2019-02-27 20:10:46 +00:00
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2022-06-22 22:59:33 +01:00
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2019-02-27 20:10:46 +00:00
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<title>CUCC Expedition Rigging Handbook: Introduction</title>
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<h2 id="tophead">CUCC Expo Rigging Handbook</h2>
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<h1>Introductory chat about expo rigging</h1>
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<h3>Prerequisites:</h3>
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<p>This section of the Expo handbook assumes that you are familiar with all
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the usual manoeuvres, such as passing knots, rebelays and deviations,
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changing from abseil to prusik and vice versa. "Familiar" means you can do it
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in the dark with cold hands, with complete confidence in your safety and with
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reasonable efficiency. Choice of ropes is not covered, as by the time you are
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on the expedition it will be too late ! Neither is this guide concerned with
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personal SRT equipment except where the demands of caving in Austria require
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gear in addition to that you would normally use on a typical Yorkshire
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weekend.</p>
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<p>Self-rescue may also be important in Austria - this should be covered in
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the rescue guide (but isn't - yet). It is recommended that you should
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practice all these techniques somewhere safe and warm - preferably in the UK
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before departure rather than up a tree behind the potato hut in a
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thunderstorm!</p>
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<h3>Differences from Yorkshire.</h3>
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<p>This is new exploration, so you cannot rely on belays to have been tested
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by previous generations of cavers. Similarly, loose rocks will not have been
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cleared or dislodged by earlier parties. Natural belays may not be available,
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so you will have to place bolts, rather than look for the shiny P-hangers
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placed by CNCC parties. You won't know in advance how long pitches are going
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to be, so the ropes you have with you may need to be cut or knotted. Party
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size is usually small - everyone needs to be able to make a contribution to
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safe rigging. The first one down may be rigging a new rope to replace a
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damaged one, or one of less than ideal length. The second may have to remove
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the old rope on his descent.</p>
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<p>Conversely, the caves are deeper, longer and colder than Yorkshire, so
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parties need to move safely and efficiently to avoid exhaustion and exposure.
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Flooding on pitches can be sudden and severe, water very cold, and the
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location of flood inlets not always obvious - rigging for security in flood
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is often critical. Ropes remain in place over several trips, and rock may be
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very sharp - every party must be alert to the danger of abrasion and be
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prepared to rerig if necessary. Finally, rigging points placed on exploration
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may need to be used on expeditions for years to come, so maintenance of bolts
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on the final derigging trips is important.</p>
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2022-06-24 15:30:34 +01:00
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<hr /></body>
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2019-02-27 20:10:46 +00:00
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