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<title>CUCC Expo: GPF report 2018</title>
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<h1>Ghar Parau Foundation report 2018</h1>
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<h3>Report on the Cambridge University Caving Club 2018 Expedition in
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the Totes Gebirge, Austria.</h3>
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<p>The CUCC expedition this year ran for six weeks from the 4th of
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July to the 18th of August, during which a considerable amount of
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effort was made to extend the Schwarzmooskogel cave system in the
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Totes Gebirge region of the Austrian Alps in the Upper Styria
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region. In addition to this, prospecting and recording of new cave was
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also made as well as enlarging the surveyed extent of other caves so
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far not connected to the SMK system. At present, we now believe the
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SMK to be the second longest in Austria in terms of total surveyed
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length following the efforts of this expedition.</p>
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<p>In terms of prior organisation, much of this was led by the joint
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leaders Ruairidh Macleod and Haydon Saunders, though in addition Tom
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Crossley took a very active role in financial planning and management
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as treasurer, Rachel Turnbull organised the training weekend, Rob
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Watson helped organise gear facilities and Wookey contributed to
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facilitating electrical requirements and also gained sponsorship from
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18650, as well as organising “nerding sessions” for preparation around
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survey software. A further significant aspect of the preparation this
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year was the implementation of large solar panels for charging at the
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top camp at Steinbruckenhohle bivy. These were sourced and the system
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set up by Haydon at a cost of ~£800, which is currently being arranged
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to be split across future expeditions also benefiting from its
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use.</p>
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<p><img src="solarcarry.jpg"/></p>
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<p>Chris Densham also facilitated the borrowing and almost successful
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use of a System Nicola for communication between the surface and deep
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camps in Tunnockschacht and Balkonhoehle caves (this was mostly one
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way from the surface due to a broken microphone).</p>
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<p>This year some 40 expedition members were present, over half of
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whom were university students, of university student age or had
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recently completed university study. For a significant number, this
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was also their first expedition and much focus went into training and
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supervision both at the training weekend in the UK and while in
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Austria, and although this did not fully eliminate some issues of
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miscommunication, overal the expedition ran very smoothly and there
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were no significant injuries or accidents.</p>
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<p>The primary pushing fronts were leads in deep Tunnockschacht
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(Beckoning Silence and the newly discovered Radio Silence),
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Balkonhoehle, Fischgesicht Hoehle and the newly discovered Heimkommen
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Hoehle (Homecoming). Homecoming was discovered early in the expedition
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by Dickon Morris and Jon Arne Toft and was rapidly surveyed to some
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1.6km by the end of the expedition, with a substantial drafting main
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rift development still going and requiring further bolting.<p>
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<p>The most significant discoveries came from Balkonhoehle where
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around 5.2km of new cave system was discovered including new
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connections with Tunnocks close to the level of Camp Kraken at
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Anathemusa and also at Champagne on Ice in mid-level Tunnocks, and
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significant new discoveries such as the Mongol Rally pitch of around
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200m depth and the huge, horizontal phreas of Grand Prix. This was to
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a large extent due to the significant efforts of George Breley and
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Becka Lawson.</p>
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<p>Very impressive phreatic developments were also found in
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Fischgesicht, particularly a large development tending northeast
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towards the main Schwarzmooskogel system that could be potentially
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significant as a route to connect in. Overall an estimated 7km of cave
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has been discovered and surveyed this year, a very considerable
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result, with the SMK system itself also further enlarged. The survey
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below compares the extent of new discovery year-on-year, with this
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year’s discoveries in blue.</p>
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<p>This year was the 35th anniversary of the expedition being based
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from Bad Aussee, and we have been very lucky to enjoy very good
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relations with the local town and authorities. To celebrate this a
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dinner was arranged by the Gasthof Staud’nwirt whose camping
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facilities have provided our base camp for many years, and the local
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Burgomeister joined us in festivities. Additionally, a barbecue night
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was held (as well as mutual caver exchange trips) with the German
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caving club Arge Grabenstetten that also explores close by, and this
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proved very successful.</p>
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<p>Following the expedition, a number of members also attended the
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Eurospeleo conference which took place in Ebensee, and Ruairidh
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presented the results of the expedition this year while Wookey gave a
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presentation more broadly on the history of the expedition; excursions
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to the SMK system were also organised and led by members for
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conference attendees. Ruairidh has also submitted an abstract for
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presentation of the expedition results at Hidden Earth this year.</p>
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<img src="smksystemplan.jpg"/>
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