Leaning Lodge Hut will officially open tomorrow and a celebration of the achievement will be held at the hut.
Located near Middlemarch, the hut is 1220m above sea level and attracts many trampers and recreationists throughout the year.
"It’s been a long project and so many people have put time and effort into it," Leaning Lodge Trust chairman John Cocks said.
Much of the work had been done voluntarily by members of the trust and the community, he said.
He had a passion for the outdoors and getting the project — the third iteration of the lodge — across the line was cause for celebration.
The original, built by the Otago Ski Club in 1958, was removed in the early 2000s, prompting the creation of the Leaning Lodge Trust in 2006.
A new hut was built in 2014, but due to a "lack of building experience" it did not meet the design standards for a high-altitude building.
"The building code, without getting steep, is very rigorous, so they did build, but it didn’t meet the standard."
In 2019, work began on the soon-to-be-open lodge.
The trust had a budget of $250,000 for the project, but needed just below $200,000 to complete it, he said.
Foundations at the site were laid in 2022 and the build started at the beginning of last year. It was completed in June this year and opened to the public in July.
The trust was "thrilled" to finally have it officially open.
"We’ve had a lot of interest since it’s been opened and the feedback we’re getting from those staying has been all complimentary, in fact, stronger. People are saying it’s so good to have this hut. It’s really well done, well built. And not having it would have been a great loss for local recreationists."
It will be open throughout the year and is owned by the Otago Tramping and Mountaineering Club and managed by the Leaning Lodge Trust.
