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Milestone Buttress ,
Tryfan - Snowdonia
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Grade:1/2 & 3
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Overview: A combination of classic
routes taking you from roadside to mountain ridge in next to
no time with a choice of grades too.
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Equipment: Rope, slings and nuts/hexes
strongly advised on Milestone Buttress Approach and
Continuation.
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On line
map link
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Views: 3
Technicality: 3 -
Exposure: 1 - 3
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GIBBER FACTOR*
*out of
five.
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Overview A combination of classic routes taking you from
roadside to mountain ridge in next to no time. A choice of starting
routes gives you the option to build up from grade 1/2 to 3 or just
plunge head first into the grade 3s.
There's even the option to combine the two approach routes into a
circular ascent/descent trip if the weather closes in, and leave out
the final route entirely. Both the approach routes and the final
route can be used as a more exciting way to gain the classic grade
North Ridge. Proximity to the road doesn't diminish the spectacular
views, as the steep initial ascent puts you high above the
surrounding Ogwen Valley in minutes.
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On Milestone Buttress
Gully - Dave Mycroft
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Approach Park at the Milestone Buttress layby (NGR:
SH
663 602) and climb steadily up to a stile, then work your way
through the boulders to the right following the base of the cliff.
Milestone Buttress Approach is the first of our chosen
routes, and is easily picked out by the obvious narrow slab sticking
out above. Continue on to what at first appears to be a dark, wet,
and totally uninviting gully for the second approach route -
Milestone Gully Approach.
Milestone Gully Approach - Grade 1/2
Route - Despite its initial appearance the gully provides
very good low grade scrambling throughout, at a consistent level. The
gully also makes an ideal retreat or escape route when the dark
nights start coming in.
As gullys go it's remarkably vegetation free and the rock, though
quite often damp, is of good quality and surprisingly grippy. Start
up the wide gully entrance, initially on water washed ledges on the
left, before moving right to a chin high mantleshelf. The base below
the shelf generally has a pile of rocks stacked up, giving easier
access and making it more of a step up than a true mantleshelf
manouevre.
Continue up the gully on easy scrambling terrain to where a series
of blocks split the gully in two. Take the left branch up over an
initially hard move then continue straight ahead on solid, but
occassionally polished rock. After 50 metres a final mantleshelf to
the left of an obvious rounded spike brings you out close to the
start of Milestone Buttress Continuation. For many years the rounded
spike has been used for belaying abseil descents, but take care as
the spike has started to loosen in recent years. Great views back to
Llyn Ogwen - above.
Milestone Buttress Approach - Grade 3
Route - A short, but exciting and exposed route up the main
Milestone Buttress. Start up the obvious slab on polished rock, or
start from Milestone Buttress Gully (to the right) then traverse left
onto the slab. After 8m there's a good intermediate belay point, or
continue in a single run out to a platform and recess beneath the
overhanging Pulpit.
Take the line of flakes on the left hand side to a small ledge,
then make an exposed move out left to easier slabs. Step up the well
placed blocks to a large ledge with walls ahead and right. Take the
narrow chimney 4metres to the right of the corner for 6 metres to a
grass ledge, then move left over easier rock before a final right
slanting section onto vegetated slopes above the top of Milestone
Gully.
Milestone Continuation - Grade 3
Route - The route starts 30 metres above the top of
Milestone Buttress Gully. Ascend the heather-covered slopes to the
base of a crag with a marked X shaped crack splitting the slab above.
Start by climbing the obvious slanting crack up the slab, using foot
jams where necessary, to a sharp point that marks the top of the
first slab.
You can set up an intermediate belay here, but there's only just
enough room for three people and it's much more comfortable for two.
A long stretch gives access to a ledge leading onto a series of
small ribs that gradually ease in difficulty. Keep left as the rock
gives way to vegetation then continue over the last easy section of
small blocks and ledges to emerge onto the North Ridge of
Tryfan.
Caution Scrambling is potentially dangerous and, particularly
at the higher grades, requires technical skills and equipment to
minimise the risk. We suggest that you take professional instruction
or climb with an experienced partner.
Gerry Lynch
Welsh classic to be remeasured to see if it falls short of 3,000-foot mark.
