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Story: Mountaineering

Carrying planks for a hut

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Carrying planks for a hut

Although tents and bivouacs gave some protection, the severe alpine climate called for mountain huts. The first in the Aoraki/Mt Cook region was built in 1891. These climbers are carrying planks up the Haast Ridge from the Tasman Glacier, probably in 1915 for the building of the King Memorial Hut.

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Alexander Turnbull Library, M. E. Emmet Collection

Reference: 1/2-057095; F

Permission of the Alexander Turnbull Library, National Library of New Zealand, Te Puna Mātauranga o Aotearoa, must be obtained before any re-use of this image.

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How to cite this page

John Wilson, Mountaineering – Guided climbing, Te Ara – the Encyclopedia of New Zealand, https://teara.govt.nz/en/photograph/10492/carrying-planks-for-a-hut (accessed 3 June 2026).

Story by John Wilson, published 2 March 2009, updated 1 February 2017.