Adventures on Crib Goch in Winter

Incredible snowy views towards Moel Siabod from Crib Goch

 

Sometimes the best adventures aren't planned, but happen, on the spur of the moment, and occur at the most unexpected times.  A few weeks ago, during a spell of snowy wintery weather in Snowdonia, I had an incredible adventure.

Starting up a wintery PYG track

 

The Welsh winter conditions were great, the weather forecast was for sun with winds of 50mph and my van had to go to the garage to get it's cam belt changed.  Slightly annoyed that on such a good day I didn't have a vehicle (the bus service, especially in winter, isn't great) I was in two minds as to whether to bother trying to get to the hills or not.

 

Breaking trail on Crib Goch

Having missed the 11:20 bus I put my running shoes on and tried to hitch, with my mountaineering boots in my rucksack.  I surmised that I could at least walk the hour and a bit to the edge of the mountains, do something and then return before the garage shut.  On the way I would try to hitch to save time.

 

Obligatory smiling selfie

20 minutes later and I was picked up by a car and asked where I wanted to go, answer: 'the mountains, I don't really mind where, Ogwen valley or Pen Y Pass, or Capel if you're stopping there!'  As the driver was heading to Llanberis I was dropped off at Pen Y Pass.  Despite the strong winds forecast I thought I would venture up the PYG track and see where the day took me.  Crib Goch in winter was something I hadn't yet done and was really keen to, and sure enough, upon reaching the col I began making my way up.  Lower down it was bitterly windy and I tucked myself on the LHS of the ridgeline, out of the wind, and made a cut off in my mind just before the ridge opens out before the knife edge section.

 

Looking towards Snowdon

Soon the powder snow wading began, sun lighting up the snow spinning around me, it was great.  Alpine like trail breaking and no one else around.  Occasionally I found sections of a past trail someone else had made, but mostly I ploughed my own.  Further along the ridge, the wind seemed to die out to a milder 20-30mph and I began to grin from ear to ear. 

 

An alpine like snowy Crib Goch ridge

Crib Goch in winter conditions

Upon reaching the 'knife edge' section the wind was so little I could almost balance from one step to the other without crouching, and it was incredible to be the only person on the entire ridgeline.  Perfect, untouched snow covered the ridge (making it quite wide actually), and I felt like a kid, excited, full of beans and psyched to see if I could do the whole horseshoe before the last bus at 16:50! (of course I knew this would never happen but you can dream!)

 

The big grey cloud getting closer

The ominous looking cloud over Snowdon

Passing the pinnacles was a lot easier than I had imagined it could be, and then I saw it, a huge dark grey cloud menacingly advancing closer and closer.  At next col I hunkered down in the wind and looked at my map, should I

A: descend down to Cwm Glas, where I know you can descend safely, but then have to walk up the road.

B: keep going and hang on for dear life in the wind and snow to come

C: descend straight down the micro ridge on the map to the PYG track, which is an accident blackspot and something I'd never done before.

 

Looking down the descent route to the PYG track

 

I chose option C, the perfect moment, snow conditions and visibility to do some proper navigation and get down safely.  It was a lot easier than I thought it could be, and a few plunge steps later I was zooming back along the PYG track to the car park.

 

Stunning post sunset views across to Moel Siabod

Arriving back in the car park just as it started to snow, I waited a while and was given a lift all the back to Betws.

 

Starting to snow in the Llanberis pass just as I got back to Pen Y Pass

What an incredible day, and such an unexpected adventure.  Next winter I'll have to go back and do the whole horseshoe too.