<non_public>True</non_public><!-- 'False' or 'True'. True if the cave should only be visible to logged-in users. Caves are normally public, so enter 'False' unless you know otherwise. -->
<caveslug>1623-88</caveslug><!--(Ignored). Internal I.D. used to refer to this cave in entrance data files. Typically the same as the filebase, e.g. '1623-195' -->
<official_name>Lärchenschacht</official_name><!-- Name of the cave (normally in German) Use ü for u+Umlaut and ö for o+umlaut eg Höhle for Hohle and Glück for Gluck-->
code used in the Austrian kataster e.g '1/S +' - https://expo/.survex.com/katast.htm
T Trockenhöhlen (Dry caves)
W Wasserhöhlen (Caves with water)
(W) Zeitweilig aktiv Wasserhöhlen (Caves with seasonal water)
E Eishohlen (Caves with ice formations)
S Schachthöhlen (Caves with pitches)
H Halbhöhlen (Rock shelters ?)
- unerforscht (unexplored)
= befahren (visited)
× teilweise vermessen (partly surveyed)
+ erforscht (exploration considered complete)
-->
<kataster_number>88</kataster_number><!-- (Either this or unofficial_number is required). Official number in Austrian kataster if one has been allocated -->
<unofficial_number>40i</unofficial_number><!-- (Either this or kataster_number is required). Initial temporary cave ID used until kataster number is allocated e.g. '2012-DD-01'-->
<entranceslug>1623-88</entranceslug><!-- Internal ID to refer to each entrance instance in the entrance files (typically the same as that filename (e.g. 1623-161c). Matches the 'slug' field in the entrance file -->
<!-- DEBUG 1623-88+1623-88 'Z' == -->
<letter></letter><!--Leave blank for single-entrance cave. If there is more than one entrace then the letter needs to be given. Generally matches the entranceslug ID. -->
<explorers></p><ul><li>First descent by <spanlang="de">Reinhard Lemmer</span> in 1983, depth 40m, blocked by ice.</li><li><spanlang="de">Reinhard Kieselbach, Franz Lindenmayr</span> and <spanlang="de">K Peter</span> make second descent over a weekend in August 1985, finding the <blang="de">Oberpfälzer Halle</b>.</li><li>In September, FHKF, VHM and HFG-KA returned, discovered <blang="de">Frankenschnellweg,</b> and the way to the <blang="de">Großer Cañon,</b> and surveyed.</li><li>In 1986, exploration continued to <blang="de">Hall Dom,</b> connecting to <spanlang="de">Stellerweg.</span> Also found <blang="de">Geburtstagsgang,</b> which came out in <spanlang="de">Großer Cañon.</span></li><li>In 1987, the German groups were replaced by French (<ahref="/1623/others/gscb/index.htm">GSCB,</a> GSD, ASCR) who found <blang="de">Sandschacht,</b> heading N and E. A 5m climb from <spanlang="fr">Puits Madonna</span> reached a passage with cairns and a definite connection to <spanlang="de">Schwarzmooskogeleishöhle.</span> A through trip was done the next day by GSCB and GSD.</li><li>In 1988 surveys were tied together with an improved surface survey.</li></ul><p></explorers><!-- 'CUCC Expo' and year(s) of exploration. To distinguish from caves explored by foreign groups. Individual names can be given too if it was a small cave. -->
<survex_file>caves-1623/88/88.svx</survex_file><!-- Name of top-level survey file for this cave. Relative to the 'loser' survex repository. So for most caves that's "caves-162x/cavenum/cavnum.svx". (e.g. caves-1623/204/204.svx -->
<underground_description>Few details available, since we were for many years unable to obtain a survey. A figure of over 6 km long in 1987 was quoted, but this would appear to include the <ahref="40.htm">Eishöhle</a>. Contact was finally made with the French group in 1997 and <spanlang="fr">Denis Motte</span> has sent us a plan on 12 A3 sheets, dated April 1995, which gives the length as 1885m. The following description is made up entirely by looking at the survey, and should not be taken as reliable. It is hoped that we will do better after visiting the cave with a view to finding its connections with <spanlang="de">Stellerweghöhle</span> (<ahref="../../1623/41.htm">1623/41</a>) and <ahref="../../1623/144.htm">1623/144</a>.</p><p>Open shaft descends 5m to first rigging bolt, then short pitch to snow plug. The way out is to the NE, where the survey shows a couple of (inaccessible ?) question marks and a traverse over a pit. Narrow rift continues past another unexplored small passage to the right, and in 20m opens out into a sizeable chamber. The boulder floor drops away to the north (left) and ahead. Up right is a bouldery antechamber with the base of a ramp up SE. A short passage here chokes.</p><p>20m across the boulder slope, it is possible to descend the slope left into the main part of <blang="de">Oberpfälzer Halle</b>, 15m wide and 30m long, now heading west, still descending over boulders. To the right is a 15m rift passage with an inlet. Ahead, the chamber narrows, but large bouldery passage continues with two or three big boulders (over 5m). To SW is a junction marking the start of <blang="de">Jsartal</b>. Up a steep ramp to the right (NW) is unexplored, whilst left, south, goes directly below the entrance in a passage with a slot in the floor. After 25m is a widening and junction. Right curves round to end below an aven. Left goes quickly to another junction. Right soon chokes in boulders, whilst left ends quickly in an undescended rift pitch.</p><p>Back at the junction at the start of <spanlang="de">Jsartal,</span> the main way SW soon traverses a large hole in the floor, then continues as a small canyon until 50m from the start is a junction in small passage. Right pops out immediately into the side of a ramp rising right (north) to a choke. Down ends in a pitch, which is best reached by the small passage left at the junction. This quickly doglegs and comes out over the pitch on the opposite side from the ramp. The pitch (undescended) is seen to be a widening in a deep floor canyon, which continues as <spanlang="de">Jsartal</span> develops into an 8m wide rocky chamber through which the floor trench meanders.</p><p>After a short way, the trench abruptly ends, and a ramp up above it leads to a junction. Left continues up ramp, but not very far. Right traverses the ramp (another down-section soon ends), then heads west past another blind passage on the right, to break out into a larger passage ahead. Left (south) is the way to <spanlang="de">Geburtstagsgang,</span> whilst right (north) eventually leads to the <ahref="#fsw"><spanlang="de">SchwarzmooskogelEishöhle</span> connection</a>.</p><h4lang="de">Geburtstagsgang</h4><p>Ascending a low ramp leads past various short side-extensions to <blang="de">Schafott</b> - apparently a breakthrough point in 1986 ? Beyond this, small passage continues SW, with a mudbank on the left, for almost 50m until it widens out and descends a steep slope towards a floor trench. Left here a further ramp ascends east to a choke. The floor trench continues W, then NW, but would seem to be too narrow. Staying on the north side of the trench and heading NW (right from the point of entry) leads through mud and/or shingle deposits in a small zig-zag passage which meets first a small canyon which doesn't go, and then a T-junction over another canyon.</p><p>Right ends after ten metres or so, whilst left (west) meets another junction where a further trench comes in from the left (south). This also appears to be too small to follow, but would seem likely to
<equipment></equipment><!-- For a small cave, summary of gear needed to descend. For longer caves it could be blank, a table, or just refer to the description/topos. Leave blank if this info is in the description. -->
<references>Information from <ahref="/1623/others/gscb/index.htm"><spanlang="fr">Groupe Spéléologique de Clerval - Baume les Dames</span></a></references><!-- References to documentation. Could be Journal articles or Logbook entries. Can be links if the docs are online. -->
<survey></survey><!-- Drawn-up surveys. Scans of paper surveys or images/PDFs of electronic surveys. Should include HTML to display current plan and elevation, with links to larger versions (See section on URLs and files). Could list links to multiple years of survey, or even a separate survey page if it's complicated enough. -->
<underground_centre_line></underground_centre_line><!-- 'In dataset' if it is in the survex dataset. Blank if not, or notes about status such as 'surveyed, but no entrance fix so not yet in dataset'. -->
<notes></notes><!-- Normally empty, but place for anything else that should be noted, such as info on cave maybe being a duplicate, or lost -->
<length>SMK system total 54000m</length><!-- Cave length. Can be left blank and system should fill it in automatically from survey data (it doesn't yet) -->
<depth>to connection below Stellerweg big pitch; SMK system total 1032m</depth><!--Cave depth. Can be left blank and system should fill it in automatically from survey data (it doesn't yet) -->
<url>1623/88/88.html</url><!-- (Required). Relative URL of this cave. i.e the URL this cave appears at on the website, not including 'https://expo.survex.com/. Normally area/cavenum., e.g ('1623/000')-->
