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A Storm on Snowdon

Rob / 29.09.2003

Conditions on Snowdon were so bleak ‘No Worries’ and ‘North Downs Mountain Rescue’ didn’t even attempt to go to the summit. The other 3 teams put in a big effort, going as fast as they could push, partly out of competitiveness, but mostly just to get off the mountain as quickly as possible.

The rain was incessant and the only views were of clouds, so the 2 slower teams sensibly took a shorter, lower course, on a more direct route across to the camp site near Beddgelert. “I think it was the only choice for me,� said James Thurlow, but his team mate Dave Sperry just said, “It’s been easy so far.� He was joking, but it had been a shorter than expected day as all the teams were finished before 19.00, and they’d had hour long breaks either side of the kayaking. Sperry was sheltering in a tent with Race Director Brian Elliot as the rain pelted down, and Elliot just pointed outside and said; “I’ve shortened some bits of the course due to that!� And there was no doubt everyone was glad to finish before it was dark.

Saab Salomon had been the first in at 17.08, followed by Thorlo One at 18.02. Both Phil Davies and Pete James were impressed with Thorlo’s run. “We couldn’t have run down any quicker,� said Davies, �and they are not too far behind us.� James added: “I don’t think we eased off the pace at all, but the two chasing teams are racing hard against each other and gave it all they’d got.�

He was right, Thorlo’s and Sealskinz High Five had a tussle throughout the run. Thorlos were still fuming about being held up by Sealskinz High 5 on the ropes earlier, and set off in pursuit some 15 minutes down. They caught up by the first CP at Pen-y-Pass when they took a better route, and pulled away on the climb to the summit, only to make a mistake of their own choosing the descent path. By the time they were back on the right path they were with Sealskinz High 5 again, but pulled away once more and came into camp well ahead.

“I’ve been up Snowdon twice before,� said Debbie Smit, “once in the dark and once in weather like this, so I’ve never seen the view. Not that we were hanging around to look, we were determined to pull away and it looks like we have. We lost time in the forest at the foot of the mountain, trying to find a way, and eventually followed a stream for a while, which was a mini-adventure.�

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