• Hut shoes: Please remove boots before entering the hut and use the hut shoes (crocs), which are stored in cube boxes to the left of the door as you enter.
• Light: Turn time switch in kitchen area. (The regulator incorporates a LVD - Low Voltage Disconnect) feature. Whenever the battery charge state falls below the LVD set point of 11.5 volts, the load will be disconnected and the red LED will light. This indicates that the controller has disconnected the load to protect the battery from further discharge and possible damage through harmful deep discharge of the battery. When the battery recovers to approx. 40-50% of its rated capacity, 12.6 volts, the red LED will turn off and the load will automatically be reconnected. Avoid having all lights on at once or you will quickly deplete power source.
• Gas: Turn each gas bottle off at night and when leaving hut. Spare gas bottles are underneath hut. Empty gas bottles to go under hut. Only use gas elements for cooking, not for heating.
• Firewood: It is neither cheap nor easy to get the firewood to Rex Simpson Hut, so please use the firewood sparingly. Please fill wood box inside before leaving. Sacks of firewood and pinecones are under hut. Access is from northwestern corner of hut.
• Water: Look east from the hut balcony, uphill, in the direction of the small saddle above the hut that leads into Camp Stream. You should be able to see a warratah marking the spot to take the water from. The water is piped here, so you can get sediment-free water. In winter when you leave the hut, please refill the buckets and leave them up on the kitchen bench, so they'll get the sun and be liquid rather than frozen when the next group comes. You may wish to use the yellow toboggan (stored under the bunks) with two people to make it easier to fetch the water. Water buckets normally reside on the inverted cube boxes behind the potbelly stove. Please use the small saucepan hanging on the wall as a water dipper and don't use it on the stove.
• Grey water: Use sieve to separate food parts and take out as compost. All grey water to go into toilet. Before closing up hut, clean the sieve, scrub the bucket with black brush (located in basket of cleaning materials in toilet hut) and please put bucket upside down to dry out completely.
• Pot Belly Stove: For lighting fire use paper and pine cones. More under the hut. Use firewood sparingly, as it is not easy or cheap to supply the hut. During summer and high fire danger do not light fire. Do not use fire for waste disposal nor burn large amounts of cardboard as it soots up the chimney. Use metal bucket to empty ashes and put COLD ashes into toilet, or simply leave in fireplace if still warm.
• Fire: There are only two designated candleholders, one in the kitchen area and one in the back bunkroom. Strictly no candles anywhere else.
• Smoking: Rex Simpson Hut is a smoke-free area. During summer be aware of extreme fire risk.
• Bunks: Please do not have any food or drink on the bunks. We try to keep them clean for everybody after you. If you're eating or drinking, sit at the table.
• Dishes: Please use red and purple washing-up bowls for dishes only (on shelf above gas bottle at lefthand end of bench). Pre-wash with very hot water and detergent and rinse with very hot water in second bowl. When you leave, put dishes away in cupboard - don't leave on drying rack on bench.
• Body wash: Please use brown bowl only for body wash.
• Toilet: Only toilet waste, ashes and grey water into toilet. No pissing around hut. Please make sure toilet door is locked properly before leaving.
• Rubbish: All rubbish is to be carried out, including all food waste. No food waste into toilet! It attracts vermin. COLD ashes from fireplace can go into toilet.
• Food: Please bring your own food. Food in the hut belongs to Alpine Recreation. Please do not use it. Take all your own perishable food out again. We do not appreciate a collection of half empty jars of food left behind.
• Hut book: Please sign hut book.
• Floor: Please sweep and mop floor at the end of your stay. Use squeeze mop and fresh water, squeeze out in grey water bucket, and then clean this bucket.
• Library: Please treat with respect.
• Fire Emergency: There is a fire extinguisher in the main room above the book shelves, and one in the end bunkroom by the food shelves, A fire blanket hangs on the wall above the spice rack in the kitchen.
• Maps: Please leave in hut.
• Keys: Always lock hut when leaving, even on short day trips. Test and make sure the doors are shut properly. Please leave right hand door unlocked. It has to stay open as it serves as the emergency shelter. Do not lose keys, there are no hidden keys.
• Damage: Please report any damage or better, try to fix it yourself. No food scraps around hut, please.

 

Checklist for when leaving the hut:

1. Sign hut book.
2. Lift all mattresses for airing and put any ARC sleeping bags and pillows back in the end bunk room.
3. Sweep floor with broom and mop with squeeze mop. Use grey water bucket and clean it afterwards using the brush labelled for that purpose. Leave lid off and turn upside down to dry.
4. Check all windows are shut.
5. Shut damper on oven flue.
6. Ensure gas is turned off at each bottle.
7. Fill water buckets. In winter place water buckets on kitchen bench to catch the sun and stop water from freezing.
8. Re-fill wood box inside hut.
9. Clean toilet seat. There are rubber gloves and a cloth in the toilet. Use the grey water bucket after cleaning it first.
10. Shut doors FIRMLY and test that they are shut properly. Door to main room and bunkroom
    are to be locked. Emergency room (right hand door) stays unlocked. In winter leave door to
    firewood under hut unlocked.
11. Report any damage to Alpine Recreation.
12. Return keys to Alpine Recreation in Tekapo to the brown box under the #8 on the wall at Edelweiss Lodge, Alpine Recreation’s base at 8 Erebus Place, Lake Tekapo.