Trailcutter and I needed somewhere—anywhere—to sleep during our South Island road trip. Every rental around Queenstown was ridiculously expensive, so we decided to turn the situation into an adventure. Instead of booking a room, we’d hike into a hut for the night. After a bit of searching, we settled on Breast Hill above Lake Hāwea. I mean… who wouldn’t want to say they climbed Breast Hill?

On paper the climb looked short, but steep enough to keep things interesting. We crossed our fingers that Pakituhi Hut would have a couple of spare bunks for us.

Since it was only a one-night mission, we packed light. The lower section of the track was a pleasant, well-formed trail, but things changed quickly as we gained elevation. The Breast Hill Track steepened and the hiking morphed into hands-on scrambling. Nothing worse than Class 2, but the loose rock and exposure demanded attention—especially with heavier packs.

Fortunately, the push to the hut is only about 4 km. By the time we reached the top of the ridge, the wind was howling, but the hut sits just below the crest, tucked out of the worst of it. When we walked in, most of the beds were already claimed, but there was just enough room left for us to crash for the night.

After sorting out our sleeping spots, we made one last climb to the summit for sunset. The view over Lake Hāwea was unreal—warm light stretching across the Southern Alps as the day faded out.

A stunning sunset, a cozy place to rest, and a short but spicy approach made Breast Hill a memorable one-and-done adventure.