Cwm Glas winter climbing

Crag: Cyrn Las, Llanberis
Route: Sergeant's Gully (II: led p.1)
The timing of this trip was not ideal, as I'd just returned from London. But you have to take advantage of good conditions, of course, although it was disappointingly 8c warmer in Llanberis than HK! From the Pass though, it looked like Sergeants might still be in condition - obviously frozen, and clearly visible left of Cyrn Las. A nice walk-in, followed by a series of fun pitches up the initial ice falls. A mixture of pure water ice and nice neve, although the water was still running in many places. Roped up for a steeper little pitch up good ice, after which I plunged through a pool and drenched my feet - ensuring discomfort for the rest of the day. I continued up the next little pitch, which was also wet, although good ice could still be found. Brought up Alwyn, then enjoyed the excellent ice higher up as the gully widens out and eases off. Plodded up into a very wintry, very cold Cwm Glas. Always a great place to be, but the snow was unconsolidated (which would have rendered the likes of Parsley Fern an unpleasant slog), so we contoured round and then descended via a series of ice falls with more climbing.