Wales - 2014
16 April 2014 ........... Crib Goch via the East Ridge
I was conscience of the fact that on my previous trip up Crib Goch, I had bypassed the east ridge of Crib Goch - I have read that there is an interesting bit which I think is known as First Step - so I wanted to see what it is like.
Being just before Easter, the Pen-y-pass car park was full early on, and I got one of the last spaces in one of the lower car parks down the Pass of Llanberis.
So I had a long walk back up to get onto the Pyg Track, and then headed up to Bwlch y Moch, and the start of the east ridge.
This is looking up the east ridge from Bwlch y Moch, with Snowdon in the background, and the next section of the Pyg Track lower down.
First Step is a long and fairly steep rock slope, and it proved to be good fun, winding my way up - there is no path, because it is clean rock, so you have to find your own route up it.
Eventually you come to the end of it, the slope lessens a bit, and you continue upwards until you get on to the top of the Crib Goch ridge.
I made good progress along the ridge up to the summit - I think that this is where I took the next few pictures from - first of all, looking along the rest of the Crib Goch ridge past the Pinnacles to Garnedd Ugain and to Snowdon, and also the upper section of the Pyg Track up to Bwlch Glas.
Looking across to the Glyders -
And looking the other way to Y Lliwedd -
I couldn`t see a way up the first pinnacle straight on, but just a wee bit round to the side, there was a way up, so I went up and over it, and also the next two pinnacles as well - as last time, the only pinnacle I didn`t do was the one off to the side.
On the hump on Crib y Ddysgl just before the bad step, and a good view back to Crib Goch -
The bad step seemed easier this time - I started up the same way, but then I think I went slightly right rather than left, and I was soon at the top.
Up on the summit of Garnedd Ugain, and I got a cracking view right down the south ridge of Snowdon, past Y Gribin, and down to Y Lliwedd.
Another view back to where I had come from - down Crib y Ddysgl and on to Crib Goch -
From Garnedd Ugain it is an easy walk across and up to Snowdon, and the summit of Snowdon provides excellent views in every direction - this is looking across to Garnedd Ugain, with the top end of the Pyg Track climbing up to Bwlch Glas.
A bit of a closer view of Crib y Ddysgl, the ridge leading up to Garnedd Ugain, showing the various peaks on the way up, and the bad step.
Looking down on Crib Goch, and the mid section of the Pyg Track.
Finally for Snowdon summit, looking down on Y Lliwedd, with the Watkins Path heading away down to the right -
Time for another tea break - and of course ...... I had company !
Now this seagull had no patience, it soon decided I wasn`t going to share my sandwich with it - and it left - so here is an action photo of the seagull just two microseconds before it took off - it has a disgusted look on its face, and note the way it steps forward, and also note how far back its legs are now -
Time to head down - and since I was parked way down the Pass of Llanberis, it made sense to try and see if I could go down past Garnedd Ugain, then head down the ridge which I think is called Cwm Glas Ridge - it is the ridge that borders the north west side of Cwm Glas, and has a distinct head which I think is called Gyrn Lâs.
I am not sure if I really recommend it as a route down, it was a bit messy to begin with getting past the steep bits.
However from above Gyrn Lâs, there is a good view looking further down the Snowdon north ridge past Llechog Buttress -
There is also a great view looking down on Cwm Glas, with Crib Goch at the far side, and the ridge Clogwyn y Person Arête heading down to Llyn Glas - with its island and its trees and its ducks !
website design by ron-t
website hosting by freevirtualservers.com
© 2024 Ron Turner
