Butel Mountaineering

BACK YARD ANTICS

Some very cool new routes in the Glyn Rhonwy quarries have been put up over the past few years.

Some routes are classic slate style with only a couple of bolts but most are fully bolted that despite the first appearance climb really well. Some good effort put in by local activists finding lines between the absolute chaos of choss.

You can find the latest developments in a little supplement guide that helps fund the bolting at local climbing stores such as .

"I DON'T WANT TO ANYTHING WITH A ROPE"

A thoroughly enjoyable weekend out with Dan doing some roped scrambling. This is the third time Dan has been out with me, firstly a couple years ago for hiking, then last year we did some grade 1 scrambles and now we have him on a rope (or lead as he referred to it).

We stepped it up a notch this weekend and despite the adverse weather we had an awesome weekend out scrambling on some fine albeit slippery rock across Eryri.

Yesterday we explored the east face of Tryfan and today we went up into Cwm Glas. We warmed up on Cwm Glas mawr approach scramble (wet) before heading over to the absolute classic and always full value Clogwyn y Person Arete. Dan absolutely smashed it especially since he has never been on a rope or climbed before.

I love seeing the progression from hiking to mountaineering. Reminds me a bit of my journey into this world.

Thanks for a mint weekend Dan.

CUILLIN

A few days spent on the ridge. This is not my normal stomping ground and it's really nice to spend some time working and playing in different mountains in the UK.

The mountains of Skye are unique, exciting, loose, dramatic and incredibly beautiful and very different to those of Eryri. I love the big days there it makes it feel like a real adventure ( but I also love the short walk-ins here in North Wales 😂)

It was a pleasure to take out once again into the mountains. We spent two days exploring the southern end of the ridge.

On a day off with the weather looking very Scottish and myself spent a misty morning scrambling the classic Pinnacle ridge then on to Am Bastier and down Kings Cave chimney. I love this route and incorporates some really cool scrambling and abseiling across some adventurous ground.

NOT THE NICEST NAME IS IT

When a client requests climbing Gashed Crag it would be rude not to. It's a classic afterall 😵‍💫

Gashed Crag. A classic climb route on the east face of Tryfan. It climbs a buttress on the far end of the mountain serving up some very entertaining climbing especially at the grade. Old school is an understatement.

If you like your VDiffs with polished poorly protected chimneys then this is for you. If you don't then this is for you.

Gashed Crag 🤔

APRIL - AP-RULES

April is often my favourite time in Eryri. Longer evenings (but not too long) and sometimes warmer temperatures (but not too warm) make for perfect cragging days.

Nathan Pictor putting his winter sport climbing fitness to good use on :

A Touch of Class - Drws y Gwynt - Llanberis Pass

FUN

It's not always about trying hard. Remember to have fun. With mates.

IT DOES EXACTLY WHAT IT SAYS ON THE TIN 🌄✌🏼

THE LAST OF LAST YEAR

Just before the year came to a close we managed to get out for a bit of cold Tremadog trad climbing. Here is the Uber classic 'Poor Man's Peuterey' a must do for any Severe climber.

Pic 1. Sometimes you haven't got a big enough sling to make a belay to use your guide plate with. In that case I like to adopt this method. It's also super handy at crags such as Tremadog for the top pitches when belays are often far back but you still want to use a guide plate.

Just remember at the start of building the anchor to give yourself enough slack so you can attach to the master point created at the end. DON'T attach just to the first bit of gear, always attach to the master point. That's equalised with three pieces of protection.

The GreatTowerButtress – The Knave Variation

Good to get out on Sunday in the short snap of wintry weather. We took a chance on Bristley Ridge in Ogwen Valley, aiming for a line I’d last done in summer a few years ago—a very mountaineery Hard Severe. On the way up, a couple of people mentioned the ridge was in decent nick, and we were pleasantly surprised to find it properly wintry when we arrived.

Rather than follow the exact summer line, we simply picked what felt most appropriate for the conditions. We bypassed the crux pitch of the rock route, but still ended up with a solid mid-range winter line—most likely a rarely (if ever) climbed winter variation. We’ve given it a provisional grade of Scottish IV,4/5.

A good day out, and great to be back on winter ground. Hard to believe that only a month or two ago we were still climbing in warm conditions—winter seems to arrive in an instant. Looking forward to more routes as the season settles in.

INITIATION 2015

I met these boys in 2015 while cycling toward the Ngorongoro Crater in Tanzania. They were Maasai initiates, in the period just after circumcision known as morani. They wear black robes and the bold white geometric face paint that marks their transition into young warriorhood. During this stage they live away from their families, learning resilience, independence, and the responsibilities expected of future morani (warriors).

They were happy for me to take a photo as long as I gave them $1 — and to this day, this remains one of my favourite photos I’ve ever taken. A brief roadside encounter, but one I’ll never forget.