How Dangerous is Crib Goch?

Some stats – how dangerous is it?

Visitor monitoring data from Eryri (Snowdonia) National Park Authority in 2018 calculated a mean of 19,324 visits a year to Crib Goch between 2013 and 2018. 

Analysis of patients transferred to Ysbyty Gwynedd via Mountain Rescue shows us the following:

• A mean of 3.5 patients per year involved in incidents on Crib Goch during the same period 
• There were seven deaths on Crib Goch over 16 years
• Using the visitor data available from 2007-2018 this translates to a case fatality rate of one death per 29,864 passes of Crib Goch

These figures are taken from a study carried out by the Emergency Department of Ysbyty Gwynedd – the hospital in Bangor where the majority of patients will be transferred. 

My own experience as a Mountain Rescue volunteer on the mountain has shown me that casualties are not limited to the un-prepared or in-experienced. A simple slip can have very serious consequences and this can happen to anyone. 

So Why on earth would you want to traverse Crib Goch?

Thankfully life is about far more than stats and probability. Life is about joy, adventures, laughter, smiling, pushing ourselves and being proud of our achievements. It is about friendship, freedom and fun. We can get all of these things and more from an exhilarating day in the mountains and there is no better place than Crib Goch to provide that. We just need to recognise that it is dangerous, be aware of the consequences and do all that we can to minimise the risks. As the saying goes, growth takes place outside of your comfort zone. Jobs fill the pockets but adventures fill the soul. 

How can we manage that risk?

When we look at the cause of accidents and Mountain Rescue call outs on Crib Goch we can split them into two categories. People who get hurt – this is generally as a result of a slip or a trip. People who get stuck – this can be caused by a route finding error or by a lack of confidence/competence that causes them to be crag fast. 

Avoiding a slip/trip comes down to good movement skills. Good movement skills come from practice and hill fitness. If you want to traverse Crib Goch but have never been scrambling before then start out on easier routes that have less likelihood of  a slip and lower consequences. Learn the fundamentals of movement and build up good hill fitness. (We can teach you these skills on our intro to scrambling courses).

Starting off on easier scrambles will also allow you to develop your ability to read the ground. This is about interpreting the ground to pick the easiest or safest line. A surprising number of people stray off route on Crib Goch – there is a tendency to think that it is a ridge, how hard can it be to go the right way? But in reality there are lots of choices to make ascending the East Ridge and even on the main crest itself. Gain experience of making these decisions on easier routes first where the consequences of a mistake are less. 

Get a good guidebook. The Cicerone guidebook “Scrambles in Snowdonia” is a comprehensive guide to all of the scrambles in Snowdonia and gives a good description of the routes and their hazards. Another favourite guidebook of mine is North Wales Scrambles. This only has the authors top 50 routes but at least you know that every scramble is a good one. 

Approach the mountains with respect and humility whatever level of experience you might have. Stack the odds in your favour by choosing a day with dry rock and light winds. 

“Climb if you will, but remember that courage and strength are nought without prudence, and that a momentary negligence may destroy the happiness of a lifetime. Do nothing in haste; look well to each step; and from the beginning think what may be the end.”
― Edward Whymper, Scrambles Amongst the Alps