Thread: Lewis Pass Traversing Tips

Hi team,

South Canterbury has been my main stomping ground and it's yielded some great results. I'm keen to explore some new country, specifically the Lewis Pass area. Based on online research, my impression is that it appears to be "steeper" and "greener" than the barren rolling hills in South Canterbury.

My plan is to park alongside SH7, probably anywhere between Boyle River and Maruia River, crash through bush (off the track) to get to the tops, and explore from there.

Any tips for traversing in the Lewis?
Specifically:
How tight is the bush in the Lewis? Is it like typical North Island native bush? Is it realistic expecting to crash through these to get to the tops?
Are wasps and sandflies an issue?
Any car theft risk parking alongside SH7?

Not too bothered if I don't see any animals. Just want to have some safe and efficient trips. Any tips would be greatly appreciated!

I think there is a track from Boyle Village up to the tops. Car theft is a problem. I believe it is possible to leave your car at the activity centre at Boyle Village.

I have been up to the tops off track near Maruia Springs. Not bad going at all. The bush is generally good but I did have to work my way around some bluffy sections though. Wasps may be a problem in summer but should be ok Labour weekend.

Yes, bush bashing to the tops is quite realistic, it's what most people do in there. There are some tracks up to the tops of varying quality as well depending where you go. Generally, about 2 hours of slog should see you to the snowline in most areas around there. Bush is semi-open and not too bad most of the time. The hills in the Lewis are much easier going than the likes of Arthurs pass, they are pretty easy to traverse and find good camp spots in general. There are always some sandflies but I have never found them too bad. Wasps can become a bit of an issue in February/March. Not enough to not make it worth going, just a bit of an annoyance. This time of year there are barely any wasps. Cars do get broken into parked along there but also a lot do not get broken into. I have never had a problem, it's kind of hard to say really, just depends on how much you want to take the risk. You can leave cars at Boyle for a fee but that limits your options on where you can go. I think they might also drop you off to various places but I have never bothered as I cant be bothered orgaising it and my trips are often spur of the moment.

Both the Boyle and the other end of St James are now camered and I think the Lake Sumner carpark is too. The feed is routed through an ex colleagues parents farm

There are cameras on all access routes to the lewis, however it has just made the keen ones take their number plates off. I've never been broken into there, touch wood. The going is pretty good all through there, can be steep and gnarly in places but always a way around it

Keep meaning to go there and other things keep getting in the way.

Lewis tops track. It’s on the topo map leaves from the top of Lewis pass. Easiest shortest track I have ever done to the tops. Very pretty big country.

I parked next to the nzda hutt just off the state highway and went up the nina not long after the second swing bridge turned left ad headed straight up broke into the open tops after a couple of house bush bashing. This was February it got hot up there stayed a couple of nights. Saw nought this was 2015 - last year at nzda auckland we had a young guy do a presentation on his hunting exploits and he showed picks of heaps of deer on the tops above the nina. My car was fine when i got down.

Gone in at windy point and then up the hope to be be first bivy/hut with a plan to go further but the sole of my meindal boots decided to part ways with the uppers tapped them up and despite trying to bush stalk with a flip flopping sound each step still saw deer. We parked our car at a adventure type place further west a d thet dropped us off at windy point.

Love to go back again to the lewis

Definitely deer up above the nina. Helps to camp up there to get first and last light. Hope river is on the Te Araroa now so huts can get seriously busy in the on season unfortunately.

Originally Posted by Plumber

Lewis tops track. It’s on the topo map leaves from the top of Lewis pass. Easiest shortest track I have ever done to the tops. Very pretty big country.

This is going up towards the Brass Monkey biv.
Very nice rolling tops and tarns with extensive tops and side trips in several dirextions. Best in fine weather.

Definitely easier more traversable country than Arthur's Pass or Dart Rees and Matukituki down south.

Another time we cut across from the upper Boyle headwaters via Mt Trovatore and down to the road. I recalll there were a few old fallen trees to clamber over on the lower flat parts but fairly easy bush higher up. Matt Grant wrote an account of hunting up there in his book “the sharp shooter”.

For a more long tramping type trip with tracks through the bush, you can go over the tops by Lake Man biv.

As you can see, I’d like to be back down there.