Whilst I haven’t been up Snowdon, I was working today, and during the day there were two call outs, thankfully both ended well, for people who had followed the Railway Track down from the summit of Snowdon and come into difficulty over the infamous accident black spot of Clogwyn Coch.
I guess there are two things to note here. Firstly despite being spring in the valleys it is very much winter on the summit. As such you actually need ice axe and crampons for a safe ascent as well as a knowledge of there appropriate use. Secondly this has been one of the first incidents this year on Clogwyn Coch, which takes some very specific condition to become deadly.
The fact that we had two call outs today might well suggest that these conditions have occured for the first time, and therefore the route is changing into a potentially lethal option.
Following the railway track down Snowdon for the time being might be best avoided, however my guess is anyone reading this is more than aware of this. As it is often less experienced people who take this options as they feel they are following the easiest line down, forgetting that at one specific section the track totally banks out and becomes rock hard ice with an ever steeepen slope below that leads 500ft+ to a cliff below.
Please be careful.