2004-04-28 19:20:22 +01:00
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<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Strict//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-strict.dtd">
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<meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=iso-8859-1" />
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<link rel="stylesheet" type="text/css" href="../../css/main2.css" />
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<title>1623:204 -- Swings and Roundabouts area</title>
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<body>
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<table id="cavepage">
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<tr><th id="kat_no">204</th><th id="name">Steinbrückenhöhle</th><th id="status">4/S x</th></tr>
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</table>
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<h1>Swings and Roundabouts area</h1>
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<div>
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<b><a href="#survey">Survey</a></b> --
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<b><a href="204.html">204 index</a></b></div>
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<hr />
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<p>Swings and Roundabouts is an area of rubble-strewn passages to the west of
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<a href="treeumphant.html">Treeumphant Passage</a>. Access is from <a
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href="nopain.html#bonsai">Bonsai Crawl</a> or the 204d entrance.</p>
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<h3>Playground</h3>
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<p>Swings and Roundabouts branches off from <a
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href="nopain.html#bonsai">Bonsai Crawl</a>, at what was QM2000-12B.
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Initially, a walking sized passage <b>Playground</b> leads past some mud
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formations and a drippy mini-aven to a view overlooking a mid-sized chamber,
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<b>Magic Roundabout</b>, with several exits. The easiest way to the chamber
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floor is via a climb down through a hole in the floor on the right at the end
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of Playground.</p>
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<h3><a id="magicroundabout">Magic Roundabout Chamber</a> and surrounding
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passage</h3>
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<p>Once in the chamber, climbing down over boulders to the left leads to a
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small exit between rocks. A short rubble-strewn chute (which is free-climbable
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but crumbly, and was rigged in 2002 with a Y-hang following Dave falling off it)
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leads to a duck under a flake into a mud-floored ramp. After 15m or so a large
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shaft is reached, <a href="#gaffer">Gaffer Tape</a>, the start of the Gaffered
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to the Walls series.</p>
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<p>Back in the main chamber, a rubble slope to the north leads onwards. To the
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north of the slope is an unpromising QM [<a href="qm.html#C2001-204-95"
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id="qC2001-204-95">C2001-204-95 C</a>]; to the east leads back to the point
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where Playground overlooks the chamber. To the west is the main passage
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continuation. A passage on the left is <a href="#dutchbeauty">Dutch Beauty</a>,
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which also has windows into the main chamber. Continuing over rocks, a phreatic
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tube enters from <a href="#juicybits">Juicy Bits</a> on the left ahead, and a
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crawl enters from Dutch Beauty behind; the main way on is up a short slope over
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boulders to the start of the main Swings trunk passage: 10m wide and 8m
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high.</p>
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2004-07-25 22:03:45 +01:00
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<h3><a id="ermintrude">Ermintrude</h3>
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[<a href="qm.html#C2003-204-01" id="qC2003-204-01">C2003-204-01 B</a>]
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<h3><a id="gaffered">Gaffered to the Wall series</h3>
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2004-04-28 19:20:22 +01:00
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<p><img class="onright" src="rigging/gttw.png" alt="D Gaffered to the Wall
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rigging guide" />
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The initial pitch, <b><a id="gaffer">Gaffer Tape</a></b> (70m), is an imposing
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oval shaft, which continues upwards [<a href="qm.html#C2001-204-97"
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id="qC2001-204-97">C2001-204-97 X</a>]. A passage leads off from the bottom,
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splitting in two going round a pillar and emerging in a chamber formed from a
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slightly hading line of weakness. A ledge can be followed on the right hand
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wall. Down a hole to the left, two uninspiring rifts [<a
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href="qm.html#C2002-204-02" id="qC2002-204-02">C2002-204-02 C</a>, <a
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href="qm.html#C2002-204-03" id="qC2002-204-03">C2002-204-03 C</a>] lead off
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downwards, which probably rejoin a parallel shaft to LX Tape pitch. Up to the
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right <a href="qm.html#C2002-204-04" id="qC2002-204-04">C2002-204-04 C</a>], a
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sloping aven is visible which may be climbable. Continuing on past a large
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boulder, a rift is intersected at a chamber. Upstream (to the right) a trickle
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of water emerges from a small slot in the ceiling. The main way on is down
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through a small hole in the floor, which can be descended via a backup round
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the large boulder, a flake in the floor and a rope protector. This is <b>Tape Worm</b>
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pitch; this rebelays off a horizontal thread down to a ledge with large fossils
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visible in the floor and walls, where the small rift of Tape Worm joins the
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impressive shaft of <b>LX Tape</b> pitch. Looking out to the left a parallel shaft can
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be seen which may be enterable from <a href="qm.html#C2002-204-02"
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>C2002-204-02 C</a> and <a href="qm.html#C2002-204-03"
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>C2002-204-03 C</a>. A traverse along the right-hand wall
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reaches a natural from which the next pitch LX Tape may be rigged; this
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descends to land on a rock bridge near another large boulder. On the far wall
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near the bottom is a ledge [<a href="qm.html#C2002-204-08"
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id="qC2002-204-08">C2002-204-08 C</a>]. On the near side of the rock bridge is
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a tight and unpromising rift [<a href="qm.html#C2002-204-06"
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id="qC2002-204-06">C2002-204-06 C</a>]. On the far side, a spit rebelay allows
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one to descend to another chamber, where a large thread is the main hang for
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<b>Sellotape</b> pitch, a fine 2m wide rift, which lands a slight puddle, and a
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horizontal silt floor leads 5m to the next undescended pitch [<a
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href="qm.html#C2002-204-05" id="qC2002-204-05">C2002-204-05 A</a>].</p>
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2004-07-25 22:03:45 +01:00
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<h3><a id="21bolttrav">21 Bolt Traverse</a></h3>
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[<a href="qm.html#C2003-204-52" id="qC2003-204-52">C2003-204-52 C</a>]
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2004-04-28 19:20:22 +01:00
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<h3>Pretty Bits and <a id="dutchbeauty">Dutch Beauty</a></h3>
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<p>Pretty Bits branches off the <a href="#swingstrunk">Swings and Roundabouts
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trunk passage</a>, passing a pit on the right (which can be climbed over to a
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crawl, emerging in the main passage). Down the pit is a tight rift pitch [<a
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href="qm.html#C2001-204-98" id="qC2001-204-98">C2001-204-98 C</a>].
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Continuing along the passage past the pit, a number of windows are visible
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overlooking <a href="#magicroundabout">Magic Roundabout Chamber</a>. A passage
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goes off to the right which passes a number of stalactites, before intersecting
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a rift. A grotto of stalactites is visible to the left, with possible
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continuing passage beyond[<a href="qm.html#C2001-204-49"
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id="qC2001-204-49">C2001-204-49 C</a>]. The rift has not been descended[<a
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href="qm.html#C2001-204-47" id="qC2001-204-47">C2001-204-47 B</a>], although a
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light connection has been made to <a href="#juicybits">Juicy Bits</a>.</p>
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<h3><a id="juicybits">Juicy Bits</a></h3>
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<p>Juicy Bits is a large passage to the left from the south end of the <a
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href="#swingstrunk">Swings and Roundabouts trunk passage</a>. After 10m in, a
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large passage descends at a 30 degree slope down, which can be traversed
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around. At the bottom there is a climb down over boulders[<a
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href="qm.html#C2001-204-45" id="qC2001-204-45">C2001-204-45 C</a>]. This
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passage can be traversed around, and a passage to the right decreases in size
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to a body sized tube that needs removing [<a href="qm.html#C2001-204-48"
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id="qC2001-204-48">C2001-204-48 C</a>]. The main passage then splits in two,
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the right turn going to the rift that connects to <a href="#dutchbeauty">Dutch
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Beauty</a> [<a href="qm.html#C2001-204-47">C2001-204-47 B</a>]. To the left a
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smaller passage doubles back on itself, past a small window to the rift. Now
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going uphill the passage turns a sharp right and flattens out and passes a
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tube going into the ceiling[<a href="qm.html#C2001-204-46"
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id="qC2001-204-46">C2001-204-46 C</a>], before emerging in to the passage near
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<a href="#magicroundabout">Magic Roundabout Chamber</a>.</p>
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<h3><a id="swingstrunk">Swings Passage</a></h3>
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<p>The trunk passage, a large phreatic with much breakdown and generally a
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boulder strewn floor, continues for over 100m in a northerly direction. Rubble
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slopes up and down keep the passage at roughly the same level. Along its
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length, a number of passages branch off to the left and right.</p>
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<p>The first two passages leading off are <a href="#juicybits">Juicy Bits</a>
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on the left and the way towards <a href="#theslide">The Slide</a> on the right.
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Further along, the small connection with The Slide enters from the right. QMs
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[<a href="qm.html#C2001-204-84" id="qC2001-204-84">C2001-204-84 C</a>] and [<a
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href="qm.html#C2001-204-85" id="qC2001-204-85">C2001-204-85 C</a>] may be
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found on the right wall. A pitch on the left [<a href="qm.html#C2001-204-92"
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id="qC2001-204-92">C2001-204-92</a>] is surrounded by a lot of very loose
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boulders; rocks fall for a considerable distance, but no attempt was made to
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descend due to the loose debris. Across the top of the pitch are two slots
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looking into <a href="#chicagochicanes">Chicago Chicanes</a>. Continuing along
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Swings passage, the main entrance to Chicago Chicanes is on the left and a
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short unpromising QM on the right [<a href="qm.html#C2001-204-83"
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id="qC2001-204-83">C2001-204-83 C</a>].</p>
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<p>A little further along, a phreatic tube slopes down to the left. This passes
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through a small chamber and develops a stream in a deep, narrow slot in the
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floor before choking in earth. This passage may in fact be [<a
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href="qm.html#C2001-204-82" id="qC2001-204-82">C2001-204-82 C</a>] or this QM
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may in fact exist as a separate lead on the left wall of the main swings
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passage; the survey notes are somewhat unclear.</p>
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<p>A series of small holes in the right hand wall interconnect, with a
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possible, uninviting, way on through tight, sharp vadose passage. [<a
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href="qm.html#C2001-204-80" id="qC2001-204-80">C2001-204-80 C</a>] [<a
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href="qm.html#C2001-204-81" id="qC2001-204-81">C2001-204-81 C</a>] </p>
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<p>At the end of Swings passage, a very loose rubble slope leads up to
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<a href="#suspended">Suspended Solution</a>, and so on towards the 204d
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entrance. Mid-way up the slope, a traverse (rope advised) round a nose of rock
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is possible. This leads one to the base of a climb (not yet done) up to where
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water can be heard and a large passage continues [<a
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href="qm.html#C2001-204-79" id="qC2001-204-79">C20010-204-79 C</a>].
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Alternatively, traversing further to the right from the base of the climb leads
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to a steeply sloping, clean-washed phreatic tube. This heads both up and down
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and may be the connection to <a href="treeumphant.html#helterskelter">Helter
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Skelter</a> [<a href="qm.html#C2001-204-78" id="qC2001-204-78">C2001-204-78
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B</a>].</p>
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<h4><a id="theslide">The Slide</a></h4>
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<p>A large passage to the right quickly narrows up a rubble slope to a
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drafting, but otherwise unpromising QM [<a href="qm.html#C2001-204-94"
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id="qC2001-204-94">C2001-204-94 B</a>]. Before the slope, a passage entering
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from the left leads to <b>The Slide</b> passages.</p>
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<p>The Slide passages are upwardly sloping phreatics, mainly clean washed. Soon
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after entering the slide, a small passage on the left connects back to the main
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Swings trunk passage. Heading on up the slope past a couple of small loops and
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a small aven [<a href="qm.html#C2001-204-86" id="qC2001-204-86">C2001-204-86
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X</a>] brings one to a window onto a very large shaft whose roof [<a
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href="qm.html#C2001-204-89" id="qC2001-204-89">C2001-204-89 X</a>] is not
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visible, down the pitch leads to <a href="#merrygoround">Merry Go Round</a>. At the corner before
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the pitch, a small passage leads of but quickly chokes. The holes on the right,
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[<a href="qm.html#C2001-204-91" id="qC2001-204-91">C2001-204-91 B</a>] and [<a
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href="qm.html#C2001-204-87" id="qC2001-204-87">C2001-204-87 B</a>], probably
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connect back into Merry Go Round. </p>
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<h4><a id="merrygoround">Merry Go Round</a></h4>
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<p><img class="onright" src="rigging/mgr.png" alt="D Merry Go Round Rigging
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Guide" />
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The first pitch of Merry Go Round is rigged with a backup and Y hang, and the
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rope lies against the wall for 13m till a rebelay, which allows a clear hang to
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the floor. The floor is a a slope of loose boulders, heading towards a hole in
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the floor. It is advisable to stay on the rope whilst traversing this; going
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over a large wedged boulder leads to the second pitch, a Y hang, giving a free
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hang to the floor. At this point the passage becomes more of a rift, and the
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ceiling is still not visible, which starts slightly further upstream than where
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the ropes hangs down to. In the rain, water comes down the top end of the
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rift, from the hole in the floor of the chamber above, and disappears down a
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very small rift.</p>
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<p>5m from the bottom of the second pitch, the third pitch starts, with a
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traverse line and a short drop down to the main Y hang. A couple of deviations
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pull the rope away from the wall; below these, it was too wet to continue
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rigging in the wet. The pitch continues down past a couple of deviations, just
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above obvious places where the wall is undercut. The floor of this pitch is
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jagged boulders, which form a slight slope. The walls have large (10-20cm)
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fossil bivalves protruding from them. Up slope a small rift twists round to a
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chamber, linked by a window to the main shaft. Down slope leads to a narrow
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rift, which has a very small slot in the floor. At the end of this, a natural
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thread in the roof (all the rock is like cottage cheese), which allows a
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vertical squeeze to be rigged. The squeeze is not too bad, and has a convenient
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ledge below to stand on. Just below the squeeze, a rope protector is useful
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for the remaining few meters of descent into a rift type chamber. The way on
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continues via the fifth pitch, from a Y-hang, descending down more rift, before
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the chamber becomes more shaft-like and a deviation, allows descent to the
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floor. Going downstream, the passage becomes keyhole shaped, with puddles on
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the ground; the passage turns left, and a crumbly looking rift continues
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onwards [<a href="qm.html#C2002-204-07" id="qC2002-204-07">C2002-204-07
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A</a>].</p>
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<h4><a id="chicagochicanes">Chicago Chicanes</a></h4>
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<p><b>Chicago Chicanes</b> doubles back on the main passage. A series of rubble
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filled pot-holes leads to a chamber with a high aven [<a
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href="qm.html#C2001-204-93" id="qC2001-204-93">C2001-204-93 X</a>] and slits up
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on the right wall back into the main passage. Beyond the chamber, a hole in the
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floor leads to two small rift passages, left an unpromising QM [<a
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href="qm.html#C2001-204-99" id="qC2001-204-99">C2001-204-99 B</a>] , and right
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probably linking into the pitch head at the start of <a href="#juicybits">Juicy
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Bits</a>. Climbing up and over the hole leads to more pot-holes and a boulder
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choke. Carefully negotiating the boulders and through a narrow slot brings one
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back to Juicy Bits.</p>
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<h3><a id="suspended">Suspended Solution</a></h3>
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<p><b>Suspended Solution</b> is a solution tube at the top of the rubble slope
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at the end of Swings Passage. When scaling this slope, care is needed as if too
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much rubble is kicked down it will be difficult to climb up into the tube.
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Also, the (much larger) boulders at the top of the slope may be dislodged.
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Climbing up through the tube brings one to the base of another scree slope. A
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sloping passage to the right [<a href="qm.html#C2001-204-76"
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id="qC2001-204-76">C2001-204-76 B</a>] has been climbed for some distance but
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appears to go nowhere.</p>
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<p>At the top of the scree slope, under a low arch, is a small chamber. A
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hading rift on the right [<a href="qm.html#C2001-204-75"
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id="qC2001-204-75">C2001-204-75 A</a>] has been climbed for some distance.
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There is an unpromising hole on the left. [<a href="qm.html#C2001-204-77"
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id="qC2001-204-77">C2001-204-77 A</a>] Straight ahead leads to a climb down
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(20' ladder useful) into <a href="#livingdaylight">Living Daylight Cavern</a>.</p>
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<h3><a id="livingdaylight">Living Daylight Cavern</a> and <a
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id="entd">204d</a></h3>
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<p>
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<img class="onright" src="rigging/d.png" alt="D Entrance Pitches" />
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<a href="l/14entd.html"><img src="t/14entd.jpg"
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class="onleft" alt="204d entrance photo" /></a>
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This large chamber (11m diameter) has a boulder floor and what looked like a
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dried-up streambed. A possible QM [<a href="qm.html#C2001-204-74"
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id="qC2001-204-74">C2001-204-74 B</a>] in the left hand corner goes over
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boulders into a small chamber. The way on is under a low arch across the
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chamber from the ladder. A climb up reaches more space and becomes more serious
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[<a href="qm.html#C2001-204-100" id="qC2001-204-100">C2001-204-100 C</a>].
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From the arch, go left to within sight of the 204d entrance. The 7m climb up is
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bolted at the top, or may be climbed from the bottom in the recess in the right
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hand wall. Traversing over the top of the climb emerges in the base of a shake
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hole.</p>
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<hr style="clear: both" />
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<div class="centre">
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<h3><a id="survey">Survey</a></h3>
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<img style="padding: 2pt; border: 2px solid #000" src="swings.png" alt="Survey"
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/></div>
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<hr />
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<ul id="links">
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<li><a href="204.html">Back to 204 index page</a></li>
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<li><a href="../../smkridge/index.htm#id204">Schwarzmooskogel ridge area index and description</a></li>
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<li><a href="../../indxal.htm#id204">Full Index</a></li>
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<li><a href="../../areas.htm">Other Areas</a></li>
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<li><a href="../../index.htm">Back to Expedition Intro page</a></li>
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</ul>
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</body>
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</html>
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