Once referred to as the Valley of the Tigers by the more gentile climbers of the Ogwen Valley. Llanberis Pass has a long history with climbing, dating back to the late 1800’s when the ‘mountaineers’ of their day pioneered new and courageous lines up the high mountain buttresses and ridges. Many of these are now considered scrambles. It wasn’t until the great Colin Kirkus and John Menlove Edwards visited the valley in the 30′ and 40’s that the true potential of the low level cragging was unearthed.
As one of the closest crags to the road, with a series of abseil points that have popped up over the years means that you never more than one 50 metre abseil from your bags and minutes from the car. This means that the horrible descent gully can be avoided, and that many of the pitches can be cherry picked. The crag has a series of test-piece across the grades, but is probably most famed for the lower grade routes like Brant Direct, Phantom Rib, Spectre and Nea.
A south facing aspect make this a prefect place to spend an evening after work cragging, before a trip down the pass to the Vaynol Arms for a pint and some banter. Such is the nature of 9 to 5 work in North Wales. Popular with visitor and locals alike, many people will find themselves repeating these route over and over again to relive those special moments like stepping up onto the Phantom Rib, traversing out onto the headwall of nea, being eaten alive by the man size crack of spectre, or pulling over the roof of SS Special to battling up the corner of Brant Direct; Every route a different memory.
I wrote this because after reading climber I thought there crag of the month article simply didn’t do the crag any justice at all.
Phantom Rib VS ***
An amazing route with sustained interested throughout, and some perplexing climbing. At the left hand end of the crag is a raised terrace, start by scramble up on here to directly below a crack with a tree growing out of it.
1. 13m. 4a. Climb the crack past the tree to a ledge
2. 13m. 4c. Step up and right onto the amazing rib, climb this delicately to reach another ledge above.
3. 28m. 4c. From the ledge scramble rightwards to below a couple of hanging grooves near the arete, climb up to the left-hand one and then make a puzzling move right and then back left, before continue up to a large sloping legde, follow this rightwards to the top and a belay/abseil point round a small tree.
Nea VS ***
Another great route, that follows the obvious corner system to the shoulder. Although often looking damp at the start the climbing seems to avoid any drainage line. Start of the same terrace just right of Phantom Rib.
1. 18m. 4a. Follow the corner, mainly of the left wall to a niche, arrange gear and move rightwards round a rib back into the main corner, and move up to a small foot ledge and optional belay.
2. 20m. 4a. Follow the now slabby corner/ramp to the blocky shoulder.
3. 18m. 4b. From the blocks move down to a small left facing groove, and make bold moves back up the groove, to arrange some gear (not particularly inspiring) where a series of large holds lead left and up to the finale groove and the first decent gear
Spectre HVS ***
Possible one of the best routes of its grade in the Pass, the majority of the difficulty comes in eh form of various jamming sections. Start at the toe of the crag.
1. 8m. 4a. Climb the short groove and crack to the right hand side of the terrace, and head right to belay on a good ledge below the corner crack by a holly bush.
2. 24m. 5a. Climb up the corner crack, which can feel a little insecure, where the crack closes up and the corner gets steep (peg) a traverse out left leads to a line of holds lead onto the slab above. Head to the large fissure, and belay below it.
3. 8m. 5a. Move up to and do battle with this short and intense off-width slot.
Spectrum E2 **
A nice main pitch which has a sense or urgency about it. Start to the right of Spectre below some shattered overhangs.
1. 8m. 5b. Boldly climb the overhang to a shallow groove that provides an exit to the ledge above.
2. 25m. 5c. Step right onto the steep slab and follow a thin crack to an overlap, continue on head out towards a rest on the arete below where a crack lead diagonal up and left across a steep wall. Sum up the bravery and commit to the crack, a jug at its end provides a target. Continue up to the large fissure of Spectre, and finish up this route.
SS Special E2 ***
One of the nicer E2 on the crag. Start just to the right of the large goat gully that splits the cliff at a thin crack
1. 36m. 5c. Climb the thin crack up the clean slab, to a broken ledge, head directly up the steep broken ground to a point where it is possible to break through the over hang and make in on the easier ground above. Abseil off.
Sickle HVS *
A nice route that traverses across SS special and often used as an alternative finish in the event of not being able to muster the courage and muscle to make it over the overhang. Start just left of the obvious corner of Brant direct by a 4 metre high pinnacle
1. 15m. 5a. Start up the left hand side of the pinnacle, from the top follow a line of weakness up and left and then right, to arrive at a sloping niche with a couple of pegs (belay)
2. 30m. 5b. Step down and left from the belay and make your way left below the overhang, and follow the wall up and left, until it is possible to follow a groove to easier ground, and then head back right to a block belay. Abseil Off.
Brant Direct HVS ***
A stunning pitch that is a rite of passage of any climber, steep and awkward this pitch often just mentioning its name brings back the fear and dread that this corner can conjure up.
25m. 5b. Climb the steep corner to a sloping ledge at the top, and then traverse right to a battlement belay. Abseil off.
Slape Direct E1 **
This route has taken many scalps, and will continue to do so. Start five metres down and left of the ‘Sentry box’ at the start of brant.
1. 20m A well protected but desperate move leads up a thin crack, to a short right facing groove. Reach the base of the groove is the crux of the matter,
Brant VS **
A good route, that does climb the whole cliff, however after the first pitch the climbing deteriorates. Start at a pinnacle below a sentry box.
1. 22m Climb up to the sentry box and then make a slightly rising traverse left, to gain a ledge. Climb up past a perched block and holly tree to reach the belay. Abseil off.