Crib Goch. How hard is it?

Carrying on from my ‘where to eat’ post, if the weather is ok I’d love to climb Snowdon via Crib Goch.

I’m not super confident, and I think the worst I ever climbed is Jack’s Rake in the Lakes.

If I could do Jack’s Rake o you think I’ll be ok on Crib Goch? Or shall I just forget about it and get the train up??

Cheers

Wouldn’t say its hard and have seen people up there with kids and dogs. The main issue is how exposed you feel with steep drops either side of the narrow path

If I could do Jack’s Rake o you think I’ll be ok on Crib Goch?

Depends on conditions on the day, and how you deal with exposure on both sides, rather than just on one. Technically it’s not that hard, but neither should it be taken lightly.

Oh, and it will attract more people on a warm, sunny day, so I’d advise getting up a bit earlier so you can enjoy it a bit more.

If I could do Jack’s Rake o you think I’ll be ok on Crib Goch?

CG is way easier in my opinion. Just avoid really strong winds.

No ‘technical moves’ on CG at all, it’s just an exposed ridge walk where you use your hands a bit for balance rather than carrying any weight. JR has some proper (pretty easy) climbing moves in it.

CG is probably best done mid week in winter, as it will be quiet.

What do you do if someone is coming the other way? Are there legitimate passing places?

The only other ridge I had done before doing Crib Goch was Striding Edge in the lakes. I did Crib Goch on a bank holiday sunday in perfect weather, Snowdon was rammed but it calmed down quite a bit up to the ridge. Like others have said it’s technically easy, but very exposed. If you’re comfortable with exposure it’s fine, and a really fun day out. I’d love to do it again at some point.

The car parks/roads/fields will be absolutely rammed if it’s a nice day though so keep that in mind.

Edit: Yes you can pass people easily, just go slightly below the top of the ridge, there are loads of hand and footholds. People usually only tackle it one way though.

In terms of technical difficulty in good weather it is easy and its an obvious route to follow with low risk of getting somewhere you dont want to be unlike Tryfan.
However parts of it are very exposed with big drops below so if you dont like heights then possibly best avoided and likewise avoid in bad weather.

As others have said crib goch isn’t difficult, I think it’s classified as an easy scramble, but it is fairly exposed so it depends what you head for heights and exposure is. You see all types up there from young kids casually strolling along atop of the ridge to those trying to use all of their body as a point of contact.

However your best to not underestimate CG, a few people die up their every year from falls (you tend to go a long way) and Plenty more get cragfast and have to be rescued.

Go up early to avoid the crowds, check MWIS before going up, only go up in good weather with low winds unless you know what you’re doing and confident, remember that the weather on the tops can be very different to that in the valley, stop and have a sandwich on the ‘picnic table’ – best view in the house.

If you’ve got the tine, energy and the weather, do the full snowdon hot shoe as it’s a great day out

What do you do if someone is coming the other way? Are there legitimate passing places?

It’s only super narrow in bits, you can either cross on the other side, or just move down a bit. The North side is steeper IIRC, the South side you can move up and down on in a lot of places.

very old photos of mine, I tool a group of work colleagues across it in winter for their first ascent – no one died.

CRIB GOCH – FULL TEAM ON RIDGE by Ben Freeman[/url], on Flickr

CRIB GOCH – DAMIAN NEAR START by Ben Freeman[/url], on Flickr

CRIB GOCH – DAMIAN ON APPROACH by Ben Freeman[/url], on Flickr

Its far easier going up that down off Snowdon in my experience.

If you’ve done Jacks Rake I’d say you’d be fine. Weather is the main determinant of how hard it will be. Just take your time and enjoy it!

It is a nervy day out, a couple of ‘sporting’ steep sections and sustained km or so of ridge. Wet and wind would add to the risk significantly. Don’t follow the obvious lines at times – too many touristy sheep go oddball ways. Enjoy.

Crib Goch and Snowdon by Matt Robinson[/url], on Flickr

Crib Goch and Snowdon by Matt Robinson[/url], on Flickr

Crib Goch and Snowdon by Matt Robinson[/url], on Flickr

Crib Goch and Snowdon by Matt Robinson[/url], on Flickr

Crib Goch and Snowdon by Matt Robinson[/url], on Flickr

Crib Goch and Snowdon by Matt Robinson[/url], on Flickr

Crib Goch and Snowdon by Matt Robinson[/url], on Flickr

It is a nervy day out, a couple of ‘sporting’ steep sections and sustained km or so of ridge.

First ever time I did it was in winter in full cloud so you couldn’t see more than 10 or 20m, we were quite terrified of what was next, expecting some horrible exposed climbing move etc. Still remember that experience 30+ years later. This was with useless strap on crampons which were more lethal with than without. They always came undone and you’d have 20 feet of strap trailing after you and a half off crampon to contend with.

I always think its a shame that once you’ve done it, the magic is lost. That fear of the unkown makes the experience so much better.

What do you do if someone is coming the other way? Are there legitimate passing places?

If I remember right there’s only one very short section where you can’t pass people. Just talk to people and organise yourselves.

very old photos of mine, I tool a group of work colleagues across it in winter for their first ascent – no one died.

It’s not a trivial undertaking in winter depending on conditions. In full winter garb I think it’s an easily graded mountaineering route. Usual advice in winter is to have an axe, crampons and a short rope with you.

Its far easier going up that down off Snowdon in my experience.

Very true!

Do be prepared to not park at the top – bus up from town only now IIRC, and be early on the first bus or you will wait and wait and wait in a queue…

Looking at those photos, not for me, I don’t do heights. Snowdon is stupidly busy at the moment – my mate did Pyg and Miners last weekend at 7am – parking was already full in Llanberis.

Once CG and Horse shoe with my Dad. Brilliant day out. We had a Brocken spectre all the way along the ridge. It was very atmospheric. A day I will always cherish.

Hope this works……

Oh well. It was a beautiful day and the views were amazing.

The first time I ever did it was also in foggy weather and you could only see a few feet in front of you. I remember coming to the top of the scramble at the start then realising the drops either side and thinking “WTF are we doing?”.

Prefer the Tryfan TBH.

We had a Brocken spectre all the way along the ridge. It was very atmospheric. A day I will always cherish.

Not all the way, but it was the first place I ever saw one and I was glad my guide stopped me looking at my feet for long enough to enjoy it.

Was mostly clear last time I did it with the exception of some cloud flowing between the two valleys.

I hate heights and did CG once-never again- pretty much crawled the whole thing swearing at anybody and everybody which seemed to help- needed a monster omelette and chips at Pete’s eats and a big mug of tea before I would talk to my ‘mates’ who were leading again

It’s a great day out but if you weren’t keen on Jack’s Rake, where there is only one short exposed bit, Crib Goch is not a great idea. Most people forget that once you’re up there, the safest way down is to continue across to Crib y Ddysgl (another scramble required) and then over to Bwlch Glas to descend on the Miners or Pyg track. It’s incredibly busy right now too which really doesn’t help. I’ve been up it many times and I’ve seen all sorts up there. I’ve had to guide people off it twice who got stuck due to a sudden onset of fear of exposure.

I’d save it for another time when it’s less busy and go with someone more experienced in case you get into trouble. There are so many amazing walks to do locally but everyone seems to go up Snowdon or Tryfan. Which is great as it makes the other hills quieter and a nicer day out.

First time i did it was in shorts and light sleet – was bricking it all the way across. I’ve subsequently taken up rock climbing and totally lost my fear of heights – have done it in all weathers since then.

Technically it’s fairly easy with the exception of a rocky step after the narrow bit – you can kind of go round it, but it’s easy to end up on it if you’re just following the person in front. Even the rocky step isn’t that bad, but there is a bit of very easy down climbing.

The main problem is the exposure (exposure means you’re right next to a big drop with nothing to catch you) – it is very exposed in the narrow bit, and as pointed out above, I think it averages two deaths a year. Generally, if you fall, you’ll die (it is unlikely you’ll fall tho). If it’s sunny and not windy then i would (and have) beginners up there, but if it’s wet or windy i’d suggest the Pig track. If there are a lot of people on it, it can feel a bit easier, but conversely you may rush to avoid causing a bottle neck which will then be more dangerous! So mid week is probably best, only do it in sunshine / non-wind, and probably avoid it if you’re not a fan of exposure.

One other good option to try is the north ridge of tryfan – it’s not exposed and you can make it as hard or easy as you like as there are so many lines (just follow the majority of people / the well worn path for the easiest route).

I think I read that you have to book parking in advance for this weekend..

Just to reiterate what others have said, perfectly do-able but not on a windy day. JR is scrambling with hands, CG is walking on a knife edge with no banister, so different. The pics don’t do the exposure justice however it’s not really a knife edge but it’s very narrow. if you need a banister for security then you’re going to be crawling or certainly hunched over, but you’ll still get across.

This link might be useful?

I’ve not done it though!

Jack’s Rake is probably harder but CG is more exposed and more affected by wind or wet.

Here’s a sporting alternative if it is all too rammed https://www.walkupsnowdon.co.uk/snowdonia-walks/scramble-up-y-gribin-ridge-and-y-lliwedd/

Pen-Y-Pass parking is pre-booking only at the moment, I believe (Haven’t checked, but likely to be booked solid.)

Other nearby official parking (near Pen Y Gwryd Hotel) likely to be extremely busy as:

Ad-hoc / roadside parking being aggressively policed following incidents earlier this year. New double yellow lines where there were none, tow-away policy & private security firms being employed to enforce in advance of BH weekend.

Crib Goch is likely to be busy which is a hazard in itself, as you can get stuck behind groups of faffers, ditherers, or those gripped by fear which can really slow you down – especially if similar groups meet on a narrow bit. There’s not enough room to politely sprint past. If they’re well behaved, they might offer to stand to one side to let faster people through (If not, break out the sandwiches.)

It’s more psychological than physical – I’ve been up there with a mate who waited until he was lying face down, clinging to the rocks to tell me he didn’t like heights (this was on the open, slabby bit before the ridge proper – it had been his suggestion to go! Took ages to get him to move – meanwhile kids were wandering past looking at this fully grown bloke crying and gibbering and holding on to the floor.)

I’ve never descended via Crib Goch, and would think twice about attempting it due to the risk of mis-identifying the descent from the ridge. I wouldn’t do it if it was windy, either.

If you can avoid the crowds, the full horseshoe is a fantastic walk.

I did the the horseshoe a few times when I was younger. One time in good weather I followed two lads doing it in flip flops.

The last time I did it was with my now wife we were in the clouds and it was a bit windy, she didn’t enjoy it one bit.

Technically its easier the Jack’s Rake but it la more exposed.

@LardLover – if you’re with friends and have 2 cars (park a car at each end), the Nantlle Ridge is a great day out, possibly the best walk in Wales. It’s stunning and not technically difficult. There are a couple of exposed bits but it’s a mostly very straight forward ridge walk. It’ll be a lot quieter than the Snowdon group/massif

There are also some other excellent options on the Carneddau/Carnedds and Moel Siabod is a great view point for the larger mountains just outside Betws-y-Coed

I love it up there! I’ve done the horseshoe 4 times now, twice with my daughter who was 13 the first time. It is the exposure that makes it so dramatic, rather than the technical difficulty as others have said. I found it harder getting round the pinnacles at the far end than the ridge itself!

If you’ve done Jacks Rake I’d say you’d be fine.

I think that’s a little misleading tbh. Jack’s Rake doesn’t really feel exposed at all ime – you’re mostly in a semi-enclosed trough – whereas Crib Goch feels properly necky with big drops. I always forget how exposed it is until I do it again – the first bit where the foot holds are over the steeper side is good reminder not to fall off… it’s also nasty in high winds or when verglassed. More serious than Striding Edge I’d say and not really comparable with Jack’s Rake.

If you want an alternative to starting at Pen y Pas, the North Ridge of Crib Goch, which goes up from Cwm Glas is amusing and avoids the car park at Pen y Pas – or if you’re competent, the Clogwyn y Person arete is a grade 2, I think, scramble and fun and leads up to the main ridge.

I think the North Ridge of Tryfan is maybe a better option if you’re not sure about lots of exposure. You can do a classic circuit up Bristly Ridge, over the Glyderau then down by a choice of routes, scrambly or otherwise.

The extra pictures aren’t helping. Pharp.

Wow!!

Thanks so much for all your replies!

I would only ever attempt Crob Goch in good weather. Not being overly confident I don’t want to add to the stress.

I’m desperate to overcome my ‘tingly spider sense’ that I get when up high and so try to climb grade 1 scrambles that are a little exposed.

I would say I’ll be OK, as long as I can keep moving. But won’t know until I get there.

I’ll give it a go if the weather permits.

And thanks for the info regarding parking. I’ll double check before we go, and book it incase the weather is good.

We’re only there over a weekend in October so ai guess will plan on an early start.

Thanks again for all your advice, I really appreciate it.

I’m desperate to overcome my ‘tingly spider sense’ that I get when up high and so try to climb grade 1 scrambles that are a little exposed.

Oh, I like that feeling. *wibble*

or if you’re competent, the Clogwyn y Person arete is a grade 2, I think, scramble and fun and leads up to the main ridge.

Absolutely do not do the Clogwyn-y-person arete, it’s a grade3 scramble and the crux move is about 2 or 3 proper awkward rock moves high up the ridge over a very exposed vertical drop. We were involved in a heli rescue some time ago where a guy (who claimed to be a climber) lost his bottle on the move and couldn’t down climb.

I’m desperate to overcome my ‘tingly spider sense’ that I get when up high and so try to climb grade 1 scrambles that are a little exposed.

Just go with it. If you get into trouble, use your webslingers.

This is him