Sefton Bivouac

This bivouac is situated 1650 m below the Footstool, a mountain on the main divide of the Southern Alps. It has a commanding view from its lookout perch, close to the big ice cliffs of Te Waewae Glacier.

Sefton Bivouac is the oldest hut in Aoraki/Mount Cook National Park still on its original site and the oldest building in the wider environs of the park. It has served generations of climbers.

There is a daily radio check-in and weather update to all the alpine huts in Aoraki/Mt Cook National Park. This is at 4:45 pm. There are instructions in the hut that explain how the radio update is done.

History

Aoraki/Mount Cook chief guide Peter Graham decided to build a small hut above the Te Waewae Glacier, to make climbing Sefton and Footstool easier.

Materials were carried to the site on men’s backs and the hut erected on site. The year after it was built it was damaged by snow. It was repaired, and has remained in much the same condition since.

This is a very simple structure but it has survived remarkably well and continues to be used regularly.

Fees

Free

Location

NZTopo50 map sheet: BX15
Grid/NZTM2000 coordinates: E1364422, N5158673

Challenging route

The route to Sefton Biv is unmarked. Route finding and moving through steep terrain (with high consequence of falls) are required to reach the biv.

Reaching the biv in winter requires a good level of mountaineering experience, route finding skills and avalanche knowledge.

Call in to the Aoraki/Mount Cook Visitor Centre for advice on conditions.

Toilet

There is an open air, self-contained toilet known as a Denali 400 near the biv – this is basically a toilet seat on top of a big tank. Visitors are recommended to bring a compostable bag and poo pot or poo tube to transport your poo during snowy conditions.

See toileting in the outdoors.