It is 2259 and Buffy and I are checking in to the YHA at Pen-y-Pas after a horrendous journey up from London in rush hour traffic and torrential rain. I know that is always the curse of trying to escape the South East for a weekend in the hills but this trip was particularly horrid. As the YHA staff checked us in with minute to spare I nipped outside under the pretense of getting our bags from the car to sneak a look at the valley. The weather had actually cleared somewhat and the moon lit up the start of both the Pyg and Miners track. It seemed to be clearing but as I had never climbed Snowdon in anything better than low cloud and drizzle I decided to check before I jinxed it. Distracted I headed back in and arriving in the room I was too busy checking the weather forecast to stop Buffy snaffling the top bunk. On the plus side that left me closer to the bag containing the Percy Pigs.
As an aside I would highly recommend the YHA at Pen-y-Pas. The staff are friendly, the bar cosy and the rooms perfect for anyone walking in the hills. Plus they are considerably cheaper than anything else in the area even if the car park requires you to take out a second mortgage. It has the added benefit of just walking out the front door and instantly having access to three of the main routes, Pyg, Miners and Crib Goch, to Snowdon which means that you can get on the hill nice and early and therefore make it back in good time for tea and medals in the bar.
The next day was cold and clear with the tops of the surrounding peaks clear in the low early sun. What cloud there was blew through quickly and I was very hopeful of getting a decent view when we got to the top. There was some lingering mist and cloud in the lower valleys which gave some spectacular views as we made our way up the Pyg track.
Despite having been here many times before the significance of climbing Snowdon was not lost on me. A great many of those who had been to the Himalaya and specifically Everest had trained in Snowdonia. Even the YHA bar, Mallory’s, at Pen-y-Pas was named for the legendary climber George Mallory who famously coined the phrase “because it’s there”. Mallory later lost his life on the North Face of Everest either just shy of the summit or, as I hope, shortly after achieving his life’s ambition and climbing the world’s tallest mountain. His body remains on the mountain.
Even with it being late November there were a lot of people on the mountain and there was the usual flow of “traffic” up the mountain. This is always one of the least enjoyable aspects of a day in the mountains for me as I enjoy a certain degree of solitude, or as my wife puts it “I am a misanthropic miserable bastard” which is probably more accurate.
We made good time on the way up the Pyg track and the weather was so good that I regretted not heading up and over Crib Goch. Reaching the ridge I was treated to a spectacular view. I had never seen it even remotely that clear before and as we slowly made our way up to the actual summit we took the time to admire the view down to the coast and back across the whole of Snowdonia. The summit was crowded but we still managed the obligatory summit shots complete with Wooden Spoon bobble hat!
We decided to head back down the Miners Track and after the steep descent straight down to the valley bottom from the ridge we meandered back around the lakes to Pen-y-Pas and a well earned beer in Mallory’s bar. A good day and it felt like my lungs had started to get some of the their capacity back. I am starting to remember why I loved walking the mountains and I very much want to go back to Snowdonia before my trip to Everest to walk an old favourite route of mine up around Tryfan, Glyder Fach and Glyder Fawr.
Next up though for my preparation is South Wales. Three days in the Brecons and Black Mountains beckons in early January and I look forward to re-visiting Cribyn, Pen-y-Fan and Waun Fach all of which were regular climbs in my early twenties. Shortly afterwards I join up with the rest of the LMAX Everest Rugby Challenge team on Ben Nevis for another training weekend. I am hoping to get at least some snow during these trips just to get a little flavour before arriving in Tibet. Hopefully the “client lunch” heavy Christmas period will not put too large a dent in my fitness drive but if so I am sure the Welsh and Scottish mountains will soon sort me out!
As the trip comes ever closer I am still trying to define #MyEverest but despite my ongoing doubts and reservations about being ready and my concerns over whether my battered frame will hold together long enough to play that final rugby match I am starting to rediscover my love of the outdoors. For me that makes the effort worth it and I am hopeful that I will want to continue after I return from Everest regardless of the outcome.
Deano's World 