I could barely be further from the Hawaiian beaches of a few days ago. I've been busy ever since we arrived back, which has meant that I'd not had time to be jet lagged. I was planning on a relaxing day today, but how could I refuse an early morning call from Tim, to join him on an ice climbing tour of Cwm Idwal. We met an hour later by the Ogwen river, which was starting to freeze over!
It was obviously cold enough for ice climbing, the problem was the forecast, which was giving 80mph winds, with an estimated -30 degrees windchill! Either way, it seemed a good time to test out the lastest Lowe Alpine 'Descent 35' rucksack. It's designed for ski touring, but coped pretty well ice climbing today. I felt very 'European' with my rope and helmet strapped to the outside of my pack!
With a few ideas in mind, we walked up to the new bridge which has been recently installed over Idwal Stream. Strong gusts blew us about and pelted us with blowing snow. We needed goggles on just to walk up there! (and the 'bad' weather was forecast for the afternoon!).
We set off from the bridge and soloed up to the main pitches on good ice.
It turned out to be a sociable day as we soon caught up with a few other teams. It was too cold to wait, so we continued around them moving solo as the main falls had various lines to climb. We got the rope out for a final pitch and belayed from two solid ice screws. With the weather ever worsening and the main pitches climbed we exited the ice to the right and walked down some steep old neve, rather than continue upwards, where the weather would only be more extreme. We skited along the base of the cliffs before heading down to the path to check out the condition of the ice. There's plenty of it, but I was too tired to want to commit to any of them. It was harsh yet exciting watching the snow-filled gusts blowing towards us and bracing for impact!
Another strong gust of wind and spindrift blasted us and we decided to head downwards not upwards!
After a bit of bouldering on an ice-covered boulder near Idwal Slabs, we decided to finish our day by climbing 'Introductory Gully'. (Idwal Staircase).
We climbed the main pitch, then did a 45m abseil back down from a spike, rather than commit to climbing higher. Llyn Idwal was partially frozen as we walked back down to the road.
As was the stream down to Ogwen Cottage. It was mid-afternoon and time to retreat for some well-earned tea and cake in the warmth of Siabod Cafe! Perhaps tomorrow I'll have a rest. Maybe...
Cwm Idwal:
- Idwal Stream, II/III**
- Introductory Gully, II*
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