Heli-Hiking.

Our guides and guests are flown into the mountains by helicopter and land at Kelly Hut. The Hut has its own eco friendly stand alone toilet building with a rotational holding tank system. The night trip to the toilet should be treated as a chance to see the beauty of the night sky. The Hut and its facilities are positioned in the middle of the snow slopes and are easily accessible during the day by guests participating in snow activities or hiking a return trip to the summit during summer. Heli bikers descending to the valley floor have access to the DOC long drop toilets at the Heather Jock Hut, the Scheelite Battery and at the Whakaari carpark.

Mountainhut provides enough potable water in containers for guided groups during their trip. There is also a small spring close to the hut and plenty of snow in winter to melt for water should it be needed. Guests should always carry their own drink bottles with enough water in them to enable them to undertake the duration of their chosen activity. There are some waterways in Whakaari Conservation Area with variable flow during summer or frozen in winter. The largest waterway is the Bucklerburn which descends quickly through a gorge to the valley floor.

The closest coverage is Vodafone cell phone coverage at sunset rocks at the ridge above the hut. Whakaari has no dependable cell phone coverage over most of the terrain or trails so best factor that into your equipment choice. Take a PLB if you have one. Mountainhut.nz supplies an emergency kit for guided and self guided groups which includes PLB and Satellite phone.

Mountainhut.nz has the descretion to change or cancel any trip at any time. This could be due to adverse weather forcast, cloud, wind or snow melt effecting river flow on some trails.