Rockfax Description
An amazing outing at the highest level of what is considered scrambling. The route follows the easiest line up the buttress but requires good skills and rope work and shouldn't be underestimated. Start by walking up to the left of the prominent triangle of the Alphabet Slab to below the gully.
1) Start up the gully until past an awkward chockstone, then move left on grassy ledges.
2) Step over the abyss of the chimney and scramble over stacked blocks to reach a triangular ledge below a corner.
3) Climb the wall left of the corner for a few metres and then head up and left up flakes and spikes to reach a belay in a notch below the narrow rampline leading up and right - the infamous 'Catwalk'.
4) Ascend the Catwalk in a spectacular position to a smooth step, then carry on up beneath a rock arch - 'The Arch Tempter'.
Escape - If you struggle on 'The Chasm' you can go right to join Main Gully from here.
5) Above the arch are the upper reaches of 'The Chasm'. Straight above is the true Chasm, but this is best left for rock climbers and is described for them as the 'vertical-vice'. Instead, head up and left into a small slot. Squirm all the way back along the narrow corridor and then turn left again (rucksacks may need to be dragged behind you).
6) The chimney that heads up from here is much more in keeping with a scramble and leads you to the top of the buttress above difficulties.
7) Scramble up much more easily and either head over the summit of Glyder Fach or traverse across and head down the East Gully. © Rockfax

Ticklists

Through Routes! , Scrambles in Snowdonia - Steve Ashton , North Wales Scrambles - Garry Smith , Type 2 Fun , Hard Very Silly - wet troglodytes , Snowdonia Mountain Walks and Scrambles - Mark Reeves , British 3 Star Scrambles , Snowdonia *** Scrambles , Dewimpification

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