Tryfan

Is there an easier route up there?

12 messages
24/04/2012 at 10:55
Hi Guys,

Both me and my 14 year old son have a more ambitious list of mountains to walk up this year, and Tryfan is one of them. We have no scrambling experience, other than Cnicht from Croesor, and wondered if there was an easier route with minimal exposed scrambling?

I am Mr sensible and won't take any chances, so if you think we are not up to it, please say.

Cheers,


Steve
24/04/2012 at 11:16
If you want to walk up Tryfan rather than scramble, your best bet would probably be to walk to Bwlch Tryfan from any direction (Gwern Gof Uchaf campsite, Idwal Cottage / the carparks on the A9 by Llyn Ogwen, Miner's Track up from Pen y Gwryd) and then you've just got a short section of walking / easy scrambling over boulder fields to get to the top.
24/04/2012 at 11:20
You follow one of several paths up past the West face to Bwlch Tryfan, you can then climb the South ridge to the summit. There are a few very short rocky steps on the south ridge, but there are always easy ways round.

Also the path up the West face, which is a bit of a grind, doesn't have any scrambling as far as I can remember. I would think that you would be unlikely to find it too challenging.
24/04/2012 at 11:21
Sounds good, I'll get the map out later and take a look.

Thanks
24/04/2012 at 18:46
Why not take the 'heather terrace' on the east side, good views with some 'straight forward' scrambling at the end from the style to the summit.
28/04/2012 at 17:17
I'd agree with the Heather Terrace - I took my brother up who's afraid of heights and he coped quite admirably. Just the little scramble the last 100yds or so but there were plenty of kids up there so it couldn't have been that bad. This is a direct route which depending on your ambitions you could expand quite a lot for a route back down

Miko

28/04/2012 at 20:59

The South ridge is a little easier (except for the final step onto the summit where there is an exposed drop on the east side) but as scrambling goes, the North Ridge is pretty straightforward, and (although it can be difficult to find), there is a path for a lot of the distance that avoids most of the aggressive scrambling.

If you're going on a sunny weekend day in the summer the route will be busy so it is quite easy to watch people ascend the more tricky steps, and follow on / ask advice.

So.... assuming you're generally fit and experienced at general hill walking, have a full day to do it in and good weather I wouldn't necessarily shy away from going up the North Ridge - just start early, take your time, and be prepared to go and look at steps but back away and find an easier route if you're not happy.

29/04/2012 at 14:15
Heather Terrace is easy if you can find it. There is a short scramble up a gully to begin with, or at least on the way I go. However, the initial traverse over to the Terrace proper isn't too distinct, with lots of different options, which can lead you astray.
01/05/2012 at 10:51

If you want the easiest and most obvious route then I would say it must be the south ridge from Idwyl Cottage

01/05/2012 at 11:50

From the Ogwen Valley Mountain Rescue Organisation web site:

"Two brothers had climbed the North Ridge of Tryfan but stopped before the summit due to low cloud and poor weather conditions. On their way back down the ridge they strayed to the West and became lost and confused on the broken ground just above the Milestone Buttress. After several attempts to find the route they called for help. It was a very quick job for a party of four team members to walk to their location and escort them back to the road."

If you are inexperienced I'd suggest picking a clear day for your first attempt. Scrambling down is trickier than scrambling up, and it is much easier to wander off route on the way down. Have fun!

02/05/2012 at 18:28
Definitely - coming down it has to be S ridge or direct W descent path if you're iinexperienced / don't know the hill (and probably if you do as well).
02/05/2012 at 19:49
I'd say the West Face path was the easiest technically but murder on the quads!
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