is a historic alpine hut situated in the Rock and Pillar range, Central Otago.
At an altitude of 1,220m, the hut offers wonderful views of the nearby township, Middlemarch
Leaning Lodge has brought together people with a passion for the outdoors since 1958, creating many treasured memories over the years.
The lodge has been part of the experience of adventure seekers that include skiers, bikers, trampers and backcountry enthusiasts. Sadly, the lodge has been closed since 2014 due to it becoming non-compliant with building codes. It now requires replacement, and a completely new steel-framed steel-clad hut has been designed to comply with the site’s extreme winter alpine conditions high up (altitude 1,220m) on the Rock and Pillar range above Middlemarch in Otago.
Plans are underway to remove the old structure and build a new modern hut which has been specifically designed and engineered in accordance with DOC back-country-hut standards, DCC building code compliance, and the (DOC owned) site lease conditions. It will comprise an entrance foyer, kitchen and dining facilities, 10 bunks, together with a deck looking over the Middlemarch valley way below. A safe and welcoming refuge for trampers, cyclists, skiers, university researchers, and all outdoor enthusiasts visiting this special alpine retreat just an hour’s drive from Dunedin and just up the road from the Central Otago Rail Trail.
