UKH

I took the boy (aged 5) up Snowdon on 18th April 2014 via the Pyg Track and up Y Garn via the Devil's Kitchen and down via Pinnacle Ridge on 19th April 2014. We had a fantastic time on both mountains and enjoyed considerably different experiences on each day.

There were around 4,000 (guesstimate) people on Snowdon when we walked up and there is a bit of litter strewn on the Pyg track and more around the summit. But everyone was very friendly and we met lots of other children on the way up. The boy was tired at the top but still had plenty of energy and we agreed to take the train down the hill (£20 for me and £15 for him) as a special treat.

Next day, we parked at Ogwen cottage and started up towards Cwm Idwal. The ascent of the Devil's Kitchen path which bypasses the DK itself is superb and on the boundary between a scramble and a walk. After 3 hours of steady walking, we finally reached the summit of Y Garn. I'd forgotten how loose the scree descent from Y Garn down Pinnacle Ridge was, so we held hands all the way down. After 2 hours' descent, we returned to our car exhausted but elated. I'd recommend either of these routes for a kid with decent footwear and a bit of experience in the hills. It helped that I'd climbed both mountains many times and we met around 50 people throughout the day.

Just one thought - it would be good if a ranger on Snowdon were able to educate people on packing out what you pack in, as they do in NZ and Alaska. We met the Llanberis MRT team at the foot of the Pyg track during their fund-raising and I wonder if they might give out small plastic bags (like airport bags for toiletries) in return for a small donation?

In reply to Alex Hofmann:

Glad you had such a good weekend!

Do you really think the MRT need more to do? They have a lot on their plate as it is scraping up the unprepared (alongside genuine rescues. Also, I would have thought the "take your rubbish with you" mantra should go without saying. Unfortunately, it doesn't - a sad reflection on the attitudes of our society. Clearly something needs to be done - but not really a job for MRT, and I doubt anyone would pay for a rubbish bag, even if the money went to mountain rescue.

In reply to ianstevens:

I certainly don't think it is the responsibility of MRT to do this, but as a way to raise money, it might be a winner! I was just disappointed by the quantity of rubbish on the Pyg track and further up - much of it is biodegradable but it's still unpleasant and I picked up some of the more obvious wrapping papers. A big sign in the car park stating 'Leave no trace: pack it in and pack it out' next to a supply of plastic bags asking for a small donation should not cost much money. People don't like to put their banana skins back in their rucksack, hence the plastic bags idea.

The other option might be to take a subtler approach - Kent County Council now has signs on motorways stating: 'Take your rubbish home - other people do' and this has been largely successful.

In reply to Alex Hofmann:

Good Effort.

I am waiting for the day when my 3 and a half year old can do easy hill walks under his own steam. At the moment I fear it would be more of a training exercise involving carrying him a lot of the way.....

In reply to Alex Hofmann:

By pinnacle ridge, I assume you mean the NNE ridge? if so, I agree - it's very loose and arguably easier/safer to ascend this way and descend via DK. Glad you enjoyed your days out and considering the volume of revellers a relatively quiet weekend rescue-wise although 1 fatality is 1 too many when you consider the excellent weather and ground conditions.
As far as LMRT handing out bags for people to put their rubbish in - where do you think these bags will end up? There are no bins on the mountain (except in the cafe). Who will pay for the bags? why should a volunteer member of the rescue service give up their easter for non-emergency tasks such as this?

In reply to higherclimbingwales:

Yes - the NNE ridge of Y Garn in descent is a bit slippy, particularly at the top, but if you did fall, you'd only go about 2 feet (in good weather, which we had). I did consider it as an ascent route, but it lacks the interest of the Devil's Kitchen ascent and for a littl' un might be too dispiriting.

Regarding the plastic bags idea, I met 3 members of LMRT at the start of the Pyg track who raised over £2k for LMRT over the Easter weekend. As an experiment, if they were to give out free plastic bags for rubbish next year, it might be possible to test whether they raise more money. I doubt very much that anyone who took one of these bags would leave them on the mountain, but if they did, then the experiment would have failed. There's no harm in trying, is there?