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Surface Prospecting

<p>Weather calm, wind speed force 0.1, 13&deg; 48' W, 47&deg; 30' N

<p>Mike M, Mark, Stefan, Chris, Gavin + Brian

<p>Got away about midday after a long morning recovering from the all-night
drives.

<p>Toll road guy is the same as last year and we are getting some discount
to be negotiated from &quot;Die Boss&quot;. It'll be free cars and the
children's rate for the rest of us. Got to the top to the surprise of the
car owners, such little farts in their thrusting pistons. PS. The banana
ejaculated all over the car park.

<p>Walked along Stogerweg to beyond 115 and 113 and prospected up and down.
Cairn marks climb up to draughting hole which is being dug out, 150 -
Bananah&ouml;hle if it gets to 150m. So far dug in about 10 feet and it
draughts a gale. Further along prospected above existing cairn to a couple
of non-draughting holes. Both are at base of 30 ft cliff, one goes up about
6m, no draught, second is tight entrance to undescended pitch (15-20 ft ?).
Probably not worth pushing.

<p>Lots less water in streams on way to plateau - hooray.

<p>Phew, what a scorcher.

<p>Brian.<hr>

<a name="1985-142-1">Late the same day !</a> Team F...ing heroes.

<p>Members - Mike M, Mark, Gavin, Tina, Stef.
Time underground 6&frac34; hours.

<p>Found our way to 142 in the dark. Underground @ 11.45 pm (on the night
before Gavin's birthday). Objective - SRT practice for us SRT novices, &amp;
looking for connections off Big Chamber. No problems getting there - tho'
some &quot;frig-rigging&quot; 'cos our ropes were too short. Mike found
something, &amp; Gavin and Mark did some messing around - see later.

<p>Route back taken at some speed - all found the strain of 24 hrs awake
&amp; walk back over dawning plateau NOT appreciated !

<p>Out of cave ~ 6.00. Back at car ~ 7.00 (Mon)

<p>Mike M's bit - Explored branch of 142 chamber nearest rest of cave
system. Desperate climb up hanging death of loose shattered rock. Approx 50
ft up - ducked under slab approx 40 ft x 5 ft x 15 ft. Intersects cross-rift
on more solid rock. Still awkward climbing up to Balcony (higher than pitch
takeoff). Passed sandy shelf (Dogger Bank), continue up, then down to
Boulder in connection &lt;illegible&gt; 41, 142.

<p>See sketch over - to be compared with survey later. NB - high point may
be higher than entrance of 41.

<p>[ scrappy sketch with lots of annotation - to be scanned ]

<p>Upper branch of chamber explored down by Mark &amp; Gavin, a small rift
was found at bottom, but tight and no draught. Many spaces through boulder
choke. Almost no chance of these leading to an unblocked floor level exit.
Possible phreatic level 30 ft up terminal wall - not climbed to. Little
chance of worthwhile connection.

<p>NB. Boulder choke loose and dodgy.

<p><a href="../1984/log.htm#1984-142-6">Previous trip</a> (last year) /
<a href="#1985-142-2">Next trip</a>
<hr>

<a name="1985-144-1">Monday 29th June</a>
<pre>
                                      x  x  x  x  x  x  x
                                    x   FREE   SCHNAPPS   x
                                      x  x  x  x  x  x  x</pre>

<p>Brian, Mike R, Chris   down 144

<p>Arrived in the car park about midday. Took a leisurely (!) two hours to
the vicinity of the cave. Another 1&frac12; hours Bunde-bashing to find the
bloody thing. Despite being pretty pissed off by this stage, we decided it
was the hole and set off down (about 4.30). Brian went first to rig the
first pitch, and do some gardening. I sat at the top of the entrance, and
did some more gardening (Oops, sorry Brian). Got down first pitch, decided
it wanted a ladder. Rigged and gardened second pitch. Decided it wanted more
gardening when Brian nearly took half the pitch-head down with him. Hauled
up the ropes and exitted. Looked a bit overcast, so we hurried back -
finished the walk at a dead run. Time down 90 mins - total depth 15m !

<p><a href="../1983/log.htm#1983-144-6">Previous trip</a> (1983) /
<a href="#1985-144-2">Next trip</a>
<hr>

        BUNDE BASHING BOYS

<p>Brian, Stef, Mark went off to carry on &quot;pushing&quot; 150. Stef got
bored waiting while Brian was digging and wandered off - he found a hole but
after coming back most pleased he couldn't find it but found a draughting
hole, (151 ?) and another. 151 (with a light) was a chamber (30 ft high, 10
ft square) with a draughting tight rift going out. Definitely worth a
squeeze in kit.

<p>Mark's bored wandering found a couple of holes that proved choked, a big
50 ft pitch with snow at the bottom (probably choked) and a 30 ft shaft that
I swore draughted up - worth another trip.

<p>The area (above the 150 marker, about the same distance beyond '88' as
Windloch to '88' along Stogerweg) is well covered with many ravines/rifts
about 100m up from path (distance along ground). Very promising, dozens of
holes, some MUST go.

<p>150 was cleared by Brian after 1&frac12; hrs digging. The rift beyond was
too small to follow. F--K.<hr>

<a name="1985-144-2">Meanwhile, back at 144</a> :   Chris and Mike R.

<p>All very efficient so we got away rather late and then went shopping 'cos
Chris had forgotten his wellies (what's new). Zapped from car park to the
cave in about one hour. Wasted most of an hour removing choss and a large
piece of hanging death. After that it got rather slow because of dubious
anchors - so we put in a few more dubious anchors of our own. Finally
reached the 50 cm triangular slot, and decided that bier and scoff were more
interesting, so exitted a.s.a.p. to discover that it was raining. Got very
wet on the walk back.

<p>Underground ~ 6 hrs.

<p>(Short write up so I can go to bed !)

<p><a href="#1985-144-1">Previous trip</a> /
<a href="#1985-144-3">Next trip</a>
<hr>

<a name="1985-142-2">142 Tuesday</a> - see new book

<p>[slight hiatus ?]

<p>Team 142

<p>Down 142 again - this time surveying. Out with the compass and
clino-thingy that you can almost read the numbers of ! Pity about my light
going dim and spending most of the time on pilot light. Heard a really loud
gush that sounded like a huge waterfall and ended up being a rather fast
drip that had increased a bit when it rained on top. Took quite a lot of
&quot;Hero pose&quot; piccies. A good trip ~ 8 hrs underground.

<p>Team  Mike M, Gavin, Tina.

<p><a href="#1985-142-1">Previous trip</a> /
<a href="#1985-142-3">Next trip</a>
<hr>

Wednesday  31 July

<p>Rest day for some - Nothing happened - It rained.

<p>Wrote the following song !! [ song in file &quot;Song&quot; ]

<p>P.S. Gavin woke up !!<hr>

<a name="1985-144-3">Brian, Mark, Stef. - 144</a>

<p>Up at 7.00 am, down at 10.00 am. Slow descent due to inexperience of
myself and Mark. Brian replaced naff bolt. Mark put in one of his own at
triangular slot. I put in another bolt at triangular slot (dropping and
losing spanner). Next pitches quickly rigged to bottom at mud wall level.
Quick break for food - Mark went exploring (see later) and made bid for
&quot;Golden Boot&quot;. Brian had a quick look at phreatic level - strongly
draughting downward passage to left leads to streamway and later water
features - includes stalactite - &quot;frig-rig&quot; pitch to streamway.
This leads to ramp. Needs another trip to determine if this passage goes.
Started slow ascent - again due to us SRT novices, but speeded up noticeably
towards end.

<p>Came out ~ 8.30. Dark before reached car park. Heavy rain, difficult
drive. Arrived back ~ 10.20.

<p>Time underground ~ 10&frac12; hrs.

<p>144 phreatic extension - someone sketch please.

<p><a href="#1985-144-2">Previous trip</a> /
<a href="#1985-144-4">Next trip</a>
<hr>

<a name="1985-144-4">[a title line missing ?]</a>

<p>Followed the phreatic team - got underground at 12.40. Caught the others
in 3 hours, followed them down to the &quot;Yellow Brick Road&quot; (path
across chamber above Mud Wall pitch). We had a look in a few of the tubes
leading up, but nothing went. Then Mark Roddick spotted a draughting hole in
the floor (unpleasantly tight, a bit NE of the hole leading to the Mud Wall
pitch). Mark managed to fall down it, and by sheer luck hit the floor (and
bounced) after only ten feet.

<p>This proved to be a bypass to the Mud Wall traverse. We then carried on
SW, through boulder-strewn chambers, to a chamber which had a ramp going
down SE at 45&deg;, and a climb up continuing SW.

<p>Mike went 20m down the ramp, I worked on the climb. After we'd put in two
bolts, ripped off a natural belay, and fallen twice, we got up, and about
10m on and 6m up we came to an aven with an exposed free climb up, and a
hole in the floor leading to a pitch 1m in diameter, at the bottom of which
a stream could be heard. Since we'd run out of energy and tackle, we

<p> [ photocopy runs out before the write up did ]

<p>Time down 11 hours.

<p><a href="#1985-144-3">Previous trip</a> /
<a href="#1985-144-5">Next trip</a>
<hr>

1.8.85  Tina, Gavin and Mike M. Surface prospecting etc.

<p>150, 151. Both looked at again by MM. Conclusions : the same.

<p>NB 151. - see grade 1 survey below.

<p>[ scrappy sketch which would seem to be a surface plan, mainly ]<hr>

1.8.85

<p>152  time underground 1&frac12; hrs.

<p>New cave discovered near 151. Draught a gale. Drops down 8m pitch to snow
ledge then down snow slope to 20m depth. Down further 1.5m climb and past
ice formation. Turn left down 45&deg; scree, squeeze behind boulder and drop
down hole into rift with boulder floor. Reach T junction at chamber with 3
jammed boulders, turn right to 2nd pitch, approx 8m.<hr>

152 PUSH - GAVIN, MARK, STEF

<p>Time down 8 hrs

<p>Day started out wet, so not underground until ~ 5 pm. Took ropes and 2 x
bolting kits, anchors etc. &amp; food.

<p>Rigged second pitch on Mike's bolts, approx 3m into small chamber, exit
along short rift, widening and back into rift for 3rd pitch. Rigged in drip,
back up/traverse line for 1&frac12; m drop just before 4m pitch.

<p>Here enters one into Dump Chamber. To left is blocked tight passage, to
right a small exit into large rift, high, 10 ft wide, full of very unstable
scree and boulders - Boulder Alley. 30m at 45&deg; brings into chamber, a
hole in the boulder choke drops 3m to floor of chamber, climb over boulders
ahead and cross a dodgy traverse over a bridge, down onto floor and down
very unstable slope to exit, scramble down 2m through boulders in an 'S'
shape into rift.

<p>Along a few metres is a 3m pitch, rigged with 2 calcite bolts; small
chamber, rift. Exit to right, a few more metres to pitch (3m), down rift,
tight-ish. Along rift in same direction, over a drop (2m) and along rift,
keyhole shape, stay high (same level as pitch bottom).

<p>2m drop, 3m along is 4m pitch, put wire belay round rock at top of small
drop to give handline to pitch head.

<p>Mud floor, phreatic tube leads up, 1&frac12; m diameter, mud floor. Cross
undescended rift at right angles, up over top of mud heap, tube

<p>[ two lines (?) missing from bottom and top edges of photocopy ]

<p>keyhole rift, runs into top of pitch - run out of tackle, turned around
and left, no hassle except Stef's dump in Dump Chamber really stank.

<p>NB. Boulder Alley and Boulder Chamber should be crossed singly as rocks
very unstable &amp; fall spontaneously.<hr>

Friday - MM, CS, TW to Salzburg to collect Caroline.<hr>

152 Push : Chris &amp; Tina

<p>Got through all the bits the other lot rigged and then to the biggest
pitch. A horrid traverse over a ~25m pitch, which was really horrid on the
way back up. At the bottom of the pitch was a longish traverse that was
awkward but not dangerous. The way we went ended. On the way we saw a few
places to squeeze down to the streamway. The couple of draughting passages
we found were too tight.

<p>The first few pitches (descended the day before) are lots longer than
they reckoned.<hr>

Surface survey P4 to 152 via 151, 150, Caroline Smith and Mike M.

<p>Survey Team, Mark + Brian

<p>Went down 152 to re-rig where necessary and survey out. Chris's pitch was
examined and found wanting in most things pitches need - like belays. Two
bolts put in, one by Brian put in by 6' 4&quot; back contorted into pitch
head, Mark's midget frame inserted one in a few minutes - and it was all the
way in. Said farewell to Mike and Gavin grunting and groaning in the rift.
Surveyed out in five hours plus took a few photos of the formations and some
very nice moonmilk in Boulder Chamber. Surveyed in 40 legs. Time in 8 p.m.
4/8, out 6 a.m. 5/8. Time underground 10 hours.

<p>Brian.<hr>

Sunday/Monday 4/5 August. 152 push. Time down 11 hours.

<p>Gavin + Mike M.

<p>Looked at the bits Chris described and they don't go ! But we did find
the way on ! (Over 1st 3m drop as described previously. Follow rift down to
pitch with squeeze at top (~25-30m)). Your guess as to what happens next
probably is as good as mine due to glow-worm syndrome. NB Rig is silly - Two
very useless bolts (but they do take a shock load). Flake halfway down has
to be respected !!<hr>

<a name="1985-144-5">144 - Food Dump</a> &amp; push for 41 connection.

<p>Mike R, Chris, Stefan.

<p>Up early (despite night with Austrian Cavers), but others coming back
etc. meant that we didn't reach car park until 12.00 - down at bottom of big
pitch ~ 2.00 - dumped food, quick brew of tea. Chris had forgotten furry
suit, so did in my overtrousers + sweater.

<p>Down Roddick's Dive (ugh - mud squeeze - bastard coming out) &amp; route
followed earlier. Then down ramp lined but not necessary. Tape taken, &amp;
compass - approximate metres clocked off. Through large rift - under
boulders (Chris did traverse over on way back) - past pitch (Chris descended
but draught none - explore only if other route closes) - way on leads to
hairy cross over large drop, then on past mud/soil slopes and sharp rock to
tall chamber &amp; ~20m pitch - IS THIS 41 ? Only time will tell. Not having
time, we came back - further push scheduled for tomorrow.

<p>(On the way back it rained.)

<p>Underground 6&frac12; hours.

<p><a href="#1985-144-4">Previous trip</a> /
<a href="#1985-144-6">Next trip</a>
<hr>

<a name="1985-144-6">Wednesday</a> - pissed down again.

<p>Team Super-Hero - Go for it (Mike M., Mark, Chris)

<p>We decided to go for the connection 144 - Stellerweg, and survey it
(despite the rain, sleet, snow). Got under ~ 2.00 pm cold and wet - it was
sleeting/snowing quite hard on top. Reached Yellow Brick Road, had a cup of
tea + photo session, shifted the food dump through the Dive to the bottom of
the ramp. Decided the best route was the traverse over the pit then looked
at the pitch where we stopped before. We were just bolting it when Mike
found the bypass, and the next pitch. We decided to go and celebrate this
with some soup, then we came back to bolt while Mike explored some ramps. I
(wearing waterproofs) explored the tube that the stream went down and found
a fine wet bypass (probably dry normally - the whole cave was awash today
with streams never seen before - it was also bloody cold - Mike wore his
Damart undies, I wore waterproofs and Mark wrapped a space blanket around
himself and we were still BLOODY FREEZING). We found a streamway - I went
downstream, Mark went upstream. Mark found a dropped date wrapper, and we
knew we had a connection. It wasn't where we expected, however, and Mike
didn't recognise it. However, we are into Stellerweg (we surveyed out)
giving total -972m.

<p>Time down 18 hours.

<p><a href="#1985-144-5">Previous trip</a> /
<a href="#1985-144-7">Last trip</a>
<hr>

<a name="1985-144-7">Thursday.</a>  Light drizzle.    144 pointless trip.

<p>Mike R, Tina, Gavin, Stef + Brian - yes, that many and a sure fire recipe
for disaster. First Mike forgot his gloves. Arrived at cave, underground 8
pm. Stef and I abbed to Yellow Brick Road then waited an hour for the
others. Would have had tea but no stove ! Bastards. All together then M + S
zapped off to detackle connection and bring stove. Gavin tried Roddick's
Dive, down in 2 minutes, &quot;That idiot should be dead&quot; came out of
hole. Gavin wanted to go down and back for experience. The return took him
25 minutes - some photos were taken. Had a look downstream and ramp at foot
of 11m pitch. Decided we needed a rope. Meanwhile M + S return so time for
tea. Milk and mud sir ? One lump or two ? Gavin played with acetylene and
flames to warm us up.

<p>Now party split in two. Gavin and Stef out in drama and style - see
later. B M T descended rift about 20m to really shitty layered mud ramp.
Very nasty indeed, loose and horrible. Went out on the stopping service,
4&frac12; hours, oh God, lets not talk about it. Just say we got back.

<p>Team 'Freeze', Gavin &amp; Stef set off 1.00 am. I'd just passed the
triangular slot when I realised no sign of Gavin. Abseiled back down the
pitch and caught up with him. A few helpful hints, and off we went again. I
stayed 1/2 pitches ahead until my lamp died, then had to go for it, leaving
Gavin to his own devices. Out 4.00 am. Quick dump into the bivvy bag. Gavin
out 5.30. Off at 6.00. Back at car at 7.00ish.

<p>Time u/g : Stef 8, BMT 11 hrs, Gavin 9&frac12;
<p>Mike's glow-worm is contagious.

<p><a href="#1985-144-6">Previous trip</a>
<hr>

152 detackle    Stef, Mark

<p>Down at 2 pm, down to hole in floor above big pitch, ladders down, self
line up.

<p>Drip furrow down 4&quot; rift, after 55 ft furrow moves 6 ft sideways,
therefore impossible to follow.

<p>Brought out tackle and rubbish left over from last trip (next in log)
&amp; detackled, tiring as bags heavy - out for failing light, 8.45.

<p>Time underground 6&frac34; hours.<hr>

[ title line missing from photocopy ]

<p>This will be written up when Chris has finally got Wild Bill Huckup to
fuck his horse !

<p>Well, here we are 24 hours later and this is Mike writing it up - Chris
is still trying to make ends meet. So we set off to push onwards. Got in
efficiently, and zapped down to the bottom of the big pitch.

<p>Picked up f*****g big tackle bag and manoeuvered it to the end of the
rift by dint of muscle power and cursing. Were duly horrified by the bolts
at the head of Suicide pot. Went down anyway and - What did Chris find ? -
an anchor !

<p>Someone has been here before ! So we dragged the bag back up the pitch
(it got stuck) and decided to survey back - only I kicked the tape down a
hole.

<p>Replanned - we'd take the tackle back. Unfortunately, in a fit of
enthusiasm and luck the tape was recovered, so we surveyed it as well. Just
like Yorkshire - tight.

<p>Then we went out. Underground 8&frac14; hours.

<p>Mike the Animal.<hr>

The following word is included in the journal for completeness :
&quot;AARDVARK&quot;<hr>

<a name="1985-142-3">Sunday evening</a>

<p>142 - Survey large chamber and play with magnesium ribbon trip.

<p>Team  Gavin, Animal, Chris, Tina

<p>Down during the early evening after a good deal of jacking possibility
but soon the sunshine was exchanged for the colder delights of 142. It did
not take long to reach the pitches and after some belaying practice we were
soon down and playing with magnesium ribbon procured from the previous trip
to Eish&ouml;hle. The main chamber is extremely impressive. A full survey of
the chamber was subsequently carried out with a sighting of a bat by Tina
and a small amount of exploration in a possible phreatic lead from the
chamber which unfortunately blocked. The return to the surface was eventful
in that, although Tina and Chris left the others derigging the pitches, they
did not reach the surface until &frac12; hour later !

<p>Time Underground

<p>        8 hours      Animal + Gavin
<br>        8&frac12; hours     Chris + Tina

<br>[ another line vapourised ]

<p><a href="#1985-142-2">Previous trip</a> /
<a href="../1996/log.htm#1996-142-1">Next trip</a> not for 11 years !
<hr>

Team  Animal, Stef, Mark

<p>Walked up with team &quot;Survey&quot;/&quot;Prospect&quot; who would
bring back 152 tackle.

<p>Went swiftly down to bottom and collected a BIG ! bag of tackle and
started out.

<p>Stef's light failed and had to go out from big pitch on a dying backup.

<p>I dropped a pulley and crab down one pitch, ab back down, wander, wander,
found them and back up. Mike for his part left the pulley on ledge of big
pitch, so that gave him a chance of extra prussikking.

<p>That fucking cave is always the wrong temp ! When I survey &amp; am
inactive the bastard blows out, a sweating hot detackling trip, it blows hot
air in from the bunde.<hr>

[ another line vapourised ]

<p>Chris + Tina

<p>Left the car park at 9.45

<p>Met some Germans on our way up, who offered us a tourist trip down
Schwarzmooskogel ice cave. Probably worth doing next year - you need
crampons.

<p>Dumped some gear at the top and went prospecting. Found 153 (dug out some
loose boulders in the corner and went through for a look round), then went
off to look at Tina's promising area. Found 154 instead. There's a biggish
chamber just inside, with daylight entering in two or three places. First
way in was climbing down the rift below the survey mark, and I
(accidentally) found a different way out. Next we found 155 - a huge snow
plug. You can go through a slit in the rock on the RHS, or down the snow
plug and across the ice, which slopes down in one corner, possibly down a
pitch. The other slot probably drops into the same chamber. This cave may
not go, but we couldn't tell without a line. In fact, all three caves need a
line to go further.

<p>We then started surveying back, 155 -&gt; 154 no problem, but we'd lost
153. We set out surveying to it anyway, but after about 4 legs realised we
were going in the opposite direction. Eventually reached 153, continued on
towards the nipple. Made a permanent mark (TC, on slab in gulley) and headed
for home because it was getting late. Reached 144 as daylight was starting
to go, packed up all the tackle left for us, by which time it was pretty
dark, then set off. In 5-10 minutes it was completely dark, so the journey
down was slow, accompanied by much swearing (1&frac14; hours to the
traverse) at which point team Dachstein met us (Stef, Mike, Mark). Thank
you. Sadly, they'd forgotten to cook our dinner.

<p>[ The rest of the log book is taken up with transcribed survey notes ]
<hr>
<!-- LINKS -->
<img alt="&gt;" src="../../../icons/lists/0.png">
1985 Expedition info:<br>
<img alt="---&gt;" src="../../../icons/lists/1.png">
Cambridge Underground Expo Report:<br>
<img alt="------&gt;" src="../../../icons/lists/2.png">
<a href="report.htm">Austria 1985</a><br>
<img alt="------&gt;" src="../../../icons/lists/2.png">
<a href="bdseye.htm">A Bird's Eye View</a>, Tina White<br>
<img alt="------&gt;" src="../../../icons/lists/2.png">
Guidebook to the <a href="144-41.htm">144-Stellerweg connection</a><br>
<img alt="------&gt;" src="../../../icons/lists/2.png">
Summary of caves <a href="loser.htm">explored 1976-85</a><br>
<!-- <img alt="---&gt;" src="../../../icons/lists/1.png">
<a href="bcracc.htm">BCRA Caves &amp; Caving Report</a><br> -->
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<a href="../../pubs.htm#pubs1985">Index</a> to all publications<br>
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