26-05-11, Carneddau, Snowdonia - Expedition

 Carnedd Llywellyn with Crag Yrsfa.

The last few days I have been working with students from Wiltshire College. The 3 day programme involved a 2 day expedition with a wild camp and a day of rock climbing and gorge walking. Tuesday and Wednesday we walked over the Carneddau over Pen yr Llithrig Wrach and Pen yr Helig Du. Today we went rock climbing at Clogwyn Cyrau above Betws y Coed followed by ascending Afon Ddu gorge. The weather on the expedition was glorious, dry but windy and today it has turned slightly wet! Mountain crags will be out of action for climbing, rivers should still be paddleable tomorrow, or maybe Tremadog may be dry?! 

20-12-10, Carneddau, Snowdonia - Ski Touring

Skining up to the summit of Carnedd Llewelyn.

With the van, our road and most of the town being completely snowed in, it has given a great opportunity for some urban skiing around Bethesda! I have been out Ski touring the last couple of days with great weather, it has been ace. Sunday Kath, Helen and myself went for a short ski up and down Y Gyrn. Plenty of powder and other people out enjoying the cold snap, sledging and digging! The wild Carneddau ponies are wandering / wading looking for something to eat. Today a team of us went up to ski the higher tops of the Carneddau. Up Carnedd Daffydd, Carnedd Llewelyn and Foel Grach. It was bitterly cold, with a slight breeze and whiteout for a time. However on the summit of Llewelyn skies cleared to show amazing views of a snowy Snowdonia. The snow wasn't as good as yesterday but it was still good and the journey was great. We found lots of patches of wind slab and a fair few raised foot prints on the summits. 'Whats going on here, it didn't look like this yesterday?'

Y Gyrn ski.

Yr Elen

Ski off Foel Grach, Awesome!

End of the day and home run.

14-12-10, Black Ladders, Snowdonia - Winter Climbing

Snow hasn't returned, but the freezing level is dropping slowly. I went back to Tremadog yesterday and climbed a few routes on Bwlch y Moch with James. The sun wasn't out so it was quite chilly! Today Matt and I headed into the Black Ladders on the Carneddau, after a hot (or should I say 'cold') tip that Icefall Gully, IV,4 had some climbable ice. I can confirm that there is still a bit of ice hanging around on the cliff. All of the rocks are black and there is pretty much no snow apart from some in Pyramid and East Gully. There are a fair few ice curtains on the approach slopes on the left and there was indeed several good pitches of grade IV climbing to be had on Icefall Gully. We headed up the frozen but grassy slopes to the summit of Carnedd Daffydd.

There is going to be a new winter guide for the main winter climbing venues of northern Snowdonia. It should be out over the Christmas holidays. The old guide is massively out of date 1988 so this should be a great source of inspiration! and explain where all these new routes have been climbed! www.groundupclimbing.com.

06-12-10, Carneddau, Snowdonia - Ski Touring

The mighty whitey Tryfan!

A stunning day in Snowdoina. Blue skies, calm and still and wonderfully white! We headed out for a quick ski tour on the Carneddau. The snow cover is OK to ski on however you will have skied better! We ascended Pen yr Helgi Du from Ogwen. There were a few groups out walking. The snow has started to transform slowly, however it is still powdery and deep in places. The ice is getting thicker and the cold period is forecast to stay around. New winter routes are being climbed all the time, Baggy tells me there have been at least another 11 new routes climbed over the weekend. The new winter guide book being written by Ground Up should have plenty to inspire, word on the street is that it should be sent to the printers midweek so available before Christmas.

PJ Mountains will be running Winter Skills courses throughout the season both in Snowdonia and the Scottish Highlands. Courses can be tailored to your specific needs however a basic 2 day course would cover; use of ice axe, crampon technique, moving around on snow slopes, navigation and avalanche awareness.