"Snowdon summit attempts" a Wales Travel Page by raenorthern

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Blizzard

First Attempt to summit Snowdon

Day 1 -The first attempt was by the Pyg Track, blizzard conditions as can be seen from the picture, and only about 8 of us mad enough to be on the mountain. We made it up to the zigzags before the final exposed ridge crossing but a white out, winds in excess of 40mph made us a bit of a chicken (I hasten to add others more experience than us turned back also so not a bad attempt, reached over 3000 feet, 1020m (summit 1085))

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The snowy ridges of Snowdon

2nd failed attempt!!!!

Day 2 - Having bought crampons and ice axes we decide to have another go by a different Route (Ryd Dhu) 1000 feet lower start than yesterday and boy did we feel it. After walking/scrambling for 2 hours we make the first ridge where the snow starts to kick in. The picture is taken from this, in the distance you can see the second ridge sloping upwards from the right (if you look hard some people are on there) yep we hacked our way up that in the snow. There is then the knife edge ridge to cross before the final summit scramble (crampons on) we made it about a third of the way across that, the first part was ok sheer drop one side but mountain the other. When we got to the middle section it was sheer drop both sides, we gave it a go but the weather came in, the clouds hit us and we couldn't see so we went back. No shame on going back- as the ranger had told us earlier better to live to fight another day.

On the way back we stop of at a village where Winnie the Pooh was written - Badelgert or something similar very pucturesque

Day 3 - Attempt an ascent of Tryffan (2nd Highest still over 1000m) heavy snowfall during the night and pouring rain/sleet we climb without visible tracks up to about 2500feet. Husband was the track master, again another hard ascent described as winter mountain scrambling (you can't say we were walking) we only managed about half way, the relentless rain and wind had taken it's toll on my clothing and I was starting to feel the cold so we climbed back down and headed home.