Adventure 1, January 2013

The First Adventure:

When?  Late January

Where? The United Kingdom

What?  The Three Peaks Challenge

Summary:  The National Three Peaks Challenge is an event in which participants attempt to climb the highest mountains of Scotland, England and Wales within 24 hours. Walkers climb each peak in turn, and are driven from the foot of one mountain to the next. The three peaks are:

Ben Nevis (1,344 metres, 4,409 ft), the highest mountain in Scotland   

Scafell Pike (978 m, 3,209 ft), the highest mountain in England

Snowdon / Yr Wyddfa (1,085 m, 3,560 ft), the highest mountain in Wales

The total distance walked is estimated at 42 kilometres (26 mi)[1] or 44 km (27 mi),[ with a total ascent of 9,800 feet (3,000 m).

*Note:  as we are doing this as a winter challenge we are allowing ourselves 24-48 hours.  We will update as much as possible along the way.  

Walid and I will be attempting this challenge with two friends from the UK, and though not attempting the challenge, their cousin as well who will drive us from peak to peak so we can hopefully get some rest in between!  

Stay tuned, I will begin blogging as our departure date approaches.  

As I was typing this up, and email with a packing list and further details came in.  See below if you are interested!   

          Hi Walid and Colleen,

Following on from my text kit list for the 3 peaks is potentially quite varied as we  could have cold snowy icy weather or wet damp warm, or most probably just wet! 

Currently conditions up Ben Nevis require crampons but the route we are doing is a simply walking track so an axe is not really necessary but if you have space in your bags throw two in...

The thing with the UK is that conditions change rapidly and what may require ice/snow gear today may require summer/spring gear tomorrow. So we really need to be prepared for all weathers. 

Kit list 

-Walking boots that can carry crampon
-Softer more comfortable walking shoes   For potential good weather!

(I am taking sportiva Nepal evos and my sportiva trainers that I was wearing in Nepal)

- comfy trainers for the car

- crampons

- ice axe

- snow shoes

- warm down summit jacket 

- light down or synthetic jacket

- good quality goretex jacket with hood

- wicking layers, icebreaker etc (more than one so can change between mountains)

- 2/3 Pairs of gloves of varying warmth

- warm hat

- goretex trousers

- walking trousers or thermals

depending on your preferred setup

(I go with thermals under my goretex and unzip my goretex down the leg when I get hot. Works for me)

- gaiters (important)

- multiple pairs of socks 

- head torches and spare batteries

- compass

Ben Nevis will be the longest in ascent and time with between a 5hr-7hr rtn trip and a 1300m ascent. It is 8km to summit and rtn is the same way. The time up and down will very much depend on conditions so I think we should leave around 1130 on the Sat morning to be down as it is getting dark or the last couple of hours in the dark. http://www.walkhighlands.co.uk/fortwilliam/bennevis.shtml

The drive to Scarfell is around 250miles 5hr30 to the Wasdale carpark. There are lots of routes up Scarfell but the Wasdale route is the shortest and most direct. Lucy and i both did this route only last year so are also quite familiar with it as we will be doing this mountain fully in the dark. The ascent is a little under 1000m a total rtn distance of 10km should take us about 3-5hrs 

http://www.trekkingbritain.com/scafellpikefromwasdale.htm

http://www.wmrt.org.uk/the-easiest-way-up/the-easiest-way-up-scafell-pike/

After Scarfell we head to Wales to climb Snowden. It is a 200 mile drive and around 5 hrs to the Pen-y-pen pass where we can access the Pyg track up Snowdon. The Pyg track is around 5.5km and ascends 800m. It should take us about 3hrs. 

http://www.walkupsnowdon.co.uk/2011/09/03/the-pyg-track/

As we go south there is less likelihood of lots of snow but that is by no means guaranteed 

Rough itinerary will be as follows

1130 start Ben Nevis

1730 finish Ben Nevis

6hr drive 

1130 start Scarfell

0330 finish Scarfell

5hr drive

0830 start Snowden

1130 finish Snowden

Clearly if we can do these times we are within our 24hrs but it will be hard and we will have to keep pushing and digging deep.