankfully Rough Creek was still relatively calm and straightforward. highlights the hot pools lying in hot pools. Looking up at Snow Cap Mountains is a pretty amazing experience. The Sierra Room, I stay there with my wife enjoying the space privacy in a hot shower, which will be welcome on any tramp, but particularly for rinsing off after using Hot Pools, And the West Coast scenery, the views are fairly similar along the track, either through thick bush or out in the open next to the river. But this is just a spectacular part of the world to spend time. Practical advice book The Hut. Welcome Flat Hut is the second most popular non-G Great walk hut in New Zealand. After the Pinnacles hut, which is nearly three times larger in the year 20 24, 25, over 7,200 bed nights were booked with a near equal split between domestic and international visitors. The Huney, is booking in advance all year round bookings open in May for the year from the 1st of July. As of 2026, it costs$30 for a bunk in the hut,$15 for a campsite, and$145 for the Sierra Room. This sleeps four people though, so if you have four of you, that's only gonna be$25 more than having individual bunks. Highly recommend spending two nights at the hut if you can. It was crazy how many people got to the hut late in the day and then had to leave early the next morning and didn't have much time to spend at the hot balls. It's a decent effort to spend 15 minutes at the hot ball to walk back out again, so if you can, two nights is a lot better. The hot balls are much quieter during the daytime and there are enjoyable short walks near the hubs. Slightly a random equipment suggestion, but if you have a head fly net, it may be worth taking with you. I have one from travels in Australia, and I wish I'd brought it with me on this hike. West Coast sand flies are justifiably notorious, and I found that even submerging myself up to my neck. The sand flies would still bite my head whilst I was in the pools during the day. Antihistamine bite cream is also a must for me to uh, stop the itching from the bites. now, before you walk the track, check the dock website or visit the dock. Visit centers in f France, Joseph, or has junction before you start along with the weather forecast. If the West coast's expecting a hundred mil plus of rain, the track will likely be closed as the rivers will be in passing. Crossing Rough Creek at the start may be a challenge for many particularly overseas visitors, not used to New Zealand's Wild Rivers. I'd strongly recommend that you watch the Mountain Safety Council's video on the track. This can be found on their website or on the doc page for the Copeland Track. Only eight minutes long and it provides really useful safety information. Finally, don't underestimate the track. 18 kilometers may not seem that far to some, but the terrain can make for slow progress. Start hiking as early as you can to give yourself plenty of time to reach the hut and enjoy the hot balls. Whilst you're there, Thank you for listening to this slightly different episode of The Tramping Life. This is a bit of an experiment. I'm gonna record a few episodes like this on specific tracks and huts, so I'm interested in your feedback. Whether this is something I should continue to do Please reach out to me at the email at the end of this podcast or find me on social media.

Peter: 8:56

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Speaker: 8:58

Thank you so much for listening to the Tramping life. If you've enjoyed today's episode, please follow the podcast in whatever app you use. Tell a friend about it and consider leaving a rating or a review. It really helps more people discover the show. you have any questions or feedback, I'd love to hear from you. Drop me an email at the tramping life, one word@gmail.com.