Winter Mountaineering on Tryfan

IMPORTANT INFORMATION

You must bring an ice axe. Crampons are optional and unlikely to be needed. An axe is essential. You don't need anything fancy. Something like this will be fine:

https://www.gooutdoors.co.uk/16470096/dmm-spire-axe-60cm-16470096

THIS IS NOT A WINTER WALKING MEET. It will be a bona fide mountaineering exercise. There will be some moderate exposure as well as a lot of scrambling on rock, snow and ice.

Route: Tryfan North Ridge

Meet at: Tryfan car park on the A5 just West of Tryfan and Milestone Buttress and on the same side of the road. OS map reference SH663603. As an environmentally conscious group, we actively encourage car sharing. Further details of car sharing arrangements from Sheffield, Manchester and elsewhere will appear in the comments section nearer the time.

Get 2025 off to a flying start with a winter ascent of the finest and most iconic of all the magnificent Welsh mountains. The dramatic shark fin profile of Tryfan standing tall over the Ogwen Vally has long been a Mecca for mountaineers. In winter conditions under a blanket of snow it can be particularly magical. We will ascend the mountain by its famous North Ridge, a classic scramble route that leads all the way to the summit. We will then descend via the less technical South Ridge to Bwlch Tryfan then on down the path past Llyn Bochlwyd to take us back to the car park.

Photos of our previous winter ascents of Tryfan can be seen here:

https://4142298.xyz/sheffield-mountaineering-rock-climbing-meet/photos/34229280/

https://4142298.xyz/Sheffield-Mountaineering-Rock-Climbing-Meet/photos/31651993/

Difficulty: Grade 1 scrambling/Grade I winter climbing. For more information on grades see these links:

https://www.thebmc.co.uk/understanding-scrambling-grades

https://www.thebmc.co.uk/winter-climbing-grades

Experience Required: No previous winter climbing experience required however some previous rock climbing/scrambling/mountaineering experience is essential.

Duration: Approx. 6 km with height gain of approx. 650 metres. Estimated time 4 to 6 hours.

Ordnance Survey Map: OS 115 Snowdon/Yr Wyddfa 1:50,000 scale.

Guidebooks: Scrambles in Snowdonia published by Cicerone Press.

As always, if everybody wants to contribute £2.00 towards our Meet Up site fees and other operating costs that will be great, thanks.