Chancellor Hut, Mountain shelter in Fox Glacier, New Zealand.

Chancellor Hut is a mountain shelter at 1200 meters elevation on Chancellor Ridge near Fox Glacier. The building has 12 bunks and radio equipment for communications, and sits at a junction point for climbers exploring the surrounding peaks.

The shelter was built between 1930 and 1931 by mountain guides Alec and Peter Graham. It remains the oldest mountain hut still in its original location in the Southern Alps.

The hut shows how New Zealanders opened up the Southern Alps for climbers through early tourism infrastructure. It reflects a time when local mountain guides built shelters to support expeditions into remote high-altitude regions.

Chancellor Hut sits on Chancellor Ridge, 200 m above the Fox Glacier at 1,260 m altitude, reached on foot from the glacier or by helicopter. The 12-bunk hut has two cooking benches but no fireplace since 1972, so bring a stove and fuel. Kea and chamois are often nearby; secure food and gear.

Chancellor Hut was originally painted orange, and its north and south windows were sash windows later replaced by hopper casements. The fireplace and chimney on the eastern wall were removed in 1972, and a new window was fitted in that wall in 1976. Kea and non-native chamois are often seen near the hut.