43. Summits: Y Garn, Glyder Fach, Glyder Fawr. Temperature: -18C Ground: thick snow & ice; weather: sunny, cloudy summits.
A winter walk. I started early (0430) from Ogwen Cottage Car Park in order to get to the top of Y Garn for sunrise over Tryfan. Weather was clear but windy: -8 with -18 wind chill. Crampons and ice axe packed. Made it to the top in time to get some stunning pictures at dawn. After Y Garn, I headed down toward Glyder Fawr, digging a snow pit to check conditions at the bottom of the path. Snow was largely packed with a thick slab on the top. I walked across Glyder Fach to Bristly Ridge, but decided not to go down this way because it was steep, I had no ropes and was alone. I went east around the top, then cut down a tributary of Cwm Tryfan. Then crossed over Bwlch Tryfan, and glissaded down the bottom of the Gribin Facet back to the path & bridge.
