Saturday, January 19, 2013

A Cold day on Cold Pike

Date: 19th Jan 2013
Start / Finish : Old Dungeon Ghyll, Great Langdale Valley.
Wainwrights : Cold Pike (2300 feet)
Height Gained : 2005 feet
Distance : 5.4 miles

The Route

Eager to take advantage of the current snow state I decided that my first proper winter hike of the year should be in familiar territory. I have walked up the Oxendale path towards Crinkle Crags many times but have never made the short diversion to Cold Pike. So this was the target for today. After that, it would depend on the conditions. I planned to either carry on along Crinkle Crags or head back the same way. As it turned out the snow was quite deep and made uphill progress difficult. The climb up to Cold Pike therefore took longer than anticipated and so with no summit views to encourage me onwards, I headed back down along the same path. So it was just the one Wainwright today.


The route ahead


Pike O'Blisco

The Langdale Pikes

The Great Langdale Valley

Pike of Stickle and Loft Crag

Views back as height is gained

A frozen Red Tarn

Thigh Deep Snow !

Looking over to Great Knott

Cold Pike summit - no views today

Todays 'tools of the trade'

Looking back along the Great Langdale valley on the way back down.