Not a week in and It is not even December

Info from Tuesday

Chris Guest made the second ascent of Devils Dive in the kitchen, thinking the grade more VI than V-6

Steve and Mark climbed Gallipoli on the ladders reporting hard climbing conditions for the grade with little ice.

Conditions from the Kitchen

Minus 4oC at route base, still lots of powder except where its been packed down by walkers on the path. Teams were on Idwal stream and The Ramp. Most pure ice lines still not quite there but maybe doable for the bold. We climbed Coldhouse Crack, which was great fun, although the lack of ice means its more reliant on turf and even a bit of dry tooling! The turf is frozen where it needs to be but is not freezing yet under blanketing snow. If anyone does this route please can they have a go at retrieving our DMM Bulldog just below the top - its rammed in a crack. We ran out of time to retrieve it and we will buy a beer if anyone returns it (079068 191969).

Cheers Jamie

Photo Rob Johnson Collection

Parsley Fern Gully



Monday

Tim Neil and Phil Dowthwaite made a rare ascent of Passchendale Direct VI on the ladders . Awesome route, deserves lots of repeats. Grade IV ice routes all in on the ladders, routes on Central Buttress in best nick. Guesty and John Orr followed us up Passchendale Direct after bailing off Canon Rib, due to lack of rime

Phil on Passchendale Direct



A team climbed Great Gully on Craig Yr Ysfa a top Cold Climb tick

The stream and ramp got climbed a few times

Sunday

Steve Joyson made the second ascent of Mia's fashion Parade Cwm Glas Bach which is a route of Baggy's and Gaz Davies from Feb 2010

Hi Baggy,

Great start to the season, its all happening

Me, my bro Ed, and mate Roel, climbed Jubilee climb on Sunday. Occasionally some soft turf (I think just the turf with deep snow covering it), but mostly very good conditions, and most of the turf bomber. Cracking route!

All the best,
Ad Booth

New routes already

Big news so far this winter is two new routes put up on Sunday 28th November

For full details visit this link


In additon to this Tim Jepson, as reported on Sunday climbed on the Black Ladders. He was with Luke Thomas and the route they did was actually called Hoyland's Route not Holland Route.

They found it to be an excellent route with the turf in good condition. Worth Grade 4 taken fairly direct, well-protected, nowhere very serious.

An ascent of Jubilee Climb on Cloggy was made on Sunday. Not sure on full details

Its not even December Yet

It has been a wonderful day , early cloud moved to give a fine bright day and a cold one at that

Hi Baggy

Did Eastern Gulley on Glyder Fawr today, although we had a great day and first route of the year, it definitely could do with a bit more snow and ice build up, a bit optimistic heading up there today really. Things are definitely coming in all round though, the ice routes at the back of Cwm Idwal are all starting to form. Its going to be a good one!

Greg Cain

Photo

Tryfan Mike Peacock Collection ( Saturday 27th Nov 010 )

It has Kicked Off

Well its cold, with snow down to 200m and a reasonable amount.

Teams have been climbing in the Carneddau and the Glyders, over the last few days with one team even having a crack at Travesty VIII-7

Its hard to believe that only a few years ago routes such as this were awaiting second ascents, now climbers are mad for it even at the beginning of the season.

It is going to be a bumper season, just you wait and see

Turf is froze high up and there is plenty of snow

Get out, enjoy and get stuck in.



A report from Tim Jepson one of the main contributors of last season clocks in early

Friday 26 November

Tim Jepson and a group from the Sports science (Outdoor Activities) degree at Bangor University had an excellent day's winter mountaineering doing a more or less direct, roped ascent of Bristly Ridge today. The snow was deep and soft and allowing them to leave crampons off, but an axe was really useful for clearing, hooking and the odd turf placement.
There was no one around today but with a good forecast, i can imagine that routes like this will get a hammering over the weekend.

Clogwyn Ddu from Rob Jonhson Collection

Looking Good for weekend

More snow fell Thursday afternoon and with the current forecast looking cold, then certain mixed routes will be in nick over the weekend. Forget gullies as currently there is not enough snow and there has been no cycle.

Never mixed climbed, get some summer scrambles done in winter nick

Thursday AM

Good frost this morning at low level. Hail frozen on ground at 100m and the temp has gone cold.

Bit more of a dusting on the tops

Black ladders ( and before you ask they are nowhere in nick )

Wed Eve

Snow falling and covering the main road as i left Capel Curig at 10.00 pm wednesday eve. Could this be the start ?

Good Signs

On Monday there was a covering of snow down to approx 500m on the north side of the park. Further West/South less so. Tuesday the temps had warmed up and the snow was just a slight dustings on the tops, again with the North having slighty more

This morning its hailing at 100m and the forecast is for it to go cold and to snow above 500m with FL at 700m.

The forecast for the next 5 days is good with snow forecast and low temps. I think Saturday/Sunday you may be able to go climbing on some of the mixed routes, the temps look cold enough over the next 5 days, depends if the ground freezes before the snow comes.

Carneddau on Tuesday Morning

Wet and Windy

Any thought of an early winter quickly disappeared. With wet and windy weather now back on the menue.

A picture of Snowdon I took this Tuesday




The following picture is thanks to Steve Joynson who made the most of the early snow ( last week ) up in Nameless Cwm

Welcome Back-The first Signs have arrived.

Is it really this time of the year ? I am shocked at how quick it has come round. Is it good to be back ?
On one hand its great, on the other hand no. Why no ? Well if we have a winter like last year how much work is that going to be with the the passion you all have and I am sporting an elbow injury which has put be out of action for the last 2 months.

No before you say it ? I am not going to spend all winter writing about the climbing and not getting out. Well maybe !

I Hope you have had a great summer and are gearing up for a another good winter. We can only hope for a repeat of last year. It might happen with many long term forecasts suggesting a cold winter. Only time will tell.

Last Saturday night the first real snow arrived and Sunday found the mountains covered in snow down to approx 500-600 mts and clear blue skies. A friend of mine Adrian Haliwell had a great day on Arenig Fawr walking, another friend, Rich Stone going for trip up East Face of Tryfan reporting wet snow high up.

Monday delivered more snow and the mountains looked very white down to 500ms . I reckon that you could have got out and had good mixed sport on the high scrambles and the odd mixed climb.

Tuesday was a cold day and today was a fantastic day However, the snow has started to disappear.

So the signs are here

Tuesday Evening