Crib Goch North Ridge

Hi!

I'm leading a party of walkers this summer in an attempt to
do the Welsh 3000's to raise money for the NSPCC.

Whilst I'm familiar with the route starting from Pen-y-pass,
the other members of the group are keen to bivvy on the top
of Snowdon before the start, which will mean descending the
North Ridge of Crib Goch (something I've not done in either
direction).

Whilst the path down the ridge looks fairly clear, when I
was up there the other week it was not clear what the
route is once you are off the ridge. I assume you head for
the layby half way down the Llanberis pass at Gromlech, is
that correct?

Thanks

John

"John" <john.somerfield@virginmobile.com> wrote

> I'm leading a party of walkers this summer in an attempt
> to do the Welsh 3000's to raise money for the NSPCC.
>
> Whilst I'm familiar with the route starting from Pen-y-
> pass, the other members of the group are keen to bivvy on
> the top of Snowdon before the start, which will mean
> descending the North Ridge of Crib Goch (something I've
> not done in either direction).
>
> Whilst the path down the ridge looks fairly clear, when I
> was up there the other week it was not clear what the
> route is once you are off the ridge. I assume you head for
> the layby half way down the Llanberis pass at Gromlech, is
> that correct?

I've only been up it from Pen y Pass and Cwm Glas. The
description of descent in Steve Ashton's Scrambles in
Snowdonia book says "without prior knowledge the it can be
difficult to find the way off from the shoulder above Dinas
Mott. Not recommended in poor visibility." and describes it
going up from Pont y Gromlech (629 566) as follows: "cross a
stile near the bridge and take the path - becoming bouldery
- almost to the foot of the central trapezoid slab of Dinas
Mot. Ascend diagonally left up tiring scree to avoid the
cliffs and enter a boulder filled canyon. Now traverse
rightwards, rising steadily with some scrambling and passing
above the exit of the gully which defines the left side of
the cliffs, to a shoulder on the North Ridge."

On 4 Jun 2004 05:31:07 -0700, john.somerfield@virginmobile.com (John)
wrote:

> Whilst I'm familiar with the route starting from Pen-y-
> pass, the other members of the group are keen to bivvy on
> the top of Snowdon before the start, which will mean
> descending the North Ridge of Crib Goch (something I've
> not done in either direction).

Not necessarily. The actual summit of Crib Goch is not at
the NE end (921m) as some people think - though this is
understandable if you come up the normal east ridge from Pen
y Pass. The top (923m) is at the end of the arete, just
before the pinnacles, and the easiest way of dealing with it
(from Snowdon summit) is to bag the top and then reverse
back to Bwlch Coch. There is a path down into Cwm Glas from
there. The descent from upper Cwm Glas Mawr is another
matter! (see below).

If your party wants to do the arete and then Crib Goch north
ridge, it is not difficult to get off, on the west side,
into upper Cwm Glas Mawr, after the initial scrambling
descent, but this will take longer than the "reversing"
route mentioned above, and time will be a factor if you are
doing all of the 3000s.

Andy mentions a route on the *east* of Dinas Mot, from Steve
Ashton, but this may not be what you want if heading for
Nant Peris and Elidir. There are two routes down from upper
Cwm Glas Mawr which are OK for walkers, but in both cases
prior knowledge is highly recommended. If you are leading a
party I would regard it as compulsory.

Looking up from the Llanberis Pass from either the Pont y
Gromlech lay-by, or the next one down, you have Dinas Mot
on your left. You can make a way up right (west) of the Mot
and will eventually reach a dry stone wall or two - there
may be a gate through, can't quite remember. Looking up
into the Cwm you will see a prominent black-streaked cliff.
Somewhat left of that a small stream comes steeply down
from the upper Cwm, which is shown on the 25k map, but not
on the 50k.

There is a path which more or less follows the small stream,
which has some waterfalls, and which tops out in a flatter
area of rock slabs and scattered boulders etc. From here you
have a good view of the upper Cwm and it is well worthwhile
exploring the Cwm for its own sake, as well as for your
recce. The north ridge of Crib Goch is in prominent view and
you will probably see the line of a path coming down the
scree / boulders which form this side of the ridge. In
descent, you will obviously need to be quite sure you can
locate the top of the small stream so as to pick up the safe
descent path.

The other route, from lower down the pass, more or less
follows the main water course which descends from Llyn
Glas, but you will need to recce this too if you want to
use it on the day.

Speaking personally I would not want to bivvy anywhere close
to Snowdon summit - not a quiet place at any time. If you
bivvied at Bwlch Coch, or in upper Cwm Glas, you could
quickly bag Crib Goch summit and be on your way to Carnedd
Ugain and Snowdon as soon as light was sufficient. The
recommended descent would then be down Cwm Glas *Bach*,
starting at Clogwyn Station. This drops you somewhat closer
to Nant Peris (for Elidir) and is less problematic than the
Cwm Glas *Mawr* descents.

--
Pete Bland

"pete bland" <petebland@ihatespam.compuserve.com> wrote in message news:<g793c0hi2ltt0h60e31b2ogt8vcrld625t@4ax.com>...
> On 4 Jun 2004 05:31:07 -0700,
> john.somerfield@virginmobile.com (John) wrote:
>
> > Whilst I'm familiar with the route starting from Pen-y-
> > pass, the other members of the group are keen to bivvy
> > on the top of Snowdon before the start, which will mean
> > descending the North Ridge of Crib Goch (something I've
> > not done in either direction).
>
> Not necessarily. The actual summit of Crib Goch is not at
> the NE end (921m) as some people think - though this is
> understandable if you come up the normal east ridge from
> Pen y Pass. The top (923m) is at the end of the arete,
> just before the pinnacles, and the easiest way of dealing
> with it (from Snowdon summit) is to bag the top and then
> reverse back to Bwlch Coch. There is a path down into Cwm
> Glas from there. The descent from upper Cwm Glas Mawr is
> another matter! (see below).
>
> If your party wants to do the arete and then Crib Goch
> north ridge, it is not difficult to get off, on the west
> side, into upper Cwm Glas Mawr, after the initial
> scrambling descent, but this will take longer than the
> "reversing" route mentioned above, and time will be a
> factor if you are doing all of the 3000s.
>
> Andy mentions a route on the *east* of Dinas Mot, from
> Steve Ashton, but this may not be what you want if heading
> for Nant Peris and Elidir. There are two routes down from
> upper Cwm Glas Mawr which are OK for walkers, but in both
> cases prior knowledge is highly recommended. If you are
> leading a party I would regard it as compulsory.
>
> Looking up from the Llanberis Pass from either the Pont y
> Gromlech lay-by, or the next one down, you have Dinas Mot
> on your left. You can make a way up right (west) of the
> Mot and will eventually reach a dry stone wall or two -
> there may be a gate through, can't quite remember. Looking
> up into the Cwm you will see a prominent black-streaked
> cliff. Somewhat left of that a small stream comes steeply
> down from the upper Cwm, which is shown on the 25k map,
> but not on the 50k.
>
> There is a path which more or less follows the small
> stream, which has some waterfalls, and which tops out in a
> flatter area of rock slabs and scattered boulders etc.
> From here you have a good view of the upper Cwm and it is
> well worthwhile exploring the Cwm for its own sake, as
> well as for your recce. The north ridge of Crib Goch is in
> prominent view and you will probably see the line of a
> path coming down the scree / boulders which form this side
> of the ridge. In descent, you will obviously need to be
> quite sure you can locate the top of the small stream so
> as to pick up the safe descent path.
>
> The other route, from lower down the pass, more or less
> follows the main water course which descends from Llyn
> Glas, but you will need to recce this too if you want to
> use it on the day.
>
> Speaking personally I would not want to bivvy anywhere
> close to Snowdon summit - not a quiet place at any time.
> If you bivvied at Bwlch Coch, or in upper Cwm Glas, you
> could quickly bag Crib Goch summit and be on your way to
> Carnedd Ugain and Snowdon as soon as light was sufficient.
> The recommended descent would then be down Cwm Glas
> *Bach*, starting at Clogwyn Station. This drops you
> somewhat closer to Nant Peris (for Elidir) and is less
> problematic than the Cwm Glas *Mawr* descents.

Thanks for the responses.

I was planning to recce the route this weekend, but
events prevented
it.

Based on the above, I will stick to my original plan of
doing Crib Goch 1st and using the route down from by
Clogwyn station.