Snowdon – Advice please

Always wanted to ride Snowdon, but will be there alone on 16th May – Anyone else doing it then?
The voluntary ban is 10-5 so is it best to set off super early or is it possible to do it in the evening? Can you ride up it during the afternoon – speed I go will endanger no one!
Also what routes recommended ?

the standard route is up llanberis and down the rangers, when you pass a stone pillar on your left on the llanberis path, cross the tracks and go down to your right to find another stone pillar that marks the start of the rangers. (wish someone had told me this before I went)
good luck.

I did it for the first time yesterday evening on my own, i started pushing up the path at just after 4pm and got to the summit in 2.5hrs amazing clear views 8)

Planned on doing rangers but as light was fading and was solo, i did Llanberis path back down to be safe as that was the route up.
Great fun back down still but much speed management is required!
Happy i fitted dual ply tyres,packed plenty of food, and put some fresh dry clothing on at the top 🙂

have fun!

The Up & Down the Llanberris path is better done early so that the walkers are facing you if it’s busy. In the evening your coming up behind them all. If your going solo usual rules apply, tell someone, take spares & clothing & food and make sure you have a phone packed away from crash damage. Conditions can change up there very quickly.

Been up twice now, weekend before last was last time, & both times it’s been crap. If you get a summit like that pic I’d buy a lottery ticket as well, as I reckon the odds are about the same. 👿

Thanks Guys
really appreciated
Will try a dawn up Llanberis and down Rangers
Any suggestions for the best tyres?

What tyres? I’d say round ones will be a good idea. Probably the ones on your bike.

Big tubeless tyres.

Early or late depends on if you’re an early bird or not.

Hi exscites,
We did it a few weeks ago and I have to say it was the best biking experience of my life, absolutely fantastic! Cant wait to go back again, i managed to get down with no punctures aswell, but next time will definitely be using double ply tyres cos its rocky as hell!
heres the vid i done (up and down)…
http://www.pinkbike.com/video/309303/

If your doing it on your own don’t go down Rangers, there is just too much risk. Up and down Llanberris would be my advice.

Here is our summit pic from March 25th 12. It was in the mid 20s, way too hot to be riding/walking up a mountain.

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P1010206[/url] by i_ache[/url], on Flickr

If your doing it on your own don’t go down Rangers

you are very unlikely to be alone on Snowdon between April and October!

Don’t get cocky going down rangers on your own if there’s no one about, the last very techy bits…

If the weather hates you and it looks like you’ll be coming down Llanberis no point pushing further past the second railway bridge IMO.

Tyres, very light weight XC race german ones, about 25 PSI in each, no need for spare tubes you’ll be fine.

The last section of Rangers is built like trail centre single track, fast and mostly relatively smooth. Above that is a few miles of loose rocks, some drops, nothing too crazy. Great fun though, pretty “alpine” for the UK.

But Health and Safety Mountain Bike directive 12.5.6 (2010 revised 2012) forbids the riding of Rangers by a sole mountain biker unless they have dual ply tires, 8″ travel and a note from their Mum.

It’s up to you, I’d ride it alone but might walk a couple of sections or stick on a big lid and make sure my phone was charged up and had a reception. But you wont be alone, it’s pretty popular.

If I was riding alone I would do up and down Llanberis path. Rangers isn’t to be taken lightly especially if the weather turns a bit bad. Its brilliant don’t get me wrong but more potential to go wrong and not get found than the llanberis path!

I will be going up on my own as soon as a break in the weather appears. Will probably be going extra early so im at the top for sunrise.

getting a bit interested in this, so apologies for the daft questions…

the push up the llanberis path, where does that start from?
is 2.5 hours a quick time for getting up? or is longer a more reasonable estimation?
and how long was the descent riding rangers path? and the Llanberis path?

with a bike, 2.5 hrs is a good time IMO. takes most walkers the best part of 4.

This is the start of the Llanberis path.

https://maps.google.co.uk/maps?q=53.108666,-4.120517&hl=en&ll=53.108595,-4.119154&spn=0.005346,0.009645&num=1&t=h&z=17

the push up the llanberis path, where does that start from?

Llanberis, funnily enough. Behind (round to the left of) the train station.

2.5 hours is minimal stops/gawping/faffing about, crack on with it type attitude. 3 allows some buggering about.

Llanberis path starts on the road to the left of the railway station.

Going down rangers maybe 45 + minutes with a few stops, all the way back to Llanberis, coming back down llandberis, 25 to 30

there’s a nice cheeky trail at the bottom of Llanberis path at Pen Ceunant cafe. Turn into their drive and there’s a gate through Victoria Woods which brings you out opposite the Royal Vic Hotel. There’s a couple of gates on it mind but much more entertaining than the Tarmac brake fluid boiler.

Blown away at how helpful you guys are being – great pics – Last couple of questions – will be in a van – best place to park to go up Llanberis?
Think will go up and down LLanberis am on a hardtail – Stumpjumper carbon (my fs stumpy stolen)