UKC

So what are the conditions like at Gogarth in the Winter (December/January time) does it go damp and soggy or can it be a wonderful suntrap? Wanting to pop me Gogarth cherry (yes John if you read this, that means dragging you with me) before i dissapear off to the green isle for most of nxt yr!

In reply to Adam Moroz:

Low-lying sun-trap that tends to escape the bad weather that hits Snowdonia. Watch out for the odd bit of seepage or sea-grease in still conditions.

In reply to Adam Moroz:

Fiend seems to think that Gogarth is the place to be over the winter months, not some godforsaken grit crag.

Whether this is cause enough for you to go there, or elsewhere, is your choice.

I've climbed there in November and February, and as long as it's dry in the run-up, and the route is carefully chosen to stick to open slabs rather than seeping cracks, it can be a damn sight warmer and more pleasant than a lot of places in N Wales or anywhere else in the UK at that time.

In reply to Adam Moroz: On a sunny day (like today) it can be very pleasant, even in the depths of winter.

In reply to All: Cheers guys so the classics like Gogarth and Dream, should they be ok?

In reply to Adam Moroz:

Of course. The only thing to point out is there isn't as much scope for avoiding epics, given the available hours of light...but then, a good Gogarth epic sets you up for life.

In reply to hutchm:

Ta da!

An Essential Primer For Potential Gogarth Ethics By Johnathon Cox Age 41 1/2:

http://www.ukclimbing.com/forums/t.php?t=136103&v=1#1891195

In reply to Fiend:

Now that's proper commitment. I would have just sat on the big ledge at the base and sobbed like a baby.

Fortunately, the only time I've come to strife (on the belay halfway up Concrete Chimney as it got dark) there was somewhere there to throw me an (ahem) top-rope up the chimney itself. Otherwise I could have seen (or not seen) myself heading off rightwards reversing Dream to the niche.

In reply to Adam Moroz:
Once shot across to GGarth from Sheffield - did Resolution and were back for tea - in February!
Were climbing in T-shirts whilst the Peak shivered in single figure temperatures.
The sea seems to act as a big thermal (insert something sounding correctly scientific here ....... ) thingy and it was a mega day.
Always has been the bad weather alternative to the Pass - to the point where for the last ten years or so we just go and camp at Rhoscolyn and head into the Pass if the weather is ok.

In reply to Adam Moroz: If you look in the 1990 guide, 134 of the new routes were done as first ascents between November and April, should tell you something

In reply to hutchm:
Agree about remembering the shorter daylight hours - and at Gogarth there's no warning because the sun sets into the sea rather than disappearing behind a mountain. One minute the sun is shining on you, the next it's going dark. I speak from experience ...

...mind you, I think the vertical heather ascent from the top of main cliff to the path is less scary in the dark...

In reply to Al Evans:

I make it 136. Please count them again to make sure.

In reply to Adam Moroz:
We could go the works instead

In reply to krank:

Nah lets go to the edge instead...

In reply to hutchm: I think there were two or three I was not certain of so you may be right

In reply to Adam Moroz:

I remember coming within a hair of getting benighted on Bubbly Situation Blues one December. After we had abseiled off in the dark and it had started to snow, we made our way up the descent and across the bad step under Central Park by feel between lighthouse flashes (horrid - felt like doing Great Slab blindfold), made it up the gully and back to the car. We had fish and chips and a pint in Holyhead and set off back to London. As we breasted the rise by Ogwen Cottage at about 8.30, wipers going full tilt against the snow, heater battling away, I said to my friend, 'So what do you think we'd be saying too each other now if we had got benighted.?'

His reply was probably the truest thing I've ever heard about climbing.

"Surely it must be nearly morning....."

jcm

In reply to johncoxmysteriously:


Jeepers, that makes me feel queasy just thinking about it...

The only reason I've got into Red Wall nonsense is to avoid doing the descent to main cliff!

In reply to Fiend:

I climbed Wendigo on Red Wall one Saturday in middle of January. Waiting for the lighthouse beam to sweep round for the final moves on the top pitch.

Went snow plodding in the mountains on the Sunday

South Stack (Mousetrap zawn, red walls, castell Helen and Yellow Wall) is best bet for winter because it gets more sun and is more sheltered from wind compared to Main Cliff and North Stack

In reply to hutchm:
I once abseiled to the base of Britomartis and waited about two hours for my mates to join me. Only they didn't 'cos they took one look down the ab line and crapped themselves. Spineless tw*ts.
Eventually I got bored (and cold, it being late Autumn) and decided to haul myself back up the ab rope, only to discover a deficit in the prussik department. So I threaded my belay plate and climbed up placing knots at strategic points.
Apparently the subsequent rant at my partners was fairly entertaining.

Cheers
Rich

In reply to Adam Moroz:
Have a fond memory of a VERY cold January camping & climbing weekend at Gogarth.
Two excelent & nearly solitary excursions to the Main cliff were had. First day Jaborandi/Pentathol. Second day we did Scavanger. I got the hot aches.
The campsite owners thought we were completley mad!
We did plan the sun & wind direction correctly(well nearly, as it blew & hit us on Scavenger day!)

In reply to Adam Moroz:

You know what's the really funny thing about that statement. In Dublin you're almost certainly closer to gogarth than where you are now. Time & distance wise. Remember gogarth is holyhead, which is where you get off of the ferry from dublin.

In reply to RichieB:

They might be the same mates that I dragged up an off-route no-gear E2 after abbing down to do Britomartis. Don't entirely blame them in those circumstances.

However, it is a particularly wanky thing to allow someone to head off and then sack it off. They must really like you.

In reply to Adam Moroz:

I'll find out about 11 o clock today. We're going sea kayaking around the stacks. It will be interesting to see if anyone is bold enough to be out climbing on what is a cold, dank day ?

In reply to Jonno: The Third Man was named after a passing canoeist that stopped for a chat as we did it, but that was in May

In reply to Frank4short:
Yeah but by the time he gets to Ireland he will be in the grips of the MISSES and then it will be an eternal struggle to escape for a weekends climbing.

In reply to krank: Haven't done it myself but i believe it is relatively easy to go for a day trip to gogarth from Dun Laoghaire (dublin). However this is entirely dependant on the fast ferry timetable at the time.

In reply to Frank4short: It's also 85 quid one way for a ferry ticket So petrol from Chesterfield is cheaper!

In reply to krank: She understands climbing is law!

In reply to Adam Moroz:

Didn't manage to take a look at Gogarth.Went from Conwy to Llandudno around the Great Orme.
Two intrepid climbers were about to ab down to a plinth just above the sea.
Much respect to these young lads. It was feckin cold around there and out of the sun all day.Wouldn't fancy climbing in those conditions. Parts of the Orme were catching the sun though.

Nice paddle.

In reply to Adam Moroz: No thst price is for a car one way. Actually it's about €40 day return as a foot passenger, €70 as a general return. I'm told its about stg£4/5 to the crag from the ferry portin a taxi (not done it myslef). Only catch is getting back to the fery port from the crag.

Basically yes it is as cheap if nto cheaper (certainly if you consider time, etc) to get from dublin to gogarth as chesterfield.