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Mid Glamorgan |
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 #1 TR: Wales - Between a Rock and a Soft Place Posted 15/01/2010 @ 01:41 |
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Revision #1 (Last edited: 15/01/2010 @ 01:43) |
"The Brecon Beacons is a Park of consistent character. Imagine, if you can, wave after wave of open mountainside, rising and dipping fluidly across the landscape like some giant, petrified green sea.
Although a mountainous area, these highlands have little in common with their northern counterpart in the Snowdonia National Park, where a lucky dip landscape of boulder-strewn slopes, jagged pinnacles, boggy moors and wooded valleys changes by the mile.
In comparison, the Beacons are reassuringly uncomplicated and homogenous. In topographical terms, this is a Park of few surprises, of highland pure and simple. There is a fundamental simplicity and solidity about the Beacons, qualities underlined by the wide, open spaces and big skies that are such a feature of this part of Wales.
The uniformity displayed by the Brecon Beacons derives from the nature of the underlying rock, Old Red Sandstone, which divides the ancient rocks of central Wales from the south Wales coalfield.
Old Red Sandstone is a sedimentary rock which has weathered to create the smooth, rounded profiles, enlivened by ice-sculpted ridges and escarpments, which characterise much of the Brecon Beacons.
Haughty alpinists may scoff at the moderate height of these mountains. They do so at their peril. The Beacons have a formidable reputation for rewarding complacency by biting back. Gradual, deceptively gentle slopes lead to knife-edge escarpments which plunge suddenly and steeply.
The mountainsides are treeless, affording scant protection from the chilling wind and few reference points for those not handy with a compass. And when mists and rain descend - as they often do - it is all too easy to become disorientated and hypothermic, as demonstrated by the number of victims which the Brecon Beacons continue to claim and the frequency with which the mountain rescue teams are called out.
It is wise not to underestimate the challenges posed by the SAS' favourite training ground."
Roger Thomas
Brecon Beacons : The Official National Park Guide
I first skied in The Brecon Beacons National Park in the spring of 1998, after returning from a 10-day holiday to Stranda, Norway.
An unexpected late March dump had blanketed the slopes around the four main peaks of the Beacons - Corn Du (873m), Pen-y-Fan (886m), Cribyn (795m) and Fan-y-Big (719m) offering exciting and challenging turns.
I was able to ski the NW face of Fan-y-Big but the crown jewels of Corn Du, Pen-y-Fan and Cribyn's steeper slopes eluded me.
We also got enough snow in my town of Aberdare that spring to make turns on the hills above my home. One memorable morning was spent skiing through the opencast mining machinery and slag heaps of Tower Colliery, much to the amazement of the crane drivers.
2004 / 05
Five years ago I juggled 'mannying' for a family of 3 children here in Aberdare with instructing during the UK school holidays in the Dolomites of Italy. I would head up to the Brecon Beacons at every opportunity, and managed to get 18 days in that winter.
I kept this thread going, but unfortunately the pics are not showing up.
Powder in The Brecon Beacons
The steeper slopes of Corn Du, Pen-y-Fan and Cribyn still eluded me, and to my knowledge the NW face of Cribyn and the NE face of Pen-y-Fan are yet to be skied.
This shot was taken from Cribyn looking back to the NE face of Pen-y-Fan
and looking down the NE face of Pen-y-Fan from the summit plateau
2009/10
I was due to spend my fourth winter on the island of Hokkaido when I got the call at the start of September to head home to look after both my parents.
As I was going to be here indefinitely I brought all my gear home with me in the hope of making turns on the hills above my home and in the Beacons.
Sunday 08 November 2009
First trip over the Beacons just to clear the cobwebs, work on the fitness and take some autumn scenics.
Cefn Crew
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MIKE RICHARDS
Passing on the Passion for Powder since 2002
CSIA (Canada) Level 2 Ski Instructor
PSIA (United States) Level 2 Ski Instructor
Canadian Avalanche Association Level 1 - Ski Operations |
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| Posts: 1129 |
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Mid Glamorgan |
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| #2 Re: TR: Wales - Between a Rock and a Soft Place Posted 15/01/2010 @ 01:45 |
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| Posts: 1129 |
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Mid Glamorgan |
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| #3 Re: TR: Wales - Between a Rock and a Soft Place Posted 15/01/2010 @ 01:47 |
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| Posts: 1129 |
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Mid Glamorgan |
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| #4 Re: TR: Wales - Between a Rock and a Soft Place Posted 15/01/2010 @ 01:54 |
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| In reply to post #3
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Monday 30 November 2009
Since the first snow had fallen on the Beacons I'd followed the weather forecast on the Met Office site religiously, tuned into Derek Brockway on Wales Today and Radio Wales, and received numerous calls from my Aunty Val updating me on the snow status on Fan Fawr. Fan Fawr is the peak on the other side of the A470 road from Pen-y-Fan, which she can see from her bedroom window. If there's snow on Fan Fawr, then there's normally double on Pen-y-Fan.
Met Office Weather Forecast for the Brecon Beacons
Derek's Blog
So I drove over in the afternoon to chance my arm.
As I was heading up for some sunset shots and turns I received plenty of gentle ribbing from the walkers that were making their way down off the mountain.
It wouldn't be the first time I'd hiked up something with my skis on my back only to hike back down, thank you Yotei 
The walk from the 'Toliets' car park to Bwlch Duwynt (the notch between Corn Du and Cefn Crew) takes around 45 mins fully laden, with a further 15 mins to the summit of Pen-y-Fan.
There'd been a pretty good fall of snow and I was loving the light, the views, the clash between autumn and winter, and the thought of actually making turns.
Llyn Cwm Llwch from the summit of Corn Du
The slopes below Pen-y-Fan filling in nicely, with the town of Brecon in the distance
Pen-y-Fan from the summit of Corn Du
Rhiw yr Ysgyfarnog and Corn Du
Corn Du and Llyn Cwm Llwch
And then it was time to make the first turns of the season 
Cefn Crew from the summit of Corn Du. I skied below the rocks in the foreground and then traversed over to the slope top left. Hiked to the top of the ridge and dropped in. 5 to 10cm of frozen granules. Fast and furious. Fabulous.
Corn Du from below Cefn Crew
The goods
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MIKE RICHARDS
Passing on the Passion for Powder since 2002
CSIA (Canada) Level 2 Ski Instructor
PSIA (United States) Level 2 Ski Instructor
Canadian Avalanche Association Level 1 - Ski Operations |
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| Posts: 1129 |
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Mid Glamorgan |
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| #5 Re: TR: Wales - Between a Rock and a Soft Place Posted 15/01/2010 @ 01:56 |
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| Posts: 1129 |
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Mid Glamorgan |
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| #6 Re: TR: Wales - Between a Rock and a Soft Place Posted 15/01/2010 @ 01:58 |
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| Posts: 1129 |
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Mid Glamorgan |
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| #7 Re: TR: Wales - Between a Rock and a Soft Place Posted 15/01/2010 @ 01:59 |
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| In reply to post #6
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Thursday 31 December 2009
Christmas came and went and the rain returned to the Valleys washing all the goodness away 
Went up this afternon and skied from the top of Corn Du half way back to the car park. Then hiked back up to the Cefn Crew ridge line and skied to within about 500m of the river.
Bolierplate, dust on crust, dry packed powder on a solid base, breakable crust and frozen tussocks. It was FAST.
The snow wasn't as good as the pre-Christmas falls, but more extensive.
But no visibility, hence no pics. |
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MIKE RICHARDS
Passing on the Passion for Powder since 2002
CSIA (Canada) Level 2 Ski Instructor
PSIA (United States) Level 2 Ski Instructor
Canadian Avalanche Association Level 1 - Ski Operations |
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| Posts: 1129 |
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Mid Glamorgan |
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| #8 Re: TR: Wales - Between a Rock and a Soft Place Posted 15/01/2010 @ 02:08 |
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| #9 Re: TR: Wales - Between a Rock and a Soft Place Posted 15/01/2010 @ 02:31 |
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| In reply to post #6
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Great pics Mike  |
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| #10 Re: TR: Wales - Between a Rock and a Soft Place Posted 15/01/2010 @ 07:56 |
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Revision #2 (Last edited: 15/01/2010 @ 08:06) |
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Fantastic story and pics Mike, makes it sound just as good as the Niseko thread from last year. Story telling is a great skill.
Hope your folks are ok. Your old mate Yotei says hello from the Ace pair a few weeks ago:
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| #11 Re: TR: Wales - Between a Rock and a Soft Place Posted 15/01/2010 @ 08:27 |
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| In reply to post #10
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alright sunshine
hope your folks are OK. those pictures are phenomenal. |
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| Posts: 1129 |
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Mid Glamorgan |
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| #12 Re: TR: Wales - Between a Rock and a Soft Place Posted 15/01/2010 @ 08:31 |
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| In reply to post #11
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Thanks guys.
Cheers for the pic Hutchy |
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MIKE RICHARDS
Passing on the Passion for Powder since 2002
CSIA (Canada) Level 2 Ski Instructor
PSIA (United States) Level 2 Ski Instructor
Canadian Avalanche Association Level 1 - Ski Operations |
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Nottinghamshire |
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| #13 Re: TR: Wales - Between a Rock and a Soft Place Posted 15/01/2010 @ 12:29 |
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Great work as per usual Mike. Have you sent any of it to newspapers, magazines or the Welsh Tourist Board?
Hope your folks are ok. |
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| Posts: 1129 |
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Mid Glamorgan |
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| #14 Re: TR: Wales - Between a Rock and a Soft Place Posted 15/01/2010 @ 16:12 |
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| In reply to post #13
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Cheers.
Not yet. Might do.
My dad's doing well. Thanks for asking. |
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MIKE RICHARDS
Passing on the Passion for Powder since 2002
CSIA (Canada) Level 2 Ski Instructor
PSIA (United States) Level 2 Ski Instructor
Canadian Avalanche Association Level 1 - Ski Operations |
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| Posts: 1129 |
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Mid Glamorgan |
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| #15 Re: TR: Wales - Between a Rock and a Soft Place Posted 15/01/2010 @ 16:18 |
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| In reply to post #14
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Sunday 03 January 2010
After yesterday's glorious turns and colours, I set off in the dark hoping for sunrise and moonset off Pen-y-Fan.
Both of these events happened, I just didn't see them.
It was blowing a gale up there, with spindrift everywhere and about 10m visibility. Significant wind chill too.
The wind had blown the 5cm of fresh snow about and the turns into Cwm Llwch were better than yesterday.
Likewise the run back to the car park.
By the time I'd packed up and was driving back home via Penderyn the clouds dispersed and the sun came out.
Such is life!
There are wild ponies grazing all over the Beacons. This one was very accommodating.
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MIKE RICHARDS
Passing on the Passion for Powder since 2002
CSIA (Canada) Level 2 Ski Instructor
PSIA (United States) Level 2 Ski Instructor
Canadian Avalanche Association Level 1 - Ski Operations |
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