Banfield Memorial Hut
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Hut
Hut
Rakaia River, Junction of Jagged Stream
Owned by the Canterbury Mountaineering Club (CMC)
Access
Contact Lake Heron Station (Philip Todhunter) or Glenfalloch Station (via homestead) for access permission. From Glenfalloch Station, vehicles with good clearance can drive to a parking area opposite Downs Hut. Cross Lake Stream, follow the farm track over Prospect Hill, then take the left pack track halfway across the plateau. Descend into Washbourne Stream, cross, and traverse grass flats below Jagged Stream. The track then follows the true right bank upstream to the hut.
Permission contact details: [email protected]. Phone: 03-303-9014.
Facilities
- 6 bunks with foam mattresses.
- Stainless steel bench, rainwater tank, solar lighting, and area map.
- Fire extinguisher, fire blanket.
- Outside long-drop toilet.
Rules
- Hut fees: Free for CMC members; $10/night for non-members.
- Camping fees: $5/night for non-members.
- DOC tickets are not valid for CMC huts.
- This is a non-bookable hut. Payment does not reserve you a bed.
History
Built in 1950 as a safer replacement for the original 1946 hut (destroyed by an avalanche), Banfield Memorial Hut honours Bruce Banfield, a climber lost in a 1944 avalanche. Relocated near the Rakaia River junction with Jagged Stream, it was upgraded in 2003 with modern amenities.
Climbs in the Area
- Bastion Peak (2,441m)
- The Spires (2,537m)
- Jagged Peak (2,706m)
- North Peak (2,678m)
- Lawrence Peak (2,473m)
Additional Notes
- Clean the hut before leaving
- Close and latch all windows and door upon departure
- Report maintenance needs to the CMC huts team: [email protected]
- Pack out all rubbish and respect the hut’s remote, alpine environment.
- Respect station access protocols—always check in at homesteads.
Free for members
Non-members: $10 night
- Owned by the CMC.
- This is a non-bookable hut.
- Use is on a first-come, first-served basis.
- All hut fees go back into hut maintenance.
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