Charlie Douglas, often called “Mr. Explorer Douglas,” was one of New Zealand’s most legendary and rugged 19th-century explorers. Employed by the New Zealand Survey Department, he spent decades mapping the untamed wilderness of South Westland, often travelling alone or with minimal support. His journeys were marked by incredible endurance and an almost obsessive fascination with the mountains, rivers, and valleys of the Southern Alps. The upper Copland Valley, including the area where Douglas Rock Hut now stands, was one of the many remote regions he explored extensively.

Douglas had a particular interest in finding a viable route between the West Coast and the Mackenzie Basin. The Copland Pass which is just beyond the hut offered one of the few accessible alpine crossings to Aoraki / Mount Cook. This high saddle, which links the Copland Valley with the Hooker Valley on the eastern side of the Alps, was once a popular mountaineering route and even considered for a tourist trail in the early 20th century. Though now treacherous and recommended only for experienced climbers, the pass stands as a historic pathway that echoes Douglas’s pioneering spirit.

In summer, the South Island rātā transforms the forest along the Copland Track into a blaze of red, its brilliant crimson flowers standing out vividly against the deep green canopy. One of New Zealand’s most spectacular native trees, the rātā blooms from December to February, drawing tūī and bellbirds to its nectar-rich blossoms. When in full bloom, these towering trees create a surreal contrast with the alpine backdrop adding bursts of color to an already dramatic landscape.