Mount Snowden’s- Pyg route

[Tryingtotaketheleap]

Hello MN!

I don’t know if this is the best place to post this but wondering if anyone can give me their experience on this route?
I have agreed to do this with a group. I am looking on YouTube, I don’t mind paths, steps etc but one of the videos unnerved me a bit.
Specifically it was more of a ridge. No path & quite rocky. I’’vie copied the link….

https://youtube.com/shorts/FBZ1yt4kXOA?si=sc0meIXQfU8lWLMh

I’m trying to work out if there’s any areas on this particular track without a path/steps!
Any climbing that I should be prepared for? I am also unsure if this Is this is part of the route in the title but seems to come up on YouTube.

Thank you for your advice 🙂

I walked it last winter in driving rain and gales so maybe not the best experience. There are a few ridges like you say and a bit of scrabbling up some rock. Saying that I did it with an 8 year old and an 11 year old so it is doable. We saw people walking at the same time in trainers who struggled, so as long as you’re wearing sensible hiking gear and are reasonably fit it should be fine.

Well it's got a ridge that you can't back out of. You need to be a very confident mountain walker and be aware that people do fall and die on this - it's not a stroll.

@PoorPhaedra Thank you for your reassurance & feedback. It doesn’t sound pleasant. I’ve been following the weather for this weekend & is currently showing rain all day with thunderstorms.
Hopefully the sense of achievement will be worth it.
A massive well done to your children! What an experience it must have been!
Thank you so much for your advice 🙂

@Springadorable Thank you for your reply. I consider myself fit. Not a mountain climber by any means but I have done martial arts to a professional level for many years.
Maybe you misunderstood my post? No issues with fitness/stamina.
The rocky bit was a mild fear of heights, hence this particular part unnerved me a bit.

Just realised, I forgot to mention boots/equipment isn’t a problem. I do have all this. I should have added to OP.
Apologies for not adding sooner x

Crib Goch has black ice on one side as it stays in shadow, I would rope up. You see people in trainers, dogs, children, but there have been many deaths.
https://www.walksnowdonia.co.uk/post/how-dangerous-is-crib-goch#:~:text=Climbing%20mountains%20involves%20the%20risk,dangerous%20mountains%20in%20the%20UK.
I did it at the peak of physical fitness and I love heights, but would never do it again.

It's a very long time since I was up there but that video shows Crib Goch, which IIRC goes off from the side of the Pyg track - it isnt part of it.. Our DS was 7 when we did the Pyg track, whereas there's no way I would have attempted Crib Goch - I'd have lost my nerve halfway (if not sooner) and have to be rescued.

Crib Goch is a different route, it has a big red sign at the entrance saying “warning, crib goch” so you won’t go in by accident!

Pyg is fine, no sheer drops - as others have said the video is Crib Goch. I'm not good with heights and managed it fine.

Pyg is fine. I have done it with a 7yo. Some scrambling but a nice route up. I recommend miners on the way down.

Crib Goch is a different route. You get to it via Pyg but it’s for trained climbers.

The video, as others are saying, is not the Pyg Track.
It is a route to the side and above called Crib Goch and you do not want to go that way if you do not know what to expect. Grib Goch turn is signposted and a stile over a fence to get into the start.

You may be best to not call it Mount Snowden and spell it correctly if you do as Snowdon. It is called is Yr Wyddfa and it is encouraged to use the Welsh name.

https://eryri.gov.wales/visit/snowdon/

Other top tips: parking is nearly impossible at Pen y Pass, so plan on using the bus service and the extra time that takes. Even using the bus from a car park there can be queues, so I would head out as early as you can. Last time I did the hill it was 7am at Pen Y Pass and I got the last parking space - family who were late arrived at a car park in Llanberis at 10am and it took two hours to get up to Pen Y Pass - by which time I and my two lads had already summited and were about 40 mins from the car park...

Enjoy!

@Tryingtotaketheleap I went up the Pyg track in October 2022 and there are definitely parts requiring scrambling rather than just taking big steps up onto a rock. There is a point just after it has met the Miners track where the path becomes single file for a couple of hundred yards but people waited (probably glad of a rest) but generally you just follow the crowds to the top. I found coming down was worse on my knees - came down the Miners track.
I've never been up Snowden and not needed a waterproof btw. The day I did it was warm so I was in shorts and T shirt to start but by the time I got to the final ascent had added a sweatshirt and waterproof!

I’ve done the pyg track multiple times and it’s fine. It’s steep at the beginning and then again at the end but if you are reasonably fit there’s no reason why you shouldn’t be able to do it. As others have said the video shows Crib Goch which should be avoided unless you’re an experienced climber / have a guide.

Hope you enjoy it!

LOL - as others have said that is Crib Goch and you do not have to include it in the Pyg track route.

Have you ever done any other similar edges? Sharp Edge on Blencathra would be the nearest equivalent, I think, but even that isn't as exposed as Crib Goch. Or striding edge - again a doddle compared to Crib Goch.

https://www.walkupsnowdon.co.uk/paths-up-snowdon-in-order-of-difficulty/#google_vignette

This is a helpful article rating the different routes in order of difficulty. Pyg is OK but there will be some moments of difficulty / possibly fear.

When we climbed Snowdon, my parents, who lived in the area, and saw multiple rescues every year (and sadly some deaths) gave me a local guide to the mountain, which rated each route by difficulty and "fear factor". The only one that has absolutely no "fear" is the Llanberis route - the easiest, but longest one.

As I have developed a fear of heights after having children (weird) we did the Llanberis route, and it was lovely.

My mum had to navigate Crib Goch in loafers, as she foolishly went up the mountain in her twenties with a bunch of urban-dwelling fools. She would not recommend it. I also know a family who did a lot of walking together, including Crib Goch, where about halfway across their six-year-old son said, "are we going to die, Mummy?". They didn't die, but that should give you a flavour of the experience.

Llanberis is the way to do it. You get the same sense of achievement and beautiful views, without risking your neck or worse.

https://eryri.gov.wales/visit/plan-your-visit/guides/yr-wyddfa-how-to-pronounce-snowdon-welsh-name/#:~:text=Yr%20Wyddfa%20roughly%20translates%20to%20%27tomb%27%20or%20%27cairn%27.

HTH

Hello @OP . I don't know if you've done this walk yet but someone I follow on youtube has recently posted a video of their trip up Snowdon - up the Pyg Track and down the Miners Track. It has really good footage of the paths as they do the walk.

They're not adrenaline junkies, just seasoned hikers who film their walks.

(Note that they are in woolly hats, gloves and warm coats at the top. In June!)

This is a link to the video on youtube:

It's about 30 minutes long so grab a brew!!

@15minutesaday Haha, we were the same. The change in temperature was unbelievable, thank you so much ❤️

To all, thank you for your reassurance ixx

@outdooryone . I apologise if I have not used the correct name.

My friends and I stupidly took a wrong turn and ended up doing Crib Goch over 25 years ago in scorching heat, trainers and with not enough water! It was scary. Thought we were going to die. It took us over 14 hours in total to get up (Crib Goch route) and down (PYG route down). However, there was a mountain rescue needed that day not for us though for some of the experienced hikers who overtook us on Crib Goch scolding us for our stupidity and how ill prepared we were. One of them broke their ankle.

I have done the PYG track and Miners track numerous times since that dreadful Crib Goch day usually accompanied by my DC and nephews (all from 7 years old).

My advice, do not take a wrong turn! Take plenty of water.

No need to apologise at all. We all learn these things. I've called it Snowdon for 40 years, it's a change to me as well...