Weather was fairly Toilet on Saturday morning but was forecast to get better during the day. With not much else to do I thought Id head up and do the Parsons Nose. The last of the grade 3 scrambles Id not done in N Wales. Thought Id take it direct so headed up the Nose itself (rib on the L of Gully) and then took the ridge head on. The weather was still miserable and the rock was getting the wrong side of piss wet through. Having gone over a couple of steep walls I was met with a final steep in-pass. The direct way looked spicy as it was rainy and squally. Halfway up, it became a Dont tell my wife situation. A desperate down climb followed using everything id learned in 20yrs in the mountains followed by a sandwich. Not to be beaten easily I tried to outflank the weeping wall first on the left by a very greasy chimney/offwidth and when that didnt go then on the right by an unhelpful offwidth crack. Another sandwich. It wasnt going to go. Weather still crap. Defeated. Descended back down (which wasnt without its moments) and headed up Crib Goch North Ridge (where I met a couple of guys on the ridge who wanted to know which direction Snowdon was!) and then down the ridge to the side of Cyrn Las. Nice day out (North ridge is surprisingly enjoyable) but Parsons nose had the batter of me - for now...
Posted on: Mon, 27 Oct 2014 11:01:22 +0000