Page Type:
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Route |
|---|---|
Lat/Lon:
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53.07206°N / 4.07796°W |
Route Type:
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Mountaineering |
Season:
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Winter |
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Time Required:
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Half a day |
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Difficulty:
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Depending on Ice conditions |
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Number of Pitches:
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3 |
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Grade:
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I |
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Overview
This winter route lies on the eastern side of the cliff that forms the summit of Y Wyddfa and seldom comes into condition these days and therefore this description is a historical one. The route follows the central "prong" of the Trident of three separate gullies and is possibly the easiest one of the three.Getting There
(see the main Y Wydffa page for general directions).This winter route, is accessed easily from the PYG track or the Miner's track and traversing across the hillside near the point that both tracks meet above Glaslyn. Depending on conditions, the stream flowing into Glaslyn may be frozen and can be ascended over iced-up steps to a small plateau below start of the gullies.
The route is obvious from the trail as the Trident shaped collection of three gullies can clearly be seen from the PYG or Miner's track as you ascend the path.
Route Description
The Miner's track seen from high on Y Wyddfa, winding its way up from Llyn Llydaw past Glaslyn
Climbing with Chris in January 1970, we were blessed with good clear conditions and we ascended the frozen waterfall from Glaslyn in a series of big steps. Then we roped up and moved onto the snow slope below the three separate gullies of the Trinity. Our chosen climb was the Central Trinity.
Chris enjoys the water ice of Pant y Lluwchfa
The route was mainly hard frozen snow but at the gulley constriction point, this had turned to ice for about forty feet due to melt/freeze and the actions of running meltwater.
We took a belay on snow stakes below this hard section and an ice axe belay above it. The angle was reasonably easy though, possibly 50 degrees at most and we soon ascended the hardest part and onto the last snow slope before exiting the gulley, arriving almost at the summit of Y Wyddfa
Chris waits for Johnnie on the final pitch just below the Y Wyddfa summit