Conditions Report from Peter Shepherd. Thanks Pete!
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Went out walking on Cadair Fawr as planned. Just about enough snow in a couple of places to demonstrate how to arrest, but it was all loose powder snow, so was bunching up under you rather than being able to get a good slide going.
Dropped past RAC on the way back. The roadside culvert route is not in yet, but its getting there. Mid afternoon temp was reading -2 on the car. A fair amount of ice around, but still a lot of water. Give it 2 days, I reckon.
Did see a pair of climbers at the bottom of the last pitch of the full stream route though, which does look to be in, and then spotted them by the style on the bottom fence as we were driving back past.
Saturday 27 November 2010
Conditions report - Pen y Fan 27/11/10
Conditions report- pen y fan 26/11/10
Been up pen y fan for a walk and explore around the n.face to see how things are shaping up this morning. Snow is thin on the ground at the base of the path from the resevoir car park but about half way up water is starting to freeze. Lots of blown snow and on the plateau at the top the north westerly slopes are scouring with small deposits in the lee. Patchy semi frozen turf above about 700m but nothing of note.
Summit is scoured with reasonbly substantial deposits in the path down to storey arms and descnt route to north face.
Gully lines have got reasonable accumulations but will need another week or so of cold temps for the ice steps to form and some freeze thaw for any level of consolidation. Please don't climb at the moment as the turf is definitely not froZen enough but may be coming into marginal condition towards the middle of the coming week.
Headwall routes are freezing up nicely with small amount of rime building up and iced up cracks. Some of the tougher grade 4/5 crack lines will go for adventurous mixed climbers. I had a cheeky solo on the right hand crack which is holding a hook well and the rock is frozen enough to torque.
All in all, looking promising but aside from the headwall will need a few mire days before climbing for the turf an ice steps to freeze and/or snow consolidate.
Couple photos to follow later.
Been up pen y fan for a walk and explore around the n.face to see how things are shaping up this morning. Snow is thin on the ground at the base of the path from the resevoir car park but about half way up water is starting to freeze. Lots of blown snow and on the plateau at the top the north westerly slopes are scouring with small deposits in the lee. Patchy semi frozen turf above about 700m but nothing of note.
Summit is scoured with reasonbly substantial deposits in the path down to storey arms and descnt route to north face.
Gully lines have got reasonable accumulations but will need another week or so of cold temps for the ice steps to form and some freeze thaw for any level of consolidation. Please don't climb at the moment as the turf is definitely not froZen enough but may be coming into marginal condition towards the middle of the coming week.
Headwall routes are freezing up nicely with small amount of rime building up and iced up cracks. Some of the tougher grade 4/5 crack lines will go for adventurous mixed climbers. I had a cheeky solo on the right hand crack which is holding a hook well and the rock is frozen enough to torque.
All in all, looking promising but aside from the headwall will need a few mire days before climbing for the turf an ice steps to freeze and/or snow consolidate.
Couple photos to follow later.
Friday 26 November 2010
SNOW!
So, although I accept this post is completely pre-emptive, this years winter season may well be on its way. With the recent cold snap and snow all over the country, the first flakes have begun to fall in the valleys and if the weather forecast is anything to go by for the next two weeks, it might not be all that long before the local water features start forming.
About time I started this blog again, so I'll keep it updated with any news and info on weather, conditions, access and ice. I'll be out a lot and will keep updated with my own reports and photos but as with last year it would be fantastic if you could keep your own coming in which will of course be published on here for everyone to see.
This is the kind of forecast I like to see - http://www.metcheck.com/V40/UK/FREE/7days.asp?zipcode=merthyr%20tydfil
Bring it on.
About time I started this blog again, so I'll keep it updated with any news and info on weather, conditions, access and ice. I'll be out a lot and will keep updated with my own reports and photos but as with last year it would be fantastic if you could keep your own coming in which will of course be published on here for everyone to see.
This is the kind of forecast I like to see - http://www.metcheck.com/V40/UK/FREE/7days.asp?zipcode=merthyr%20tydfil
Bring it on.
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