# Fixed ropes in CUCC Expo caves

## Fixed aids in CUCC caves

At various points of the cave, passages have been reached by climbs up which would have to be repeated unless a rope was left on from year to year. A few pitches were explored from the top, but form potentially important routes of access when approached from below - for instance the bottom of the Left Hand Routes in Kaninchenhöhle can be reached without rigging many pitches by means of two short up-pitches in Ambidextrous. Such permanently rigged verticals are mentioned in the descriptions, but are also gathered together here to help those needing to keep track of and maintain these ropes.

As an area may not be visited for some years, it is important to keep a record of when a rope was last changed or inspected, so that some idea may be formed of its likely state. There are currently around 700m of ropes in various places, as much as ten years old, and in place for up to seven years. Current thinking is that if static ropes are not subject to disturbance causing abrasion (eg. by flowing water) or rockfall, they probably deteriorate a lot more slowly in the cave than in the tackle store. (This may not be true of dynamic ropes).

In all these cases, it is the users' responsibility to convince himself of the safety of the rope before using it. If in any doubt, take climbing and protection gear (dynamic rope) and repeat the climb, or use dynamic rope to protect the first person on a traverse and replace the fixed rope.

CUCC expeditions have placed these ropes for their own use, often not expecting them to remain in place for more than a year or two. Neither CUCC nor any individual expedition member, past or present, makes any representation as to the safety of this equipment, nor can be held in any way responsible for any mishap arising from its use !

### Fixed aids in Kaninchenhöhle

location | length | diameter | rope vintage | year left rigged | hangers | other info
--- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | ---
5m up into Ragnarök from Ambidextrous | 10m |  |  | 1991 | 2 |
10m up into Time Dilation in Ambidextrous | 21m (marked 39m) |  |  | 1991 | 2 |
Semi-detached | 10m | ? |  | 1995 | 1 |
Gob traverse line | 8m | 10mm | 1991 | 1993 | 0 |
Staircase36 | 20m | 10mm |  | 1992 | 3 |
Strange Downfall | 22m | 10mm | 1988 | 1993 | 3 |
Strange Acrossfall | 32m | 11mm | 1992 | 1993 | 4 | maybe removed in 1994?
Strange Upfall | 45m | 11mm |  | 1992 | 4 |
Satan's Sitting Room traverse | 45m? |  |  | 1992 | 4 |
3 Wise Men | 64m | 10mm |  | 1993 | 9 |
Tinkle Rift | about 12m | 9mm | 1991/2 | 1993 | 1 |
The Needle | 27m | 10mm(?) | 1988 | 1993 | 2 |
Cowboy Caver | 10m? | ? |  | 1995 | 0 |
French Connection | 27m |  |  | 1991 | 2 |
Down to Zombie Slime up to Staud'nwirt Palace | 30ft | ladder |  |  | very long tether | Not usually left rigged
Moomintroll at [96-13] | 10m |  |  | 1997 | none
Bugger |  |  |  | 1996? |  |
Fear-on traverse | ~40m |  |  | 1996 | 3 | (several naturals)
2nd 8m climb from Orchestral Pit | ~20m |  |  | 1997 | 1 |
Traverse towards Footlights | ~20m |  |  | 1997 | 2 + couple of tapes | Removed 1999
Footlights traverse | 26m |  |  | 1997 | 7 | Removed 1999
Gods' traverse and pitch to Elin Algor | ~100m |  |  | 1997 | many |
3m climb in Tirolia Werke | 5m |  |  | 1997 | 1 |

### Fixed aids in Eishöhle

location | length | diameter | rope vintage | year left rigged | hangers | other info
--- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | ---
climb up from 40e to top of SVH pitch | 40m ish ? | 11mm dynamic | not recent | unknown | several | VfHO's rope, may need to be dug out of ice
Up, Up pitch | about 12m |  |  | 1999 |  |
Hooked on Classics traverse | 23m | 9 mm | 1994 | 1999 | 1 old bend, 3 new bends, 3 twists, 2 rings, 1 bollard, 4 maillons |

Back to CUCC Home page
Back to Expedition Intro page
Main Indices:
Index to Expo information pages
Description of CUCC's area and split to subareas
Full Index to cave descriptions in area 1623
List of (links to) published reports and logbooks
Pictures:
Text only Index
Index pages (with thumbnails)
Other info:
Table of members of CUCC expeditions 1976-present