Early start as usual, 06:00. Well slightly later in fact as We decided to get a little extra sleep before heading out. So, off to Wales then. Tryfan in fact, super classic climbs waiting to be done. Grooved Arête is the target for the day. Grooved Arête comes in at VDiff 3* route, 8 pitches of sheer joy. The best pitches overall were pitch 2, pitch 4 and pitch 6. Pitch six has the infamous Knights Move on it, simple enough just exposed.
Dean sat at the stance on pitch 6 chillin out.
So pitch one.
The classic GA drawn on the slab to the right.
Pitch 2, my lead. Fantastic pitch, just keeps giving all the way.
Looking down from pitch 2, nice easy climbing which is well protected.
Top of pitch 2.
Stance on pitch 6, massive stance. Big ledge, you could camp on this no problem.
Topped out on pitch 8.
Looking out towards Tryfan ridge.
Great views over Ogwen.
Walk out down North gully to meet heather terrace.
Fantastic way off the top, super scramble route.
Looking back to the ridge from little gully.
Fantastic trip out, if the route is busy it's well worth the wait. Option two, get there early.
Official Guide Book Description
230m, 8 pitches.
Rockfax Description
One of the best and most popular routes of its grade in the UK. Start beneath the well-worn corner with the letters 'GA' scratched on the rock on its right-hand side.
1) 4a, 30m. Climb the tricky polished corner then make a move rightwards onto a slab. Climb this and continue up a crack, or the wall to the left, to the top of the rib.
2) 12m. Walk/scramble easily up left to the base of a long groove with a roof at half-height.
3) 50m. Climb cracks on the right-hand side of the groove past the roof, then step left into the smaller continuation groove which leads to a ledge. Belay on the next ledge a little higher.
4) 30m. Scramble up right to a path and walk along this to the base of a rib and the letters 'GA' on the rock again.
5) 4a, 50m. Start on the right of the rib and climb up and leftwards to gain the groove above. Follow this until a step left gains a steeper continuation-groove. Climb this with increasing difficulty until a move leftwards gains The Haven - a good ledge, block belay well back.
6) 20m. The infamous Knight's Move pitch. How's your chess? Climb the crack behind the belay to reach the chessboard slab above. Exit this slab by the top right corner, step round the arete to find a comfortable stance.
7) 20m. Romp up the corner above the belay to reach a good stance. An escape rightwards from here is easy if the weather is bad or darkness is closing in.
8) 25m. Head a little way right and climb the steep rock to a rib. Follow this to an ever-easing finish. © ROCKFAX
One of the best and most popular routes of its grade in the UK. Start beneath the well-worn corner with the letters 'GA' scratched on the rock on its right-hand side.
1) 4a, 30m. Climb the tricky polished corner then make a move rightwards onto a slab. Climb this and continue up a crack, or the wall to the left, to the top of the rib.
2) 12m. Walk/scramble easily up left to the base of a long groove with a roof at half-height.
3) 50m. Climb cracks on the right-hand side of the groove past the roof, then step left into the smaller continuation groove which leads to a ledge. Belay on the next ledge a little higher.
4) 30m. Scramble up right to a path and walk along this to the base of a rib and the letters 'GA' on the rock again.
5) 4a, 50m. Start on the right of the rib and climb up and leftwards to gain the groove above. Follow this until a step left gains a steeper continuation-groove. Climb this with increasing difficulty until a move leftwards gains The Haven - a good ledge, block belay well back.
6) 20m. The infamous Knight's Move pitch. How's your chess? Climb the crack behind the belay to reach the chessboard slab above. Exit this slab by the top right corner, step round the arete to find a comfortable stance.
7) 20m. Romp up the corner above the belay to reach a good stance. An escape rightwards from here is easy if the weather is bad or darkness is closing in.
8) 25m. Head a little way right and climb the steep rock to a rib. Follow this to an ever-easing finish. © ROCKFAX
UKC Logbook Description
One of the best and most popular routes of its grade in the UK. Start beneath the well-worn corner with the letters 'GA' scratched on the rock.
1) 4a, 30m. Climb the tricky polished corner then make a move rightwards onto a slab. Climb this and continue up a crack, or the wall to the left, to the top of the rib.
2) 12m. Walk/scramble easily up left to the base of a long groove with a roof at half-height.
3) 50m. Climb cracks on the right-hand side of the groove past the roof, then step left into the smaller continuation groove which leads to a ledge. Belay on the next ledge a little higher.
4) 30m. Scramble up right to a path and walk along this to the base of a rib and the letters 'GA' on the rock again.
5) 4a, 50m. Start on the right of the rib and climb up and leftwards to gain the groove above. Follow this until a step left gains a steeper continuation-groove. Climb this with increasing difficulty until a move leftwards gains The Haven - a good ledge, block belay well back.
6) 20m. The infamous Knight's Move pitch. How's your chess? Climb the crack behind the belay to reach the chessboard slab above. Exit this slab by the top right corner, step round the arete to find a comfortable stance.
7) 20m. Romp up the corner above the belay to reach a good stance. An escape rightwards from here is easy if the weather is bad or darkness is closing in.
8) 25m. Head a little way right and climb the steep rock to a rib. Follow this to an ever-easing finish.
One of the best and most popular routes of its grade in the UK. Start beneath the well-worn corner with the letters 'GA' scratched on the rock.
1) 4a, 30m. Climb the tricky polished corner then make a move rightwards onto a slab. Climb this and continue up a crack, or the wall to the left, to the top of the rib.
2) 12m. Walk/scramble easily up left to the base of a long groove with a roof at half-height.
3) 50m. Climb cracks on the right-hand side of the groove past the roof, then step left into the smaller continuation groove which leads to a ledge. Belay on the next ledge a little higher.
4) 30m. Scramble up right to a path and walk along this to the base of a rib and the letters 'GA' on the rock again.
5) 4a, 50m. Start on the right of the rib and climb up and leftwards to gain the groove above. Follow this until a step left gains a steeper continuation-groove. Climb this with increasing difficulty until a move leftwards gains The Haven - a good ledge, block belay well back.
6) 20m. The infamous Knight's Move pitch. How's your chess? Climb the crack behind the belay to reach the chessboard slab above. Exit this slab by the top right corner, step round the arete to find a comfortable stance.
7) 20m. Romp up the corner above the belay to reach a good stance. An escape rightwards from here is easy if the weather is bad or darkness is closing in.
8) 25m. Head a little way right and climb the steep rock to a rib. Follow this to an ever-easing finish.
