So here we are again. The beginning of Welsh winter! I am personally very excited to be back after suffering some significant health problems this last 12 to 18 months.
Once again this winter I will posting up to date ground conditions, whats 'in' (theoretically!) and whats not. Well wherever the info is available of course. And that's where you lot come in, and I know there are a lot of you out there, a damn site more than I would ever have expected to be reading this! I live 60 miles away from the Snowdonia mountains so cannot be there as much as I would like, so what we need is all you lot who read this blog to email me at andymountains@googlemail.com with your own conditions reports with or without photos, just email me your own conditions reports and I PROMISE to include them on this blog straight away. This will assist you, me and everyone to make sensible and safe decisions what to climb and what not to climb.
Sorted! So now onto the conditions out there now. I went out on Wednesday with the intention of an early winter crossing of Crib Goch but the forecasted 70mph put me off, and instead I went winter walking in the Carneddau. Snow level then was around the 800m mark, but it was only superficial. Apart from on the summit plateaus the ground is not (sorry was not on Wed) frozen. I had a poke around the top of the easy gully lines which come up from Cwm Lloer (Broad Gully, Hourglass Gully etc) below Pen yr Ole Wen and again it looked pretty, but soggy turf covered in 2 inches of wet snow is not something to get excited about. It was forecast to snow more on Wed but when I left Ogwen at 3.45pm it had not arrived.
I'm sure that the likes of Crib Goch would be fun and maybe somewhat icy across the ridge right now, but hardly what you would call winter conditions, but I guess if you are desperate to kick start your winter it would be better than nothing.
As for me I will be heading back down again early on Sunday morning, not because I expect winter to have suddenly arrived, but because I love them there mountains whatever the weather!
And don't forget as the winter season progresses, share your findings!!
Here's to a severe winter!
Andy
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