Welsh 3000's

[GregC]

The way you're doing it the descent into Cwm Glas Bach from Clogwyn is the quickest.
If you end up starting from the summit then it's supposed to be quicker to do Crib Goch out and back and then descend from Bwlch Goch into Cwm Uchaf and then Cwm Glas Mawr. This route avoids descending CG north ridge and is the one Colin Donnelly used on his record run.

[IainR]

I'm thinking of doing this myself later in the summer, just backpacked it over two days as a recce! Would offer to navigate as I know the route off by heart, but I'm not here for all of August.

Out of curiosity, what route are you planning on taking on the Snowdon section? Are you starting on the summit (and then doing Crib Goch the wrong way) or are you starting at Pen-Y-Pass. I'm starting at Pen-Y-Pass and I'm currently looking into what is the fastest way down into Nant Peris once I've been over Crib Goch and Snowdon - I tried descending directly from Clogwyn station the other day (there's a tiny little path leading down Cwm Glas Bach) but I've heard if you carry on past Llechog to just east of Halfway Station it might be a bit quicker?

There won't be much in it, we use the Lechogg descent, but the quickest way, peak to peak, is Snowdon first, so time not being that crucial don't worry. There will be 5-10 mins in it at most. We descend the ridge from Clogwyn station, above llanberis path, around Llechogg, then at the next stile descend down the RHS of a small cwm and eventually follow the ridge down to a wall, cross this and join a path which runs to Nant. This means no road section. Cwm Hetiau and a small road section could well be slightly quicker though.

For speed..peak to peak..Snowdon first will be a lot quicker.

[Wheeze]

I shall be going from Pen Y Pass. 8 am start. I did Bwlch Goch last time but this time will go for the Clogwyn route.
Looking at Sat 6th Aug or possibly 20th as a fall back.

[molehill]

Would love to join in, but not up for it yet as too much on. But watch out 2012 when I plan to be a "retired gentleman fellrunner", and fit again!

[GregC]

Iain will know a lot more about the route choices than me - my comment on Cwm Glas Bach being quicker than Lechogg was based on one recce and what I've read. The reason we used it was partly because it was convenient for a breakfast stop at the Snowdon bunkhouse at Gwastadnant where we stayed. If we hadn't stayed there it might have been preferable to go via Lechogg and avoid the road. That's a few years ago when I walked it and I'd like to have a go running now, starting on Snowdon (possibly when I'm staying nearby from 5-29th August). There is one bit I'm not that keen on in this direction and that's the descent down the last Crib Goch pinnacle (well, first in this direction) - I've only done it once in this direction and it seemed very exposed going down (much more so than in the normal way in ascent). I assume there must be a way of avoiding this on the south (less exposed) side?

[Sam Harrison]

Iain will know a lot more about the route choices than me - my comment on Cwm Glas Bach being quicker than Lechogg was based on one recce and what I've read. The reason we used it was partly because it was convenient for a breakfast stop at the Snowdon bunkhouse at Gwastadnant where we stayed. If we hadn't stayed there it might have been preferable to go via Lechogg and avoid the road. That's a few years ago when I walked it and I'd like to have a go running now, starting on Snowdon (possibly when I'm staying nearby from 5-29th August). There is one bit I'm not that keen on in this direction and that's the descent down the last Crib Goch pinnacle (well, first in this direction) - I've only done it once in this direction and it seemed very exposed going down (much more so than in the normal way in ascent). I assume there must be a way of avoiding this on the south (less exposed) side?

I could be wrong so don't quote me on this, but I'm sure there's a bit of a path that works its way around the south side of the pinnacle making it a lot easier. I've been up there a few times recently and have noticed a few people going around the side, and I'm pretty certain when I did it as a kid I never went straight over the pinnacle either.

[Sam Harrison]

Just been over Crib Goch today and can confirm there's definitely an easier path avoiding the last (or first) pinnacle! In reverse the trickiest bit would definitely be the very end (that is, the initial scramble up to the ridge doing it the normal way) - I was deliberately trying to pick the easiest path just to see how fast I could do it, and all the tricky bits on the actual ridge (i.e. the pinnacles) are avoidable by going around their south side, but that scramble up from (or down to) the Pyg track definitely isn't.

[elliptic]

Just a note of thanks to all who've contributed their experience & line choices on this thread, IainR especially :thumbup: Went out on Saturday starting from Pen-Y-Pass at 6:55am, finished at Aber at 4:45pm after a terrific day on the hill. My on-the-ground familiarity with the route varied from moderate to non-existent but I had no nav problems despite some mist on the Carnedds at the end (nice & cool after a sunny morning).

Hope the chap I met going up PYOW on a solo PBR made it round... he was looking strong & put my effort to shame.

And many many thanks to my friend & climbing partner Lisa who volunteered to spend a perfectly good Saturday doing road support when she could have been out climbing or mountain biking instead..!

[Eleanor]

Went out on Saturday starting from Pen-Y-Pass at 6:55am, finished at Aber at 4:45pm after a terrific day on the hill. My on-the-ground familiarity with the route varied from moderate to non-existent but I had no nav problems despite some mist on the Carnedds at the end (nice & cool after a sunny morning).

Well done big brother and about time ... 27 years since we gave up at Devil's Kitchen. Good thing I didn't come with you, I'd have slowed you up, all over again!

[Runwithmysetter]

Wheeze! Well? Have you done it?? Have been reading through waiting for the ending and I feel like I've borrowed a book from the library and some git has ripped the last page out!!

Well done on your run elliptic, nice one!

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