Welsh ice

I wasn't sure whether it was going to be worth the drive and the 5.30 am start but it was. Yesterday I drove up to Snowdonia and arrived in frigid but beautiful clear weather in Llanberis. There was very little snow left on the hills but water ice forming everywhere.

Llanberis Pass

Sargeant's Gully

I firstly climbed Sargeant's Gully (II) in Cyrn Las - all on new water ice. Fragile enough to make you careful but never very hard.

A couple of the steepest sections weren't sufficiently formed to climb, but could be bypassed by a few moves on rock on the side.

There was water flowing behind and next to the ice in some places but generally plenty of bosses to get good placements.

Looking across Llanberis to Glyderau from Cwm Glas.

Next I continued up into Cwm Glas and took Parsley Fern Gully up the slopes above towards the summit of Crib y Ddysgl.

Parsley Fern Gully

Parsley Fern Gully (I) again was mainly on fresh water ice, but there were a few old patches of neve at the very top.

Old crampons for old snow

Yr Wyddfa from Crib y Ddysgl

From the summit of Crib y Ddysgl I decided to miss out the hoards on the top of Snowdon and instead headed of east along the Crib Goch ridge.

Cloud blowing over Lliwedd

Crib Goch

Finally I took Crib Goch's north ridge back down into Cwm Glas and down into Llanberis, passing under the still forming mighty ice falls of Craig y Rhaeadr.

Craig y Rhaeadr

A well earnt supper in Pete's Eats.