Cass Valley Lady Emily Hut | High country adventures near Lake Tekapo - Lady Emily Hut - Liebig Range Ski Touring 1

Cass Valley

Lady Emily Hut

High country adventures near Lake Tekapo

Accommodation Mountain Huts

Lady Emily Hut

Lady Emily Hut

Mackenzie high country adventures

Lady Emily Hut sits at an altitude of 1500m in the Gamack Range, overlooking the upper Cass Valley. Located in a beautiful setting, with great views of the surrounding mountains and valleys, providing a fantastic location for star gazing - the Mackenzie District is renowned for the clarity of its sky and freedom from light pollution, which is why the area was recently designated as an International Dark Sky Reserve.

Warm, cosy & modern

Lady Emily Hut is privately owned and was built by Glenmore Station. It is an ideal base for backcountry adventures, overnight alpine hikes, hut to hut treks and ski & split-board touring. Equipped with firewood, gas, bunks, pillows and mattresses. A wood-fired stove means there are good heating and drying facilities. Alpine Recreation has stocked the hut with sleeping bags for each bunk. This will keep the pack volume and weight down for walk-in / ski-in trips.

Facilities

Lady Emily consists of two rooms, one room sleeping up to 4 and a second sleeping 6. There are no showers and the toilet is a traditional longdrop loo.

Access

Provided the 4WD access to Memorial Hut is possible, this is the easiest of the Glenmore Station huts to walk to, but furthest to 4WD drive to and will be the first to be cut-off by high river levels, snow or flooding. The inital 200m climb is steep, but then eases once you reach the alpine meadows at around 1300m. Expanding views over the upper Cass Valley and Ailsa Stream provide a welcome excuse to take a break and soak in your surroundings. The access to "Bad Decision" (Whiskey Hut) is probably the easiest as well with approx. 3.5 km distance and 600m of climbing.

Lady Emily Hut Adventures

Our recommendations of things to do at Lady Emily Hut.


Hut to Hut Hikes & Treks

Adventurous multi-day alpine trekking in the Mackenzie High Country

The Gamack Range near Lake Tekapo is a spectacular alpine trekking venue in the middle of an impressive landscape carved by glaciers and waterfalls. Hike high above Lake Tekapo, cross alpine passes and gaze in wonder at the night sky - the Lake Tekapo region is renowned for its star-gazing and clear skies and is part of the Aoraki Mackenzie International Dark Sky Reserve.

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Ski & Split-board Tours

Enjoy some of the best backcountry skiing terrain in New Zealand

Explore the Lake Tekapo high country on skis. Ride epic lines and enjoy a whiskey at the "Bad Decision Hut". Come back to a warm self-contained hut at the end of each day and share stories by the fire while your guide prepares a tasty meal.

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Getting there

4WD adventure & alpine hike to Lady Emily

Enjoy an adventurous 4WD journey up the Cass Valley to Memorial Hut, in Alpine Recreation's rugged Toyota Landcruiser "Tigger".

From Memorial Hut at 1070m elevation, cross Ailsa Stream, then climb 200m up a steep tussock slope to gain alpine meadows and a medial moraine rib which brings you to Lady Emily Hut. Expanding views over the upper Cass Valley and Ailsa Stream provide a welcome excuse to take a break and soak in your surroundings.

Lady Emily Hut is a popular destination in the winter for ski-touring and split-boarding. It is equally rewarding in the summer and a great option for an overnight hike in the Lake Tekapo region or as part of a multi-day hut-to-hut trek.