Snowdon - Ranger pa...
 

[Closed] Snowdon - Ranger path condition???

 Rik
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I know late last year there were a few threads on extensive maintenance work starting on the Rangers path with big boulder bags flown in and actually dropped on the path itself rather than by the side.

Anybody been up/down it recently? Is it rideable? Is it still as good as it was?

Will be doing Snowdon in a few weeks from Llanberis and don't really want to do the straight up and down using the tourist path. When the Rangers path is usually so much better.


 
Posted : 06/03/2014 10:54 am
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just bookmarking this.

There was also contact info for someone responsible for planning the work if I remember correctly.

Will be visitting again before 1st of May and would appreciate knowing if Rangers is unobstructed yet.

Another option for you Rik is Rhyd Du. It's quite a good descent but very exposed and thus weather dependent.


 
Posted : 06/03/2014 11:42 am
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From previous thread:

If you want to get in touch re any of this to discuss further I'm on Twitter as @wardeneryri

Helen Pye

Snowdon Warden - Snowdonia National Park

I don't do twitter. Anyone suitably connected willing to ping her a note asking for a sitrep?
Thanks


 
Posted : 06/03/2014 11:53 am
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"Winter Conditions"

https://twitter.com/WardenEryri


 
Posted : 06/03/2014 12:12 pm
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2x damwain mewn 2x diwrnod ar #YrWyddfa oherwydd yr eira, cofiwch edrych ar amodau dan draed yr @metoffice cyn mynd allan

hope that helps.


 
Posted : 06/03/2014 12:14 pm
 iolo
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That welsh grammar is awful


 
Posted : 06/03/2014 12:23 pm
 Rik
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Thought about 'Rhyd Du' but it doesn't look that easy to link from a llanberis start more from the Lake in the next valley over the Pass?

Don't do twitter but Surely somebody must have been recently?

Doubt any winter conditions will last as it's supposed to be 13c this weekend


 
Posted : 06/03/2014 12:30 pm
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I'd assumed the work would have stopped for Winter, but the pic of people working on Llanberis side suggests otherwise.

Please could a suitably capable twitterer ask her what the current state of the work on the Ranger Path is and when it's planned to be complete. Also, are the bags of stone which have been flown in still on the path?
Thanks


 
Posted : 06/03/2014 12:33 pm
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I've tweeted her as we're over there in about six weeks time, will update with any response!


 
Posted : 06/03/2014 12:39 pm
 Rik
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Cool - cheers


 
Posted : 06/03/2014 12:54 pm
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Keen to know this too 🙂


 
Posted : 06/03/2014 1:05 pm
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Keeping an eye on this as I was planning on going in a couple of weeks, cheers!


 
Posted : 06/03/2014 1:55 pm
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Tick, planning another assult near Easter.


 
Posted : 06/03/2014 2:20 pm
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Fair bit of snow up there last weekend, I couldn't get up to Rangers and had to go back down Llanberis. It's been much nicer since then, though.


 
Posted : 06/03/2014 4:57 pm
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Helen says 'Hi @James0Lewis 2/3rds done, hope 2 b done by end of month, weather not helped! You'd have to walk/carry most of zig zags at mo sorry :('

Probably not worth having a crack at it for a good few weeks yet...


 
Posted : 06/03/2014 7:42 pm
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Thanks for the update.


 
Posted : 06/03/2014 8:05 pm
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Thanks for the update Bendigo


 
Posted : 06/03/2014 8:19 pm
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anyone been up since the better weather last few days? supposed to be going on sunday...


 
Posted : 06/03/2014 9:18 pm
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To be honest I can't see that it will have made too much difference as its very high at the top - it takes weeks to thaw out! Pics from a few days ago show a good couple of foot of snow at the top.


 
Posted : 06/03/2014 9:25 pm
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There was plenty of snow at the top in april when I went last year... but the rangers was rideable.


 
Posted : 07/03/2014 12:29 am
 kerv
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A few of us are hoping to ride it next weekend but never having done it before can anyone tell me where's best to start from? Is there an obvious route or maybe gps? I've walked up from Penn Y pass before but never ridden.


 
Posted : 07/03/2014 6:56 am
 Rik
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What's the best way to link Rhyd Du from Llanberis then?


 
Posted : 07/03/2014 7:05 am
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Anyone got a strava link from Llanberris, up the path and down rhyd du and back?


 
Posted : 07/03/2014 8:10 am
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if you come down rhyd du just ride along the road to the bottom of the rangers, pedal up the zig zags to the telegraph valley turn off then down telegraph to llanberis
If i remember from looking at the os map there is a split near the bottom of rhyd du which means less road work g


 
Posted : 07/03/2014 9:44 am
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Was winter climbing on Snowdon on tuesday - the top few hundred metres are snow and ice and ill-prepared walkers are getting hurt... This will melt eventually.

To link Rhyd Ddu with Llanberis, either go down the Ranger then push/carry (1/2 hr) over Bwlch Maesgwm and down Telegraph Valley, which is great singletrack as long as you can bunny hop drainage channels.

Or ride the road up to Waunfawr and climb over Bwlch y Groes and descend into Llanberis. You can stop and play in the slate quarries on the way if you pump your tyres up hard!


 
Posted : 07/03/2014 12:57 pm
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Does the ranger's comment on having to walk/carry the zigzags apply to only the bottom zigzags which you wouldn't use anyway if descending telegraph? And not the ones high up?

Also not a very helpful comment as it depends on who 'you' is (and to use a technical term, how much you can shred the gnar)... some idea of what obstacles are actually on the trail that led to this opinion would be helpful I guess.


 
Posted : 07/03/2014 1:22 pm
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So are they ruining the best bit? This is how I read it. Really hope not. Why can't they put a new path in for walkers and leave stuff as it is


 
Posted : 07/03/2014 1:35 pm
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Why can't they put a new path in for walkers and leave stuff as it is

Probly the same reason we can't take bikes on the train - it's not all there just for [i]our[/i] benefit.


 
Posted : 07/03/2014 7:21 pm
 Rik
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Anybody do the Rangers last week?

Any comments? I know with all the sunshine all the snows gone.


 
Posted : 18/03/2014 7:43 pm
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I rode the Llanberis path last Monday and there was still snow on a couple of sections of that. Looking over to the Ranger path there looked to be quite a few bits on that too, enough to confirm my view that returning down the Llanberis path was sensible.


 
Posted : 18/03/2014 8:02 pm
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Walked the Rangers path on Saturday 15th, no snow at all. Big bags of rocks blocking the path though easy to ride around though.
No snow on Rhyd Ddu either a small patch at the very top near the Watkins though.


 
Posted : 18/03/2014 8:28 pm
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Lots of snow on Snowdon last weekend. Didnt even attempt to ride up.


 
Posted : 24/03/2014 4:32 pm
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Anyone know the current Rangers condition? I'll be doing it anyway this weekend (hopefully well timed to avoid the crowds) but would be nice to know if I'm gonna find bits unrideable before I [s]mince[/s] charge down.


 
Posted : 15/04/2014 8:57 pm
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I came down last Friday it was all fine just a few bags in the way on a small section


 
Posted : 15/04/2014 9:06 pm
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Sweeeeeet!! :mrgreen:


 
Posted : 15/04/2014 9:15 pm
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We did it last Tuesday down to Telegraph valley. Was fine, had to walk a couple of short sections as there were a couple of lads doing path maintenance.


 
Posted : 15/04/2014 9:42 pm
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Rode it yesterday, only a 50m section which looked dull anyway that we cut off to avoid bags. Bloody amazing, burly (at the start) and intense descent! first time up there and was blown away by it (and once by the 50mph winds)!

If it's windy, on the first open section you reach after the rocky bits from the top, watch the cross wind as the ridge to your right sort of ends, lifted me off the bike and the trail and did the same to almost all the group despite we waving them down to below walking pace!


 
Posted : 28/04/2014 12:27 pm
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Yep is was pretty blowy up there that lead to some entertaining line choices.

The bags werent really a problem as you could pick a line around or through them.

Good riding with you guys this weekend Sean 🙂


 
Posted : 28/04/2014 12:57 pm
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Rode it Saturday. Pretty good I would say, the top in good condition - gnarly! The first Telegraph section was excellent, the last bit was a bit splashy but all in all can't grumble. When I say can't grumble…..not sure if the climb up Llanberis would be something I'd do again - ticked off the list though!


 
Posted : 28/04/2014 3:10 pm
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Went up last Sunday - will NEVER do it when windy again!

Was still good, but it made it a brutal day out. Was running up Llanberris Path after the tunnel the wind was so strong - couldn't fight against it 🙂


 
Posted : 28/04/2014 3:24 pm