@tokyo 14 Posted November 6, 2012 Share Posted November 6, 2012 I love the sound of Welsh being spoken. come to think of it, how much is actually spoken now? Link to post Share on other sites
Mike Pow 52 Posted November 6, 2012 Author Share Posted November 6, 2012 10-15% of the population in day to day life. Compulsory subject in schools up to the age of 15. Dedicated radio and tv channel. Link to post Share on other sites
grungy-gonads 54 Posted November 6, 2012 Share Posted November 6, 2012 I wonder if Shakey speaks Welsh, he's Welsh isn't he? Link to post Share on other sites
pie-eater 207 Posted November 6, 2012 Share Posted November 6, 2012 I bet he can, gg, coz he's dead brainy. Link to post Share on other sites
grungy-gonads 54 Posted November 6, 2012 Share Posted November 6, 2012 Thought as much! Link to post Share on other sites
hellyer 216 Posted November 6, 2012 Share Posted November 6, 2012 I think his Welsh name is wfchtp-ey Link to post Share on other sites
Mike Pow 52 Posted November 7, 2012 Author Share Posted November 7, 2012 SUNDAY 04 NOVEMBER 2012 Saturday evening brought torrential rain, hail, sleet, thunder & lightning in Aberdare putting a dampner on the Guy Fawkes fireworks celebrations. But I went to sleep hoping that elevation would result in elation with the precipitation falling as snow in the Central Beacons Massif. I met regular Beacons partner Chris Dainton just before 9am, and we were at the Bwlch Duwynt saddle about 40 minutes later. By this time the morning valley mist had mostly burned off and the sun was lighting up all around us. Ordinarily I don't head up to the summit plateau of Corn Du because it can be too icy and rocky, but I'm glad we went up today as the views were spectacular. Yours truly heading up to the summit plateau of Corn Du (Chris Dainton pics) Cwm Llwch panorama - Pen-y-Fan to the right http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=33yWUv134yQ&feature=plcp Chris Dainton on the summit plateau of Corn Du Yours truly on the summit plateau of Corn Du Yours truly on the summit plateau of Corn Du with Pen-y-Fan in the background And a first for both Chris & I, a Brocken Spectre projected into Cwm Llwch. Wikipedia describes the phenomemon as "the apparently enormous and magnified shadow of an observer, cast upon the upper surfaces of clouds opposite the sun." http://en.wikipedia....Brocken_spectre Ridgelines rarely provide good opportunities to make turns but I was in luck today. There was consolidated and skiable snow on the ridgeline below Corn Du in the left of this shot Corn Du slope and Chris did a fabulous job of catching me in the act. Your truly skiing Corn Du with Cwm Llwch below (Chris Dainton pics) With turns under my belt it was time to take a look at the slopes off Pen-y-Fan. Link to post Share on other sites
Mike Pow 52 Posted November 7, 2012 Author Share Posted November 7, 2012 FAN-TASTIC The slope into Cwm Llwch which I skied yesterday was looking good, but the NE Face was looking great. Chris Dainton on the summit plateau of Pen-y-Fan with Cribyn in the background Additional snowfall combined with wind transported snow overnight had covered up most of the rocks and large tufts of grass and I felt the face was skiable. I first skied the NE Face of Pen-y-Fan in mid-January 2010 which was the first time this face had been skied. And to my knowledge it hasn't been skied since. 1st descent line on the NE Face of Pen-y-Fan, January 2010 On my first attempt I was belayed over the rock buttress on wind blasted, hard packed snow, but this time I downclimbed kicking steps into the windpacked powder. Looking down the NE Face of Pen-y-Fan Chris walked around to the ridge line separating Cwm Llwch and Cwm Sere and took the following shots of me skiing and hiking back up the NE Face Ready to drop in Yours truly skiing the NE Face of Pen-y-Fan (Chris Dainton pics) The snow was very different from my January 2010 run. Then the snow was hardpacked and slick in the upper section and powdery in the gullies down low. Today the snow was toe to knee deep light powder with each turn going to grass and sending plenty of slough and pinwheels down the slope. Amazingly the bases went scratch free. Link to post Share on other sites
Mike Pow 52 Posted November 7, 2012 Author Share Posted November 7, 2012 Bootpacking back up As I bootpacked back up, I took the following pic below me and the top section of the face above me And Chris took these pics of me getting back over the buttress (Chris Dainton pics) Fantastic day with great views, great turns, great company, and great memories. And action shots in the Brecon Beacons to boot, a rarity for me, courtesy of Chris. Here's to the next time. Link to post Share on other sites
hellyer 216 Posted November 7, 2012 Share Posted November 7, 2012 mate, great pics but truly sketchy conditions - you are a brave lad 1 Link to post Share on other sites
NECK 14 Posted November 7, 2012 Share Posted November 7, 2012 That looks waaaaaay too sketchy . Well done! Link to post Share on other sites
muikabochi 208 Posted November 8, 2012 Share Posted November 8, 2012 Rather you than me, but.... excellent! Link to post Share on other sites
pie-eater 207 Posted November 8, 2012 Share Posted November 8, 2012 Wild stuff. Somehow this one reminds me of this photo... reminds me of this photo Link to post Share on other sites
Tubby Beaver 209 Posted November 8, 2012 Share Posted November 8, 2012 you sure go to great lengths to get some turns in Mike!! Congrats! Link to post Share on other sites
grungy-gonads 54 Posted November 8, 2012 Share Posted November 8, 2012 The not-naked aspect is slightly disappointing though. Actually, maybe not! Link to post Share on other sites
BagOfCrisps 24 Posted November 8, 2012 Share Posted November 8, 2012 Brilliant, Mike, you mad-man! Link to post Share on other sites
Mike Pow 52 Posted November 8, 2012 Author Share Posted November 8, 2012 Thanks all Link to post Share on other sites
Metabo Oyaji 71 Posted November 8, 2012 Share Posted November 8, 2012 You're nuts, Mike. Fortunately for the rest of us. Link to post Share on other sites
Mike Pow 52 Posted November 8, 2012 Author Share Posted November 8, 2012 Calculated risks. They're good for us apparently Link to post Share on other sites
snowdude 44 Posted November 9, 2012 Share Posted November 9, 2012 Well done Mike, not sure I would have attempted those slopes with such patchy snow, but great to see you skiing them. Link to post Share on other sites
seemore 66 Posted November 9, 2012 Share Posted November 9, 2012 Well done mate I reckon the ptex stick got used that night Seemore Link to post Share on other sites
Mike Pow 52 Posted November 9, 2012 Author Share Posted November 9, 2012 Thanks snowdude, and unbelievably not a scratch seemore. Link to post Share on other sites
2pints-mate 0 Posted November 12, 2012 Share Posted November 12, 2012 Parts of Wales really are beautiful. I have never really explored it all that much. Perhaps I should. Link to post Share on other sites
Mike Pow 52 Posted November 12, 2012 Author Share Posted November 12, 2012 Parts of Wales really are beautiful. I have never really explored it all that much. Perhaps I should. They certainly are. Small country, very diverse - seascape, woodland, upland moor, mountains. Small villages, steam railways, canals, castles, Roman ruins. Been very fortunate to have had the time and the weather to explore the past couple of years. Link to post Share on other sites
Mike Pow 52 Posted November 19, 2012 Author Share Posted November 19, 2012 No longer in The Land of My Fathers SR : Shiribeshi Stories, Hokkaido 2012/13 http://www.snowjapanforums.com/index.php/topic/22197-sr-shiribeshi-stories-hokkaido-201213/ Link to post Share on other sites
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