JOLLIE BROOK and COLD STREAM HUTS

Lake Sumner Forest Park, Canterbury – March 2022

cold stream hut, lake sumner forest park

​In the southeastern quadrant of Lake Sumner Forest Park is the Jollie Brook catchment, which drains the mountains of the Glynn Wye Range. From the Lake Sumner Road, a track leads up the valley, connecting two huts. While Cold Stream Hut, located up a tributary of the same name, is a standard ex-Forest Service 6-bunk design, the 7-bunk Jollie Brook Hut itself is more unusual. It comprises a central living room, with bunkrooms on either side. The only other hut of this exact design is Three Mile Stream, also in Lake Sumner Forest Park.
 
In March, volunteers Greg Jarvis, Pete McBeth and Geoff Spiers got stuck in to restore both Cold Stream and Jollie Brook Huts, aided by a Backcountry Trust grant.

jollie brook catchment

​An initial complication was the fact that the main access on Lake Sumner Road was closed due to a washout. So some tools, food and personal gear had to be flown in from the road bridge at the Hurunui South Branch.

​Cold Stream Hut
The trio of volunteers spent four days at Cold Stream Hut, spending 96 person hours. They completed the following tasks: removing the roof iron and repainting it, replacing leadhead nails with roof screws, replacing the ridgecap, building a new woodshed, and fitting a new stainless steel tabletop. Greg also removed some dangerous trees that were threatening the hut and toilet. Jobs still to complete include replacing some damaged interior lining with ply.

the new woodshed and meat safe at cold stream hut

Jollie Brook Hut
Work at Jollie Brook Hut included fitting a new stainless steel bench and tabletop, lining the ceiling in the hut’s central section, replacing leadhead nails with roof screws, and replacing the roof ridgecap. Thermakraft (a waterproofing membrane) was fitted before the roofing iron went back on.

jollie brook hut

New bearers were installed to the bunkroom on the north end, and some to the central section and southern bunkroom. A new window sash was fitted. Altogether, the team spent six days at Jollie Brook Hut, working for 144 person hours.

new ceiling ply installed in the central room of the jollie brook hut

Jobs still to complete include more bearers, attaching wire dogs, and replacing some of the remaining leadhead nails.

foundation work on jollie brook hut