UKC

Anyone been there recently? Just wondering if it's wet? As in, is it one of those routes that's subject to a lot of seepage at the mo due to crap summer. If so, I'll plan for elsewhere.

defo wet at the mo.. has been raining a fair bit.. dont think it seeps much

In reply to limey:

I walked past the slabs on Tues, there was a fair bit of water running down the Ordinary route but (the first pitch at least) of Hope looked ok. There is a lot of runoff across the whole area though so I would say be prepared for some dampness anywhere on the slabs.

P.S I've climbed Hope in big boots in the wet :P

In reply to limey:
We were on the slabs on Saturday and although there is a bit of dampness around things are fine. As long as it's not actually raining you can have a fine days climbing.

In reply to gethin_allen:

Several of the routes go in the wet - they're a bit harder obvioulsy

In reply to Johnny_Grunwald:


i thought it was compulsory do something on Idwal Slabs in the pissing rain in boots at some point in your climbing career.

it's character building!

In reply to limey:

There tends to be a bit of wet patch at the top of the twin cracks as i
I recall. May not make it impossible but it makes you think if you are soloing...

In reply to limey:

Did Hope after the "floods" week in July, it wasn't raining at time but the slabs were streaming. The good holds on the slabs are worn enough to pick out when everything is wet and far more secure than you would imagine, to the point where you can get complacent. Didn't think it was any harder than V-Diff though.

The twin cracks were particulary wet (water running) so we opted for a variation fist sized crack imediately left, prob about HS, which was dryish and a very good alternative.

The first pitch of Lazarus was grim though, and the travese really scary with wet holds.

The worst part was the "Easy Way" down.

In reply to Sam_in_Leeds:

A couple of Novembers ago we went to the slabs in pouring rain, intending to wade up Ordinary Route. But when we got there we found that all the main routes were occupied and had queues at the bottom! Bloody students

So we scrambled up the descent path (which was a waterfall) and did Cneifion Arete instead.
http://climbing.me.uk/Pentrefoelas/slides/PB210041.html
http://climbing.me.uk/Pentrefoelas/slides/PB210069.html

In reply to Toreador:

Great pics! Now that's what I call scrambling )

In reply to limey:

Thanks all! So basically suck it and see, if it's wet stop snivelling & get on with it.

In reply to limey:
>

It has been popular for generations and has the sheen to prove it. In the wet it will be MUCH harder than in the dry.

Chris

In reply to limey:

Yep, I can see that now I've climbed it!

It was, thankfully, only a wee bit wet in small protectable slipperly-as-hell patches. Dried quickly for Sat even though it was raining Friday night & misty till about 8:30 am Sat morning.

Faith was wet through.

Had an amazing weekend of dryness in Wales. We even has sunshine though of course it never actually came round onto the slabs.

Great climb.

Thanks for the advice.