2001-08-15 19:29:27 +01:00
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1626:LA12
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<center><table border=0 width=100%>
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<tr><th align=left><font size=+2>LA12</font></th>
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<th align=center><font size=+2>Sternloch</font></th>
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<th align=right><font size=+2>3/S -</font></th></tr>
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</table></center>
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<p><b>Altitude</b>: 1850m<br>
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<b>Location</b>: 13° 50' 20" E, 47° 42' 27" N<br>
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On flat col to the south of Roß Kogel, slightly above and to the west
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of a small but prominent rock shelter.
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<p>A narrow slot (1m x 5m) with a small capping roof, soon bells out to a
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landing after 17m on a boulder-strewn ledge. The second pitch, <b>Virgo</b>,
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follows immediately, bolt belays giving a fine hang of 21m. Ways down
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through the boulder floor soon choke, but a step up into a small alcove
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reveals a small hole dropping into a rift. This is the take-off for
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<b>Aquarius</b>, an 85m shaft in six sections. Halfway down, the water
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cascades in from the roof, usually in large quantities.
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<p>From the base of Aquarius, traversing forwards gains a drier hang for the
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next pitch of 16m. A pendulum 10m down avoids the worst of the water, which
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continues down a clean circular shaft (see below).
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<p>The pendulum reaches <b>W.C.S. series</b> where two short drops in a rift
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lead to a bolt rebelay in a massive jammed boulder. Just below this, a
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window opens into a narrow shaft which is undescended. At the foot of the
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rift, a short section of hading rift gets wetter at the head of the next
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pitch, whose 11m are always lashed by spray from somewhere above.
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<p>A short traverse into a large alcove escapes the spray and facilitates a
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dry hang for <b>FUDE</b>, a 14m pitch with natural belays set well back and
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soft squidgy choss at the pitch head. Two climbs lead to a rift/ramp area
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where the way on is tight and thrutchy. <b>Nil Desperandum</b> soon drops to
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the head of a short pitch and more climbs down into a chamber.
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<p>The rift outlet is too tight, but a 5m climb up gains a bypass where a
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short traverse leads to <b>Ardua</b>, a pitch of 11m. Down the slope, the
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water sinks in boulders, but the way on is a slot in the wall behind a large
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boulder. This immediately bells out onto <b>Astra</b>, a 38m pitch where a
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pendulum onto and over a huge chocked boulder reaches bolts for the second
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part of the pitch, a superb 25m drop down one end of a large rift.
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<p>Climbing down at the far end of the rift, an area of breakdown is
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reached. Up the boulders, a rift enters from the right (presumed to be an
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inlet, but not explored), while water can be heard away to the left.
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However, the loose nature of this area, combined with the pitch below,
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precluded anything more than a cursory examination.
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<p>Under the boulders, a short pitch lands in a chamber where the water is
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rejoined shortly before it cascades over the lip of another large shaft, the
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limit of exploration in 1987.
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<p>The pitch is 57m and quite wet, dropping into a sizeable chamber (50m x
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10m and 40m high), <b>The Planetarium</b>. This chamber is formed along a
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fault, with breakdown littering the floor. At one end, under a large
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waterfall, is a pitch between the wall and the boulders. This drops 15m into
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an extremely loose boulder choke <b>Religious Places</b>, with no way on. No
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other route out could be found from the Planetarium, giving an overall depth
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of 331m.
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<p>The wet way on from the bottom of Aquarius descends pitches of 7m and
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27m. The latter is arguably the best pitch of the cave, hanging free for 23m
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beside a column of water. Unfortunately, the way on is a tiny impassable
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rift.
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<p><b>Exploration</b>: <a href="../others/luss/index.htm">LUSS</a> 1987-8
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<p><b>References :</b>
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<dl>
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<dt>87.1514<dd><cite>Austria Reconnaissance Expedition 1987, Lancaster University Speleological Society</cite>
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<dt>89.1866<dd><cite>Dead Mountains Expedition 1988, L.U.S.S.</cite> 24pp illus.
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</dl>
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<hr>
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2001-08-16 13:43:09 +01:00
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<a href="index.htm#la12">Index</a> and overview of 1626.<br>
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