UKC

What is this like in comparison to the North ridge ? Is it a scramble or more of a walk?

Cheers,

AT

its a rough walk with scrambly bits if you want. do the north ridge though if you can. its great fun.

In reply to An Triubhas: Depends on the line, you can make it a scramble but its closer to a walk... everything is avoidable on it though and more boulder hopping in general.

In reply to An Triubhas:
definatly a scramble (definatly not a walk )but easier than the north ridge imo

In reply to An Triubhas:

It's a surprisingly arduous easy scramble, and not very satisfactory because the ridge is so broad and blocky. The situation is nothing like as good as the North Ridge, which is far finer in every way.

In reply to colina: I have done a quick search but found conflicting reviews, some saying just a walk, others walk with some scrambley sections and others a grade I scramble.

Cheers for the replies.

AT

In reply to Gordon Stainforth: the person I am taking has only done Hall's Fell Ridge previously scramble wise and so wondering if the north ridge would be too much?

In reply to An Triubhas: Its because the line is so variable.. you'll never do the same route twice.. by the purest line its deffo a scramble.. but you can swing to the W much more than you can on the N..

In reply to An Triubhas:

North Ridge is ace, and was the first scramble I ever did, following it up with Bristly ridge. As a total newcomer to scrambling I found it nothing but incredible fun!

In reply to AlisonSmiles:

Oh I'm so undecided on which route to go on.....argh.

The pperson I am going with doesn't have the best head for heights.

In reply to An Triubhas:

When you going Adam?

In reply to An Triubhas:
Stay left and it's a walk. Stay right and it's a climb. Up the middle are a variety of broken scrambles.

In reply to An Triubhas:

Obviously, I can't comment on the ability of your friend, but I have taken busloads of freshers up the North Ridge (not all at once!). Although there are some tricky moments, most people don't really have a problem with it. The one thing I will say, is that the North Ridge is quite complicated and finding the easiest line is not that simple. It helps to be familiar with it if taking a beginner up it. It can also be very confusing in the mist.

In reply to butteredfrog: Tuesday night pal.....getting away from the flies although we've not really been affected.

You down that way?

In reply to An Triubhas: If conditions are good, go for it. As others have said, it needs route-finding nous - on the occasions I've done it, it's never seemed the same. Most tricky bits can be avoided, but they're fun. Quite/ a bit more exposed than Halls Fell Ridge in places.

In reply to Monk:

Likewise I've taken countless people up the north ridge over the years. Many have been fine, a few have been terrified.

In reply to An Triubhas:
I certainly wouldn't take a nervous novice on a scramble that I didn't already know.

In reply to An Triubhas: I'd say that the South Ridge is a walk. If you want to call it a scramble then it would be Grade 0.25 or something by the easiest line. Of course you can make it a scramble by climbing on the numerous craggy bits, but there isn't an obvious scrambling line as far as I know so it would be more 'playing on rocks' that sustained scrambling. I'd have no hesitation in taking someone with adequate fitness and a good attitude up the South Ridge.

The North Ridge is a little different. It is a much finer route, but has far more hazards for the nervous beginner. It would really help if you had done the route first (I'm assuming you haven't since you are asking) as one of the main dangers on Tryfan is ending up somewhere you don't want to be. The main reason this happens (and this happened to me the first time I did it, and I have seen it happen to others) is that a nervous beginner gets to a steep section and thinks 'ooh er, that looks like a rock climb, I'll follow this path around it'. The place this tends to happen most is at the North Buttress where you transition from a 50/50 mix of rock and path to more sustained (and occasionally steep) rocky scrambling.

As a climber I'd have thought you'd be well equipped to find the right route, so then it's really down to your novice. Are they scared of heights (not really much of an issue on Tryfan, but some people do freak out)? Are they confident moving on rock? If not, then stick to the South Ridge.

In reply to An Triubhas:
A really good scramble for a beginner is the daer ddu ridge on moel siabod , se ridge , lovely walk in, escapable throughout and good views from the top. The descent down the east / ne ridge is nice too

In reply to afshapes: Daer Ddu Ridge would be perfect for a total beginner, although saying that I have taken several non-hikers up Tryfan North Ridge with no problems. The South Ridge is just a walk or scrambling for scramblings sake - in which case you might as well do the North Ridge....

In reply to louiesmith: Ddear Ddu is a beautiful walk and also a great place to learn the movement skills of scrambling in an unthreatening environment. The rock steps are interesting and provide short, easy climbs which are technically more interesting than hard walking but still within the ability of most beginners. They are also genuinely avoidable and escapable - not by a horrible scree path or dodgy traverse as is often the case - but by an easy path on a shallowish grassy slope.

Overall, absolutely ideal for novices or just for a nice hill walk. Just watch out for the bog before the ridge, it's easy to avoid and probably dried out a lot in the last week anyway.

Simon

In reply to Oujmik: Could be too simple.. I run it a lot with the dogs. Nantlle ridge is similar at the walk/scramble interface.

I think go with the S ridge. the N ridge is a step up from all them, intimidating and also easy to stray onto serious ground, the south ridge is just much more beginner friendly yet has a good feel to it.

In reply to An Triubhas:

Thats a shame working in Lakes from tues on..

Out for a bit of fresh air sunday though if your interested.

In reply to An Triubhas: south ridge is shorter,broader and easier than north. Only used it in descent when I stick well to the right looking downhill to avoid the crags( where I believe there have been fatalities.If you are ascending from Bwlch tryfan,you aregoing to see your most exposed ground on your right,degeneration into simple broken ground and rough paths on your left (all looking uphill)

In reply to David Hooper: cheers for that Dave. Hope you are well.

Adam.....I'd love to catch up in lakes but I'm straight back to work on Sunday. When else are you free?

In reply to An Triubhas:

Back up in Lakes for next 2 weeks(ish) then got a weekend off I think.

Adam

In reply to An Triubhas: Some years ago I took a complete novice up via the south ridge. He'd never been on a mountain before.

In reply to An Triubhas:
dont listen to anyon else, the south ridge is a walk up to cwm tryfan and a bit beyond and then a scramble as easy or as hard as you want to make it.(my defnition of a scramble is hands need to be used !)
if youre friend doesnt like heights or exposure then the south ridge is the way forward .the north ridge is obviously better but can turn into a bad day if you wander onto the west side.
any scrambling (even on the south side) is inherrently dangerous so take care and enjoy!
tryfan imo is the best mountain in snowdonia.