There's a moment on every good backcountry mission where the plan stops mattering and the mountain takes over. For Boardertown co-founder Dan McClean and the crew, consisting of Powder Hunter Snowboards head Dane Harris, long time friend Simon Smith and our Canadian import Spencer Maybee, that moment came somewhere between a storm rolling through the head of the Cass Valley and a dram of whisky at 2,100 metres.
This is the story of a multi-day splitboard tour through Glenmore Station's Cass Valley hut network, a stretch of South Island backcountry just fifteen minutes from Lake Tekapo that delivers some of New Zealand's most rewarding splitboarding terrain.
Starting Point: Memorial Hut
The trip kicked off at Memorial Hut, one of Glenmore Station's original mustering huts, sitting right at the head of the Cass Valley where the Cass River meets the Ailsa Stream. With a 4WD track running straight to the door, Memorial Hut is an easy, low-effort base camp with eight beds, a log burner, and a kitchen stocked enough to fuel up before the real work begins. From here, the terrain opens up fast: the Ailsa Valley and upper branches of the Cass are right on the doorstep.
The Climb to Lady Emily
After a stormy night at Memorial, the team awoke to snow still falling but then, as backcountry trips so often go, the storm broke. A window opened just long enough for the crew to catch their first real look at the surrounding terrain.
They started the 90-minute (more like 2.5 hour), 500-metre vertical climb up to Lady Emily Hut. The route crosses the Ailsa Stream before climbing steeply to Lady Emily.
After arriving at Lady Emily, the storm settled back in, reducing visibility and only allowed a quick skin up the ridge to get a feel for the terrain on offer. But with near white-out conditions kicking back in, the crew didn’t last long and headed back into the warmth of the hut for the evening.
A Whisky Mission to Bad Decision Hut
With the storm clearing to bluebird the following morning and fresh powder awaiting, the crew awoke early, packed up from Lady Emily, and enjoyed the early morning split up the South valley in search of fun lines and the legendary Bad Decision Hut.
No trip through this part of the valley is complete without a detour to the Bad Decision Hut. Perched on the ridge between Falcon's Nest and Lady Emily, and sitting at 2,100 metres, the concept is simple and slightly ridiculous in the best way: order a bottle from Whisky Galore in Christchurch ahead of the trip, have it flown in by helicopter, and it's waiting for you whenever you're touring past.
The team made the mission out to Bad Decision between runs, splitboards stashed outside while they ducked in for a dram. Whether you're sheltering from weather, taking a break, or just detouring for the novelty of drinking whisky at what might be the highest bar on the planet, it's one of those only-in-New-Zealand backcountry experiences that turns a ski tour into a proper adventure story.
Scoring a couple of heli-quality lines on the way back down to Lady Emily, the crew grabbed their overnight packs and then hustled back down to Memorial to grab the car and enjoy an amazing sunset 4wd back out of the valley.
Why Cass Valley Delivers for Splitboarders
What makes Glenmore Station's hut network so special isn't just the terrain, it's the combination of remote, untouched snow with genuinely comfortable huts to base out of. Every hut comes with a log burner, firewood, and a fully equipped kitchen, meaning the hard work happens on the skin track, not once you're back indoors.
For splitboarders, the Cass Valley offers something increasingly rare: multi-day, hut-to-hut touring through big alpine terrain, with enough variety to suit everyone from first-time splitboarders to those chasing steep, technical lines like The Needles or the glaciers above Memorial Hut. A whisky stop at the highest bar in the country, and fresh pow on the way into Falcon's Nest or back down to Lady Emily, and you've got a trip that sums up everything backcountry splitboarding in New Zealand is about.
Ready to Plan Your Own Cass Valley Mission?
Glenmore Station's huts are bookable directly for the ski season, with Memorial, Lady Emily and Falcon's Nest all accessible for touring parties.
Check your gear and get prepared with splitboards and backcountry gear from Boardertown. Not sure where to start? Drop in store and talk to the Boardertown team for expert splitboard knowledge and advice.
