SR: FROM FAST FROST TO FACE SHOTS - A WELSH WINTER

WEDNESDAY 01 NOVEMBER 2017

Here we go again and the Stereophonics say it better than anyone

"There's no mistake
I smell that smell
It's that time of year again
I can taste the air
The clocks go back
Railway track
Something blocks the line again
And the train runs late for the first time"

Stereophonics - Local Boy In The Photograph

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6VqFXyv__go



Opening Day in the Brecon Beacons National Park was 19 November last season and snow-forecast and the Met Office are calling for wintry showers and heavy snow from Saturday (02 November 2017).

Looks like the heavy precipitation will be accompanied by high winds in excess of 70 km/h and the freezing level will be crucial.

As it always is.

A sunrise mission on Tuesday 05 November 2017 could be the go at this stage


Weather and Webcams

Brecon Beacons National Park
http://www.snow-forecast.com/resorts/Penyfan/6day/top
https://www.metoffice.gov.uk/public/...brecon-beacons
https://www.mountain-forecast.com/pe.../forecasts/886


Snowdonia National Park
http://www.snow-forecast.com/resorts/Snowdon/6day/top
https://www.metoffice.gov.uk/public/...asts/snowdonia
https://www.mountain-forecast.com/pe...forecasts/1064


Derek 'the weather' Brockway on BBC Wales TV and Radio

Brecon Beacons webcam
http://www.breconbeacons.org/webcams

Storey Arms web cam
http://members.traffic-wales.com/cct...amera4001.jpg?


Previous seasons reports

SR: It Snows in Wales - 2016/17 Winter Season in the Brecon Beacons & Snowdonia National Parks
http://snowheads.com/ski-forum/viewtopic.php?t=128099

Facebook messing around with image coding again, so please have a look here for pics
https://www.facebook.com/mike.richar...6688623&type=3


SR : Wales 2015 / 16
http://snowheads.com/ski-forum/viewt...790816#2790816

Facebook messing around with image coding again, so please have a look here for pics
https://www.facebook.com/mike.richar...6688623&type=3


SR : Wales 2013 / 14
http://snowheads.com/ski-forum/viewt...eacons#2388201


SR : Wales 2012 / 13
http://snowheads.com/ski-forum/viewt...mike+pow+wales


And plenty of pics and vids on my Instagram account

https://www.instagram.com/mikethesnow/


But even with that information you never know until you go.

SATURDAY 25 NOVEMBER 2017

'TIS THE SEASON
Opener in the Brecon Beacons National Park, Wales for winter 2017/18

It started sleeting in Llandeilo around 8pm on Friday 24th, and by 8am on the Saturday the Brecon Beacons National Park and surrounding hills were whitewashed with 5-10 cm of dry, spongy snow

I avoided the crowds of the Central Beacons Massif and drove to Llanddeusant - the staging point for the Black Mountain / Mynydd Du in the west of the National Park

Didn't arrive until 9am but I was still the first car there

The snowline started at the car park and I didn't have to leave the slopes enclosing the glacial lake Llyn-y-Fan Fach to lay down the first turns of the season

Even got a first descent on one of the faces which plunges down to the lake

Not many turns because it cliffs out and not enough snow to fill the gully skier's right which drops to the lake

A brilliant first day

Llyn-y-Fan Fach, Brecon Beacons National Park, Wales
25 November 2017

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Having trouble with YouTube so here's the Instagram link to the vid in the meantime

https://www.instagram.com/p/Bb_nWPln...by=mikethesnow

FRIDAY 08 DECEMBER 2017

A FAN DANCE
Not 'The' Fan Dance yomp around the Central Beacons but a short walk up and ski back to the car park of Fan Fawr.

Fan Fawr is the peak and ridgeline on the other side of the A470 from Corn Du, Pen-y-Fan and Cribyn overlooking the reservoir.

The weather was all over the place - from sunshine and clear skies to full on Arctic blizzard with 50m visibility

Not a deep covering but surprisingly consisent and rock free!

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VIDEO

https://www.instagram.com/p/BcdQ9zdH...by=mikethesnow


IT'S A SMALL WORLD
But I wouldn't like to paint it!

After skiing Fan Fawr I stopped to watch a family sledding on the lower slopes next to the car park.

Turns out the mum, Jayne, was a fellow Snow Japan forum friend.

Originally from Swansea, she, her husband Tony and son Ioan were over from Singapore to see family.

Ioan hasn't snowboarded before, but he was cruising the slopes on his sled like a champ.

Hokkaido next winter!


Ioan

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SATURDAY 09 DECEMBER 2017

POWDER IN THE HOLE!

A fantastic morning in the Central Beacons Massif with a beautiful sunrise and soft, dry snow top to bottom.

The drive from Llandeilo to the Pont-ar-Daf car park was a bit hairy with heavy snow and white roads the whole way.

But once on the mountain it was plain sailing with low wind and excellent visibility.

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Skied the south face of Pen-y-Fan down to the foot of Cribyn; hiked to the summit of Cribyn then skied the East facing ridge; Cribyn down to the foot of Pen-y-Fan; and to finish off Cefn Crew back to the car park.

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VIDEO

https://www.instagram.com/p/Bcfj-hqH...by=mikethesnow


https://www.instagram.com/p/BcfkspAH...by=mikethesnow


More snow forecast for tonight and the NE Face of Pen-y-Fan is looking very inviting.

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MONDAY 11 DECEMBER 2017

MOUNTAIN PEOPLE

They come from far and wide to revel in the winter conditions in the Brecon Beacons National Park.

Dan McIntyre (@danmac4114) had driven from Bracknell, Berkshire; Tom McConnel was up from Devon; and John (@j__p__e) had driven from Talybont.

Although John's journey was the shortest it was the most difficult as he had to dig the car out first.

I'd set out before sunrise in anticipation of catching first light from up high, but when the forecasted sunshine failed to materialise and the high winds chilled me to the bone I took off the skins and started to ski back to the car.

About halfway down I met Dan, Tom & John and after a quick chat changed my mind about bailing for the day.

They set off ahead of me as I put the skins back on.

By the time I caught sight of them again they'd headed right to ski the Cefn Crew slopes and I'd continued on to Pen-y-Fan with local photographer Anthony Pease (@pease971).

Although I didn't get to make turns with the boys - I saw their handiwork on my way down to the car at sunset - it was great to meet like-minded people on the mountain.

Dan, Tom & John

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It was an absolute pleasure to meet photographer Anthony Pease (@pease971) on the path to Pen-y-Fan this morning

I'd set out before sunrise in anticipation of catching first light from up high, but when the forecasted sunshine failed to materialise and the high winds chilled me to the bone I took off the skins and started to ski back to the car.

About halfway down I waited to see if there would be a break in the weather and met Anthony who was on his way down from the summit of Pen-y-Fan.

We saw a glimmer of blue sky, changed our minds, and made our way back to the summit of Pen-y-Fan.

We were both very glad we did.

Despite the howling winds and biting cold it was magical when the sun broke through and revealed unlimited views across the Brecon Beacons National Park, from the Black Mountain in the west to the Black Mountains in the east, and the pearl - the Central Beacons Masssif - in the middle.

Anthony 'Getting The Shot'

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VIDEO

https://www.instagram.com/p/Bcpc2Gun...by=mikethesnow


To see Anthony's fantastic images please visit his Instagram gallery

https://www.instagram.com/pease971/

MOUNTAIN PEOPLE

After making one run into Cwm Sere from the ridge line skier's left of the Pen-y-Fan gullies, I got back to the summit plateau of Pen-y-Fan to take photos and drink in the views.

Whilst I was up top I met a Brecon Beacons legend, Bryn Evans from Caerphilly (originally from Cardiff).

A retired Royal Marine, Bryn is a fit and sprightly 71 years of age who still has the passion to walk the Brecon Beacons, especially under a blanket of snow.

Over a wonderful conversation he shared that he still skis; has skied across Scotland from East coast to West; and spent many years in Norway training Royal Marines in Winter Warfare & Travel.

He's also responsible for one of the most gruelling selection exercises for the British Special Forces - a timed march from Llanddeusant in the West of the National Park to Capel-y-Ffin in the East which has affectionately become known as 'Bryn's Ball Buster'!

I started skiing the Brecon Beacons National Park in 1997, where I would often be the only person on the mountain some winter mornings let alone the only skier.

Bryn told me that he started skiing the Brecon Beacons some 30 years earlier in 1967 in leather boots and cable bindings!

He said he'd have a look up the attic to dig out some old photos of skiing in the Beacons.

I can't wait to see them

Bryn Evans

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MOUNTAIN PEOPLE

On my way back to the car I stopped to talk with photographers Ian and Nick (@nickmasonphotography) who were on Cefn Crew setting up for sunset shots of Corn Du and Pen-y-Fan.

Ian is a lecturer in Creative Arts in Coleg y Cymoedd Nantgarw and he was out shooting on film on an old fashioned camera.

It was very interesting to see him set up his shots with a loupe on the back plate and then don the hood to block out the light.

Think I'll stick with my @Panasonic GX80 micro 4/3 set up :)

Ian

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Had the full gamut of weather conditions and light on and around Corn Du, Pen-y-Fan and Cribyn

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PEN-Y-FAN POWDER!

I bid farewell to Anthony Pease (@pease971) on the summit plateau of Pen-y-Fan and dropped into Cwm Llwch - the glacial cirque between Corn Du and Pen-y-Fan - and traversed round to the ridge line which separates Cwm Llwch and Cwm Sere.

Cwm Sere is the glacial cirque between Pen-y-Fan and Cribyn and looked to have the best snow conditions this morning. And it was bathed in sunshine :)

There was a fair bit of windblown snow on the ridge line and the east facing slopes, which created some interesting patterns and ski conditions.

I did one lap in boot top powder about halfway down the slope and then bootpacked my way back to the summit plateau of Pen-y-Fan intending to ski around to Cribyn.

But after spending time chatting with Bryn Evans up top there wasn't enough daylight to do the Cribyn loop.

So I dropped into Cwm Sere for my second lap and skied to the river at the valley bottom.

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VIDEO

https://www.instagram.com/p/Bcyt25_H...by=mikethesnow


CORN DU SUNSET

Before my final run of the day - from the Cefn Crew ridgeline back to Pont-ar-Daf car park - I stopped to watch the sun lighting up Corn Du and Pen-y-Fan.

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INTO THE SUNSET

My final run of the day - from the Cefn Crew ridgeline back to Pont-ar-Daf car park - was under sunset skies.

A fantastic day in the mountains of Wales meeting great people and skiing some wonderful snow.

It's hard to beat #skiingonyourdoorstep

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VIDEO

https://www.instagram.com/p/Bc1cGrnH...by=mikethesnow

WEDNESDAY 28 FEBRUARY 2018

A consistent 5cm covering across the National Park but not enough to make turns

So it was ice spotting instead

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SATURDAY 03 MARCH 2018

After two days of gale force winds which ripped the slates off the roof; sub zero temperatures with no heating as we waited for oil to be delivered; and next to no snow in Llandeilo, it was time to see what #thebeastfromtheeast had done to the Brecon Beacons National Park

But first stop on the way was some icicle hunting in Waterfall Country at Melincourt Falls near Neath

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The upper mountin had been stripped bare by the wind, but down low there were some filled in gullies which offered up great turns

Tim, up from Cardiff, letting the skis run

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Tim in green, Marcin in blue

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Marcin, originally from Poland but now living in Cardiff, letting the skis run

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THURSDAY 08 MARCH 2018

THE BEST FROM THE WEST
After #thebeastfromtheeast 's failure to deliver stellar conditions in the Central Beacons Massif last week it was great to see a 'normal' storm arrive from the West Wednesday night into Thursday morning

15-20 cm of dry, light powder fell without too much wind, providing consistent coverage on all aspects

And the sun came out too

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After ascending in glorious sunshine, the clouds rolled in as soon as I put the skis

Firm and fast below Pen-y-Fan into Cwm Llwch

Soft and going to ground skier's left of Corn Du

Then cruisey, bluebird turns back to Pont-ar-Daf car park

A smorgasbord of sliding

https://www.instagram.com/p/BgSyYnig...by=mikethesnow

FRIDAY 09 MARCH 2018

THE YIN AND THE YANG OF WELSH SKIING

I summitted early to catch what I hoped was a glorious sunrise, with the peaks of the Central Beacons Massif cresting above a Spring inversion

Unfortunately Mother Nature had other ideas

Mist, fog, swirling winds, and an overnight thaw which had eaten into the snowpack made for some challenging skiing and routefinding

Still better than being indoors though

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MONDAY 19 MARCH 2018

A wild & blustery day up high with sudden gusts depositing & stripping the snow in equal measure.

I was even knocked off my feet as I skinned past Bwlch Duwynt.

An eerie 'Mars' light greeted me this morning, casting a desert hue over the snow and rocks.

Mixed snow conditions from hardpack to wind crust to boot top powder made for a challenging but fun run from Pen-y-Fan down into Cwm Llwch ('Powder Valley')

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https://www.instagram.com/p/Bgg4hSUg...by=mikethesnow


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TUESDAY 20 MARCH 2018

With a snow texture like unbaked meringue I took the skis for a walk in the Carmarthen Fans today!

Despite the limited turns it was fantastic to experience total isolation in the far west of the National Park amongst terrain more reminiscent of Iceland than the 'Green Green Grass Of Home'.

https://www.instagram.com/p/BgnhpMpA...by=mikethesnow

WEDNESDAY 21 MARCH 2018

GWYNDRE GLACIER *
* shaped by glacial action, but not a glacier

Against the paint streaked peaks an ascension of kites soaring, stalling, falling from the sky.
Sheep grazing, a languid thoroughness, cropping the green baize of the hillside,
wild Welsh mountain ponies, their tails and manes sailing on the wind.
The thrum of farm machinery in fields near and far.

The shadowline of dry stone walling a sharp melt,
on the undulating landscape a flag laid out on the contours,
a Rorschach of green and white
and me the red

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https://www.instagram.com/p/Bgsns-_g...by=mikethesnow


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THURSDAY 05 APRIL 2018

ON A COLD AND FROSTY MORNING

A wonderful transition from a frosted to roasted NE Face of Pen-y-Fan and Cwm Sere at sunrise this morning

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Please click on the link to see the sunrise time-lapse

https://www.instagram.com/p/BhNAxybg...by=mikethesnow



IF CANDIDE CAN

Derek the Weather said there'd be snow
On higher ground Tuesday night. Rain down low.
Then cold, icy and clear on Wednesday morning
With showers by nightfall, without warning.

From the car park the peaks looked as white as the stars,
Which pinpricked the indigo from here out to Mars.
We walked up in darkness under the waning moon's stare,
The breeze light and warm, the conditions set fair.

We talked as we walked, the brothers and me,
Green fields, rolling hills, was all we could see.
From the Bwlch Duwynt saddle we saw all around
The whiteness was lunar lit frost on the ground.

It was 'One Of Those Days' with more grass than snow
But I'd carted my stuff up there and still wanted to go
Skiing on the flanks of Southern Britain's highest peaks
Who knew when it would snow next, it could be weeks.

So suited and booted, goggles on face
I pushed off from a standstill, slowly gathering pace.
The frost crystals crashing off the tails of my skis,
Grass hurtling skyward, caught on the breeze.

The hiss of the schuss like a thousand tyres deflated
Pulling up, still standing, feeling elated.
My eleventh day turning on the Brecon Beacons' peaks
Are the skis put away now for the summertime weeks?


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Please click on the link to see the 'skiing' time-lapse

https://www.instagram.com/p/BhQryhyg...by=mikethesnow

MONDAY 16 APRIL 2018

Well that's all folks.

6 consecutive months of snowfall in the Brecon Beacons National Park.

11 days making turns.

Would have been almost double that if I was around in January and February, although Hokkaido was an accepatable substitute ;)

Going to hit 20 C (low 70s) this week, but you just never know with the Welsh weather.

I've made turns as late as mid-May, so the skis aren't going away just yet :)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q8-EC5rygKc&t=36s

Love it. Thanks Mike!

Quote:

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Originally Posted by garyfromterrace

Love it. Thanks Mike!

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Cheers

much appreciated as always. thanks for the effort, i want to get back there some day and ski it too.

I love the TGR forum for this type of report. An area I’ve never been to (or honestly know much about) with folks dedicated to the sport of skiing and making the best of it.

Terrific!

Quote:

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Originally Posted by ml242

much appreciated as always. thanks for the effort, i want to get back there some day and ski it too.

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My pleasure. Let me know.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Peruvian

I love the TGR forum for this type of report. An area I’ve never been to (or honestly know much about) with folks dedicated to the sport of skiing and making the best of it.

Terrific!

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Cheers.

We have the terrain, more so in the North.

We just don't get consistent snow.

But come the next Ice Age ;)