Thursday 29 June 2017

Alpine Starts for Cader

Sleep deprivation and flying at full speed have been the themes of the last week! A few more days until it's time to chill! After a couple of hours sleep in the back of the van, Thursday started off with an early morning ascent of Cader Idris in mid-Wales. Alarms were set for pre 3:30am! Ugh!



There was a thick damp mist covering the mountain from bottom to top. I was taking some students on a challenge day to climb Cader, Tryfan and Snowdon. We were on top before 7:30am where we sheltered in the summit hut while eating donuts. 



On the way down, the clouds lifted slightly and we could enjoy a view out to the west coast for a while. 



Once into Ogwen, Aled took over the guiding while the rain began I earnest. It only took them about 3 or 4 hours before I was driving them around to Pen y Pass. It would have been completely honourable to call it a day here, given the horrendous weather, but all but one continued up to the summit. It was about 9:30pm when the battle weary and bedraggled team re emerged from the mists... Elated yet exhausted, I got them back to base via champagne and a burger stop and eventually got to bed shortly after mid-night...

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