FMC "Love our Huts and Tracks": Poutaki and the Dead Doge

UPDATE: now doing the FMC hut cleanup and audit of 2 huts: Herricks, Dead Dog! :)

I'm planning to bark up some of the lesser known spots in the Ruahine Forest Park! Trip is limited to one carload as Poutaki hut only has 4 bunks.

First stop on day 1 is Poutaki hut, which has a reputation as one of the nicest Ruahine huts. The drive up there is about 4 hours. It's then a mediumish 2-3hr walk, with a few river crossings at the start. We'll have a chill night there.

Day 2 we'll return 2-3hr to the carpark and drive 15min up the road to Herricks hut, which is a road end hut. This is located past private land, which the landowners have kindly given us permission to cross. The track to Dead Dog hut then starts from here. This is an easy-medium walk that climbs up and down a hill for 2hrs, before travelling down a river for 1hr (3hrs total).

Day 3 we will return 3hr to the car and then drive back to Welly (another 4hrs)!

We may also bag some additional huts close to the roads, such as Tin Hut and historic Ellis Hut :)

Poutaki Hut: https://www.doc.govt.nz/parks-and-recreation/places-to-go/manawatu-whanganui/places/ruahine-forest-park/things-to-do/huts/poutaki-hut/

Herrick's hut

Dead Dog Hut: https://www.doc.govt.nz/parks-and-recreation/places-to-go/manawatu-whanganui/places/ruahine-forest-park/things-to-do/huts/dead-dog-hut/