UKH

Snowdon, witch route for winter?

Hi guys, I am planning on doing a hike up snowdon at the start of February. I was wondering witch route would be the most suitable for me. Medium experience. Will be carrying 1x ice axe, helmet, crampons, and keeping rucksack weigh low.

I had in mind the Miners Track.?

And feed back will be great 

Thanks

Stephen 

You might want to check the forecast before you get all tooled up...

With the exclusion of Crib goch, horseshoe etc, all the routes are pretty straight forward.  Whilst I don't know what level of adventure you are after, I would guess you will find the Llanberis Path a little too straight forward.

I prefer the Pyg to the Miners as it's a more gradual climb, rather then flat for a while then suddenly quite steep. If there's no snow in Pen Y Pass, the Pyg might get you up to the snow line a little quicker.

Difficulty of the two routes is similar.

As long as you're not bambi with crampons and know how to use your axe then it really doesn't matter.

As mentioned, weather is the main concern.

The witch route is magic in winter.

In proper winter conditions the south ridge is really nice. Technically very easy, it's really just a walk, but with some exposure and it feels like an alpine day out. You could make it a circuit and come down the Watkins path. The top of the Watkins requires some care when it's icy.

Crampons are useful if it's slippery. Pen Lithrig y Wrach.

Echo the South ridge.  Or y Lliwedd as either your ascent or descent from the miners. As a descent route (Anti clockwise) LLiwedd ca be made more or less exciting by altering your distance to the the north cliff.  Closer to the edge for some scrambling, further away for easier walking.

Beware the top bit of the Watkin Path if it is icy, especially if descending. 

South Ridge is a good call, you can start from Rhyd Ddu and do a nice round, east along the quarry track to Bwlch Cwm Llan, up the South Ridge, then back by the Rhyd Ddu path, or the Ranger path if you want to prolong the pleasure.