Mr Purvis, 20, had intended to climb Mt Huxley on or about December 30, descending the Huxley River South branch.
However, he has not returned, sparking concern and a large search.
Senior Sergeant Blair Dalton said about 50 people worked on the search yesterday, and there were close to 65 on Monday.
"[Today] we will be using the Recco device with the Mount Cook Alpine Cliff Rescue team."
This technology was often used to locate people lost in the outdoors, and could detect items such as head torches and cellphones.
"We remain closely connected with Connor’s family and we continue to feel for them and support them, as our search efforts continue."
"The South Huxley track that goes down to the Biv hasn’t been cleared or cut in quite a while and there’s a lot of windfall on it, so there’s places that you can accidentally end up off track there.
"I really hope that he’s just lost and he gets found alive and well."
New Zealand Mountain Safety Council chief executive Mike Daisley said there was still every chance Mr Purvis could be rescued.
"As long as he was prepared with food and good shelter, it’s well within the reasons that even if he’s injured to hold up and be found.
"It’s just a very big area and a very technical terrain. So it’s lots of little valley systems and so it can be quite hard to navigate."
Mr Purvis, who works at Dunedin shop Bike House, is a cornet player in the Kaikorai Metropolitan Brass.
The former Otago Boys’ High School student was described by a friend as "a really friendly guy" who frequently goes tramping.
Otago Boys’ rector Richard Hall said all staff at the school had their "fingers and toes crossed" that Mr Purvis would be found.
He said he was a "really nice kid" and well-respected in the school’s community.
"[Connor] participated in school life in a variety of ways and was a strong academic achiever."
Mr Hall said Mr Purvis was known to be a keen outdoorsman and a expert climber.
"For now, the school’s community was hopeful he would be found and it was focused on that."
Police said earlier searches were focused in the upper South Temple Valley, Mt Huxley and the Huxley River South Branch, both on foot and via helicopter.
A continued effort yesterday focused on Mt Huxley, the Huxley River South Branch and upper Ahuriri River.
Specialist search teams working included Wānaka Canyon and Drone teams, the Dunedin Cliff rescue team and several Land Search and Rescue teams.
Helicopter support was provided by Heli Ventures out of Ōamaru and Helicopter Line from Mt Cook.
Police want to hear from anyone who has climbed Mt Huxley in the past several weeks.
They can contact police via 105 and reference file 260102/2266.
"Police want to thank the Omarama and wider Mackenzie community, along with the Omarama Volunteer Fire Brigade for their outstanding support of the search effort," Sgt Dalton said.
"We are also grateful for the efforts of the Oamaru, Omarama, Twizel and Dunedin Land Search and Rescue groups, who are working in difficult and rugged terrain."
It has been a torrid period for mountaineers in the Southern Alps.
In late December, Police Search and Rescue recovered the bodies of two climbers from Fiordland National Park; one of the deceased was an Australian citizen and the other was a dual citizen of New Zealand and Canada living in Australia.
Just before Christmas, police confirmed two other missing climbers at Aoraki/Mt Cook were likely dead.
On November 24, IFMGA-qualified guide Thomas Vialletet and his American client Kellam Conover lost their lives while attempting to traverse Aoraki/Mt Cook.
