2001-08-15 19:29:27 +01:00
|
|
|
<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD HTML 4.0//EN">
|
2004-05-05 19:39:28 +01:00
|
|
|
<html>
|
2001-08-15 19:29:27 +01:00
|
|
|
<head>
|
2004-05-05 19:39:28 +01:00
|
|
|
<meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=iso-8859-1" />
|
2001-08-15 19:29:27 +01:00
|
|
|
<title>1987: Cambridge Underground report</title>
|
2004-04-21 10:35:34 +01:00
|
|
|
<link rel="stylesheet" type="text/css" href="../../css/main2.css" />
|
2001-08-15 19:29:27 +01:00
|
|
|
</head>
|
|
|
|
|
<body>
|
|
|
|
|
<center><font size=-1>Cambridge Underground 1988 pp 5-6</font>
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
<h2>Guidebook description and survey of entrance 158,<br>
|
|
|
|
|
"Donner und Blitzen Höhle"</h2>
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
<p><b>Mike Richardson</b></center>
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
<p>The entrance is situated approximately 400m NNE of the high point on the
|
|
|
|
|
ridge known as "Bunter's Bulge" in previous editions of "Cambridge
|
|
|
|
|
Underground", at the base of a wall to the left after passing a sandy
|
|
|
|
|
depression, when walking from Bunter's Bulge.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
<p>A body-width passage formed by a wall on the left and a large detached
|
|
|
|
|
slab on the right descends for about 5m at 45 degrees with occasional
|
|
|
|
|
glimpses of daylight above. A cross passage is then encountered. This blocks
|
|
|
|
|
off to the right after a few metres, but to the left descends to meet the
|
|
|
|
|
base of the wall. To the right a 20-22 cm squeeze is passed laying on one
|
|
|
|
|
side. After 2m of further tight progress, the rift opens onto a drop. A steep
|
|
|
|
|
tube now descends for about 12m to a small chamber and with care can be
|
|
|
|
|
descended free.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
<p>From the chamber, the passage curves to the left and opens onto the head
|
|
|
|
|
of a 7m pitch, which drops onto a large ledge. A rebelay just over the lip of
|
|
|
|
|
the ledge at the left hand side gives a further 18m free hanging pitch to a
|
|
|
|
|
landing on boulders several metres across, which appear to be jammed across
|
|
|
|
|
the shaft.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
<p>A narrow rift around a corner stops at a drip and a small pool. The way on
|
|
|
|
|
is through a gap to a hole with a jammed block. Climbing down onto the block
|
|
|
|
|
leads to the head of an 18m pitch which rapidly opens into a huge split-level
|
|
|
|
|
chamber. The pitch lands on "Big Bertha", a boulder some 4m diameter.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
<p>To the north a narrow rift has been followed for about 10m to a tight
|
|
|
|
|
vertical drop of at least 5m down the rift, but this has not been pushed.
|
|
|
|
|
East from Big Bertha leads to a 5m drop to the lower half of the chamber,
|
|
|
|
|
which is floored with loose rock. A doorway to the left leads to a 7m pitch
|
|
|
|
|
to a small stream. This disappears down an impassable slot, but is met lower
|
|
|
|
|
in the cave.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
<p>From the doorway, a climb up behind a boulder propped against the side of
|
|
|
|
|
the chamber leads to a saddle. One side rapidly curves up to the roof. The
|
|
|
|
|
other ascends over very loose boulders for at least 25m (gaining about 15m in
|
|
|
|
|
height) until the roof is met. This area has not been exhaustively pushed,
|
|
|
|
|
but seems unlikely to lead anywhere.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
<p>Descending the other side of the col gives a series of ledges via 5m, 7m
|
|
|
|
|
and 8m pitches, in a canyon some 5m wide and at least 15m high. The stream
|
|
|
|
|
enters at the bottom of the 7m pitch. Following the pitches, the rift
|
|
|
|
|
continues down a moderate slope and round a corner, with a final short 4m
|
|
|
|
|
pitch to a soil and rock floored chamber.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
<p>A strong draught can be felt rising around the edges of the chamber. It is
|
|
|
|
|
possible to descend in a number of places amongst rocks and soil down a steep
|
|
|
|
|
slope, but the area is very loose. The roof slopes down to meet the floor and
|
|
|
|
|
no ways on were found which follow the draught.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
<p>Near the bottom of the previous pitch, a 5m deep circular pit in the floor
|
|
|
|
|
can be descended. This takes a large drip from the stream above. At the
|
|
|
|
|
bottom, a tight 22-26cm rift leads on for 3m to a further 3m pitch to a small
|
|
|
|
|
chamber. An impassable passage leaves this chamber, and a window from the
|
|
|
|
|
chamber gives sight of the passage beyond widening.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
<p>Possible further exploration in 158
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
<p>Although there is no draught at the final chamber, this point is likely to
|
|
|
|
|
be below the level of the soil and sand choke, and it is possible that the
|
|
|
|
|
draught bypasses this section. Consideration is being given to returning to
|
|
|
|
|
this chamber in 1988 and to hammering open the window. The cave is tending in
|
|
|
|
|
the direction of the 144 and 143 entrances to the Stellerweg-Schnellzughohlen
|
|
|
|
|
system, and seems to be following the line of a fault visible on the surface.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
<p>A surface survey is needed to determine the exact altitude of the
|
|
|
|
|
entrance, however it is estimated to be at or a little above the 144
|
|
|
|
|
entrance, the highest entrance prior to the German-French discoveries of
|
|
|
|
|
1987. It has some potential as a stepping stone towards entrances higher
|
|
|
|
|
along the ridge, which are needed if significant additions to the depth of
|
|
|
|
|
the cave are to be found.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
<p><img alt="E-W Elevation, 15k gif" width=500 height=760
|
2015-04-08 03:13:14 +01:00
|
|
|
src="../../1623/others/158ew.png">
|
2001-08-15 19:29:27 +01:00
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
<p><img alt="Plan, 15k gif" width=840 height=400
|
2015-04-08 03:13:14 +01:00
|
|
|
src="../../1623/others/158p.png">
|
2001-08-15 19:29:27 +01:00
|
|
|
|
2004-04-29 16:24:54 +01:00
|
|
|
<hr />
|
2001-08-15 19:29:27 +01:00
|
|
|
<!-- LINKS -->
|
2011-05-31 21:26:18 +01:00
|
|
|
<ul id="links">
|
2015-04-08 03:13:14 +01:00
|
|
|
<li><a href="../../1623/158.htm">1623/158</a> Guidebook page</li>
|
2004-04-29 16:24:54 +01:00
|
|
|
<li>Cambridge Underground 1988,
|
|
|
|
|
<a href="../../../jnl/1988/index.htm">Table of Contents</a></li>
|
|
|
|
|
<li>1987 Expedition info:
|
|
|
|
|
<ul>
|
|
|
|
|
<li><a href="log.htm">Logbook</a></li>
|
|
|
|
|
<li>Cambridge Underground Expo Report:
|
|
|
|
|
<ul>
|
|
|
|
|
<li><a href="report.htm">Expedition description</a></li>
|
|
|
|
|
<li><a href="ent113.htm">Entrance 113</a>, Mike Richardson</li>
|
|
|
|
|
</ul></li>
|
|
|
|
|
<li><a href="geolog.htm">Geology of the Totengebirge</a>, Jared West<br>
|
|
|
|
|
<!-- <li><a href="bcracc.htm">BCRA Caves & Caving Report</a><br> -->
|
|
|
|
|
</ul></li>
|
|
|
|
|
<li><a href="../../pubs.htm#pubs1987">Index</a> to all publications</li>
|
|
|
|
|
<li><a href="../../index.htm">Back to Expeditions intro page</a></li>
|
2004-04-30 22:56:57 +01:00
|
|
|
<li><a href="../../../index.htm">CUCC Home Page</a></li>
|
2004-04-29 16:24:54 +01:00
|
|
|
</ul>
|
2001-08-15 19:29:27 +01:00
|
|
|
</body>
|
|
|
|
|
</html>
|
