great day out on tryfan

kidsan · Joined: 15 Mar 2007 Posts: 23 Location: corwen, n. wales

I was out on the north ridge yesterday and it seemed that i found the best route that i've ever found on the north ridge, and though it is probably impossible to describe, i thought i would attempt to share some of it with you.

Being a bank holiday weekend, there were of course 1001 people on tryfan yesterday, but, by taking a route as far to the right (i.e. west) as possible, i managed to get to the 'nose' (i.e. the final crags) without meeting more than one other person!
I started with the milestone gully & continuation and then continued heading as far right as i could and taking all likely-looking crags. I came eventually to a right-trending chimney which i have backed off before but managed to get up this time. This in turn led to some lovely scrambling almost unbroken, with maybe only one or two sections of heather before the nose.
And once at the nose, i then followed the lead of a guy i met further down, who ignored the normal routes up (like a conveyor belt yesterday!) and headed off to the right and the arete on the skyline. This turned out to be a great way to the top, with very little polish and some lovely (if a little airy) scrambling right up to the 'final' crag.

So, i dont know if this will make any sense to anyone but i am more than happy to go out with anyone and show you. (i live locally)...provided i can find it again myself!

(i posted the following as a review on the route but then saw that maybe it is more appropriate in the forum, so feel free to remove it from there)

Touching Centauri · Joined: 06 Mar 2007 Posts: 91 Location: Bangor/St Helens

Sounds like a great day. The joy of the N Ridge is that every time you return you find new lines and testing obstacles. Even on a normal weekend Tryfan is pretty packed though so yesterday it must have been rather unbearable!

I escaped the crowds yesterday by heading to the Lleyn Peninsula and Yr Eifl (which does have a rather fun boulder field to scramble up) to enjoy the sun. Not somewhere I get to very often but it's completely different to the rest of north Snowdonia.

kidsan · Joined: 15 Mar 2007 Posts: 23 Location: corwen, n. wales

no, i dont know what on earth drew me to tryfan yesterday of all days...but i sometimes like the challenge of being in very busy areas but finding alternative routes! It is amazing how much the majority just follow each other without any sense of exploring a little, especially when you consider just how many different options there are on tryfan.

Well, i think you were probably better off on the lleyn!

kidsan · Joined: 15 Mar 2007 Posts: 23 Location: corwen, n. wales

ok, went back with a mate and did the arete at the top of tryfan again. Found out later that it is in fact a mod climb in the ogwen guide called notch arete. It is, however, quite soloable imho and is a lovely clean line up the arete. Definately wortha look at next time you're up there and if you dont like it, there's an escape into the gully to the right.

Touching Centauri · Joined: 06 Mar 2007 Posts: 91 Location: Bangor/St Helens

Sounds good. I think I vaguely know where you mean. Is it the tower before the notch where lots of people traverse round the east face rather than scrambling up direct?

johnwakeman · Joined: 06 Mar 2007 Posts: 31

kidsan · Joined: 15 Mar 2007 Posts: 23 Location: corwen, n. wales

well, i would attach a photo here showing pretty clearly where the route is but not sure how to do it...any help?

Touching Centauri · Joined: 06 Mar 2007 Posts: 91 Location: Bangor/St Helens

Well it's awfully steep! (photo is up in the gallery). Doesn't look like something I'd be happy on without a rope. Will have an investigation next time I'm up I think.

kidsan · Joined: 15 Mar 2007 Posts: 23 Location: corwen, n. wales

yes, it does look rather fearsome in that photo!! but it's really not so bad...i'm not the boldest climber out there and i really felt quite safe on it. As you say, go take a look. It must be noted that the hardest part is actually getting up onto the arete!

johnwakeman · Joined: 06 Mar 2007 Posts: 31

johnwakeman · Joined: 06 Mar 2007 Posts: 31

I've put some pics of the 'north-west' approach to Tryfan and Notch Arete on my Flickr page:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/tejanandajohnwakeman/?saved=1

I'll put some more up here eventually, but it takes longer to resize them etc.

John

Touching Centauri · Joined: 06 Mar 2007 Posts: 91 Location: Bangor/St Helens

Cheers, they definitely give a better idea of the route. My exams finish next Monday so I may get out mid-week and have a look then.