TR: Cymru 10/11 - Eto, os gwelwch yn dda! (Wales 10/11 - Again, if you please!)

**Mike Pow** · 10-15-2010, 06:26 AM

TUESDAY 12 OCTOBER 2010

Hoping to get back to Hokkaido this winter, but in the meantime I've been scoping lines in the hills.

The first turns of last winter were made on 30 November 2009, and with a cold snap forecast for next week and a cold winter on the cards the fingers are firmly crossed for some October turns in Wales.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/walesnatu...cold_snap.html

Caught a magnificent start to the day in The Brecon Beacons National Park last Tuesday. Not a soul around, sunny, dry, calm air. It doesn't get much better up there.

Cribyn from Pen-y-Fan

Upper Neuadd Reservoir from Pen-y-Fan

Cribyn and Upper Neuadd Reservoir from Pen-y-Fan

NE Face of Pen-y-Fan with Cribyn's shadow

The trail crew already hard at it

Craig Fan Ddu from Pen-y-Fan

'There's gold in them thar hills' - one of Pen-y-Fan's gullies lit up

Cwm Sere and Cribyn from Pen-y-Fan

Last season's words and pics can be found here:

TR: Wales - Between a Rock and a Soft Place
[ame="http://www.tetongravity.com/forums/showthread.php?t=181670"]TR: Wales - Between a Rock and a Soft Place - Teton Gravity Research Forums[/ame]

**Huck_Schmuck** · 10-15-2010, 10:48 AM

Nice photos of the mother country. Thanks dude.

**LightRanger** · 10-15-2010, 03:31 PM

Fuck yeah Mike.

Glad to see this thread again.

I may have mentioned this last year, but my grandfather grew up in a village near Swansea. I'll have to show him your thread from last year and this one.

He's having a rough time of it these days, so I figure showing him some cool photos of his home country is another way I can spend some good time with him when I go home for Thanksgiving next month.

**Mike Pow** · 10-16-2010, 05:05 AM

Thanks guys.

Hope the pics provide a fillip for your grandfather LightRanger.

**Chamcham** · 10-16-2010, 06:47 AM

Unwaith eto, gymru annwyl! Loved your TR of Pen y Fan last year, hoping to make it when the snow falls this winter. If you're still there, I'll race you down (and up)

**Mike Pow** · 10-21-2010, 06:36 AM

Look forward to it Chamcham. Or maybe you can pick up the baton if I get back to Hokkaido.

WEDNESDAY 13 OCTOBER TO TUESDAY 19 OCTOBER 2010

Autumn has finally arrived with Indian Summer temperatures by day and light ground frosts overnight.

Been spending most of my time over in the Black Mountain (Mynydd Du) hiking the faces and summit plateaus of Waun Lefrith (677m), Bannau Sir Gaer (749m) and Fan Brycheiniog (802m).

The slopes of Waun Lefrith drop approx. 200 vertical metres to the shores of the smaller of the two glacial lakes in the area, Llyn y Fan Fach, and the slopes of Bannau Sir Gaer drop the same distance to the meadow that separates the two glacial lakes.

Bannau Sir Gaer with the Waun Lefrith and LLyn y Fan Fach in the far right taken from Fan Foel

The slopes of Fan Brycheiniog drop approx. 200 vertical metres to the shores of the larger lake, Llyn y Fan Fawr.

Fan Brycheiniog with the Fan Gyhirych and Pen-y-Fan in the far distance taken from Fan Foel

Whilst the vertical is short, the 'peaks' in this area provide steep, consistent fall lines with very dramatic backdrops.

Autumnal colours and early morning mist on Fan Hir and Fan Brycheiniog taken from Cray Reservoir

Llyn y Fan Fawr and the slopes of Fan Hir and Fan Brycheiniog cloaked in mist

**The Schralper** · 10-21-2010, 06:50 AM

great shots. recognise a few of the locations. i managed to get some turns last year in the peak district, 14inch fresh on a stable base of grass soil and rocks! great uk stoke, hope it snows before i head to france for the season! ill have to pm you if im around there, used to mountain bike at mynydd du a fair bit

**Unfrozen Caveman Lawyer** · 10-21-2010, 11:09 AM

Nice! I was wondering if this thread was going to come back this year.

Man - one of the things I really like about TGR isn't necessarily the ski-related TRs. I just love seeing the pictures from areas of the world I have never been. Awesome stuff.

**Mike Pow** · 10-28-2010, 10:44 AM

WEDNESDAY 20 OCTOBER TO THURSDAY 28 OCTOBER 2010

Mixed weather continues to be the order of the day this Autumn.

Unfortunately this part of Wales is neither high enough nor far enough north to enjoy the winter conditions hitting some of Europe this past week.

If it were I would have been digging out this morning after over 24 hrs of torrential rain.

Last week I caught a beautiful morning in the Black Mountain, and once the snow arrives I have the lines and shots lined up.

Sunrise over Pen-y-Fan and Fan Gyhirych taken from Llyn y Fan Fawr

First light on Fan Brycheiniog

Fan Brycheiniog and Llyn y Fan Fawr

Even Aberdare got in on the action with a wonderful sunset.

The top lake at Dare Valley Country Park, Aberdare

**ex-powderbroker** · 10-28-2010, 11:09 AM

I'd really like to get back there one day, so sick.

**Sparky** · 10-28-2010, 11:17 AM

Beautiful photos from Wales, cheers Mike

**Dromond** · 10-28-2010, 11:43 AM

Stellar photos in here. Thanks.

**Zeppelinskier** · 10-28-2010, 12:27 PM

i read a few line of Tolkien and then these TR's. Beautiful pics man.

**Roo** · 10-28-2010, 12:33 PM

Mike - keep 'em coming. Just beautiful.

**ChicagoMike** · 10-28-2010, 02:06 PM

incredible shots

**Mike Pow** · 11-08-2010, 09:51 AM

Thanks guys.

MONDAY 08 NOVEMBER 2010

Yr eira gyntaf - first snow

A wild, wild night of gale force winds and torrential rain last night in Aberdare translated to a light dusting above 700m in the Brecon Beacons this morning.

Took a drive over to see if early November turns were on the cards. Not yet. More forecast for this evening followed by a hard frost Wednesday which may make it skiable.

The first snow of the winter on the flanks of Fan Fawr

They had considerably more in Snowdonia.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/walesnatu...rmy_wales.html

**LightRanger** · 11-08-2010, 03:42 PM

Keep it up Mike!

**Mike Pow** · 11-13-2010, 04:26 AM

WEDNESDAY 10 NOVEMBER 2010

Couldn't get out yesterday and from the looks of this Lee David photo posted on Derek's weather blog there may have been just enough in the Black Mountain to make two or three turns.

Snow on the Hills
http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/walesnatu...the_hills.html

Set off way before sun up and had all the ski gear in the car just in case. One of the great things about the Black Mountain is you can see the slopes from the parking spot.

Unfortunately there was very little snow left and certainly not enough to warrant schlepping the skis.

However the light show on these treeless slopes and the dawn sky more than made up for it. The autumnal hues were in full effect in the heather, rocks and grasses of the slopes surrounding the glacial tarns Llyn y Fan Fawr and Llyn y Fan Fach.

Llyn y Fan Fawr and the twin peaks of Pen-y-Fan and Corn Du on the far horizon

Llyn y Fan Fawr and the slopes off Fan Brycheiniog from Bwlch Geidd

The dry stone sheep corall on Fan Brycheiniog

The trig point on Fan Brycheiniog with Bannau Sir Gaer in the background

Fan Brycheinog and Llyn y Fan Fawr taken from Fan Foel

Llyn y Fan Fach taken from Fan Foel

Where the snow had collected it was 15-20cm deep, wind packed and solid with a non-breakable freeze thaw crust. A full covering of that and it's on like Donkey Kong!

First snow on Fan foel with Pen-y-Fan and Corn Du in the distance

**Hicks** · 11-14-2010, 04:02 PM

Mike, you have a way with capturing those landscapes at it's finest.

**Tips^Up** · 11-14-2010, 05:24 PM

Beautiful pictures and I like all the made up words too. Just kidding, it looks like a magical place.

**paj** · 11-14-2010, 05:34 PM

spectacular pics, those highlands look like a really neat place. I bet its usually pretty windy up there..

**Mike Pow** · 11-14-2010, 06:04 PM

Thanks guys.

It was blowing like crazy that morning Paj. Could barely keep the camera straight. Wind burn on the face in the below freezing temps.

**Zeppelinskier** · 11-14-2010, 06:44 PM

some of these picture look like a grass version of Sonora Pass in Cali, good stuff man.

**Mike Pow** · 11-20-2010, 06:27 AM

It could be on next week ladies and gentlemen

http://www.snow-forecast.com/resorts/Penyfan/6day/top

http://www.metoffice.gov.uk/loutdoor..._pressure.html

Thanksgiving on Thursday. Hopefully I'll be giving thanks to the snow gods

The temps are right