Page 37 - 2021 AMA Summer

Looking south from Bristly Ridge
As I crossed the A5 in Ogwen the darkness of the night left but it was replaced by a thick mist. I was hopeful that I was game on for another temperature inversion
Yr Wyddfa from the Glyderau
and the mist got thinner and thinner as I ascended the uber classic North Ridge. The conditions weren’t fantastic with unhelpful snow providing limited support but covering useful holds so I skirted North Tower and re-gained the ridge via the top of Nor Nor Gully. I popped out into the sunshine almost at the summit to some jaw dropping views. Descending back into the clouds I made quick progress to Sinister Gully which is the classic start to Bristly Ridge. It was mid morning when I reached the top of Bristly back into the glorious sunshine. I then kept heading south down the rough broken terrain which was easy but also easy to twist an ankle so I couldn’t relax as I dropped down to Llyn Cwmffynnon just above Pen y Pass. This was the first time that I began to see other people out and I had some footprints to follow from Bwlch y Moch to the foot of the East Ridge on Crib Goch. The traverse of the Crib Goch to Crib y Drsgyl is a classic
with enough interest and the narrow ridge of Crib Goch to keep you focussed but as I popped yet again out of the cloud the day’s sun had taken its toll on the snow and the whole of the south side of Crib Goch was stripped of snow and the ridge was looking distinctly two tone. Crampons came off and the realisation that as I looked across to the face of Clogwyn y Garnedd (better known as Trinity Face) and my last climb of Central Trinity that it would have to wait for another day.
I had to accept that the temperatures had risen and the thin, thawing conditions in Central would have been not only been not winter but also would be quite marginal for a tired soloist so I called it at Carnedd Ugain. I headed down to join the Llanberis track and the long walk to my bike in Nant Peris but happy with what I had done and Central Trinity will still be there long after I have gone.
ARMY MOUNTAINEER / 37