North Wales, on a mountain, whiteout conditions, no compass...

                 About 15 years ago i had a ‘Winter Whiteout’ mini epic ‘somewhere’ near the top of Y Gribin.

It was a Mid Winter ‘solo’ day out over the Glyders just before Xmas. Weather conditions were generally good with clear visibility and plenty of well establish snow on the ground, though the forecast did suggested some likely snow showers later in the day.

                Equipped with Ice Axe/Crampons, a short length of rope and full winter kit, quite late in the day about 11am I set off. I reckoned i had about 5hrs of daylight, so had decided just to ascend via Yr Gribin ridge, and depending on how things went, descend via Seniors, the Kitchen or Y Garn.. having a torch & bivy Bag I was well prepared to descend in the dark if required. I was even aware that it was not far off a full moon.

                With a good covering of compact snow and ice I made speedy progress. Nearing the top of Y Gribin ridge I noticed a colossal bank of dark cloud rapidly coming in from the South west, i reckoned that i would top out before it hit and i could start making my way down if it turned bad. I’d taken about 20 paces from the top and was resting for a drink and a quick bite to eat when the storm caught up with me, I was in a full blown Whiteout with driving snow and zero visibility.  

OK think, get a grip, i needed to formulate a retreat, one problem, i couldn't find my compass. A search of the immediate ground to see if it had fallen out of my bag revealed nothing, the ferocity of the storm instantly obliterated my tracks, any hope of finding it were out.

On a better day

                I’d by now already turned around several times and so lost my original orientation from the ridge. 15 mins had passed, I needed a brief clear spell to re-orientate myself.... Another 10 mins no change, so re-evaluate. Descending Y Gribin in these conditions, err no thanks! but i couldn't be far off the edge of Nameless Cwm, so maybe pick up the edge and follow it along? Carefully pacing out and back along what I thought were the cardinal points, I still couldn't establish the edge of the Cwm. On the way up I’d noticed the large cornices so was cautious of exploring too close to the edge.  Dam.... time was getting on and my situation wasn't getting any better.

                I did have a mobile phone, but it was just a phone no GPS, so what next, mountain rescue, stay put, hunker down and find some shelter from the wind? Great, i couldn't even supply a grid reference. It was getting late, dark in another hour. Ok if i got really stuck at least I could let them know I was up here and what I was intending to do.

                Conditions weren't going to improve in the next few hours, I didn't relish an uncomfortable night out in the bivy bag. 10 minutes of buffeting later...hang on, I do have one other constant, the bleedin wind, its been blowing from the same direction since i left the ridge. if I walk into the wind it will at least take me off the summit plateau to the easier southern flank of Glyder Fawr. After about ½ hr slow progress against the storm, prodding the ground in front. I’d lost enough height to afford a fleeting glimpse of a way down to Pen Y Pass.

               I’m on the wrong side of the mountain for my car but at least i'm safe. A bearing based on the wind direction had been a tad speculative but with no visibility and no compass, it had worked and i was off the hill. In the dark I hit the iced up tarmac of the Llanberis road, thumb out, the first car struggling up the pass stopped and offered a lift. Not the first bit of good luck that day.

I guess i looked a bit iced up “You had a good day” said the driver.

After a delay of a few seconds “Err yeah...on reflection, pretty good” i replied.

Back at my semi buried car i eventually wrenched open the frozen driver door, and started the engine. Dumping the gear in the boot i took a step backwards, ‘Crack’ Lucky me, I’d struck Silva.