mirror of
https://expo.survex.com/repositories/expoweb/.git/
synced 2024-11-24 08:11:55 +00:00
201 lines
11 KiB
HTML
201 lines
11 KiB
HTML
|
<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Strict//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-strict.dtd">
|
||
|
|
<html>
|
||
|
|
<head>
|
||
|
|
<meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=iso-8859-1" />
|
||
|
|
<link rel="stylesheet" type="text/css" href="../../css/main2.css" />
|
||
|
|
<title>1623:204 -- Deep routes via the Ariston Series</title>
|
||
|
|
</head>
|
||
|
|
|
||
|
|
<body>
|
||
|
|
|
||
|
|
<table id="cavepage">
|
||
|
|
<tr><th id="kat_no">204</th><th id="name">Steinbrückenhöhle</th><th
|
||
|
|
id="status">4/S x</th></tr>
|
||
|
|
</table>
|
||
|
|
|
||
|
|
<h1>Deep routes via the Ariston Series</h1>
|
||
|
|
|
||
|
|
<div>
|
||
|
|
<b><a href="ariston-rigging.html">Rigging diagram</a></b> --
|
||
|
|
<b><a href="#survey">Survey</a></b> --
|
||
|
|
<b><a href="204.html">204 index</a></b></div>
|
||
|
|
<hr />
|
||
|
|
|
||
|
|
<h3><a id="ariston">Ariston Series</a></h3>
|
||
|
|
|
||
|
|
<p>The Ariston Series is the route to the current deepest point in the cave.
|
||
|
|
The pitch series begins with a short pitch of 5m rigged from a large thread in
|
||
|
|
the roof a few metres back, with a single spit for the vertical part, which is
|
||
|
|
almost a scramble. This lands on a large ledge formed of boulders wedged across
|
||
|
|
a narrow point; there are two choices of descent here, one to the north,
|
||
|
|
<b>You're So Veined</b> (15m), which was used in 1999, and one to the south,
|
||
|
|
<b><a id="potulike">Pot-U-Like</a></b> (~35m), which has been the trade route
|
||
|
|
since 2000.</p>
|
||
|
|
|
||
|
|
<h4>You're So Veined route</h4>
|
||
|
|
|
||
|
|
<p>One rebelay provides a good hang against the wall of You're So Veined to reach
|
||
|
|
the foot of the pitch, which is in a spacious shaft, with an impressive aven
|
||
|
|
above. From here, there are two ways on.</p>
|
||
|
|
|
||
|
|
<p><i>To the left, facing away from the pitch just descended, is a gully, which
|
||
|
|
in 1999 contained a thick layer of ice. Carefully traversing this rather
|
||
|
|
slippery section leads to the head of a small pitch of 6m, which was rigged
|
||
|
|
with a Y-hang. From here a walking size phreatic passage, <b>Rainbow</b> leads
|
||
|
|
off, carrying a substantial breeze. The passage initially descends, but then
|
||
|
|
develops a narrow floor trench; as the trench deepens, the phreatic part of the
|
||
|
|
passage rises, and then ends abruptly where the floor trench turns right and
|
||
|
|
leads off as a too-tight rift while ahead the phreas pinches out.</i></p>
|
||
|
|
|
||
|
|
<p>To the right leads into a small, very crumbly chamber, from which a short
|
||
|
|
section of awkward rift leads to a fine crow's nest in the wall of a large
|
||
|
|
rift. A very short pitch (5m) lands on a large ledge in the side of the
|
||
|
|
Pot-U-Like shaft. From here a roped traverse along the left-hand wall gains the
|
||
|
|
head of the next pitch of 12m, which avoids a large ledge which would have been
|
||
|
|
in the way but for the traverse. This pitch currently requires a rope protector
|
||
|
|
just below the Y-hang at the top. The landing is on another large ledge, where
|
||
|
|
a pool can be used to refill water containers. This is also the landing of
|
||
|
|
Pot-U-Like.</p>
|
||
|
|
|
||
|
|
<h4>Pot-U-Like route</h4>
|
||
|
|
|
||
|
|
<p>The pitch is rigged with a steeply descending traverse line to a slightly
|
||
|
|
gymnastic Y-hang against the left-hand wall, from which the rope hangs clear to
|
||
|
|
the foot of the pitch.</p>
|
||
|
|
|
||
|
|
<p>The next pitch of 14m consists of a backup bolt followed by a Y-hang, which
|
||
|
|
utilises one very cratered spit, which can only be used with a bollard type
|
||
|
|
hanger. This pitch requires a deviation from the opposite wall or a rebelay to
|
||
|
|
be installed as there is currently a rub point just below the Y-hang. The ledge
|
||
|
|
that this pitch lands on consists of boulders wedged across the shaft, although
|
||
|
|
it seems sound. A backup bolt protects the approach to the Y-hang at the head
|
||
|
|
of the next pitch, <b>Steel Toecap</b> (35m). After a ledge 3m down, where a
|
||
|
|
deviation optimises the hang, the walls of the shaft bell out dramatically and
|
||
|
|
the rope hangs in stimulating isolation. About 5m from the floor a ledge is
|
||
|
|
passed, which could be gained by a swing across, where there may possibly be a
|
||
|
|
passage leading off [<a href="qm.html#C1999-204-20"
|
||
|
|
id="qC1999-204-20">C1999-204-20 B</a>].</p>
|
||
|
|
|
||
|
|
<p>At the foot of the pitch, the way on is a very chossy, sloping descent which
|
||
|
|
will require either re-rigging or bypassing (which may be possible by a climb
|
||
|
|
up and over) in future. This leads to a further short pitch (10m), which lands
|
||
|
|
in an aven chamber of ample proportions. <i>From here drops an 8m pitch,
|
||
|
|
landing on a rubble floor. The only way on is a tight rift [<a
|
||
|
|
href="qm.html#C2000-204-60" id="qC2000-204-60">C2000-204-60 C</a>], which
|
||
|
|
was penetrated for only a short distance. More progress might be possible by
|
||
|
|
someone small and imaginative. Not surveyed in 2000.</i> From the aven chamber,
|
||
|
|
a crawl leads off, followed by a descending rubble slope. The rubble slope
|
||
|
|
curves round to the right, passing a tight rift on the left [<a
|
||
|
|
href="qm.html#C1999-204-22" id="qC1999-204-22">C1999-204-22 C</a>], to reach
|
||
|
|
the bottom of a short climb up of 3m on the right, which is followed by a
|
||
|
|
scramble down on the other side. <i>From here, straight ahead is a climb up
|
||
|
|
into the foot of an aven, half-right is a short ascending passage leading to a
|
||
|
|
chamber where a traverse around the right hand wall leads to a slope down to
|
||
|
|
<b><a href="#fled">Fledermausschacht</a></b>.</i> Full right is a
|
||
|
|
stooping/crawling height phreatic passage with a mud floor. This passes on the
|
||
|
|
right the other end of the crawl which led off from the foot of the previous
|
||
|
|
pitch, which provides a convenient shortcut.</p>
|
||
|
|
|
||
|
|
<p>Some 50m of alternate crawling and stooping over soft crumbly mud, including
|
||
|
|
a single point where the roof dips and the crawl is flat-out, leads to a small
|
||
|
|
chamber. Here there are two holes in the floor. One leads to <a
|
||
|
|
href="#kiwisuit"><b>Kiwi Suit</b></a>; the other drop is much shorter, and is
|
||
|
|
split into two sections by ledges on each wall part way down. The first section
|
||
|
|
of 8m reaches these small ledges, where a stream enters from the foot of a very
|
||
|
|
large aven. The next section of 11m is wet, and lands on a small ledge
|
||
|
|
overlooking Kiwi Suit just above the rebelay.</p>
|
||
|
|
|
||
|
|
<h3><a id="kiwisuit">Kiwi Suit</a></h3>
|
||
|
|
|
||
|
|
<p>The first pitch begins with a funnel-shaped opening. The initial approach is
|
||
|
|
rigged from a large pillar at the edge of the funnel (the approach to this
|
||
|
|
could be further protected by a traverse line tied round an even larger pillar
|
||
|
|
a couple of metres back). Suddenly, at the base of the funnel, there is an
|
||
|
|
impressive black space. In 2000 the descent was rigged New-Zealand style,
|
||
|
|
entirely from naturals, which seemed sound, but worrisome for us bolt-junkies,
|
||
|
|
especially given the record of 'Bomb-Proof' naturals in KH visiting the bottoms
|
||
|
|
of pitches; the current rig as of 2003 uses a pitch-head deviation, and a
|
||
|
|
Y-hang rebelay around halfway down, to keep the descent clear of walls and the
|
||
|
|
small trickle of water which falls down the shaft. This looks worryingly like
|
||
|
|
it would become a huge deluge after rain, drenching anyone on the rebelay, but
|
||
|
|
apparently even in the miserable weather of 2002 there was only a very slight
|
||
|
|
increase. The floor is reached after 54 metres of descent. The way on is a
|
||
|
|
short traverse, an 8 metre pitch, another short traverse, and then a 20 metre
|
||
|
|
pitch to a ledge. The final pitch from this ledge is an impressive rift of 47
|
||
|
|
metres depth, rigged in 2000 from a natural, one bolt, and the rope from the
|
||
|
|
pitch above.</p>
|
||
|
|
|
||
|
|
<h3><a id="razor">Razordance</a></h3>
|
||
|
|
|
||
|
|
<p>At the bottom of the 47m pitch, a merry little stream is reached (similar
|
||
|
|
volume of water to the Top Camp waterhole in spate). Upstream was not pushed,
|
||
|
|
but reportedly leads quickly to the foot of a waterfall [<a
|
||
|
|
href="qm.html#C2000-204-63" id="qC2000-204-63">C2000-204-63 B</a>].
|
||
|
|
Downstream quickly narrows to about 50cm wide, and progress is made by
|
||
|
|
constantly changing level to stay where the passage is wide enough. After about
|
||
|
|
40m a small cascade of about 4m is reached, which could probably be
|
||
|
|
free-climbed, but a handline here helps avoid getting soaked. The passage is
|
||
|
|
considerably wider for a few metres below the cascade, but soon resumes in its
|
||
|
|
previous manner. Suddenly, the head of a pitch, <b>Black Lightning</b> (13m),
|
||
|
|
is reached. The streamway continues past a 2m climb and 2m pitch leading to the
|
||
|
|
25m pitch of <b>Mystery Wind</b>; this is descended via a crow's-nest which
|
||
|
|
gives a dry sloping descent to the floor, protected by two rebelays. The
|
||
|
|
streamway continues to <b>Easy There</b> (p15) and <b>Steady Now</b> (p4), the
|
||
|
|
2002 limit. 2003 saw further pushing to a short down pitch (no more than 3m)
|
||
|
|
shortly followed by a climb up into a large chamber, <b>God Loves a Drunk</b>,
|
||
|
|
where an (impassably tight) inlet enters from the right. Immediately beyond
|
||
|
|
this are <b>The Mash Tun</b> (p8) and <b>Copper</b> (p17). Beyond this the rift
|
||
|
|
becomes tighter and more awkward again, leading to the head of yet another
|
||
|
|
pitch, <b>Yeast</b> (p10). Shortly beyond this the bottom of the rift becomes
|
||
|
|
rather tight and an ascending traverse can be followed, as far as a local
|
||
|
|
widening; here it will be necessary to bolt, either for a pitch to the floor or
|
||
|
|
for protection to continue the traverse. A plumb was made at this point to the
|
||
|
|
floor 7m below, at 484m below the 204a entrance. Further exploration awaits in
|
||
|
|
2004 [C2003-204-XXX A].</p>
|
||
|
|
|
||
|
|
<h3><a id="fled">Fledermausschacht</a></h3>
|
||
|
|
|
||
|
|
<p>The traverse round to the pitch head is protected by a thread belay at the
|
||
|
|
start of the traverse. A substantial thread (requiring 2 slings due to its
|
||
|
|
girth) at the pitch head enables the first, sloping section of the pitch to be
|
||
|
|
descended. Soon the pitch becomes vertical, and a rebelay on the far wall (at
|
||
|
|
-5m) allows the next few metres to be descended. Unfortunately the shaft still
|
||
|
|
hades slightly, and a further two rebelays (at -15m and -28m) are required
|
||
|
|
before the magnitude of this 112m shaft starts to become apparent. A 40m
|
||
|
|
free-hanging section leads to a sloping ledge, where the shaft dog-legs again and
|
||
|
|
a scrappy descent down a gully, and a further two rebelays (at -68m and -80m),
|
||
|
|
reaches a sloping ledge overlooking the final section of the pitch. A chossy
|
||
|
|
traverse across the left hand wall appears to head into a parallel shaft [<a
|
||
|
|
href="qm.html#C2000-204-61" id="qC2000-204-61">C2000-204-61 C</a>]. A bolt
|
||
|
|
round the corner to the right allows a descent of the final 22m to the floor to
|
||
|
|
be made, where a boulder choke is met, with no way on. The whole pitch,
|
||
|
|
particularly the far wall, is rather loose and due care must be taken. A large
|
||
|
|
chockstone near the second rebelay could not be shifted, but should be treated
|
||
|
|
with suspicion.</p>
|
||
|
|
|
||
|
|
<p>Nature Note: A bat was observed flitting around in here on two
|
||
|
|
occasions.</p>
|
||
|
|
|
||
|
|
<p>At the start of the traverse to the head of Fledermausschacht is a small
|
||
|
|
crawl leading off to the right. This is initially flat-out over crumbly mud,
|
||
|
|
but enlarges after a short distance to enter a series of small mud-filled
|
||
|
|
chambers. There is no obvious way on, other than to start excavations in the
|
||
|
|
mud banks [<a href="qm.html#C2000-204-62" id="qC2000-204-62">C2000-204-62
|
||
|
|
Dig</a>]. Not surveyed in 2000.</p>
|
||
|
|
|
||
|
|
<div class="centre">
|
||
|
|
<h3><a id="survey">Survey</a></h3>
|
||
|
|
<img style="padding: 2pt; border: 2px solid #000" src="ariston.png" alt="Survey" /></div>
|
||
|
|
|
||
|
|
<hr />
|
||
|
|
|
||
|
|
<ul id="links">
|
||
|
|
<li><a href="204.html">Back to 204 index page</a></li>
|
||
|
|
<li><a href="../../smkridge/index.htm#id204">Schwarzmooskogel ridge area index and description</a></li>
|
||
|
|
<li><a href="../../indxal.htm#id204">Full Index</a></li>
|
||
|
|
<li><a href="../../areas.htm">Other Areas</a></li>
|
||
|
|
<li><a href="../../index.htm">Back to Expedition Intro page</a></li>
|
||
|
|
</ul>
|
||
|
|
</body>
|
||
|
|
</html>
|