Crib Goch

Crib Goch is described as a ‘knife-edged’ arête in the Snowdonia National Park in Gwynedd, Wales. The name means ‘red ridge’ in the Welsh language. The highest point on the arête is 923m above sea level. All routes which tackle Crib Goch are considered mountaineering routes in winter or scrambles in summer—meaning that they must cross ‘graded territory’ as defined in Steve Ashton’s Scrambles in Snowdonia. The easiest of these lines (the ‘bad step’ part of the route) is given a scrambling grade of Grade 1 (the most difficult being Grade 3—routes more difficult than Grade 3 are considered rock climbs). RouteThe classic traverse of Crib Goch from East to West leads up from the Pyg track to a ‘bad step’, where hands and feet are both needed briefly. It is followed by ascent to the arête, before tackling three rock-pinnacles to a grassy col at Bwlch Coch. This first part of the ridge is exposed with precipices below, having resulted in several fatalities, even of experienced mountaineers; the Snowdonia National Park Authority describes it as ‘not a mountain for the inexperienced’. It is also possible to ascend Crib Goch’s North Ridge, which adjoins the main ridge. It is possible to ascend Crib Goch from Bwlch y Moch SH663552 or from Nant Peris, an ascent via Cwm Beudu Mawr.

Crib Goch is described as a ‘knife-edged’ arête in the Snowdonia National Park in Gwynedd, Wales. The name means ‘red ridge’ in the Welsh language. The highest point on the arête is 923m above sea level. All routes which tackle Crib Goch are considered mountaineering routes in winter or scrambles in summer—meaning that they must cross ‘graded territory’ as defined in Steve Ashton’s Scrambles in Snowdonia. The easiest of these lines (the ‘bad step’ part of the route) is given a scrambling grade of Grade 1 (the most difficult being Grade 3—routes more difficult than Grade 3 are considered rock climbs). RouteThe classic traverse of Crib Goch from East to West leads up from the Pyg track to a ‘bad step’, where hands and feet are both needed briefly. It is followed by ascent to the arête, before tackling three rock-pinnacles to a grassy col at Bwlch Coch. This first part of the ridge is exposed with precipices below, having resulted in several fatalities, even of experienced mountaineers; the Snowdonia National Park Authority describes it as ‘not a mountain for the inexperienced’. It is also possible to ascend Crib Goch’s North Ridge, which adjoins the main ridge. It is possible to ascend Crib Goch from Bwlch y Moch SH663552 or from Nant Peris, an ascent via Cwm Beudu Mawr.