In late march, is it madness.

A couple of years ago I took some complete novices (with Highclimbers expert guidance on the first leg) over tryfan and up and down Snowdon.

They had underestimate the severity of the route so we adapted the route and got home safely.

Our ‘challenge’ next year is the Yorkshire 3 peaks. Everyone has good levels of fitness but no mountain skills.

I got some good advice last time round, so, is March’s weather going to create a route to difficult? Anyone got real experience of *average* conditions in north yorks in march.

Cheers.

I’ve been around in March with tricky (without crampons) snow and ice patches above 1500ft. Most times in March there would have been none!

So probably absolutely fine, but don’t assume it.

As above some years it can be fine, warm, sunny. Others frozen snowy awful.

This year was basically snow free but here is mid March 2013 on Pen-y-Ghent

Banked out path by (Pennine), on Flickr

And week before on Whernside. Deep snow & a howling gale.

Gale force wind & crusty snow by (Pennine), on Flickr

And remember daylight hours are approx 12hrs so start early from Horton

I remember going for a walk over Whernside in Feb 2013 – down at Ribblehead it was maybe 8 degrees or so. On the summit was heavy snow and gale force wind. The dog loved it!

But it highlighted how different conditions can be between the summit and the base.

Anyone got real experience of *average* conditions in north yorks in march.

There isn’t an average – I’ve had 4 seasons in 1 day in Yorkshire even in mid-summer, never mind in March!

No mountain skills and assume equipment. A long time ago I got caught on Kinder plateau a few days after heavy snow was OK going up but murder getting down without crampons. I did the three peaks in the summer and I wouldn’t fancy the decent from Whernside if there was Ice or compacted snow. If there has been snow leave it until later in the year.

Yep, I got around it in trail shoes in those kind of conditions underfoot, but the ice and snow slowed me down a lot in a couple of places – descending off Ingleborough towards Cold Cotes was quite nervy to say the least.

If you wait until late April, the chances of proper conditions are much reduced, and you’ll all enjoy the challenge far more.

Thanks everyone,

once again a good steer from the kind folk at STW.

I think there’s enough *average* bad weather, or risk thereof to put the walk back a month. (Mental note to pack flip flops 😀

First memories of Pen y Ghent are heading up when staying in Helwith Bridge on a scout camp when I was about 13. I think it was february, it was very wet, very windy, very cold and the bogs were awesome. Cracking day out, it will always be my favourite hill in the world 🙂

If a bunch of 13 year old boys can do it, so can you.

There’s a big peat bog after Pen-Y-Ghent. All good tracks other than that. it’s a cracking walk, done it a few times. It can get a bit snowy around March, though.

The ‘big peat bog’ of Black Dubb can now be avoided. A new path has been provided from the top of Horton Lane to Sell Gill & the Ribble Way

Ingleborough Feb

Not much of a view by (Pennine), on Flickr