The Scramble That Didn't Go to Plan: Porcupine Ridge via Pinnacle Ridge

I'd heard that this scramble was challenging to locate but now I've completed it, I'm still not sure that it was the right route!
Join me as I make a bit of a mess of Porcupine Ridge on Braich ty Du face/Pen yr Ole Wen in Snowdonia.
Chapters:
00:00 Intro
01:18 Pinnacle Ridge
04:35 Start of Porcupine Ridge
08:33 A Steep Blocking Wall
09:26 Too Steep For Me
10:27 The Top
My website: thebaldscrambler.co.uk/
KZbin: / @thebaldscrambler
Disclosure and Disclaimer:
As an Amazon affiliate, I may earn from qualifying purchases made via links on KZbin and my website. I accept no responsibility for accidents or injuries you may suffer should you attempt this route, I am not a qualified mountain guide and this video is for entertainment purposes only.

[@fredscratchet1355]

I was up in that area back in the sixties with a mate from school. It's all horribly shattered up there and I'd just pulled over an edge onto a grassy ledge and looked round to see my mate disappearing backwards followed by the large boulder I'd just pulled up on! I thought the least would be a broken arm or shoulder or maybe a lot worse. Shocked I shouted his name and looked over to be greeted by a big smiling face coming back up. He didn't have a scratch but I just don't understand how it missed him.😲

[@paddymalley8077]

Ah ... the spice of new routing!

[@simonrangeley]

Spent the day once in that area practicing moving 3 together on a rope in preparation for going to the Alps. Did Pinnacle Ridge but then did a lot of traversing left and right to try and keep the scrambling going. No idea if we were on a route or not but had a lot of fun. Enjoyed the exploratory feeling .

[@thebaldscrambler]

I certainly had that exploratory feeling up there... ;-)

[@clogsonthemountain]

I can confirm you were on porcupine ridge 8:35 on the left is the crux wall

[@Bethandlebbyshiking]

awesome vid again mate I did pinnacle ridge last week after watching you do it.dont think I,d have done half the scrambles I've done with out you and clogs on the mountains vids nice one

[@thebaldscrambler]

Cheers! What did you think of the Pinnacles?

[@OutandaboutwithSpencer]

Cracking video, had me worried in places. 👍

[@thebaldscrambler]

Thanks! It was an interesting morning to say the least. I was so sure I'd wandered onto a climbing route lol.

[@duncfunk2998]

New subscriber here, love the videos mate. I'll be driving down the A5 from the ferry in a couple of weeks. Will have to keep an eye out and see if I can recognise any of your routes.

[@thebaldscrambler]

Thanks, glad you're enjoying them. Got a multi-day wild camp and scramble fest coming up soon.

[@alexrusson3894]

Me and some friends bumped Into you at the top . Great video may not have been the way you wanted but still looked epic 👌🏻👌🏻

[@thebaldscrambler]

Hey, thanks. Yup, didn't quote go to plan but still a fun scramble. I've got a few more routes planned soon that are even sketchier than this one ;-).

[@clogsonthemountain]

Just found it myself, pretty hard to find but when you have what a ridge!

[@thebaldscrambler]

I think I missed the best bits, but glad you enjoyed it! I might go back one day.

[@clogsonthemountain]

@thebaldscrambler it is a slog getting there isn't it?

[@thebaldscrambler]

Just a bit! The pinnacle ridge made it worth the effort though. I reckon that wouldve been a right laugh in low cloud lol.i camped a short distance away from the top last week.@@clogsonthemountain

[@clogsonthemountain]

@thebaldscrambler went left on the pinnacle this time. Yeah that wouldn't be a bad shout either. The ridge itself is short but spicy. The crux wall is very spicy

[@alihire]

Good effort. We’ve all been lost on a scramble before and I’m sure I will be again in the future. Do think sending the drone up for a closer look would help in this situation?

[@boatingmanchester]

The Death Wish Channel would be more appropriate :)

[@Ant-66]

Suggestion, change the channel name to The Bold Scrambler ! Great video mate.

[@thebaldscrambler]

"The Lost Scrambler" perhaps?

[@Alex1211s]

I got lost and gave up when I tried to find pinnacle ridge, so you’ve one upped me! What guidebook were you using to find it?

[@thebaldscrambler]

Steve Ashtons "Scrambles in Snowdonia" (Via Amazon: amzn.to/3Ycm1ON ) which I'm usually fine with. Maybe I was just having an off day. Pinnacle Ridge is great but I can complete it in about 5 minutes and I'm always left wanting more!

[@clogsonthemountain]

Fair play mate, kept cool in a sticky situation. One that's on my to do list still. Haven't you got rockfax? Topo comes with the route description which shows the line to take with some identifying features. I find it incredibly useful when I've got doubts about the route I'm on. Highly recommended getting it if you haven't got it

[@thebaldscrambler]

I was a bit worried when the dark clouds rolled in and I wasn't sure if the route was gonna take me up somewhere I couldn't down climb lol. Ive only got the Cicerone book which has been fine up til now, might have to get the Rockfax! The line I took on that route felt difficult to me, I would have struggled to do that in reverse, even in the dry.

[@clogsonthemountain]

@thebaldscrambler rockfax definitely helps when you've got doubts about your line or finding the route. It's a tricky route I've heard and even recently people where rescued off it cause they got lost on it

[@thebaldscrambler]

I wouldn't want to be up there in low cloud and rain, put it that way! Gonna do a wild camp on the next scramble, save me having to descend to the car and drive to the campsite, just waiting for the weather to improve a bit.

[@clogsonthemountain]

@thebaldscrambler absolutely, pen yr ole wen is a bastard to navigate in poor visibility. I'll be out again 23rd to 28th of August if you're about?

[@thebaldscrambler]

Sounds great, be good to meet up and do a scramble. Let's keep an eye on the weather and if it's doable, we can go for it. I don't mind holding a camera for you or getting some drone footage while you scramble too.

[@TG-pd3ft]

4:10 the actual route is dead centre of shot

[@thebaldscrambler]

My legs, which are covered in thistle scratches, say that you are probably right. ;-)

[@thedaftestnameicouldthinko8233]

If it wasn't the right ridge, what are you calling it? Hedgehog Ridge?

[@thebaldscrambler]

I was thinking Quirkupine Ridge or at a push, Stickleback Scramble.

[@gb.snippets]

Is there a more comfortable way to the start of Porcupine Ridge, skipping Pinnacle Ridge? I'm using Google Earth in 3D mode to prepare. About halfway up the South Spur of Pen Yr Ole Wen there is a scree bed: (53.129478,-4.017239). From there It seems to me there is a way to traverse left over grass or sheep tracks to reach the slope just underneath the start of the ridge. Please let me know what you think, and if this seems easier to you?

[@thebaldscrambler]

It looks a bit easier than coming up from the Pinnacle Ridge scramble. On the 3D map it looks like a fairly shallow traverse, I'd try that route if I went up there again. Let me know how you get on, there doesn't seem to be any tricky obstacles there.