UKC

Planning a day out to Crib Goch this winter and hoping to find it in winter condition.

Never climbed (or been to) Wales before so I have no idea what the average weather patterns are like this time of year. I know I just missed a weekend of some light snow cover but seems that's all gone now.

Anyone have any tips about chances of getting some more snow in Snowdonia and what sort of time of year this would be likely to happen if at all?

Tip 1) Presume winter won't happen

Tip 2) Be ready to drop everything and run to Wales if it does happen

Tip 3) Watch the weather forecasts/temp sensors like a hawk

Tip 4) Learn the difference between air temperature and "feels like" temperature; the latter sounds impressive but is far less relevant to frozen ground/snow

Tip 5) Don't be surprised if there aren't winter conditions

Tip 6) Be wary of social media posts/ascents logged on here vs actual conditions. For some reason people love putting on spikes and claiming winter ascents of Snowdonia stuff when there is the lightest dusting of snow (think flour spillage in the kitchen thicknesses)

There really isn't a "season" for Welsh winter - I've been both winter Climbing in rock climbing in Dec/Jan/Feb/Mar/April. It's super ephemeral, and you need to be able and ready to get there when winter conditions happen, if indeed they do.

Where are you coming from? If you are limited to weekends just keep watching all the normal channels and if it looks good on Thursday or Friday morning go that evening. Sleep in your car or go to one of the campsites that you just turn up and pitch on. 

Crib Goch has been reasonably snowy - definitely enough to be in 'winter condition' - plenty of days already this winter. I did Crib Lem in good winter conditions, probably a little bit lower than CG, on November 10th. I knew it would be worth the drive over on the Sunday after having seen pictures of Crib Goch on a Facebook group on Saturday evening. We are really spoilt for information these days in popular areas of both Snowdonia, the Lakes and the Highlands: reports in FB groups, National Park/Felltop assessors reports, SAIS reporting in Scotland, guides's and instructors's blogs, individual mountain top forecasts from the Met Office, MWIS forecasts.

If you are coming from the SE of England the Lakes and North Wales are probably about the same amount of driving, so consider the Lakes as an alternative. Crib Coch is a better route, but along Striding Edge and down Swiral Edge is a good day out too, and being a bit further north can be more wintery than N Wales. 

Lots of relevant tips in https://www.ukclimbing.com/articles/features/chasing_the_very_bloody_epheme...

great tips, thanks! Will need to set my expectations and be prepared I guess.

Thanks again

Coming from London so the lakes would be an option, thanks for suggesting, I hadn't thought of that.

I am indeed limited to weekends so pretty much planned on doing as you suggested, keeping an eye and heading out Thursday or Friday and sleeping in the car. 

Cheers

Depending on your finances versus your ability to good nights rest - there is a travel lodge or similar basic hotel just a bit after you turn off the M6 coming into the southern lakes (and one in Betwys Coed as well). My mate coming up from London stayed in the Lakes one when I drove up early morning from home in Sheffield to go winter climbing a few years ago. Back of your car is obviously a lot cheaper but you might be able to face a 6 am alarm a bit better in a hotel room! Personally I'm happy to camp but it's not everyone's preference.

No Trannylodge in Betws...   Worst Western but that's not cheap