Gwilym's Adventure Blog

Still some deep patches Today Dan, Kevin, Howard and I headed up onto the Carneddau via Pen y Ole Wen looking for some interesting hands on rock action. We found some scrambling at about Summer Grade 1 standard and then headed on round the ridge to Carnedd Daffydd. The snow is going fast and we were in softshell trousers and t-shirts for most of the day. It was very warm and almost summer. Looking across at Cwm Idwal it was bare compared with earlier in the week and the Devils Appendix Icefall is no longer there

Today Dan, Kevin, Howard and I headed off from Llanberis Pass up to Crib Goch. We picked a wandering ascent trying to find snow to follow as we climbed up towards the ridge. Once on Crib Goch however the snow was lacking and it was a wet summer scramble not a winter traverse. We continued to Garnedd Ugain and then struck off down the Pyg Track and the Miners Track. A great day out but the thaw is continuing and there will be very little snow left by the end of the week.

Today I was out on the hills with Kevin and Howard. We made our way through soggy snow up the North Ridge of Tryfan with sections of Grade II mountaineering before descending through deep slush down via the Heather Terrace and Tryfan Bach. The thaw is still on and snow is falling apart in front of our eyes. Still it was a good day and the axe was helpful at times.

  After getting up at early o'clock, Dan and I arrived in at Ogwen around midday and headed up into Cwm Idwal to get some ice action. It was thawing underfoot as we went in and we climbed Idwal Stream III. The ice under the snow was rotten and at the top of the route I fell through the ice into the stream itself. We continued up onto the top of the Glyders and waded through wet snow down the Y Gribin ridge I/II before returning to the van in darkness. I am not sure there will be much ice left by tomorrow.

Today we had the most amazing start to the day with the sight of a full lunar eclipse on the drive over to Grassmere. This was followed by a steep pull up the hill from the car park to the summit of Dollywaggon Pike before dropping over the edge to the North Butress. Here we climbed Rescue Groove IV 4 and a variation of Thrash Corner at III 3 as the crux corner was full of verglass. On the way back to the car we stopped and soloed Birkside Gill a grade II/III ice route about 150m long with 3 main (but short) pitches. Again great weather for the whole day, we have been very lucky with this weather.

Today we headed to Brown Cove Crags and climbed two routes. Stepped Ridge and Right Buttress Crack both grade III. Although the guide book says 100m they were both at least 200m with Stepped Ridge being the longer of the two. There were at least another 3 teams out on various routes and the weather was fantasic yet again.

Today we went for a walk around Bowfell 902m and Crinkle Crags. The weather was absolutely stunning and there were only a few other people on the hill. It was a great day in amazing surroundings. We walked around 14km in all but there was a fair bit ascent and descent on the route.