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

[Mike Pow 52]

Thanks.

 

Autunmal grasses and early morning winter sun.

[rider69 18]

wow that is pushing the limit of low snow levels to the max!

[grungy-gonads 54]

Brilliant.

Let none of us complain of lack of snow again.

[Tubby Beaver 209]

Originally Posted By: rider69

wow that is pushing the limit of low snow levels to the max!

the Welsh are pioneers of the snow-hovver board

[stemik 14]

i hope they were your rockhopper skis!

[Mike Pow 52]

"Float like a butterfly..."

 

No dings. The rocks are obvious in that area.

[Mike Pow 52]

MONDAY 29 NOVEMBER 2010

 

Unable to get over to the Beacons this morning, so took a walk in my local country park instead. A great covering for late November, but unfortunately not enough to ski.

 

 

Sunrise at the top lake, Dare Valley Country Park, Aberdare

 

 

 

There is an old saying "If ice in November be thick enough to hold a duck, the rest of the winter will be all slush and muck".

 

Thankfully the ice isn't thick enough yet and we may see another great winter.

 

 

Mountainside reflection in the top lake, Dare Valley Country Park, Aberdare

 

 

 

The view of the Darren and Bwllfa Dare looking across the top lake at Dare Valley Country Park, Aberdare

 

 

 

Drove over to the Black Mountain in the afternoon to make some turns. Plenty of snow on the slopes off Fan Brycheiniog I've been scoping the past couple of weeks. Aesthetically the slopes off Fan Brycheiniog down to Llyn y Fan Fawr are best at sunrise so I left those for another day.

 

Continued up the A4067 to the road side shots off Fan Gyhirych overlooking Cray Reservoir.

 

5 mins before parking in the lay-by this is the view that greeted me

 

 

Fan Gyhirych

 

 

 

Twenty minutes later and half-way up the hill this is what it looked like. Welcome to Brecon Beacons weather.

 

 

Lower slopes of Fan Gyhirych overlooking Cray Reservoir

 

 

 

The top half of the hill (150m vertical) had a good covering that was negotiable with oil tanker turns. The next 100m vertical was like walking through seaweed. One second smooth as, the next second the skis getting tangled in the grass tufts. Walked the remaining 100m vert back to the car.

 

There was some serious surface hoar formation lower down.

 

 

 

TUESDAY 30 NOVEMBER 2010

 

The temperature has risen and it snowed approx 20cm in the past 24 hrs in the Brecon Beacons. Hopefully this has been wetter, heavier snow that will freeze and set up and which will provide a better base for turns.

[Tubby Beaver 209]

hope you've been getting turns in Mike, seems there's been a guy out skiing on Arthur's Seat in Edinburgh!! For those who don't know, Arthur's Seat is Hill in the middle of Edinburgh, an extinct volcano that overlooks the castle and the city

 

[Mike Pow 52]

FRIDAY 17 DECEMBER 2010

 

10cm overnight at MQ in Aberdare. 10cm since 7am this morning. Puking here at the moment. Full on Hokkaido conditions, no bullshit.

 

The view from my house during Friday's snowfall

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Should be at least double up the Beacons with what sounds like significant wind transport and loading.

 

If the wind's blowing the right way some of the steeper prizes might be good to go once this storm has blown through, it settles and we get some visibility. Most likely Tuesday at this stage.

 

Roads around here are treacherous at the moment. Half conditions, half retarded drivers.

 

If this keeps up all day I could well be skiing some of Aberdare's signature runs tomorrow:

 

Colin's Couloir

Delirium Dai

The Lean To

 

Bring it

[muikabochi 208]

Nice,

I bet the locals are having fun, or not!

 

Mike, when do you get up to Niseko then?

 

[Mike Pow 52]

At least one local is having fun

 

Hopefully arrive on the 29th.

[JellyBelly 1]

How does the snow compare with Niseko's Mike?

 

Have really loved your photos of Wales. Made me see it in a totally different light.

[Mike Pow 52]

SATURDAY 18 DECEMBER 2010

 

Wales got hit.

 

Measurements taken at MQ in Aberdare.

 

10cm overnight Thursday 16 December into Friday 17 December

19cm throughout the day on Friday 17 December

 

Currently nuking Hokkaido style in the pre-dawn streetlight illuminuted darkness.

 

This is the most snow I've seen in my street since the early '80s, and if the snow continues as forecast will surpass the December '78 into January '79 depths when I was off school for three weeks straight (the fact that the school burned down just before Christmas helped too).

 

My guess to the only chance of getting in to the Beacons today is on the Brecon Mountain Railway Santa Express if it's still running.

 

http://www.breconmountainrailway.co.uk/index.html

 

I called them yesterday afternoon but got to answer.

 

Currently A470 between Merthyr and Brecon is closed so too the A465 between Merthyr and Dowlais Top.

 

If the snowfall in Aberdare is any indication on the snowfall in the Brecon Beacons - and it usually is - then we could see extraordinary coverage.

 

2010 has been the year of snow in this part of the world, with 7 of the 12 months experiencing snowfall and offering up 6 non-consecutive months of skiing (Jan, Feb, Mar, Apr, Nov, Dec).

 

The slopes above Aberdare will be signed very soon, and then hopefully over to the Beacons if the roads are open.

 

 

To accompany today's turns

 

Home - Edward Sharpe & The Magnetic Zeros (live on KCRW)

 

 

 

The Graig Montet

 

I'm currently living in the family home I grew up in at the foot of The Graig - the mountain to us, a hill to most - separating Aberdare and the town of Maerdy in the Rhondda valley.

 

As a boy I would explore the woods, the quarry, and the open slopes of The Graig in all seasons and if my brothers, friends and I were lucky there would be enough snow at some stage during the winter to enable us to sledge Monk St, Piggy's Tip and The Graig.

 

To combat the cold and wet of typical Welsh snow we'd wear woolen gloves under washing up gloves with the cuffs secured by sellotape or electrical tape and be out until dark.

 

During the winters I've spent at home since I learned to ski I've often daydreamed of skiing The Graig and continuing down Monk St back to my house, but any snow that's fallen in Aberdare has never been enough and hasn't stuck around long enough to harden and create a base.

 

With the roads into the Brecon Beacons closed, today was the day to see if daydreams could become reality.

 

I set off from my house just before 8am, The Graig shrouded in mist. A pale, blue light was trying to penetrate the gloom.

 

Looking back down Monk Street

 

 

 

 

The 'closed' mountain road to the top of The Graig and over to the Maerdy

 

 

 

 

Half way up the sun was doing it's best to penetrate the mist

 

 

 

 

After a brief flurry the mist lifted and Aberdare came in to view

 

 

 

 

Looking down on the tracks from the first run. The snow was unbelievable. Boot top to knee deep cold smoke. As light as any snow I've had on Hokkaido and the best snow I've skied in Wales bar none. Even got a couple of face shots.

 

 

 

 

 

Each run consisted of a couple of turns on the snow covered tillings of the quarry at the top of The Graig, followed by clicking out and jumping over the wall, click back in then ski the top farmer's field, through the gate and in to the lower field.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The view from the top before the final run

 

 

 

 

On the way down I met a family from the Gadlys in Aberdare on their way up to board.

 

 

 

 

 

Had to click out twice to get over fences, but was able to ski right back to the top of Monk St.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Monk St had been plowed and gritted, but there was still enough snow on the pavement.

 

 

 

 

Failed to exceed the 30mph speed limit on Monk St and fire the speed camera - maxed out at 24 mph.

 

And half way down I got a gut full of snow from a guy who was shovelling the path from his front door. I don't know who was more surprised!

 

A magic morning.

 

I called in to Rod Smith's house on the way up to afternoon turns in Dare Valley country Park, and was greeted with mulled wine and bacon sandwiches from his wife Jacqui. Ski lunch Aberdare style!

 

[Jynxx 4]

Wonderful, delightful story.

Pure magic.

[Mike Pow 52]

Thanks.

 

 

SUNDAY 19 DECEMBER 2010

 

The A470 between Merthyr and Brecon had re-opened late Saturday afternoon so I ogranised with two non-skiing friends of mine to drive over early Sunday morning.

 

Got picked up by Dave Mear and Simon Blinkhorn in Dave's 4x4 van and the three of us drove over to the Brecon Beacons intending to walk to the summit of Pen-y-Fan with Dave on hand to take pics.

 

The road over was very good and we got to the toilets car park without incident.

 

After Saturday's excellent turns in Aberdare, my expectation level for longer, steeper powder runs was off the charts.

 

It was significantly colder and windier than conditions in Aberdare as we started the walk to the summit

 

 

 

 

About half way up the weather closed in and Dave and Simon decided to turn around. But not before Dave managed to get a couple of pics.

 

The windier conditions in the Beacons had compacted the light, dry powder from the previous three days and it was quite a comedown to be skiing breakable crust over cold smoke. It did have its moments though.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I continued upwards for Pen-y-Fan but with very little visibility at the summit turned around pretty quickly.

 

On the way back to the car I met up with Tom and Tom from the snowheads forum

 

 

 

 

We skied down together in what felt like the inside of a golf ball. The visibility improved the lower we got and the boys started getting the hang of Beacons crust

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Drove back to Aberdare and got one lap in from the top of The Graig. But unlike yesterday, Dave drove me to the top. Perfect.

[Mike Pow 52]

MONDAY 20 DECEMBER 2010

 

Another day of sustained, feather dry snowfall in Aberdare, with 11cm falling at MQ during the day.

 

 

 

FRIDAY 24 DECEMBER 2010

 

'Twas the night before Christmas.

 

Took a drive over to the Brecon Beacons to see if Monday's snowfall and time had improved conditions and taken care of the wind crust.

 

It was a glorious, sunny morning with very few people out in the hills. Got to the top of Pen-y-Fan and decided that the steep NW face of Cribyn might be ready for a 1st Descent.

 

Skied down from Pen-y-Fan to the old Roman road at the base of Cribyn's west facing flank and the crust was still very much in evidence. Wide, patient turns were the order of the day.

 

Got to the summit of Cribyn and from above it looked like there was enough coverage to make it doable.

 

I made a few side slips and one turn on the NW face but unfortunately the snow - which was between 20-30cm deep - was unconsolidated and each movement resulted in the skis hitting the very rocky bottom and the snow sloughing below me taking the top 10cm or so off the surface. Discretion was the better part of valour and I clicked out and booted it back to the summit ridge. Cribyn will have to wait for another day.

 

Looking back to the NE face of Pen-y-Fan the conditions were the same. From a distance there appeared to be more than enough coverage but because the snow had come down dry and light it hadn't covered up the rock bands lining the face.

 

 

The NE Face of Pen-y-Fan, Cwm Sere and the shadow of Cribyn from the summit of Cribyn

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

With the NW Face of Cribyn earmarked for another day I skied the west facing flank back to where I started walking up.

 

Half way down I set up the tripod, and using a remote shutter release managed to get this shot with the NE Face of Pen-y-Fan in the background. The slope was firm and smooth with a dry, powdery surface. Lower down the snow was less wind affected and afforded a ski penetration of about 10cm

 

 

 

 

The Mountain Rescue Team had been out all morning on a training exercise practicing flying close to the summits and steeper faces in preparation for winch rescues.

 

As much as I indicated, they wouldn't land where I was and take me back up to Cribyn for what would be the first heliskiing operation in Wales!

 

 

Mountain Rescue Helicopter above the NW Face of Cribyn

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

After seeing such exemplary flying skills over Cribyn I made my way back home but not before seeing an example of what rough weather in the Brecon Beacons can do.

 

 

 

 

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-11849888

 

 

The turns back to the car park on Cefn Crew were much better than the previous Sunday, the snow firmer and more consistent. The undercut banks high above the Blaen Taf Fawr river had developed some enormous icicles, some 4-5m long.

 

I set up the tripod again and got this series of shots

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

A fabulous way to spend Christmas Eve.

[Jynxx 4]

I love it when someone lives that moment...

 

but not many people understand that at that same time, you have all the time you can take.

 

Your pics makes me think that way.

[Mike Pow 52]

Thanks Jynxx.

 

 

SUNDAY 26 DECEMBER 2010

 

 

Return to the Graig Montet

 

After a wonderful Christmas Day with family and friends it was time to revisit the mountain above my house before the forecasted rise in temperature and rain washed it all away.

 

I was a little slow out of the blocks and didn't set off until sunrise.

 

Sunrise in Pendarren St, Aberdare

 

 

 

 

Instead of walking up the mountain road, I bootpacked up the path and the slopes I intended to ski. Monday's snow had filled in most of mine and others tracks and whilst the snow wasn't as deep and light as it had been on the 18th it still made for some great turns.

 

 

 

 

As an homage to all the great pics we see from Chamonix with a skier carving powder high above the town I set up the following two shots

 

 

Turns from the top of The Graig with the Aberdare to Maerdy mountain road and Aberdare town in the background

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Another great morning out skiing Aberdare, made especially so as it was walk to turns.

 

 

 

MONDAY 27 DECEMBER TO WEDNESDAY 29 DECEMBER 2010

 

Warmer temperatures, fog, mist and rain has eaten the snow down low. The mountains have been shrouded for days so it's anyone's guess if there's any left up high.

 

No return to below freezing temps or further snowfall forecast for the coming days.

 

That could be it for 2010. But what a magnificent year for skiing in South Wales. Six months of turns (Jan, Feb, Mar, Apr, Nov, Dec) and unforgettable memories.

 

 

Interesting article by Judah Cohen in the Opinion Pages of The International Herald Tribune on Monday

 

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/12/26/opinion/26cohen.html?src=me&ref=general

 

 

Quote:

Bundle Up, It’s Global Warming

By JUDAH COHEN

 

THE earth continues to get warmer, yet it’s feeling a lot colder outside. Over the past few weeks, subzero temperatures in Poland claimed 66 lives; snow arrived in Seattle well before the winter solstice, and fell heavily enough in Minneapolis to make the roof of the Metrodome collapse; and last week blizzards closed Europe’s busiest airports in London and Frankfurt for days, stranding holiday travelers. The snow and record cold have invaded the Eastern United States, with more bad weather predicted.

 

All of this cold was met with perfect comic timing by the release of a World Meteorological Organization report showing that 2010 will probably be among the three warmest years on record, and 2001 through 2010 the warmest decade on record.

 

How can we reconcile this? The not-so-obvious short answer is that the overall warming of the atmosphere is actually creating cold-weather extremes. Last winter, too, was exceptionally snowy and cold across the Eastern United States and Eurasia, as were seven of the previous nine winters.

 

For a more detailed explanation, we must turn our attention to the snow in Siberia.

 

Annual cycles like El Niño/Southern Oscillation, solar variability and global ocean currents cannot account for recent winter cooling. And though it is well documented that the earth’s frozen areas are in retreat, evidence of thinning Arctic sea ice does not explain why the world’s major cities are having colder winters.

 

But one phenomenon that may be significant is the way in which seasonal snow cover has continued to increase even as other frozen areas are shrinking. In the past two decades, snow cover has expanded across the high latitudes of the Northern Hemisphere, especially in Siberia, just north of a series of exceptionally high mountain ranges, including the Himalayas, the Tien Shan and the Altai.

 

The high topography of Asia influences the atmosphere in profound ways. The jet stream, a river of fast-flowing air five to seven miles above sea level, bends around Asia’s mountains in a wavelike pattern, much as water in a stream flows around a rock or boulder. The energy from these atmospheric waves, like the energy from a sound wave, propagates both horizontally and vertically.

 

As global temperatures have warmed and as Arctic sea ice has melted over the past two and a half decades, more moisture has become available to fall as snow over the continents. So the snow cover across Siberia in the fall has steadily increased.

 

The sun’s energy reflects off the bright white snow and escapes back out to space. As a result, the temperature cools. When snow cover is more abundant in Siberia, it creates an unusually large dome of cold air next to the mountains, and this amplifies the standing waves in the atmosphere, just as a bigger rock in a stream increases the size of the waves of water flowing by.

 

The increased wave energy in the air spreads both horizontally, around the Northern Hemisphere, and vertically, up into the stratosphere and down toward the earth’s surface. In response, the jet stream, instead of flowing predominantly west to east as usual, meanders more north and south. In winter, this change in flow sends warm air north from the subtropical oceans into Alaska and Greenland, but it also pushes cold air south from the Arctic on the east side of the Rockies. Meanwhile, across Eurasia, cold air from Siberia spills south into East Asia and even southwestward into Europe.

 

That is why the Eastern United States, Northern Europe and East Asia have experienced extraordinarily snowy and cold winters since the turn of this century. Most forecasts have failed to predict these colder winters, however, because the primary drivers in their models are the oceans, which have been warming even as winters have grown chillier. They have ignored the snow in Siberia.

 

Last week, the British government asked its chief science adviser for an explanation. My advice to him is to look to the east.

 

It’s all a snow job by nature. The reality is, we’re freezing not in spite of climate change but because of it.

 

Judah Cohen is the director of seasonal forecasting at an atmospheric and environmental research firm.

[threep 0]

Hi Mike, great shots. I had no idea you were an Aberdare boy or even you were back over here else I'd have tried to hook up with you on one of your trips up the Beacons.

 

I went on a Boxing day hike up Pen-y-Fan. It was arctic on top, about -10 degC and a good 40mph wind. Christmas day would have been the day to go up there, colder air temp, v. little wind and clear blue skies.

 

I'll PM you with contact details should you be interested in a skiing buddy in the Beacons if we get conditions again this winter.

 

Cheers,

Gary

[SKI 15]

Nice Mike.

 

Next up, Niseko?

[Mike Pow 52]

Thanks Ski.

 

Was hoping to head over on Thursday, but delayed until Feb now.

[iiyamadude 6]

Damn thats a shame Mike.

[Mike Pow 52]

MONDAY 03 JANUARY 2011

 

Happy New Year.

 

The warming temperatures and steady drizzle at the end of the holiday period decimiated the snowpack.

 

Isolated strips in gullies or tucked in folds on north facing slopes are all that's left to remind us of the excellent late December conditions.

 

But it looks like we won't have to wait long for the next chance.

 

It's tried to snow all day here in Aberdare and a return to colder temperatures and snow is forecast for the weekend.

 

Watch this space!

[Mike Pow 52]

THURSDAY 06 JANUARY 2011

 

Derek's saying that December 2010 was the coldest month in Wales for at least 100 years

 

http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/walesnature/2011/01/up_and_down_like_a_yo-yo.html

 

 

After two days of persistent rainfall the mercury is dropping.

 

Up to 20cm forecast tonight into the early hours of tomorrow morning. Continued snowfall expected throughout the morning but turning to rain below 1,000m by lunchtime.

 

Small window of opportunity in the Beacons early tomorrow. See you there.

[2pints-mate 0]

You won't want to get to Niseko!