UKC

I’m heading to Ogwen this weekend hoping to do an enchainement on Idwal then up either East Arete or Central Arete.

In my Ogwen guide it says East Arete is a Mod or a Scramble Grade-3, on here it says it is a VDiff and particularly challenging.

Could anyone please offer some clarity or advice? Anything at all appreciated.

Thanks,

Stephen

There's a lot of info on the East Arete of Glyder Fawr in the UKC logbook. Most people agree the rock is loose, gear is poor and belays hard to summon amongst the grass and choss. So, probably quite adventurous and interesting at the grade.

Central Arete I have climbed and I remember it as a scramble first pitch followed by a long pitch of surprisingly tenuous climbing on snappy holds with sparse and sometimes poor gear... for the grade. Above this, it becomes a fun jenga-tower and ridge. I'd pick this over EA.

If you've not done loads in Cwm Idwal, I'd recommend instead linking the Slabs into Holly Tree Wall, the Continuation Wall and then Cneifion Arete. If it's late, head down for a dip and dinner. If it's only, say, 2pm, you could then try a route on Glyder Fach or the East Face of Tryfan.

Hope that helps.

If East Arete is the blunt ridge  to the left of Central Arete then it is moderate. I did it on a January day when it was rodding down and had a tough time on it. Don't think we'd have gotten up a VDiff in those conditions.

The classic enchainment is route on Slabs, route on Holly Tree Wall, route on Continuation Wall, route on Grey Group (usually Grey Slab (VS 4b)), and finishing off with Manx Wall (HS 4b) which leaves you virtually at the top of Glyder Fawr.

I don't disagree, but my understanding from the logbooks is that VS is pushing the OP and that Grey Slab (which I've still not done) is quite bold. To be honest, given that, I think he will be doing well to get to the top of the Continuation Wall in a reasonable time. With three friends with 5 - 10 years of experience who lead VS, linking three routes up the Slabs into Cneifion Arete was a full, if relaxed, day. Of course, it's possible to do more, but easier to do so if you're fully confident on the ground you're on.

Yes VS would be a bit above my pay grade. We would really like to top out onto Glyder Fahr. I know there is quite a good chance we won’t have time but we are planning an early start. I think we will go for Central Arete.

Faith, Lazarus and The Upper Staircase was my plan for the slabs.

Thanks for everyone’s advice.

You're soloing? 

Fawr. 

No, we will be roped up.

Dammit. I hate spelling mistakes.

Fair enough, Grey Slab is only HS as long as it's totally dry. - which I understand is rare.

Normally, it has some wet/damp which makes it feel quite serious, even though it's technically easy for VS.

I did it so long ago that I can't remember if there was any wet on it, certainly it was before the upgrade to VS so there were no guidebooks that gave a technical grade anyway.

Good luck. Central Arete is well worth doing, despite my mixed description.

The tip to going fast is to get to the Idwal Slabs really early so you don't get stuck behind a slowmoving team...  like, 7am, 8am max. All the routes are good and should be within your pay grade, even Tennis Shoe. If you find TS is the only route free, it's no more than S and probably VDiff except the last pitch, and if you don't like the last pitch, you can skip it at about VD by continuing directly up the main slab in line with the previous pitch. I did so with a friend once to avoid a slow team and there were no surprises. The last pitch is good fun, though, with a good 0.5 purple cam slot before the tricky move onto the upper slab section. Lazarus is ace, as is Groove Above. Enjoy!

Donnae worry about the spelling: all these bloody English (me included) butcher the pronunciation anyhow. It's said: "vow-er", like an over-enunciated "hour" but with a "v".