Viewpoint/Military Road/Sally Gap/Laragh....

terrydel

Hoping to do this route at some stage this week, preferably Wednesday, and home via the Wicklow Gap. would it be a no go now on account of the weather?

What about over the Wicklow Gap down into Laragh and then home the opposite way?

Macy0161

Sally Gap given as impassable at the moment - there's snow on the mountains. They were giving the Wicklow Gap as dodgy this morning too (my untreated drive near Roundwood was pretty much all black ice!).

Not sure it's due to improve too much until later in the week - those at home are on snow watch today, I'd say more is nailed on at that height.

robyntmorton

I'd be a bit nervous going up there at the moment. Mountain rescue were advising people to avoid yesterday due to an impassible road. Even when the road is passible I'd say it will be dodgy for a few days.

terrydel

Macy0161 wrote: »

Sally Gap given as impassable at the moment - there's snow on the mountains. They were giving the Wicklow Gap as dodgy this morning too (my untreated drive near Roundwood was pretty much all black ice!).

Not sure it's due to improve too much until later in the week - those at home are on snow watch today, I'd say more is nailed on at that height.

Might have to take the motorbike instead

Pigeon Reaper

It's impassable to cars and 4x4 without snow chains at the moment and it might be just impassable with chains after a dumping of snow later. DWMRT have pictures and updates online. You might get through with snow/ice tyres on a Cross bike but be prepared to hike out if needed.

Planet X

Dublin Wicklow Mountain Rescue Team will be loving this kinda patter........
NOT.

07Lapierre

This has been done before:

http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?p=88211485

Alek

You might get through with snow/ice tyres on a Cross bike

Challenge accepted

smacl

Alek wrote: »

Challenge accepted

Was up there in the snow on studded tyres a few times over the last couple of years. Worth remembering that descending can be trickier than climbing, and that you may have to back track. As such, my advice would be don't climb anything you wouldn't be entirely happy descending. I'd also suggest either flat pedals or recessed cleats that are easy to walk in, along with decent winter gear and good lights. I found the dirt road before L.Bray to be great craic in the snow and ice. Climb by L.Bray can get very icy, with thick enough ice, so I'd tend to avoid it unless you're 100% sure you could get back down it ok.

iwillhtfu

smacl wrote: »

I found the dirt road before L.Bray to be great craic in the snow and ice. Climb by L.Bray can get very icy, with thick enough ice, so I'd tend to avoid it unless you're 100% sure you could get back down it ok.

Is there a route up to Kippure via that road or does it just dead end?

Alek

Been there last year in a nearly total ice glaze. Most descending done with one foot unclipped and brakes on. Also - thermal foil in the back pocket and down jacket on the bike in case I was forced to walk or got immobilized.

Alek

Is there a route up to Kippure via that road

There is if you're on a fat bike or fancy walking up for an hour Been there done that.

ford2600

@Alek is a former Sissi and will be grand up there.

Alek

ford2600 wrote: »

@Alek is a former Sissi and will be grand up there.

Had to wiki this one but I like it

Unless you meant that one. :pac:

1bryan

meant to snow on high ground (above 200m) tonight.

Wishbone Ash

Alek wrote: »

Had to wiki this one but I like it

Unless you meant that one. :pac:

....or possibly this one.

Alek

I have to admit I was a little limp-wristed after Sunday's frozen offroad ride.

terrydel

Thanks for the replies, purpose of the post was to make as informed a decision as possible as to whether to head up there. Based on what you've all said and the weather reports I've looked at, I will be giving it a miss.
Cheers.

secman

terrydel wrote: »

Hoping to do this route at some stage this week, preferably Wednesday, and home via the Wicklow Gap. would it be a no go now on account of the weather?

What about over the Wicklow Gap down into Laragh and then home the opposite way?

Our of curiosity ... do you work nights or half days

Sound decision to leave it until weather improves.
..

Lumen

terrydel wrote: »

Thanks for the replies, purpose of the post was to make as informed a decision as possible as to whether to head up there. Based on what you've all said and the weather reports I've looked at, I will be giving it a miss.

terrydel

secman wrote: »

Our of curiosity ... do you work nights or half days

Sound decision to leave it until weather improves.
..

Funny you should ask! Got let go Thursday last week from a 9-5, with immediate effect. Still coming to terms with it to be honest, but thats a nother story.
So looking to get out on the bike to clear the head and for some thinking time.

secman

terrydel wrote: »

Funny you should ask! Got let go Thursday last week from a 9-5, with immediate effect. Still coming to terms with it to be honest, but thats a nother story.
So looking to get out on the bike to clear the head and for some thinking time.

Sorry to hear , best of luck with sourcing a new job, hopefully it won't be long.

terrydel

Lumen wrote: »

What about a motorbike with 120hp going thru the back wheel?

terrydel

secman wrote: »

Sorry to hear , best of luck with sourcing a new job, hopefully it won't be long.

Cheers, its a tough one as they basically said I wasnt good enough for them, they are entitled to that opinion of course even if I dont agree.
I've never been overly confident in my abilities in my job, I'd doubt myself a lot, so this has really hit my confidence. But I'll take a bit of time and try clear the head before jumping back into anything.

Lumen

terrydel wrote: »

Got let go Thursday last week from a 9-5, with immediate effect

terrydel wrote: »

What about a motorbike with 120hp going thru the back wheel?

Well on the upside, you won't miss any work whilst you recover in hospital. And the food is free! :pac:

buffalo

smacl wrote: »

As such, my advice would be don't climb anything you wouldn't be entirely happy descending.

Looks like someone already had fun descending...



https://www.facebook.com/DWMRT/posts/10154524300895590

Cienciano

buffalo wrote: »

Looks like someone already had fun descending...



https://www.facebook.com/DWMRT/posts/10154524300895590

Someone on reddit has a similar photo:

https://www.reddit.com/r/ireland/comments/5e1cn6/sallys_gap_this_evening/

Hmmzis

So cross bike and studded snow tyres should do the trick, right?

iwillhtfu

I was gonna say that must have been a snowboard or a car with a broken steering rack till I spotted the matching thred marks in the ditch. That's a lot of sawing at the wheel must've been very slippery.

Alek

So cross bike and studded snow tyres should do the trick, right?

And a bit of bike handling skills in case of a slip - although studded tyres will regain the grip quickly enough. But you'll surely be grand in this department.

magicbastarder

Planet X wrote: »

Dublin Wicklow Mountain Rescue Team will be loving this kinda patter........
NOT.

i remember reading that in france, if you get yourself in trouble through wilful negligence, any rescue attempt made on your behalf is billed to you.
that said, any rescue attempt which results in death of one of your rescuers there can see you charged with their manslaughter, if it can be shown you were wilfully negligent in getting yourself into trouble.

the above comes with the caveat that i read it in a kevin myers article in the irish times probably 20 years ago. so time elapsed and the source need to be considered.

Macy0161

Sh!t happens, even if you're properly prepared. I think the Mountain Rescue advice is aimed at the people who just decide, ill-prepared, on whim to "go and have a look at the snow" rather than make the mountains a complete no-go area. I know some of the lads, and some of the stories they can tell, would drive you nuts - I wouldn't have the mountain skills anyway, but I don't think I'd have the temperament either!

btw, was dark when I was leaving, so couldn't see higher up, but the snow line was definitely higher than 250m last night.

Alek

All clear up to Featherbeds. Didn't have time to go further up this morning...

Lumen

Macy0161 wrote: »

Sh!t happens, even if you're properly prepared

The obvious risk is getting injured, which is hardly difficult to imagine when cycling on ice. I know someone who broke their collarbone earlier in the year whilst mountain biking alone at Ballinastoe. His phone was smashed so he had to drag himself and his full susser down the mountain with the remaining working arm. This was in summer on a fairly compact set of trails with a manned hut at the bottom.

Macy0161

Lumen wrote: »

The obvious risk is getting injured, which is hardly difficult to imagine when cycling on ice.

But there's always a risk anyway, as your example shows. Anywhere that an ambulance can't wheel a trolley is a Mountain Rescue call out if you can't walk out.

I wouldn't go up there - I don't have the bike or the bike handling skills, or the mountain skills if I got into trouble. That's not to say there aren't people that do have the skills though.

terrydel

Sorry I started this thread now.
It was purely about making an informed decision, absolutely no intention of being foolish and taking an unneccessary risk.
As someone who had a fall on Ben Nevis last year while alone, resulting in a broken wrist and a badly sprained other wrist (could easily have been far, far worse), I know the dangers. That accident happened as a result of deciding NOT to cross the CMD Arete on Ben Nevis, which was covered in fog. So a sensible, safety-based decision ironically lead to an accident in some way.
Having to then drive a motorcycle about 350 km to the port in Scotland in biblical weather, and 200 km or so down from Belfast (shipping the motorbike back would have been a huge hassle), 3 days after with no cast on my wrist, I know the implications of an accident so have no wish to invite that upon myself by taking stupid risks.

Pigeon Reaper

It's a good thread to have started.

It is about being able to make an informed decision. However many people don't have the skills to make an informed decision for these road conditions as they lack the training and can often under estimate the repercussions of a minor incident. If you have the equipment and skill set for the conditions go for it but be prepared to self extract.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dunning%E2%80%93Kruger_effect

Lumen

Pigeon Reaper wrote: »

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dunning%E2%80%93Kruger_effect

"The study was inspired by the case of McArthur Wheeler, a man who robbed two banks after covering his face with lemon juice in the mistaken belief that, because lemon juice is usable as invisible ink, it would prevent his face from being recorded on surveillance cameras."

ROFL. That dude should definitely not do winter cycling in the mountains.

cjt156

Lumen wrote: »

...in the mistaken belief...

The eloquent, understated use of this phrase is just perfect.

smacl

buffalo wrote: »

Looks like someone already had fun descending...

Met conditions like that approaching L.Bray from the Laragh side a couple of years ago and ended up going back to Laragh and home via Roundwood for an extra unplanned 40k. Change in road conditions was dramatic from pretty much perfect to heavy ice with a number of cars turning back. Photo doesn't really do it justice, but basically a thin layer of snow over compacted ice. Well beyond what I'd consider tackling, though not having the studs on didn't help much either.

Hmmzis

Very thin layer of snow/frost in the morning on the Cruagh Wood forest trail on the higher bits. Any CX or MTB tyre could cope with it just fine. If Sally Gap is still snowed in the local trails should be grand now.

The Noble Nudge

Was over the gap last Saturday icey -2.3 degrees heading up lough Bray but switched to the far side of the road and got round not a bother apart from the two punctures...hands freezing to not working and feet like frosty the snowman......
Coming from the Dublin border watch the forest on your left the trees kept the road in the shade and never thawed out plenty of black ice.
Thermal cover for your phone or an inner pocket for sure.
Emergency supplies...
Dont be afraid to step off and push a little if its too bad.
Presuming you have a Garmin keep an eye on temperature and YR/No for the forecast in the area.. I use Kippure radio mast as a pointer it will be 2 to 3 degrees lower up there... that will allow for wind chill as its only the ambient temp forecast...
Wet and cold dont go together....
Be prepared...oh and enjoy it..

I came up Cunard after Kilbride army camp and the back of the reservoir...

07Lapierre

The Noble Nudge wrote: »

got round not a bother apart from the two punctures...hands freezing to not working and feet like frosty the snowman......
Coming from the Dublin border watch the trees and the bend to head for Glencree..Never thawed out.
T
Be prepared....

I'd call that a bit of bother!

The Noble Nudge

07Lapierre wrote: »

I'd call that a bit of bother!

For a rookie maybe :D:p+

Oh and said phone stopped working in Brittas just after starting........to make things more interesting.
Memorise your get out of jail lifts phone number or write several on paper to stop a passing motorist...if one passes...or stops for you.

terrydel

Went up as far as the second viewing spot over Lough Bray, 5km from the Gap today.
Was cold but roads grand to that point, thanks to the lad coming the other way who threw a warning it was a bit snowy tho.
I reccied it in the car yesterday and it was worse, drove up with the madra for a walk and it was tough going after the Lough Bray viewpoint, so I turned round at the entrance for the kippure mast road. The dog loved it up there mind you!
I headed back today and then over Ballinascorney.
Feel like ****e now! The cold really gets into me sometimes.

Wishbone Ash

The Noble Nudge wrote: »

...Memorise your get out of jail lifts phone number or write several on paper to stop a passing motorist...if one passes...or stops for you.

As well as a Road ID bracelet, I also keep NOK contact details on 2 small pieces of laminated card - one in the saddle bag and another in my cycling wallet.

The Noble Nudge

terrydel wrote: »

Went up as far as the second viewing spot over Lough Bray, 5km from the Gap today.
Was cold but roads grand to that point, thanks to the lad coming the other way who threw a warning it was a bit snowy tho.
I reccied it in the car yesterday and it was worse, drove up with the madra for a walk and it was tough going after the Lough Bray viewpoint, so I turned round at the entrance for the kippure mast road. The dog loved it up there mind you!
I headed back today and then over Ballinascorney.
Feel like ****e now! The cold really gets into me sometimes.

Fair play Terry...only seen the thread late today to pass on some info.

2 punctures again tonight and a broken pump to top it off....thanks for the lift Eoghan...

terrydel

The Noble Nudge wrote: »

Fair play Terry...only seen the thread late today to pass on some info.

2 punctures again tonight and a broken pump to top it off....thanks for the lift Eoghan...

Jaysus thats shocking luck, must be an issue with the tyre or rim.
I'd have cried today!

The Noble Nudge

terrydel wrote: »

Jaysus thats shocking luck, must be an issue with the tyre or rim.
I'd have cried today!

Albeit hard I just have to put this last week behind me....
The Smiths this charming man lyrics came to me this evening...
"Punctured bicycle on a hillside desolate, Will nature make a man of me yet!"

New tyre and wheel looks fine...ah well always tomorrow evening.

terrydel

The Noble Nudge wrote: »

Albeit hard I just have to put this last week behind me....
The Smiths this charming man lyrics came to me this evening...
"Punctured bicycle on a hillside desolate, Will nature make a man of me yet!"

New tyre and wheel looks fine...ah well always tomorrow evening.

Haham great song. Very apt lyrics there too
Im trying to do the same, puttting a bad week behind me.

Daroxtar

Any idea what it's like up there now? I'm thinking of a trip up on Sunday if it's clear.