2015 seemed to get off to a good start. On the third day of the year I found myself back in Snowdonia’s Ogwen valley completing a 18km circuit of the northern Glyders, walking with Andy from Walkhighlands. The route included two Hewitts (Foel Goch and Carnedd y Filiast) that I had tried to climb last year but had missed out on after atrocious weather forced a route change. Conditions this time were much better. A reasonable amount of snow on the ground and decent visibility most of the day. It was good to get them in the bag and looking at my map after the walk, I realise that of all the Glyderau summits only Tryfan remains virgin territory for me – one to save for a nice day. Foel Goch has a grassy but exposed summit, with teriffic views down the valley. Further north, Carnedd y Filiast and its subsidiary top were an interesting pair. The jagged rock formations reminded me of the more famous Glyders to the south but there was also something forlorn and lonely about this less explored northern end of the range.
Pen Yr Ole Wen and Tryfan from Foel Goch
Last weekend I’d planned to be up in Scotland bagging my first munros of the year but sadly the weather forced a change of plan. After a cold but bright spell on the Scottish mountains over the New Year weekend (how I wish I had been able to be up there then) the north west of the UK has been battered by a series of fierce winter storms coming in from the Atlantic. In the run up to last weekend’s planned trip I had been watching all the weather forecasts closely, and carefully monitoring the avalanche warnings from the Scottish Avalanche Information Service. One thing that I have learned about managing avalanche risk on the Scottish mountains in winter is that simply checking the situation the night before you walk isn’t sufficient. You need to be watching the weather closely in the days before you walk to get a picture of what sort of state the mountain might be in when you get there.
Last weekend I had my sights on Beinn Challum near Crianlarich and Ben Chonzie in Perthshire. Both solitary munros with relatively straightforward routes approaching from the south, they seemed like good choices. With the recent storm force winds coming in from the west and south west I was keen to avoid any routes up leeward slopes to the north and east where snow accumulations would pose the greatest avalanche danger. However, any slope with snow on it can present a danger and I also know that a significant proportion of avalanches occur during periods of new snowfall. (SAIS records already show one avalanche this season on Chonzie’s southern slopes). Last Friday, my first planned day out, the forecast was for gale force winds and heavy precipitation. Things looked a bit better for Saturday – but not by much. Also, while Friday’s planned walk was from close by to the B&B, Saturday would have involved a long drive, the final section of which would have taken me along a remote country lane probably covered in deep snow. Even accounting for difficulty actually getting to the hill, all the signals flashed red that last weekend was not the best for solo winter munro bagging. There was going to be a lot of fresh, deep and unconsolidated snow with a lot more being dumped on top. Ideal avalanche conditions.
So, after some consideration (the urge to just go for it and see how I would get on was pretty strong) I coughed up 50 quid to British Airways and shifted my flight and car booking back to later in the year. I’m very grateful to Ewich house in Strathfillian, who allowed me to rebook my accommodation with no hassle. All mountaineers need to know when to turn round and in wintertime, knowing whether or not even to set out involves similar judgment. Being so far from the mountains of Scotland and needing to book travel and accommodation in advance, quitting a mountain 460 miles from its summit is very frustrating. But safety is priceless and any mountaineer’s risk appetite should fall in winter time. Some things that you would try in summer you simply wouldn’t in winter.
Summit, Elidir Fawr, 3 January 2015
So January 2015 turns out to be munro free. My next planned trip north of the border will be the last weekend in February and hopefully the weather will have improved. It wasn’t the start to the mountaineering year I had wished for. Last January I only managed one munro (having to turn back on Carn Mor Dearg before starting the ridge to Ben Nevis) and I had hoped for a better start to 2015. But in winter, plans being frustrated by the weather is just par for the course. There will be many more days and those munros aren’t going anywhere. They’re just sitting there, as they have been for millennia, waiting patiently for me.
incompleatist 