The 3 peaks
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Discussion

Gingerbread Man

Original Poster:

9,173 posts

244 months

Sunday 30th December 2012
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Right, I fancy walking up Snowdon and then hopefully Ben Nevis next year. I fancy a little challenge, something to book in for next year as it were. I think fitting them in will be a bigger challenge than climbing them!

So in Oz a year or two ago I climbed Mount Warning. This is higher than Snowdon, so should be quite easy. Benny boy is a bit higher, but not the end of the world.

While I'm at it, time dependant, I could tick off the '3 Peaks' off the list and see if I can get up Scafell Pike (the stoutest of them all) while I'm at it.


So who's done them and any tips on when's good to tackle each one?
Hardest, most enjoyable?
Mount Warning was a glorious hot day, now back in this part of the world we suffer from snow. So I need to research my window of time that I can walk them without crampons.

Mount warning, 1156m
Snowdon, 1085m
Ben Nevis, 1344m
Scafell Pike, 978m

Fats25

6,260 posts

260 months

Sunday 30th December 2012
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Don't worry about weather in Snowdon - do it in January. Me and my wife on our first wedding anniversary last year:-

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-l6OF457630&sns...

Obliviously not my idea!!

Gingerbread Man

Original Poster:

9,173 posts

244 months

Sunday 30th December 2012
quotequote all
Reading up on the 3 peaks challenge. Looks fun but I'd like to do it with friends, so they might not fancy the 24 hour aspect.
Over several days, trips would be an easier approach I think otherwise, if I organise it myself, it's a he'll of a lot of driving!

FiF

48,970 posts

282 months

Monday 31st December 2012
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Had a go at it back in sixth form days, mid/late 60s.

Failed to do it in 24hrs, mainly due to one of the dads acting as drivers locking the sodding keys in the car. Time over the 24hrs was less than that lost waiting for RAC to turn up and open the door. Claimed it as a moral success.

Running up Ben Nevis or at least trying to was not funny.

Wacky Racer

41,403 posts

278 months

Monday 31st December 2012
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Done all three many times....

Easiest way up Snowdon, follow the railway track up from Llanberris....2 hour up, I hour (ish) down.

Scafell Pike, best from Seathwaite, via the "corrider route) (imo) three hours up. two down

Ben Nevis, fairly straight forward four hour round trip but a long drag..

(IMHO) not worth going up any of them in thick mist, firstly very dangerous, but also, when (if) you get to the top you can see sweet FA, so what's the point? The views are magnificent from all three on a clear day.

Take plenty of warm clothing, can be VERY cold on top even in Summer,...... plus emergency rations....

Wacky Racer

41,403 posts

278 months

Flibble

6,538 posts

212 months

Monday 31st December 2012
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Fats25 said:
Don't worry about weather in Snowdon
Do worry about weather on all of them - people die quite often by underestimating snow cover on the top of Snowdon and then slipping and falling to their deaths. If there's not much snow and ice go for it, but don't think it's just like popping down the shops when it gets icy up there - one slip and without an ice axe you have basically no way to stop until you hit the bottom.

1878

824 posts

194 months

Tuesday 1st January 2013
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Flibble said:
Do worry about weather on all of them - people die quite often by underestimating snow cover on the top of Snowdon and then slipping and falling to their deaths. If there's not much snow and ice go for it, but don't think it's just like popping down the shops when it gets icy up there - one slip and without an ice axe you have basically no way to stop until you hit the bottom.
Don't be fooled by a warm day either, a friend came down from Snowdon borderline hypothermic in June after misjudging how cold and clammy he'd be higher up the mountain.

BigBen

12,161 posts

261 months

Tuesday 1st January 2013
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A group of us did the three peaks in 2011. We were really lucky with weather and even had a clear view from the top of Ben Nevis.

We could have done it in 24 hours if it had only been the fastest 66% of the team that went, in the end all were done in circa 28 hours. The other delaying factor was fuel stops took ages as everyone had to queue for a single stall for a well earned Brad.

Ben

Flibble

6,538 posts

212 months

Tuesday 1st January 2013
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1878 said:
Don't be fooled by a warm day either, a friend came down from Snowdon borderline hypothermic in June after misjudging how cold and clammy he'd be higher up the mountain.
Rule of thumb is 1C per 100m of elevation. From Llanberis it's about 900m of ascent to the top of Snowdon, so it'll be around 9C cooler than at the car, plus any wind chill if it's breezy up there.