My second time up onto the Lewis Tops, but this time in late winter, and with an extension to climb The Apprentice (1678m). Great views of Mt Technical, the Maruia River, One Mile Creek, and various glacier carved mountain ranges all around. Snow enhanced the scenery except for the frozen tarns, which arguably look nicer in liquid form.
I had been to the Lewis Tops in summer almost three years earlier, and you can see those photos here. The extension up onto The Apprentice involved a steep descent from the Lewis Tops. There are a few approaches to climb The Apprentice. Track notes at the end.
The Apprentice from Lewis Pass: The Scenery
Video from the summit:
Track Notes
You can start from the St James Walkway car park, or from a 4wd accessible car park on the bend in the highway at Lewis Pass itself. From there it’s a climb through beech forest with a clearing for early views. The route is poled above the bushline until 1568m, then continue along the tops until point 1580m. From there head south and drop down steeply to the base of The Apprentice.
You can climb the mountain a few ways but with some evidence of avalanche activity I kept to the edge of the snow and headed up on the right, then along the summit ridge.
