<p>First, look at the <ahref="../../indxal.htm">index list of cave numbers</a>. Under the <b>1623</b> heading you will see a lot of caves numbered with 2 or 3 digits, e.g. <ahref="/1623/115.htm"><b>115</b> Schnellzughöhle</a> and many more labelled with a year number and some letters and numbers, e.g. <ahref="/1623/2015-DL-02"><b>2015-DL-02</b> Chossy Death Slope Höhle</a>. The former are the Austrian kataster official numbers, the latter are CUCC Expo numbers which are either for caves too insignificant to be issued an official number, or where we have not yet got around to doing the paperwork.
with a properly-managed and accessible GPS system. However the ~5m practical accuracy of the GPS, the multitude of holes within 5m and
difficulty of accessing the entrance locations online on the plateau, mean that tags are still very useful; but we need photos of the tags showing exactly where they are around the pit.
If a cave is not readily apparent from the immediate area, bearings or a GPS
fix will be inadequate to refind it, and a good sketch or photographs of the
entrance and its surroundings will be necessary. Record all these in the <a
href="../logbooks.html">logbook writeup</a> of your prospecting trip
and put the original copies of your notes in the <ahref=
"newwallet.html">survey wallet</a>.</p>
<p>Eventually you will need <ahref="newcave.html">to record the existance of a new cave</a> and its entrance(s)
in the Expo online system. Before you do this though, fill out a paper
<ahref="../l/new-cave-form.html">New Cave Data Sheet</a> so that
we don't lose vital information.
<p>The Austrian caving organisations have a standard <ahref="/katast.htm#grades">cave grade categorisation</a> which is worth writing down as soon as you have explored enough of the cave. So, for instance, Kaninchenhöhle, 1623/161, gets the code "5/S/E ×", because it is 22 km long and just over 500m deep (both rate a "5"), is principally a vertical cave ('S' for schacht), but also has passages with ice ('E'), and been extensively explored, but there are still many leads to push (x).
<h4>Caves tagged - or +</h4>
<p>Caves which require further exploration should be marked "-". Caves which
have been fully explored and surveyed marked "|+|". This includes minor
holes less than 10m in length. (Note that prior to 1996, completely explored
caves were marked "+". Any un-numbered caves found so marked need to be
explored again and documented (in the "Noted" list, as a start). A number as
above should be allocated if they exceed 10m in length).</p>
<p>There are <b>many</b> other caves marked just with a "+" symbol and a few
which just have bolts and no numbers. In the past, any cave which could not
be seen not to go just from a surface look has been marked with a "+" to show
that it has been looked at but didn't go anywhere significant. We are
supposed to record these for the Austrians, so if you find one, please mark
it with a unique identifier and record where it is, <b>even if you don't have
time to re-explore it at the time</b>. This will help us to assess how many
of these caves there are, and to target areas where there are lots first.
Overall, this should reduce the amount of work needed to "catch up".</p>
<h3>Previously explored caves</h3>
<p>Having come upon a known cave, and decided on the action needed from the
tables, you can find out more about the cave by looking at online
cave descriptions e.g. at <ahref="/1623/291/291"><b>291</b> Glückliche Schmetterlingshöhle</a>. Look in the <ahref="../../indxal.htm">Index</a> to all caves.
<p>For caves being currently explored, a more complete view of the raw data can be seen in the <ahref="/cave/scans/1623-291">current wallet status</a> of the cave.
<p>
This all exists mainly to ensure
that <b>anyone</b> (not just CUCC) finding a cave marked or previously
explored by CUCC can find out all we know about it.</p>
<p>For CUCC's caves, we must supply at least a certain minimum of information
to the Austrians, which includes an accurate location, state of exploration,
name/marking, description and some sort of survey. Obviously for significant
caves, we will want a proper drawn up survey, and the aim should be to do a
survey right from the first exploration - if the cave ends, this saves having
to go back again later ! If you find a cave for which adequate information
is not in the database, then at worst document the lack, and at best, go
out and create the missing documentation!</p>
<p>As other groups also work in adjacent areas to ours, it is clearly
important that the information is widely available, to avoid clashes of
interest or duplication of effort. All CUCC's finds are documented here,
together with any other caves which we have information on, which we are
<p>The non-public data is available to logged-in users, using the 'Log in' menu item at the top-right of all the handbook pages and using our usual 'cavey:beery' password.
