The words ‘classic’ and ‘iconic’ are regularly bandied about when describing mountain routes. But with Crib Goch we are talking about a bona fide iconic classic.
This status is helped by being tethered to the most popular mountain in the world – Snowdon – but that’s far from the whole story.
You see, Crib Goch isn’t actually all that technical as a scramble. The scrambling moves are all relatively simple and well within the capabilities of a moderately experienced hillwalker. At least, they would be if they weren’t so gosh-darn high up in the air.
Because Crib Goch’s pièce de resistance is the mind-blowing, knee-trembling, pant-wetting levels of exposure it slides under your feet; the drops are BIG. And if that wasn’t enough, in some places, the ridge is so thin that it feels more like a tightrope walk than a mountain stroll.
The phrase ‘knife-edged’ could have been invented for Crib Goch; as you teeter along you may find yourself wondering if it might be possible to slice a lime on the back of the arête to go with the gin and tonic you’re now desperately craving.
But in spite of all this, or more likely because of it, it’s not unusual to be part of a queue traversing Crib Goch. It’s a popular route and deservingly so. Put simply, it’s hard to find a more epic mountain journey in the UK hills, and impossible without heading to Scotland. If you’ve got a head for heights, a dry, wind-free day, and a penchant for airy scrambling, you’ll love it.
How difficult is Crib Goch?
Distance: Around an 11.5km round trip to the summit of Yr Wyddfa/Snowdon if you start from Pen-y-Pass and return via the Miners' Track.
Ascent: You'll cover around 1000m of ascent.
Technicality: It's classed a Grade 1 scramble, which means you'll need to use your hands in places, but the exposure is severe in certain sections of the ridge.
Weather: The summit of Crib Goch is officially the wettest place in Britain, with an average of 176 inches of rain for the past 40 years. Low cloud, strong winds and heavy rain are common enemies on the mountain. Throughout the year, Snowdon's summit temperatures can range from -20°C to 30°C, so take good gear and brush up on your map and compass skills.
When should I do it? In dry summer conditions, when strong or gusty wind doesn't make traversing the arête more uncomfortable than it needs to be.
Video guide to Crib Goch:
Is Crib Goch harder than Striding Edge?
Due to the visual similarities between Crib Goch and Helvellyn's Striding Edge, the two ridges are regularly compared. Technically, both ridges have been given the same difficulty rating as they're classed as Grade 1 scrambles, and you'll experience many of the same features, terrain and moves on both routes.
However, we believe Crib Goch is slightly more committing than its Lake District counterpart. The terrain is more intimidating, the drops are more severe, and more sections will make your stomach churn if you aren't completely comfortable in an exposed mountain environment.
The hardest parts of Crib Goch also go on for longer than the hardest parts of Striding Edge, and there are fewer places to bypass big obstacles. Striding Edge benefits from a bypass path that keeps you away from the crest of the ridge for much of its duration, but you get no similar luxuries on Crib Goch.
Once you hit the arete, you're more or less following it all the way!
Is Crib Goch safe for beginners?
We're going to categorically say no to this. If you aren't a regular hillwalker or scrambler, Crib Goch should definitely be avoided. Even people with many years of mountain ascents in the bank can get themselves into trouble on this ridge, and it can be a terrifying place to be in bad weather.
If you just want a great walk up Snowdon with some magical views, check out our article about the 10 best routes up the mountain and pick one that suits your level of experience and ability.
How dangerous is Crib Goch?
This description from Lanberis Mountajn Rescue team perhaps sums up the challenge of Crib Goch best: Crib Goch is considered a serious mountain scramble due to the delicate and potentially consequential crest of the ridgeline and steep rock sections. Route-finding along certain sections can be problematic and the consequences of going the wrong way or scrambling in less than ideal weather conditions can be severe.
Llanberis is UK's busiest Mountain Rescue team, with more than 300 callouts every year. Not every callout is to Crib Goch because with Snowdon attracting over 600,000 visitors every year, there are many accident blackspots on the mountain.
Perhaps the key thing to remember about Crib Goch is that in perfect conditions – great visibility, dry rock, low winds – the ridge can look epic and exciting rather than dangerous. But all it takes is for the breeze to turn into gusts, rain to make the rock slippery, or your confidence to wobble, and it can feel like a very scary place.
So make you're fully prepared for the challenge before heading up there, and keep well away if you don't think you are.
What's the best map for Crib Goch?
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CLICK HERE to view and download our digital route guide in OS Maps
Crib Goch | Step-by-step route guide
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Use the Snowdon Sherpa bus to get to the ever-full and increasingly expensive Pen-y-Pass car park. Take the Pyg Track from the back-right corner of the car park and follow this to Bwlch y Moch, where you leave the main path and fork right, heading towards the east ridge of Crib Goch.
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As the ridge steepens, it starts broad and becomes narrower with height. Pick your own way up the rock following the obvious signs of traffic; the polished rock can be slippery if damp. Try to stay on the crest of the ridge as it narrows – this is where the rock is most reliable.
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You’ll pop up on the east summit of Crib Goch (the true summit is a barely noticeable rise further along the arête) and be presented with your first clear view of the task in hand. It’s a real ‘Wow!’ and possibly ‘Dear God…’ moment.
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Initially, the ridge offers some flat and table-like rock, but it soon narrows. Although the rock on the apex is solid and reliable – and some people will scamper along it quite happily – if you find the exposure daunting, you can walk slightly off the top on the left (south) side of the ridge, keeping your right hand on the crest like a handrail for reassurance.
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After passing the true summit of Crib Goch (marked by an entirely missable cairn) a slight descent brings you to Crib Goch’s famous pinnacles. They can be climbed, but this increases the difficulty and grade of the route. The Grade 1 option passes the first two on the left (south) side, before swinging back right to a gap in the ridge. After the gap the third pinnacle is climbed carefully on its right (north) side, then descended on its left (south) side to reach the saddle of Bwlch Coch.
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Although it’s possible to descend the steep southern slopes to the Pyg Track below, continuing along the ridge over Crib-y-Ddysgl is a more pleasing option. For the most fun stick to the crest all the way to the trig point on Garnedd Ugain – the scrambling here is easier and much less exposed than anything on Crib Goch itself.
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If you’ve been up Snowdon several times before, you may be quite happy to give the summit a miss and head straight down the Miners’ and Pyg Tracks from the fingerpost at Bwlch Glas. If you want to bag the summit first, it’s a short (1.2km) out and back.
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Alternatively, if you’ve planned a BIG day out, you can continue over the summit to claim the second half of the Snowdon Horseshoe via Y Lliwedd before returning to Pen-y-Pass. Or you could descend via any of the main routes and make use of the Sherpa Bus again (it circumnavigates the Snowdon massif) back to where you started.
About the author
Ben Weeks is Trail magazine's gear editor and has climbed Snowdon from every path. We once made him walk a circular route around the mountain, crossing every major path ridge and valley, without even touching the summit. So if there's someone in Britain who knows this mountain better than Ben that doesn't already volunteer with Llanberis Mountain Rescue team, then we're yet to meet them.