Hut building

There was a resurgence of skiing in the years following the war. The Ruapehu Ski Club had the only high level huts and its membership rocketed, reaching 1000 in 1949.

Numerous other skiing, tramping and climbing clubs had been formed over the years and most planned to build on the mountain. Otaihape Hut built in 1948 was the first of the post-war huts on Ruapehu. In the following year Aorangi Ski Club, Auckland Tramping Club and Hutt Valley Tramping Club built their huts. At least six more clubs were at work on huts in 1950 and from then on a hut or two was built each year. The building boom at Iwikau was underway.

These were years of intense activity and the mountain was as busy in summer as it was in winter. Members devoted weekend after weekend to the hard physical work inolved in building high level huts on fairly low budgets. Over the years, workers carried many tonnes in uncomfortable loads of building materials. Yet, despite the demands of the job, most remember these working parties as some of their best days on Ruapehu.

A spectacular blaze destroyed the Tararua Tramping Club's first Ruapehu hut during the winter of 1954. The fire occurred at night and was fanned by an 80km/hr gale. Fortunately its occupants escaped unharmed. The enthusiasm of the club was proved beyong boubt when members designed and erected a new hut by the end of the following summer.

By the med-1950s there were 15 or more new huts scattered about the old lava flows of the lower slopes of the Whakapapa Ski Area. The Tongariro National Park Board began to promote the Iwikau Village concept in an effort to control the development. There were still some major planning difficulties to some to grips with, such as water supply, rubbish disposal and sewage.

The times may have changed but the camaraderie of hut life continues. The tradition of socialising with members of nearby club huts is also a popular and enjoyable part of apres-ski activities at Iwikau.