The original hut that was at the junction of the Travers & Cupola tracks. Built by the Nelson Tramping Club (NTC) for 250 pounds, it was completed by Easter, 1951. The open fire that was on the right-hand end was removed in 1961 & a wooden floor added. Named after Scottish born, Nelson College teacher & president of the NTC. John Tait & his family rowed the hut materials up the lake in a clinker dinghy, & then in the summer of 1950/51, members of the NTC carried loads of the prefabricated hut up valley to the building site. Its design is based on a Public Works design & the wire-netting bunks squeaked when folks rolled over. It was removed in 1978 when the new 27-bunk hut was built 10 minutes downstream. Edit Hut