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1978: Cambridge Underground report
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<h1>Austria 1978</h1>

<p>After several years in the Pyrenees, 1976 saw a break and a holiday cum
reconnaissance to the <span lang="de-at">Loser</span> Plateau in the
<span lang="de-at">Totes Gebirge</span> of Austria. What was seen was enough
to convince those present that here was a new area with good potential and
easy access, so a larger expedition set out in 1977 and met with
considerable success; three groups explored pots of 220m
<span lang="de-at">(Bra&uuml;ningh&ouml;hle)</span>, 265m
<span lang="de-at">(Schneewindschacht)</span> and 150m
<span lang="de-at">(Eislufth&ouml;hle)</span>, the latter still going with a
powerful draught. Enthusiasm to return ran high and in 1978, a well-organised
undergraduate expedition emerged with the dual aims of continuing down
<span lang="de-at">Eislufth&ouml;hle</span> and of finding new holes on the
plateau. The 'Old Lags' came too, of course, and proved invaluable later on
in the expedition.</p>

<p>Loser expeditions tend to be well-stratified, though this year some
people visited other groups' pots, and Team Geriatric probably visited more
cave in a shorter time than any other group.</p>

<h4>Personnel</h4>

<p>Team Youth -<blockquote> John Bowers, Nicky Davies, Ben van Millingen, Mike Shearme</blockquote></p>
<p>Team Ropes -<blockquote> First Wave : Doug Florence, Simon Farrow, Andy Waddington<br/>
Second Wave : Julian Griffiths, Nick Thorne</blockquote></p>
<p>Team Geriatric -<blockquote> Vic Brown, Rod, Jont &amp; Carole Leach, Dave Fox, Keith who ?</blockquote></p>

<p>The most noticeable changes from last year were adequate transport
(just), huge piles of new rope and food, a large transparent mess tent for
watching thunderstorms from, and much more snow on the plateau. The beer,
the hospitality (definitely no double meaning intended !), and the potential
were all the same - the former reducing our exploitation of the latter.</p>

<p>We must again thank <span lang="de-at">Karl Gaisberger</span> (our
contact), <span lang="de-at">Fritz Madlmeier</span> (campsite owner and
purveyor of cheap beer and free spirits), the officials at the
<span lang="de-at">Loser panoramastra&szlig;e</span> (for free passage to the
plateau), and the Austrian Health Service (for bodywork repairs). We would
also like to thank the numerous individuals and organisations in the UK who
generously provided support, financial and in kind, for the expedition (see
acknowledgements).</p>

<h4>Expedition diary</h4>

<p>July
<blockquote>
21st New engine in van (!)<br/>
27th At 4am, the alternator packs up, finally replaced just as our 9.30
hovercraft departed. Arrive <span lang="fr">Calais</span> 2pm.<br/>
28th Teams Youth and Ropes (First wave) arrive in
<span lang="de-at">Altaussee</span><br/>
29th Rigging into <span lang="de-at">Eislufth&ouml;hle</span> and
prospecting commences in blistering sunshine.</blockquote><br/></p>
<p>August
<blockquote>
3rd 107 found. Digging commences<br/>
4th New ground made in <span lang="de-at">Eislufth&ouml;hle</span><br/>
13th -350m made in <span lang="de-at">Eislufth&ouml;hle.</span> Bottoming
trip wiped out, so exploration ceased. Geriatrics arrive - just in time.<br/>
16th 107 <span lang="de-at">(Gemsh&ouml;hle)</span> reaches 280m and a
conclusive choke.<br/>
19th Final derigging completed<br/>
22nd expedition arrives back in UK, just in time for Sid's Pippikin
film on TV !</blockquote></p>

<h3><a name="ropes">TEAM ROPES REPORT</a></h3>

<p>Nick and Julian arrived about a week after the rest of us due respectively
to long-vac term and the pressures of being an accountant.</p>

<p>It was obvious on the first walk up to the plateau that there had been
more snow than during the previous year. Many of the holes that we had
explored last year were full to the brim, so fears were running high that
106 would be blocked. Having disturbed several adders on the little used
path on the way up, it was apparent that no-one had been up to the col since
our last visit.</p>

<p>The hole was indeed badly blocked, and Andy spent several very cold
sessions digging through snow plugs to find the way on. Stances at pitch
heads tended to be about five feet further up the wall, and we were
effectively dealing with the exploration of a new hole.</p>

<p>The 13m pitch from Yesterday's Terminus was found to be blocked with
several ice boulders, most of which we were able to dislodge. However, we
were left with one monster that was jammed very firmly, and no amount of
wellie work would move it. Still, it did provide a good stance for putting a
bolt in ! After several days of consternation (the thing was visibly
melting) a team was despatched with a crowbar. Much to our surprise, the
berg had descended the pitch and lay on the floor smashed into tiny
fragments.</p>

<p>Progress was slowly made to our last year's end point, the Tap Room. Here
Doug and Andy rushed down a 6m climb on which we later placed a handline,
and continued over a gargantuan boulder into the lower section of the Tap
Room. The chamber was at least as large as our hazy memories had recorded
it! The way on was found in a narrow traverse reached by a 2m climb up. The
traverse led to the head of a short drop into a 2x3x4m chamber.</p>

<p>The following day Doug and Simon descended and placed a bolt at the head
of the drop, a handline was slung down and Simon descended, ascending
several milliseconds later when it was noticed that the roof of the chamber
was not in fact a roof, but merely the underside of a huge boulder which
appeared to be precariously balanced. After several minutes wittering about
'angles of friction' and 'metastable equilibrium', the explorers redescended
and took stock of the situation. The huge draught they were following came
roaring out of a hole in the floor. A way on could be discerned following
the rift at the same level, but this was ignored in favour of the hole when
stones dropped echoed down for a long time. It finally looked as though we
were on the verge of some decent vertical stuff.</p>

<p>The next day, the same team descended and a bolt was placed. Simon
descended 20m in a shaft that was huge and getting bigger, but fears of rubs
necessitated a rerig and lack of time prevented a further descent.</p>

<p>It was at this point that Nick and Julian arrived and after a day of
prospecting (see below) and a day of festering in a
<span lang="de-at">Salzburg</span> bar, they went on the first overnight
trip. They descended pitches of 10m to a rebelay, then 35m to a ledge followed
by a rather giddy step across the abyss carrying the roaring stream below.
Next came an 8m pitch, then a traverse along a rift for about 20m to a
rocking chockstone which brought them to a large black space. This was the
head of a 60m pitch similar to the final one in Juniper Gulf - and just as
free. It landed on a balcony which gave the explorers a grandstand view of
the base of a huge aven.</p>

<p>The stream was seen to disappear back down the rift in a narrow winding
passage. This was soon abandoned in favour of the aven - here they called it
a day and began the ascent. Julian, the first man up, accidentally moved the
rope which returned through the boulders and Nick found himself trying to
prusik through a 4&quot; gap between the boulders. After much shouting,
Julian was forced to abseil down to reposition the rope correctly.</p>

<p>The following night, Doug and Andy went on their first overnight trip,
rigging the short 6m pitch down the balcony on a rather surreal set of
belays. The pair landed on the massive boulder floor of the Hall of the
Greene King. Estimates of the height varied, but 90-100m seemed reasonable.
The diameter was approximately 20m.</p>

<p>After some scrambling around amongst the huge boulders, a large gallery
was found leading off from the base of the aven. This was, to use Andy's
words, &quot;an exhibition hall of all the varieties of unstable boulder
bridges&quot;. Several involuntary descents were made as the boulder floor
rearranged itself. After many metres of unstable going, a short climb down
was found which rapidly turned into an overhanging pitch of 5m. It was only
on descending this pitch that the explorers realised quite how little they
had been standing on at the take-off.</p>

<p>Continuing on down the gallery, a small stream was seen to debouche from
the right hand wall, flowing across the passage and into a small passage in
the left hand wall. This was followed on down to the head of a small
free-hanging pitch, but the intrepid pair (following the draught) decided to
cross the passage and ascend a small climb reaching the head of a pitch.
Here, exploration halted for the day. A passage could be seen opposite the
head of the pitch - Julian later entered this, but it merely regained the
main passage further downstream.</p>

<p>Julian, Nick and Simon returned a couple of days later, and descended the
pitch of 23m, split 12m down by a boulder jam and a complex of vadose
inlets. The pitch landed on the floor of a deep wide vadose canyon, carrying
the main stream. The explorers rushed on, reaching a thrutchy 6m climb down
a boulder jam; the rift now became narrow, and after approximately 150m of
traversing they reached a pitch down a mud slope. A bolt was placed, while
Julian and Nick returned for more rope - the Fiesta Run was 12m of the
muddiest pitch going. Ascenders and other gear became transformed into lumps
of mud after a short time. Pausing only to rig yet another pitch, the
explorers made for the surface. Considerable problems with slipping
ascenders were experienced by those not using Jumars, and much use was made
of Nick's toothbrush.</p>

<p>It was while driving down from the last of these overnight trips that the
three travellers woke up to find themselves in the river, having crashed
through a barrier and somersaulted 10m down a near vertical bank. With one
highly concussed chauffeur and a passenger with a severe head gash, Nick ran
for help....</p>

<p>Sunday evening saw Julian in Bad Aussee hospital with a fractured sternum,
ripped thumb muscles, and stitches in his nose, while Simon had been rushed
to <span lang="de-at">Salzburg</span> with a suspected fracture of the
cervical vertebra and stitches in the scalp. Nick escaped with a small bruise
on his shoulder ! All this rather spoilt the prospects of completing
exploration in <span lang="de-at">Eislufth&ouml;hle,</span> and people began
to consider the feasibility of a derig with such a small team. Mike, Andy and
Doug did a survey trip the following day, and later in the week Andy and Doug
got down to the previously undescended pitch. Andy went down about 10m to the
end of the rope and was able to hurl rocks an estimated 50-60m further.</p>

<p>A strenuous derig as far as Hall of the Greene King followed, Doug and
Andy carrying large amounts of tackle out to the surface. Three days later,
Doug, Nick, Dave Fox, Jont, Vic and Rod descended to remove the remaining
tackle and grease the bolts with only 24 hours left before departure time.</p>

<p>Summing up, the hole is now 350m deep, and 400m should be a formality
next year.</p>

<p><img alt="grade 1 survey, 25k gif" width=640 height=1250 src="106.png"></p>

<h4>Rigging and Gear</h4>

<p>Use was made of Maillons Rapides and thimbles to economise on karabiners.
The pot as far as Saved Shaft was rigged on one 100m length of Bluewater,
rebelayed in many places. We were rather proud of this, as we needed only
one protector on the whole 100m length. Saved Shaft would have been nearly
impossible to rig safely for SRT and was equipped with a ladder and
self-line. The rest of the pot was rigged on 11mm Interalp Speleo-rope, and
short stretches of Marlow 16 plait terylene.</p>

<p>On some of our new Interalp, the sheath tended to bunch up on the core
after several days at the base of a pitch - this was despite pre-washing to
encourage sheath shrinkage. The Marlow had an unfortunate tendency to creak.
Personally, I found this somewhat disconcerting.</p>

<p>In general, despite its relative stretchiness (which does at least
suggest that it is not going to snap under a small dynamic load) the
Interalp was liked for its superb handling qualities and compactness (more
than 100m in a tackle bag), and of course the Bluewater inspired great
confidence in a part of the pot that we had been dreading to rig for SRT.</p>

<p>Simon Farrow.</p>

<h3><a name="ladders">TEAM LADDERS AND TEAM GERIATRIC REPORT</a></h3>

<p>For all of Team Ladders, it was their first season of European
Pot-bashing. The first four days on the <span lang="de-at">Loser</span>
Plateau were spent prospecting, sherping tackle up to the pots and trying to
find some shelter either from the sun, or from thunderstorms. Several
entrances were looked at, and we quickly learnt which holes were likely to be
promising - almost without exception the vertical shafts were choked. Only
one, 98, was numbered in the first few days.</p>

<p>This is situated further into the plateau than 97 and 106, on a large
sloping face of rock. The entrance is in a gryke dropping down 29 metres.
The shaft enlarges at the bottom, and the landing is in a small chamber. On
one side a rift descends for nine metres until it becomes too tight. On the
other, a slot led to the top of another pitch. This was 17m deep, and ended
in a solid floor with no way on. The total depth of the cave is 47 metres.</p>

<p>After this, we decided to look at a different area of the plateau, on the
east side near 82 - Team Geriatric's 1977 find. The result was 107. The
entrance lay in a dry valley under collapsed boulders, and an encouragingly
strong draught blew out of it. A short drop under the boulders landed in a
small chamber, in the bottom corner of which was a hole blocked by boulders.
This is the head of the first pitch, and the draught still blew out from it.
It took two days of excavating to clear out and belay the boulders until the
pitch was fit to descend.</p>

<p>Beyond the small hole at the head of the pitch, the dimensions were
magnificent. The shaft is six metres in diameter and 18 metres deep, and the
landing is in a large passage which was decorated by ice stalactites. This
passage was of a very different character from the rest of the cave, being
large and horizontal, with a visible roof. The rest of the cave is formed
along faults, and it was rare to see the roof again. The passage choked in
both directions, and the way on was down a rift off to the side of the
passage, out of which the draught was blowing.</p>

<p>Two pitches followed in quick succession - one of 23 metres and one of 19
metres. Halfway down the first, a small inlet entered, which made both
pitches unpleasant in wet weather. At the bottom of the 19 metre pitch, two
possible ways led on - either continuing down with the water or traversing
round the drop, which led to another passage.</p>

<p>Initially, the second way was chosen and followed for about 100 metres to
the top of another shaft. In this passage the draught was reversed, blowing
in rather than out, suggesting that the passage was an alternative to
another one. A boulder floor could be seen at a depth of about 10 metres
below the top of the shaft, Boulder Shaft, and a ladder was put down. Again,
two ways led on, one through the boulders, the other across the shaft and
down a narrow rift. However, the stability of the boulders seemed doubtful,
and we went back to look at the way on from the bottom of the 19 metre
pitch.</p>

<p>Until this time, all trips had taken place during hours of daylight, but
this meant that we had a maximum of twelve hours to get up to the plateau,
get underground, cave, and then get off the plateau by nightfall. It would
have been dangerous to walk on the limestone in the dark - the possibilities
of losing the way, falling down an open shaft or just twisting an ankle
would be very high. This 'twelve hours' was usually severely reduced by the
overhead time CUCC takes in getting up in the morning and eating
'breakfast'. The drive up and walk across the plateau take a further one and
a half hours each way. For these reasons, an overnight trip seemed an
attractive proposition, allowing a longer time underground with a walk home
in certain daylight. The only disadvantage seemed to be missing out on the
bar in the evening, although a further shortfall (!) was discovered later by
Team Ropes.</p>

<p>The next trip down 107, <span lang="de-at">Gemsh&ouml;hle,</span> was an
overnight trip. We followed on down below the third pitch. A short passage
above a rift carrying the small stream was followed to a sharp corner and a
small drop landing at the top of another larger rift. While we were bolting
the small pitch, stones were dropped down a hole in the corner of the
passage. These took several seconds to land, and the length of the pitch was
estimated to be about 60 metres, which induced panic in the two team members
underground. Luckily the rift at the bottom of the small pitch was found to
lead into the large shaft, and it was a much easier ladder climb.</p>

<p>It seemed to take ages to bolt that pitch, and cold and fatigue soon set
in. It must have been raining on the surface because a small inlet had
formed right above our ladder. Both of us could swear we heard people
singing a song that was played on the juke box every night in Bar Fischer.
It was pretty eerie and finally we both decided to jack, leaving the cave
eventually with fading illumination. Not much was achieved on this trip, and
no other overnight trips took place in 107, although in a deeper pot, the
idea is probably worth considering.</p>

<p>Another short, cold, wet trip took place, trying to get down the pitch.
The first ladder landed on a pile of jammed boulders where the ladder was
rebelayed to follow down one wall of the shaft. The depth of this shaft
turned out to be 67 metres - pretty close to our estimate. Had we laddered
the pitch direct, it would have hung free most of the way, partly in the
water. The way on now followed the water down the rift, which must be 60
metres high, although the roof could not be seen.</p>

<p>At about this time, Team Geriatric arrived in Altaussee, and since they
would not have time to prospect for and explore a new cave, the decided to
join team Ladders in 107. Despite their great age, Team Geriatric are still
very agile and, coupled with their experience, this made them invaluable in
<span lang="de-at">Gemsh&ouml;hle.</span> On their first trip they went back
to Boulder Shaft and found the way on through the boulders choked, but rigged
the rift on the opposite side of the shaft. They abseiled the pitch,
rebelaying part way down, and landed in the stream that was later realised to
be the same one that Team Ladders were in. The total pitch length was 100
metres.</p>

<p>The next pitch for Team Ladders took them along the Big Rift, following
the stream as far as the bottom of the Geriatrics' Pitch, at which point
they were almost out of ladders.</p>

<p>In the Geriatrics' last trip into 107, they got to the bottom. The last
pitch of 44 metres was quite wet and landed in a much larger rift at right
angles to the one they had been following. The water disappeared down a
small hole in the floor and the rift choked. This is all according to Vic,
who has a reputation for giving the blessing to the bottom of pots. Team
Geriatric then derigged their rope, and surveyed the top half of the cave on
their way out. Team Ladders derigged several days later due to inclement
weather.</p>

<p>The surveying of the cave revealed a depth of 280 metres, making it CUCC's
second deepest find. The survey shows it to be remarkably similar to 82,
<span lang="de-at">Br&auml;uningh&ouml;hle.</span> Both have a large
horizontal stretch of passage near the surface, and the rest of the pot is
formed in a large rift. The entrance to 107 is 20 metres higher up than that
of 82, and the pot is 60 metres deeper. Hence the bottom of 107 lies 40
metres below that of 82, putting the bottom of 82 at a level just before the
final large rift in 107. When it was found that 82 ended in a perched sump,
it was thought that all caves in the area might do this. 107 disproves this
theory. Their similarities are perhaps not too surprising since their
entrances are only about 100 metres apart.</p>

<p><img alt="survey: 30k gif" width=640 height=1475 src="../../1623/others/107.png"></p>

<p>For our first attempt at caving abroad,
<span lang="de-at">Gemsh&ouml;hle</span> provided a good introduction with
quite an impressive depth.</p>

<p>Ben van Millingen</p>

<h3><a name="gumbies">TWO EXECUTIVE GUMBIES GO PROSPECTING</a></h3>

<p>Nick and Julian (alias Mr Super Cool and Mr Super Smooth), having just
arrived in Austria and not wishing to immediately thrust their weak and
flabby bodies into the depths of <span lang="de-at">Eislufth&ouml;hle,</span>
settled for a gentle day's prospecting. That was the idea at any rate, but in
the end we walked so far across the plateau that we had to radio back for a
helicopter to fly in the iron lungs. Consequently, when we found 110 (see
survey), it was so far from any of the previous finds that relocation, should
it ever be needed, may prove rather difficult. No bearings were taken from
the entrance ('I thought you'd brought the compass'), but it lies at least
2&nbsp;km beyond <span lang="de-at">Eislufth&ouml;hle,</span> roughly in the
direction of the <span lang="de-at">Sch&ouml;nberg.</span> The number 110
appears in red paint near to the cave's low, insignificant entrance. Its
discovery was the classic situation of an icy wind howling up your shorts !</p>

<p>The draught was followed, with hand torches, along a short crawl to a
partial boulder choke. Hmmm... Returning for 70m of brand new SRT 'digging'
rope and a couple of tins of spinach, the burly boulder bunglers soon had
the main obstruction licked, and Julian ventured along a low passage, again
with a hand torch, to the head of a short pitch. Returning, Nick then put
his caving gear on, and whilst Julian sat at the entrance as his call out,
Super Cool pushed the exploration further. In the course of a couple of
hours, Nick bolted, rigged and descended a short pitch, and investigated an
easy walking passage (curiously doubling back under the entrance passage) to
a collapsed chamber. Several possible routes through the boulders all proved
fruitless, and an exit was made.</p>

<p><img alt="grade 1 plan: 12k gif" width=500 height=600
src="../../1623/110.png">

<p>Feeling thankful that a pot such a long, gruelling walk across the
plateau had not 'gone', the two pioneers, now definitely wheezing, started
back for base. Unfortunately, as they passed near to 98, two fairly sizeable
shafts were found and had to be explored. The first of these, 111, was
quickly rigged, and Julian winched down 30m to a narrow choked rift, having
passed a ledge at the -20m level. With his helmet still on, Julian then
descended the second of the shafts, 112, which lay about 50m from 111. He
passed two ledges on his way down to a choke at -50m.</p>

<p>After derigging, the two then ignominiously staggered off the plateau,
and down to the campsite to claim their quota of lagerbier in the forlorn
hope of restoring some of their hard-lost flab. A profitable day's work,
nevertheless.</p>

<p>Nick Thorne.</p>
<hr />
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<li>Nick Thorne's write-up in <a href="782034.htm">Belfry Bulletin 366</a></li>
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