UKH

Hi Everyone 

I have just become a member this evening.

For many years on and off now I have often walked lowland and fell/upland areas, the last year or so I have taken a great interest in hiking,  finding the highest spot in a particular area  plotting a route such as wards stone in the trough of bowland in the middle of the beast from the east earlier this year and more recently ( last week ) cross fell - the most direct route from kirkland , in the Northern Pennines,  I much prefer cooler or cold conditions.  I am interested in plotting the most easy route to Helvellyn soon, I would like to think I have the necessary equipment levels for most walks and I really do not feel the cold, I have crampons and ice axe , would i need them for the easiest route to Helvellyn ( re weight loads), as you rarely see fell runners with much if any of this equipment ?    

 

In reply to wolfbane: This is probably your most useful tool. It tells you current conditions, often with a pic from the summit area from the Fell Top Assessors who are up there nearly every day and what to expect weather wise. Make your own call on what equipment you'll need in relation to the forecast

http://www.lakedistrictweatherline.co.uk/

 

In reply to wolfbane:

Have you come from a running background or hillwalking?

In reply to pasbury:

Hi , Hillwalking/hiking 

In reply to wolfbane:

Hill runners normally don't take crampons/Ice axe because they probably don't go places where/when they are needed.

 

In reply to Billhook:

I know , they usually take very little of any equipment but still they run to the tops in all weathers

In reply to wolfbane:

Correct, but we may be carrying spikes or a lightweight axe in our pack that you can’t see, then again we may not and choose routes that limit exposure to potential danger and reduce our risk of a slide

Also a lot of us have hundreds of hours experience in the hills so can make a judgement quickly, build your own experience and you will get used to what’s what.

Even some of the easiest routes up Helvellyn  can lead to potentially fatal slides in certain conditions as was sadly demonstrated last season on the tourist route up from Thirlspot.

 

 

In reply to wolfbane:

Ok but it sounds like you want to move fast over wintry ground?

In reply to pasbury:

Wintry ground yes , but want to take extreme care - without to much exhaustion so speed isnt really paramount or that important

In reply to Dark-Cloud:

You guys are incredible athletes, ever entered the montane spine race  ?

In reply to wolfbane:

In which case carry sufficient clothing and kit to survive if it all goes wrong, it needn't be super heavy, and enjoy being out there, gaining experience as you go. Perhaps team up with someone else for those early forays- I learned a lot as a callow youth from more experienced folk. 

In reply to wolfbane:

Helvellyn from the west is a lot easier than Helvellyn from the east, not much different to Crossfell. If there is snow or ice then best bring your stuff, seeing as you have it. Judge when/if to use it once you are up there.

In reply to Siward:

Yes agreed , I think my kit and equipment levels are pretty good , been involved in lots of outdoor pursuits well over 30 years , 53 now  

In reply to mysterion:

Thanks mysterion

In reply to wolfbane:

Maybe go up from Grizedale tarn then. The best way is Striding Edge but a bit of a Scramble and could be disconcerting if you're not comfortable on snow. It's an easy but very boring slog from the west.

In reply to wolfbane:

An ice axe and crampons won't add a huge amount of extra weight.   If you are reasonably fit then walking up Helvellyn with winter kit shouldn't exhaust you.   

I would always carry an ice axe and crampons if there is snow cover on the hills.   I learnt fairly early on in my hillwalking that it doesn't take much frozen neve to cause big problems if you don't have them, even on shallow angle slopes, and you can't really tell what the conditions are like until you get up there, although Weatherline etc are helpful.

In reply to wolfbane:

Hi. It seems to me that what you're after is reassurance that you won't need much winter clothing or equipment to go up Helvellyn in winter conditions by one of the easier routes? I don't think there are many on here who will give you that reassurance. You won't be fell-running, so forget about what equipment fell-runners may or may not take. In one of your replies on this thread you say you "really don't feel the cold". That is irrelevant to what clothing you should take; in fact if anything it puts you more at risk of developing hypothermia in adverse conditions, since you may be less aware of the need to put more layers on. If there is snow and/or ice on the fells then you should always take at least an ice axe and either micro-spikes (if there's ice but not much snow) or crampons or both. Crucially, you'll need a map and compass and the ability to navigate in possible whiteout conditions (a GPS can be invaluable for establishing your position when in doubt).

Standard clothing for winter hill-walking includes base-layer (top and bottom), windproof trousers, preferably lined or insulated, 'Powerstretch' top or equivalent thick wicky, fleece jumper-style top, windproof jacket (e.g. Marmot windshirt) and/or insulated jacket (e.g. Rab photon hoodie), waterproofs, gloves (windproof) with liners, warm hat, snow goggles, gaiters and crampon-compatible boots.

Of course you won't need to wear all that stuff much of the time (conditions are very mild at present, for example), but this will be sufficient for the worst conditions you'll encounter in Britain, and it'll give you peace of mind to have it stowed away in case you need it. It may sound a lot, but it really doesn't weigh much.

One last point. You say you've walked on lowland and upland for many years, but have developed an interest in 'hiking' only in the last year or so. I'd be intrigued to know what you imagine 'hiking' is, as distinct from 'walking'?

 

In reply to wolfbane:

Most important skill is knowing when to turn for home, this can be surprisingly early on without ax and crampons. Treat your self very light weight ax.

how much clothing, personal, need protect core against wind (minimum), too rough, go home

Bivi good idea 100g

https://www.outdoorgb.com/p/SOL_Emergency_Bivvy/

Helvellyn - from swirls car park there is a steep section on the main path as you pass brown cove crag, can be difficult in hard packed icy snow. Top of Swirral edge where joins plateau is dangerous in icu snow.

In reply to wolfbane:

not much point taking axe and crampons unless you know how and when to use them-if you need them, you really will need them. It's not clear to me from your post if that is the case?

In reply to Ratfeeder:

Hi , i was involved in various different field sports so mostly hunting type clothing and equipment , now i am going further , for much longer , and  higher  etc.

Now i have a lot of what i would call hiking/mountaineering equipment

In reply to John Kelly:

Are you foreign trying to text in an English accent or English trying to text to a foreigner with an foreign text accent