Distance: 8.4 km (2.5 DOC hours) - Tramping track - Easy-moderate terrain
Altitude: 859m to 1619m. Gain: 1339m. Loss: 645m . Gradient: 14 deg (Moderate)
Skills:

Tramping track (4/9)
Cut, marked tramping track: natural, rough ground surface

Primary, unmapped (2/5)
Route not on maps, but is principal access to hut or along range / catchment

Moderate (difficulty: 3/5)
Occasional moderate climbs

Easy-moderate (difficulty: 2/5)
Tussock / river-gravel / open bush / cut track

Unknown (difficulty: 0/7)
Not specified

None (difficulty: 1/6)
No unbridged river crossings

Unknown (difficulty: 0/7)
Not specified

From St James carpark, walk 150m up the road to the start of the Lewis Tops track. The track sidles for 600m before beginning the serious climb. Track is well marked to the treeline then poles lead to the tops proper - still a big climb away. From there, follow your nose.

Note: Described in the reverse direction to your journey

From the tarn, head NE to the saddle between Apprentice and the ridge to Mt Technical then sidle the Apprentice and drop to the obvious narrow bridge to the base of the Lewis Tops. Follow the footpad up towards pt 1580 but on a shoulder, strike out across the tops to the NE - pick your route past pt 1535, 1561 and 1568 before following poles down to the treeline and a marked track to the St James carpark (at around 920m, a side track to the left leads to the old pullover at the Lewis Pass road. The current alignment reduces car accident risk by directing traffic to the carpark.