UKH

Myself and a few friends have plans to go to North Wales this weekend to do some walking/scambling, and I've got some questions that I'm sure those with more experience could advise on.

We're a mixed ability group. I've got plenty of trad climbing experience but very little hill walking or scrambling. One of the other chaps has lots of mountain walking/scrambling experience, and the other two have some limited hill walking under their belt (have both done Snowdon horseshoe previously).

Weather looks like it could be pretty rubbish on Saturday (dropping temps, potentially high winds, some snow/hail). Original plan had been to go and do Tryfan (North ridge) and potentially on up Bristly Ridge to Glyder Fach and down Y Gribin, or cut short and back down after Tryfan if weather is bad.

Is this a ridiculous objective given forecast/ability? It would seem not to my mind, but the forecast has me a little worried.

We'll be properly equipped in terms of clothes, emergency kit, head touches etc. and happy to turn back if things look dodgy.

Would an alternative be better (Moel Siabod?) .

Thanks in advance for the flaming and/or useful advice

In reply to Phil79:

I'd probably suggest avoiding Tryfan. You say your group have limited scrambling experience, bar one. The North Ridge can be a confusing place in bad weather if you're unfamiliar with it, and retreat is not always easy (lots seem to wander onto the east or west faces by mistake). The ridge gets more committing towards the top. Similarly, if you do get to the top finding your way down the South Ridge can be tricky if the mist is down. The forecast looks pretty wild at the moment.

The Daear Ddu ridge on Siabod would be a better aim. Lots of scrambling potential if needed, less serious and escapeable, a decent walk in to allow you to gauge conditions, and a fast descent from the top on non-serious ground (provided you head for Capel or the Pyg Inn and don't wander back to the cliffs in mist).

In reply to Phil79:
As above, if you do decide on Tryfan North ridge don't be tempted to try and 'escape' down any of the gullies you see leading east and west off the ridge. These gullys all look grassy and amenable at the top but turn into cliffs /sheer drops lower down and have been the scene of several fatal accidents in recent years.

In reply to Mike Peacock:

Plus one for the Daear Ddu ridge - it's fun and easily adjustable for conditions, and nowhere near as committing as Tryfan.

In reply to Mike Peacock:

Another one for Siabod/Ddear ddu. Winds are forecast 30-40mph westerlies on Saturday.

You might be able to avoid some of that by doing Tryfan Little and North gullies rather than the North ridge, but you would still be very exposed on the summit and any reasonable descent, and with poor visibility and rain / snow forecast I wouldn't recommend it.

Ddear ddu allows you to avoid steep drops and choose how much scrambling you do, gives the option of reversing at any point and has a nice gentle descent as long as you can navigate from the summit onto the descent path to Plas y Brenin. (Water levels should have dropped by then, but be aware that the river crossing at Plas y Brenin could be flooded if heavy rain persists!)

In reply to Phil79:

There have been a lot of problems with flooding - best check before you travel:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-42068944

In reply to All

Thanks everyone.

We'll keep an eye on the weather, and probably do Moel Siabod/Ddear ddu.

In reply to 99ster:

It's fine now, just a bit soggy.

In reply to llechwedd:

Thanks for the update.

In reply to 99ster:



At lot of those "floods" were very large puddles anyway (at least the ones I saw), just some creative application to the reporting.