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<title>1977-79: Andy's Eislufthöhle write up for Speleo Krakow</title>
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<center><font size=-1>CTS 81.1412: Speleo Krakow 1/2 Dec 1980 (English original)</font>
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<h2><span lang="pl">Odkrycie i eksploracja</span> <span lang="de">Eislufthöhle</span></h2></center>
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<p>This article was commissioned by <span lang="pl">Krzysztof
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Kleszynski</span> as part of a series of articles about Austrian caving as
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context for Polish write-ups about their own explorations. It has previously
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only appeared in Polish translation, in <b><span lang="pl">Speleo
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Krakow</span> 1/2 Dec 1980</b> (CTS 81.1412) so the original English version
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is published here for the first time. <hr>
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<h2>Discovery and Exploration of <span lang="de">Eislufthöhle</span></h2>
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<p>In 1976, members of the Cambridge University Caving Club, seeking a change
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after five years at the <span lang="fr">Pierre St. Martin,</span> obtained
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permission to visit Austria. After considering various alternative areas, we
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decided upon the <span lang="de">Loser Augst-Eck</span> plateau in the
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western Totes Gebirge, which seemed suited to the size and scope of CUCC
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expeditions. The plateau lies south of the
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<span lang="de">Schönberg</span> (2094m) at an altitude of 1600-1800m,
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and easy access is provided by a toll road (completed 1972) from Altaussee,
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our base, about 80km east of <span lang="de">Salzburg.</span>
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<p>The first expedition did no serious exploration, but gained a feel for the
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area as a whole and did some preliminary prospecting on the plateau, quickly
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reaching the conclusion that the potential was good.
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<p>A large group went out in 1977, and explored several systems 20-100m deep,
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as well as three significant discoveries:
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<p><span lang="de">Bräuninghöhle</span> was found first, an obvious
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horizontal cave on a fault led to severl pitches and a small stream. This led
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to a large rift descending in pitches of 25, 50, 25 and 30m to a sump at
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-220m.
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<p><span lang="de">Schneewindschacht</span> was a tight draughting hole in
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the bottom of a doline which had to be hammered out to allow access to a
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climb and a very tight passage to the head of a deep rift. This dropped down
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pitches of 15,20,20,15,30,15 & 15m in quick succession to some horizontal
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passage and three more short pitches. More horizontal passage led to a large
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shaft. A continuation could be seen beyond but could not be reached. The
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shaft was 25m and there was no longer a draught. at the bottom. Three short
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pitches led to a final 20m drop and the way on became too narrow at -265m.
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<p><span lang="de">Eislufthöhle</span> was a group of three powerfully
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draughting entrances with snow, which quickly linked underground and led to a
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very snow-choked 70m shaft Plugged Shaft. A further snow-free pitch of 13m
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led to Boulder Chamber where some digging led to a narrow drop which opened
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into a 30m pitch which continued beyond a large ledge at -144m. However,
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tackle had run out and we had lost the draught so we retreated. In a small
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rift above the pitch we found the draught and this led to 19m and 14m pitches
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to a dry streamway which led to a chamber with a heavy drip - The Taproom,
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where we ended exploration for 1977 at -150m.
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<p>in 1978 another large group went out to continue with
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<span lang="de">Eislufthöhle</span> and to look for other new pots.
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<p>Digging in a draughting boulder-pile in a fault-valley near
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<span lang="de">Bräuninghöhle</span> led to another fault-dominated
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system, <span lang="de">Gemsehöhle.</span> Pitches of 18m, 23m and 19m
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led to a complex horizontal area where a 10m pitch, Boulder Shaft, led to a
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large black space, and the explorers decided to look elsewhere first, as they
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were working on ladders. Instead, they descended pitches of 5m, 30m and 37m
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in a narrow rift and then pitches of 5m, 9m and 8m in a high canyon. A team
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using ropes now descended Boulder Shaft, exploring a 95m pitch to rejoin the
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other route. Continuing down the canyon, a 5m climb and pitches of 5 and 14m
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led to another large rift at right angles to the main line so far. A 44m
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pitch reached the floor where the stream vanished in a small tube and the
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main rift hit a large boulder collapse at -280m.
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<p>In <span lang="de">Eislufthöhle,</span> meanwhile, we descended a
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short drop in the Taproom and entered a rift leading to an enlargement where
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we rigged pitches of 12,30 and 11m back to the stream. Traversing forward, we
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reached the lip of a spacious 48m pitch in a notch in the side of the huge
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aven chamber of Hall of the Greene King. Pitches of 3m & 7m brought us to
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the floor at -262m and we next climbed over a large boulder pile to a short
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7m drop into a smaller chamber. From here, two ways on were possible, and we
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chose the apparently easier way to an awkward, muddy 20m pitch. A thrutchy
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stream canyon now led on for a considerable distance, mainly traversing until
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solid ground was reached above a sloping and extremely muddy 28m pitch, The
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Fiesta Run. Below this, a short muddy climb led to the head of a muddy drop
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with the stream audible below: stones dropped suggested a pitch of 30-50m
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below the point reached at -330m. Unfortunately, a serious accident on the
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surface curtailed exploration at this point and we were forced to derig.
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<p>In 1979, only a small group was able to return, so
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<span lang="de">Eislufthöhle</span> was our main objective. The 70m
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PLugged Shaft had again totally changed its snow configuration and rebolting
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was needed, but after this, the pot was quickly rigged to -260m. From the
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second chamber here, the other outlet was explored and led to pitches of 17m
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and 9m and thence back to the original route part way down the stream canyon.
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The new route was marginally easier, so the original 20m pitch was not
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rigged. From our lowest point at -330m, we tried to avoid the stream by
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traversing forward, and soon reached a dry 15m pitch into a sizeable chamber
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where a climb down 5m led to an awkward, steeply descending meander and a 25m
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pitch in very sharp rock. Below this, the way on was a very narrow rift which
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was becoming extremely tight when it broke out into the side of a pitch. This
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seemed to be about 15m to the floor (which would therefore be at c-400m) but
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was not descended.
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<p>Straight down from the 1978 terminus, a 28m dropped onto an extremely
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large cross rift and regained the stream as expected. A further 33m wet pitch
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continued in the rift, and from the bottom, a short climb up and traverse
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gained the head of a 42m pitch. Here the rope ran out, but a 6m freeclimb
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reached a ledge and the head of a further pitch, still essentially in the
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same rift with the water audible nearby. This was 25m, meeting the water
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again a short way down and hence was very wet and cold. Immediately following
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was a pitch of c20m which could not be descended on the first attempt as the
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rope was too short, but a large passage could be seen leading on and the
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potential seemd very good. It was extremely frustrating therefore, that there
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was rain for four days, and our only attempt to descend the cave was beaten
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back by high water conditions. This meant that our next trip into the cave
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would be our last chance to push.
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<p>Five of us descended, three to push and two taking photographs and
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surveying. The undescended pitch was rerigged with a longer rope and the
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floor attained. The water sank in rubble and the 'large passage' led to a
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boulder climb and a short pitch where dark soft mud had an obvious message. A
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further climb down boulders led to the large cold sump at -506m.
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<p>Photgraphs were taken and then the task of derigging began. It was vital
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to derig at least above the wet pitches in case we had more rain, and in the
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event, we got all the gear back to -210m, finally exitting after 16 hours.
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The remaining derigging was accomplished fairly easily and we left Austria.
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There are still several unfinished leads in the cave, but the potential
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remaining is not enormous, so we are unlikely to return to
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<span lang="de">Eislufthöhle.</span>
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<p align=center>A.E.R.Waddington, C.U.C.C., September 1979
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<hr>
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<!-- LINKS -->
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<img alt=">" src="../../../icons/lists/0.gif">
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1979 Expedition info:<br>
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<img alt="--->" src="../../../icons/lists/1.gif">
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<a href="log.htm">Logbook</a><br>
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<img alt="--->" src="../../../icons/lists/1.gif">
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<a href="report.htm">Expo report, Cambridge Underground 1980</a><br>
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<img alt="--->" src="../../../icons/lists/1.gif">
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<a href="bcracc.htm">BCRA Caves & Caving Report</a><br>
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<img alt="--->" src="../../../icons/lists/1.gif">
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Eislufthöhle - <a href="descnt.htm">from Descent 44</a><br>
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<img alt="--->" src="../../../icons/lists/1.gif">
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Nick Thorne's write-up in <a href="792026.htm">Belfry Bulletin 378</a><br>
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<img alt=">" src="../../../icons/lists/0.gif">
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<a href="../../pubs.htm#1979">Index</a> to all publications<br>
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<img alt=">" src="../../../icons/lists/0.gif">
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<a href="../../index.htm">Back to Expeditions intro page</a><br>
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<img alt=">" src="../../../icons/lists/0.gif">
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<a href="../../../index.htm">CUCC Home Page</a>
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</body>
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</html>
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