Matiri Hut and Lake
Activity Date:
Updated:
People:
Finn,
Jen
| Tue Jul 13, 2021 [Show, Download GPX] Matiri Hut | 7.95km 1:13:23 | 6.50km/hr 256m ⬆️, 248m ⬇️ |
Runners: Finn & Jen (July 13th, 2021)
Jen wanted to break up the drive from St Arnaud to Christchurch with something active, and after much searching and agonising over lunch in Murchison, she found Lake Matiri!
As of July 2021 there is still an alert on the DOC page:
1 May 2021: Matiri valley access restrictions
Construction work on the Matiri hydroelectricity scheme is taking place in the Matiri Valley, affecting public access in the area. Work is expected to be completed later in 2021. See full details on the Pioneer Energy website.
Alright, I hopped over to the Pioneer Energy website and found you should go to the hut at the start of the track and follow the instructions inside to alert the workers to your presence. This will allow them to give you safe passage through, if necessary. That sounds easy enough but we got no response on the radio, and later decided that it was actually turned off. Perhaps construction is complete, or perhaps they are not working over winter. Either way, we decided to go!
It starts as a very well formed 4WD track, and you can see where a large hydroelectric pipe has been buried, or is sometimes above ground. It seems very large, but dwarfs the pipes at the more major hydroelectric facilities!
There are two turn-offs where they have created new track to lay the pipe, both times turn left. At the second junction the track deteriorates and becomes more muddy, but is still totally manageable. The hut is pretty standard, but does smell strongly of smoke. Perhaps the fire is not venting well, or has just seen higher usage than other huts.
The view up the valley and over the lake is beautiful and would be worth a better explore in the future!
