On The Hills

Snowdon, Clogwyn Dur Arddu. – The Editor admits that he had never seen these magnificent crags, and strongly recommends every climber not to miss them. They can be seen on days when Snowdon top is reached from Penygwryd , by descending the Llanberis path, and the return made by Cwm Glas without adding much to the day.

Nine days in September, 1921, were spent at Rhyd-ddu by F. S Smythe and E. E. Roberts. The entertainment by Mrs. Owen at the Quellyn Arms was of the best. Three days were given to the great crag.

With the exception of the West Wall of the West Buttress, all the climbing appeared to have been done on the Far West Buttress. They were able to add a nice climb up a conspicuous rake, below and parallel to the Western Terrace, named Giant’s Trod, perhaps absurdly, from its resemblance to a broken-down Giant’s Crawl (Dow Crag). lt is a long run out for the leader, 80 feet, the whole of a 100 feet rope being used. Also Smythe climbed alone a steep portion east of the Slanting Chimney fissure, and girdled the Far West Buttress on grass ledges.

The other buttresses are extraordinary places, narrow, undeveloped cracks between holdless slabs being the only breaks in the vertical walls. A trayerse by grass ledges across the East Buttress was found at about two-thirds of its height, rather difficult close to the East Terrace.

The Far East Buttress is almost cut in two by a wide fairly easy rake, which was followed down to the finish above an overhang. An attempt was then made from below to reach ledges leading up to the rake, but the first wall afforded only holds of too doubtful a type to trust. Further east at the end of the crag the slabs were more broken up and better rock led to grass bands, which could also be reached on the level from the scree. These were traversed to the foot of a tower, across which it was possible to get up to the rake. A chimney, however, ran up behind and to the east of the tower. The middle part did not go, but a climb on grass led above it. To our intense surprise the top 20 feet were feasible, though in his excitement the leader did not hesitate to lasso a pinnacle to make sure. This is apparently the first climb on the Far East Buttress, and the fact that there are holds in the crack caused it to be labelled Nonsuch Chimney.

The West Wall climb was found excellent sport. The route taken was by a sensational and difficult traverse to a stance close to the gully (whence Messrs. Abrahams seem to have gone straight up), and then up a short steep bit of rock into it. Above, the gully shrank to a narrow chimney with a chockstone, and the only route was reminiscent of caving work. A short stiff traverse then led into a crack to the left, with a good stance below, and a strenuous climb with a landing on a dangerous load of stones finished the difficult part by reaching the wide and deep cut gully. There is a delightful chimney in the right-hand branch and a nice wall climb above. Would there were more climbs like this on Clogwyn dur Arddu !

Emphatically, exploration on the crag must be done in nailed boots, owing to the amount of vegetation. Rubbers may be suitable on parts of the Far West Buttress.

A serious warning is necessary as to the use of the Far West Terrace as a quick descent. The end must be climbed roped and with care, even if the proper route is found easily, preferably by two only.

A splendid day’s sport with rubbers was obtained on a crag far down below Bwlch-y-Maen, close to Llechog.

Ogwen, Carnedd Y Filiast. – It may interest climbers to know that the apparently impracticable slabs on this mountain are in reality well broken up and offer several routes of varying difficulty.

The Alps. – Those who went out late were not well treated by the weather. C. Chubb, at Arolla, had only one good climb, the Dent Perroc over the Pointe Genévoise with Etienne Vuignier in 14 hours, two days after a heavy snowstorm.

A.M. Woodward, in Dauphiné, climbed the Lauranoure from St. Christophe, a long day with apparently a new descent on the S. face. From La Bérarde he traversed the Plaret and went up the Pic Coolidge.

A.B. Roberts, in the same district, climbed the Tête du Rouget, Pic Coolidge, and the Pic des Etages, also in Savoy the Tsanteleina.

Ski-ing. – F.S. Smythe has become a ski-runner (like Wingfield and Mackie), through spending a winter at Innsbruck and Kitzbühel, and a spring at the Swiss Baden. From Innsbruck he climbed the Klein Brandjoch and the Pfremes Wand on foot, and on ski crossed the Solstein Joch to Scharnitz. From Kitzbühel he did nine peaks on ski, the highest being the Schützen Kogel (6,821 feet). On the Gross Venediger he ascended the Ober Salzbach Glacier to 9,000 feet. On ski in May he climbed the Claridenstock, and on foot Piz Rusein (Tödi).