Cass Mid-winter 2026
Trip leader: Robyn Owen
Trip report: Linley Earnshaw
A group of 13 members were fortunate to experience all weathers at Cass recently. Packing everything except the kitchen sink meant we had equipment and clothing for all seasons starting in balmy winter sunshine on Friday. We shared a pot-luck supper that evening around a roaring fire in the ever-warm University lodge with plenty of space to spread out. There was talk of an astro trip to the Mt White bridge, however the team retired early in anticipation of morning fog and icy windscreens.
Dawn saw most already poised on the edge of Lake Sarah in deep fog with frosty grasses and matagouri. The mountains peeped through and then vanished again as we came and went. By late morning, most had visited the Hawden Valley and seen the magnificent, lingering fogbow (a rainbow in the fog!). The sun came out for another beautiful but less moody round of photography with many up at Arthur’s Pass to find fungi, waterfalls and keas. Dinner was a wonderful smorgasbord of leftovers from Friday’s pot-luck followed by ‘Team Board Game’ having a raucous game with general knowledge questions and ‘Team Jigsaw’ putting the finishing touches to the lovely Rita Angus scene. We anxiously checked the weather, trying to gauge if Porter’s would be closed and did some car swapping to ensure those that needed to get back were in 4WD’s. No snow at Cass but it was coming thick and fast at Arthur’s and Porters and only cars with chains were getting through until early afternoon. The team cleaned up the lodge then spread out around the high country to enjoy the very beautiful, wintery, white scenes. It really was four seasons in one weekend.
Many thanks to Robyn for her brilliant organisation and care of us all.
