UKC

Hi All,

Got the Easter weekend booked so looking for some route ideas that go in the rain (being realistic and assuming the weather will be crap for at least 1 day)

Any ideas as per the title really, from a grade 3 scramble up to VS, a nice link up of a few routes would be even better.

Basically stuff that goes in big boots and crap weather! The longer the better

cheers all

Dave

In reply to monkey1:
Outside Edge Route Cwm Silyn
Ampitheatre Buttress, Craig Yr Ysfa
Table Direct and Cyfrwy Arete, Cadair Idris
Hope, Lazarus, Groove Above, Idwal
Sub Cneifion Rib, Cneifion Arete
Clogwyn Y Person Arete

In reply to monkey1:

I've done 1st (or was it 2nd?) pinnical rib (S) on the east face of Tryfan in the pouring rain, which was good fun. the little crux pitch can be quite tricky as it's pretty polished, but can be overcome by 'combined tactics' if need be. Brynt's gully in Llanberis pass is a good wet weather option (depending on how wet you want to get!), and is a great 300m 2/3 ghyll scramble, although i'd avoid it if it's really wet. Lockwoods chimney is another great wet weather route, about S i think, and goes up the inside of the mountain for the most part. It. down near that lake at the bottom of Snowdon on your right as you head out towards Tremadog.

If you want to stay dry Tremadog is often a good bet, and if it does rain Striptease is a good VS that stays dry for the first pitch, after which you can abb off.

Mike

In reply to monkey1:

North Buttress of Tryfan

In reply to MikeR:

I remember doing the whole of Striptease in the rain without any trouble from wet rock (i.e. I don't remember the top pitch getting particularly wet).

In reply to monkey1:

As wet weather is the default option in North Wales, there is plenty to do in the rain. For small and quick, Tryfan Fach is good. For larger routes, Idwal, East Face of Tryfan, Milestone Buttress etc are all good.

In fact, I think that the vast majority of my climbing in Snowdonia has been in the rain!

In reply to monkey1:

Slanting Buttress Ridge is a cracking long route & wet weather option:
http://www.ukclimbing.com/logbook/c.php?i=29156
Easy route finding for Lliwedd & did it one wet february day a few years ago & a most excellent day out was had by all!

In reply to MikeR:

I was going to suggest Strip Tease too. I have done it in the rain. Top pitch may get wet but doesn't affect the climbing too much.

In reply to BALD EAGLE: Agree with that, just about to suggest it. Nice positive holds and good fun even when it's completely soaked.

In reply to cat22:

Yep its excellent value!

In reply to BALD EAGLE:

This could be a good one cheers, done it in the dry. Does Horned crag or Avalanche-Redwall go in the Wet (for someone of my modest standard)?
Away from the crowds too I'm thinking

In reply to monkey1:

I've only done Avalanche/Redwall/Longlands in the dry. I'd imagine it would be rather grim in the wet due to lack of positive holds, tricky route finding etc unlike Ridge Route. However good old Lockwoods Chimney is another classic wet weather option!

In reply to monkey1:

I wouldn't advise Avalanche/Redwall in the rain. From what I remember the rock was pretty greasy and there isn't a lot of gear (assuming of course we were on route!) and that was on a dry day. I'd agree with the Slanting Buttress recomendation though (only done it in winter myself, but the route finding is much easier, and the holds a lot more positve.

In reply to Gordon Stainforth: and Green Giant

ah ok, fair enough. It was absolutely bucketing it down when we did it, and the top pitch looked pretty scrappy and wet so just abbed off from there. Maybe i'll give it another go and try the top pitch next time i'm there and it's raining.

In reply to monkey1:

If you get a real cats and dogs day then try the scramble up into the Devil's Kitchen at the back of Cwm Idwal. Recommend short length of rope and helmets, big boots fine. If you want to get beyond the waterfall pitch (big chockstone with sling for aid at left side)then expect to use combined tactics and whatever cheating will get you up it. This will lead up to the back wall of the kitchen with its magnificent waterfall. Enjoy.

In reply to Ann S:

There is also Lockwood's Chimney. Read the route description, it's something like "Best undertaken on a moonlight night by a large drunken party". Quite a bit of it is subterranean, so the weather doesn't matter.

In reply to monkey1: If it's really bucketing down try Great Gully (Craig yr Ysfa) or Devil's Staircase (Idwal). You get wet through at an early stage and after that it doesn't seem to matter too much. Just remember to leave the zips on your overtrousers undone so that the water can escape.

In reply to wilkesley:

it is a good laugh. Tubby mate of ours had to do the squeeze sideways while breathing in very deeply. He was not amused.

In reply to The Ivanator:

Did Sub Cneifon rib in Big Boots and rain,

smallish grips and requirement for smeary friction made it a bit unsettling - nothing some wool socks or 5:10 approach shoes couldn't have remedied.


flying buttress on cromlech OK in the rain - VD classic rock - it was jugs all the way i think....