UKC

I've heard Kinder Downfall is in (not suprisingly). Does anyone know if snake pass or the roads around hayfield are passable? I'm thinking of trying to get there some time tomorrow.

In reply to pbphil169:

Snake certainly isnt, we have had 9 inches of snow in Glossop in the last 24 hours. abd there would have already have been snow on the road in the first place.

we were going to head out tomorrow morning,
but decided that the roads are going to be too bad to get there.

Snake and the woodhead are shut
apparently A6 and those roads have restrictions on and one of the bigger A roads around Hayfield is shut.

We're going to try later possibly the weekend

In reply to Sam225: Anyone been near Kinder recently, were thinking of going up on Saturday. No let up in the weather, forcast is for below freezing for the next week or so.

In reply to Paul_M_Rotherham:

was skiing around edale yesterday. Good fun. Roads are impassable without a 4x4 or chains etc. But the train was running all day into and out of edale.

How about round hayfield - roads still bad?

In reply to JR:

Any particularly good spots.......?

In reply to galpinos:

we went ski touring good spots: rushup edge, south side and east side of mam tor, down from back tor to back tor farm...

http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=133853&id=511049657&l=971086e...

In reply to JR:

Cheers JR. Keen to head out from Manchester with my touring kit so might aim for Edale.

Thanks.

In reply to pbphil169:

Drove up to Hayfield today and parked in village and walked in from there. Could have made it to the carpark opp the campsite in a 4x4 or with snow chains. roads are fine up tothe village.

The walk in to the top is slow as drifts are waist deep in places - Will be easier if you follow my path up onto the ridge.

We didn't bother climbing it as there was too much snow on it and especially the top out.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/venture-out/sets/72157623030336599/

http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=12750&id=100000074110903&l=36...

In reply to KevinManc: I told you the walk in would be hard! Did you need your headtorches then? I guess not if you didn't climb the route. By the way, I've still got your thermos mug.

In reply to KevinManc: i guess that was you and your mate we passed on the way back into hayfield? We spent three hours wading through the snow and decided to retire with our tails between our legs!! Nice pics, it was stunning out there today..

In reply to Amigo Mr.P:

Actually, I think that was us. I suspect we'd passed KevinManc and his mate on their way down - we followed their tracks up to the plateau. It was hard going in some pretty deep snow at times - it took us just over 2hrs from Hayfield to the top.

For anyone who's interested in going up to look at a rather banked out Downfall, there's now a reasonable trench going up the ridge above William Clough to Sandy Heys.

The pictures look excellent. A group of us are really up for the walk to the downfall on Saturday, but not sure we will be able to get into the peak in the car from the Sheffield side. Anyone any ideas?

Think Edale route is out of the question, was thinking of Snake inn route, but with the snake being shut thats out of the running too i guess.

In reply to pec:
Yeah the walk in was rediculous - breaking path through waist deep snow at times. There is more snow there than in the Lakes.
I definitely want that mug back.

In reply to Pagan:
Don't know who it was that we passed but we stopped and talked to them just after they had crossed the foot bridge - so if that was you "Hi again"

It was only after we passed that I remembered that I could have shown you pictures on my camera to let you decide if it was worth walking up in the dark - sorry.

In reply to KevinManc: did you go up today? whats the ice like?

In reply to Northern Climber:

and can you get there or are road closed ?

In reply to pbphil169:

we walked in from hayfield last thursday roads were fine. serious amount of powder, bring skis if you have them

In reply to Paul_M_Rotherham: We had a go at walking in from Edale last week (Wednesday), massive amount of snow and having spent a heroic 2 hrs getting to the platau we opted for a turn around as we thought it would be at least another 3 round the edge to get to the downfall. Roads to edale were fine, but i was carrying snow chains just incase!

In reply to Jim Walton:

given that there was a picture of around 20 people queing at the weekend I am assuming the path will now be pretty well trudged.

In reply to smithaldo:
How's the path walking in from The Grouse and along the Pennine Way? I used that last year to walk up, but presume the Hayfield/Kinder Reservoir is more clear after the weekend hordes?

In reply to smithaldo: Paths drifting in very quickly. Quite gnarly weather up there today. Edge path not too bad. Was a pair at bottom of it at about half past one. Huge amount of snow on all ledges on Downfall and surrounding crags. Defo not thawing!

In reply to RichT:


Is there a nice big drift at the bottom, or are there exposed rocks?

In reply to Franco Cookson: Big pile of ice blocks below route mixed in with a lot of snow. If you're thinking of jumping off onto it I suspect it might hurt

In reply to RichT: cheers

In reply to pbphil169: We got to Edale no problem on Saturday, parked up outside the Nags. Then walked via up onto kinder, and accross to the downfall. The walking on top was hard work, in places the snow was frozen solid and hard in others you just dropped into the snow which was around 4ft deep. Loads climbing on the downfall. Was cold, very cold in the wind.

If you are out and about today, watch out for ice, there is black ice every where.

In reply to sutty:

and you can never be sure what is underneath the snow - a deep drift, or a big rock?!?

as I found to my cost on Aonach Eagach 3 weeks ago - the pain's just about gone now.

In reply to sutty:

I was only thinking as a worst-case scenario. Better than the normal landing!

In reply to pbphil169:Walked up to the top of the pass today via Doctors gate The snake is still closed,theres plenty of snow,drifts a couple of feet high and everything is still pretty much frozen.i could of been in the Caingorms,proper Scottish conditions!

Hi guys. Thinking of joining the weekend masses up at kinder.

Do peple think the downfall will last till saturday? Temps are due to rise fri/sat.

whats the best route to walk in from Hayfield? and are the roads ok to it?

Thanks

In reply to Fieldus:
I was thinking the same, what time are you headng up there sat morning? I'm trying to work out what is a reasonable time to rock up.

In reply to gethin_allen:

Leave your car at 3am if you want to beat the crowds.

Or go to Mam Tor.

In reply to Duncan I:
I was hoping it wouldn't have to be that early, I don't fancy any choss bothering at the mo.

In reply to pbphil169:

Your best bet, probably/surely, is to get to Edale by car (or even, by train, if it's running), then go up the Nab, which is bound to be very fast and easy - probably superb in crampons if it's well frozen up - then take that diagonal route across the top of Kinder (via Kinder Gates) ... very difficult navigation at the best of times, but, if you get it right, and you find the Kinder 'river' OK, it's very fast when it's frozen up, and takes you straight to the top of the Downfall.

In reply to pbphil169: anybody up for doing it tomorow?

In reply to gethin_allen:

If last season's "cold snap" was anything to go by, there were teams on it round-the-clock. Living a few miles from it, I know of folk who were going up after work, after tea, after closing time, back down before work, all hours of the day. Last week was pretty quiet as the most direct walk-in up Sandy Heys was absolutely obliterated by drifting powder (see reports on other threads).
Gordon suggests both a logical and aesthetically pleasing approach with a low carbon footprint to boot.

As for turf bothering, you'll have to dig pretty deep to find it. We were on Back Tor yesterday and found a lot of deep powder and the odd icey bit underneath but with the milder weather due through over the weekend, the powder should consolidate nicely.

In reply to Gordon Stainforth:
I was thinking this, although i was wondering if it would be easier just to go around the edge.

In reply to gethin_allen:

There's a lot of drifts all along the western edge as reported by the local fell running fraternity. That said, there'll be a lot of drifting in the groughs going straight across too.

The line of least resistance is either ploughing up Sandy Heys (which had a small trench up it yesterday) from Hayfield or going up Jacob's Ladder from Edale and trog through the drifts along the western edge.

Skis would be useful whichever route you take.

In reply to Northern Climber:

Went up yesterday. Got the car as far as the Car park above Hayfield. The walk in took just under 2 hours as the path is now consolidated by alot of walkers - still disappears due to drifting and erosion - head torch still neccessary. A few parties on it but we had it to ourselves from 3:30pm until we left at 6pm. The cave under behind the icefall would make a decent bivi spot if you wanted to have a late/early climb. The climb is out of the wind but the top belay isn't, however snow was deep enough to dig a pit to shelter in.

The climb is getting better as the snow on the middle shelf upwards is consolidating. Climb at the moment is a grade IV start up the vertical left hand ice pillar (3.5m)and then eases to III as you climb straight up through consolidating snow and ice patches. Expect to dig/flail/plunge. Climbing from the right hand side of the fall gives an easier gradient and is grade 3 but quickly runs into deep snow (2.5m of climbing). Needs someone to ab down and dig or stomp the snow down to enable the traverse of the middle shelf.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/venture-out/4273289985/in/set-7215762303033659...

In reply to KevinManc:

whats the best way down the plateau walking in from hayfield? before it or after it?

In reply to KevinManc: Don't suppose you found my ice screw at the bottom? We were the team climbing it as you guys arrived (I assume). Saw your top rope come down after we abbed to the bottom at 4ish. Anyway, you're right about the grade. The last 3m through unconsolidated sugary snow was not pleasant. Big cornice on the top right...beware.

In reply to smithaldo: Down Sandy Hays. it's been climbed today . Contrary to what others have said Hayfield is the easiest way in and skis are slower.

In reply to pbphil169: ]]
climbed them all last night at about 2 in the morning. In proper good nick at night (using the pic on the snow patches). I was surprised how good it was. perfect venue.

In reply to stainleberry:

Found no ice screw sorry - probably buried.

Top rope was more hinderance than help - it ran off to the side and got caught in hard snow on the middle shelf. Though the snow was softer and would release as I climbed. As I climbed above the snag it made a loop under me. Had to dig and traverse to free it. Happened again as I exited onto top. It would have been quicker and easier to lead it.

You guys got up it quick - thought you were looking for another go at it.

In reply to pbphil169: Went up Last Night, (Friday night, Saturday Morning). Made it up there by about 5am but was not surprisingly gushing.

Some of the ice in the centre had collapsed and the roof of snow on the right hand side was looking very dodgy.

Did not want to hang around long at base, but over all good evening out. (took 6 hours round trip.)Who knows if well get another chance this year.

In reply to pbphil169: went up thursday night with franco, what an awesome night!

the walk in was well consolidated with the odd step here and there when your foot sank. climbing conditions were great, although there was definately a fair amount of water running behind the ice. all in all conditions were pretty similar to the pics KevinManc posted up, just with a little less snow cover.

In reply to Northern Climber: Glad you had a good night. the water now was very much flowing/spouting out of the front of the face. should have gone 24 hours earlier.

In reply to Neston Climber:

Damn glad we decided against trying now!! :-D

Heres hoping it gets back in nick before the season is out!! <Crosses fingers>

In reply to Flicka: Not alot of snow/ice left on the walk in from Hayfield now (4pm sun). The temperature ontop today never really got below 3 degC and loads of melt water gushing over the falls. Some decidedly dodgy looking cornices and snow banks around the amphitheatre area that look ready to let go at any minute also. Lets hope the temp drops soon!

Some video footage of conditions this afternoon if any are interested:

youtube.com/watch?v=U-b0u9bpfVA&

youtube.com/watch?v=yXf2tei32AA&

it's a sad day.

In reply to Danzig: glad we got in there when we did then!

In reply to Northern Climber: Aye, when we got back to the car the temp was reading 6degC and lots of snow & ice gone in the 4hrs we were up there...

In reply to pbphil169:
if it would only freeze up now while there is that much water on kinder top it would form really nicely

In reply to pbphil169:

Downfall related...sort of.

Nice little video I thought.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jejUKUqh_1g&feature=related

In reply to pbphil169:
that's quality,