A closure between named points
On 11 November 2026, the Department of Conservation (DOC) reported that a large rockfall had covered the Pinnacles Track between Duke Knob and Pinnacles Hut. Its notice says the Sharplin Falls/Pinnacles Track route no longer provides access to the hut while that section is closed. DOC was arranging an engineering assessment, with clearing work to follow its review; the notice did not give a reopening date. This is the event date, not this article’s publication date of 12 November. DOC Pinnacles closure notice
The story is a route change, not a park-wide closure. DOC says Pinnacles Hut remains accessible from the Woolshed Creek end. Its Mount Somers guide describes the track as a network linking Pinnacles and Woolshed Creek huts, with separate approaches and considerable variation in difficulty. Check DOC’s live alerts and track status before travelling: a dated notice cannot promise that the access arrangement will remain unchanged.
Translate the alternative into a route, not a label
The official guide gives the Sharplin Falls car park–Pinnacles Hut segment as 5.8 kilometres and about three and a half hours one way, climbing steeply to Duke Knob before following Bowyers Stream. That is the line affected by the notice. On the other side, DOC lists Woolshed Creek car park to Woolshed Creek Hut as 5.1 kilometres and about three hours, then Pinnacles Hut to Woolshed Creek Hut as 6.2 kilometres and about three hours. These are planning figures for distinct segments, not a promise about an individual party’s pace. DOC Mount Somers Track guide
For a hut booking, that means asking which end the party can reach and how it will return. A group using Woolshed Creek may plan a return from that side or an authorized through-route only if every connecting section is open and transport is arranged. Do not assume that “access via Woolshed Creek” means the usual Sharplin Falls approach remains usable, or that the two car parks are interchangeable. Confirm the hut booking, car-park access, and any vehicle shuttle directly with the responsible provider.
Keep the alternative within its own conditions
The Woolshed route is not a risk-free substitute. DOC notes steep places and unbridged stream crossings between the huts. Its Mount Somers page warns that streams can become unsafe or impassable, and that bad weather can occur in the alpine area at any time of year. The right decision depends on current weather and river information, the party’s experience and equipment, and the status of each segment—not simply whether the hut can be reached on a map. DOC Mount Somers Track guide
The notice asks visitors with bookings over the coming month to use the Woolshed Creek access route and allow extra time. Treat that as the agency’s dated direction, then check for a newer update before setting out. If stream levels, track conditions, transport, or the group’s capacity do not fit the alternative, postpone or choose another outing. Never try to bypass a closure or inspect the rockfall area; wait for DOC’s assessment and instructions.
A practical pre-departure check
Write the plan as connected legs: selected car park to first hut, hut-to-hut section if needed, and the return or pickup. Compare each leg with DOC’s current track page, note the stream crossings, and confirm the hut reservation and transport details. Give a contact the actual route and expected return. If an update changes one link, recalculate the whole itinerary rather than keeping the old schedule with a new starting point.
The rockfall notice records a specific access problem and an alternative; it does not make a future trip safe by itself. The useful response is to preserve those boundaries: use only the open route DOC identifies, verify conditions again close to departure, and be willing to change the plan.
Sources & further reading
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