However, to do that it needs as much support as it can gather, Leaning Lodge Trust trustee Alan Thomson said.
The old hut, originally built as a ski club hut about 50 years ago, took after its name and was needing increasing amounts of maintenance.
"It's in quite a hostile environment and has the reputation as one of the coldest huts in the country."
More recently owned by the Otago Tramping and Mountaineering Club, the lodge, which had spectacular views, was transferred into trust ownership in 2006 in an effort to push forward plans to upgrade or replace it.
It was decided to replace it because of its age and the amount of work it needed, Mr Thomson said.
The trust held discussions with the Department of Conservation, filled in the paperwork and recently Doc advertised its intention to grant a 30-year concession to enable the trust to replace its hut and invited public submissions.
If that was approved, the trust aimed to build, with as little environmental impact as possible, a new 10-bed hut out of corrugated iron, hopefully with double-glazed windows and lined with plywood, Mr Thomson said.
It hoped to upgrade the mattresses and new toilet facilities had already been installed.
The project would require about $50,000 in funding, but while the hut was open to the public, most did not pay hut fees so "realistically it will not pay for itself". If the project got permission the trust would then apply for grants. It already had material donated and promises of volunteer labour.
The trust was urging those who had used it over the years, including school groups and university students, to write to Doc in support of the hut.
"It was built by a past generation so I think we are obliged to do the same for future generations."
Submissions would be accepted until April 22.
