# 1623:164

164 | Plateau Schacht 164 | 2/S +
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Altitude: 1641m (at lip), Depth 60ish metres
Position: E 35538 N (52)82509 (first bolt of rigging)
Marking: On wall above entrance, facing NE, number in red, 1988. Austrian metal tag, 1995.

Location: On plateau, beyond B11 (1623/198). This is a snow-choked shaft next to the very large snow-choked shaft, which has always been blocked with snow and was therefore not explored or numbered for many years, but is now 189.

164 entrance (left of centre) seen over 189 entrance.

The entrance pitch is 10m, and has a detectable draught - quite strong in view of the size of the entrance. There was only the remains of a snow plug in 1988, although the plug is almost complete in some years (eg. 1995 - it was gone again in 1996).

A small stream enters and lands on boulders at the foot of the pitch in a passage leading south along a fault. A climb of 4m over precarious boulders reaches a bolt for the second pitch. The quality of rock in this area leaves a lot to be desired. The second pitch, 12m and third pitch, 15m are separated only by a small ledge. Water sinks in floor of small passage floored with what would appear to be the previous season's roof, now decayed into small jagged rocks. Continuing passage over boulders rises to 4-5m dropping steeply for 30m on the same south-trending fault. The water is rejoined at a freehanging 10m pitch from a rock bridge overlooking a sizeable chamber.

The stream sinks at the foot of the pitch in the centre of the 15m by 7m chamber floor. To the east, a scramble leads up to a shattered cross-rift from a large shelf about 15m long and 10m wide, but ends too tight. A similar feature to the west up a 4m climb becomes a low bedding with no way on. Due south are two passages, the one to the right leading 20m round a couple of bends to a sandy choke. The left passage quickly chokes. The draught seems to be lost into the continuation of the passage above the final pitch, on the far side of the chamber. This would be best reached by a traverse on steep loose rock from the 4m climb in the chamber. The pitches take large quantities of water very quickly in rain.

Exploration: CUCC 1988

Survey: Elevation in Cambridge Underground 1989

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