The Met Office is calling for the freezing level to drop to 600 m in the Brecon Beacons National Park and 500 m in Snowdonia National Park this Friday with the possibility for the first snow of the winter falling on the highest peaks.
BRECON BEACONS NATIONAL PARK
Quote:
Friday
Perhaps cloudy with a little rain at first but once this clears southwards it should be a much brighter, clearer, colder day than of late with plenty of sunshine developing. One or two showers are possible and, with the freezing level around 600m, these would be wintry on the hills if they occur. Fresh easterly winds will make it feel cold.
Saturday
Another bright day with sunny spells and perhaps the odd wintry shower. Still cold, and feeling especially so in fresh to strong northeasterly winds. Freezing level falling to about 200m.
A much brighter, clearer, colder day than of late with plenty of sunshine developing. One or two showers are possible and, with the freezing level around 600 m, these would be wintry on the hills if they occur. Fresh easterly winds will make it feel cold.
Saturday
Another bright day with sunny spells and perhaps the odd wintry shower. Still cold, and feeling especially so in fresh to strong northeasterly winds. Freezing level falling to about 200 m.
Took a trip to Snowdonia in September and with snow there are some easily accessed lines straight from the summit and from the path running beside the train line.
The previous three winters saw the first snow and turns on the peaks of the Brecon Beacons National Park in November (the 27th & 30th in 2009; the 8th and 27th in 2010) and December (5th and 16th in 2011).
Fingers crossed that this winter the first snow falls this week with turns possible in late October / early November.
The highest peaks of the Brecon Beacons were cloaked in cloud for most of the day and hard to tell from the live web cam images if any has fallen, but it looks a little white up top.
Ah, OK ... spring snow opportunities maybe ? I've used the railway once, rack-and-pinion IIRC. Presume the track would make an easy, if long, skinning route.
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
^^ Train doesn't let you take kayaks on
Probably have more luck with skis.
After all it is free
After all it is free
FRIDAY 02 NOVEMBER 2012
Well the first snow of the winter - yr eira gyntaf (in Welsh) - did indeed fall on the highest peaks in the Brecon Beacons National Park yesterday.
But snow is forecast for today, tonight, and early Sunday.
Quote:
SATURDAY
There will be some sunshine across the Brecon Beacons but there showers are also expected throughout the day. Some of the showers are likely to be heavy, with a risk of hail and thunder. Above 300 metres, these showers may fall as sleet or snow, giving temporary accumulations above 600 metres.
SUNDAY
Remaining unsettled. Rain is likely at first, locally heavy, with sleet or snow possible above about 800 metres, but should clear eastwards by about mid-morning. Thereafter, drier and brighter for a time, but showers probably returning from the southwest later, again with a little sleet or snow on the higher peaks. Confidence is currently relatively low regarding exact timings and extent of rain.
The 'snowpack' that had stuck around in Cwm Sere (the valley between Pen-y-Fan and Cribyn) had doubled from the new snowfall and significant wind transportation.
With consolidation this evening and additional snowfall overnight it could be good to go.
The NE Face of Pen-y-Fan and Cribyn from the summit of Pen-y-Fan
I walked down the notch off Pen-y-Fan onto the slopes of Cwm Llwch and clicked in for the first turns of the season.
Snow this early in the Beacons is not unprecedented and my Aunty Val, a retired schoolteacher in the area, often recites the tales of taking her class for a walk on the last day of school before the October half-term holidays and seeing snow on the peaks of Fan Fawr and Pen-y-Fan.
But this was the earliest I've made turns in the Brecon Beacons National Park, by almost a month.
The hike back up to the summit plateau of Pen-y-Fan was brutal with driving snow and high winds.
Homeward bound but not before a run below Corn Du (the slope on the left of this pic) and to finish off a great afternoon I hiked up to the cefn Crew ridgeline and dropped in for my third run (the slope on the right).
Corn Du about to get engulfed by the latest storm rolling through
Great to be making turns again.
It was about a 20 minute walk out from where the snow finished and by the time I got back to the car park I was famished.
Thankfully the Pit Stops mobile food wagon was still firing on all cylinders.
A steak roll with fried mushrooms and onions and a cup of coffee went down without touching the sides.
And all for under 5 quid. Highly recommended.
Pit Stops mobile food wagon
As I left the car park the sleet was turning to snow.
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
We didn't get lucky, just a few flakes on the top driven up from your way the same afternoon.
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Nice! That's some dedication.
After all it is free
After all it is free
Pity AndAnotherThing.
Cheers meh, Mother Nature gives and takes quickly in Wales so when it's on you have to get out the door.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
Mike Pow, Great report. Thanks for posting
Ski the Net with snowHeads
Ski the Net with snowHeads
Mike Pow, you must be the snowhead who skis the most extreme differential, from the wet, thin snow in Wales to the deep dry snow in Japan!!
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
Nice one Mike Pow, looking for some action this winter in the Beacons for the first time since 2010. It's been too long. I just need Spyderjon to send my skis back to me!
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
Thanks cad99uk.
The yin and yang of skiing kitenski, but also had plenty of powder in Wales, and even some bulletproof on Hokkaido
Skiing in the Beacons never gets old Sharkymark. Always some new experience, as the next post will show.
So if you're just off somewhere snowy come back and post a snow report of your own and we'll all love you very much
So if you're just off somewhere snowy come back and post a snow report of your own and we'll all love you very much
SUNDAY 04 NOVEMBER 2012
Saturday evening brought torrential rain, hail, sleet, thunder & lightning in Aberdare putting a dampner on the Guy Fawkes fireworks celebrations.
But I went to sleep hoping that elevation would result in elation with the precipitation falling as snow in the Central Beacons Massif.
I met regular Beacons partner Chris Dainton just before 9am, and we were at the Bwlch Duwynt saddle about 40 minutes later.
By this time the morning valley mist had mostly burned off and the sun was lighting up all around us.
Ordinarily I don't head up to the summit plateau of Corn Du because it can be too icy and rocky, but I'm glad we went up today as the views were spectacular.
Yours truly heading up to the summit plateau of Corn Du
(Chris Dainton pics)
Ridgelines rarely provide good opportunities to make turns but I was in luck today. There was consolidated and skiable snow on the ridgeline below Corn Du in the left of this shot
Corn Du slope
and Chris did a fabulous job of catching me in the act.
Your truly skiing Corn Du with Cwm Llwch below
(Chris Dainton pics)
With turns under my belt it was time to take a look at the slopes off Pen-y-Fan
FAN-TASTIC
The slope into Cwm Llwch which I skied yesterday was looking good, but the NE Face was looking great.
Chris Dainton on the summit plateau of Pen-y-Fan with Cribyn in the background
Additional snowfall combined with wind transported snow overnight had covered up most of the rocks and large tufts of grass and I felt the face was skiable.
I first skied the NE Face of Pen-y-Fan in mid-January 2010 which was the first time this face had been skied. And to my knowledge it hasn't been skied since.
1st descent line on the NE Face of Pen-y-Fan, January 2010
On my first attempt I was belayed over the rock buttress on wind blasted, hard packed snow, but this time I downclimbed kicking steps into the windpacked powder.
Looking down the NE Face of Pen-y-Fan
Chris walked around to the ridge line separating Cwm Llwch and Cwm Sere and took the following shots of me skiing and hiking back up the NE Face
Yours truly skiing the NE Face of Pen-y-Fan
(Chris Dainton pics)
The snow was very different from my January 2010 run.
Then the snow was hardpacked and slick in the upper section and powdery in the gullies down low.
Today the snow was toe to knee deep light powder with each turn going to grass and sending plenty of slough and pinwheels down the slope.
Amazingly the bases went scratch free.
Bootpacking back up
As I bootpacked back up, I took the following pic below me
and the top section of the face above me
And Chris took these pics of me getting back over the buttress
(Chris Dainton pics)
Fantastic day with great views, great turns, great company, and great memories.
And action shots in the Brecon Beacons to boot, a rarity for me, courtesy of Chris.
Here's to the next time.
Last edited by So if you're just off somewhere snowy come back and post a snow report of your own and we'll all love you very much on Wed 7-11-12 21:32; edited 1 time in total
You know it makes sense.
You know it makes sense.
That's the definition of "earning your turns"! Nice.
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Cheers rob@rar
Poster: A snowHead
Poster: A snowHead
Mike Pow, It's been a long time since I was on Penyfan, and one of the few things I can remember is thinking how steep the north face is (we got caught by unexpected snow, so beat a hasty retreat from a geology field trip). Kudos for skiing it (and walking back up)! Actually had a quick look up to the Beacons today from Merthyr, on a flying visit to catch up with my parents. Would be perfect ski terrain if it were high enough to give more snow cover
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Mike Pow, Amazing you scored that line again, and the ski's survived ! Well done I am very jealous
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Awesome!!!
Hope to catch you up there sometime this winter.
Will be keeping an eye on the weather forecast from now on.
Mike Pow, holy crap, good effort and the very definition of skiing what you've got.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
rob@rar wrote:
Mike Pow, It's been a long time since I was on Penyfan, and one of the few things I can remember is thinking how steep the north face is (we got caught by unexpected snow, so beat a hasty retreat from a geology field trip). Kudos for skiing it (and walking back up)! Actually had a quick look up to the Beacons today from Merthyr, on a flying visit to catch up with my parents. Would be perfect ski terrain if it were high enough to give more snow cover
Thanks.
Yeah we've got the terrain and we've definitely got the precipitation. Just need Scandanavia to do what Siberia does for Hokkaido and my house becomes ski-in, ski-out
FAQ
Poster: A snowHead
awesome pictures there mate!
Good work!
I am very jealous 
Where are my damn skis when I need them! 
