| OTH FEATURES |
17 / 04 / 02 |
Snowdon Horseshoe - Best Scramble? |  |  |
Frankly I thought the stuff about the pancreas leaking blood into
the abdominal cavity while you lay there in terrible pain was a bit
much. I generally scramble or climb with a strong awareness that
falling off is a bad thing, but no more.
|
|
That pointy thing is the start of
Crib Goch viewed from the Pyg Track
above Pen y Pas. All very nice and obvious
Bigger
and Different Picture
|
Alex, on the other hand, had drawn a finely detailed map in his head
that showed every clinical detail of what would happen should he
plummet from the very narrow, very exposed exposed natural masonry
ahead of us. First the friction and pain, then the scraping and
breaking, the abrasion and the gouging and finally, after the brief relief
of stopping amid a welter of compound fractures, a long, slow,
agonising death from internal injuries. And those are just the parts
he chose to share with me.
|
|
Fantastic views across Llyn
Lliddaw to Lliwedd, the other, easier side of the
Horseshoe, you can just make out the descent path on the
left
Bigger
Picture
|
|
|
|
Got that? Kindly warning
to wandering
day trippers, though if you don't know
what CG is in the first
place....
|
But I digress. Not a good thing thing when you're
scrambling on one of Britain's most famously exposed ridges.
'Exposed' by the way, is tight-arse, guidebook speak for
'mega-plummet potential'. Crib Goch is very exposed. You
have a choice, fall right and fly, fall left and slide,
fast.
And it all sort of creeps up on you. The start of the
Horseshoe from Pen y Pas shares the Pyg Track trade route
then where the Pyg bolts over the ridge towards Llyn Llydaw,
the Horseshoe sneers smugly and begins a gentle meander up
an easy-angled, blocky buttress towards the start of Crib
Goch.
|
|
Easty scramblin on the
blocky approach to the ridge
proper. Good grippy rock with loads of
holds.
|
The sunshine and blue sky came from another, more gentle
hill day - maybe one in the Cotswolds - making the sudden
appearance of Crib Goch's crocodile teeth even more
disconcerting. For some reason, photos never seem to do it
justice, so let's try words.
As the buttress narrows gradually you pop over a final minor
turret and the start of Crib Goch proper. The ridge has
actually been quite badly designed at this point. On the
right towards Cwm Glas, the drop is near as dammit sheer
from the top, but that's the side where the best footholds
are. On the other side, it's less steep, but the holds are
rubbish. Someone ought to change them round. And ahead of
you is around 100 metres or so of narrow, twisting ridge
complete with what, from the start, look like desperately
steep and narrow pinnacles.
|
|
|
Ooh, er... Suddenly everything goes all crocodile's tail as the ridge twists off towards the famous pinnacles
Bigger
Picture
|
I think this was where Alex started wondering about how
his pancreas was going to cope with a 1000-foot fall and I
mused on how the thing had got so much sharper since the
last time I was there, which I do every time. Joking aside,
Crib Goch may only be graded a grade 1 scramble (I/II as a
winter climb) but it's far more exposed than stuff like
Tryfan's North Ridge or Striding Edge on Helvellyn. If you
don't want a gibber fest, make sure you're happy with big
drops on either side.
The great thing is that the actual scrambling isn't remotely
difficult. If it was two foot off the ground you'd romp along the
top, as it is, most people will want to keep their hands on something
solid for at least some of the time.
|
|
|
|
Alex contemplates the fate of his
pancreas
|
Every so often there's a flat pavement of a viewing platform to
match up to the lush views, over to bleak Lliwedd on the other side
of the Horseshoe, down to Llyn Llydaw where Alex said diamonds were
dancing in the surface of the water and ahead to Snowdon summit, 'Yr
Wyddfa' with its distinctive but thankfully so far invisible eye-sore
of a caff. But until you reach them, the pinnacles tug at your mind
and the exposure at your pancreas. Or at least I think that's what he
said.
|
|
|
Holds are generally sound and
large, but be careful of the odd loose spike
Bigger
Picture
|
The first pinnacle looks distinctly necky, but it's the one you can
safely sneak around on the left, though taking it direct is more
exposed than hard. The second one - I think - looked less avoidable,
so I valiantly sent Alex up for a quick recce. Result: 'No, no, no,
no, nooo...' A quick detour round the corner to the left, a short,
slightly exposed traverse - death factor 1.5 - and then up back to
the crest.
|
|
Looking ahead towards the
pinnacles
generally it's best to stay on the crest
and take them direct
|
Generally it's better to stay on the crest and take the pinnacles
direct, the nasty, loose paths off to the side are actually more
dangerous than the proper and obvious route, so don't get seduced
onto the loose rubble.
The final pinnacle looks horrendous from a
distance and even below, a stepped climb up above a dizzying drop.
The good news though, is that once you're on it, the holds feel big
and secure and the pull onto the top takes you back onto the crest of
the ridge and an easy scramble down the ridge onto a wide, grassy
saddle.
|
|
|
And more pinnacles - the pointy
thing is Snowdon's main summit
Bigger
Picture
|
It's all got real wow factor, especially when you're sitting
safely looking back with your internal organs all securely in place -
Bwlch Coch (2816) I think the place is called on the map - and we
were congratulating each other on being so brave and going
lightheaded with the views and the sunshine. And somehow we forgot
that the crocodile's tail has a final swish to it. You still have to
get up onto Crib y Ddysgl and there's another steep, rocky buttress
in the way.
|
|
|
Off the final pinnacle and a
grassy, flat thing beckons invitingly
|
|
|
The best scrambling on Y
Lliwedd is close to the
edge with good views of the awesome face
Bigger
Picture
|
It's best to start on the left then crack directly up onto the ridge,
but in the spirit of dawdling cowardice - mine - we engineered a
creative traverse further left before hitting the crest and slumping
down to take in the great views back towards Crib Goch. It's around
here that you suddenly see just how steep and long the drop off on
the northern side really is, so it's an ideal place for more self
congratulation and Jaffa Cakes. We also had beautiful views looking
over towards Y Garn, the Glyderau and beyond to the Carneddau as well
as up to the coast and beyond.
In scrambling terms, from here it's all over bar the
shouting, but for a full day it seemed rude not to head on
up, past the standing stone and a man feeding gulls, and
along by the railway to the summit for a bite of lunch and a
photographic record of the Ford altitude best before
plummeting down the loose scree to the saddle between Yr
Wyddfa and Y Lliwedd, a big, dark rotten tooth of a thing
festooned with long, mountain rock routes.
The path down is loose and poorly defined, but there's enough easy
scrambling if you keep to the ridge on the way up to make things
bearably interesting and little danger unless you simply must walk
off the edge of the cliff. We didn't. From the top of Lliwedd, chased
by dark-looking clouds, we dropped down the ridge then headed down
the steep, broken but easy path towards Llyn Llydaw.
|
|
The view down into the cwm from
the top of the descent path below Lliwedd
all over bar the pulping of your internal
organs...
|
It was here that Alex tripped over a rock while gawping at the view
and ruptured his pancreas. Just joking, but the view is reinforced by
a sort of clinical logic. It's great looking up at a skyline and
knowing you're traversed the whole thing. Bloody fantastic. Not sure
if it really is the 'best' UK mountain day, but a good one by any
standards. Thanks for the company Alex, and for keeping your internal
organs together when it really mattered.
|
Fact File | |
Distance: 8 miles approx.
Time: between six and
eight hours depending on speed and conditions. Crib Goch can get very
crowded at weekends, especially in the summer when it may be worth
avoiding...
Escape None from Crib Goch proper. From the broad, grassy
saddle at Bwlch Coch you can, drop down on either side, the north is
safer, but only in an emergency. Beyond this you can tuirn left at
the standing stone where the Pyg and Miner's tracks hit the summit
ridge and follow either back to Pen y Pas, though at this point
you're past the hard bit anyway.
Route See
map. Start from Pen y Pas (ruinously expensive £4.00 per day
car park) or bus from Llanberis. Alternatively you could go into Cwm
Glas and start up the North Ridge of Crib Goch, a straightforward
Grade 1 scramble. From here follow the Pyg Track (upper path) till
the Crib Goch path branches right at Bwlch Moch then follow the crest
of the rough buttress till you reach the ridge proper - obvious and
sharp. Route finding here is easy - follow the ridge and carry on
till you reach the summit of Snowdon...
From here, drop down to the saddle between Snowdon Summit and
Lliwedd before going up Lliwedd then dropping down following the
distinct path down to Llynn Llydaw and then back to Pen y Pas.
Difficultness (sic.) The Crib Goch section is only a grade
one scramble, but there are big drops and falling off could give you
a head ache of terminal proportions. Not a nice place to be in strong
winds and in winter conditions, with snow and ice around, it's a
serious graded winter route. Technically the scrambling's easy, so
it's your head that's being tested... In calm conditions, confident
scramblers can simply stroll along the crest, but to be safe, it's
usually more secure to use foot holds on the lefthand side and use
the crest of the ridge as a handrail. Don't be tempted to try and
skirt the Pinnacles to the left, the ground there is loose and
dangerous. Ditto on the final pull up the buttress before Crib y
Ddysgl.
Heightness Snowdon summit is at 3560 feet and route is
mainly above 3000 feet so it will be much cooler up top than in the
car park.
Useful Vocabulary 'Bugger it's steep', 'Ouch, me
pancreas....', 'Follow the crest, follow the crest...', 'Phew...'
|
|
|
| | Want to send this article to a friend? Please join here | | |
| | Discuss this article, 1 of 38 messages, read more: |  Alex Ford | |
| Posted: 17/04/02 13:30:00 00 | Top article Jon.
I'd like to say that the Pancreas thing came out of a conversation about the difference between fear and anxiety.
I wasn't afraid as we went along the arete...more anxious, as we discussed that the difference between the the two goes something like this:
Fear=mind sharpening...fight or flight reflex. Fear produces a rush of adrenaline, which pushes you onwards to actually do something.
Anxiety=dibilitating...if you do "this" then "that" may happen. So it stops you from doing things.
When the fear kicks in, you think...I could fall of here. When you get anxious about the route, you think...I could fall off here and tumble down breaking bones painfully, and rupturing internal organs, etc, etc.
Anxiety comes ... |
| | Related articles:
| Scramble Route - Cneifion Arete, Snowdonia
Don't miss this definitive grade 3 scramble perched dramatically above Llyn Idwal in North Wales.
| |  | Walker Dies In Crib Goch Fall
A man died last week after falling from the classic grade one Snowdon ridge.
| | | Scramble Route - Pike Of Stickle
The Main Face of Pike of Stickle in Langdale has it all, a dramatic situation, a proper summit and enough interest to make it worth the effort.
| | | Scramble Route - Forcan Ridge
Off to Scotland for a traverse of one of the classic mountain ridges in the Glen Shiel area of the Western Highlands and there's even a Munro as a bonus :-)
| | | Scramble Route - Milestone Buttress
This week's route gives you a choice of scrambles up Milestone Buttress to a handy finish on the classic North Ridge of Tryfan for a great day out in North Wales.
| |  | Snowdon Traverse
Two of the best routes on the highest mountain in England and Wales combined to give a stonking traverse of the Snowdon massif. A cracking walk.
| | | Scramble Route - Tower Ridge
The best scramble in Britain, complete with a gibber factor of five reduced slightly by a large boulder which has partially filled in the extremely exposed notch that is Tower Gap...
| | | Scramble Route - Sharp Edge
Back to basics with a total classic grade one route on Blencathra in the northern Lakes. Sharp Edge lives up to its name and is a cracking way up an often neglected mountain. And yes, it is quite sharp.
| | | Scramble Route - Dolmen Ridge
This week's scramble route is one of the best on Snowdonia's spiky Glyder Fach. Lots of exposure, so don't look down too hard...
| | | Scramble Route - Ill Crag And Broad Stand
Our latest scrambling route is one of the longest in the Lakes with a bonus free-to-view extension over the notorious Broad Stand direct way up Scafell - best done on opium. Enjoy :-)
| | | Scramble Route - Coniston Old Man
Two routes for the price of one with a double whammy scrambling combo alternative to the normal zig-zag approach to the Old Man of Coniston.
| | | Scramble Route - Curved Ridge
Curved Ridge on Buchaille Etive Mor is one of the great mountain scrambles with phenomenal exposure and crazy views down to Rannoch Moor, 2000 feet below.
| |  | Scramble, Scramble, Scramble :-)
Fancy something that's harder than walking, but not quite climbing? That'll be scrambling then - and here's a load of info to help you get started :-)
| | | Scramble Route - Crib Goch Alternative
Dodge the crowds on Crib Goch with a cunning start up the North Ridge with the option of a gripping grade 3 alternative start for the brave ;-)
| | | Scramble Route: Base Brown
This week's scramble is a little known and quiet but gripping ascent of Base Brown above Borrowdale. A great way to escape the summer lakeland hordes...
| | | Scramble Route: Aonach Eagach Ridge
This week, arguably the best ridge traverse on mainland Britain, not technically hard, but very, very exposed. We bring you a full guide to Glencoe's legendary razor ridge :-)
| | | Scramble Route: Clogwyn Y Person Arete
The first of our new bi-weekly scramble route guides covers what is arguably the best scramble on the Snowdon massif and, possibly, the best in the area. Enjoy :-)
| |  | Outdoors Underestimated In North Welsh Economy
A new report suggests that the contribution of the outdoors adventure industry to the economy of North Wales has been significantly undestimated - decision makers take note...
| |  | My Welsh 3000s Diary By Alex Ford
How does it feel to do the Welsh 3000s in a day? OMer Alex Ford kept an audio diary detailing the ups and downs of a successful crack at the epic challenge walk...
| | | OM Welsh 3000s Meet-Up: 29-31 August
We're going to be attempting the classic traverse of all 15 Welsh 3000ers in a day at the end of this month. Here's how to get involved...
| | | Body Found On Crib Goch
Mountain rescue teams looking for a missing walker in the Snowdonia area have found a body on the Crib Goch ridge on Snowdon
| |  | Ice Cold In Ogwen...
Words and lots of piccies from a frozen stroll across the Glyders in Snowdonia last weekend.
| | | Scrambling - The Basics
What is scrambling? What do the grades mean? Where to go and a guide to what the guide-book jargon really means...
| |  | Here's One We Made Earlier...
Bored with the jagged teeth of Crib Goch? Try the Clogwyn y Person arete for a harder but quieter alternative way up Snowdon
| | | OUTDOORSmagic Snowdonia Weekend A Hit
The first ever site meet-up was a riot of scrambling and sweltering. The business....
| |  | Tryfan North Ridge And Beyond
OUTDOORSmagic classic Snowdonian route with pictures
| |  | UK & Ireland routes & reports archive
Wandering in Wasdale or Scrambling up Scafell
| |
| |
|
Offers, Competitions and Promotions
|
