UKC

Whats the approach to 'Main Wall' and 'Gambit Climb' like in the Llanberis pass? Distance, parking etc?

Also, is it advisable to leave your rucksac at the bottom of the climb? or is it difficult to retrieve it once at the top?

Louis

In reply to Louis:

Park in the Pass near Clogwyn y Grochan or Dinas Mot. You can see Cyrn Las quite far back and up a bit. Walking there takes 45 mins or so - the route is obvious. You can leave your sack at the bottom of the crag. You might want to take a little sack between you with some water and your trainers.

In reply to Louis:


Er ... yes, you've got to come all the way down again! (about 700 ft I think to the bottom of the screes) If you want to carry on up, take a light sack with you, as Innes has suggested. Years ago my brother and I did just that, carrying big boots in our sacks, and then carrying on up to Crib Goch in the snow. Then down the North Ridge of Crib Goch. A highly recommended circuit. You could also take in the very good Reade's Route on CG Pinnacle to make it even better.

Another very good circuit would be to carry on up the Parson's Nose and the Clogwyn y Person arete and back down Crib Goch.

In reply to Gordon Stainforth:


I've done just that in April and can highly recomend it. We had to layback an icicle on the first pitch of Main Wall but the rest of the route was very dry considering the snow that was falling around us. We had ice axes which came in useful on the rimed crest of Crib Goch. Very Alpine. Doing the continuation makes for a great outing

In reply to Louis:

Thanks to all.

In reply to innes:

That's to Main Wall. The approach to Gambit is about twice that.

In reply to Simon Caldwell:

Best approach is Cracks, Slow Ledge, then traverse. Best finish to Main Wall is Gambit Climb, Crib Goch and down the North Ridge. A great day if you are well organised. Climb with sacks but keep them light.

In reply to Offwidth:

And the best finish to Gambit Climb is Reade's Route, Crib Goch, etc.
So I guess Main Wall, Gambit Climb, Reade's Route, Crib Goch, N Ridge would be a classic day, if somewhat tiring

In reply to Simon Caldwell:

Assuming that you descend The Parson's Nose after Gambit Climb and that you are not in a queue on Main Wall it would be a cracking day. Must do it sometime. Oh I have, one evening after work. there you go

Bob

In reply to Simon Caldwell:

Dont you have to descend for Reades route??? If so definitely cheating.

I'll stick to Cracks, Slow Ledge, Main Wall, Gambit, Crib Goch. Not being as good as Bob it took me all day. The crux was the scary green bit on Slow Ledge.

In reply to Offwidth:

Yeah, personally I don't think that would be as satisfactory a day for that reason. It's surely an either/or eg either Reade's Route, or the Gambit Climb, or the Parson's nose (or any of the other Clogwyn y Ddysgl routes).

Your suggested day is a stupendous circuit, obviously.

In reply to Gordon Stainforth: I've done Main Wall, with Rectory Chimney, then dropped back in at the bwlch to do Reade's Route. It feels quite logical really.

Gambit Climb would be better than RC though - it is the best easy route in N Wales in my opinion. It is also going up to Sev in the new guide - something which I wouldn't disagree with. I soloed it once in March, and got spooked by damp holds on the first pitch. I had to stop in a precarious position and extricate my chalk bag from my daysac before I dared carry on.

Come to think of it Reade's Route is quite a shocker at the grade. This has been done in full winter conditions as well - think about that when you're wobbling on either of the pitches! (Not that I condone scratching classic rock climbs.)

Adding Little Benjamin (an unsung classic 2 pitch Sev just right of Ettws Isaf - i.e. extreme right side of the Mot) on the way up would really make it a magnificent day out day.

In reply to Simon Panton:

Yes, at just straight, unqualified 'V Diff', almost ridiculous. I've done it at least twice, possibly three times, over thirty years, and it's always felt like Severe to me. I.e. Exactly the same grade as Crackstone Rib, or possibly a bit harder. And the first pitch: a very loose and nasty thing, on quite rotten rock if I remember rightly. Anyhow, so what? A great route. A great Severe, I would say.

In reply to Offwidth:

No more than you do for Grib Goch. You descend from the top of Parson's Nose to the col before Crib Goch, then contour round to the start of Reade's.

In reply to innes:

Thanks for all your helpfull posts. i should be getting a guidebook when i arrive.

Could anyone give me a grid ref to where the start of Main wall is please?

In reply to Louis:

Any grid-ref would actually encompass the entire foot of Cyrn Las so not really appropriate. Main Wall is in Paul Williams' selected climbs guide which at the moment is the only in-print guide to the Pass as there is a new guide in production.

Bob

In reply to Simon Caldwell:

Much more Alpine to descend Parson's Nose from the point where Gambit Climb joins it then nip across the cwm. (past the highest situated tree on Snowdon!)

Bob

In reply to Bob:

Thanks Bob. I eventually relied on my brain and found the Grid in the Crag database.

Ta.

In reply to Bob:

That sounds a good way of doing it. But surely you would go to the top of Crib y Ddysgl first?

In reply to Gordon Stainforth:

I forget how close to the main ridge GC emerges onto the upper part of the Parson's Nose. It may be better to do Reade's Route first then return by dropping down from the col to the south of Crib Goch and do Gambit Climb last.

Bob