UKC

Hello, can I ask has anyone been up snowdon yet and what is it like at the minute please ?

Thank you.

In reply to john_mx:

Winter, yes (at last)
Climbing, no, turf nowhere near frozen and mainly loose powder.

In reply to Ron Rees Davies:


That won't stop people

In reply to john_mx:

Check out if you've not already
https://www.thebmc.co.uk/idwal

In reply to john_mx:

Thanks guy, just have to wait it out for now then

In reply to john_mx:

It does look pretty at the moment though!

In reply to jim jones:

Think i might head up just for a walk next week for now then

In reply to jim jones:

It looked pretty today ..... there's been a lot of rain since then, but air temperatures have dropped below zero in the last hour or two so there's still some hope. Forecast rain again through the weekend then colder next week?

In reply to Ron Rees Davies:

Cannot wait to get out there to be honest.

In reply to john_mx:

Climbed crib lem in the Carnedd today. Good snow cover up the ridge giving good fun at around grade I/II. Black ladders getting whiter, but mostly snow, not much ice or rime forming, turf beginning to freeze on summit plateau

In reply to john_mx:

How about today?

In reply to john_mx:

I was out on Y Gribin and over Glyder Fawr. Plenty of snow and some consolidation but although it had frozen over night it was thawing during the day. Id stay clear of gullies just now and turf won't be frozen. Rocky ridges good though.

In reply to rusty8850:

Please could you give me your opinion on the gullys on Thursday and Friday, after freezing levels are around 600m.
Thanks

In reply to Removed Userdmbishop:

Why not go and have a look?

In reply to ianstevens:

It's an 8 hour round trip for me. And with a full on job and and young kids, I got to try my best to catch it right. And I value everyone's opinion on here. What do you think? Did he say stay out the gullys cause Avalanche risk and if so what is needed to firm it up enough to climb on.

In reply to Removed Userdmbishop:

Have you checked the turf temperature on the BMC Cwm Idwal page?

In reply to Removed Userdmbishop:

As well as increased avalanche risk, and less enjoyable climbing, the problem with turf not being frozen is that ice axes and crampons cause serious environmental damage to the soil and Plantlife in the gullies and increase erosion through the rest of the year.

See bmc's "white guide"
http://www.thebmc.co.uk/Handlers/DownloadHandler.ashx?id=889

In reply to john_mx:

I was out on Y Gribin and over Glyder Fawr on Sunday, plenty of snow but it's a mix of soft slush beneath the surface of a thinnish crust. Thick enough covering on some slopes for sliding rather than walking down but not solid enough yet.
Crib Goch is supposed to be filling in and more cold weather all this week should see it harden down.

In reply to Removed Userdmbishop:


There are maybe ten different types of snow. The snow that falls is not the snow you find there a day later. The only snow you should be climbing on is snow that has fallen, thawed a little during the day and then refrozen at night at least a couple of times with no new snowfall on top. A difficult ask.

In reply to mysterion:

Thanks to you all. Iv done a few grade 1s, Over the last two years. But feel like the learning never stops. All your comments help a lot. Any idea of a not so sustained grade 2.
Also Iv got a day of on Monday and I'm going for a stomp up pyg track. I'll let you know what conditions I find, bear in mind I'm no expert.
Thanks

In reply to Removed Userdmbishop:

Its too early for snow routes in the current conditions but a lot of fun can be had on ridge routes. The likes of Bristly Ridge, Tryfan N.Ridge, Gribyn etc will all be great days out.

In reply to Joss:

That sounds like a good plan.
Thanks joss. I'm happy for tryfan and gribyn. But may bottle bristle.

In reply to Joss:

Climbed Bristly Ridge on Monday, much harder compared to Gribin/Tryfan/Crib Goch and the initial gully wasn't in great condition. There was a rescue from the gully on Saturday due to the snow conditions.

In reply to static266:


There is actually a choice of 2 gullies, but both are tricky and lacking good pro in powder conditions. It can feel more like Scottish 3/4. The Tower higher up can be by-passed on the right if it looks too spicey, the rest is easy, but watch your nav off the top in thick conditions!

In reply to john_mx:

Lots and lots of thick powder on the tops (and ridges!) today - went up NE Ridge of Y Garn and down via the Kitchen path, and was thigh to waist deep much of the time.

Things are starting to look better though - snow staying as slush in pools rather than melting from around 500m upwards. Streams are still running freely and turf is still nowhere near frozen, but icicles are forming where water is static / slowly dripping, and both Llyn y cwn and Llyn clyd starting to freeze / standing snow on the surface.

In reply to Ron Rees Davies:

Thanks again to you all. This all helps allot

In reply to john_mx:

If anyone is out on Friday can they post conditions? Its really helpful and better than looking at a cam
Many thanks

In reply to Babika:

Am going out tomorrow (well today now) so will report back, hoping to go somewhere in Ogwen - maybe Clogwyn Du, potentially Bristly Ridge or Y Gribin - I'm sure we'll have an entertaining epic of some sort! :p

In reply to callumbtaylor:

Thank you, try and get some pics

In reply to Removed Userdmbishop:



https://www.facebook.com/elfyn.jones.7

"Gullies will be literal deathtraps"

In reply to Mr. Lee:

Don't worry, I wasn't thinking of going anywhere near gullies after reading the post about "waist deep" above!

But am interested what is actually freezing at the mo - watercourse-wise, if anything? Due to be -7o tonight apparently and presumably less higher up

In reply to john_mx:

Could anyone provide an update as to what the road conditions are currently like in the area?

In reply to LJ2606:

try this

http://www.ogwen-rescue.org.uk/webcams/

In reply to LJ2606:


think the main roads are fine. Snow at road level looks very light or nothing at all.

In reply to Mr. Lee:

Thanks again.a reminder to all of us to take care.

In reply to john_mx:

Up Tryfan today, powder on rock with very soft ice in places but all good fun! Have been around since Monday, been on roads tonight and all fine even higher up. Most of last 3 days spent in snow up to the knee at least, recommend ridges over anything especially as wind reducing from tomorrow, bring a camera!

In reply to john_mx:
Went over yesterday with callumbtaylor for our first try climbing. Went up to Clogwyn Du and then down Y Gribin. Lots of powder, up to waist deep on the way up but some consolidation happening. Were planning on looking at hidden gully but due to time didn't even check how it was looking. Patches of Y Gribin weren't bad going but other parts were about knee deep in powder. Took a few pictures on the way but bad weather limited how much I could get the camera out, hope the link works.
https://www.facebook.com/James12389/media_set?set=a.1151349948210832.107374...

In reply to john_mx:
any one up there today?

In reply to john_mx:

Pretty warm and mild in Betws y Coed right now. Cloud right down. Didn't freeze last night and it was pretty much the same yesterday.

In reply to john_mx:

I'm heading up for some snowy walking on the Carneddau on Saturday / Sunday 23rd / 24th Jan. Anyone got an opinion on whether there'll be any snow left by then ? Rain for next few days according to forecast, followed by colder weather later in the week, and possibly some snow on the weekend.... is it sticking now ?

In reply to paul walters:

Found this really good iPhone app!

Mountain Weather UK by Silkweb Commerce Ltd
https://appsto.re/gb/n3kt-.i