PETS ON A KNIFE-EDGE

ANGER AT PEOPLE TAKING FOUR-LEGGED FRIENDS ALONG DEADLY RIDGE

- By ANDREW FORGRAVE Countryside and Tourism Editor

SOCIAL media clips of Huskies and Alsatians ranging over Crib Goch have ignited a debate over whether owners should take dogs along the treacherous ridge.

The 3,560ft knife-edge leading to Yr Wyddfa (Snowdon) is regarded as extremely dangerous and should only be undertaken by people confident in their abilities.

Dogs are generally welcomed on Wales' highest mountain providing they are kept under close control. But while there are no specific rules for Crib Goch, taking a canine companion along the narrow ridge is frowned upon.

Most experts warn people to leave their dogs behind if they are determined to tackle the notorious arete. But the advice is ignored by some owners despite the dangers dogs may present to other scramblers.

Crib Goch is not only one of the wettest spots in the UK, it's also extremely exposed.

As visitors have noted, it can "turn legs to jelly" and "reduce grown men to tears". One slip can be deadly: an estimate of the fatality rate is one for every 30,000 traverses.

More common are the people who become cragfast through sheer terror. As well as blocking the route for others, extricating them from the ridge poses risks for mountain rescue teams.