The Snowdonia Challenge - a gala event celebrating 60 years of KMC climbing

With the Greenlander's now safely ensconced in the KMC's welcoming bosom, we eagerly await wiling away the wet winter months listening, dewy-eyed (or is it glazed over?), to Duncan regaling stories of epic adventures, daring does and close shaves with the pit latrine. However, whilst the intrepid expeditioners have 'done us all proud' - the club's 60th anniversary year continues with an altogether more sedate and leisurely commemorative meet. Building on the resounding success of the Wylie Roaches extravaganza - horticultural chimneys, gearless slabs of doom and sandy overhanging severes - 'must av bin ard as nails em olduns!' - it's now time for Snowdonia's rock to make its contribution to this celebratory year.

So what's plan??

First, it is important to note this meet is not a competitive event, but rather a gentle amble through a small selection of the Pass's and Idwal's mist-shrouded annals - with plenty of time for those KMCers steeped in club history to reminisce or spend a few moments of quiet contemplation - in between tracing the jams, laybacks and plummets of many an earlier KMC hand and body. Meanwhile, fun of a more hedonistic nature can also be had by the burgeoning ranks of younger KMCers (under 50?) - though whether they'll last the pace - only time will tell!

...and so to the details...

Friday night - camp at the site opposite the Vaynol in Nant Peris

Saturday morning - early breakfast, then stroll up to Craig Ddu for the first route of the day. This is to be followed by a route on each of the Grochan, the Wastad and Cromlech before meandering across to the Mot for a taste of North facing joy. To complete the day a final route on Cyrn Las (perhaps a mass KMC ascent of main wall?) is to be followed by Vaulnaut direct and a well deserved pint or two.

Sunday morning, - body willing - the script is to head round to Idwal - up the slabs (or one of the routes on suicide wall), followed by a route on both holly tree wall and continuation wall then it's a quick hop, skip and jump off to the right to wrestle with one of the very fine (and normally peaceful!) climbs on the Grey Group. This leaves us on top of Glyder Fawr and a pleasant descent back to the A5.

For those folk with a bit left in the tank and without the beckoning pleasure of young ones to tuck in at home, the Snowdonia Challenge meet will finish with some pub grub, which Craig Marsden has generously offered - in true 60th anniversary spirit - to pick up the tab for, at a venue still to be decided.