Snowdon Ascent?

mfereborn

I'm doing Snowdon on Saturday morning from about 9/10am, looking to follow the Llanberis path up and down as knowing the mountain this is probably the safest/most rideable track up there without trying to kill myself.

I'm just wondering if anyone has done this before that can give me some information?

I've walked it twice now and been in the area a good few times but having never ridden it i'm wondering if there are any special considerations i should make with regards to riding style - or even if its all rideable. I seem to remember some steep gravel towards the top past the railway bridge, is it firm or not?

Additionally i've read a lot about punctures, how true is it that these are VERY common?

I'm looking to do this as im taking a group up there in March and i need a bit of additional information before going.

Bike is a Zesty 214 so will handle the mountain okay, only thing im really concerned about is cooking my brakes!

Any idea of how long the ride up/down should take if its a 2-3 hour walk?

ddraver

It's still a 2-3 hour walk unless your a climbing god - but then it's about a 20min descent...

Yep the gravel bit is loose - lots of fun! It's the bit afterwards which is now "paved" that is a real PITA!

I'd put a few more psi in the tyres to ward of pinch flats - by the bottom you ll have conquered any drop off fears you have so you ll be flying of all the little steps

DodgeT

Paved, you talking about telegraph valley?
Don't remember any paved sections of llanberis route. We went up llanberis and down rangers / telegraph, next time it'll be up and down llanberis though.
From memory, id say the only unrideable bits would be the steps after halfway station. Apart from that should be a blast - just make sure you've got plenty of wind in yer tyres !!

mfereborn

Aye, now this is funny i was talking to a lad who rode it at 4psi! god knows how but apparantly thats the technique...

I ahve nobby nics so ill try it our way!

Hopefully i'll ride it all, even if it means rests on the big climbs but we shall see how it goes, and hopefully the ground will br frozen!

Llanberis path certainly the right way to try it thoguh eh?

DodgeT

Up and down llanberis for me. People rave about rangers and telegraph valley (for the descent), but for me it consisted of this ;
couple hundred yds of rocky stuff
fast flattish stuff
bit of really loose scree
tight switchbacks bout 6 - 10
real gnarly rock section about 50yds
then flat with stupid metal water bars all the way to telegraph valley
TV is just a paved section, again with loads of water bars
bit of tarmac to finish

as opposed to llanberis route which starts off the same so;
couple hundred yds of rocky stuff
fast flattish stuff
then rocky lovely stuff all the way back down to the bottom

4 psi, must of had alomsot solid tyres
you'll be snakebiting everywhere if your not careful with technique and pressures.

how many of you are doing it?

mfereborn

hi mate i thoguht that about 4psi, balls if you ask me...

I'm doing it alone on saturday with 6 of us going end of march

DodgeT

Think he missed a 0 off the end....
Alone, bloody eck, go prepared as the weather could be absolutely crap. Don't think personally i'd do it alone, nothing more than it'll be boring on the way up, no one to say "i feel like dying" to
Tempted to come with you actually...

DodgeT

Snow according to this site http://www.snow-forecast.com/resorts/Snowdon/6day/top

If you do do it alone, sign up to the mountain rescue service...http://www.hikingforum.co.uk/content/127-999-text-service-mountain-rescue-emergency-calls.html

mfereborn

Hi mate, your welcome to give it a shot with me, im a prospective ML so im confident in the conditions on offer - just wondering if my climbing ability is up to it

I have an emergency procedure in place and have reports from two parties who went up the mountain this week stating some deep snow in places but otherwise fine.

Oh and i registered for 999Text last week actually!

DodgeT

Mountain leader (or similar) ?

mfereborn

Yeah Mountain Leader mate, done my training, just gathering the experience. The expedition i'll be leading is part of my degree (2nd year) - outdoor education at Trinity Saint David University, Carmarthen.

We get into far too many stupid scenarios such as this snowdon cycle thing :P

Welcome to join me, probably looking to get to llanberis about 9-10am and ride directly up and down, then the afternoon will be CYB for a couple of runs on the more difficult trails.

DodgeT

Sounds cool.
I'll see whats happening / what the weathers looking like and poss be in touch..

ddraver

Well you ve got a guide so stick with him...

I mean the bit after the railway bridge which now has large flat rocks to prevent erosion - they re extending it down the path too , Perhaps paved was nt the word....

My personal favourite is the 'beris up, rangers down, telegraph valley route, I think it makes a nicer loop, especially know as they re removing a lot of the fun bits from the Llanberis path in favour of the "big flat rocks"

DodgeT

How did you get on??

mfereborn

The up was murder mate - to be honest i pushed more than 90% of the way up, downhill however everything but the very peak and maybe 50metres distance down was rideable!

Brilliant fun but questioning its useage on my exped now due to the climbing!

DodgeT

Was that because of snow / ice or beer the night before
And did you do 'beris up and down?

theshrew

Im rubbish at climbing - Is it a case of having to push up or if you wanted could you go on the train with your bike upto the top get a few goes at going down in one day ?

DodgeT

You wont get on the train, tried several times.
Only chance you might have (which I meant to try last time, but was stuck in a field at the time - long story ) is set off just before the first supplies train up in the morning and see if you can catch it at an opportune moment and offer the lads on there a fiver to take you up. Probably tell you to feck off but got to be worth a try.

Its not so bad getting up, quite a bit of it is rideable, the rest is easy going with the bike, apart from the huge steps, which doesnt go on for too long.
Took less than 2hrs up, with about 4 food stops and doing a detour due to getting lost.... 1 1/2hrs should be comfortable.

theshrew

Cheers

mfereborn

Hi, i did do llanberis path up and down - but i just didnt have the energy for the climbing by bike having down about 50km the previous two days (and the previous day most of it was at Nant in the pissing rain)

It was ridable, if not all - and if i'd really tried i could have made most of it but i'd never have enjoyed the descent due to tiredness - certainly well worth doing though!

DodgeT

Cool, sounds like you had a good few days ! Any pics?

ddraver

The best ride I did on it was on a June evening after work and we took out time on the climb and tried to re-ride bits, If you ant to ride up, i think it's something to do with some riding mates, without any time pressure and a few sandwiches

mfereborn

The only pics i got were tarty posing pictures my camera stopped working due to the cold!