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.

Champex-Lac to Col des Ecandies ski tour, via the Val D'Arpette

Great skinning towards the Col des Ecandies (just out of view top right)

When there are so few feasible ski touring options close to home because of the snow conditions, word gets around quickly as to what is possible.  Earlier this week I heard from several people that the top of the Val D'Arpette was in a good condition and we thought it would be worth a look.  I was also quite keen to look at the steep couloirs to see what ski condition they were in too.  These have been on my ticklist for years (I can see them from Verbier!)

The blue piste at Champex Lac we skied down to the valley and start of the ski tour

The Champex Lac chairlift was open and we got the first lift at 9:30 (with a season Verbier pass you normally get several days in the Pays de St Bernard resorts for free).  From the top of the lift you follow the blue piste down until the conviently located summer signpost where the piste meets the valley floor at around 1800m.  I would highly recommend taking the lift as it saves you around 2km of valley floor slogging!

Skinning through the trees and rocks

From here you begin the long ascent towards the col, initially through small trees and undulations, normally evened out by snowfall.  Once out of the trees we began to wonder where and how we were going to ski down.  A few older tracks were in but not many of them looked that appetizing!  At least higher up the valley there was snow in the distance.  

Despite skinning in the shade it was very mild.  Notice how little snow there is on Catogne in the background

After the first steepening the valley evens back out and you need to carefully navigate around the moraines, here staying climbers left pays dividends as you avoid loosing any height and can make a simple continual ascent to the col.  Ahead of us there were at least ten people booting up the couloirs and it looked like great skiing.  A few kick turns later we left their track and traversed the large moraine towards the bottom of the col.

Ptarmigan tracks?

Fox tracks?

Soon we made it to the col after some more kick turns and a short section on boots.  The other side of the col had no snow on it at all and the Trient Glacier looked relatively bare too.

The short walk up to the Col des Ecandies

Looking across to the Trient Glacier

Now for the ski down, and I wouldn't recommend it!  In true ski touring fashion it was a good mixture of crusty, slabby snow, temperature affected, the odd rare easier section and plenty of rocks and trees to avoid!  All in all it was survival skiing save six or seven turns.

Skiing down across the crusty snow

Between the tree line and the piste we skied a never-ending winding tongue of skier compacted snow dodging rocks, holes and trees.  I think this was possibly more thigh burning than the ascent.  A short ski down the blue piste brought us back to the car park.  We had survived the second tour of the season!

Making turns in the small gulleys helped us to avoid the worst of the rocks

As the snow continues to melt in Verbier I now think we are going to have to head to the Argentiere Glacier or Cervinia for any reliable ski touring!  Either that or I'm going to stick to trail running until it snows.

A final skiing shot with the Col des Ecandies in the background (classic couloirs on the left)

First ski tour of the season, Col Ouest de Barasson

The last section of skinning to the Col Ouest de Barasson

Driving down the Val d'Entremont towards Bourg St. Bernard there was a surprising amount of snow on the tops and upon reaching the huge car park before the tunnel to Italy we realised we must have just reached the snow/rain line from the other day as a fresh amount of powder graced the slopes.

It wouldn't be ski touring without crossing a stream!

Skinning up in the car park we soon set off up the (never-ending) road towards the Grand St Bernard Monastery.  Not long after Pont de Nudry we headed south up the Combe de Barasson towards the Col Ouest de Barasson.  At this point the slopes steepen a bit and you finally feel like you are getting closer, leaving the easy going road behind.  A few hours after leaving the car park we were there.

Despite skinning in the shade it was very mild

The views from the col are spectacular.  Not only can you see into Italy and the Aosta valley, but you are also rewarded with views of Mont Blanc, Grand Jorasses and the higher peaks of the Vanoise.

Posing like a tourist (and showing off the new skimo boots - gear report to come shortly!)  Photo by David Roberts

After a quick bite to eat we skied down to the Combe des Morts junction and made the quick skin up to the monastery.  Coming from Verbier, the price of coffee at the monastery is worth a visit for in itself!  But really, it is a unique mountain hut, incredibly friendly, good food and coffee, a church on site and some monks still work there.

Obligatory ski pole waving upon reaching the Col Ouest de Barasson

The only skiing shot I have of the day! Good snow, but lots of rocks

Having skied over enough rocks we opted to ski down the road to the car park where the compacted snow was more like a piste.  A few minutes later we were back, having survived the first ski tour of the season, and in want of more... but first a bit more snow please.

Watch out for falling snow at the monastery!