North Wales with Leeds Met Climbing Club 31/05/10 - 02/06/10

After some brilliant climbing yesterday psyche levels were high as we travelled to Wales in two minibuses. After getting to know some of the group (Danny, Daz, Jenny, Jess ,Jonny, Kieran, Lucy, Mel, Ryan and Pete) We headed straight to some limestone bolt clipping at Trevor Area which provided some good easier routes for everyone to get stuck into. The rock was very polished on the easier routes and there was a fair bit of discrepancy in the grading but it was a good day out nonetheless. I was pleased with an onsight of Bordeline 6a+, my hardest sport onsight, which was a great route and deserving of it's two stars and Ieuan did well to get the flash.

After this we headed to Maeshafn for the evening which gave some easier trad lines again on limestone, with routes of interest being Layback On Me, Puppy Power and Rambler. We headed back for a late barbeque after making the most of the day due to the forecasted rain tomorrow.

The rain arrived in force in the early hours of Tuesday and after packing up the wet tents and making some lunch we headed towards the Gwern Gof Uchaf campsite at the bottom of Tryfan. Fortunately the weather cleared up as we headed west and by the time we got to the campsite the roadside rock of Tryfan Fach was dry. Danny, Daz, Jess, Lucy, Pete and I headed up to try and climb some of the classic routes on the East Face of Tryfan, but as we walked up to the base of the routes the clouds closed in again and with very limited visibility, dripping wet rock and no knowledge of the mountain or descent route we decided it would be prudent to head back down. Fortunately the rock was still dry on Tryfan Fach and the day was salvaged with six routes of interesting slabby climbing. As the evening went on the weather continued to improve and Pete and I made plans to have an alpine 3:30am start and head back up to the East Face tp try and tick some of the classics.

After an early night we awoke to an almost cloudless sky and walked into the base of the face under the stars. As the sun rose we made our way up Grooved Arete before descending South Gully, and heading up First Pinnacle Rib with the Thomson's Chimney Finish, descending South Gully again and then finally heading up Gashed Crag.

It was a brilliant morning climbing thirteen pitches and almost 600m of fantastic rock in four and a half hours, made all the more special by the incredible weather. It was great to get so much climbing done and practice moving efficiently over easier terrain, especially with a trip to the Alps looming.

After meeting up with the rest of the club we headed back down to the campsite and packed up before heading off towards Clogwyn y Tarw. Unfortunately we didn't have enough time to get to the famous Idwal Slabs but had a good evening of easier climbing before heading back to Leeds.

Another great trip in another new location!