Komata Hut, Kaweka FP, Wednesday 27 November 2025
Banner Photo: Group selfie of those who made it down to Komata Hut
After a few anxious days wondering if rain would be an issue for this tramp, it was decided to go ahead. By Monday, It looked as though the rain would fall earlier in the week and that Wednesday would be OK.
This tramp was to the repositioned and restored Comet Hut (now renamed Komata Hut). The work was completed by an all-female team of Backcountry Trust volunteers over an 18-month period, finishing in 2024. The hut has many unusual features, indicating that a lot of work and thought went into the rebuild. You can read about the restoration of this and other huts on the Backcountry Trust website.
Heading down the steep track
The new track starts from a junction on the Shutes Hut track about half an hour from the car park at the Comet road-end. We left Napier at the earlier start time of 7am and began our tramp at 8.45am. After some undulating walking among pine trees on a plateau, the route runs 800m down a toe-crushingly steep face to the Ngaruroro River. The track was quite slippery after the recent rain, so this proved a bit of a challenge to four of the party who decided that a descent to about halfway was more than enough. They chose to return to the van slowly and not put too much pressure on themselves in the afternoon.
The short but steep track to the river
The rest of the group made their way safely down to the hut, with the first trampers arriving at 11.30am, by which time the hut was bathed in sunshine. It sits on a terrace about 30 metres above the river level. There is a marker for a track to the river from the hut, about a 10-minute climb down another steep area.
Sue, Phil and Juliet were brave enough for full immersion in the cold water, with the others choosing to happily just splash themselves for refreshment before the arduous return climb. This was definitely a tramp where we learned the importance of having a water bottle back in the vehicle for the trip home. Fortunately, some had heeded that advice so there was plenty to go around.
On a hot day, a full dip is refreshing
Overall it was a challenge, but definitely worthwhile. Total ascent was 932m for the entire trip. Distance one-way was apparently 4.5 km but seemed much more because of the terrain. The bush was fantastic, the views were great and the hut at the end was awesome. Some of the party thought they might prefer to do an overnighter next time, which would mean fresh legs for the climb out. Not a bad option.
Many thanks to John for driving there and back.
Trampers: Elly Govers, Di Reid, Sue Trotter, Alison Greer, Selina Chilton, Donna Weston, Phil Shakespeare, Michelle Finlayson, Keith Gore, Mark Jenkins, John Dobbs and reporter Juliet Gillick
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