Wednesday, December 30, 2009

Moel Siabod

Peaks: Moel Siabod
Area: Eryri

A good test of navigation and winter skills. Quite bad weather throughout, very close to genuine white-out conditions particularly on the northern slopes of the mountain. Slightly stressful to be guiding Rich and his friend Stu in these conditions. We ploughed up to Llyn y Foel in thick snow - waist/chest deep drifts in numerous places with me breaking trail throughout. Visibility perhaps 15 metres at this point. Couldn't see the Daear Ddu ridge even when we were directly below it, and so picking a route up through the drifts was problematic (but enjoyable). A shallow gully eventually gained the crest, and we weaved up through the ice-draped crags, good sport in places, but painfully slow with me conscious of the time and trying to chivvy the others along. Strong winds now, with visibility down to 10 metres or so. Picked a steepish route through the rimed-up rocks near the summit, then descended on a bearing in a near white-out.

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