Sektion Ausseerland 1960
Dived by Verein für Höhlenkunde in Obersteier in 1984 and 1985, when the final sump went to about -20m. On the first occasion they spoiled the visibility in the sump by not being careful enough about how they drained the sump on the approach route. ","Seasonally active cave. Ends in a 'Lake', which is a sump pool, apparently higher than the level of Altausseer See, and close to the surveyed level of the Stellerweg sump.
Access to the final sump is guarded by short siphons in each of the two passages going to the far end of the cave. These can be drained, but care should be taken to ensure they are drained towards the entrance, otherwise the final sump will become muddy. Visited by Mike Thomas and Pete Lancaster in 1989, as far as the short sumps.
A note on the geology : The north shore of the lake follows a large fault with a big throw, so that this cave is in the same block of limestone as the Stögerweg area caves. The Austrians think there is no hydrological connection between this cave/resurgence and the lake level, since vauclusian resurgences in the lake appear to be in a very different block of limestone which has been down-faulted relative to the plateau. However, it seems more likely that these risings are actually on the fault, and that the lake level, and the level of the sumps in this cave and in Stellerweghöhle are closely related. ",,,,"There are descriptions (in German) of dives in the terminal sump in 1985 and 1988. A further follow-up article is awaiting scanning in...",,"A4 survey in Mitt. der Sektion Ausseerland 18(4), Oct. 1980, facing p 86. This is dated 1935, 1960 and looks like a third generation photocopy of a larger survey - the quality is very poor. ",,"306m","71m","NW-SE 160m",,,,,,,,,,,,,,"East Entrance 812m West entrance 809m",,"28.1 cm E, 15.4 cm N, sheet 15/1 Alpine Club 1:25000 map","At the foot of a gully cutting the southwestern end of Steller, a major cliff band SE of the Loser - Bräuning area. A couple of hundred metres north of the Youth Hostel at the NE corner of Altausseer See.","If you follow the lakeside path (shortest approach from Altaussee on north side of lake) there is a junction where the path to Hochklapfsattel departs. A short way west of (ie. before) this junction is a bridge over a normally dry stream bed. Follow the stream bed up for a short way until it splits, then follow the apparently smaller branch to the right (east). Scramble up rocks to the East Entrance. This is marked on the Alpine Club 1:25000 map.
Although the Altitude given is 812m, it doesnīt seem that high, and 812m is exactly 100m above lake level, which is a little suspicious. If you accept instead the phrase ""climb 70m higher"" in the original kataster description, the altitude comes out about 780 to 785m, which puts the final sump at almost exactly the level of the lake. ",,"CUCC were shown some photographs of 1 & 2 in flood, when a truly enormous river emerges from both entrances and numerous impenetrable cracks. This explains the vegetation-free state of the twin river beds leading down towards Altausseer See. ", -2,"0/(W) =",,,,"noinfo/aaussee/2.htm",,"Wasserlöcher",,,10,"No Info","Unexplored ",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,"810m",,,,,,"CUCC were shown some photographs of 1 & 2 in flood, when a truly enormous river emerges from both entrances and numerous impenetrable cracks. This explains the vegetation-free state of the twin river beds leading down towards Altausseer See. ", -3,"1/T(W) +",,,,"noinfo/augstb/3.htm",,"Gellerofen",,,11,"No Info","Oldest documentation is dated 1880. Höhlenforschervereinigung Altaussee, 1937 Sektion Ausseerland, 1968",,,,,,,"Plan by Alfred Auer at 1:100, 1968 ",,"13.1m","3.04m",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,"1015m",,"This is not marked on the Austrianīs map.","at the SW foot of the Loserstockes","reached from Altaussee above Posern. (I think this is below the toll road somewhere).","The entrance is 7.5m wide by 1.2m high.
'Durch das 7,5m breite und 1,2m hohe, flachbogenförmige Portal gelangt man zunächst in eine kuppelförmige Vorhalle, dann in einen durch Korrosionskolke ausgeformten Canyon. Höhlenkarren, Bergmilchbildungen, eine Sickerwasserquelle und Höhlenfauna fallen besonders auf.'",, +1,"2/(W) +","a b",,,"noinfo/aaussee/1.htm",,"Liägerhöhle","D'Liëger",,10,"No Info","
","Seasonally active cave. Ends in a 'Lake', which is a sump pool, apparently higher than the level of Altausseer See, and close to the surveyed level of the Stellerweg sump.
Access to the final sump is guarded by short siphons in each of the two passages going to the far end of the cave. These can be drained, but care should be taken to ensure they are drained towards the entrance, otherwise the final sump will become muddy. Visited by Mike Thomas and Pete Lancaster in 1989, as far as the short sumps.
A note on the geology : The north shore of the lake follows a large fault with a big throw, so that this cave is in the same block of limestone as the Stögerweg area caves. The Austrians think there is no hydrological connection between this cave/resurgence and the lake level, since vauclusian resurgences in the lake appear to be in a very different block of limestone which has been down-faulted relative to the plateau. However, it seems more likely that these risings are actually on the fault, and that the lake level, and the level of the sumps in this cave and in Stellerweghöhle are closely related.",,,,"There are descriptions (in German) of dives in the terminal sump in 1985 and 1988. A further follow-up article is awaiting scanning in...",,"A4 survey in Mitt. der Sektion Ausseerland 18(4), Oct. 1980, facing p 86. This is dated 1935, 1960 and looks like a third generation photocopy of a larger survey - the quality is very poor. ",,"306m","71m","NW-SE 160m",,,,,,,,,,,,,,"East Entrance 812m West entrance 809m",,"28.1 cm E, 15.4 cm N, sheet 15/1 Alpine Club 1:25000 map","At the foot of a gully cutting the southwestern end of Steller, a major cliff band SE of the Loser - Bräuning area. A couple of hundred metres north of the Youth Hostel at the NE corner of Altausseer See.","If you follow the lakeside path (shortest approach from Altaussee on north side of lake) there is a junction where the path to Hochklapfsattel departs. A short way west of (ie. before) this junction is a bridge over a normally dry stream bed. Follow the stream bed up for a short way until it splits, then follow the apparently smaller branch to the right (east). Scramble up rocks to the East Entrance. This is marked on the Alpine Club 1:25000 map.
Although the Altitude given is 812m, it doesnīt seem that high, and 812m is exactly 100m above lake level, which is a little suspicious. If you accept instead the phrase ""climb 70m higher"" in the original kataster description, the altitude comes out about 780 to 785m, which puts the final sump at almost exactly the level of the lake.",,"CUCC were shown some photographs of 1 & 2 in flood, when a truly enormous river emerges from both entrances and numerous impenetrable cracks. This explains the vegetation-free state of the twin river beds leading down towards Altausseer See. ", +2,"0/(W) =",,,,"noinfo/aaussee/2.htm",,"Wasserlöcher",,,10,"No Info","Unexplored ",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,"810m",,,,,,"CUCC were shown some photographs of 1 & 2 in flood, when a truly enormous river emerges from both entrances and numerous impenetrable cracks. This explains the vegetation-free state of the twin river beds leading down towards Altausseer See. ", +3,"1/T(W) +",,,,"noinfo/augstb/3.htm",,"Gellerofen",,,11,"No Info","
",,,,,,,"Plan by Alfred Auer at 1:100, 1968 ",,"13.1m","3.04m",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,"1015m",,"This is not marked on the Austrianīs map.","at the SW foot of the Loserstockes","reached from Altaussee above Posern. (I think this is below the toll road somewhere).","The entrance is 7.5m wide by 1.2m high. 'Durch das 7,5m breite und 1,2m hohe, flachbogenförmige Portal gelangt man zunächst in eine kuppelförmige Vorhalle, dann in einen durch Korrosionskolke ausgeformten Canyon. Höhlenkarren, Bergmilchbildungen, eine Sickerwasserquelle und Höhlenfauna fallen besonders auf.'",, 4,"1/T(W) +",,,,"noinfo/augstb/4.htm",,"Ritscherbachhöhle",,,11,"No Info","Höhlenforschervereinigung Altaussee, 1937",,,,,,,"Plan at 1:100 by Alfred Auer, 1968 ",,"12.3m","1.07m",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,"1015m",,,"Near Gellerofen (Kat. 3), at the SW foot of the Loserstockes.",,"A 2.2m wide and 1.3m high entrance leads horizontally to ""Bruchschutt und Sickerwassergerinne"". ",, 5,"1/S(W) +",,,,"noinfo/gschwand/5.htm",,"Holzknechtbrünndlloch",,,9,"No Info","Höhlenforschervereinigung Altaussee, 1938",,,,,,,"Plan at 1:100 by Alfred Auer, 1968 ",,"12m","8m",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,"1230m",,,"SW foot Loserstockes","reached by path west from Loser Hütte, past Augst A.H.","Eine 1,5m grosse Schachtöffnung fü in einen stiefelförmigen Schacht, in dem ein Sickerwassergerinne früher von Holzknechten als Trinkwasserquelle genutzt wurde.'",, 6,"0/W +",,,,"noinfo/gschwand/6.htm",,"Quelle","Wasserloch",,9,"No Info","Unexplored - Noted for Kataster: Sektion Ausseerland, 1968 ",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,"1425m",,,"150m west of Augst A.H. ",,"a small unenterable resurgence ",, -7,"1/(W) +",,,,"noinfo/loser/7.htm",,"Bachschläg",,,"8a","No Info",,,,,,,,,,"3m",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,"1550m",,"Location plan by Alfred Auer at 1:200, 1968 ","West of the Loser Hütte below the south face of Loser.","Reached from the path up Loser by diagonalling down to the head of the gully from the path as it starts to climb again at about 1600m. ","A 1.8m wide by 1.2m high rock shelter, and an occasionally active rising. There is a noticeable gully below this, presumably carrying water in wet weather.
""Bei Hochwasser entströmt ihm ein mächtiger Bach und stürzt als Wasserfall über zwei Geländstufen und durch einen Graben 200m zur Loserstraße herab, wo das Wasser nach einem Durchlaß im verkarsteten Gestein versickert."" ",,
-8,"2/T +",,,,"noinfo/loser/8.htm",,"Großes Loserloch",,,"8a","No Info","First recorded in 1774
Explored since 1931
J Völlenkle of L.V.H.Linz, 1:250, 1972","The round 8m wide by 10m high entrance leads into an upper level, the Hauptgang, leading north then northeast to Regenhalle, a sizeable chamber apparently formed on a significant SW-NE joint. Immediately right at the start of the chamber, a boulder slope leads up into Teilungshalle, from where a wider slope drops left back into Regenhalle about halfway along. At the highest point of Teilungshalle, a SE-going passage quickly chokes with boulders, but appears to be heading directly for the end of Kleines Loserloch, perhaps 10m away.
Keeping to the right (SW) wall entering Teilungshalle, a rift leads SW. A passage left after 5m quickly ends too tight. A traverse to the left hand side bypasses a 5m shaft in the floor. 15m beyond, another lead on the left leads up into a small chamber, Kapelle. The continuing rift, Südwest-Kluft, gets narrower for c 25m until deemed impassable.
Back in Regenhalle, a narrow section along the joint between the two ways to Teilungshalle, gives access to a lower series via a sharp turn to the right, due south. This wide passage, Südwest-gang, passes under Teilungshalle, and turns SW directly under Südwest-Kluft. A narrow rift on the left parallels the main passage for some way. The main way develops into Gr. Dom, 12m wide, with a boulder slope up until the passage chokes comprehensively on a broad front, almost exactly below the cliff outside.
At the far (NE) end of Regenhalle, stright on enters a draughting boulder choke, but two ways up to the right lead into Stufengang, with a complex of little rifts and an extension NE to a low choked area. ",,,,,,"A4 survey in Mitt. der Sektion Ausseerland 18(4), Oct. 1980, facing p 87: a plan by J Völlenkle of L.V.H.Linz, 1:250, 1972. As printed, this looks like about a 4th generation photocopy. Also includes Kat. 9",,"390m","+20m -11m","140m SW-NE",,,,,,,,,,,,,,"1615m",,"21.8 cm E, 17.75 cm N, OAV sheet 15/1 ","At the south foot of Loser (visible from Altaussee).","Reached by traversing west from the Loser path as it draws level with the cliffs. ","Round 8m wide by 10m high entrance",, +7,"1/(W) +",,,,"noinfo/loser/7.htm",,"Bachschläg",,,"8a","No Info",,,,,,,,,,"3m",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,"1550m",,"Location plan by Alfred Auer at 1:200, 1968 ","West of the Loser Hütte below the south face of Loser.","Reached from the path up Loser by diagonalling down to the head of the gully from the path as it starts to climb again at about 1600m. ","A 1.8m wide by 1.2m high rock shelter, and an occasionally active rising. There is a noticeable gully below this, presumably carrying water in wet weather. ""Bei Hochwasser entströmt ihm ein mächtiger Bach und stürzt als Wasserfall über zwei Geländstufen und durch einen Graben 200m zur Loserstraße herab, wo das Wasser nach einem Durchlaß im verkarsteten Gestein versickert."" ",, +8,"2/T +",,,,"noinfo/loser/8.htm",,"Großes Loserloch",,,"8a","No Info","
","The round 8m wide by 10m high entrance leads into an upper level, the Hauptgang, leading north then northeast to Regenhalle, a sizeable chamber apparently formed on a significant SW-NE joint. Immediately right at the start of the chamber, a boulder slope leads up into Teilungshalle, from where a wider slope drops left back into Regenhalle about halfway along. At the highest point of Teilungshalle, a SE-going passage quickly chokes with boulders, but appears to be heading directly for the end of Kleines Loserloch, perhaps 10m away.
Keeping to the right (SW) wall entering Teilungshalle, a rift leads SW. A passage left after 5m quickly ends too tight. A traverse to the left hand side bypasses a 5m shaft in the floor. 15m beyond, another lead on the left leads up into a small chamber, Kapelle. The continuing rift, Südwest-Kluft, gets narrower for c 25m until deemed impassable.
Back in Regenhalle, a narrow section along the joint between the two ways to Teilungshalle, gives access to a lower series via a sharp turn to the right, due south. This wide passage, Südwest-gang, passes under Teilungshalle, and turns SW directly under Südwest-Kluft. A narrow rift on the left parallels the main passage for some way. The main way develops into Gr. Dom, 12m wide, with a boulder slope up until the passage chokes comprehensively on a broad front, almost exactly below the cliff outside.
At the far (NE) end of Regenhalle, stright on enters a draughting boulder choke, but two ways up to the right lead into Stufengang, with a complex of little rifts and an extension NE to a low choked area. ",,,,,,"A4 survey in Mitt. der Sektion Ausseerland 18(4), Oct. 1980, facing p 87: a plan by J Völlenkle of L.V.H.Linz, 1:250, 1972. As printed, this looks like about a 4th generation photocopy. Also includes Kat. 9",,"390m","+20m -11m","140m SW-NE",,,,,,,,,,,,,,"1615m",,"21.8 cm E, 17.75 cm N, OAV sheet 15/1 ","At the south foot of Loser (visible from Altaussee).","Reached by traversing west from the Loser path as it draws level with the cliffs. ","Round 8m wide by 10m high entrance",, 9,"2/T +",,,,"noinfo/loser/9.htm",,"Kleines Loserloch",,,"8a","No Info","since 1932 ","The cave is essentially a single passage for c 60m going NE to a narrowing. To the left at this point is a small extension, with a blind pit to the SW, and a draughting boulder choke to the NE. This is c 10m from a corresponding choke in Teilugshalle of Großes Loserloch.",,,,,,"A4 survey in Mitt. der Sektion Ausseerland 18(4), Oct. 1980, facing p 87: a plan by J Völlenkle of L.V.H.Linz, 1:250, 1972. As printed, this looks like about a 4th generation photocopy. Also includes Kat. 8",,"72m","+12.5 -7.5m","50m SW-NE",,,,,,,,,,,,,,"1622m",,,"Just right (25m East) of, and above, Großes Loserloch. ",,"In a narrow rift in the cliff, there are two small entrances, the lower one is the normal way in, and an upper entrance to its left leads to passage which joins the normal way within 5m",, 10,"1/T =",,,,"noinfo/gschwand/10.htm",,"Spalthöhle",,,9,"No Info","Höhlenforschervereinigung Altaussee, 1937 ",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,," c1715m",,," In NW face of Loser, overlooking Blaa-Alm.",,,, 11,"1/T =",,,,"noinfo/gschwand/11.htm",,"Höhle in der Loserwestwand 1",,,9,"No Info","Höhlenforschervereinigung Altaussee, 1937 ",,,,,,,,,"60m",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,," c1715m",,," In NW face of Loser, overlooking Blaa-Alm.",,"an impressive 12m wide by 15m high entrance. ",, @@ -26,19 +26,19 @@ 25,"2/T x",,,,"noinfo/egglgrub/25.htm",,"Mauskothhöhle",,,7,"No Info","Höhlenforschervereinigung Altaussee, 1938 ",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,"1500m",,,"East of Egglgrubenalm, very near Steinbockhöhle (Kat. 23).",,,, 26,"1/(W) +",,,,"noinfo/br-alm/26.htm",,"Wasserschlinger I",,,3,"No Info","Sektion Ausseerland, 1976 ",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,"1542m",,,"In Bräuning Kunntal, the large closed depression west of Bräuning Alm. ",,,, 27,"1/(W) +",,,,"noinfo/br-alm/27.htm",,"Wasserschlinger II",,,3,"No Info","Sektion Ausseerland, 1976 ",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,"1542m",,," In Bräuning Kunntal, next to Kat.26",,,, -28,"2/t/S +",,,,"noinfo/smkridge/28.htm",,"Augsteckhöhle",,,"2b","No Info","LVHK Wien, 1974 ",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,"1630m",,,"Next to Stögerweg (path 201) just beyond Egglgrube and the branch path to the 4. ie. we pass it on the way to Stellerweghöhle. It is marked by a red-painted omega in the path, just where the junction path leading to The Nipple and the German bivouac leaves the main path, at which point there is also a laser-rangefound fixed point. ",,,, +28,"2/t/S +",,,,"noinfo/smkridge/28.htm",,"Augsteckhöhle",,,"2b","No Info","LVHK Wien, 1974 ",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,"1630m",,,"Next to Stögerweg (path 201) just beyond Egglgrube and the branch path to the 4. ie. we pass it on the way to Stellerweghöhle. It is marked by a red-painted omega in the path, just where the junction path leading to The Nipple and the German bivouac leaves the main path, at which point there is also a laser-rangefound fixed point.",,,, 29,"1/S x",,,,"noinfo/br-alm/29.htm",,"Schwarzmoosloch",,,3,"No Info","Schauberger, 1921 ",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,"1560m",,,"NE of huts in Bräuning Alm ",,,, 30,"1/S x",,,,"noinfo/br-alm/30.htm",,"Grundloses Loch",,,3,"No Info","LVHK Oberösterreich, 1966 ",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,"1570m",,,"Next to path towards Bräuning Alm from Egglgrube junction. (I think this may be the first walled open shaft on the true left of the valley below Bräuning Alm) ",,,, 31,"2/T +",,,,"noinfo/smkridge/31.htm",,"Elchhöhle","Megalodontenhöhle",,"2b","No Info","LVHK Wien, 1974","Mainly horizontal and going northish under the path. A large phreatic tube in horizontally bedded limestone. Visited by Andy Waddington, Doug Florence with Karl Gaisberger on August 12th, 1978. Latter person collected a rare cave beetle from it (only the second specimen of this species collected in Austria, if we understood Karl correctly), which I think is now in the Natural History Museum in Vienna, having been pickled in Vodka borrowed from an expedition member. Name comes from discovery of Elk bones when first explored. ",,,,,"In dataset",,"caves\031\031.svx","263m","+9/-18m",,,,,,,"p031","No idea",,"Surface survey",,,81035,35394,"1582m",,,"Next to Stögerweg (path 201) somewhat beyond Augsteckhöhle (Kat. 28). Located very near laser point 0/9.",,,, 32,"1/S +",,,,"noinfo/smkridge/32.htm",,"Windloch am Stögerweg",,,"2b","No Info","LVHK Oberösterreich, 1966 ",,,,,,,,,,"25m",,,,,,,"p032","drilled hole above 1623/32 entrance (next to path)","p032x","Nils",,,81126,35771,"1567m",,,"Obvious horizontal entrance right next to path 201 shortly before you hack off to Stellerweghöhle. ",,"A major landmark for CUCC navigation, and also very useful for storing beer, this obvious 2m high entrance is right next to the path and blows a lot of cold air in summer.",,"drilled hole" 33,"1/T +",,,,"noinfo/br-alm/33.htm",,"Schichtgrenzenhöhle",,,3,"No Info","Sektion Ausseerland, 1975 ",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,"1570m",,,"South of Bräuning Alm. I think this is another of the fenced off shafts near the path north from the junction at Egglgrube. ",,,, 34,"1/T +",,,,"noinfo/kratzer/34.htm",,"Höhle am Kratzer I",,,4,"No Info","Sektion Ausseerland, 1973 ",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,"1590m",,,"Quite a way east of Bräuning Alm in the top end of the 4. ",,,, -35,"2/S/T x",,,,"noinfo/kratzer/35.htm",,"Dr. Kerschner Höhle",,,4,"No Info","Found by Othmar Schauberger, 1921. Looked at for some years by F Hütter, but always blocked by snow. In October 1976, G Graf managed to descend 30m in the shaft, the uppermost part of which was snow and ice free. The continuation of the way could not be found. In August 1977, 5kg of salt was dumped onto the snow blockage. In October 1977, after a long walk over the plateau, it was looked at again and successfully explored. ","Now, the Austrian's exploration details suggest that the cave was substantially unblocked in 1976 (to -30m in October), while CUCC's find was choked at -10m. Also, the description given of this cave in the local Climbing Guide (Krenmayr) sounds nothing like B5 at all, (he says, already explored in 1921, but today almost forgotten. Need Ice equipment) so the Austrian writing in the caver's magazine who said it was B5 may have been mistaken. Krenmayr gives length 250m, depth 100m.
This description by Karl Gaisberger is from the 1977 Exploration:
After climbing down 8m to where the shaft appeared blocked by snow, progress did not seem likely. I [translator] think ""there was a spiralling way in the snow to a wall of ice columns"". A very steep descent led into a passage with a snow cone. (This was still in the previous year's snow-free climb !). Pushing through a thin snow-wall through which the light glimmered, a direct way was established. Through a hole in the snow in a rubble-filled passage, the way soon branched. Both branches ended blind.
The lower level of the cave, described by O Schauberger, must be found on the opposite side of the snow-cone from the [Schluf?]. One now comes to a chamber complex where a sloping 10m shaft climbs down into the Kristallhalle. The walls here are covered with admittedly large, but superficially weathered calcite somethings (Kalzitdrusen).
From the Kristallhalle, through a narrow bit to a side-something with a pile of rubble, the Tropfsteinhalle. There is a single 60cm high stalagmite here. It shows a corroded appearance, indicating aggressive ground water. Tropfsteinhalle contains, so far, the most beautiful flowstone decorations in the Loser area. These include [plenty dictionary failure here] Sinterfahnen, Boden- und Deckenzapfen, sogar Excentriques.
In the area of the stalagmites, several dead pseudoscorpions (Neobisium aueri) were found. There is some more description of the floor of the chamber (I think), but I can't make head nor tail of it.",,,,,,,,"250m","Given 100m in 1980.",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,"1630m",,,"Just SW of the col (Schwarzmoossattel), SE of Bräuning Nase. ",,"Surface shaft often blocked with snow",,"This hole supposedly has a CUCC painted number ""B5"" of 1976 vintage, which will probably be pretty faded. But the cave descriptions do not agree." -36,"1/S x",,,,"noinfo/kratzer/36.htm",,"Schachtgruppe I - V",,,4,"No Info","Höhlenforschervereinigung Altaussee, undated. ",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,"gps00.36",,,"1680m",,,"Austrian kataster says Hinterbräuning, south of Bräuning Nase, but this isnīt where their map shows it. Map shows it south east of Schwarzmoossattel, on east side of upper 4 below Schwarzmooskogel.
The cave was located on the ground by CUCC in 1990 and it is, in fact, just south of Schwarzmoossattel, which is almost due east of Bräuning Nase. From the path leaving the col going south, hack off following the little stream down into the valley. This sinks into the northernmost of a group of three shafts below a small headwall facing east.
Number is in red on the headwall just south of the three entrances.
A group of five (presumably small) shafts. One of these was thought, by the Austrians, to be CUCC's 'B1' of 1976. This, however, is patently not the case, since the sequence B1-B4 goes up the valley, and B4 is about level, perhaps slightly lower than 36.",,"A group of five (presumably small) shafts",,"Number is in red on the headwall just south of the three entrances. " -37,"0/S -",,,,"noinfo/plateau/37.htm",,"Schachtgruppe beim Hinterer Schwarzmooskogel",,,"1d","No Info","Discovered by Höhlenforschervereinigung Altaussee, undated.
Status is given as totally unexplored, so it could well be a CUCC hole by now, and have a different number. ",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,"1700m",,,"West of Ht. Schwarzmooskogel. Well out onto the plateau, and hence, almost impossible to find or identify. ",,,, +35,"2/S/T x",,,,"noinfo/kratzer/35.htm",,"Dr. Kerschner Höhle",,,4,"No Info","
","Now, the Austrian's exploration details suggest that the cave was substantially unblocked in 1976 (to -30m in October), while CUCC's find was choked at -10m. Also, the description given of this cave in the local Climbing Guide (Krenmayr) sounds nothing like B5 at all, (he says, already explored in 1921, but today almost forgotten. Need Ice equipment) so the Austrian writing in the caver's magazine who said it was B5 may have been mistaken. Krenmayr gives length 250m, depth 100m.
This description by Karl Gaisberger is from the 1977 Exploration:
After climbing down 8m to where the shaft appeared blocked by snow, progress did not seem likely. I [translator] think ""there was a spiralling way in the snow to a wall of ice columns"". A very steep descent led into a passage with a snow cone. (This was still in the previous year's snow-free climb !). Pushing through a thin snow-wall through which the light glimmered, a direct way was established. Through a hole in the snow in a rubble-filled passage, the way soon branched. Both branches ended blind.
The lower level of the cave, described by O Schauberger, must be found on the opposite side of the snow-cone from the [Schluf?]. One now comes to a chamber complex where a sloping 10m shaft climbs down into the Kristallhalle. The walls here are covered with admittedly large, but superficially weathered calcite somethings (Kalzitdrusen).
From the Kristallhalle, through a narrow bit to a side-something with a pile of rubble, the Tropfsteinhalle. There is a single 60cm high stalagmite here. It shows a corroded appearance, indicating aggressive ground water. Tropfsteinhalle contains, so far, the most beautiful flowstone decorations in the Loser area. These include [plenty dictionary failure here] Sinterfahnen, Boden- und Deckenzapfen, sogar Excentriques.
In the area of the stalagmites, several dead pseudoscorpions (Neobisium aueri) were found. There is some more description of the floor of the chamber (I think), but I can't make head nor tail of it.",,,,,,,,"250m","Given 100m in 1980.",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,"1630m",,,"Just SW of the col (Schwarzmoossattel), SE of Bräuning Nase. ",,"Surface shaft often blocked with snow",,"This hole supposedly has a CUCC painted number ""B5"" of 1976 vintage, which will probably be pretty faded. But the cave descriptions do not agree." +36,"1/S x",,,,"noinfo/kratzer/36.htm",,"Schachtgruppe I - V",,,4,"No Info","Höhlenforschervereinigung Altaussee, undated. ",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,"gps00.36",,,"1680m",,,"Austrian kataster says Hinterbräuning, south of Bräuning Nase, but this isnīt where their map shows it. Map shows it south east of Schwarzmoossattel, on east side of upper 4 below Schwarzmooskogel.
The cave was located on the ground by CUCC in 1990 and it is, in fact, just south of Schwarzmoossattel, which is almost due east of Bräuning Nase. From the path leaving the col going south, hack off following the little stream down into the valley. This sinks into the northernmost of a group of three shafts below a small headwall facing east.
Number is in red on the headwall just south of the three entrances.
A group of five (presumably small) shafts. One of these was thought, by the Austrians, to be CUCC's 'B1' of 1976. This, however, is patently not the case, since the sequence B1-B4 goes up the valley, and B4 is about level, perhaps slightly lower than 36.",,"A group of five (presumably small) shafts",,"Number is in red on the headwall just south of the three entrances. "
+37,"0/S -",,,,"noinfo/plateau/37.htm",,"Schachtgruppe beim Hinterer Schwarzmooskogel",,,"1d","No Info","Discovered by Höhlenforschervereinigung Altaussee, undated.
Status is given as totally unexplored, so it could well be a CUCC hole by now, and have a different number.",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,"1700m",,,"West of Ht. Schwarzmooskogel. Well out onto the plateau, and hence, almost impossible to find or identify. ",,,,
38,"1/T +",,,,"noinfo/plateau/38.htm",,"Algenhöhle",,,"1d","No Info","Höhlenforschervereinigung Altaussee, 1938","Behind the entrance there is a single passage at right angles to it, with boulders (Blockwerk). ",,,,,,"Sketch by J. Gaisberger snr., 1938 ",,"33m",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,"1700m",,,"West of Hinterer Schwarzmooskogel (exact location unknown) Possibly near Kat.37 (q.v.)",,,,
39,"1/T +",,,,"noinfo/kratzer/39.htm",,"SCHWA höhle 39",,,"2b or 4 location unclear","No Info","Höhlenforschervereinigung Altaussee, 1938",,,,,,,,,"18m",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,"1740m",,,"West side of Vorderer Schwarzmooskogel according to text. Map shows it on S side, not far from the summit area. Later reference says it is above and south of Kat.36, however the kataster description of the location of 36 is also wrong... ",,"2.2m wide by 1.2m high entrance leads in a gentle slope to where it becomes too tight. ",,
-40,"7//S/T/E x","a b c d e f g h s",,"yes","smkridge/40.htm",,"Schwarzmooskogeleishöhle","Schwarzmooskogelhöhlensystem",,"2a",,"The main passages as far as Elephantengang were explored by 1938. Since then a variety of groups have worked here finding numerous extensions, of which Schneevulkanhalle is the most significant.
Until recently, it has been difficult to come close to a comprehensive survey or even a good estimate of the length of the system because of a lack of contact and some misunderstanding between the groups involved. However, in 1997 a chance encounter (at the International Congress) by Wookey with Denis Motte, of the G.S.Clerval, led to renewed contacts with one group who explored this area, and Thilo Müller of ARGE has contacted the leaders of other groups and obtained all the rest of the 1980s information that survives. This is being merged into a coherent set of information which will guide necessary resurvey work to complete the picture.
Stellerweghöhle in turn is connected to Schwabenschacht which was over 7km at the time and exploration continues. This must make the combined system at least 19 km long. We have seen figures quoted as high as 25km, but this may involve some double-counting, given the uncertainties involved. Arge's estimate (entirely from extant survey data) was 22.7 km after summer 1999.","
Schwarzmooskogeleishöhle is an extensive cave over 1600m long before 1983, extended to 2500m by a German group by 1985. The system is mainly horizontal, though tackle is needed to explore it fully, and crampons are necessary in parts, because of the substantial quantities of ice in the cave. Was extended by the Germans who worked in the area in the early eighties, who suggested then that there was potential for extension vertically. Subsequently linked via a 30m pitch to Lärchenschacht (1623/88) which in turn was connected to the Stellerweghöhlensystem, giving no increase in depth if the laser-rangefound altitude is correct rather than the old kataster one, which seems likely.
From 'Längsten und Tiefsten Hohlen in Österreich', translated by Wookey and Thilo:
The cave is on the southeastern slopes of the Vorderen Schwarzmooskogel (1843) developed in Dachsteinkalk. From seven partly shaft-like entrance points, a huge, flat-floored level with impressive ice formations can be approached. The Schneevulkanhalle at the northern end is the biggest ice-bearing chamber in middle Europe.
Four entrances lead into the central area. A 40m shaft from the Top Entrance 'Oberen Eingang' breaks into the ice-decorated 'Altausseer Halle'. To the west from here via a 25m ramp accessing 'Schneehalle' leads both to entrance 2 and the connecting gallery from the ice-bearing 'Thalhammerhalle', that can be entered from entrances 3 and 4 too. South of the Schnee and Altausseer Halles, the 'Teufelberger Halle' connects, the bottom of which contains an ice lake. A wide passage with side shafts goes southsouthwest to 'Hans-Pfandl-Halle'. The east connected room, also reached by a 23m high chimney (entrance 7), is divided into two by a high block barrier. The 'Flusstunnel' south from here ends blocked.
From the Altausseer Halle, a lofty passage with ice figures heads off NNE. The continuation is the 'Halle des Schiefen Turms', where the 'Wahnsinnschächte' branches off on the west. It was thought that this was blocked by ice. However, over a wall of ice one reaches the 130 by 75 by 50 m Schneevulkanhalle, on the eastern wall of which rises a steep snowslope flowing from the 'Königsschachts' (entrance 6). The chamber with its very impressive ice formations can also be reached via the 'Brennerbeselschluf' (entrance 5). At its northern end a climb reveals the easterly-running 'Kalten Gang' and the parallel 'Spinnenfriedhof'.
The principal objective of both pushing and tourist trips is the huge ice chamber of Schneevulkanhalle, which requires some serious ice work to reach from the older entrances in the middle of the system. Instead, follow the description to the ""new"" entrance (Brennerbeselschluf, 40e), with a somewhat limited area to get changed, perched between the icy blast from the cave and whatever the Austrian weather is offering.
The entrance is not walk-in, and low crawling in the face of the icy draught starts at once. A small descending tube (somewhat muddy - irritating in crampons!) leads in about 20m to a short climb down into larger (walking/stooping) passage 'Geröllgang. This goes downhill to a scramble up. This was totally ice-covered in 1997 and 1998, but not 1999 or 2000 and has a fixed rope (VfHO-installed), which may be buried in ice at somewhat critical points - a certain amount of care is needed if chipping it out with an ice-axe and gloves really are needed !
Partway up this slope is a space on the left [C0000-40-05 A], including a pitch in the floor. At the far end of this space, a short crawl and a grovel down through boulders where a stream comes in from above both choke. The pitch is a c3, p20, p30 - the last part being very wet in early summer. Leading to Schotterland.
Survey data also suggests a passage off to the right of the iceslope for 20m or so.
Above the scramble up is a short traverse, also rather interesting when covered in hard ice (and also protected by a fixed rope which had to be dug out in 1998). A steeply ascending passage to the L holds a quantity of particularly scrofulous rope (presumably a previous fixed rope). This can be climbed ~10m until it gets too vertical. It draughts. Beyond the ice is a steep snow/ice slope down into the huge Schneevulkanhalle. It is strongly recommended to equip this with a properly rigged SRT rope rather than anything less - the cave has seen a number of accidents, some fatal. Although the slope looks like soft snow, it is a layer of coarsely crystalline hard névé over solid ice. In parts it is almost impossible to kick steps into, whilst in others it offers only minimal purchase for crampon points. Conditions no doubt vary with the season as well as with position on the slope and the year. Tackle required: 50m rope, crampons. There is one bolt at the top, for a traverse line to two bolts off to the R in the roof where the snow-slope proper starts. Sometimes the traverse area is full of snow and an ice-screw or ice-axe rebelay/deviation (club first ? in 1989) may be needed. A deviation (from rock) at the head of the steep section was found adequate in 1998.
The 50m Königschacht (40f) entrance is the source of the snow slope and comes in here. It is often full of snow but was open in 1999 and so was surveyed (by ARGE).
At the bottom is the main chamber from which the pitch does indeed look like a snow-covered volcanic cone. Most of the floor area is ice-covered and only a slight slope is necessary to make crampons vital here. Most of the chamber is filled with ice formations up to 15m high (end of season). Those with two ice-tools can climb almost anything in the chamber, though the formations are no doubt rather more spectacular and fragile in spring or early summer. Formation-ice can also shatter very easily as melting occurs between component crystals later in the season, so it is probably safer for climbers to stick to hard névé. Ways on are mostly reached by steeper slopes that definitely require ice-gear and can be quite unnerving approached from above. Note that the slopes are usually hard ice, ice-axe-braking after a slip is not an option - lifeline or don't fall !
Starting from the pitch (facing outwards from the slope), heading round the chamber to the left leads over a large flat area of ice to where a gap between ice and rock [C0000-40-01 A] drops 10m (2 bolts, one added 1999) into large passage elephantengang.
Right next to it is an icefall coming in from above [C0000-40-02 C] (Apparently explored by GSCB in early 80s for ~40m). 40m round the wall of the chamber is a rubble run-in, iced on the top half. This was climbed by Haines (1998) and Atkinson (1999), as well as the GSCB. At the top is a wet boulder choke that definately doesn't go, but the GSCB plan shows a narrow rift on the right marked 'tight'.
Halfway up this slope on the left is the narrow entrance to Persistence of Vision.
20m further round another couple of icefalls come in. Both are about 8-10m and vertical [C0000-40-03 A]. GSCB plan shows they have climbed up here to find a 20m pitch beyond into narrow rift. Their survey doesn't make it clear how it ends. CUCC bolted up the left side of the left icefall in 2000 to find an ice water duck leading to a pitch series (Mission Impossible). The duck was dry in 2001, but back again in 2002.
50m further round (downslope) the ice drops away steeply under the wall. A line is advisable for the descent. 20m down, the ice slope peters out giving way to sand and rocks. At the end here is a very strongly draughting hole [C0000-40-04 B]. This appears too tight, but survey data shows this is where Kalten Gang and Spinnefriedhof are (VfHM, 1984). To the right at the foot of the slope closes down with rocks and ice - it would probably connect with Plastic Hell. A few metres up from the bottom of the slope on the left hand (N) wall is a gap between the ice and rock leading into a large chamber [A1998-40-05 B] (reported by Robert Winkler).
Back in Schneevulkanhalle, another 10m clockwise round the chamber is another, steeper iceslope. A rope is definitely needed for this. This is the way to Plastic Hell.
Beyond and above are more thin icefalls coming from high in the ceiling - trying to climb these would be bonkers - the debris from the collapse of some of them is all around.
The foot of the piss-wet pitch opens out into very large triangular passage. You can go NE about 35m until it chokes (a good draught comes out of one hoplessly choked corner) or SW 20 to a T-junction. Right (W) is Kleiner keller. Left, ducking under the low wall, is Schotterland.
Kleiner keller is about 50m on huge passage to where the end is choked with glacial fill and a waterspout comes in the from the roof 3m up. A sling ladder makes it possible to ascend the waterspout - you can even doing it without getting very wet, as the spout is unusually well-concentrated, and thus avoidable. This comes into an E-W rift, with the water coming from the E end. It can be ascended in both directions at various traverse levels for about 30m, but the top appears choked at all points. The top is probably very close to the floor of Elephantengang.
The old Munich cavers' data suggests that there is a passage off kleiner keller that we missed - which seems hard to believe, but maybe it is worth another visit?
Schotterland is more enormous passage (10m wide) going SSE, presumably schotterland, due to the flooring of small rocks. A ramp goes up steeply on the L after 30m. It closes down after 40m. Ahead the passage slowly narrows until it chokes at the end - probably very close to the surface.
",,,,,"In dataset",,"smk-system.svx","54000m","1032m",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,"SSE of Vd. Schwarzmooskogel and ENE of a large basin in the hillside which often contains a lot of snow. Roughly a 450m NNE of Sonnenstrahlhöhle - CUCC's furthest east permanent survey station.","From the Bergrestaurant, take path 201, ignoring the left turn to the plateau at Egglgrube. Pass the junction path left to Kratzer and continue until a red upper-case Omega is seen in the middle of the path, marking Kat. 28 (we think).There is a well-marked (cairns and red paint spots/arrows) branch path here. Follow this for about half an hour to the back of the limestone knoll known as ""The Nipple"" (and Weisse Warz and bunter's bulge). Things to note: first there is a wire traverse then you pass the lightninged tree in a sizeable valley. (Opposite this tree is the point you would turn left for Schwabenscacht). Shortly after that a pair of red arrows point in opposite directions. Go steeply uphill here doubling back slightly, rather than the more obvious straight on. Turn right about 40m beyond the nipple and head across the limestone for a narrow gully. After a hundred metres or so new red paint marks appear and take you to 40a.
A very large cave entrance, 20 minutes further on, was the German's (Munich) bivouac, and a few minutes later, a strongly draughting (out in summer) tube about 5m in diameter is the main entrance (""Hauptportal"" - 40a). This was also the site of an old French bivouac, but must have been very cold. Continue along past some big holes and slightly downhill (one 5m step down). After about 180m(?) you reach the area of numerous entrances in a row There is the small Grüner Eingang (40s), 2 larger entrances ('Eistunnel' and 'Nichts50'), a small blocked entrance, and finally, where the path ends abruptly and unambiguously the ""new"" entrance (40e, Brennerbeserlschluf), also strongly draughting. This is between one and a half and two hours from the car park.",,, +40,"7//S/T/E x","a b c d e f g h s",,"yes","smkridge/40.htm",,"Schwarzmooskogeleishöhle","Schwarzmooskogelhöhlensystem",,"2a",,"The main passages as far as Elephantengang were explored by 1938. Since then a variety of groups have worked here finding numerous extensions, of which Schneevulkanhalle is the most significant.
Until recently, it has been difficult to come close to a comprehensive survey or even a good estimate of the length of the system because of a lack of contact and some misunderstanding between the groups involved. However, in 1997 a chance encounter (at the International Congress) by Wookey with Denis Motte, of the G.S.Clerval, led to renewed contacts with one group who explored this area, and Thilo Müller of ARGE has contacted the leaders of other groups and obtained all the rest of the 1980s information that survives. This is being merged into a coherent set of information which will guide necessary resurvey work to complete the picture.
Stellerweghöhle in turn is connected to Schwabenschacht which was over 7km at the time and exploration continues. This must make the combined system at least 19 km long. We have seen figures quoted as high as 25km, but this may involve some double-counting, given the uncertainties involved. Arge's estimate (entirely from extant survey data) was 22.7 km after summer 1999.","Schwarzmooskogeleishöhle is an extensive cave over 1600m long before 1983, extended to 2500m by a German group by 1985. The system is mainly horizontal, though tackle is needed to explore it fully, and crampons are necessary in parts, because of the substantial quantities of ice in the cave. Was extended by the Germans who worked in the area in the early eighties, who suggested then that there was potential for extension vertically. Subsequently linked via a 30m pitch to Lärchenschacht (1623/88) which in turn was connected to the Stellerweghöhlensystem, giving no increase in depth if the laser-rangefound altitude is correct rather than the old kataster one, which seems likely.
From 'Längsten und Tiefsten Hohlen in Österreich', translated by Wookey and Thilo:
The cave is on the southeastern slopes of the Vorderen Schwarzmooskogel (1843) developed in Dachsteinkalk. From seven partly shaft-like entrance points, a huge, flat-floored level with impressive ice formations can be approached. The Schneevulkanhalle at the northern end is the biggest ice-bearing chamber in middle Europe.
Four entrances lead into the central area. A 40m shaft from the Top Entrance 'Oberen Eingang' breaks into the ice-decorated 'Altausseer Halle'. To the west from here via a 25m ramp accessing 'Schneehalle' leads both to entrance 2 and the connecting gallery from the ice-bearing 'Thalhammerhalle', that can be entered from entrances 3 and 4 too. South of the Schnee and Altausseer Halles, the 'Teufelberger Halle' connects, the bottom of which contains an ice lake. A wide passage with side shafts goes southsouthwest to 'Hans-Pfandl-Halle'. The east connected room, also reached by a 23m high chimney (entrance 7), is divided into two by a high block barrier. The 'Flusstunnel' south from here ends blocked.
From the Altausseer Halle, a lofty passage with ice figures heads off NNE. The continuation is the 'Halle des Schiefen Turms', where the 'Wahnsinnschächte' branches off on the west. It was thought that this was blocked by ice. However, over a wall of ice one reaches the 130 by 75 by 50 m Schneevulkanhalle, on the eastern wall of which rises a steep snowslope flowing from the 'Königsschachts' (entrance 6). The chamber with its very impressive ice formations can also be reached via the 'Brennerbeselschluf' (entrance 5). At its northern end a climb reveals the easterly-running 'Kalten Gang' and the parallel 'Spinnenfriedhof'.
The principal objective of both pushing and tourist trips is the huge ice chamber of Schneevulkanhalle, which requires some serious ice work to reach from the older entrances in the middle of the system. Instead, follow the description to the ""new"" entrance (Brennerbeselschluf, 40e), with a somewhat limited area to get changed, perched between the icy blast from the cave and whatever the Austrian weather is offering.
The entrance is not walk-in, and low crawling in the face of the icy draught starts at once. A small descending tube (somewhat muddy - irritating in crampons!) leads in about 20m to a short climb down into larger (walking/stooping) passage 'Geröllgang. This goes downhill to a scramble up. This was totally ice-covered in 1997 and 1998, but not 1999 or 2000 and has a fixed rope (VfHO-installed), which may be buried in ice at somewhat critical points - a certain amount of care is needed if chipping it out with an ice-axe and gloves really are needed!
Partway up this slope is a space on the left [C0000-40-05 A], including a pitch in the floor. At the far end of this space, a short crawl and a grovel down through boulders where a stream comes in from above both choke. The pitch is a c3, p20, p30 - the last part being very wet in early summer. Leading to Schotterland.
Survey data also suggests a passage off to the right of the iceslope for 20m or so.
Above the scramble up is a short traverse, also rather interesting when covered in hard ice (and also protected by a fixed rope which had to be dug out in 1998). A steeply ascending passage to the L holds a quantity of particularly scrofulous rope (presumably a previous fixed rope). This can be climbed ~10m until it gets too vertical. It draughts. Beyond the ice is a steep snow/ice slope down into the huge Schneevulkanhalle. It is strongly recommended to equip this with a properly rigged SRT rope rather than anything less - the cave has seen a number of accidents, some fatal. Although the slope looks like soft snow, it is a layer of coarsely crystalline hard névé over solid ice. In parts it is almost impossible to kick steps into, whilst in others it offers only minimal purchase for crampon points. Conditions no doubt vary with the season as well as with position on the slope and the year. Tackle required: 50m rope, crampons. There is one bolt at the top, for a traverse line to two bolts off to the R in the roof where the snow-slope proper starts. Sometimes the traverse area is full of snow and an ice-screw or ice-axe rebelay/deviation (club first ? in 1989) may be needed. A deviation (from rock) at the head of the steep section was found adequate in 1998.
The 50m Königschacht (40f) entrance is the source of the snow slope and comes in here. It is often full of snow but was open in 1999 and so was surveyed (by ARGE).
At the bottom is the main chamber from which the pitch does indeed look like a snow-covered volcanic cone. Most of the floor area is ice-covered and only a slight slope is necessary to make crampons vital here. Most of the chamber is filled with ice formations up to 15m high (end of season). Those with two ice-tools can climb almost anything in the chamber, though the formations are no doubt rather more spectacular and fragile in spring or early summer. Formation-ice can also shatter very easily as melting occurs between component crystals later in the season, so it is probably safer for climbers to stick to hard névé. Ways on are mostly reached by steeper slopes that definitely require ice-gear and can be quite unnerving approached from above. Note that the slopes are usually hard ice, ice-axe-braking after a slip is not an option - lifeline or don't fall !
Starting from the pitch (facing outwards from the slope), heading round the chamber to the left leads over a large flat area of ice to where a gap between ice and rock [C0000-40-01 A] drops 10m (2 bolts, one added 1999) into large passage elephantengang.
Right next to it is an icefall coming in from above [C0000-40-02 C] (Apparently explored by GSCB in early 80s for ~40m). 40m round the wall of the chamber is a rubble run-in, iced on the top half. This was climbed by Haines (1998) and Atkinson (1999), as well as the GSCB. At the top is a wet boulder choke that definately doesn't go, but the GSCB plan shows a narrow rift on the right marked 'tight'.
Halfway up this slope on the left is the narrow entrance to Persistence of Vision.
20m further round another couple of icefalls come in. Both are about 8-10m and vertical [C0000-40-03 A]. GSCB plan shows they have climbed up here to find a 20m pitch beyond into narrow rift. Their survey doesn't make it clear how it ends. CUCC bolted up the left side of the left icefall in 2000 to find an ice water duck leading to a pitch series (Mission Impossible). The duck was dry in 2001, but back again in 2002.
50m further round (downslope) the ice drops away steeply under the wall. A line is advisable for the descent. 20m down, the ice slope peters out giving way to sand and rocks. At the end here is a very strongly draughting hole [C0000-40-04 B]. This appears too tight, but survey data shows this is where Kalten Gang and Spinnefriedhof are (VfHM, 1984). To the right at the foot of the slope closes down with rocks and ice - it would probably connect with Plastic Hell. A few metres up from the bottom of the slope on the left hand (N) wall is a gap between the ice and rock leading into a large chamber [A1998-40-05 B] (reported by Robert Winkler).
Back in Schneevulkanhalle, another 10m clockwise round the chamber is another, steeper iceslope. A rope is definitely needed for this. This is the way to Plastic Hell.
Beyond and above are more thin icefalls coming from high in the ceiling - trying to climb these would be bonkers - the debris from the collapse of some of them is all around.
The foot of the piss-wet pitch opens out into very large triangular passage. You can go NE about 35m until it chokes (a good draught comes out of one hoplessly choked corner) or SW 20 to a T-junction. Right (W) is Kleiner keller. Left, ducking under the low wall, is Schotterland.
Kleiner keller is about 50m on huge passage to where the end is choked with glacial fill and a waterspout comes in the from the roof 3m up. A sling ladder makes it possible to ascend the waterspout - you can even doing it without getting very wet, as the spout is unusually well-concentrated, and thus avoidable. This comes into an E-W rift, with the water coming from the E end. It can be ascended in both directions at various traverse levels for about 30m, but the top appears choked at all points. The top is probably very close to the floor of Elephantengang.
The old Munich cavers' data suggests that there is a passage off kleiner keller that we missed - which seems hard to believe, but maybe it is worth another visit?
Schotterland is more enormous passage (10m wide) going SSE, presumably schotterland, due to the flooring of small rocks. A ramp goes up steeply on the L after 30m. It closes down after 40m. Ahead the passage slowly narrows until it chokes at the end - probably very close to the surface.",,,,,"In dataset",,"smk-system.svx","54000m","1032m",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,"SSE of Vd. Schwarzmooskogel and ENE of a large basin in the hillside which often contains a lot of snow. Roughly a 450m NNE of Sonnenstrahlhöhle - CUCC's furthest east permanent survey station.","From the Bergrestaurant, take path 201, ignoring the left turn to the plateau at Egglgrube. Pass the junction path left to Kratzer and continue until a red upper-case Omega is seen in the middle of the path, marking Kat. 28 (we think).
There is a well-marked (cairns and red paint spots/arrows) branch path here. Follow this for about half an hour to the back of the limestone knoll known as ""The Nipple"" (and Weisse Warz and bunter's bulge). Things to note: first there is a wire traverse then you pass the lightninged tree in a sizeable valley. (Opposite this tree is the point you would turn left for Schwabenscacht). Shortly after that a pair of red arrows point in opposite directions. Go steeply uphill here doubling back slightly, rather than the more obvious straight on. Turn right about 40m beyond the nipple and head across the limestone for a narrow gully. After a hundred metres or so new red paint marks appear and take you to 40a.
A very large cave entrance, 20 minutes further on, was the German's (Munich) bivouac, and a few minutes later, a strongly draughting (out in summer) tube about 5m in diameter is the main entrance (""Hauptportal"" - 40a). This was also the site of an old French bivouac, but must have been very cold. Continue along past some big holes and slightly downhill (one 5m step down). After about 180m(?) you reach the area of numerous entrances in a row There is the small Grüner Eingang (40s), 2 larger entrances ('Eistunnel' and 'Nichts50'), a small blocked entrance, and finally, where the path ends abruptly and unambiguously the ""new"" entrance (40e, Brennerbeserlschluf), also strongly draughting. This is between one and a half and two hours from the car park.",,, 40,,"a",,"entrance","smkridge/40a.htm",,,,,,"No Info",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,"Oberer Eingang",,"p40a","it is laser point 14",,"laser point",,"gps00.40lasr",81700.9294,36459.4949,"1689.6784m",,,,"From the Bergrestaurant, take path 201, ignoring the left turn to the plateau at Egglgrube. Pass the junction path left to Kratzer and continue until a red upper-case Omega is seen in the middle of the path, marking Kat. 28 (we think). There is a well-marked (cairns and red paint spots/arrows) branch path here. Follow this for about half an hour to the back of the limestone knoll known as ""The Nipple"" (and Weisse Warz and bunter's bulge). Things to note: first there is a wire traverse then you pass the lightninged tree in a sizeable valley. (Opposite this tree is the point you would turn left for Schwabenscacht). Shortly after that a pair of red arrows point in opposite directions. Go steeply uphill here doubling back slightly, rather than the more obvious straight on. Turn right about 40m beyond the nipple and head across the limestone for a narrow gully. After a hundred metres or so new red paint marks appear and take you to 40a. A very large cave entrance, 20 minutes further on, was the German's (Munich) bivouac, and a few minutes later, a strongly draughting (out in summer) tube about 5m in diameter is the main entrance (""Hauptportal"" - 40a).","a strongly draughting (out in summer) tube about 5m in diameter",, 40,,"b",,"entrance","smkridge/40b.htm",,,,,,"No Info",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,"Schneeschacht ",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,, 40,,"c",,"entrance","smkridge/40c.htm",,,,,,"No Info",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,"Reichenvaterschacht ",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,, @@ -58,8 +58,8 @@ 40,,"q","78c","entrance",,"smkridge/78c.htm",,,,,"No Info",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,"Schwaben-Schachthöhle (78c)",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,, 40,,"r","78d","entrance",,"smkridge/78d.htm",,,,,"No Info",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,"Schwaben-Schachthöhle (78d)",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,, 40,,"s",,"last entrance","smkridge/40s.htm",,,,,,"No Info",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,"Grüner Eingang",,"p40s","?",,"Surface survey",,"gps00.40s",81895,36567,"1651m",,,,,,, -41,"7//S/T/E x","a b",,"yes","smkridge/41.htm",,"Stellerweghöhle",,,"2a",,"Length of CUCC's part is approx 5.75 km, while the Germans had about 6 km in 88 in 1987, and the French (?) connected the Eishöhle (2.5 km or more) in the same year. This should make the system about 14-15 km all told before 1996. The Stuttgart group, Arbeitsgemeinschaft Höhle und Karst Grabenstetten e.V., have, early in 1996, connected their cave Schwabenschacht (1623-78) into a passage in 1623/142, one way into the system. This adds no new depth, but considerably increases the overall length. ARGE have also been doing much useful resurvey and some exploration, bringing their estimate of the total length to 22.7 km in 1999.","As the full guidebook description is understandably quite big and is still evolving, just an overview is given here.
Sub-horizontal passages lead through steeply-hading rifts from this entrance. A lower route was originally explored by a German group before CUCC's first visit, and remains poorly documented and not fully explored. The higher route, explored by CUCC, leads past connections to 142, another CUCC find. Passages trend downhill to reach the Big Pitch of 100m vertical.
Lärchenhöhle connects at the bottom of the Big Pitch, and a streamway leads down. A roof passage connects to CUCC's 144, and another leads on to smaller pitches to the Big Rift, dropping steeply down several pitches to reach Junction Chamber with connections to Schnellzughöhle (115).
The route to 115 also leads to Pete's Purgatory, 800m of awful streamway to the Confluence, much more easily reached by large fossil passages starting with Dartford Tunnel from Junction Chamber. The Confluence is around half the depth of the system, and marks a transition to a single linear streamway leading to great depth, a feature currently unique in the known caves of the area.
The streamway is interrupted by a bypassable sump and several, mainly short, pitches, before a low-airspace canal appears to mark the end. However, a low duck can be passed to reach a deep and very wet shaft Orgasm Chasm which drops to the final muddy passage and short pitch to a dismal and deep rift sump.
The sump is 898m below the 41a entrance, and is at just about the same level as Altausseer See, in whose underwater risings the Stellerweg water is presumed to emerge. The scope for greater depth here seems minimal, but connections to various higher entrances have increased this to c971m, with perhaps a little more potential still to realise (optimistically up to 1058m).",,,,,,,"caves\041\041.svx",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,"Follow Stögerweg to Windloch and then a hundred metres or so further. When the path starts to drop steeply, backtrack 10m (where there should be a permanent survey station 'P4') and start to hack up the hillside. Orange paint flashes on the rock should be visible, and will lead after 300m or so to a cave entrance at the head of a gully. If it isn't blowing the trees around in the cold air, it isn't the right place !",,, -41,,"a","40j","entrance","smkridge/41a.htm",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,"p041a","station at entrance 41a, left side of main entrance","p041ax","Nils",,,81244,35827,"1621m",,,,"Follow Stögerweg to Windloch and then a hundred metres or so further. When the path starts to drop steeply, backtrack 10m (where there should be a permanent survey station 'P4') and start to hack up the hillside. Orange paint flashes on the rock should be visible, and will lead after 300m or so to a cave entrance at the head of a gully. If it isn't blowing the trees around in the cold air, it isn't the right place ! ",,, +41,"7//S/T/E x","a b",,"yes","smkridge/41.htm",,"Stellerweghöhle",,,"2a",,"Length of CUCC's part is approx 5.75 km, while the Germans had about 6 km in 88 in 1987, and the French (?) connected the Eishöhle (2.5 km or more) in the same year. This should make the system about 14-15 km all told before 1996. The Stuttgart group, Arbeitsgemeinschaft Höhle und Karst Grabenstetten e.V., have, early in 1996, connected their cave Schwabenschacht (1623-78) into a passage in 1623/142, one way into the system. This adds no new depth, but considerably increases the overall length. ARGE have also been doing much useful resurvey and some exploration, bringing their estimate of the total length to 22.7 km in 1999.","As the full guidebook description is understandably quite big and is still evolving, just an overview is given here.
Sub-horizontal passages lead through steeply-hading rifts from this entrance. A lower route was originally explored by a German group before CUCC's first visit, and remains poorly documented and not fully explored. The higher route, explored by CUCC, leads past connections to 142, another CUCC find. Passages trend downhill to reach the Big Pitch of 100m vertical.
Lärchenhöhle connects at the bottom of the Big Pitch, and a streamway leads down. A roof passage connects to CUCC's 144, and another leads on to smaller pitches to the Big Rift, dropping steeply down several pitches to reach Junction Chamber with connections to Schnellzughöhle (115).
The route to 115 also leads to Pete's Purgatory, 800m of awful streamway to the Confluence, much more easily reached by large fossil passages starting with Dartford Tunnel from Junction Chamber. The Confluence is around half the depth of the system, and marks a transition to a single linear streamway leading to great depth, a feature currently unique in the known caves of the area.
The streamway is interrupted by a bypassable sump and several, mainly short, pitches, before a low-airspace canal appears to mark the end. However, a low duck can be passed to reach a deep and very wet shaft Orgasm Chasm which drops to the final muddy passage and short pitch to a dismal and deep rift sump.
The sump is 898m below the 41a entrance, and is at just about the same level as Altausseer See, in whose underwater risings the Stellerweg water is presumed to emerge. The scope for greater depth here seems minimal, but connections to various higher entrances have increased this to c971m, with perhaps a little more potential still to realise (optimistically up to 1058m).",,,,,,,"caves\041\041.svx",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,"Follow Stögerweg to Windloch and then a hundred metres or so further. When the path starts to drop steeply, backtrack 10m (where there should be a permanent survey station 'P4') and start to hack up the hillside. Orange paint flashes on the rock should be visible, and will lead after 300m or so to a cave entrance at the head of a gully. If it isn't blowing the trees around in the cold air, it isn't the right place !",,, +41,,"a","40j","entrance","smkridge/41a.htm",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,"p041a","station at entrance 41a, left side of main entrance","p041ax","Nils",,,81244,35827,"1621m",,,,"Follow Stögerweg to Windloch and then a hundred metres or so further. When the path starts to drop steeply, backtrack 10m (where there should be a permanent survey station 'P4') and start to hack up the hillside. Orange paint flashes on the rock should be visible, and will lead after 300m or so to a cave entrance at the head of a gully. If it isn't blowing the trees around in the cold air, it isn't the right place !",,, 41,,"b","40k","last entrance","smkridge/41b.htm",,,,,,"No Info",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,"p41b","Surface survey",,,81258,35863,"1635m",,,"The upper entrance (41b) is in a large rift about 30m to the east of the lower (41a) which is a strongly outward-draughting tube in a shattered gully.",,,,"Red writing" 42,"1/S =",,,,"noinfo/smkridge/42.htm",,"Wasserschacht",,,"2b","No Info","Sektion Ausseerland, 1952 ",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,"1700m",,,"SSW of Vd. Schwarzmooskogel, not far (50m vertical) up the hill from Stellerweghöhle, so we have probably rediscovered it and renumbered it. ",,,, 43,"1/T+",,,,"noinfo/kratzer/43.htm",,"Höhle beim Wackelstein",,,4,"No Info","Sektion Ausseerland, 1973 ",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,"1650m",,,"SE of Bräuning Nase, apparently just below the path up to Schwarzmoossattel. ",,,, @@ -71,9 +71,9 @@ 49,"1/T +",,,,"noinfo/wilden/49.htm",,"SCHWA höhle 49",,,5,"No Info",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,"1618m",,,"Near Dannerschacht Kat.45",,,, 50,"1/T +",,,,"noinfo/wilden/50.htm",,"SCHWA höhle 50",,,5,"No Info",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,"1620m",,,"Near Dannerschacht Kat.45",,,, 51,"1/T +",,,,"noinfo/aaussee/51.htm",,"Höhlen 1-3 in Weiße Wand",,,10,"No Info",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,"1330-1400m",,,"At the bottom of Weiße Wand west of Hochklapfsattel, some way below the Stögerweg path. ",,,, -52,"1/S/W +","a b",,,"noinfo/gschwand/52.htm",,"Sennerkeller & Sauloch",,,9,"No Info","Sektion Ausseerland, 1968 ","To the north, an 11m long, 2m high and 0.5m wide meander passage leads off. Through the passage flows a small gutter, which might well end too tight just after the turn off to Sennerkeller, the water emerging at a small spring to the north of Sennerkeller in a karren field. ",,,,"Mitt. der Sektion Ausseerland 19(3) July, 1981, p 49 ",,"1:250, Alfred Auer, 1968 (no copy available) ",,"32m","15m",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,"1490m",,,"Gschwandalm, by the path.","Reached by walking all the way round Loser from the Loser Hütte. ","n a 15m by 6m wide rift is the 6m by 4m entrance to the Sauloch. This is in a steep-sided doline used as a dumping place for all sorts of refuse.",, +52,"1/S/W +","a b",,,"noinfo/gschwand/52.htm",,"Sennerkeller & Sauloch",,,9,"No Info","Sektion Ausseerland, 1968 ","To the north, an 11m long, 2m high and 0.5m wide meander passage leads off. Through the passage flows a small gutter, which might well end too tight just after the turn off to Sennerkeller, the water emerging at a small spring to the north of Sennerkeller in a karren field. ",,,,"Mitt. der Sektion Ausseerland 19(3) July, 1981, p 49 ",,"1:250, Alfred Auer, 1968 (no copy available) ",,"32m","15m",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,"1490m",,,"Gschwandalm, by the path.","Reached by walking all the way round Loser from the Loser Hütte. ","In a 15m by 6m wide rift is the 6m by 4m entrance to the Sauloch. This is in a steep-sided doline used as a dumping place for all sorts of refuse.",, 53,"1/T +",,,,"noinfo/augstb/53.htm",,"Gellerliäger",,,11,"No Info",,"""Horizontale, niedere Röhre mit Bruchschutt.""",,,,,,"Plan 1:100 by Alfred Auer, 1968 ",,,,"5m N-S ",,,,,,,,,,,,,,"1020m",,,,"12m east and 5m above Gellerofen (Kat.3)",,, -54,"1/T =",,,,"noinfo/augstb/54.htm",,"Seehöhle",,,11,"No Info","Karl Gaisberger, 1959 ",,,,,,,,,"5m",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,"780m",,,"South of and well below Gellerofen (Kat.3), not marked on the Austrianīs map, but apparently just off the road in Augstbachtal. Must be almost in the village.
""Kleine Höhle mit einer Wasserlacke im Inneren.""",,,, +54,"1/T =",,,,"noinfo/augstb/54.htm",,"Seehöhle",,,11,"No Info","Karl Gaisberger, 1959 ",,,,,,,,,"5m",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,"780m",,,"South of and well below Gellerofen (Kat.3), not marked on the Austrianīs map, but apparently just off the road in Augstbachtal. Must be almost in the village. ""Kleine Höhle mit einer Wasserlacke im Inneren.""",,,, 55,"1/S/T =",,,,"noinfo/loser/55.htm",,"Schachthöhle west. Hochanger",,,"8d","No Info",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,"1750m",,,"Almost on the saddle between Loser and Hochanger. ",,,, 56,"1/T +",,,,"noinfo/loser/56.htm",,"Hornsteinhöhle",,,"8c","No Info",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,"1650m",,,"West side of Augstsee. ",,,, 57,"1/S +",,,,"noinfo/loser/57.htm",,"Höhle unterhalb der Schafkirche",,,"8c","No Info",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,"1660m",,,"West side of Augstsee. ",,,, @@ -90,62 +90,62 @@ 68,"1/T +",,,,"noinfo/aaussee/68.htm",,"Kleine Bärenhöhle",,,10,"No Info",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,"1370m",,,"At foot of Weiße Wand west of Hochklapfsattel, just NNE of Kat.51",,,, 69,"1/S +",,,,"noinfo/loser/69.htm",,"Schacht am Gschirr",,,"8d","No Info",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,"1690m",,,"Text says West of Augstsee. Map shows it above Dimmelwand. ",,,, 70,"1/T +",,,,"noinfo/loser/70.htm",,"Schneckenloch",,,"8d","No Info",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,"1660m",,,"Above Dimmelwand. ",,,, -71,"2/S/W +","a b",,,"kratzer/71.htm",,"Fledermaushöhle",,,4,"No Info","Discovered by Karl Gaisberger in October 1975, but prevented from continuing by start of winter snows, so shared exploration with CUCC, 1976. ","Initial hands and knees crawl for 20m soon enlarges and descends past a couple of oxbows (one leading to within sight of daylight up an aven) to reach twin climbs of 8m, the easier being through a hole to the right. Soon afterwards is the first pitch, a sloping 8m. Below this, a pleasant passage with occasional bat-droppings leads to a short muddy crawl, an earth bank and a sizeable chamber. The next pitch, of 7m, is reached after more muddy passage, and may be climbed/jumped by a rift to one side, but is best rigged for the return.
Easy going continues past a right turn to a complex junction at several levels. The water can be followed down a rift to a drop into an impenetrable fissure. Back at the junction, a traverse and thrutch through lead to a small tube, which crosses a cross-rift and ends at a filthy sump. Left at the cross rift, however, a low crawl gives onto a greasy chimney climb of 4m with very little in the way of holds. At the foot of this, the water reenters, and soon develops acute verticality. The first 5m are technical and best rigged, but below that, the descent becomes more spiralling in mainly solid rock. After 30m, things become more shattered and muddy and the climb drops into water leading very quickly to a sump at -90m.
Shortly before the second pitch, a right turn leads into an inlet passage, over a slot to the main passage below, over a traverse and a false floor, to reach, eventually, an aven ascended for about 25m and continuing, but with no great prospects.
From the Chamber, a traverse can be entered from the top of the rock-slope. The level closes off after about 15m, but below a climb down, a pitch was excavated dropping into a larger passage which soon choked comprehensively.",,,,,"no","Cambridge Underground 1977, facing page 46.
Easy going continues past a right turn to a complex junction at several levels. The water can be followed down a rift to a drop into an impenetrable fissure. Back at the junction, a traverse and thrutch through lead to a small tube, which crosses a cross-rift and ends at a filthy sump. Left at the cross rift, however, a low crawl gives onto a greasy chimney climb of 4m with very little in the way of holds. At the foot of this, the water reenters, and soon develops acute verticality. The first 5m are technical and best rigged, but below that, the descent becomes more spiralling in mainly solid rock. After 30m, things become more shattered and muddy and the climb drops into water leading very quickly to a sump at -90m.
Shortly before the second pitch, a right turn leads into an inlet passage, over a slot to the main passage below, over a traverse and a false floor, to reach, eventually, an aven ascended for about 25m and continuing, but with no great prospects.
From the Chamber, a traverse can be entered from the top of the rock-slope. The level closes off after about 15m, but below a climb down, a pitch was excavated dropping into a larger passage which soon choked comprehensively.",,,,,"no","Cambridge Underground 1977, facing page 46.
",,,"90m",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,"1600m",,,"West of 4, off path to Schwarzmoossattel.",,"Entrance is in a fair-sized shakehole in the dwarf-pine-covered karren before Schwarzmoossattel.",,
72,"1/T +",,,,"noinfo/loser/72.htm",,"Skeletthöhle",,,"8c","No Info","Sektion Ausseerland, 1976 ",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,"1720m",,,"West of Augstsee. ",,,,
-73,"2/S =",,,,"noinfo/kratzer/73.htm",,"Suppentellerschacht",,,4,"No Info","Discovered by K Gaisberger and F Hütter in August 1973 (to -30m) Sektion Ausseerland, 1977 (Karl Gaisberger + Edith Bednarik)","The first step is sprayed by meltwater, and the second step leads to -30m. A short rope leads to the next step. A rift follows an acute angle under the entrance way, some metres back. This section is very narrow, and over the narrow section pours a showerbath. Now a second squeeze leads to a fine pitch which bends back under the previous section. Then it gets complicated (the language, not the cave). It sounds like a series of either roomy or narrow wet pitches. Exploration appears to cease at -60m because of water down the neck and in the suit. It isn't clear if the cave actually stops at this point.",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,"1580m",,,"In 4, some way up valley from Fledermaushöhle (Kat.71).",,,,
-74,"1/T +",,,,"noinfo/kratzer/74.htm",,"Schneckenhaushöhle",,,4,"No Info","Edith Bednarik, 1977","Sounds like a free-climb to a snow choke (very much like B5, which must be in virtually the same place ?)",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,"1600m",,,"in 4, down valley from Fledermaushöhle (Kat. 71), on true right some way above bottom of valley. In the same entrance doline as Dr.Kerschner Höhle (Kat.35). ",,,,
+73,"2/S =",,,,"noinfo/kratzer/73.htm",,"Suppentellerschacht",,,4,"No Info","
","The first step is sprayed by meltwater, and the second step leads to -30m. A short rope leads to the next step. A rift follows an acute angle under the entrance way, some metres back. This section is very narrow, and over the narrow section pours a showerbath. Now a second squeeze leads to a fine pitch which bends back under the previous section. Then it gets complicated (the language, not the cave). It sounds like a series of either roomy or narrow wet pitches. Exploration appears to cease at -60m because of water down the neck and in the suit. It isn't clear if the cave actually stops at this point.",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,"1580m",,,"In 4, some way up valley from Fledermaushöhle (Kat.71).",,,, +74,"1/T +",,,,"noinfo/kratzer/74.htm",,"Schneckenhaushöhle",,,4,"No Info","Edith Bednarik, 1977","Sounds like a free-climb to a snow choke (very much like B5, which must be in virtually the same place ?)",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,"1600m",,,"in 4, down valley from Fledermaushöhle (Kat. 71), on true right some way above bottom of valley. In the same entrance doline as Dr.Kerschner Höhle (Kat.35).",,,, 75,"2/T +",,,,"noinfo/kratzer/75.htm",,"Wisenthöhle",,,4,"No Info","Edith Bednarik, 1977","This entrance connects with a second shaft just down valley. The Austrian article describing the cave says it is about 60m long, but this did not appear to be the case in 1990, since it seems to choke very quickly - perhaps digging would now be required to get in.",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,"1680m",,,"Just south of Schwarzmoossattel, in the far upper reaches of Kratzertal. There is an obvious freeclimbable shaft/cave just down valley from the equally obvious shakehole/shaft labelled B4.",,,,"It is numbered twice, once very faded and once very badly run (last seen 1996): both numbers are needed to deduce (with difficulty) that this is indeed ""75""." -76,"5/S/E +","a b c",,"yes","plateau/76.htm",,"Eislufthöhle",,,"1d",,"CUCC 1977-79","Two snow plugged dolines (76 b & c) and a narrow shaft (76a) unite in a narrow rift leading to a windy lifelining position, Draught Bitter, at the head of a 72m shaft plugged with snow. Rigging Plugged Shaft between snow and rock, pitches in 1977 were 18m to a snow platform, 12m to a ledge, then 29m to a substantial ledge, Yesterday's Terminus. In 1979, with changed snow topography, and rigging for SRT, the drops were 11, 7, 17 and 19m to Yesterday's Terminus where a traverse out reaches a bolt for the final 13m drop onto a snow pile in a large aven chamber. A further 13m pitch, Saved Shaft, into a smaller aven chamber, Boulder Chamber, leads to an apparent end, but thrutch through boulders into top of rift/canyon. Hole in floor is 32m pitch into Keg Series (no draught) with further unexplored pitch below. Continuing traverse leads to climbs down then split pitch of 19m and 14m, Follow-through Shaft, dropping into side of abandoned canyon. Upstream to the left ends immediately while down canyon leads to head of a chamber, The Taproom, with a 5m climb down a big boulder under heavy drip/spray (handline useful). Also from the head of the chamber, passage leads back to a large unexplored hole in floor with lots of water entering from a high aven. 1977 terminus at -150m.
From chamber, scramble down in rift (rope useful owing to greasy rock and 120 metre drop) to reach head of large rift pitch below jammed boulder. Pitch drops in two sections of 10m and 35m, with stream out of reach in canyon, to ledge where stream bed is crossed (traverse line). Further pitch of 10m leads to straddle climb up to rocking boulder, then traverse forward to good belays for 48m pitch. This lands on The Balcony where water runs away from obvious way on into a tight immature drain.
From the Balcony a 7m pitch drops into the Hall of the Greene King, a huge soaring aven chamber. The way on over a boulder floor leads under suspended boulders, one of immense size, to a 5m pitch down off the edge of a boulder. In the floor is a sharp canyon that loops round to a junction. Left leads to Gents' Pitch route, while right leads to a dry passage. After a few metres in the dry passage, there is a rift in the floor to the left, which is a muddy, broken pitch with sections of 3m, 12m and 18m into the main canyon (1978 route). Another few metres ahead, a bold step across the canyon leads to further passage which eventually degenerates and rejoins the main canyon upstream (right) of the bold step.
The 1979 route from the junction leads to a pitch of 16.5m, free hanging just clear of the wall, with an excellent takeoff. However the rope gets muddy from mud on clothing in a couple of trips, so care is required. Next drop is the Gents' pitch of 9.5m, which leads to a short streamway rejoining the main canyon from the 1978 route. The bottom of this pitch is a good place for cavers to perform ablutions with the mud on their ascenders, hence the name (all the explorers were male). The main passage now leads on with stream in floor and muddy ledges above until the Fiesta Run is reached. This awkward slanting rift pitch of 28m is so muddy that ladders are de rigeur. The name derives from the car crash which terminated exploration at this point in 1978.
A traverse forward on muddy ledges leads out over a huge shaft with the ominous sound of a waterfall below. Traversing further eventually leads to a further pitch of 5m to a col. Down another 10m on the side away from the main shaft lands on a solid floor in an abandoned rift. Forward leads through narrow passage with sharp rock to a point where thrutchy traversing is necessary to make further progress. A 23m broken pitch in sharp rock, with very bad rub points leads only to a tight crawl. This was pushed by Julian Griffiths to emerge at a drop with a large aven above, which remains unexplored at about -395m depth.
The main way on, however, is to drop back into canyon towards the ominous hiss of water in a very wide pitch where the stream seems to have hit a fault at right angles to the arriving passage direction. The middle section of this 28m pitch is huge, before narrowing to a ledge parallel to the new fault, and 'downstream' from the original direction of stream flow. From the ledge, a smaller shaft of 33m drops down the new fault rift to a boulder floor where the water sinks. The fault rift, Madlmeier Schacht, now drops in sections of 24 and 19m to the end of the rope in 1979. Here an exposed freeclimb of 5m with icy water flowing over the handholds is not really recommended - take a longer rope. Next pitch of 24m picks up the main water again 10m down, and final pitch of 17m from ledge drops to floor of rift chamber, but mud on floor precedes final muddy 10m pitch down a boulder wall to a deep and terminal rift sump at -506m.
Simon Farrow on the last 17m pitch of Madlmeier Schacht
Julian Griffiths at the final sump - 1979
There are a number of going leads in this cave and you're welcome to them.",,,,"The exploration is written up in many places:
From chamber, scramble down in rift (rope useful owing to greasy rock and 120 metre drop) to reach head of large rift pitch below jammed boulder. Pitch drops in two sections of 10m and 35m, with stream out of reach in canyon, to ledge where stream bed is crossed (traverse line). Further pitch of 10m leads to straddle climb up to rocking boulder, then traverse forward to good belays for 48m pitch. This lands on The Balcony where water runs away from obvious way on into a tight immature drain.
Ben with the Greene King pennant on the Balcony
From the Balcony a 7m pitch drops into the Hall of the Greene King, a huge soaring aven chamber. The way on over a boulder floor leads under suspended boulders, one of immense size, to a 5m pitch down off the edge of a boulder. In the floor is a sharp canyon that loops round to a junction. Left leads to Gents' Pitch route, while right leads to a dry passage. After a few metres in the dry passage, there is a rift in the floor to the left, which is a muddy, broken pitch with sections of 3m, 12m and 18m into the main canyon (1978 route). Another few metres ahead, a bold step across the canyon leads to further passage which eventually degenerates and rejoins the main canyon upstream (right) of the bold step.
Julian Griffiths abseiling the 16.5m and Gents' pitches on the bottoming trip in 1979
The 1979 route from the junction leads to a pitch of 16.5m, free hanging just clear of the wall, with an excellent takeoff. However the rope gets muddy from mud on clothing in a couple of trips, so care is required. Next drop is the Gents' pitch of 9.5m, which leads to a short streamway rejoining the main canyon from the 1978 route. The bottom of this pitch is a good place for cavers to perform ablutions with the mud on their ascenders, hence the name (all the explorers were male). The main passage now leads on with stream in floor and muddy ledges above until the Fiesta Run is reached. This awkward slanting rift pitch of 28m is so muddy that ladders are de rigeur. The name derives from the car crash which terminated exploration at this point in 1978.
A traverse forward on muddy ledges leads out over a huge shaft with the ominous sound of a waterfall below. Traversing further eventually leads to a further pitch of 5m to a col. Down another 10m on the side away from the main shaft lands on a solid floor in an abandoned rift. Forward leads through narrow passage with sharp rock to a point where thrutchy traversing is necessary to make further progress. A 23m broken pitch in sharp rock, with very bad rub points leads only to a tight crawl. This was pushed by Julian Griffiths to emerge at a drop with a large aven above, which remains unexplored at about -395m depth.
The main way on, however, is to drop back into canyon towards the ominous hiss of water in a very wide pitch where the stream seems to have hit a fault at right angles to the arriving passage direction. The middle section of this 28m pitch is huge, before narrowing to a ledge parallel to the new fault, and 'downstream' from the original direction of stream flow. From the ledge, a smaller shaft of 33m drops down the new fault rift to a boulder floor where the water sinks. The fault rift, Madlmeier Schacht, now drops in sections of 24 and 19m to the end of the rope in 1979. Here an exposed freeclimb of 5m with icy water flowing over the handholds is not really recommended - take a longer rope. Next pitch of 24m picks up the main water again 10m down, and final pitch of 17m from ledge drops to floor of rift chamber, but mud on floor precedes final muddy 10m pitch down a boulder wall to a deep and terminal rift sump at -506m.
Simon Farrow on the last 17m pitch of Madlmeier Schacht
Julian Griffiths at the final sump - 1979
There are a number of going leads in this cave and you're welcome to them.",,,,"The exploration is written up in many places:
This last, the only complete write up of 1977-79, appeared in Polish translation, and is published in the English original for the first time here.",,"? grade 1",,,"approx 506m",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,"Out on the plateau near some very large erratic boulders. Laser rangefound point 0/6 is between the three entrances",,,"
Simon Farrow at the entrance of 76 during the initial exploration in 1977
","The entrance is prominently numbered 106 which is the number we had allocated to it, but a description of the cave was published in the Belfry Bulletin, which is seen by Alfred Auer, who allocated his own number to it in advance of our report."
76,,"a",,"entrance","plateau/76a.htm",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,"p76a","p76","entrance dotted triangle on 76",,"Surface survey",,,82939,35874,"1645m ",,,,,,,
76,,"b",,"entrance","plateau/76b.htm",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
76,,"c",,"last entrance","plateau/76c.htm",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
77,"1/S +",,,,"noinfo/egglgrub/77.htm",,"Fichtenschacht",,,7,"No Info","Sektion Ausseerland/ Edith Bednarik, 1979",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,"1500m ",,,"North of Scharlingkar. Some way east of the Bergrestaurant, above the cliffs. 500m west of Egglgrubenalm.",,,,
-78,"5/S/t/E x","a b c d e",,"yes","smkridge/78.htm",,"Schwaben(schacht)höhle",,,"2a",,"Fred Vischer, 1980 (as far as 2/S/T)
Ongoing exploration by Arbeitsgemeinschaft Höhle und Karst Grabenstetten e.V. ","The cave is a complex of hading rifts and steep ramps with several deep points. The deepest point is near the southern limit of the system. A vertical series with pitches of 9m, 15m, 17m and 13m reaches Nägschtmol-Meander (1992), where the survey legs are all very short. This climbs slightly before heading south and dropping, passing Alexander der Große (a generally level side passage heading southwest to Leopardencanyon, apparently beyond the known passages in Schnellzughöhle) to der gute Abgang (the good lead). A 7m pitch and more steep descents end at a point almost directly above the assumed line of Pete's Purgatory in Schnellzug, maybe a third of the way to the Confluence from where it is abandoned for the Purgatory Bypass. This small streamway lies perhaps 120-130m below Schwabenschacht's deep point, but it is known that several unsurveyed fossil phreatic passages lie above this upstream part of the Purgatory, so a connection could be quite close.
This description is now quite out of date as it does not include the its connection, nor entrances c,d and e.",,,,,"In dataset",,"caves\078\078.svx","6.04km","289m",,,,,,,"p78a",,,,,,,,,,,"Entrances a and b are actually on the SW side of Vorder Schwarzmooskogel","Approached by the same route as for things to the east, as cliffs bar access from Kratzer. Follow the Stoger weg from Egglgrube, past the T-junction to Kratzer, and on until there is a red omega in the middle of the path (marking Kat. 28). Just before this, in a position with a better view, is a laser-rangefound point marked by a bolt with a painted circle round it.
Take the Eishöhle path, which starts from the omega, going left up the hillside. Follow this for a few minutes, past an awkward little traverse rigged with a steel cable and then a couple of minutes further. There is a very easily missed branch left just before the path traverses a ledge under an overhang in a cliff to its left in a relatively wide small valley. The landmark for this point is a dead (lightning) tree up on the right.
Take this left branch, and follow it (few landmarks, but it is a definite path, and there are cut branches in places). This path eventually climbs into impenetrable dwarf pine, to emerge at a small gravelly clearing and a doline, used as a bivouac site. The a and b entrances are just short distances away through the pine, the normally-used one being below a prominent larch tree. The other entrance is a long rift shaft. Both are impressive, though it is quite infeasible that anyone could ever have found them in the first place.",,, -,,"a","40o","entrance","smkridge/78a.htm",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,"Haupteingang",,"p78b",,,"Nils",,"gps00.78",35731,81430,"1666m",,,"Entrances a and b are actually on the SW side of Vorder Schwarzmooskogel","Approached by the same route as for things to the east, as cliffs bar access from Kratzer. Follow the Stoger weg from Egglgrube, past the T-junction to Kratzer, and on until there is a red omega in the middle of the path (marking Kat. 28). Just before this, in a position with a better view, is a laser-rangefound point marked by a bolt with a painted circle round it.
Take the Eishöhle path, which starts from the omega, going left up the hillside. Follow this for a few minutes, past an awkward little traverse rigged with a steel cable and then a couple of minutes further. There is a very easily missed branch left just before the path traverses a ledge under an overhang in a cliff to its left in a relatively wide small valley. The landmark for this point is a dead (lightning) tree up on the right.
Take this left branch, and follow it (few landmarks, but it is a definite path, and there are cut branches in places). This path eventually climbs into impenetrable dwarf pine, to emerge at a small gravelly clearing and a doline, used as a bivouac site. The a and b entrances are just short distances away through the pine, the normally-used one being below a prominent larch tree. The other entrance is a long rift shaft. Both are impressive, though it is quite infeasible that anyone could ever have found them in the first place.",,, -,,"b","40p","entrance","smkridge/78b.htm",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,"Klufteingang (E2)",,,,,"Nils",,,81417,35717,"1659m",,,"Entrances a and b are actually on the SW side of Vorder Schwarzmooskogel","Approached by the same route as for things to the east, as cliffs bar access from Kratzer. Follow the Stoger weg from Egglgrube, past the T-junction to Kratzer, and on until there is a red omega in the middle of the path (marking Kat. 28). Just before this, in a position with a better view, is a laser-rangefound point marked by a bolt with a painted circle round it.
Take the Eishöhle path, which starts from the omega, going left up the hillside. Follow this for a few minutes, past an awkward little traverse rigged with a steel cable and then a couple of minutes further. There is a very easily missed branch left just before the path traverses a ledge under an overhang in a cliff to its left in a relatively wide small valley. The landmark for this point is a dead (lightning) tree up on the right.
Take this left branch, and follow it (few landmarks, but it is a definite path, and there are cut branches in places). This path eventually climbs into impenetrable dwarf pine, to emerge at a small gravelly clearing and a doline, used as a bivouac site. The a and b entrances are just short distances away through the pine, the normally-used one being below a prominent larch tree. The other entrance is a long rift shaft. Both are impressive, though it is quite infeasible that anyone could ever have found them in the first place.",,, +78,"5/S/t/E x","a b c d e",,"yes","smkridge/78.htm",,"Schwaben(schacht)höhle",,,"2a",,"Fred Vischer, 1980 (as far as 2/S/T)
Ongoing exploration by Arbeitsgemeinschaft Höhle und Karst Grabenstetten e.V.","The cave is a complex of hading rifts and steep ramps with several deep points. The deepest point is near the southern limit of the system. A vertical series with pitches of 9m, 15m, 17m and 13m reaches Nägschtmol-Meander (1992), where the survey legs are all very short. This climbs slightly before heading south and dropping, passing Alexander der Große (a generally level side passage heading southwest to Leopardencanyon, apparently beyond the known passages in Schnellzughöhle) to der gute Abgang (the good lead). A 7m pitch and more steep descents end at a point almost directly above the assumed line of Pete's Purgatory in Schnellzug, maybe a third of the way to the Confluence from where it is abandoned for the Purgatory Bypass. This small streamway lies perhaps 120-130m below Schwabenschacht's deep point, but it is known that several unsurveyed fossil phreatic passages lie above this upstream part of the Purgatory, so a connection could be quite close.
This description is now quite out of date as it does not include the its connection, nor entrances c,d and e.",,,,,"In dataset",,"caves\078\078.svx","6.04km","289m",,,,,,,"p78a",,,,,,,,,,,"Entrances a and b are actually on the SW side of Vorder Schwarzmooskogel","Approached by the same route as for things to the east, as cliffs bar access from Kratzer. Follow the Stoger weg from Egglgrube, past the T-junction to Kratzer, and on until there is a red omega in the middle of the path (marking Kat. 28). Just before this, in a position with a better view, is a laser-rangefound point marked by a bolt with a painted circle round it.
Take the Eishöhle path, which starts from the omega, going left up the hillside. Follow this for a few minutes, past an awkward little traverse rigged with a steel cable and then a couple of minutes further. There is a very easily missed branch left just before the path traverses a ledge under an overhang in a cliff to its left in a relatively wide small valley. The landmark for this point is a dead (lightning) tree up on the right.
Take this left branch, and follow it (few landmarks, but it is a definite path, and there are cut branches in places). This path eventually climbs into impenetrable dwarf pine, to emerge at a small gravelly clearing and a doline, used as a bivouac site. The a and b entrances are just short distances away through the pine, the normally-used one being below a prominent larch tree. The other entrance is a long rift shaft. Both are impressive, though it is quite infeasible that anyone could ever have found them in the first place.",,, +,,"a","40o","entrance","smkridge/78a.htm",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,"Haupteingang",,"p78b",,,"Nils",,"gps00.78",35731,81430,"1666m",,,"Entrances a and b are actually on the SW side of Vorder Schwarzmooskogel","Approached by the same route as for things to the east, as cliffs bar access from Kratzer. Follow the Stoger weg from Egglgrube, past the T-junction to Kratzer, and on until there is a red omega in the middle of the path (marking Kat. 28). Just before this, in a position with a better view, is a laser-rangefound point marked by a bolt with a painted circle round it.
Take the Eishöhle path, which starts from the omega, going left up the hillside. Follow this for a few minutes, past an awkward little traverse rigged with a steel cable and then a couple of minutes further. There is a very easily missed branch left just before the path traverses a ledge under an overhang in a cliff to its left in a relatively wide small valley. The landmark for this point is a dead (lightning) tree up on the right.
Take this left branch, and follow it (few landmarks, but it is a definite path, and there are cut branches in places). This path eventually climbs into impenetrable dwarf pine, to emerge at a small gravelly clearing and a doline, used as a bivouac site. The a and b entrances are just short distances away through the pine, the normally-used one being below a prominent larch tree. The other entrance is a long rift shaft. Both are impressive, though it is quite infeasible that anyone could ever have found them in the first place.",,, +,,"b","40p","entrance","smkridge/78b.htm",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,"Klufteingang (E2)",,,,,"Nils",,,81417,35717,"1659m",,,"Entrances a and b are actually on the SW side of Vorder Schwarzmooskogel","Approached by the same route as for things to the east, as cliffs bar access from Kratzer. Follow the Stoger weg from Egglgrube, past the T-junction to Kratzer, and on until there is a red omega in the middle of the path (marking Kat. 28). Just before this, in a position with a better view, is a laser-rangefound point marked by a bolt with a painted circle round it.
Take the Eishöhle path, which starts from the omega, going left up the hillside. Follow this for a few minutes, past an awkward little traverse rigged with a steel cable and then a couple of minutes further. There is a very easily missed branch left just before the path traverses a ledge under an overhang in a cliff to its left in a relatively wide small valley. The landmark for this point is a dead (lightning) tree up on the right.
Take this left branch, and follow it (few landmarks, but it is a definite path, and there are cut branches in places). This path eventually climbs into impenetrable dwarf pine, to emerge at a small gravelly clearing and a doline, used as a bivouac site. The a and b entrances are just short distances away through the pine, the normally-used one being below a prominent larch tree. The other entrance is a long rift shaft. Both are impressive, though it is quite infeasible that anyone could ever have found them in the first place.",,, ,,"c","40q","entrance","smkridge/78c.htm",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,, ,,"d","40r","entrance","smkridge/78d.htm",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,"Tannenzäpfle",,"p78d",,,"Nils",,,81662,35730,"1666m",,,,,,, ,,"e",,"last entrance","smkridge/78e.htm",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,"Steinbläser",,"p78e",,,"Nils",,,81427,35787,"1682m",,,,,,, 79,"2/S +",,,,"noinfo/smkridge/79.htm",,"Badenerschacht",,,"2b","No Info","Vischer, 1980 ",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,"1780m (c 1650m in older kataster)",,,"Vorderer Schwarzmooskogel. ",,,, -80,"1/S +",,,,"plateau/80.htm",,"Schwa Schacht 80",,,"1c",,"CUCC 1977 - Team Geriatric, 1994","A straight pitch of 14m to a choke.",,,,,,,,,"14m ",,,,,,,"p080",,,"Nils","gps96bestfit.80","gps00.80",82468,35752,"1660m","(1996) VSK nipple: 135°, BW pt 1835: 043° (this cannot possibly be right), Grieskogel: 007°, HSK: 043°",,"Plateau just NE of col.","From Schwarzmoossattel, drop onto the plateau, where an intermittent line of cairns leads from the Bräuning wall camp (CUCC's Top Camp from 1988) across to the right, leading to the 8x caves and 145. Directly across a large clear area of karren, a large cairn used to mark the 8m by 5m entrance shaft, but this has apparently disappeared (1995) only to be rebuilt in 1996 - but is very vulnerable to demolition by winter snows. The shaft is otherwise invisible from a few metres away. The number 80, in red, is quite faded (1989) and is on the shaft wall facing the Bräuning wall. ",,,"tag 1998, retag 1999" +80,"1/S +",,,,"plateau/80.htm",,"Schwa Schacht 80",,,"1c",,"CUCC 1977 - Team Geriatric, 1994","A straight pitch of 14m to a choke.",,,,,,,,,"14m ",,,,,,,"p080",,,"Nils","gps96bestfit.80","gps00.80",82468,35752,"1660m","(1996) VSK nipple: 135°, BW pt 1835: 043° (this cannot possibly be right), Grieskogel: 007°, HSK: 043°",,"Plateau just NE of col.","From Schwarzmoossattel, drop onto the plateau, where an intermittent line of cairns leads from the Bräuning wall camp (CUCC's Top Camp from 1988) across to the right, leading to the 8x caves and 145. Directly across a large clear area of karren, a large cairn used to mark the 8m by 5m entrance shaft, but this has apparently disappeared (1995) only to be rebuilt in 1996 - but is very vulnerable to demolition by winter snows. The shaft is otherwise invisible from a few metres away. The number 80, in red, is quite faded (1989) and is on the shaft wall facing the Bräuning wall.",,,"tag 1998, retag 1999" 81,"1/T +",,,,"plateau/81.htm",,"Schwa Höhle 81",,,"1c",,"CUCC 1977 - Team Geriatric","A short section of horizontal passage 5m below the surface, with two entrances, but no way on. ",,,,,,,,"15m. ",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,"c 1670m",,,"Plateau just NE of col. ",,,,"paint" -82,"4/S/T +",,,,"plateau/82.htm",,"Bräuninghöhle",,,"1c",,"CUCC 1977 - Team Geriatric","Very obvious walking sized cave entrance leads to a boulder strewn passage (ice formations early in season) into an aven with daylight entering 20m above. A scramble over boulders leads to Apfelschacht - a 6m pitch with loose boulders at the head. This drops to a 3m climb and then a 20m pitch Orangenschacht with a trickle of water entering halfway down. From the foot, a fine keyhole passage imaginatively named Schlüssellochgang, and a choice of routes. The most obvious way on is a 10m pitch, Bierschacht over a stalagmite flow to an awkward crawl, Worm Passage, which looked likely to end things. However, this opens out suddenly at a pitch head. Nocheinbierschacht is 15m, impressively free. At the foot, a vocal connection can be made with a phreatic passage above the third pitch which ends in a big hole.
Ahead is a phreatic tunnel which chokes, and a large black emptiness. This is descended for 25m in four 6m steps, Viermalbierschacht, to a ledge big enough for one and a bit people. The stream goes over this ledge into a large black void. This pitch, Besoffene, is 50m and hangs free for all but the last 8m in a very impressive shaft. From the foot, traverse above a steeply dropping stream canyon to a sloping platform from which a 17m pitch reaches the stream floor. This cascades over a further 6m pitch, below which a climb out of the stream reaches a rig point for a 30m pitch ending on a slope down to a sump at -216m.",,,,,,"Cambridge Underground 1978, facing p 32
There is also an area plan showing 82 in context with 145 and 148.
",,,"-216m, +20",,,,,,,"p82","tip of rock marked ""82"" at entrance",,"Surface survey",,,82578,35867," 1658m",,,"Plateau 430m from col, roughly NE.","From Schwarzmoossattel, follow description to 80. From here, a route leads directly towards Hinterer Schwarzmooskogel over fairly flat karren, becoming more shattered towards another cairn. Then there is a somewhat chaotic area.
Skirt this on the left to a small ridge running left-right. There is a cairn to the right across the chaotic bit. From the ridge, 82 is the obvious entrance directly ahead. Across the ridge to the right, more cairns lead initially towards 82, but then become misleading as they head up the hill to Wolfhöhle (145). ",,"
Ahead is a phreatic tunnel which chokes, and a large black emptiness. This is descended for 25m in four 6m steps, Viermalbierschacht, to a ledge big enough for one and a bit people. The stream goes over this ledge into a large black void. This pitch, Besoffene, is 50m and hangs free for all but the last 8m in a very impressive shaft. From the foot, traverse above a steeply dropping stream canyon to a sloping platform from which a 17m pitch reaches the stream floor. This cascades over a further 6m pitch, below which a climb out of the stream reaches a rig point for a 30m pitch ending on a slope down to a sump at -216m.",,,,,,"Cambridge Underground 1978, facing p 32
There is also an area plan showing 82 in context with 145 and 148.
",,,"-216m, +20",,,,,,,"p82","tip of rock marked ""82"" at entrance",,"Surface survey",,,82578,35867," 1658m",,,"Plateau 430m from col, roughly NE.","From Schwarzmoossattel, follow description to 80. From here, a route leads directly towards Hinterer Schwarzmooskogel over fairly flat karren, becoming more shattered towards another cairn. Then there is a somewhat chaotic area.
Skirt this on the left to a small ridge running left-right. There is a cairn to the right across the chaotic bit. From the ridge, 82 is the obvious entrance directly ahead. Across the ridge to the right, more cairns lead initially towards 82, but then become misleading as they head up the hill to Wolfhöhle (145).",,"
","""82"" in red paint on boulder and on left of cave. 1998 tag ""1623 82 CUCC 1977"" on right inside cave entrance (not at survey point)." 83,"2/S +",,,,"plateau/83.htm",,"Schwa Schacht 83",,,"1c",,"CUCC 1977 - Team Geriatric","13m freeclimb dropped onto a steep snowslope requiring a handline. This was descended for 10m to a steep boulder slope which funnelled down to a small hole through which stones dropped for a long time. The large amounts of scree made descent unwise. Above the boulder slope, a phreatic passage led quickly to a big hole in the floor. The hole is a fine free-hanging descent of 36m to a solid choke of boulders. The phreatic passage continues beyond the pitch, but was not reached, and trends uphill.",,,,,,,,,"55m",,,,,,,"p83","exact point not recorded",,"Surface survey",,,82698,35931,"1669m",,,"Plateau, 200m north of Bräuninghöhle (Kat. 82). This is not very obvious, since it is in an area of dwarf pine on a knoll south of the dry valley containing Kat. 107",,,,"paint" 84,"1/T -",,,,"plateau/84.htm",,"Schwa Höhle 84",,,"1c",,"CUCC 1977 - Team Geriatric","Draughting tube leads to a small chamber, further small tube leads off, unexplored since deemed impenetrable in shorts and T-shirt.",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,"c 1660m",,,"Plateau WNW of Kat.83",,,,"paint" 85,"2/t/S +",,,,"plateau/85.htm",,"Schwa Höhle 85",,,"1c",,"CUCC 1977 - Team Geriatric","Large descending entrance leads to a series of free climbs ending too tight at -50m.",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,"p85","east wall of doline",,"Surface survey",,,82563,35852,"1658m",,,"Plateau, at southwest end of depression containing Bräuninghöhle (Kat.82)",,,,"large red painted number ""85""" 86,"1/S +",,,,"plateau/86.htm",,"Schwa Schacht 86",,,"1c",,"CUCC 1977 - Team Geriatric","Rift descent of 25m until gap between snow and rock got too small.",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,"c 1670m",,,"Plateau, on higher ground just SE of Bräuninghöhle (Kat.82)",,,,"paint" -"87A","3/S +",,,,"smkridge/87.htm",,"Schacht 87A bei Stögerweg",,,"2a",,"CUCC 1980,1987","Horizontal entrance at base of small cliff at head of dry valley, leads over peaty infill to a pitch head. Cross first hole and descend second, 30m to large chamber. To left is unsurveyed inlet ending too small, while to right is head of very steeply descending phreatic-tube-like pitch of 15m vertically (20m+ of rope). This is a little thrutchy to start, but opens out, and ends in a short climb.
A further 15m pitch follows, hanging clear of a wall made up mainly of boulders. A way on across the head of the final pitch appears too tight. Hole in floor is last pitch, of 33m, which has a boulder 10m high in it, and you can descend either side. Draught is lost into a small passage which you could reach by bolting, but it seems a little pointless.
There is a 1987 extension, but I can't make much sense of the logbook description.",,,,,,,"caves\087\087.svx",,"111.5m",,,,,,,"p87","first (of several) bolts used for rigging, LHS of entrance",,,,,81147,35987,"1536m",,,"In a dry valley leading up from the Stögerweg (path 201) shortly after the turn off for Schnellzughöhle. In 2001 the hole was seen blowing a large quantity of vapour visible from some way off.
Note: the 1987 logbook suggests we changed this to 87b and the cave that had mistakenly been numbered 88, here called 87B, we called 87, so we had better look into this.",,,"?","paint" -"87B",0,,,,"smkridge/87B.htm",,"Schacht 87B bei Stögerweg",,,"2a",,"CUCC 1980, 1987",,,,,,,,"caves\088\088.svx",,"minimal",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,"circa 1505m",,,"In Stogerweg - you literally step over it while walking along the path.
Numbered '88' in a fit of optimism while the explorer was getting changed to investigate this impressively draughting hole, it proved in fact to be only 1.2 metres deep and too tight. It appears to be above the inlet below pitch 1 in cave 87, and has been renumbered 87b, since the Austrians have allocated number 88 to Lärchenhöhle.
Note: the 1987 logbook suggests we changed this to 87a and 87 to 87b, so we had better look into this. ",,,, -88,"3/S/T x",,"40i",,"noinfo/smkridge/88.htm",,"Lärchenschacht",,,"2a","No Info","
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.
20m across the boulder slope, it is possible to descend the slope left into the main part of Oberpfälzer Halle, 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 Jsartal. 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.
Back at the junction at the start of Jsartal, 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 Jsartal develops into an 8m wide rocky chamber through which the floor trench meanders.
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 Geburtstagsgang, whilst right (north) eventually leads to the SchwarzmooskogelEishöhle connection.
Ascending a low ramp leads past various short side-extensions to Schafott - 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.
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 connect with one or both of the trenches seen earlier. Ahead reaches a chamber, with a steep slope down left to yet another trench, but staying high gains the continuation of Geburtstagsgang continuing small with a narrow floor canyon. This now goes NW for 50m, to a T-junction. Right ends almost immediately, whilst left shortly pops out in bigger passage on a ledge overlooking a small stream.
Right in the canyon, 12m away, is bigger passage (Großer Cañon), and the original way to Stellerweghöhle, whilst ahead/left goes west, quickly picking up an inlet from the left and dropping 30m in Ungarn Cañon, a narrow way for 50m, to where exploration ceased. It is not clear, but this may well be a pitch, quite possibly into part of the Stellerweg system.
By going right at the start of Ungarn Cañon, large, bouldery passage is soon met at a T-junction. To the right is an alternative route from the entrance via Frankenschnellweg and Großer Cañon. This route was found first, but the survey numbering suggests it was surveyed later and I might deduce that this is not the normal way.
Left in the bigger passage is over boulders, passing a short passage on the left. A hole in the floor of this appears to connect to Ungarn Cañon. Ahead, a slit in the floor is traversed (on the right ?) to reach a pair of large boulders. Up right here ends quickly in an unclimbable sediment wall. Continuing west, the trench reappears (now traversed on left) and soon expands to be a large hole in the floor. It is unclear from the survey how this is crossed, but on the far side, it would appear that a pitch of c 35m is descended, over jammed blocks. Rising steeply to the right (north) from (the foot ?) here is an unascended ramp, which seems likely to connect to unsurveyed passages below Roddick's Dive in 1623/144.
A continuation WNW from this point would appear to be part of the streamway below the Big Pitch in Stellerweghöhle. This in turn suggests that the 35m or so descent must be in the lower part of this shaft, and the ramp seen to the right starts some way above the foot of the pitch.
From the junction at the west of Jsartal, large passage heads north for a short way to a T-junction. Right encounters two floor trenches, the right hand of which soon widens to a 3m deep blind pit. Across this is 25m of rising passage to a choke. Left soon swings round and heads north again, passong another short, blind ascending way on the left. A short section of floor trench is traversed and a short way beyond is Brotzeitplatz, where a large cross-rift goes a short distance left and right.
Ahead is Frankenschnellweg, a rifty passage with rounded roof, heading north with an initial floor trench. Thirty metres or so from Brotzeitplatz another cross-rift is met, this time at an angle. This is the start of a slightly mazey area. To the right is narrow for 30m to the edge of a wide shaft, Regenschacht, 4m deep. By traversing right on the near edge, a small passage is gained which circles all the way round to the far side, then ends in a small aven.
Ahead in Frankenschnellweg, another cross-rift is encountered less than 20m ahead. Right turns sharply back and connects to the Regenschacht passage about halfway along. Left is too narrow to follow, but lines up with another section of rift in the mazey area. Continuing north in Frankenschnellweg, the boulder floor changes and a steep slope down leads to the lip of a canyon at Puits du Sable. Directly opposite is a short blind ramp up. Right is the way to Grand Galerie, described below, whilst left is the start of Großer Cañon.
This is the deep rift reached at the end of Frankenschnellweg, but it is not clear that this is the best way to get to it. Back at the start of the mazey area, the way left (SW) is boulder-floored rift which continues for twenty metres or so until a junction. Ahead chokes, but two ways right soon unite. The left way looks harder - a traverse over a trench, whilst the right way is boulder floored. Beyond the reunion is narrower, with a slot in the floor, and zig-zagging roughly NW, though clearly interrupted by a number of SW-NE joints. One of these can be followed for ten or fifteen metres, where it becomes too narrow, but lined up with a cross-rift in Frankenschnellweg.
After this joint, the next junction is effectively an oxbow on the left, where a bat was found during exploration. Ahead soon reaches the top of the Großer Cañon, some 40m downstream from the point reached in Frankenschnellweg. A descent to the bottom at this point is a 30m pitch. Directly across from the point of entry is a ramp up, with various sediment banks, leading to Sophienhalle. To the right goes back towards the Puits du Sable and Grand Galerie - see below.
To the left, Großer Cañon heads SW in a classic meander, or traversing rift. Give or take a couple of zags, this is straight for almost 100m, at which point it is interrupted by a bouldery chamber of about 10m diameter. Beyond, Großer Cañon continues S then SW again, getting wider. Boulders hide the trench, and the passage curves west. To the left is the way in via Geburtstagsgang and on to Ungarn Cañon. Ahead is the main way into Stellerweg, described above. It is not clear whether the stream below Großer Cañon goes on this way, or joins Ungarn Cañon.
Upstream in Großer Cañon, most easily reached by the Puits du Sable, ascending passage heads east, and soon develops into a very wide passage with a deep canyon floor. It looks as if this passage is done at the level of the bottom of the canyon, which leads up, passing an inlet on the right, to a large pool at the foot of Puits Madonna. This is ascended to reach a similar level to the point of entry above Puits du Sable. The continuation enlarges into Grande Galerie, soon attaining impressive dimensions of 15m wide by 20m high. Question marks mark apparently inaccessible passages, two on the right and one on the left.
Beyond a couple of impressive boulders, a climb up leads to a smaller continuation. To the right is a hole in the floor with passage beyond, but left is a ramp up which soon rejoins the passage beyond the hole. The way gets bigger again, in passage first explored from Schwarzmooskogeleishöhle, until after 50m, it ends at the foot of a thirty metre pitch from the other cave.
On the NW side of Großer Cañon, directly opposite the entry via the mazey area, or 40m downstream from the entry via Puits du Sable, is a ramp up NNW. Right and left are walls of sediment, but the main way suddenly turns right, though still ascending steeply. The ramp eases and becomes more bouldery, now heading NE, suddenly to end at a widening above a deep undescended pit. A climb up on the right of this reaches the top of the far wall, in a large N-S collapse chamber, Sophienhalle. This shows clear bedding in the walls, and appears to have formed by spalling. Over the boulder floor, another steep wall precedes a ramp down to a choke. Dotted lines suggest a northward continuation, though whether this is above or below the ramp is unclear.",,,,"Information from Groupe Spéléologique de Clerval - Baume les Dames",,,,,"215m to connection below Stellerweg big pitch. ",,,,,,,"p088",,"p088x","Nils",,,81391,36311,"1647m",,,,,,, +"87A","3/S +",,,,"smkridge/87.htm",,"Schacht 87A bei Stögerweg",,,"2a",,"CUCC 1980, 1987","Horizontal entrance at base of small cliff at head of dry valley, leads over peaty infill to a pitch head. Cross first hole and descend second, 30m to large chamber. To left is unsurveyed inlet ending too small, while to right is head of very steeply descending phreatic-tube-like pitch of 15m vertically (20m+ of rope). This is a little thrutchy to start, but opens out, and ends in a short climb.
A further 15m pitch follows, hanging clear of a wall made up mainly of boulders. A way on across the head of the final pitch appears too tight. Hole in floor is last pitch, of 33m, which has a boulder 10m high in it, and you can descend either side. Draught is lost into a small passage which you could reach by bolting, but it seems a little pointless.
There is a 1987 extension, but I can't make much sense of the logbook description.",,,,,,,"caves\087\087.svx",,"111.5m",,,,,,,"p87","first (of several) bolts used for rigging, LHS of entrance",,,,,81147,35987,"1536m",,,"In a dry valley leading up from the Stögerweg (path 201) shortly after the turn off for Schnellzughöhle. In 2001 the hole was seen blowing a large quantity of vapour visible from some way off.
Note: the 1987 logbook suggests we changed this to 87b and the cave that had mistakenly been numbered 88, here called 87B, we called 87, so we had better look into this.",,,,"paint" +"87B",0,,,,"smkridge/87B.htm",,"Schacht 87B bei Stögerweg",,,"2a",,"CUCC 1980, 1987",,,,,,,,"caves\088\088.svx",,"minimal",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,"circa 1505m",,,"In Stogerweg - you literally step over it while walking along the path.
Numbered '88' in a fit of optimism while the explorer was getting changed to investigate this impressively draughting hole, it proved in fact to be only 1.2 metres deep and too tight. It appears to be above the inlet below pitch 1 in cave 87, and has been renumbered 87b, since the Austrians have allocated number 88 to Lärchenhöhle.
Note: the 1987 logbook suggests we changed this to 87a and 87 to 87b, so we had better look into this. ",,,, +88,"3/S/T x",,"40i",,"noinfo/smkridge/88.htm",,"Lärchenschacht",,,"2a","No Info","
","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 Eishöhle. Contact was finally made with the French group in 1997 and Denis Motte 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 Stellerweghöhle (1623/41) and 1623/144.
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.
20m across the boulder slope, it is possible to descend the slope left into the main part of Oberpfälzer Halle, 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 Jsartal. 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.
Back at the junction at the start of Jsartal, 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 Jsartal develops into an 8m wide rocky chamber through which the floor trench meanders.
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 Geburtstagsgang, whilst right (north) eventually leads to the SchwarzmooskogelEishöhle connection.
Ascending a low ramp leads past various short side-extensions to Schafott - 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.
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 connect with one or both of the trenches seen earlier. Ahead reaches a chamber, with a steep slope down left to yet another trench, but staying high gains the continuation of Geburtstagsgang continuing small with a narrow floor canyon. This now goes NW for 50m, to a T-junction. Right ends almost immediately, whilst left shortly pops out in bigger passage on a ledge overlooking a small stream.
Right in the canyon, 12m away, is bigger passage (Großer Cañon), and the original way to Stellerweghöhle, whilst ahead/left goes west, quickly picking up an inlet from the left and dropping 30m in Ungarn Cañon, a narrow way for 50m, to where exploration ceased. It is not clear, but this may well be a pitch, quite possibly into part of the Stellerweg system.
By going right at the start of Ungarn Cañon, large, bouldery passage is soon met at a T-junction. To the right is an alternative route from the entrance via Frankenschnellweg and Großer Cañon. This route was found first, but the survey numbering suggests it was surveyed later and I might deduce that this is not the normal way.
Left in the bigger passage is over boulders, passing a short passage on the left. A hole in the floor of this appears to connect to Ungarn Cañon. Ahead, a slit in the floor is traversed (on the right ?) to reach a pair of large boulders. Up right here ends quickly in an unclimbable sediment wall. Continuing west, the trench reappears (now traversed on left) and soon expands to be a large hole in the floor. It is unclear from the survey how this is crossed, but on the far side, it would appear that a pitch of c 35m is descended, over jammed blocks. Rising steeply to the right (north) from (the foot ?) here is an unascended ramp, which seems likely to connect to unsurveyed passages below Roddick's Dive in 1623/144.
A continuation WNW from this point would appear to be part of the streamway below the Big Pitch in Stellerweghöhle. This in turn suggests that the 35m or so descent must be in the lower part of this shaft, and the ramp seen to the right starts some way above the foot of the pitch.
From the junction at the west of Jsartal, large passage heads north for a short way to a T-junction. Right encounters two floor trenches, the right hand of which soon widens to a 3m deep blind pit. Across this is 25m of rising passage to a choke. Left soon swings round and heads north again, passong another short, blind ascending way on the left. A short section of floor trench is traversed and a short way beyond is Brotzeitplatz, where a large cross-rift goes a short distance left and right.
Ahead is Frankenschnellweg, a rifty passage with rounded roof, heading north with an initial floor trench. Thirty metres or so from Brotzeitplatz another cross-rift is met, this time at an angle. This is the start of a slightly mazey area. To the right is narrow for 30m to the edge of a wide shaft, Regenschacht, 4m deep. By traversing right on the near edge, a small passage is gained which circles all the way round to the far side, then ends in a small aven.
Ahead in Frankenschnellweg, another cross-rift is encountered less than 20m ahead. Right turns sharply back and connects to the Regenschacht passage about halfway along. Left is too narrow to follow, but lines up with another section of rift in the mazey area. Continuing north in Frankenschnellweg, the boulder floor changes and a steep slope down leads to the lip of a canyon at Puits du Sable. Directly opposite is a short blind ramp up. Right is the way to Grand Galerie, described below, whilst left is the start of Großer Cañon.
This is the deep rift reached at the end of Frankenschnellweg, but it is not clear that this is the best way to get to it. Back at the start of the mazey area, the way left (SW) is boulder-floored rift which continues for twenty metres or so until a junction. Ahead chokes, but two ways right soon unite. The left way looks harder - a traverse over a trench, whilst the right way is boulder floored. Beyond the reunion is narrower, with a slot in the floor, and zig-zagging roughly NW, though clearly interrupted by a number of SW-NE joints. One of these can be followed for ten or fifteen metres, where it becomes too narrow, but lined up with a cross-rift in Frankenschnellweg.
After this joint, the next junction is effectively an oxbow on the left, where a bat was found during exploration. Ahead soon reaches the top of the Großer Cañon, some 40m downstream from the point reached in Frankenschnellweg. A descent to the bottom at this point is a 30m pitch. Directly across from the point of entry is a ramp up, with various sediment banks, leading to Sophienhalle. To the right goes back towards the Puits du Sable and Grand Galerie - see below.
To the left, Großer Cañon heads SW in a classic meander, or traversing rift. Give or take a couple of zags, this is straight for almost 100m, at which point it is interrupted by a bouldery chamber of about 10m diameter. Beyond, Großer Cañon continues S then SW again, getting wider. Boulders hide the trench, and the passage curves west. To the left is the way in via Geburtstagsgang and on to Ungarn Cañon. Ahead is the main way into Stellerweg, described above. It is not clear whether the stream below Großer Cañon goes on this way, or joins Ungarn Cañon.
Upstream in Großer Cañon, most easily reached by the Puits du Sable, ascending passage heads east, and soon develops into a very wide passage with a deep canyon floor. It looks as if this passage is done at the level of the bottom of the canyon, which leads up, passing an inlet on the right, to a large pool at the foot of Puits Madonna. This is ascended to reach a similar level to the point of entry above Puits du Sable. The continuation enlarges into Grande Galerie, soon attaining impressive dimensions of 15m wide by 20m high. Question marks mark apparently inaccessible passages, two on the right and one on the left.
Beyond a couple of impressive boulders, a climb up leads to a smaller continuation. To the right is a hole in the floor with passage beyond, but left is a ramp up which soon rejoins the passage beyond the hole. The way gets bigger again, in passage first explored from Schwarzmooskogeleishöhle, until after 50m, it ends at the foot of a thirty metre pitch from the other cave.
On the NW side of Großer Cañon, directly opposite the entry via the mazey area, or 40m downstream from the entry via Puits du Sable, is a ramp up NNW. Right and left are walls of sediment, but the main way suddenly turns right, though still ascending steeply. The ramp eases and becomes more bouldery, now heading NE, suddenly to end at a widening above a deep undescended pit. A climb up on the right of this reaches the top of the far wall, in a large N-S collapse chamber, Sophienhalle. This shows clear bedding in the walls, and appears to have formed by spalling. Over the boulder floor, another steep wall precedes a ramp down to a choke. Dotted lines suggest a northward continuation, though whether this is above or below the ramp is unclear.",,,,"Information from Groupe Spéléologique de Clerval - Baume les Dames",,,,,"215m to connection below Stellerweg big pitch. ",,,,,,,"p088",,"p088x","Nils",,,81391,36311,"1647m",,,,,,,
89,"1/S +",,,,"plateau/89.htm",,"Schwa Schacht 89",,,"1d",,"CUCC 1979 ","A 25m shaft into a narrow rift of zero lateral extension. ",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,"c 1630m ",,,"Plateau",,,,
-90,"1/S +",,,,"plateau/90.htm",,"Bräu Schacht 90",,,"1a",,"CUCC 1977 - Team Enthusiast.","Rift entrance in scrub leads to a loose, choked rift, 20m deep. 1996 sketch survey says 12.5m deep, 3m long (N-S) and 1.4m wide. West wall of shaft is 1.5m higher than east, and bolt plus red-painted number are at SE corner.",,,,,,"? CUCC 1996 - Wookey.",,,"20m",,,,,,"p90",,,,"Surface survey",,"gps00.90",82353,35373,"1681m","Bräuning Wall pt. 1828: 247°
Bräuning Nase: 153°
Vorderer Schwarzmooskogel (nipple): 097°
Hinterer Schwarzmooskogel: 050°
Schönberg: 346°
",,"Plateau - below Bräuning Scharte - the large and dramatic breach in the Bräuning Wall.","Not located in search, 1989. Found 1996 and surveyed to. From Top Camp follow Bräuning path on slope, about 80m along (from point above waterhole) to where it meets edge of large patch of dwarf pine (c 100m diameter) on a raised limestone shelf. There is another patch of pines on slope to left for c 30m. Entrance is close to corner of big patch, 21m from path. Follow joint through gap in pines about 5m past where limestone step meets path. This is the same joint as CUCC 1996 WK 02, CUCC 1996 WK 03 and 1623/159
Surface survey location sketch in not KH 1996 p 3",,"?","red painted number ""90"" (1977), 1998 tag ""1623 90 CUCC 1977"""
-91,"1/S +",,,,"plateau/91.htm",,"Bräu Schacht 91",,,"1a",,"CUCC 1977 - Team Enthusiast.","A snow-fed rift in open karren on a fault/joint aligned on 67°. Choked at -20m (or plumb of -14m in 1996 to tiny snow plug).",,,,,,,,,"20m",,,,,,"p91",,,,,,"gps00.91",82472,35271,"1652m","Schönberg 347°, HSK 054°, VSK (nipple) 108°, Bräuning Nase 150°, Bräuning Wall pt. 1828 210°, Bräuning Wall pt. 1835 224°
GPS: UTM 33T 0410171 5280908; UTM 33T 0410155 5280976; UTM 33T 0410177 5280894
",,"Plateau - below Bräuning Scharte.","From Schwarzmoossattel, follow cairned path below the Bräuning Wall, past Top Camp (1988 on). Where this path meets the scree/snow slope from the wall, it turns right, out onto the plateau (this is the main path to Gschwandt-Alm, in frequent use).
100m from the right turn is a snow field on the right, with the sound of falling water at its lower edge. This is the entrance to 91. The bolt is at the NE end of the rift. ",,"
100m from the right turn is a snow field on the right, with the sound of falling water at its lower edge. This is the entrance to 91 and from here, 93 is 20m further away from the Bräuning Wall.",,"
100m from the right turn is a snow field on the right, with the sound of falling water at its lower edge. This is the entrance to 91. The bolt is at the NE end of the rift. ",,"
Entrance 91 looking north towards 93 and Schönberg
","number in red (1977) on small scarp facing south, 1998 tag ""1623 91 CUCC 1977"""
+92,"2/S +",,,,"plateau/92.htm",,"Bräu Schacht 92",,,"1a",,"CUCC 1977 - Team Enthusiast.","Pitch of 15m leads to a boulder thrutch and climbs down. More boulders lead to a final pitch of 30m to a solid choke at -90m.",,,,,,"",,,"90m",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,"1645m",,,"Plateau - below Bräuning Scharte. Not located in searches, 1989, 1998.",,"Small, horizontal entrance in deep scrub draughts slightly and leads to an incredibly loose interior.",,"paint"
+93,"1/S +",,,,"plateau/93.htm",,"Bräu Schacht 93",,,"1a",,"CUCC 1977 - Team Enthusiast.","Long rift on a joint (strike 246°, dip 70° towards SE) ending in choke at -35m. An adjacent shaft on the same joint but further east is bigger and more obvious, but chokes much nearer the surface. ",,,,,,,,,"35m",,,,,,"p93",,,,"Surface survey",,,82485,35269,"1650m",,,"Plateau - below Bräuning Scharte, north of Kataster 91. ","From Schwarzmoossattel, follow cairned path below the Bräuning Wall, past Top Camp (1988 on). Where this path meets the scree/snow slope from the wall, it turns right, out onto the plateau (this is the main path to Gschwandt-Alm, in frequent use).
100m from the right turn is a snow field on the right, with the sound of falling water at its lower edge. This is the entrance to 91 and from here, 93 is 20m further away from the Bräuning Wall.",,"
Entrance 91 on left, looking towards 93 and Schönberg
","numbered in red (1977) on scarp facing south, 1998 tag ""1623 93 CUCC 1977"".(placed in middle of ""9"")" +94,"1/S +",,,,"plateau/94.htm",,"Bräu Schacht 94",,,"1a",,"CUCC 1977 - Team Enthusiast.","A rift on a joint (strike 223°, dip 70° to SE) is a spiralling freeclimb to a choke at -35m",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,"p94",,,,"Surface survey",,,82540,35248,"1642m",,," A little north of Kat.93.","From 91 (q.v.), the karren slopes down at 10°. About 50m down the slope on a bearing of 335° is the large open shaft of 94, (visible from 93, which is about 20m from 91).",,"
Entrance 94 in centre, looking towards Schönberg
","tag bolt (middle of ""9"")"
95,"1/S -",,,,"br-alm/95.htm",,"Bräu Schacht 95",,,3,,"CUCC 1977 - Team Enthusiast. ","A 10m climb down to an unpushed and unpromising tube. ",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,"1585m",,,"South of Bräuning Alm, near camp 1 (1977) ? ",,,,
-96,"3/S +",,,,"br-alm/96.htm",,"Bräu Schacht 96",,,3,,"CUCC 1977 - Team Enthusiast.","Open shaft of 15m leads to a descending rift. Next pitch of 25m, then a short climb, 6m pitch and 15m pitch into a chamber where the water sinks. The upper level of a small rift leads to an abandoned passage and a series of increasingly muddy freeclimbs to a final squeeze and 5m pitch into a sordid little sump.",,,,,,"",,,"105m",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,"c 1600m",,,"In grassy pasture east of Bräuning Alm, next to CUCC's high-level camp of 1977 (camp 1). ",,,"
","number painted red in 1976, refreshed (probably in orange which elsewhere hasn't lasted well) in 1990."
-97,"4/S/W x",,,,"plateau/97.htm",,"Schneewindschacht",,,"1d",,"CUCC 1977 - Team Enthusiast.","The entrance is the head of a 10m freeclimbable chimney, followed by a 5m climb into a small chamber. Two ways on from the chamber unite in a tiny crawl under a drip. A thrutch through (about the size of Baptistry in Car Pot) is The Nun's Cunt, which ends abruptly at The Vestry, where SRT gear can be put back on while perched above the pitch which follows. Drops of 15m, 20m and 20m, The Bottomless Abbess, lead to a traverse over a blind pitch of about 10m.
The Bottomless Abbess continues with pitches of 15m, 30m, 15m and 15m to a short horizontal section. This breaks out into the side of another shaft where 15m and 10m pitches lead to a more complex area. A short pitch of 6m leads to the Priest's Hole and a gently slanting ramp into a dry, dusty, abandoned phreatic passage. This is interrupted by a large hole in the floor, which would require bolts to cross.
Down the hole, the 25m pitch starts unpromisingly, but soon bells out into a magnificent trench passage. Traversing over a gully leads to a series of short climbs and a fine last pitch The Dissolution. Here the water sinks into an impenetrable crack.
The entrance draughts strongly, but there is no air movement at the end, the most likely way on being the traverse to reach the continuation of the phreatic level at -190m. Unfortunately, the trip to this point is quite severe, since the crawl would render rescue impractical and the Bottomless Abbess rapidly becomes very wet after rain.",,,,,,"grade 1 extended section, JTG, 1977.
Surface survey grade 3, 1984, AERW+MM from laser 0/4 at Wolfhöhle
","number painted red in 1976, refreshed (probably in orange which elsewhere hasn't lasted well) in 1990." +97,"4/S/W x",,,,"plateau/97.htm",,"Schneewindschacht",,,"1d",,"CUCC 1977 - Team Enthusiast.","The entrance is the head of a 10m freeclimbable chimney, followed by a 5m climb into a small chamber. Two ways on from the chamber unite in a tiny crawl under a drip. A thrutch through (about the size of Baptistry in Car Pot) is The Nun's Cunt, which ends abruptly at The Vestry, where SRT gear can be put back on while perched above the pitch which follows. Drops of 15m, 20m and 20m, The Bottomless Abbess, lead to a traverse over a blind pitch of about 10m.
The Bottomless Abbess continues with pitches of 15m, 30m, 15m and 15m to a short horizontal section. This breaks out into the side of another shaft where 15m and 10m pitches lead to a more complex area. A short pitch of 6m leads to the Priest's Hole and a gently slanting ramp into a dry, dusty, abandoned phreatic passage. This is interrupted by a large hole in the floor, which would require bolts to cross.
Down the hole, the 25m pitch starts unpromisingly, but soon bells out into a magnificent trench passage. Traversing over a gully leads to a series of short climbs and a fine last pitch The Dissolution. Here the water sinks into an impenetrable crack.
The entrance draughts strongly, but there is no air movement at the end, the most likely way on being the traverse to reach the continuation of the phreatic level at -190m. Unfortunately, the trip to this point is quite severe, since the crawl would render rescue impractical and the Bottomless Abbess rapidly becomes very wet after rain.",,,,,,"
",,,"265m",,,,,,,"p97","west edge of doline",,"Surface survey",,,83039,35837,"1641m",,,"Out on the plateau.","Head across for the large erratic boulders near 76 (aka 106), then away from the col past the open shaft of 105, turning left at a gap in the scrub which leads down a bare karren corridor to some dolines. Step across one and cast about for a large one with 97 in red paint.","A moderately large doline, usually without snow, has a small triangular opening at the SW end.",,"""97"" in red paint on doline wall" 98,"1/S +",,,,"plateau/98.htm",,"Plateau Schacht 98",,,"1d",,"CUCC 1978 - Team Youth/Ladders","After top of entrance shaft, it bells out, to land on a lightly boulder-covered floor after 29m. Tight thrutch to one side leads to second pitch of 17m to a flat rock floor with no way on.",,,,"Logbook accounts",,,,,"47m",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,"c 1630m ",,,"Out on the plateau somewhat further than 97, in a large sloping rockface.",,"A small shaft in a large grike with very sharp rocks at the top",, -99,"1/S x",,,,"plateau/99.htm",,"Plateau Schacht 99",,,"1d",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,"p99",,,,"Surface survey",,,82904,35871,"1642m",,,"?","?","?","?","tag 1999" -100,"1/S +",,,,"plateau/100.htm",,"Plateau Schacht 100",,,"1a",,"CUCC 1977, Team Youth, and again in 1990 by AERW ","An east-west rift with two obvious points of descent. The more easterly is about 6m deep and can be seen to end in a chamber. The more westerly is a 15m pitch, with a window communicating with the east hole. At base are boulders and a climb down. A crawl leads to an inlet where water appears and sinks into an impenetrable slot with very sharp rock. ",,,,,,,,,"18m",,,,,,"p100",,,,"Surface survey",,"?",82401,35521,"1657m",,,"Just beyond the col, on the left. It is, in fact, extremely near Top Camp, virtually on one of the routes to the Schwarzmooskogel areas. ",0,,"?","red painted number, with 1998 tag ""1623 100 CUCC 1977"" in centre (M6 stud).
This cave was originally only numbered in carbide, so was unmarked for years. It was relocated in 1989, but was not numbered until 1993 since AERW didn't think to carry paint while trying to find old holes. The orange numer was fading and chipped in 1995, so was refreshed in red. The surface survey was to the centre of the middle digit of the number." +99,"1/S x",,,,"plateau/99.htm",,"Plateau Schacht 99",,,"1d",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,"p99",,,,"Surface survey",,,82904,35871,"1642m",,,,,,,"tag 1999" +100,"1/S +",,,,"plateau/100.htm",,"Plateau Schacht 100",,,"1a",,"CUCC 1977, Team Youth, and again in 1990 by AERW ","An east-west rift with two obvious points of descent. The more easterly is about 6m deep and can be seen to end in a chamber. The more westerly is a 15m pitch, with a window communicating with the east hole. At base are boulders and a climb down. A crawl leads to an inlet where water appears and sinks into an impenetrable slot with very sharp rock. ",,,,,,,,,"18m",,,,,,"p100",,,,"Surface survey",,"?",82401,35521,"1657m",,,"Just beyond the col, on the left. It is, in fact, extremely near Top Camp, virtually on one of the routes to the Schwarzmooskogel areas. ",0,,,"red painted number, with 1998 tag ""1623 100 CUCC 1977"" in centre (M6 stud).
This cave was originally only numbered in carbide, so was unmarked for years. It was relocated in 1989, but was not numbered until 1993 since AERW didn't think to carry paint while trying to find old holes. The orange number was fading and chipped in 1995, so was refreshed in red. The surface survey was to the centre of the middle digit of the number." 101,"1/S +","main a",,"yes","plateau/101.htm",,"Plateau Schacht 101",,,"1b",,"CUCC 1977 - Team Youth (A.Waddington & N.Thorne)","Entrance is in a rift orientated 40°-220° and hading about 20°. A 5m climb down leads to a horizontal passage going both ways, north leading out into the face of the scarp (101A). South (down dip) leads to a 4m pitch followed by a small crawl in a scree-floored phreatic tube, leading down dip, at about 30°. This drops via a short climb into a meandering phreatic tube with a tiny stream slot fed by an aven on the left. Progress is by crawling in the roof tube, which goes for about 40m until a window in the right wall leads to the base of an aven. The continuing crawl is too small, while a climb down below the aven (undescended) appears to choke.",,,,,,"? grade 1",,,"~12m",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,"Bräuning Scharte 218°, Grieskogel 012.5°, Bräuning Nase 194.5°, Lost Rucksack cairn 319° (compass #439258: NPC2)",,"Out on the plateau, near a large north-facing fault scarp on 125-305°. Perhaps best located when looking for Wolfhöhle (which is nowhere nearby) in the mist (see 1984 logbook). There was an OAV ski-tourers' marker pole due north of the col, from which the entrance is about 50m away on 35°. Unfortunately, the pole was pretty much invisible from the approach route in 1977, and is now rotting on the ground, only visible from a metre away at best. However, the cave was relocated in 1998. It turns out to be very close to the faintly-marked path which leads past Lost Rucksack Cave towards CUCC 1996-05, and is a short way south of 1623/173.
(GPS: (cliff directly above 101A) GK 5410503 5283483 (FOM 9.2m))",,,,"extremely faded numbers ""101"" and ""101A"" in red on upper and lower entrances. 1998 tag ""1623 101 CUCC 1977"" on upper entrance, southeast-facing (M6 stud)." -,,"main",,"entrance","plateau/101main.htm",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,"p101tag",,,," Surface survey to entrance CUCC, 1998",,,82908,35601,"1633m","Bräuning Scharte 218°, Grieskogel 012.5°, Bräuning Nase 194.5°, Lost Rucksack cairn 319° (compass #439258: NPC2)",,,,"Entrance is in a rift orientated 40°-220° and hading about 20°","?","extremely faded numbers ""101"" in red. 1998 tag ""1623 101 CUCC 1977"" southeast-facing (M6 stud)." +,,"main",,"entrance","plateau/101main.htm",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,"p101tag",,,," Surface survey to entrance CUCC, 1998",,,82908,35601,"1633m","Bräuning Scharte 218°, Grieskogel 012.5°, Bräuning Nase 194.5°, Lost Rucksack cairn 319° (compass #439258: NPC2)",,,,"Entrance is in a rift orientated 40°-220° and hading about 20°",,"extremely faded numbers ""101"" in red. 1998 tag ""1623 101 CUCC 1977"" southeast-facing (M6 stud)." ,,"a",,"last entrance","plateau/101a.htm",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,"gps98.101a",,,,,,,"(GPS: (cliff directly above 101A) GK 5410503 5283483 (FOM 9.2m))",,,,"extremely faded numbers ""101A"" in red" -102,"1/S +",,,,"plateau/102.htm",,"Plateau Schacht 102",,,"1b",,"CUCC 1977 - Team Youth (A.Waddington) ","A near-straight shaft of 20m ends on a snow plug.",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,"gps98.102","gps00.102 gps00.102a",,,"c 1630m",,,"GPS GK 5410464 5283496 (FOM 11.5m) About 50m west of Kat.101, c 15m south of Kat. 103, on a parallel joint.",,,"?","painted number is extremely faded, and appears only as a slight lightening in the lichen when wet. Part drilled hole for tag. Tagged 1998" -103,"1/S +",,,,"plateau/103.htm",,"Plateau Schacht 103",,,"1b",,"CUCC 1977 - Team Youth (S.Farrow & N.Thorne)","A semi-horizontal rift going south, slopes down at 45° to head of a very broken shaft aligned on a joint perpendicular to the scarp (joint is on 055-235°). Drops 30m past much wedged, frost-shattered rock to a choke at -30m.",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,"p103tag",,,,"Surface survey","gps98.103",,82932,35577,"1632m","HSK 075°, VSK Nipple 153°, Lost Rucksack Cairn 325°",,"GPS GK 5410472 5283506 (FOM 8.7m) About 15m north of Kat.102, in the face of the same 125-305° fault scarp as 101īs northward crawl, which is about 35m away to the SE. ",,,"?"," alloy tag ""1623 103 CUCC 1977"" on M6 stud below the faded remains of a painted number on the NW-facing wall of a prominent joint making a break in the scarp fade in which the entrance lies. " +102,"1/S +",,,,"plateau/102.htm",,"Plateau Schacht 102",,,"1b",,"CUCC 1977 - Team Youth (A.Waddington) ","A near-straight shaft of 20m ends on a snow plug.",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,"gps98.102","gps00.102 gps00.102a",,,"c 1630m",,,"GPS GK 5410464 5283496 (FOM 11.5m) About 50m west of Kat.101, c 15m south of Kat. 103, on a parallel joint.",,,,"painted number is extremely faded, and appears only as a slight lightening in the lichen when wet. Part drilled hole for tag. Tagged 1998" +103,"1/S +",,,,"plateau/103.htm",,"Plateau Schacht 103",,,"1b",,"CUCC 1977 - Team Youth (S.Farrow & N.Thorne)","A semi-horizontal rift going south, slopes down at 45° to head of a very broken shaft aligned on a joint perpendicular to the scarp (joint is on 055-235°). Drops 30m past much wedged, frost-shattered rock to a choke at -30m.",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,"p103tag",,,,"Surface survey","gps98.103",,82932,35577,"1632m","HSK 075°, VSK Nipple 153°, Lost Rucksack Cairn 325°",,"GPS GK 5410472 5283506 (FOM 8.7m) About 15m north of Kat.102, in the face of the same 125-305° fault scarp as 101īs northward crawl, which is about 35m away to the SE. ",,,," alloy tag ""1623 103 CUCC 1977"" on M6 stud below the faded remains of a painted number on the NW-facing wall of a prominent joint making a break in the scarp fade in which the entrance lies. " 104,"1/S +",,,,"plateau/104.htm",,"Plateau Schacht 104",,,"1d",,"CUCC 1977 - Team Youth (S.Farrow)","Belay to a bolt in the boulder (on top, 1977 vintage), and as much dwarf pine as you can string together. A somewhat broken but roomy shaft of 29m with ledges at -10 and -24m, to a choke.",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,"c 1650m ",,,"In deep scrub adjacent to a very large erratic boulder, in the same area as Eislufthöhle (Kat. 76). The boulder has an incipient split, and is visible from the col.",,,,"paint" -105,"1/S +",,,,"plateau/105.htm",,"Plateau Schacht 105",,,"1d",,"CUCC 1977 - Team Youth (N.Thorne, A.Waddington)","Handline descent for 9m leads to a ledge from where a fine 31m pitch drops 14m to a large ledge, then continues in a parallel shaft below an aven, with further ledges at -17, -21m. The shaft is in clean bluish-white limestone and lands on a dampish flat gravel floor.",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,"p105",,,"Surface survey",,,82967,35883,"1649m ",,,"30m north of Eislufthöhle on the plateau.",,,"?","paint tag 1999" +105,"1/S +",,,,"plateau/105.htm",,"Plateau Schacht 105",,,"1d",,"CUCC 1977 - Team Youth (N.Thorne, A.Waddington)","Handline descent for 9m leads to a ledge from where a fine 31m pitch drops 14m to a large ledge, then continues in a parallel shaft below an aven, with further ledges at -17, -21m. The shaft is in clean bluish-white limestone and lands on a dampish flat gravel floor.",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,"p105",,,"Surface survey",,,82967,35883,"1649m ",,,"30m north of Eislufthöhle on the plateau.",,,,"paint tag 1999" 106,,,,,,,,,"Number not allocated (see Eislufthöhle 1623/76)",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,, -107,"4/S/T +",,,,"plateau/107.htm",,"Gemshöhle",,,"1d",,"CUCC 1978: opened and Big Rift explored by Team Youth. Team Geriatric explored the Big Pitch and reached the bottom.","Small entrance in boulders in a dry gully drops into a small chamber, in the bottom corner of which is the excavated head of a pitch. This quickly bells out to 6m diameter and lands after 18m in a large passage which contains ice-formations early in the season. This large, phreatic passage chokes in both directions and the way on is in a rift to one side, from which the draught pours.
A pitch of 23m has an inlet entering part way down, which makes the rest of this pitch and the following one of 19m unpleasant in wet weather. Two ways then lead on, either down with the water or by traversing round this drop to another passage.
Climbing down with the water leads to a short passage with the water in a rift below. Round a sharp corner is a short drop to the head of a larger rift. A 5m pitch down this leads to another rift which, in turn, leads out to the side of a large shaft. Stones dropped from a small hole in the corner of the passage above the 5m pitch also fall into this shaft. Laddering from the side, the pitch is 67m with a large ledge just above half-way, and is unpleasantly wet in poor weather. From the base of this pitch, the continuing rift/canyon trends south west and has pitches of 5, 9 and 8m before the other route drops in from above.
Over the traverse, a short pitch of 4.5m, followed by a short climb up, leads to the head of a pitch of 10m to a boulder floor. Two ways on from here are down through the boulders into a shaft, or across the shaft and into a narrow rift. The way through boulders soon chokes, but the narrow rift soon opens into a massive shaft of 100m with a rebelay roughly halfway. This drops directly into the rift reached by the original route.
Below the junction, the rift continues with a 5m climb and pitches of 5, 14 and 44m, this last pitch being quite wet and emerging into a massive cross-rift trending south east. The water disappears into the choked floor of this rift via a nasty wet crawl, rapidly becoming too small.",,,,,,"? grade 5",,,"280m",,,,,,,"p107",,"exact point not recorded","Surface survey","gps98.107",,82721,35929,"1660m",,,"On the plateau in a prominent dry valley below southern forepeak of Hinterer Schwarzmooskogel, some way below Laser Point 0_5. The bottom of the gully is pretty much on the (cairned) best walking route from Top Camp to Bräuninghöhle (Kat.82) and Eislufthöhle (Kat.76).",,,"
A pitch of 23m has an inlet entering part way down, which makes the rest of this pitch and the following one of 19m unpleasant in wet weather. Two ways then lead on, either down with the water or by traversing round this drop to another passage.
Climbing down with the water leads to a short passage with the water in a rift below. Round a sharp corner is a short drop to the head of a larger rift. A 5m pitch down this leads to another rift which, in turn, leads out to the side of a large shaft. Stones dropped from a small hole in the corner of the passage above the 5m pitch also fall into this shaft. Laddering from the side, the pitch is 67m with a large ledge just above half-way, and is unpleasantly wet in poor weather. From the base of this pitch, the continuing rift/canyon trends south west and has pitches of 5, 9 and 8m before the other route drops in from above.
Over the traverse, a short pitch of 4.5m, followed by a short climb up, leads to the head of a pitch of 10m to a boulder floor. Two ways on from here are down through the boulders into a shaft, or across the shaft and into a narrow rift. The way through boulders soon chokes, but the narrow rift soon opens into a massive shaft of 100m with a rebelay roughly halfway. This drops directly into the rift reached by the original route.
Below the junction, the rift continues with a 5m climb and pitches of 5, 14 and 44m, this last pitch being quite wet and emerging into a massive cross-rift trending south east. The water disappears into the choked floor of this rift via a nasty wet crawl, rapidly becoming too small.",,,,,,"? grade 5",,,"280m",,,,,,,"p107",,"exact point not recorded","Surface survey","gps98.107",,82721,35929,"1660m",,,"On the plateau in a prominent dry valley below southern forepeak of Hinterer Schwarzmooskogel, some way below Laser Point 0_5. The bottom of the gully is pretty much on the (cairned) best walking route from Top Camp to Bräuninghöhle (Kat.82) and Eislufthöhle (Kat.76).",,,"
","number twice in orange paint, 1998 tag on survey point ""1623 107 CUCC 1978"""
108,"1/S +",,,,"remote/108.htm",,"Schwa-Höhle 108",,,6,,"CUCC 1980 John, Tony and Andy Connolly","Horizontal entrance to a large chamber with narrow rift dropping away. Ends too tight.",,,,,,,,,,,,,"This does not appear to be in the Austrians' Kataster.",,,,,,,,,,,,"Bräuning Nase 200°, Bräuning Zinken 235°, Vd. Schwarzmooskogel 175°.",,"108 is not near 41 - it is on the plateau. Further across than 76 (106) past erratics - middle of nowhere",,,,
-109,"1/t/S +",,,,"smkridge/109.htm",,"Schwa-Schacht 109",,,"2b",,"CUCC 1980, 1987","The obvious way in leads to a 'Viewing gallery' over the entrance chamber, but descent this way would require tackle. Best way in is to the left where a freeclimb leads down a 10m ramp in a chamber. This is snow-choked in some years but in 1980 a dig opened a triangular slot to a 6m pitch into a smaller, boulder-choked chamber. This was reentered in 1987 and an animal skeleton was found and removed for the Austrian cavers. There is a very small, but draughting tube in the roof of this final chamber, going back towards the surface.",,,,,,"? grade 1",,,,,,,"This does not appear to be in the Austrians' Kataster.",,,"p109","point above 1623/109 entrance",,"Surface survey",,,81246,36202,"1592m",,,,"This is a hole you step over on the way to Sonnenstrahlhöhle (113). ",,,"as at Aug 2001: ""109"" in very faded yellow paint, with an Omega."
-110,"1/S/T +",,,,"remote/110.htm",,"Kein Hubschrauber Höhle",,,6,,"CUCC 1978 - Team Supersmooth/Supercool ","Insignificant low entrance with icy draught is marked with number in red paint. Through boulders leads to an 8m drop and walking passage ending in a collapse chamber with draught emerging from the choke. Needed digging to get in.",,,,,,"",,,,,,,"Name comes from logbook comment ""helicopter failed to turn up"".",,,,,,,,,,,,,,"On the plateau, about 2km (sic) beyond Eislufthöhle towards Schönberg. Actually, I am convinced that 2 km is a gross exaggeration, and half a mile would be more likely, otherwise it would be in a huge area of dwarf pine.",,,,"paint"
+109,"1/t/S +",,,,"smkridge/109.htm",,"Schwa-Schacht 109",,,"2b",,"CUCC 1980, 1987","The obvious way in leads to a 'Viewing gallery' over the entrance chamber, but descent this way would require tackle. Best way in is to the left where a freeclimb leads down a 10m ramp in a chamber. This is snow-choked in some years but in 1980 a dig opened a triangular slot to a 6m pitch into a smaller, boulder-choked chamber. This was reentered in 1987 and an animal skeleton was found and removed for the Austrian cavers. There is a very small, but draughting tube in the roof of this final chamber, going back towards the surface.",,,,,,"? grade 1",,,,,,,"This does not appear to be in the Austrians' Kataster.",,,"p109","point above 1623/109 entrance",,"Surface survey",,,81246,36202,"1592m",,,,"This is a hole you step over on the way to Sonnenstrahlhöhle (113).",,,"as at Aug 2001: ""109"" in very faded yellow paint, with an Omega."
+110,"1/S/T +",,,,"remote/110.htm",,"Kein Hubschrauber Höhle",,,6,,"CUCC 1978 - Team Supersmooth/Supercool ","Insignificant low entrance with icy draught is marked with number in red paint. Through boulders leads to an 8m drop and walking passage ending in a collapse chamber with draught emerging from the choke. Needed digging to get in.",,,,,,"
",,,,,,,"Name comes from logbook comment ""helicopter failed to turn up"".",,,,,,,,,,,,,,"On the plateau, about 2km (sic) beyond Eislufthöhle towards Schönberg. Actually, I am convinced that 2 km is a gross exaggeration, and half a mile would be more likely, otherwise it would be in a huge area of dwarf pine.",,,,"paint"
111,"1/S +",,,,"plateau/111.htm",,"Plateau Schacht 111",,,"1d",,"CUCC 1978 - Supersmooth/Supercool","Shaft 20m to ledge, then 10m to choke/too narrow.",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,"Out on plateau, quite near 98. ",,,,
112,"1/S +",,,,"plateau/112.htm",,"Plateau Schacht 112",,,"1d",,"CUCC 1978 - Supersmooth/Supercool","Next to open shaft half full of snow. Shaft drops 50m past two ledges to choke.",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,," Out on plateau, 50m from 111. ",,,,
-113,"4/S/T +",,,,"smkridge/113.htm",,"Sonnenstrahlhöhle",,,"2b",,"CUCC 1980 (Team Sunbeam) to bottom; 1982 to push bottom, but no new passage found. Entered from 152 in 1985, Ibbeth Perilous Pot route connected 1987 ","Entrance is huge. A sizeable dry valley develops into a canyon which is full of snow. The canyon ends downstream in a solid wall, where the rigging point for the entrance pitch starts by the aforementioned tree. A short drop leads to a ledge where a stretch to the left (facing the rock) reaches a rebelay in a fine position on the impending wall. From here, drop 21m onto a large snow slope, then 10m further to the flat snow floor of a large chamber lit from above by the shaft.
The way on is up a climb of 3m to a horizontal passage. There is an area of hading rifts, not fully explored. The first hole descends a ramp over treacherous ice and rubble for 30m to the head of a pitch, Ibbeth Perilous Pot. A second parallel ramp connects to the same point. Both these ramps suffer from loose rock and are best tackled with a handline. The main pitch drops for 20m in a series of steps, best rigged. A final 13m drop then lands on a rock/ice blockage Marathon Ledge, which at one time contained the original explorer's helmet and lights, dropped from the head of the pitch. A hammered route past the blockage leads to two short drops, then a 6m pitch into the Opera House (see below).
A descent of the second major hole from the entrance is the normal route and leads to a ramp down, traverse across and the head of Point Five Gully. The gully is decorated with ice formations early in the season, as are all the useful hand- and footholds on the following ramp, so a rope is recommended to descend Fox's Glacier. At the foot, about 60m below the entrance chamber, is a low bouldery chamber, and a low arch leads to a larger chamber, Barnsley Methodist Chapel, which is 20m high and 30m long.
The Chapel is floored with large boulders at one end, but an obvious low sandy passage to the left leads to the head of a 14m dry rift pitch with a bouldery takeoff. The pitch is free-hanging after the first two metres, to a gravel-floored chamber opening off the rift. Water entering high on the right takes a floor trench 10m deep which may be traversed above to gain the Balcony of the Opera House, an impressive 20m diameter, roughly circular chamber. A 12.5m pitch (awkward takeoff as rigged in 1980) gains the bouldery, sloping floor. A scramble down boulders and a further 7m pitch over a very large boulder leads into a rift, where an awkward 10m pitch with natural belays and joke bolts leads to a flat mud floor at a larger section at the head of a pitch. At this point the draught changes direction, the cave becomes clean, and a stream is met falling from an inaccessible (and out of sight) passage, apparently at the same level as the pitch head.
Down the pitch, a rebelay (which is a very long stretch to rig unless you're very tall) avoids the worst of the water on Purple Pit. Quite possibly this could be rigged as a deviation (we didn't do these in 1980). There is a long section to a large ledge, from where the pitch leaves the fault it has been following and heads down a series of short steps with rebelays a few metres apart. At the bottom of this section, 60m below the start, a further fault is met at right angles, with twin holes in the floor. The first one is wet and nasty, while the second is tolerable. Both unite and go off to the left in a diminutive streamway. To the right above the holes is the entry point from Bananehöhle(152), explored in 1985.
The diminutive streamway ends shortly in a tight sump, but before this, a climb up leads unobviously to a traverse and then a crawl trending back over the entry point, Müsli Crawl. A number of acute bends are disorientating, then a short drop leads to a final rift and a pitch head. This is a thrutch to start, then drops 10m to where the water reenters. A series of drops, Sprucy Wind, follows, and some of the bolts (1980 vintage, greased in 1982) are easily missed, which makes the pitches wetter. There is a branch shaft at one point which is unexplored, but appears to reunite somewhat lower down. The pitches of 8, 26, 12, 10, 10, 20, 5 and 9m drop to a final rift chamber where an inlet from up on the left doubles the size of the stream on a rocky floor. This inlet responds to floods about an hour faster than the main water. The combined waters fall down a 6m drop and sink in a gravel-choked pool.
Climbing up opposite the inlet, a dry rift is a little tight but pops out into a series of dry passages, apparently quite unrelated to the rift pitches. This area, The Crematorium, is a good place to wait when the pitches flood. There is a large horizontal passage ending in a chamber with various bedding crawl extensions. Avens in the roof are hard to reach (one bolt used for aid) and don't seem to go anywhere. A narrow rift in the floor contains the stream, and a climb down can be made at one point where it is just wide enough. Thrutching forward in a traverse cum crawl a short way above the water, a couple more diminutive drops reach a place where to continue would be just plain stupid, since it is small and wet. The cave was rigged in 1982 just to go and push the end. It didn't go.
There is potential for further extension by traversing over down-ramps in the entrance area, and by gaining access to the source of the water (and route of the draught) at the top of Purple Pit. Apparently the Point Five Gully and Fox's Glacier Ramp was traversed over in 1987, and another ramp descended, but this seems to have rejoined the main route somewhere near Barnsley Methodist Chapel. This route was not surveyed.",,,,,,"? grade 3",113,,"330m approx.",,,,,,,"p113","pitch head bolt on wall above yawning chasm near ""113"" paint mark. NB this cannot be reached without SRTing off the bunde and is very exposed (start of underground survey)",,"Surface survey",,,81333,36253,"1640m",,,,"Follow Stögerweg (path 201) well past turn off for Stellerweghöhle. This involves a steep descent, then a long horizontal stretch, crossing the dry valley containing Kat. 87a. After quite a way, there is an orange paint flash on the left, more easily seen when coming the other way. This is just a few metres before you turn left and start hacking up the hillside. Further orange paint marks the route, which goes up a dry valley and over the entrance 109. Eventually, a scrub-free area is reached, go right and then scramble up rock towards a tree. Donīt rush beyond the tree or you'll fall a long way.",,"
This does not appear to be in the Austrians' Kataster ",,,,,,,,,,,,,,"This cave has not been documented, but is probably somewhere near 115 or 41. ",,,, -115,"6/t/S/W x",,"40m",,"smkridge/115.htm",,"Schnellzughöhle",,,"2a",,"CUCC 1980-1985","This is the main entrance through which the majority of the Stellerweghöhle system was explored. See the separate full guidebook description for details, just an overview is given here.
The entrance leads to a non-obvious way on to the head of the short Bell Pitch, from where very awkward going leads out to a bigger passage to reach The Ramp a series of off-vertical pitches. The damper but technically easier Inlet Pitches drop to a Big Chamber, from where Pete's Purgatory starts, and leads in 800m of tortuous going to The Confluence and the larger streamway leading to the deepest point.
Better is the Purgatory Bypass which starts as dry fossil tubes, with a choice of routes to reach Junction Chamber where the Big Rift of Stellerweghöhle enters. Opposite, the huge fossil tube of Dartford Tunnel makes for easy progress to the Confluence, about halfway down the system. The continuing main streamway is interrupted by a bypassable sump and numerous pitches before a low airspace duck at the end of an unpromising canal leads to the spectacular Orgasm Chasm. Careful rigging avoids the water in this 140m shaft, ending in muddy passage and another short drop to a deep and terminal sump. ",,,,,"In dataset","? grade 5",115,,"-740m, +231m",,,,"The Austrian Kataster has adopted a very perverse way of numbering things. Their numbers are as follows :
This involves at least one freeclimb which is awkward with lots of kit. Make lots of noise if you are first, especially on the first trip, since snakes seem to like it here. Eventually a large horizontal railway-tunnel-like entrance appears. If you fall off a cliff, you've gone a little too far downhill.",,,"number painted on right (east-facing) wall of entrance" +113,"4/S/T +",,,,"smkridge/113.htm",,"Sonnenstrahlhöhle",,,"2b",,"
","Entrance is huge. A sizeable dry valley develops into a canyon which is full of snow. The canyon ends downstream in a solid wall, where the rigging point for the entrance pitch starts by the aforementioned tree. A short drop leads to a ledge where a stretch to the left (facing the rock) reaches a rebelay in a fine position on the impending wall. From here, drop 21m onto a large snow slope, then 10m further to the flat snow floor of a large chamber lit from above by the shaft.
The way on is up a climb of 3m to a horizontal passage. There is an area of hading rifts, not fully explored. The first hole descends a ramp over treacherous ice and rubble for 30m to the head of a pitch, Ibbeth Perilous Pot. A second parallel ramp connects to the same point. Both these ramps suffer from loose rock and are best tackled with a handline. The main pitch drops for 20m in a series of steps, best rigged. A final 13m drop then lands on a rock/ice blockage Marathon Ledge, which at one time contained the original explorer's helmet and lights, dropped from the head of the pitch. A hammered route past the blockage leads to two short drops, then a 6m pitch into the Opera House (see below).
A descent of the second major hole from the entrance is the normal route and leads to a ramp down, traverse across and the head of Point Five Gully. The gully is decorated with ice formations early in the season, as are all the useful hand- and footholds on the following ramp, so a rope is recommended to descend Fox's Glacier. At the foot, about 60m below the entrance chamber, is a low bouldery chamber, and a low arch leads to a larger chamber, Barnsley Methodist Chapel, which is 20m high and 30m long.
The Chapel is floored with large boulders at one end, but an obvious low sandy passage to the left leads to the head of a 14m dry rift pitch with a bouldery takeoff. The pitch is free-hanging after the first two metres, to a gravel-floored chamber opening off the rift. Water entering high on the right takes a floor trench 10m deep which may be traversed above to gain the Balcony of the Opera House, an impressive 20m diameter, roughly circular chamber. A 12.5m pitch (awkward takeoff as rigged in 1980) gains the bouldery, sloping floor. A scramble down boulders and a further 7m pitch over a very large boulder leads into a rift, where an awkward 10m pitch with natural belays and joke bolts leads to a flat mud floor at a larger section at the head of a pitch. At this point the draught changes direction, the cave becomes clean, and a stream is met falling from an inaccessible (and out of sight) passage, apparently at the same level as the pitch head.
Down the pitch, a rebelay (which is a very long stretch to rig unless you're very tall) avoids the worst of the water on Purple Pit. Quite possibly this could be rigged as a deviation (we didn't do these in 1980). There is a long section to a large ledge, from where the pitch leaves the fault it has been following and heads down a series of short steps with rebelays a few metres apart. At the bottom of this section, 60m below the start, a further fault is met at right angles, with twin holes in the floor. The first one is wet and nasty, while the second is tolerable. Both unite and go off to the left in a diminutive streamway. To the right above the holes is the entry point from Bananehöhle(152), explored in 1985.
Simon Kellet at the top of the short dry pitch below Purple Pit
The diminutive streamway ends shortly in a tight sump, but before this, a climb up leads unobviously to a traverse and then a crawl trending back over the entry point, Müsli Crawl. A number of acute bends are disorientating, then a short drop leads to a final rift and a pitch head. This is a thrutch to start, then drops 10m to where the water reenters. A series of drops, Sprucy Wind, follows, and some of the bolts (1980 vintage, greased in 1982) are easily missed, which makes the pitches wetter. There is a branch shaft at one point which is unexplored, but appears to reunite somewhat lower down. The pitches of 8, 26, 12, 10, 10, 20, 5 and 9m drop to a final rift chamber where an inlet from up on the left doubles the size of the stream on a rocky floor. This inlet responds to floods about an hour faster than the main water. The combined waters fall down a 6m drop and sink in a gravel-choked pool.
Climbing up opposite the inlet, a dry rift is a little tight but pops out into a series of dry passages, apparently quite unrelated to the rift pitches. This area, The Crematorium, is a good place to wait when the pitches flood. There is a large horizontal passage ending in a chamber with various bedding crawl extensions. Avens in the roof are hard to reach (one bolt used for aid) and don't seem to go anywhere. A narrow rift in the floor contains the stream, and a climb down can be made at one point where it is just wide enough. Thrutching forward in a traverse cum crawl a short way above the water, a couple more diminutive drops reach a place where to continue would be just plain stupid, since it is small and wet. The cave was rigged in 1982 just to go and push the end. It didn't go.
There is potential for further extension by traversing over down-ramps in the entrance area, and by gaining access to the source of the water (and route of the draught) at the top of Purple Pit. Apparently the Point Five Gully and Fox's Glacier Ramp was traversed over in 1987, and another ramp descended, but this seems to have rejoined the main route somewhere near Barnsley Methodist Chapel. This route was not surveyed.",,,,,,"? grade 3",113,,"330m approx.",,,,,,,"p113","pitch head bolt on wall above yawning chasm near ""113"" paint mark. NB this cannot be reached without SRTing off the bunde and is very exposed (start of underground survey)",,"Surface survey",,,81333,36253,"1640m",,,,"Follow Stögerweg (path 201) well past turn off for Stellerweghöhle. This involves a steep descent, then a long horizontal stretch, crossing the dry valley containing Kat. 87a. After quite a way, there is an orange paint flash on the left, more easily seen when coming the other way. This is just a few metres before you turn left and start hacking up the hillside. Further orange paint marks the route, which goes up a dry valley and over the entrance 109. Eventually, a scrub-free area is reached, go right and then scramble up rock towards a tree. Donīt rush beyond the tree or you'll fall a long way.",,"
","Orange painted number on north-facing wall above shaft" +114,"0 + ?",,,,"wilden/114.htm",,"Verlorenschacht 114",,,5,,"CUCC 1980",,,,,,,,,,,,,,"I have just (May 1990) found an old note book which says this was explored by John, Tony and Andy C, but gives no detail on where or what. There is a strong suspicion that the cave was one of the ""promising leads"" found on their trip to Wildenseealm. However, the only published account refers the reader to the 1980 log book. This latter is, unfortunately, missing.
This does not appear to be in the Austrians' Kataster ",,,,,,,,,,,,,,"This cave has not been documented, but is probably somewhere near 115 or 41. ",,,, +115,"6/t/S/W x",,"40m",,"smkridge/115.htm",,"Schnellzughöhle",,,"2a",,"CUCC 1980-1985","This is the main entrance through which the majority of the Stellerweghöhle system was explored. See the separate full guidebook description for details, just an overview is given here.
The entrance leads to a non-obvious way on to the head of the short Bell Pitch, from where very awkward going leads out to a bigger passage to reach The Ramp a series of off-vertical pitches. The damper but technically easier Inlet Pitches drop to a Big Chamber, from where Pete's Purgatory starts, and leads in 800m of tortuous going to The Confluence and the larger streamway leading to the deepest point.
Better is the Purgatory Bypass which starts as dry fossil tubes, with a choice of routes to reach Junction Chamber where the Big Rift of Stellerweghöhle enters. Opposite, the huge fossil tube of Dartford Tunnel makes for easy progress to the Confluence, about halfway down the system. The continuing main streamway is interrupted by a bypassable sump and numerous pitches before a low airspace duck at the end of an unpromising canal leads to the spectacular Orgasm Chasm. Careful rigging avoids the water in this 140m shaft, ending in muddy passage and another short drop to a deep and terminal sump. ",,,,,"In dataset","? grade 5",115,,"-740m, +231m",,,,"The Austrian Kataster has adopted a very perverse way of numbering things. Their numbers are as follows:
",,,"p115","P115 on left in Schnellzug entrance.","p115x","Nils",,"gps00.115",81041,35841,"1488m",,,,"Follow Stögerweg beyond Windloch to a steep descent. Just below this, by a large tree on the right of the path (permanent survey station P3), descend steeply to the right on a barely discernible trod.
This involves at least one freeclimb which is awkward with lots of kit. Make lots of noise if you are first, especially on the first trip, since snakes seem to like it here. Eventually a large horizontal railway-tunnel-like entrance appears. If you fall off a cliff, you've gone a little too far downhill.",,,"number painted on right (east-facing) wall of entrance" 116,"2/t/S/E +",,,,"noinfo/smkridge/116.htm",,"Kleine Eishöhle",,,"2b","No Info","Germans",,,,,,"In dataset","M Schweicer & F Vischer, July 1982, PLAN (20k) and ELEVATION (12k)",116,"286m","38m",,,,"This cave was previously marked as having an altitude of 1820m",,,"p116",,,"Nils",,,81449,35689,"1662m",,,"Vorderer Schwarzmooskogel. ",,,, 117,"2/t/S/ +",,,,"noinfo/smkridge/117.htm",,"Stuttgarter-Schacht",,,"2b","No Info","Germans ",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,"Vorderer Schwarzmooskogel. ",,,, 118,"0/S =",,,,"noinfo/smkridge/118.htm",,"Schwa-Schacht 118",,,"2b","No Info","Germans",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,"Vorderer Schwarzmooskogel. ",,,, @@ -159,16 +159,16 @@ 131,"2/E/S x",,,,"noinfo/remote/131.htm",,"Thomas-Eishöhle",,,6,"No Info",,,,,,,,,131,,,,,,,,,,,,"Laut Information Robert Seebacher, E-Mail 11/00 an Thilo",,,83700,37700,"1721m",,,"SE face of Kleines Augsteck. ",,,, 132,"2/T +",,,,"noinfo/remote/132.htm",,"Tropfsteinhöhle am Augsteck",,,6,"No Info",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,"1600m",,,"SE face of Kleines Augsteck.. ",,,, 133,"1/T +",,,,"noinfo/remote/133.htm",,"Unterstandhöhle",,,6,"No Info",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,"1604m",,,"SE face of Kleines Augsteck. ",,,, -134,"1/T +",,,,"noinfo/wilden/134.htm",,"Höhlenruine bei der Wasserstelle",,,5,"No Info",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,," 1531m ",,,"West of Wildenseealm. The name would suggest that it is next to the water tank which supplies drinking water to the various buildings of Wildenseealm, and which is shown on the map, at about the right altitude. ",,,, +134,"1/T +",,,,"noinfo/wilden/134.htm",,"Höhlenruine bei der Wasserstelle",,,5,"No Info",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,," 1531m ",,,"West of Wildenseealm. The name would suggest that it is next to the water tank which supplies drinking water to the various buildings of Wildenseealm, and which is shown on the map, at about the right altitude.",,,, 135,"1/S +",,,,"smkridge/135.htm",,"Schwa Schacht 135",,,"2b",,"CUCC 1983. Surveyed-to 1999 (wookey, Mark Shinwell) ","Shaft choked at -20m ",,,,,"In dataset",,135,,,,,,,,"p135",,,,"Surface survey",,,82219,36399,"1783m",,," East of Vorderer Schwarzmooskogel. ","Approach as for 136, then a further 60m approx ENE down the slope. ",,,"Spit awaiting tag (1999). Red Paint ""CUCC 135"" (1983). " -136,"2/S +","a b c d",,"yes","smkridge/161/136.htm",,"Steinschlagschacht",,,"2a",,"CUCC 1983, 1984, 1997, 1999","
1983 description is : shaft -194m. The bottom was reached in 1984, at depths variously estimated -240m, -260m and -285m, when the rift became too narrow. 1983 survey (which was never drawn up) only goes to -194m.
The rope (60m used in 1997, though this is not generous) for the first pitch is belayed to the 3m boulder. A short drop from the surface (c.3m) leads to the top of a steeply inclined boulder slope which is also very loose. The head of the main entrance pitch hang used to be immediately at the foot of this slope, however it has now been rigged from the right hand wall, out of the immediate line-of-fire from the boulder slope. A traverse line of around 10m at 30° is rigged on the right hand wall to reach the pitch head. The main hang is around 35m almost free-hanging, but for a minor deviation about 8m below the pitch head.
From the foot of the entrance pitch, a fairly narrow slot with a short climb down (c 1m) connects to a large boulder-strewn chamber. This chamber is entered from the top left corner (standing looking down the slope) and the main way on is around 10m down the slope, under a very large boulder towards the right hand wall. At the foot of the chamber are two large holes of around 5m depth, one in each corner. One of these holes has a spit above it, suggesting it was descended in 1983/4, however no descent was made of either hole in 1997. It is speculated that these may connect to the second pitch at a lower point than that used as the pitch head in 1997.
Returning to the main route down, the head of the second pitch is a belay point on the right hand wall of the chamber immediately above a very large perched boulder at ""floor"" level. A 130m rope was initially used here, though some spare was later cut off. Beware of apparently sound footholds here as they have a habit of falling off down the next 70m or so of the pitch series! A rebelay is required just below the take-off point on the boulder to avoid rubbing the edge of the block on the way up. This rebelay is particularly awkward on the way up since the rope tends to pull into the crack between wall and boulder. The shaft continues down more or less vertically for a further 3 rebelays (50m) until the first substantial ledge is reached. (A deviation is required below the 3rd rebelay from the pitch head to avoid an otherwise serious rub just below the rebelay bolt).
From this ledge, a further pitch descends, rigged from two bolts on the left hand wall with an immediate deviation off the right hand wall. Traversing ahead over the pitch, it appears that there is a parallel shaft visible through an eyehole in the left hand wall. It is believed that this is the shaft described as being accessed by a ""desperate step across"" which was descended in 1984 and found to reconnect to the wet route lower down.
Descending from the ledge, a further substantial ledge is reached after c8m. On the way up it is advisable to cower under the overhanging wall of this ledge to avoid exposing yourself to rocks dislodged by people on the pitch above - the pitch head is especially loose.
From the ledge an awkward take-off to an almost immediate rebelay leads to a connection with a wet shaft - the main source of water below this point. The hang is fortunately almost dry, aided by a very wide rebelay about 12m below the ledge. A further 15m hang reaches another large ledge where water continues through a large slot in the floor at the foot of the pitch. It is at this point that the two routes diverge into Wet Dreams (the way explored in 1983/4) and the Eyehole Route.
The Eyehole Route is to-date the main route in 136, leading eventually to the 1997 connection with the Forbidden Land in 161, and the 2½km Chile series, found in 1999.
The eyehole is reached by means of a traverse over the slot in the floor (through which the water disappears) and is the obvious large hole on the right. A short horizontal rift, with a steeply-inclined hole in the floor, connects to the head of the fourth pitch series. This pitch series is about 30m of dry shaft, broken by three ledges and landing on a much larger ledge with a couple of large boulders jammed in the exit rift. A 54m rope was sufficient in 1997. From the foot of the fourth pitch, the head of the fifth is only a few metres away over the jammed boulders.
The head of the fifth pitch does an extremely good job of hiding the enormous cavern into which it breaks some 10m below. Do not be mistaken into believing that the floor, as it appears, is only 5m below your feet, nor that your light will be even remotely adequate for ensuring maximum exposure on the multiple hanging rebelays below. The pitch starts with a large Y-hang across the rift at the pitch head.
An airy traverse around the corner to the left (rigged rope) leads eventually to the Footlights Traverse. (The eyehole immediately opposite the pitch head connects with the climb around to the left).
Below the Y-hang is a large, mud-covered outcrop of rock, over which you must traverse before proceeding further to a very wide deviation, hated by those with short legs, just below the muddy ""floor"". A further 5m descent leads to a smallish ledge with another rock outcrop to cross to a hanging rebelay on the left-hand wall. This point is around 60m above the floor of the chamber and is where the Gods' Traverse begins. A 35m rope was sufficient to reach this point in 1997.
Continuing straight down from the rebelay, first a parallel shaft is reached and the wall of the chamber becomes convex, requiring another hanging rebelay 21m below the last. A further 24m hang drops to a boulder floor at the top of a huge chamber - The Theatre. The landing point for the main route into the Theatre is at the top of the steeply inclined floor.
Standing at this point, looking down the slope of the floor, an opening at the bottom of the chamber of the left-hand wall leads to the Orchestral Pit. From the foot of the chamber up a short (c 8m) climb over mud and boulders and then up another (c 8m) climb on steep rock, leads to a small opening. (The rope has been left permanently rigged on this climb). On the right hand wall at the foot of the chamber is a boulder choke through which it is possible to climb down around 10m. No recommendable leads were found here. Immediately behind the landing point and around 30m higher up the wall is the connection to the Forbidden Land (161) which must be reached via the God's Traverse.
Proceeding up the 16m climb from the floor of the Theatre, a narrow opening leads to a precarious climb down the other side (c.5m) over the top of a large wedged boulder in a rift chamber, Exit Stage Left. There is an aven in the roof of this chamber, which can be descended as a pitch (the 30m continuation of Plughole Pitch) from the end of the Footlights Traverse. A second aven is reached by a short (c 3m) climb up opposite the entry climb. A small window (too small for human access) in the left hand wall of the chamber connects to the undescended pitch accessible from the rock bridge 18m down Plughole pitch, 26m above. Rocks can also be thrown in through a small gap in the boulder floor. This pitch continues below this level.
In the Orchestral Pit, a number of wet shafts connect from the ceiling in addition to a number of dry avens. The dry avens nearest to the Forbidden Land have been connected to an eyehole on the God's Traverse around 15m above the connection to Elin Algor. The floor of the Orchestral Pit has a number of pools and also a considerable amount of brown powdery mud, similar to that found in the horizontal areas of Kaninchenhöhle such as Mississippi Mud Pie, Triassic Park etc. , of which the majority of 136 is devoid. No leads were found in the Orchestral Pit.
The earlier (and lower) of two impressive traverse routes off the fifth pitch, The Gods' Traverse heads NE towards Kaninchenhöhle, to which it eventually connects.
From the hanging rebelay 10m below the head of the 5th pitch (on Eyehole Route), a short (4m) descent with a swing leads to a small muddy sloping ledge, with precipitous drop. A bolt in the middle of the traverse ""protects"" a caver who teeters around the ledge and up a short (c.2m) climb over a corner bulge onto the main face of the traverse. This roughly horizontal section is about 12m in length across a slab of limestone inclined at 70 - 80 °. Should your lighting equipment allow, you will be able to admire the enormous vertical rock-face which forms the opposite wall of the Theatre and the precipitous drop to the floor 40+ metres below. Hand holds (barring the rope) are non-existent on the second half of the traverse and most foot ledges were of the disposable type (single use only), now long gone. At the far end of the traverse a hanging rebelay just over the edge of the wall leads, with a wide swing, to a large eyehole on the opposite wall. A short (15m) pitch against the wall on the outside of the hole leads to a large muddy sloping ledge at the back of which is a hole into narrow traversy passage. This is the final impressive overlook reached in Elin Algor from the Forbidden Land in Kaninchenhöhle in 1996. The whole of the pitch - traverse - pitch to this point was left rigged.
Back through the eyehole, a couple of pitches lead eventually to the Orchestral Pit.
The later traverse route off the fifth pitch (starting at the pitch head, some 10m higher than the Gods'). This heads generally SW, and is in two sections, split by a 16m pitch. The lower section is strictly the Footlights traverse, but the name has been applied to the whole route, causing some confusion.
A short, unobvious (roped) traverse, Service Duct, starts from the left hand side of the Y hang at the head of the fifth pitch. It goes left round the corner into a window, then climbs up 3m above a deep hole to a lip into a chamber with a large hole in the steeply sloping floor that drops down near the start of Traverse of the Gods. Traversing to the right of this chamber, past an eyehole with a view back to the Y hang, a pitch (Ventilation Shaft p.16, 1 bolt rebelay, -5m) descends to the Box, a platform with a fine view to the left across the Theatre to the Gods' Traverse. Looking out and to the right from the Box is the start of Footlights Traverse.
This airy, diagonal, section around and down the south-western corner of the Theatre, 30m off the floor was left rigged after the 1997 expedition, but in 1999 was deemed easy enough to rig afresh on each expedition, so the rope was taken off. Two bolt rebelays reach a Y hang, and descending from this a window can be reached by an entertaining pendulum to reach a rift in the wall. This window enters a choss-filled passage whose boulder floor is apparently suspended above a void (traverse line recommended). An old phreatic level was hypothesised to exist at a similar height to the connection with Elin Algor, and this seems to correspond roughly to that level, although at this point the morphology is a tall rift, passable at various levels, with many windows, climbs and pitches, difficult to explore exhaustively.
The passage leads, after a 3m climb up and a 2m climb down, to a narrow slot opening out into the spacious Plughole pitch below, which drops 18m to a rock bridge.
At the rock bridge the single shaft splits into three. An inlet enters from an aven and goes down an undescended clean-washed shaft [99-xx A]. This descends about 8m to a ledge where a slot drops at least 30m, past the choked floor at the bottom of the Footlights pitch (determined by rocks thrown in from two points below). This apparently does not connect (at least directly) with the Orchestral Pit - rocks were not audible from there. The second of the shafts is more like a 3m blind pit, of little interest.
The third, and biggest, of the dry shafts is a further drop of 30 m (bolt, tape deviation at -10m) and lands on the floor of Exit Stage Left (originally reached by the 16m climb up from the Theatre).
Across the rock bridge, over a few boulders and through a smallish slot, is a short 5m pitch. This is the way on to Chile, 1999's major find.
Wet Dreams is the original route, explored first in 1983/4, but named in 1997 in memory of the anticipated connection with 161 by this route. In fact no such connection has yet been found, but the shaft series has not yet been bottomed and so it's still a possibility.
Continuing from the foot of the third pitch and crossing the traverse to the point where the Eyehole Route diverges, a dry hang is possible to the bottom of the rift down which the water disappears. At the foot of this 15m pitch is a narrow rift, leading quickly to a further 12m pitch followed by another narrow rift to another pitch.
Around the head of this pitch, Phreatic Fantasy - so called because of the anticipated large sloping ramps expected from a previous cave description - are a number of small, clean and fairly uninteresting roof tubes, probably phreatic in origin. The shaft at this point becomes roughly vertical and descends in a number of sections a further surveyed 35m, becoming increasingly wet towards the bottom. From the surveyed limit a further pitch of around 30m (estimated) can be seen descending immediately below.
The split between Eyehole and Wet Dreams is about three quarters of the way down what the 1983 description had as a broken shaft of c 100m. This was in sections of 14m vertical, 24m sloping, 13m vertical to a ledge. Here a desperate step across (worse on exit) attained a parallel shaft which apparently connected back lower down. The main way dropped 9m sloping, 29m vertical, to a 9m slope and a final 3m vertical to what is assumed to have been the Phreatic Fantasy level - though the pitch lengths (mainly deduced from survey data) don't correspond well with the 1997 experi nce and this may be below the next pitch. 1983 figures put the next pitch as 17m sloping, then 15m vertical to a bolt at -194m, which may be a similar point to that reached on this route in 1997, or not quite as deep.
A further drop is 5m to ""a very bad bolt"" and either 15m total, or a further 15m from the bolt, to a spray lashed ledge with only one small alcove in which to cower and brew up. A rift in the floor leads 6m to a rebelay and a final 20-25m pitch into a chamber with two ways off. One was very tight to an aven and small drop which stones indicate ends blind in mud floor after c10m. The main way was a squeeze past a very large boulder, down a 10m pitch to a stream which flows into the classic too-narrow draughting rift. Logbook describes this as -260m, which fits with the non-existence of a 30m ""virtual"" pitch which is believed to be the result of an ambiguity elsewhere in the 1984 log book.",,,,,"In dataset","1983 Surface survey from Vord. Schwarzmooskogel (p1843)
1997 Surface survey to 1623/147
underground survey, CUCC 1983 to -194m (unpublished ?), and a new one in 1997",136,,,,"
",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,"135m on bearing of 66° from Vorderer Schwarzmooskogel summit or 123m East and 55m north of the summit. 136b is 22m N of 136a, 136c is 28m N of 136a, 136d is 35m NNE of 136a. All entrances on same shelf. 136b &c are holes in shelf, 136d is large (15x10m) funnel-shaped hole just over 1m ridge (so not obvious from normal route).","Relocated in 1996. From main summit, drop down east to a bare limestone shelf. Follow this ~NE for some way (c 200m) until a way down east again reaches a small group of holes/shafts/rifts (CUCC 1997-07, 209, 136c, 136b). Cross this area south, initially keeping close below a small cliff to your right. After passing 136b, 136a is a little off to the left (east) of the cliff at the south end of the karren shelf. (See area map in NotKH survey book p88-89). The entrance is in a depression and is marked by, and under, a large (3m cubicish) boulder with a faint (in 1996) '136' painted on the S side, and a Tag.
From Top Camp, proceed via the 161 approach up to the point (immediately past 1623/147) where a short climb down through the bunde drops onto a large, wide, grassy area perhaps 200m before reaching Vd1 and 30m higher. Cross the grassy patch, contouring around the hill and then take the 3rd steep grassy bank up to the right, through some bunde (this is not the most obvious slope). Climb up to the limestone shelf above and then continue contouring around the hill at roughly the same level for a further 300m to the entrance.",,"
1983 description is : shaft -194m. The bottom was reached in 1984, at depths variously estimated -240m, -260m and -285m, when the rift became too narrow. 1983 survey (which was never drawn up) only goes to -194m.
The rope (60m used in 1997, though this is not generous) for the first pitch is belayed to the 3m boulder. A short drop from the surface (c.3m) leads to the top of a steeply inclined boulder slope which is also very loose. The head of the main entrance pitch hang used to be immediately at the foot of this slope, however it has now been rigged from the right hand wall, out of the immediate line-of-fire from the boulder slope. A traverse line of around 10m at 30° is rigged on the right hand wall to reach the pitch head. The main hang is around 35m almost free-hanging, but for a minor deviation about 8m below the pitch head.
From the foot of the entrance pitch, a fairly narrow slot with a short climb down (c 1m) connects to a large boulder-strewn chamber. This chamber is entered from the top left corner (standing looking down the slope) and the main way on is around 10m down the slope, under a very large boulder towards the right hand wall. At the foot of the chamber are two large holes of around 5m depth, one in each corner. One of these holes has a spit above it, suggesting it was descended in 1983/4, however no descent was made of either hole in 1997. It is speculated that these may connect to the second pitch at a lower point than that used as the pitch head in 1997.
Returning to the main route down, the head of the second pitch is a belay point on the right hand wall of the chamber immediately above a very large perched boulder at ""floor"" level. A 130m rope was initially used here, though some spare was later cut off. Beware of apparently sound footholds here as they have a habit of falling off down the next 70m or so of the pitch series! A rebelay is required just below the take-off point on the boulder to avoid rubbing the edge of the block on the way up. This rebelay is particularly awkward on the way up since the rope tends to pull into the crack between wall and boulder. The shaft continues down more or less vertically for a further 3 rebelays (50m) until the first substantial ledge is reached. (A deviation is required below the 3rd rebelay from the pitch head to avoid an otherwise serious rub just below the rebelay bolt).
From this ledge, a further pitch descends, rigged from two bolts on the left hand wall with an immediate deviation off the right hand wall. Traversing ahead over the pitch, it appears that there is a parallel shaft visible through an eyehole in the left hand wall. It is believed that this is the shaft described as being accessed by a ""desperate step across"" which was descended in 1984 and found to reconnect to the wet route lower down.
Descending from the ledge, a further substantial ledge is reached after c8m. On the way up it is advisable to cower under the overhanging wall of this ledge to avoid exposing yourself to rocks dislodged by people on the pitch above - the pitch head is especially loose.
From the ledge an awkward take-off to an almost immediate rebelay leads to a connection with a wet shaft - the main source of water below this point. The hang is fortunately almost dry, aided by a very wide rebelay about 12m below the ledge. A further 15m hang reaches another large ledge where water continues through a large slot in the floor at the foot of the pitch. It is at this point that the two routes diverge into Wet Dreams (the way explored in 1983/4) and the Eyehole Route.
The Eyehole Route is to-date the main route in 136, leading eventually to the 1997 connection with the Forbidden Land in 161, and the 2½km Chile series, found in 1999.
The eyehole is reached by means of a traverse over the slot in the floor (through which the water disappears) and is the obvious large hole on the right. A short horizontal rift, with a steeply-inclined hole in the floor, connects to the head of the fourth pitch series. This pitch series is about 30m of dry shaft, broken by three ledges and landing on a much larger ledge with a couple of large boulders jammed in the exit rift. A 54m rope was sufficient in 1997. From the foot of the fourth pitch, the head of the fifth is only a few metres away over the jammed boulders.
The head of the fifth pitch does an extremely good job of hiding the enormous cavern into which it breaks some 10m below. Do not be mistaken into believing that the floor, as it appears, is only 5m below your feet, nor that your light will be even remotely adequate for ensuring maximum exposure on the multiple hanging rebelays below. The pitch starts with a large Y-hang across the rift at the pitch head.
An airy traverse around the corner to the left (rigged rope) leads eventually to the Footlights Traverse. (The eyehole immediately opposite the pitch head connects with the climb around to the left).
Below the Y-hang is a large, mud-covered outcrop of rock, over which you must traverse before proceeding further to a very wide deviation, hated by those with short legs, just below the muddy ""floor"". A further 5m descent leads to a smallish ledge with another rock outcrop to cross to a hanging rebelay on the left-hand wall. This point is around 60m above the floor of the chamber and is where the Gods' Traverse begins. A 35m rope was sufficient to reach this point in 1997.
Continuing straight down from the rebelay, first a parallel shaft is reached and the wall of the chamber becomes convex, requiring another hanging rebelay 21m below the last. A further 24m hang drops to a boulder floor at the top of a huge chamber - The Theatre. The landing point for the main route into the Theatre is at the top of the steeply inclined floor.
Standing at this point, looking down the slope of the floor, an opening at the bottom of the chamber of the left-hand wall leads to the Orchestral Pit. From the foot of the chamber up a short (c 8m) climb over mud and boulders and then up another (c 8m) climb on steep rock, leads to a small opening. (The rope has been left permanently rigged on this climb). On the right hand wall at the foot of the chamber is a boulder choke through which it is possible to climb down around 10m. No recommendable leads were found here. Immediately behind the landing point and around 30m higher up the wall is the connection to the Forbidden Land (161) which must be reached via the God's Traverse.
Proceeding up the 16m climb from the floor of the Theatre, a narrow opening leads to a precarious climb down the other side (c.5m) over the top of a large wedged boulder in a rift chamber, Exit Stage Left. There is an aven in the roof of this chamber, which can be descended as a pitch (the 30m continuation of Plughole Pitch) from the end of the Footlights Traverse. A second aven is reached by a short (c 3m) climb up opposite the entry climb. A small window (too small for human access) in the left hand wall of the chamber connects to the undescended pitch accessible from the rock bridge 18m down Plughole pitch, 26m above. Rocks can also be thrown in through a small gap in the boulder floor. This pitch continues below this level.
In the Orchestral Pit, a number of wet shafts connect from the ceiling in addition to a number of dry avens. The dry avens nearest to the Forbidden Land have been connected to an eyehole on the God's Traverse around 15m above the connection to Elin Algor. The floor of the Orchestral Pit has a number of pools and also a considerable amount of brown powdery mud, similar to that found in the horizontal areas of Kaninchenhöhle such as Mississippi Mud Pie, Triassic Park etc. , of which the majority of 136 is devoid. No leads were found in the Orchestral Pit.
The earlier (and lower) of two impressive traverse routes off the fifth pitch, The Gods' Traverse heads NE towards Kaninchenhöhle, to which it eventually connects.
From the hanging rebelay 10m below the head of the 5th pitch (on Eyehole Route), a short (4m) descent with a swing leads to a small muddy sloping ledge, with precipitous drop. A bolt in the middle of the traverse ""protects"" a caver who teeters around the ledge and up a short (c.2m) climb over a corner bulge onto the main face of the traverse. This roughly horizontal section is about 12m in length across a slab of limestone inclined at 70 - 80 °. Should your lighting equipment allow, you will be able to admire the enormous vertical rock-face which forms the opposite wall of the Theatre and the precipitous drop to the floor 40+ metres below. Hand holds (barring the rope) are non-existent on the second half of the traverse and most foot ledges were of the disposable type (single use only), now long gone. At the far end of the traverse a hanging rebelay just over the edge of the wall leads, with a wide swing, to a large eyehole on the opposite wall. A short (15m) pitch against the wall on the outside of the hole leads to a large muddy sloping ledge at the back of which is a hole into narrow traversy passage. This is the final impressive overlook reached in Elin Algor from the Forbidden Land in Kaninchenhöhle in 1996. The whole of the pitch - traverse - pitch to this point was left rigged.
Back through the eyehole, a couple of pitches lead eventually to the Orchestral Pit.
The later traverse route off the fifth pitch (starting at the pitch head, some 10m higher than the Gods'). This heads generally SW, and is in two sections, split by a 16m pitch. The lower section is strictly the Footlights traverse, but the name has been applied to the whole route, causing some confusion.
A short, unobvious (roped) traverse, Service Duct, starts from the left hand side of the Y hang at the head of the fifth pitch. It goes left round the corner into a window, then climbs up 3m above a deep hole to a lip into a chamber with a large hole in the steeply sloping floor that drops down near the start of Traverse of the Gods. Traversing to the right of this chamber, past an eyehole with a view back to the Y hang, a pitch (Ventilation Shaft p.16, 1 bolt rebelay, -5m) descends to the Box, a platform with a fine view to the left across the Theatre to the Gods' Traverse. Looking out and to the right from the Box is the start of Footlights Traverse.
This airy, diagonal, section around and down the south-western corner of the Theatre, 30m off the floor was left rigged after the 1997 expedition, but in 1999 was deemed easy enough to rig afresh on each expedition, so the rope was taken off. Two bolt rebelays reach a Y hang, and descending from this a window can be reached by an entertaining pendulum to reach a rift in the wall. This window enters a choss-filled passage whose boulder floor is apparently suspended above a void (traverse line recommended). An old phreatic level was hypothesised to exist at a similar height to the connection with Elin Algor, and this seems to correspond roughly to that level, although at this point the morphology is a tall rift, passable at various levels, with many windows, climbs and pitches, difficult to explore exhaustively.
The passage leads, after a 3m climb up and a 2m climb down, to a narrow slot opening out into the spacious Plughole pitch below, which drops 18m to a rock bridge.
At the rock bridge the single shaft splits into three. An inlet enters from an aven and goes down an undescended clean-washed shaft [99-xx A]. This descends about 8m to a ledge where a slot drops at least 30m, past the choked floor at the bottom of the Footlights pitch (determined by rocks thrown in from two points below). This apparently does not connect (at least directly) with the Orchestral Pit - rocks were not audible from there. The second of the shafts is more like a 3m blind pit, of little interest.
The third, and biggest, of the dry shafts is a further drop of 30 m (bolt, tape deviation at -10m) and lands on the floor of Exit Stage Left (originally reached by the 16m climb up from the Theatre).
Across the rock bridge, over a few boulders and through a smallish slot, is a short 5m pitch. This is the way on to Chile, 1999's major find.
Wet Dreams is the original route, explored first in 1983/4, but named in 1997 in memory of the anticipated connection with 161 by this route. In fact no such connection has yet been found, but the shaft series has not yet been bottomed and so it's still a possibility.
Continuing from the foot of the third pitch and crossing the traverse to the point where the Eyehole Route diverges, a dry hang is possible to the bottom of the rift down which the water disappears. At the foot of this 15m pitch is a narrow rift, leading quickly to a further 12m pitch followed by another narrow rift to another pitch.
Around the head of this pitch, Phreatic Fantasy - so called because of the anticipated large sloping ramps expected from a previous cave description - are a number of small, clean and fairly uninteresting roof tubes, probably phreatic in origin. The shaft at this point becomes roughly vertical and descends in a number of sections a further surveyed 35m, becoming increasingly wet towards the bottom. From the surveyed limit a further pitch of around 30m (estimated) can be seen descending immediately below.
The split between Eyehole and Wet Dreams is about three quarters of the way down what the 1983 description had as a broken shaft of c 100m. This was in sections of 14m vertical, 24m sloping, 13m vertical to a ledge. Here a desperate step across (worse on exit) attained a parallel shaft which apparently connected back lower down. The main way dropped 9m sloping, 29m vertical, to a 9m slope and a final 3m vertical to what is assumed to have been the Phreatic Fantasy level - though the pitch lengths (mainly deduced from survey data) don't correspond well with the 1997 experi nce and this may be below the next pitch. 1983 figures put the next pitch as 17m sloping, then 15m vertical to a bolt at -194m, which may be a similar point to that reached on this route in 1997, or not quite as deep.
A further drop is 5m to ""a very bad bolt"" and either 15m total, or a further 15m from the bolt, to a spray lashed ledge with only one small alcove in which to cower and brew up. A rift in the floor leads 6m to a rebelay and a final 20-25m pitch into a chamber with two ways off. One was very tight to an aven and small drop which stones indicate ends blind in mud floor after c10m. The main way was a squeeze past a very large boulder, down a 10m pitch to a stream which flows into the classic too-narrow draughting rift. Logbook describes this as -260m, which fits with the non-existence of a 30m ""virtual"" pitch which is believed to be the result of an ambiguity elsewhere in the 1984 log book.",,,,,"In dataset","
",136,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,"135m on bearing of 66° from Vorderer Schwarzmooskogel summit or 123m East and 55m north of the summit. 136b is 22m N of 136a, 136c is 28m N of 136a, 136d is 35m NNE of 136a. All entrances on same shelf. 136b &c are holes in shelf, 136d is large (15x10m) funnel-shaped hole just over 1m ridge (so not obvious from normal route).","Relocated in 1996. From main summit, drop down east to a bare limestone shelf. Follow this ~NE for some way (c 200m) until a way down east again reaches a small group of holes/shafts/rifts (CUCC 1997-07, 209, 136c, 136b). Cross this area south, initially keeping close below a small cliff to your right. After passing 136b, 136a is a little off to the left (east) of the cliff at the south end of the karren shelf. (See area map in NotKH survey book p88-89). The entrance is in a depression and is marked by, and under, a large (3m cubicish) boulder with a faint (in 1996) '136' painted on the S side, and a Tag.
From Top Camp, proceed via the 161 approach up to the point (immediately past 1623/147) where a short climb down through the bunde drops onto a large, wide, grassy area perhaps 200m before reaching Vd1 and 30m higher. Cross the grassy patch, contouring around the hill and then take the 3rd steep grassy bank up to the right, through some bunde (this is not the most obvious slope). Climb up to the limestone shelf above and then continue contouring around the hill at roughly the same level for a further 300m to the entrance.",,"
", ,,"a",,"entrance","smkridge/161/136a.htm",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,"p136",,,,"Nils","gps96bestfit.136","gps00.136 gps00.136_2",82220,36364,"1796m","135m on bearing of 66° from Vorderer Schwarzmooskogel summit or 123m East and 55m north of the summit.",,,,,, ,,"b",,"entrance","smkridge/161/136b.htm",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,"p136b","spit",,"Surface survey",,,82237,36367,"1789m",,,"136b is 22m N of 136a",,,, ,,"c",,"entrance","smkridge/161/136c.htm",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,"p136c","spit",,"Surface survey",,,82252,36371,"1790m",,,"136c is 28m N of 136a",,,, ,,"d",,"last entrance","smkridge/161/136d.htm",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,"p136d",,,,"Surface survey",,,82252,36376,"1792m",,,"136d is 35m NNE of 136a.",,,, 137,"1/S +",,,,"smkridge/137.htm",,"Schwa Schacht 137",,,"2b",,"CUCC 1983","Shaft",,,,,,,,,"47m",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,"c 1790m",,,"East of Vorderer Schwarzmooskogel",,,, 138,"1/S +",,,,"smkridge/138.htm",,"Schwa Schacht 138",,,"2b",,"CUCC 1983. Surveyed-to 1999 (Wookey, Mark Shinwell) ","Rapidly turns vertical and when explored, choked with snow at -40m.",,,,,"In dataset"," Sketch in not-KH survey book 1996, page 14. Area map NoKH book p88.",138,,,,,,,,"p138",,,,"Surface survey",,,82206,36323,"1795m",,,"East flank of Vorderer Schwarzmooskogel. One shelf up from 136. 50m WSW of 136a.","Follow route to 136. From large cubic boulder at 136a entrance climb 4m step to west. Go 25m SW along 'gully' between bunde, then turn R into gap. Large, T-shaped entrance now visible in cliff 15m ahead.",,"?","Number in red on the right wall of the vertical of the ""T"" saying ""138 CUCC 1983"". Spit with metal tag ""CUCC 138"" placed 1997. " -139,"1/S +","///home/dl",,,"smkridge/139.htm",,"Schwa Schacht 139",,,"2b",,"CUCC 1983. Relocated 1996 (Wookey). Surveyed to 1999.08.07 (Andy Atkinson, Simon Flower) ","Shaft. Two pitches to -30m, then too narrow.",,,,,"In dataset",,139,,,,,,,,"p139",,,,"Surface survey",,"gps00.139",82312,362328,"1827m","HSK 022°, Gries Kgl. 356°, Hollweiser 147°",,"Vord SMK, just below (~70m on bearing 070°) secondary Northern summit. 90m NW of 136d, approx 200m N of Vorderer Schwarzmooskogel summit.
GPS fix GK 5411207 to 5282893, Alt. 1877 ± 91m","From VSMK summit: go down 50m on E side to a large shelf, walk along ~NE 200m to where shelf peters out. Up slope on left is 139.
From VD1 to 136 route: As you come over crest out of grassy gully there is a choss bowl/snow ahead (you cross this to get to the 136 shelf. Instead turn right uphill, up small steps on open limestone. 139 is a large square cleft in a limestone scarp after about 60m.",,,"Tag ""CUCC 139"" (1997). Red Paint ""139 CUCC 1983"" (1983)." +139,"1/S +",,,,"smkridge/139.htm",,"Schwa Schacht 139",,,"2b",,"CUCC 1983. Relocated 1996 (Wookey). Surveyed to 1999.08.07 (Andy Atkinson, Simon Flower) ","Shaft. Two pitches to -30m, then too narrow.",,,,,"In dataset",,139,,,,,,,,"p139",,,,"Surface survey",,"gps00.139",82312,362328,"1827m","HSK 022°, Gries Kgl. 356°, Hollweiser 147°",,"Vord SMK, just below (~70m on bearing 070°) secondary Northern summit. 90m NW of 136d, approx 200m N of Vorderer Schwarzmooskogel summit.
GPS fix GK 5411207 to 5282893, Alt. 1877 ± 91m","From VSMK summit: go down 50m on E side to a large shelf, walk along ~NE 200m to where shelf peters out. Up slope on left is 139.
From VD1 to 136 route: As you come over crest out of grassy gully there is a choss bowl/snow ahead (you cross this to get to the 136 shelf. Instead turn right uphill, up small steps on open limestone. 139 is a large square cleft in a limestone scarp after about 60m.",,,"Tag ""CUCC 139"" (1997). Red Paint ""139 CUCC 1983"" (1983)." 140,"2/S +",,,,"smkridge/140.htm",,"Schwa Schacht 140",,,"2b",,"CUCC 1983","Shaft entrance is 9m by 6m, with first pitch 15m to boulders. A 6m pitch is immediately followed by a 10m drop to a sloping boulder floor. From the end of this, a 5.5m drop reaches a longer boulder slope, which leads into a canyon at 90°. Down this is a longer pitch split into 10 and 10.5m sections by a small ledge, landing on a very large boulder. Over the boulder are two ways on.
Through a squeeze is a shaft 10m deep to floor with continuing hole and a further shaft to one side, neither of which were descended, despite a draught coming out through the squeeze.
The way followed is a 5m pitch from the big boulder, to a boulder false floor. At the end of this, the roof rises into a high aven and an 11m pitch drops to a flat boulder floor next to another huge block. A hole down gives a 7m drop next to stacked rocks and a way on across boulders leads to a final 8m pitch.
Forward over boulders passes under another high aven from which water falls. A short climb down leads to where this water disappears into a scrofulous slot, at a depth of 95m.
The cave is in a key position, almost directly above the Breeze Block area of Chile, in Kaninchenhöhle. However, these passages lie between 250 and 300m below the 140 entrance, so this is probably not a potential easy way in.",,,,,,"? grade 3. In 1983 logbook",,,,,,,,,,,,,,"gps98.140","gps00.140",,,"1796m",,,"South of Vorderer Schwarzmooskogel - 126m on 194° from summit.
47° 40' 41"" N 13° 48' 58"" E","From Top Camp, climb the ""high"" route towards 161. Just past the highest point, join a traverse round the Schwarzmooskogel heading south and eventually more west. If you pick the right level, this passes the large open shaft of 140. Alternatively, the cave may be approached from the summit (point 1843) though various cliffs make this approach difficult.",,,
141,"1/S =",,,,"smkridge/141.htm",,"Schwa Höhle 141",,,"2b",,"CUCC 1982, 1983",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,"p141",,,"Surface survey",,,,,,,,"On the hillside above Windloch (Kat.32).
",,"A large non-draughting entrance, not pushed, appears to contain an 80m pitch in a narrow rift. Described in a later journal as -30m.",,"painted number ""131"" in red"
142,"6/T/S x",,"40n",,"smkridge/142.htm",,"Schwa Höhle 142",,,"2a",,"CUCC 1982-85, Arge/CUCC 1996","Yet another entrance to Stellerweghöhle, with two points of connection, and also the first point of connection with Schwabenschacht, a similar cave explored by Arbeitsgemeinschaft Höhle und Karst Grabenstetten e.V.. 142 contains a very large chamber, imaginatively named The Big Chamber reached by a 34m pitch from a point adjacent to the connection. A full description of 142 (but not 78) is one of the components of the Stellerweghöhle guidebook, just an overview is given here.
Note: With apparent perversity, the Austrians have numbered this as 115e in their Kataster. This is likely to give rise to immense confusion in the long term as more caves are connected, and numbers on entrances cannot readily be altered (owing to the obscurity of their location and inaccessibility from within the system).
After an initial small tube, the cave opens into passages very similar to those in Schwabenschacht and the upper levels of Stellerweghöhle. Descent of some of the steep ramps to the right of the main way on may provide further connections into the main cave (and one may have already done so). However, staying high leads through tubes to an inobvious junction. Left is the connection to 78, whilst right leads immediately to the head of a pitch into the Big Chamber - a popular name in the system. A route from this chamber leads to the foot of an 18m pitch in the entrance series of Stellerweghöhle, and a more obscure route through boulders from the head of the Big Chamber pitch leads to the same place.",,,,,"In dataset","CUCC plan from surveys 1982-1985, here in several sections:
Entrance area; Big Chamber; Stellerweg connection... ",142,,,,,,"this entrance to the main system really should have a name.",,,"p142",,,"Nils",,,81218.2,35770.4,"1615.1m",,,,"Hack up the hillside behind Windloch (Kat.32).",,,"The entrance was prominently numbered '132' in red but this was finally changed in 1996 after the connection to Schwabenschacht (1623-78)"
@@ -191,7 +191,7 @@
,,"b",,"last entrance","smkridge/154b.htm",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,"p154b","unmarked",,"Surface survey",,,,,,,,,,,,
155,0,,,,"smkridge/155.htm",,"Unerforscht Schacht 155",,,"2b",,"CUCC 1985 (on last day), was this pushed in 1987 ?","The cave can be entered via a slot on the right hand side of snow plug, or by crossing the snow plug onto the ice. The ice slopes down in one corner, possibly to a pitch, which, however, will need a rope to verify. Another slot nearby may drop into the same chamber. ",,,,,,"Grade 1 elevation in 1985 Log Book ?",,,,,,,,,,"p155",,,"Surface survey",,"gps00.155",,,,,,"about 150m ENE of 154","From 154, climb up and right and around a grassy shoulder. Then walk down (heading roughly east), skirting past a choked doline and 155 lies ahead.","A huge snow-plugged entrance apparently akin to 113.",,
156,"1/S +",,,,"smkridge/156.htm",,"Schwa Schacht 156",,,"2b",,"CUCC 1987","An open rift with a rock bridge. Pitch of 25m drops onto snow bank, and route to southeast of this drops a further 15m to a complete choke with snow.",,,,,,"
Grade 1 plan/elev of 156 and T.B.H. from 1987 Log Book",,,,,,,"The log book refers to exploration in the vicinity of 0/1 including 156 and a nearby cave (unnumbered in 1987) Tumbling Boulder Hole. There is, however, another piece of paper which says it is very near (and NE of) point 0/2. This appears to arise from the diagram which accompanies the log book entry, which shows 0/2 with no north arrow, and uphill up the page. If the point was really 0/1 on this diagram, then the descriptions would match, with north at 7 O'Clock on the diagram. The logbook suggests that the discoverers had visited 0/2 (and found very little nearby) and then 0/1 later, finding 156. GPS location and later a surface survey (1998) confirms that 0/1 is the correct laser point. ",,"p156tag","p156","random point or top rigging bolt",,"Surface survey","gps98.156",,,,,,,"Vorderer Schwarzmooskogel, 50m south of laser rangefound point 0/1. The recently (1998) cairned route up the Vd. Schwarzmooskogel NW flank passes very close to the laser point, and skirts the NE end of the open rift of 156. Surface survey connecting Tag and original survey ( to top rigging bolt) done in 1999. ",,,"?","""1623 156 CUCC 1987"" on alloy tag on west side of more southerly opening, more-or-less directly above the first rigging bolt" -157,"2/S x ","///home/dl",,,"smkridge/157.htm",,"Schwa Schacht 157",,"Pirat Schacht","2b",,"Uncertain. Rediscovered CUCC 1987","Entrance shaft of 50m until gap between snow and rock became too perilous in 1987 - bottom still out of sight. About 25m below the karren, a rift passage leads off from side of shaft into parallel shaft with aven. This shaft is of unknown depth but has recent looking bolts of unknown origin. It is just conceivable that these bolts are in 107, but far more likely that the cave had been looked at by GSCB who were in the area on a reconnaissance in 1986 (?) and more seriously in 1987.
The second cave has a walk-in entrance, splitting just inside. The left passage comes out below a shaft from the surface, and apparently continues unexplored. The main passage reaches a 10m pitch, also below a surface shaft, which drops into a chamber. To the left is a short passage to an undescended pitch of about 10m, while to the right are three ways on. First is a rift, then a passage with an ice floor, and finally, half back towards the entrance, is a passage emerging below another surface shaft (passed on the surface just before reaching the entrance). This final passage also appeared to continue. Because a large carbide pig was found outside the entrance, it was assumed that someone else was in the course of exploring this cave.",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,"""about 6m above Laser rangefound point 0/5"" (which is above gully containing Kat. 107 and marked with an alloy tag stamped ""LASER 0-5""). The cave was looked for but not seen in a visit to this laser point in 1998. A second cave 100m from 0/5, uphill to the left, was not given a number because of evidence of previous exploration, but should be investigated further. 157 was relocated in 2001, visible to the right of the route up to 204. It was marked with faded yellow paint.",,,, +157,"2/S x ",,,,"smkridge/157.htm",,"Schwa Schacht 157",,"Pirat Schacht","2b",,"Uncertain. Rediscovered CUCC 1987","Entrance shaft of 50m until gap between snow and rock became too perilous in 1987 - bottom still out of sight. About 25m below the karren, a rift passage leads off from side of shaft into parallel shaft with aven. This shaft is of unknown depth but has recent looking bolts of unknown origin. It is just conceivable that these bolts are in 107, but far more likely that the cave had been looked at by GSCB who were in the area on a reconnaissance in 1986 (?) and more seriously in 1987.
The second cave has a walk-in entrance, splitting just inside. The left passage comes out below a shaft from the surface, and apparently continues unexplored. The main passage reaches a 10m pitch, also below a surface shaft, which drops into a chamber. To the left is a short passage to an undescended pitch of about 10m, while to the right are three ways on. First is a rift, then a passage with an ice floor, and finally, half back towards the entrance, is a passage emerging below another surface shaft (passed on the surface just before reaching the entrance). This final passage also appeared to continue. Because a large carbide pig was found outside the entrance, it was assumed that someone else was in the course of exploring this cave.",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,"""about 6m above Laser rangefound point 0/5"" (which is above gully containing Kat. 107 and marked with an alloy tag stamped ""LASER 0-5""). The cave was looked for but not seen in a visit to this laser point in 1998. A second cave 100m from 0/5, uphill to the left, was not given a number because of evidence of previous exploration, but should be investigated further. 157 was relocated in 2001, visible to the right of the route up to 204. It was marked with faded yellow paint.",,,, 158,"3/S +",,,,"smkridge/158.htm",,"Donner und Blitzen Höhle",,,"2b",,"CUCC 1987","A body-width passage formed by a wall on the left and a large detached slab on the right descends for about 5m at 45°, with occasional glimpses of daylight above. A cross passage is then encountered. To the right is blocked after a few metres, but left descends to meet the base of the wall. To the right here, a 20-22cm squeeze is passed by lying on one side. After 2m of further tight progress, the rift opens onto a drop. A steep tube descends for about 12m to a small chamber and with care can be descended free.
From the chamber, the passage curves to the left and opens onto the head of a 7m pitch, which drops onto a large ledge. A rebelay just over the lip of the ledge at the left hand side gives a further 18m free-hanging pitch to a landing on boulders several metres across, which appear to be jammed across the shaft.
A narrow rift around a corner stops at a drip and a small pool. The way on is through a gap to a hole with a jammed block. Climbing down to the block leads to the head of an 18m pitch which rapidly opens into a huge split-level chamber. The pitch lands on Big Bertha, a boulder some 4m in diameter.
To the north, a narrow rift has been followed for about 10m to a tight vertical drop of at least 5m down the rift, but this has not been pushed. East from Big Bertha leads to a 5m drop to the lower half of the chamber, which is floored with loose rock. An archway to the left leads to a 7m pitch to a small stream. This disappears down an impassable slot, but is met lower in the cave.
From the archway, a climb up behind a boulder propped against the side of the chamber leads to a col. One side rapidly curves up to the roof. The other ascends over very loose boulders for at least 25m (15m vertical) until the roof is met. This area has not been exhaustively pushed, but seems unlikely to lead anywhere.
Descending the other side of the col gives a series of ledges via 5m, 7m and 8m pitches, in a canyon some 5m wide and at least 15m high. The stream enters at the bottom of the 7m pitch. Below, the rift continues down a moderate slope and round a corner, with a final short 4m pitch to a soil and rock floored chamber.
A strong draught is felt around the edges of the chamber, rising from the choked floor. It is possible to descend in loose boulders in a number of places but all ways meet the roof and choke - pushing in this area is dangerous and unpromising.
Near the bottom of the previous pitch, a 5m deep circular pit in the floor can be descended. This takes a large drip from the stream above. At the bottom, a tight (22-26cm) rift leads on for 3m to a further 3m pitch to a small chamber. An impassable passage continues, while a small window gives a view of a widening beyond.",,,,,"In dataset","Grade 3 plan and elevation in Cambridge Underground 1988, p 6
",,,"128m (deepest surveyed point is -118m)",,,,,,,"p158","on big rock at entrance",,"Surface survey",,"gps00.158",,,,,,"400m NNE of The Nipple (Weißen Warze) at the base of a wall to the left after passing a sandy depression (walking from the Nipple).",,,,"paint"
159,"2/S +",,,,"plateau/159.htm",,"Winded Hole",,,"1a",,"CUCC 1988 (1st pitch Chris & Becka, bottomed by Chris).","Two bolts in entrance for Y-hang to give c40m vertical to a boulder floor, then a further 20m in a big boulder chamber. A ""nice skeleton"" and an old colander (!) were found on the terminal choke in 1988.",,,,,,,,,"c50m",,,,,,"p159tag",,,,"Surface survey",,,,,," 1996: HSK 059°, VSK nipple 111°, Bräuning Nase 152°, Kleine Wild Kogel 009°(left) and 010°(right), Bräuning Wall pt. 1828 209°, Bräuning Wall pt. 1835 221°, Bräuning Zinken 232° ",,"Near 'crapping region' of Top Camp (1990). Cave is on the same fault/joint as 1623/90, CUCC1996WK2 and CUCC1996WK3, but further out from the Bräuning Wall, c 100m on 067°.
","Cave relocated 1990, 1996 and surveyed to in 1998
Entrance reached in two minutes from upper top camp by heading west and dropping down one terrace.",,"","orange number ""159"" facing north. 1998 tag ""1623 159 CUCC 1988"" attached to more northerly of two Y-hang bolts, just below surface. This is the anchor visible in the photograph (with an orange circle painted round it), taken before the tag was attached."
160,"2/S/ +",,,,"plateau/160.htm",,"Plateau Schacht 160",,,"1a",,"CUCC 1988 ","1988 logbook implies that this is "Jared's Hole". Was provisionally numbered "181" but apparently never marked. Bottoming trip used a 70m rope to reach a choke (with a draught). A small side rift at the bottom choked after 3m.
The cave could probably do with another descent to record some details of the interior or even a survey !",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,"p160",,,,"Surface survey",,"gps00.160",,,,,,"On plateau, near B10 (according to B10 info). Map in 1988 logbook shows 160 as out on the plateau from Bräuning Scharte in an area of terracing, and WSW of B10. Hole tagged in 1998 is just east of 91, and can also be reached by following the terrace west from the 159 entrance. ",,,,"the hole believed to be 160 was unmarked until tagged in 1998 ""1623 160 CUCC 1988"" on flat limestone 1m east of entrance. This had been relocated in 1996 and was then thought to be 159, but latter was found marked in 1998."
@@ -238,16 +238,16 @@
192,"1/S -",,,,"smkridge/192.htm",,"Schwa Schacht 192",,,"2b",,"Unknown, and CUCC 1995 (unfinished) ","About a 15m shaft with a large rift at the bottom. Probably doesn't go but can't be sure. Rift c 10m long, on 50-230° with deepest point to SW. Descended to -10m on ladder, but can't see round corner to left (SE) below. Existing spit found near top, but previously unmarked.",,,,"ref: Kate 95.07.26 S94p42",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,"c1755m","1623/161c 200°",,"About 100m NNE from 161c, and a few metres higher.",,"Two cairns, one either side of entrance.",,"Marked with the number in paint"
193,"1/S +",,,,"smkridge/193.htm",,"Schwa Schacht 193",,,"2b",,"CUCC 1995, 2000 ","Rift at 70-80°. A 3m by 4m shaft descends 7m to a rock floor. To the south a tight bit of rift can be entered for a few metres. To the west a small chamber can be entered via a 1m step down.",,,,"ref: Anthony from Nick's notes 95.07.08-9 S94p45
ref survey 2000#36, 2000#37","In dataset","",193,,,,,,,,,"p193",,,"Surface survey",,,,,,,,"200m East of 161c.",,,,"tag 2000"
194,"1/S +",,,,"smkridge/194.htm",,"Schwa Schacht 194",,,"2b",,"Unknown, and CUCC 1995","A small hole in the side of a big surface rift (on about 060-240°). The surface rift is about 5m deep, and a tiny way goes off to the E at the north-eastern end, becoming too tight at about -15m. The small hole under the NW wall at the SE end is a pitch of c 30m to a 10m long rift parallel with the surface rift. Rope did not reach, but appears to be no way on.
Equipment:50m rope? ",,,,"Ref: Kate 95.07.26 S94p42-3",,,,,,,,,,,,"p194",,,"Surface survey","gps96bestfit.194",,,,,"Bräuning Zinken 230°
Two other bearings are given, one to ""Kleine Wehr Kogel"" 354°, but, in fact, to ""Kleine Wild Kogel"". The other is 295° to a small peak left of the Schönberg which I can't identify from the map. ",,"On large white patch of limestone on NW flank of Hinterer Schwarzmooskogel (visible from Top Camp), quite near the far side of the bare area and just above a larch tree leaning SE.","On cairned path from Top Camp to Steinbruckenhöhle (204). 60m W of 195. Area map NotKH book p 115.",,"","Tag ""CUCC 1623/194"" (1999). Cairn and numbered in red (1996) on NE face of a large boulder bridging the rift (visible in context photo).
"
-195,"1/S -",,,,"smkridge/195.htm",,"Schwa Schacht 195",,,"2b",,"Original discovery not known
Refound 1989 (Pete Lancaster Adam Cooper)
Re-found and marked 1995 (Kate Janossy)
Surveyed to 1999 (Anthony Day, Duncan Collis)","A very large surface rift (almost a canyon), with a pitch at the west end. This has a 5-6 second booming clattering drop, and had a very poor quality spit at the top. It was not descended in 1995. This may be the cave referred to in the description of 165, located by CUCC in 1989, but already having a bolt, and not descended by CUCC but with ""a drop in excess of 35m"".
Equipment:50m rope? ",,,,"Ref: Kate 95.07.26 S94p43-4","In dataset",,195,,,,,,,,,"p195",,,"Nils","gps96.195 gps96bestfit.195","gps00.195",,,,"Bräuning Zinken 225° ""Kleine Wild Kogel"" 354°
",,"On large white patch of limestone on NW flank of Hinterer Schwarzmooskogel (visible from Top Camp), quite near the top of the bare area (higher up than 1623/194).
","On cairned path from Top Camp to Steinbruckenhöhle (204). 195 is 60m E of 194 and 50m WSW of 196, and 90m NNW of 165. Area map NotKH book p115.
Relocated in 1996 and surveyed to in 1999.",,"","Cairn, Red paint '195' (1995). Tag ""CUCC 1623/195"" (1999)."
+195,"1/S -",,,,"smkridge/195.htm",,"Schwa Schacht 195",,,"2b",,"
","A very large surface rift (almost a canyon), with a pitch at the west end. This has a 5-6 second booming clattering drop, and had a very poor quality spit at the top. It was not descended in 1995. This may be the cave referred to in the description of 165, located by CUCC in 1989, but already having a bolt, and not descended by CUCC but with ""a drop in excess of 35m"".
Equipment:50m rope? ",,,,"Ref: Kate 95.07.26 S94p43-4","In dataset",,195,,,,,,,,,"p195",,,"Nils","gps96.195 gps96bestfit.195","gps00.195",,,,"Bräuning Zinken 225° ""Kleine Wild Kogel"" 354°
",,"On large white patch of limestone on NW flank of Hinterer Schwarzmooskogel (visible from Top Camp), quite near the top of the bare area (higher up than 1623/194).
","On cairned path from Top Camp to Steinbruckenhöhle (204). 195 is 60m E of 194 and 50m WSW of 196, and 90m NNW of 165. Area map NotKH book p115.
Relocated in 1996 and surveyed to in 1999.",,"","Cairn, Red paint '195' (1995). Tag ""CUCC 1623/195"" (1999)."
196,"1/T +",,,,"smkridge/196.htm",,"Schwa Höhle 196",,,"2b",,"Discovered: CUCC 1995 (Kate Janossy, Balázs Izapy, Surveyed: 1999 (Anthony Day, Duncan Collis) ","By a large (10m wide) snow choked doline, are two horizontal entrances going WSW. The right one is uphill over boulders and ends very quickly. The left one (196) is downhill and carries a draught. The triangular cross-section (widest at the bottom) passage goes for 10m to a junction with a blind uphill branch to the right, whilst straight ahead is too tight.
Equipment:None",,,," ref: Kate 95.07.26 S94p44","In dataset","
Retagged 1997." 198,"2/S +",,"B11",,"plateau/198.htm",,"Fuchshöhle",,,"1a",,"CUCC 1976, reexamined 1994, surface survey 1996","A fine pitch of 55m is broken by a ledge halfway down. The shaft narrows towards the bottom, and from the foot of the ladder, boulders lead to a choke a few metres further down.",,,,,,,,,"55m",,,,,,,,,,,"gps96bestfit.b11 gps98.b11_1998","gps00.b11",,,,,,"On plateau between B8 and the col, very difficult to spot from more than 5m away, but very noisy in wet weather. ",,,"
retagged 1999" -199,"1/T +",,,,"smkridge/199.htm",,"Stürzender Felsbrocken Höhle","Tumbling Boulder Hole",,"2b",,"CUCC 1987-08-30, reexplored (and a new sketch survey, see 1998 NotKH survey book) (Kate Janossy, Brian Outram) in 1998. Grade 3 survey in 1999 (Wookey, Andy Atkinson)","A steeply descending tube over scree (sometimes snow), initially 3m in diameter, leads down to a choke. To the right in a cross-rift 24m long (beware of loose rock here) is an audible connection to the surface (199c). The final section of the main tube has roof pendants, and ends with a rising sand floor over which the crawl becomes too tight. The second entrance (199b) is just up and to the left of the main one.","None absolutely required, but 15m handline helpful for entrance, especially if snowy.",,,,"In dataset","
","A steeply descending tube over scree (sometimes snow), initially 3m in diameter, leads down to a choke. To the right in a cross-rift 24m long (beware of loose rock here) is an audible connection to the surface (199c). The final section of the main tube has roof pendants, and ends with a rising sand floor over which the crawl becomes too tight. The second entrance (199b) is just up and to the left of the main one.","None absolutely required, but 15m handline helpful for entrance, especially if snowy.",,,,"In dataset","
After a first descent placing a bolt again showed it unsuitable for exploration in shorts, a determined effort by Wookey in 1998 pushed the second pitch, between hanging death ice and snow to a definite choke. However, partway down this pitch was a window with a draught, leading to a third pitch (one bolt at takeoff, another just below). This was nn metres to a final choke.
The whole cave is formed on a fault which forms a SE-facing scarp on the surface. A short distance NE of the entrance, the fault line cuts a lower-lying area. The draught, which was mostly outward through the head of the third pitch during the final exploratory trip, periodically reverses for 10-15 seconds. It would appear to be powered by surface breezes via various other small windows to the surface, most probably including ones lower down in the depression to the NE.",,,,,,"
Completed question mark list. ",,,"In dataset","
","
Completed question mark list. ",,,"In dataset","
","Small (1.1 x 0.9 m) horizontal cave about 7m long in cliff edge, very small skylight lets light in at end.","None",,"Form sent 2000.05, number allocated. ",,"In dataset","? grade 4",207,"7m","1m",,,,,,,"p207",,,"Surface survey",,"gps00.wk2",,,,"VSK (obvious point = Nipple ?) 103°, HSK (leftmost top) 052°, Schönberg 346° ",,"100m W of the waterhole at (upper) top camp. In small cliff one step up from top camp level. Entrance faces N. 16m S of WK3.
","From Top Camp (upper site) walk along ""crapper"" shelf, following path. After 80m where path goes down to next shefl, climb 3m step ahead. WK2 is to the left (and WK3 to the right).
Surface survey location sketch in not KH 1996 p 3, area map: NotKH book pp68-69",,,"""+"". Spit set awaiting tag (shared with 208)."
+208,"1/S +","a b","96-WK3","yes","plateau/208.htm",,"Quallenhöhle",,,"1a",,"
","Two entrances, one 5m lower than the other. Lower section is expanded joint at foot of step, 6m deep. free-climable to gain a choked floor. A small continuation leads to small space in rifty corner where rocks have not filled. Upper entrance is 2-3m diameter shaft 5m deep, also free-climable. ","None, 8m handline would be useful.",,"Form sent 2000.05., number 210 allocated",,"In dataset","? pic",208,"15m","13m",,,,"The name is essentially spurious, but makes a change from bears, wolves and rabbits ;-).",,,,,,,"gps96.wk3 gps96bestfit.wk3","gps00.wk3",,,,"B.Nase 161°, VSK (obvious point = Nipple ?) 104°, HSK (leftmost top) 054°, Schönberg 346°, Wildkogel (L&R ends of obvious summit ridge) 007-011° ",,"100m W of the waterhole at (upper) top camp. 65m N of 90. 16m N of 207.","From Top Camp (upper site) walk along ""crapper"" shelf, following path. After 80m where path goes down to next shefl, climb 3m step ahead. 208 is to the right (and 207 to the left). The lower entrance is accessible from below the step.
Surface survey location sketch in not KH 1996 p 3, area map: NotKH book pp68-69",,,"""+"" (on cliff between entrances). Spit set by upper entrance awaiting tag (shared with 207)."
,,"a",,"entrance",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,"p208",,,"Surface survey",,,,,,,,,,,,
-,,"b","///home/dl","last entrance",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
-209,"1/S +",,"1996WK8 (maybe also CUCC 1996-08)",,"smkridge/209.htm",,"Schistock-Absturzschacht","Dropped skipole hole",,"2b",,"Discovered/recorded: CUCC 1996.07.21 (Wookey) (NoKH book p14)
Explored and Surveyed: CUCC 1999.08.03: (Paul Hammond, Tony Rooke, Becka Lawson) NotKH book p82","3m x 0.8m shaft, 16m deep. Freeclimb descent is possible but difficult. Belay (and light!) needed. No draught. Bottom choked by rubble.","20m rope. ",,"Form sent 2000.05, number 209 allocated. ",,"In dataset","? grade 5",209,,,,,,,,,"p209",,,"Surface survey",,,,,,"VSK: 233°, Hollweiser: 145° (from a point between the WK7-WK10 entrances) ",,"Along shelf from 136. 35mN of 136a, 10m NW of 136d.","The normal route to 136 (from SMK col/Vd1), passes over/past this cave. It is one of the group of holes shafts and rifts on the same shelf as 136a,b,c,d. From large cubic boulder at 136a, follow shelf N past 136b, and 136c. This cave is the last of these 3 holes. The entrance is joint-developed 3 x 0.8m shaft. Area map NotKH book p 88-89.",,,"136d Tag, 8m away. ?has its own tag too"
-210,"1/T +",,"1998_03",,"plateau/210.htm",,"Fettsack und Faulpelz höhle","Lardy Festerers' Cave",,"1a",,"Discovered: CUCC 1998.07.19 (Brian Outram, Wookey)
Explored/Drawn/Surveyed to: CUCC 1998.07.21 (Kate Janossy, Brian Outram) (NotKH book p64), surface survey NotKH book p58","In a small doline, a low horizontal entrance next to a snow plug leads to a boulder slope. A draughting squeeze leads to muddy passage + a small chamber with boulder floor, a choked depression to the left + a choked uphill slope stright on. There is a rifty hole in the floor just before the large boulder in the middle of the chamber, partly covered with boulders. The bottom can be seen 2m below. No way on, not clear where draught goes.","None",,"Form sent 2000.05, number 210 allocated. ",,,"
","3m x 0.8m shaft, 16m deep. Freeclimb descent is possible but difficult. Belay (and light!) needed. No draught. Bottom choked by rubble.","20m rope. ",,"Form sent 2000.05, number 209 allocated. ",,"In dataset","? grade 5",209,,,,,,,,,"p209",,,"Surface survey",,,,,,"VSK: 233°, Hollweiser: 145° (from a point between the WK7-WK10 entrances) ",,"Along shelf from 136. 35mN of 136a, 10m NW of 136d.","The normal route to 136 (from SMK col/Vd1), passes over/past this cave. It is one of the group of holes shafts and rifts on the same shelf as 136a,b,c,d. From large cubic boulder at 136a, follow shelf N past 136b, and 136c. This cave is the last of these 3 holes. The entrance is joint-developed 3 x 0.8m shaft. Area map NotKH book p 88-89.",,,"136d Tag, 8m away. ?has its own tag too" +210,"1/T +",,"1998_03",,"plateau/210.htm",,"Fettsack und Faulpelz höhle","Lardy Festerers' Cave",,"1a",,"
","In a small doline, a low horizontal entrance next to a snow plug leads to a boulder slope. A draughting squeeze leads to muddy passage + a small chamber with boulder floor, a choked depression to the left + a choked uphill slope stright on. There is a rifty hole in the floor just before the large boulder in the middle of the chamber, partly covered with boulders. The bottom can be seen 2m below. No way on, not clear where draught goes.","None",,"Form sent 2000.05, number 210 allocated. ",,,"
Relocated in searches in 1990 and 1996 - best (and pretty easily) found from Schwarzmoossattel or Top Camp by following the path south until a small spring (at the site of the 1979 bivouac) feeds a tiny stream descending into the valley. This sinks in the northernmost shaft of Schachtgruppe 36. In the centre of the valley across from this point is an obvious shakehole, usually with a small snowchoke, in a shaft.",,,, -,"1/S +",,"B5",,"kratzer/b5.htm",,"CUCC 1976/B5",,"probably = 74",4,,"CUCC 1976","Descent over snow of 10m or so ended a snow choke.",,,,,,,,,"10m",,,," Probabaly =74",,,,,,,,,,,,,,"""Right on the col - the scar to the west has large holes immediately below it."" A scar to the west with large holes below it exactly describes Schachtgruppe 36 as seen from B4. B5 was not relocated in a search in 1990, nor so far in 1995. However, the Austrians thought B5 was the same as Kat. 35, whose description is nothing similar, but 35 is in the same doline as Kat. 74, which does sound exactly like B5, so we can probably assume that it is the same place. ",,,, +,"1/S +",,"B5",,"kratzer/b5.htm",,"CUCC 1976/B5",,"probably = 74",4,,"CUCC 1976","Descent over snow of 10m or so ended a snow choke.",,,,,,,,,"10m",,,," Probabaly =74",,,,,,,,,,,,,,"""Right on the col - the scar to the west has large holes immediately below it."" A scar to the west with large holes below it exactly describes Schachtgruppe 36 as seen from B4. B5 was not relocated in a search in 1990, nor so far in 1995. However, the Austrians thought B5 was the same as Kat. 35, whose description is nothing similar, but 35 is in the same doline as Kat. 74, which does sound exactly like B5, so we can probably assume that it is the same place. ",,,, ,"1/S +",,"B6",,"plateau/b6.htm",,"CUCC 1976/B6",,,"1a",,"CUCC 1976","Descent of 8m to a choke.",,,,,,,,,"8m",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,"?",,,"Small shaft on plateau just over the col. It is believed that this has not been found since 1976, despite a number of searches.",,,, ,"1/S +",,"B10",,"plateau/b10.htm",,"CUCC 1976/B10",,,"1a",,"CUCC 1976, 1988","Simply a 5m climb to two short pitches choked at foot of second. Rigged entirely on natural belays in 1988.",,,,,,,,,,,,,"This was apparently relocated and reexplored by CUCC in 1988, before they spotted the number. Shown as being near the foot of the Bräuning wall, in the same area as 159 and 160. Not relocated, however, in a search in 1990, probably because it's further out onto the plateau than the 91,93,94 area where I looked. There are a couple of likely looking holes immediately north of the grassy area containing lower top camp, but no number was visible in 1998.",,,,,,,,,,,,,,"Lies in maze of karren north of B9.",,,, ,"2/S +",,"LA25",,"remote/la25.htm",,"LUSS/LA25",,,6,,"LUSS 1987-8","A tricky 4m climb down to a ledge and further 2m drop gain the floor of a chamber. Down boulder slope in chamber leads to a further short climb on overhanging loose rubble to a small chamber with draughting rift. A squeeze through the rift opens directly onto the head of an awkward 8m pitch. Beyond, the floor soon disappears and way on is 5m of traverse in a widening rift to where stones fall free for 5 seconds, this was the 1987 terminus.
A 6m drop reaches a point overlooking a 5m wide circular shaft. Bolts for a Y-hang lead onto the 56m free-hanging Heart of Gold pitch, named for its cross section. Another 10m drop on the other side of a boulder lands on a large ledge covered in loose boulders, The Italian Bistro. Awkward rigging on the right wall and two lower bolts allow Deep Thought to be rigged just clear of the tottering boulders that give the 18m pitch its name.
At the base is The Restaurant at the End of the Cave, a large chamber sporting five waterfalls. From the foot of the pitch, the floor is steeply inclined up to an arch, beyond which the chamber continues to rise to a total length of about 50m. A debris slope up to a tube at the highest points leads only to a choke. There is no other way on from the Restaurant since the floor is choke by major collapse at a depth of 117m.",,,,"The above description is taken from the LUSS reports on the 1987 and 1988 expeditions.",,"A4 elev/plan to grade 5b, LUSS 1987-8 ",,,"117m",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,"1880m",,,"13° 50' 04"" E, 47° 42' 04"" N
A large depression on the Hohes Augst-Eck ridge about 1km SSW of Roß Kogel, is reached from the crest of the ridge above the obvious rock arch, by following a large snow field to the head of the depression. Contouring around to the south of the depression, following the bedding, LA25 to 27 are close together.",,"Above the large depression, LA25 is an open, but obscure hole on a bedding shelf. ",,
@@ -327,27 +327,27 @@
,"1/S +",,"LA38",,"remote/la38.htm",,"LUSS/LA38",,,6,,"LUSS 1988","15m inclined pitch to snow blockage.",,,,"The above description is taken from the LUSS report on the 1988 expedition. ",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,"1900m",,,"13° 50' 01"" E, 47° 42' 02"" N",,,,
,"1/E +",,"LA40",,"remote/la40.htm",,"LUSS/LA40",,,6,,"LUSS 1988","Small entrance leads to boulder ramp to choke with ice formations.",,,,"The above description is taken from the LUSS report on the 1988 expedition.",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,"1860m",,,"13° 50' 01"" E, 47° 42' 13"" N",,,,
,,,"BS1-16",,,,,,"UBSS finds - no documentation",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
-,"2/S +",,"BS17",,"remote/bs17.htm",,"Organhöhle",,,6,,"UBSS 1990
","Overview: A deep and serious cave in a very remote location, with numerous Puits en bayonettes, from which rescue would be virtually impossible after a tortuous tube at -100m.
The 1m diameter entrance is followed by a walking sized phreatic passage with further entrances in the roof. This continues to a four-way junction. Straight on soon chokes at a boulder slope. Up to the left, the passage winds back to a further entrance. The way on is down to the right. The 5m high passage continues, passing low crawls on the left and right to a point where the roof lowers and the passage is split horizontally. The lower passage leads to an extensive series of low crawls whilst the upper passage continues to a squeeze past a debris cone with a distinct draught. Past the debris cone the passage splits again. The right hand passage chokes soon after a 12m pitch but the left hand passage carries on as a hands and knees crawl, crosses a blind 4m pit and soon reaches the first pitch.
A fine descent of 66m in a large shaft lands on a boulder ledge with the second pitch following on immediately. This descends 50m to a 15cm wide rift. Although there is a possible continuation beyond, this would require considerable effort to enter and was not pushed. A climb up to a window above the second pitch (krab and sling left rigged) gains a climb down to the boulder-strewn foot of an aven and a horizontal tube going off (not explored). 13m down the second pitch, Fledermaus ledge can be gained, with a passage leading off to Fledermaus pitch, named for the quantities of bat skeletons at its head. This 27m descent reaches about the same level as the base of the second pitch, and is blind except for a small slot in one wall. Traversing over Fledermaus leads to a small chamber with two tubes leading off, both draughting. The left tube becomes too tight, but a pitch can be seen beyond the constriction. The right tube is the Organ Grinder.
The Organ Grinder is 46m of exceedingly tortuous passage - nowhere extremely tight but twisting and turning, rising and falling, requiring a unique combination of contortions. It is best tackled feet first on the way in (head first on the way out) until a flat out crawl near the end which leads to the crux: a U-bend, best approached head first on the descent. This is even more difficult on the return, when it is best tackled feet first. UBSS's times to pass this passage varied from 10 minutes to 3― hours, with an average of 20 minutes. There is just room to replace SRT gear before the following pitch. The return of an injured person through this tube would be almost impossible without extensive modification of the cave.
The third pitch descends 42m, passing two windows, to a floor with no way on. From the foot of the pitch, a 3m climb up to a ledge reveals two climbs down. One of thse is blind, but the other leads to an undescended pitch of c20m.
Both of the windows in the third pitch connect with Topher's pitch, and the lower one was rigged. From here the pitch is 86m with a large ledge near the bottom. At the foot, a window leads to an aven, whilst in the opposite wall, another window looks onto the fifth pitch, Toccata and Feuge (sic).
Toccata and Feuge is best descended from a ledge above the large ledge in Topher's pitch. Rigged mainly from flakes and threads, it drops in a series of steps, 39m in total. A small hole in the floor drops into a chamber with no passable way on - just two exits, both too tight. 10m back up the pitch, a ledge can be gained and is the start of the Rift Climb. This is a 40m descent, and is best rigged as a self-lined climb. The rift continues for some distance horizontally, but has not been followed. Below the Rift climb, the head of another pitch can be gained, but great care should be exercised in the Rift Climb and this following pitch (The Pitch of the Flying Boulders) as there are many loose rocks, which, when dislodged, fall the full depth of both pitches. From the bottom of Topher's Pitch to the head of PotFB, many fossils of ""large bivalves and snails on sticks"" protrude up to 25mm from the rock.
The PotFB was rigged from a thread and is somewhat awkward for 6m to a rebelay, after which it hangs free. The 32m descent lands in The Hall of the Flying Boulders, which again contains much loose rock, choking the floor level. However, a 2m climb up a mudbank leads to an impressive phreatic passage. A pit in the floor of this passage drops to a chamber with a deep well. Passing this, and a smaller side passage on he left, one soon reaches Another Bloody Pitch with a strong draught at the head. The side passage also joins this pitch. Another Bloody Pitch is 31m, but ends blind. A window part way down reaches a further shaft of 36m, also blind, but this is the deepest explored point, at -295m.
From the head of Another Bloody Pitch, a continuation of the phreatic passage can be seen, but will not be reached without a serious bolted traverse. It is thought that this is the main way on, at c260m depth.",,,," The above description is adapted from the UBSS Newsletter Vol 6 No. 3, November 1990. ",,"Grade 3c survey on cover of UBSS Nls 6(3), 11/90",,"235m","295m",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,"1950m",,,"About 300m along the north side of the ridge running east from Hohes Augst-Eck, about 50m from the summit of the ridge at the foot of a 5m cliff, a 1m diameter tube. [no surface survey info or coordinates].",,,, +,"2/S +",,"BS17",,"remote/bs17.htm",,"Organhöhle",,,6,,"UBSS 1990","Overview: A deep and serious cave in a very remote location, with numerous Puits en bayonettes, from which rescue would be virtually impossible after a tortuous tube at -100m.
The 1m diameter entrance is followed by a walking sized phreatic passage with further entrances in the roof. This continues to a four-way junction. Straight on soon chokes at a boulder slope. Up to the left, the passage winds back to a further entrance. The way on is down to the right. The 5m high passage continues, passing low crawls on the left and right to a point where the roof lowers and the passage is split horizontally. The lower passage leads to an extensive series of low crawls whilst the upper passage continues to a squeeze past a debris cone with a distinct draught. Past the debris cone the passage splits again. The right hand passage chokes soon after a 12m pitch but the left hand passage carries on as a hands and knees crawl, crosses a blind 4m pit and soon reaches the first pitch.
A fine descent of 66m in a large shaft lands on a boulder ledge with the second pitch following on immediately. This descends 50m to a 15cm wide rift. Although there is a possible continuation beyond, this would require considerable effort to enter and was not pushed. A climb up to a window above the second pitch (krab and sling left rigged) gains a climb down to the boulder-strewn foot of an aven and a horizontal tube going off (not explored). 13m down the second pitch, Fledermaus ledge can be gained, with a passage leading off to Fledermaus pitch, named for the quantities of bat skeletons at its head. This 27m descent reaches about the same level as the base of the second pitch, and is blind except for a small slot in one wall. Traversing over Fledermaus leads to a small chamber with two tubes leading off, both draughting. The left tube becomes too tight, but a pitch can be seen beyond the constriction. The right tube is the Organ Grinder.
The Organ Grinder is 46m of exceedingly tortuous passage - nowhere extremely tight but twisting and turning, rising and falling, requiring a unique combination of contortions. It is best tackled feet first on the way in (head first on the way out) until a flat out crawl near the end which leads to the crux: a U-bend, best approached head first on the descent. This is even more difficult on the return, when it is best tackled feet first. UBSS's times to pass this passage varied from 10 minutes to 3― hours, with an average of 20 minutes. There is just room to replace SRT gear before the following pitch. The return of an injured person through this tube would be almost impossible without extensive modification of the cave.
The third pitch descends 42m, passing two windows, to a floor with no way on. From the foot of the pitch, a 3m climb up to a ledge reveals two climbs down. One of thse is blind, but the other leads to an undescended pitch of c20m.
Both of the windows in the third pitch connect with Topher's pitch, and the lower one was rigged. From here the pitch is 86m with a large ledge near the bottom. At the foot, a window leads to an aven, whilst in the opposite wall, another window looks onto the fifth pitch, Toccata and Feuge (sic).
Toccata and Feuge is best descended from a ledge above the large ledge in Topher's pitch. Rigged mainly from flakes and threads, it drops in a series of steps, 39m in total. A small hole in the floor drops into a chamber with no passable way on - just two exits, both too tight. 10m back up the pitch, a ledge can be gained and is the start of the Rift Climb. This is a 40m descent, and is best rigged as a self-lined climb. The rift continues for some distance horizontally, but has not been followed. Below the Rift climb, the head of another pitch can be gained, but great care should be exercised in the Rift Climb and this following pitch (The Pitch of the Flying Boulders) as there are many loose rocks, which, when dislodged, fall the full depth of both pitches. From the bottom of Topher's Pitch to the head of PotFB, many fossils of ""large bivalves and snails on sticks"" protrude up to 25mm from the rock.
The PotFB was rigged from a thread and is somewhat awkward for 6m to a rebelay, after which it hangs free. The 32m descent lands in The Hall of the Flying Boulders, which again contains much loose rock, choking the floor level. However, a 2m climb up a mudbank leads to an impressive phreatic passage. A pit in the floor of this passage drops to a chamber with a deep well. Passing this, and a smaller side passage on he left, one soon reaches Another Bloody Pitch with a strong draught at the head. The side passage also joins this pitch. Another Bloody Pitch is 31m, but ends blind. A window part way down reaches a further shaft of 36m, also blind, but this is the deepest explored point, at -295m.
From the head of Another Bloody Pitch, a continuation of the phreatic passage can be seen, but will not be reached without a serious bolted traverse. It is thought that this is the main way on, at c260m depth.",,,," The above description is adapted from the UBSS Newsletter Vol 6 No. 3, November 1990. ",,"Grade 3c survey on cover of UBSS Nls 6(3), 11/90",,"235m","295m",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,"1950m",,,"About 300m along the north side of the ridge running east from Hohes Augst-Eck, about 50m from the summit of the ridge at the foot of a 5m cliff, a 1m diameter tube. [no surface survey info or coordinates].",,,, ,,,"BS18-nn?",,,,,,"UBSS finds - no documentation",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,, ,,,"88H",,,,,,"GSCB",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,"?", -,,,"88AF",,,,,,"GSCB - now 161c",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,, +,,,"88AF",,,,,,"GSCB - now 161c",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,, ,,,"VSS188F",,,,,,"GSCB",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,"?",,,,,,,,,,"tag VSS188F 2002" ,,,"1987/02",,,,,,"? GSCB exploration",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,"100m up from 157 and 0/5",,,, ,,,"1989/01",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,"Probably the same as 195. (documented under 165)",,,,,,,,,,,,,,"North of 165",,,, ,,,"1990-15",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,"""185""" ,,,"1996-01",,,,"Ski-pole höhle",,,,,"CUCC 1996-07-15 Nick, Brian, Tina","Climb down shakehole to open shaft with jammed boulder at the top. Shaft developed on joint is 1.4m across and drops straight down 10m. Rift at bottom is 2m high. 1.5m drop then gently ascending rift gets too tight. ",,,,,,,,,"11.1m",,,,,,,,,,,"gps96.96_1",,,,,,,," Situated at top end of rift/gorge next to path to 161d. Walking to 161d: go into the very narrow gorge, then up the RH wall about 1/3 the way along. This gets you into the next gorge , trending on bearing 031 (looking towards 161d end of path). Turn R up the rift here are many holes along the rift - all choked or too tight. 96/01 is at the top end. ",,,"with a bolt" ,,,"1996-05",,,,,,,,,"CUCC 1996 Andy Waddington and Fran","Cave is a N-S rift in a joint hading very steeply - say 85 degrees dip to west. Tag placed on rock on east side near centre. Stones rattle down shaft for some way.",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,"gps98.1996_05",,,,," Schönberg 342.5, Zinken 204.5, HSK 101 (Very rounded summit so exact point not obvious), Loser Cross 213.5, using AndyW compass NPC#2 (Suunto #439258) ",,,"follow new-looking (in 1996, gone in 1997) flourescent paint dots north across plateau (from Top Camp area) for a long way. Route ends with recently cut bunde and shaft entrance. No evidence of previous descent. ",,,"Tag placed on rock on east side near centre." -,0,,"1996WK4",,,,,,,,,,"Big enough to count as a cave.",,,,,,,,"Expedition Handbook - Intro",,,,,,,,,,,,"gps96.wk4 gps96bestfit.wk4","gps00.wk4",,,,,,,"This is a GPSed hole found by wookey on a thrashed route from 161d down to the stogerweg over the saddle there. Approximately on top of bulge sticking out into valley.","It's a squareish hole in a little gulley with Bunde to either side.",, -,,,"1996-07 (wk7)",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,"Prospecting guide",,,,,,,,,,,,"gps96.wk7_1 gps96.wk7_2 gps96bestfit.wk7","gps00.wk7",,,,,,,,,,"tag" -,,,"1996WK11",,,,,,,,,"CUCC"," Large rift-developed hole, not descended due to snow-slope.",,,,,,"? Survey plan and elv in NotKH book.NotKH book 1999- p16",,"Surveying guide",,,,,,,,,,,,"gps96.wk11 gps96bestfit.wk11","gps00.wk11",,,"1661 +/- 53",,,,,,, -,,,"1996WK12",,,,,,,,,"CUCC 1996","Oval 3m deep hole. Ways on in opposite corners. Difficult c3 to bottom. SW end: small mossy hole to chocked chamber about 2 x 3m. NE end: chamber 6m down rocky slope then 6m along narrowing rift. v. tight possible way on down, easier way along can be followed for 10m to awkward boulder blockage. Passage continues at least 3m to corner. Boulder not passed in shorts and goretex for fear of ripping. Draughting, particularly on entrance slope. ",,,,"NotKH book p29-p30",,"? Plan, elevation (grade2)",,"Taking bearings to locate caves",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,"Surface survey passes over cave, but no station at cave.","On schwarzmoos sattel 30m SW of laser point 7 'LSR7_' (the one with incorrect position on original laser survey), 40m NE of 36. Oval hole 4m x 3m at edge of pavement next to grassy area.",,,"No markings" -,,,"1999_OB_01",,,,,,,,,,"Inside small cliff facing toward B.wall. Slightly draughting, 6m deep, with snow plug at bottom. Unexplored, not a promising lead.",,,,,,,,"Rescue guide",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,," VSK 151, HSK 065, Sch 010, BZW 222 (from top of small cliff). (from NotKH 1996- book p110)",,,,,, -,,,"1999_OB_02",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,"Photography guide",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,, -,,,"1999_MS_01",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,"Index to info/topics pages",,,,,,,,,,,,,"gps00.99ms01",,,,,,,,,, -,,,"1999_MS_02",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,"Full Index to area 1623",,,,,,,,,,,,,"gps00.99ms02",,,,,,,,,, -,,,"1999-10",,,,,,,,,"CUCC Brian and Becka 1999.",,,,,,,,,"Area/subarea descriptions",,,,,,,,,,,,,"gps00.99_10",,,,,,,,,,"tag 2000" -,,,"2000-08",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,"Back to Expedition Intro page",,,,,,,,"p2000-08",,,"Surface survey",,,,,,,,,,,, -,"2/S/T x",,"2000-09",,"smkridge/2000-09/2000-09.htm",,"Hauchhöhle",,,"2b",,"CUCC 2000, 2002.","The horizontal entrance slopes downhill for about 20m, passing beneath a skylight and a crawl to the left. The crawl leads to a drop into a rift, where there are three ways on. To the right closes down; to the left, there are crawls at two levels. The higher-level crawl chokes; the two crawls at the lower level unite and then reach a junction. To the left chokes; to the right leads to a chamber. This chamber can also be reached by going straight on from the aforementioned junction at the rift.
From this chamber, there are two ways on. A small choss wall surrounds a vertical hole through which it is possible to drop down (tricky on the return) into a small chamber. From here, an awkward squeeze leads into a continuing crawl, which has not been pushed. To the left is a crawl over choss which enlarges. Straight ahead leads to an earthen-floored draughting crawl which has been dug, and needs further work to get through. Shortly before the crawl becomes flat-out, a tube leading up on the right becomes too tight. After a short distance a tube on the right leads to the head of a pitch (not pushed; probably 15-20m) and continues to a choke. The head of this pitch draughts outwards significantly.
Back in the entrance passage, at the bottom of the slope there is an unpushed crawl to the left and a wriggle up over rubble into a chamber. From this chamber, the obvious way on is a pitch of approximately 15m, but there is a possible crawl above this (doesn't look promising). At the foot of the pitch, in large rift passage, a crawl on the left leads for about 15m before turning left and becoming too tight. Straight ahead, a crawl reaches a junction with continuations upwards, to the left, straight ahead, and to the right, none of which have been pushed. To the right is a further unpushed crawl.
Back in the rift chamber, an exposed, but easy-looking ascending traverse has not been pushed. There is a short climb down, after which a climb up is blind, and the continuing descent passes a narrow point before entering an ascending traverse in a rift which leads to a 5m pitch into a small chamber.
A noticable draught was blowing out of the entrance in 2002, accompanied by water vapour. ",,,,,,,,"Back to CUCC Home page",,,,,,,,"p2000-09",,,"Surface survey",,,,,,,,,"The arch-shaped entrance and gully are obvious from the route used in 2000 onwards from Top Camp to Steinbrückenhöhle. Shortly after crossing the large bare area of limestone slabs on the flanks of the Hinter, the path traverses directly around the right-hand side of the entrance gully. ",,,"Tag." +,0,,"1996WK4",,,,,,,,,,"Big enough to count as a cave.",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,"gps96.wk4 gps96bestfit.wk4","gps00.wk4",,,,,,,"This is a GPSed hole found by wookey on a thrashed route from 161d down to the stogerweg over the saddle there. Approximately on top of bulge sticking out into valley.","It's a squareish hole in a little gulley with Bunde to either side.",, +,,,"1996-07 (wk7)",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,"gps96.wk7_1 gps96.wk7_2 gps96bestfit.wk7","gps00.wk7",,,,,,,,,,"tag" +,,,"1996WK11",,,,,,,,,"CUCC"," Large rift-developed hole, not descended due to snow-slope.",,,,,,"? Survey plan and elv in NotKH book.NotKH book 1999- p16",,,,,,,,,,,,,,"gps96.wk11 gps96bestfit.wk11","gps00.wk11",,,"1661 +/- 53",,,,,,, +,,,"1996WK12",,,,,,,,,"CUCC 1996","Oval 3m deep hole. Ways on in opposite corners. Difficult c3 to bottom. SW end: small mossy hole to chocked chamber about 2 x 3m. NE end: chamber 6m down rocky slope then 6m along narrowing rift. v. tight possible way on down, easier way along can be followed for 10m to awkward boulder blockage. Passage continues at least 3m to corner. Boulder not passed in shorts and goretex for fear of ripping. Draughting, particularly on entrance slope. ",,,,"NotKH book p29-p30",,"? Plan, elevation (grade2)",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,"Surface survey passes over cave, but no station at cave.","On schwarzmoos sattel 30m SW of laser point 7 'LSR7_' (the one with incorrect position on original laser survey), 40m NE of 36. Oval hole 4m x 3m at edge of pavement next to grassy area.",,,"No markings" +,,,"1999_OB_01",,,,,,,,,,"Inside small cliff facing toward B.wall. Slightly draughting, 6m deep, with snow plug at bottom. Unexplored, not a promising lead.",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,," VSK 151, HSK 065, Sch 010, BZW 222 (from top of small cliff). (from NotKH 1996- book p110)",,,,,, +,,,"1999_OB_02",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,, +,,,"1999_MS_01",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,"gps00.99ms01",,,,,,,,,, +,,,"1999_MS_02",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,"gps00.99ms02",,,,,,,,,, +,,,"1999-10",,,,,,,,,"CUCC Brian and Becka 1999.",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,"gps00.99_10",,,,,,,,,,"tag 2000" +,,,"2000-08",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,"p2000-08",,,"Surface survey",,,,,,,,,,,, +,"2/S/T x",,"2000-09",,"smkridge/2000-09/2000-09.htm",,"Hauchhöhle",,,"2b",,"CUCC 2000, 2002.","The horizontal entrance slopes downhill for about 20m, passing beneath a skylight and a crawl to the left. The crawl leads to a drop into a rift, where there are three ways on. To the right closes down; to the left, there are crawls at two levels. The higher-level crawl chokes; the two crawls at the lower level unite and then reach a junction. To the left chokes; to the right leads to a chamber. This chamber can also be reached by going straight on from the aforementioned junction at the rift.
From this chamber, there are two ways on. A small choss wall surrounds a vertical hole through which it is possible to drop down (tricky on the return) into a small chamber. From here, an awkward squeeze leads into a continuing crawl, which has not been pushed. To the left is a crawl over choss which enlarges. Straight ahead leads to an earthen-floored draughting crawl which has been dug, and needs further work to get through. Shortly before the crawl becomes flat-out, a tube leading up on the right becomes too tight. After a short distance a tube on the right leads to the head of a pitch (not pushed; probably 15-20m) and continues to a choke. The head of this pitch draughts outwards significantly.
Back in the entrance passage, at the bottom of the slope there is an unpushed crawl to the left and a wriggle up over rubble into a chamber. From this chamber, the obvious way on is a pitch of approximately 15m, but there is a possible crawl above this (doesn't look promising). At the foot of the pitch, in large rift passage, a crawl on the left leads for about 15m before turning left and becoming too tight. Straight ahead, a crawl reaches a junction with continuations upwards, to the left, straight ahead, and to the right, none of which have been pushed. To the right is a further unpushed crawl.
Back in the rift chamber, an exposed, but easy-looking ascending traverse has not been pushed. There is a short climb down, after which a climb up is blind, and the continuing descent passes a narrow point before entering an ascending traverse in a rift which leads to a 5m pitch into a small chamber.
A noticable draught was blowing out of the entrance in 2002, accompanied by water vapour. ",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,"p2000-09",,,"Surface survey",,,,,,,,,"The arch-shaped entrance and gully are obvious from the route used in 2000 onwards from Top Camp to Steinbrückenhöhle. Shortly after crossing the large bare area of limestone slabs on the flanks of the Hinter, the path traverses directly around the right-hand side of the entrance gully. ",,,"Tag." ,,,"2001-02",,,,,,,"2b",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,"p2001-02",,,"Surface survey",,,,,,,,,,,, ,,,"2001-03",,,,,,,"2b",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,"p2001-03",,,"Surface survey",,,,,,,,,,,, ,"3/S/T x (+?)",,"2001-04",,"smkridge/2001-04/2001-04.html",,"Rock'n'Roll Höhle",,"(a.k.a. Olly's Sucking Höhle)","2b",,"CUCC 2001 Phil U, Mark S","
[Taken from 2001 log book]""Went to investigate this draughting orifice. Initial entrance climb is fine, if you chimney down on the R side. At the bottom, there are three ways on. The first one goes back under the entrance, down a boulder slope, to emerge in a large chamber ""Cheesy dip"". There are a number of small leads off, all choked. In the roof is lots of daylight, coming from 2001-046. Left from the entrance went down a loose slope (blowing). Right (Sucking) went along a bit. We decided to do some surveying. Which required red paint. Which was at the bivvi site. So we went and had a cup of tea for a bit. Came back with surveying gear and surveyed the LH route to a ~5m deep pit.""
(There were at least three trips to this cave judging by the survey file, but only this one was written up.)",,,"Form prepared 15/2/04 but not yet sent",,"In dataset","Plan:","2001-04","503m","40m","172m N-S",,,,,,"p2001-04",,,"Surface survey",,,,,,,,"In small valley just below top of SMK ridge, 200m S of 204 bivvy site",,,,
@@ -360,8 +360,8 @@
,"-",,"2001-11",,,,"Schnürsenkelschacht",,,"2b",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,"?",,,,,,,,,,
,"-",,"2001-12",,,,"Unnotiggewohnlichkeitschacht",,,"2b",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,"?",,,,,,,,,,
,"2/T x",,"2002-01",,"smkridge/2002-01/2002-01.htm",,"Artischockehöhle",,,"2b",,"CUCC 2002.","A contortion through boulders leads to a large horizontal passage, which gradually ascends until eventually lowering to a short flat-out crawl over choss. This leads to a chamber, from where it is possible to slither to the left through a gap between choss and the ceiling. Here there are two ways on. To the right ends quickly; a dig under the wall ended in a further choke. To the left leads to a tight crawl through dangerous boulders which would need digging to make further progress.
A noticable draught outwards is present throughout the cave.",,,,,,,,"70m approx.",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,"The entrance is situated in a large choss bowl adjacent to the route used in 2000 onwards from Top Camp to Steinbrückenhöhle, where the path turns left just beyond Hauchhöhle.",,,"Tag."
-,"1/S/W +",,"2002-04",,"smkridge/2002-04/2002-04.html",,"Tropfelnhöhle","Dripping Cave",,"2b",,"Tagged CUCC 2002 (culprit not known). Explored + surveyed CUCC 2003, Anthony + Julia.","Square hole at the end of short gully looks out onto a drop of 3m (spit placed for ladder) to a false floor with a further similar-sized drop by a large boulder (continue the same ladder). Landing in a rift, east quickly becomes too tight, while west leads to a 3m free-climbable drop which is choked at the bottom.",,,"Form will be prepared when Dour draws up the survey",,"In dataset","Plan:
Notes in 2003#22","2002-04","17m","11m",,,,,,,"p2002-04","pitch head bolt",,"Surface survey",,,,,,,,,"Go to 204C and stand facing the stone bridge. The entrance can be seen ~60m away {might be wise to check surface survey if bothered} at the end of a short gully.",,,"Tag ""CUCC 2002/04"" on LH wall of gully approaching entrance." -,"1/S/T =",,"2003-03",,"smkridge/2003-03.html",,"Kartoffelbreihöhle","Mashed Potato Cave",,"2b",,"CUCC 2003Julian T, Dave L","A climb down/squeeze through boulders (awkward on the way out for fat bastards like me - Dave) leads to a small chamber ~4m across, with a loose hole in the floor at the far end. This was descended for perhaps 15 or 20m to a hopelessly choked floor of small pebbles. A window around a third of the way down the pitch leads to a parallel shaft, also choked at the bottom (from which there is another window back into the main shaft).","26m rope + some (4 or 5) hangers sufficient",,,,,,,,"? (~15m)",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,"On south flank of Nieder Augst-Eck just north of stone bridge. Directly to the east of 2003-04.",,,,"Tag." +,"1/S/W +",,"2002-04",,"smkridge/2002-04/2002-04.html",,"Tropfelnhöhle","Dripping Cave",,"2b",,"
","Square hole at the end of short gully looks out onto a drop of 3m (spit placed for ladder) to a false floor with a further similar-sized drop by a large boulder (continue the same ladder). Landing in a rift, east quickly becomes too tight, while west leads to a 3m free-climbable drop which is choked at the bottom.",,,"Form will be prepared when Dour draws up the survey",,"In dataset","Plan:
Notes in 2003#22","2002-04","17m","11m",,,,,,,"p2002-04","pitch head bolt",,"Surface survey",,,,,,,,,"Go to 204C and stand facing the stone bridge. The entrance can be seen ~60m away {might be wise to check surface survey if bothered} at the end of a short gully.",,,"Tag ""CUCC 2002/04"" on LH wall of gully approaching entrance."
+,"1/S/T =",,"2003-03",,"smkridge/2003-03.html",,"Kartoffelbreihöhle","Mashed Potato Cave",,"2b",,"CUCC 2003 Julian T, Dave L","A climb down/squeeze through boulders (awkward on the way out for fat bastards like me - Dave) leads to a small chamber ~4m across, with a loose hole in the floor at the far end. This was descended for perhaps 15 or 20m to a hopelessly choked floor of small pebbles. A window around a third of the way down the pitch leads to a parallel shaft, also choked at the bottom (from which there is another window back into the main shaft).","26m rope + some (4 or 5) hangers sufficient",,,,,,,,"? (~15m)",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,"On south flank of Nieder Augst-Eck just north of stone bridge. Directly to the east of 2003-04.",,,,"Tag."
,"1/T +",,"2003-04",,"smkridge/2003-04/2003-04.html",,"Dreieckhöhle","Triangle Cave",,"2b",,"CUCC 2003 Julian T, Dave L, Frank T","A short sloping crawl leads to a stooping passage which opens out into a large horizontal phreatic passage heading northeast, floored with large blocks. This proceeds for around 25m to the northeast before terminating in an unstable boulder pile. Some small tubes branch off but are too small to access. In summer 2003 there was a strong inwards draught, which lost itself in the terminal boulder chokes.","None required","None (one arguable dig, not worth the bother)","Form prepared but not yet sent",,"In dataset","Plan:
(Notes in 2003#23)","2003-04","53m","13m",,,,,,"p2003-04",,,,"Surface survey",,,,,,,,,"In small elliptical depression around 100m N of stone bridge",,,"Tagged 2003"
,"2/S/T +",,"2003-08",,"smkridge/2003-08/2003-08.html",,"Gewölbeschacht","Arch Shaft",,"2b",,"CUCC 2003 Earl M, Brian O","Entrance is a wide, open rift aligned roughly north-south, spanned by a rock bridge at the southern end. The cave proper starts with a boulder slope at the north-east corner of the rift, which briefly closes down before opening out into a high, narrow slot. Beyond thisis a pitch, the foot of which is blocked by snow.","Approx 75m rope; see elevation survey.","There is a possible lead in an alcove on the far wall of the final pitch, but this was not thought promising, and was left univestigated.","Form prepared 14/4/04 but not yet sent",,"In dataset","Extended elevation:
Plan:
(Notes in 2003#29)","2003-08","51m","44m","11m E-W",,,,,"p2003-08",,,,,,,,,,,,"???",,,,"Tagged 2003"
,"2/E x",,"2003-09",,"smkridge/2003-09/2003-09.html",,"Weizeneishöhle",,,"2b",,"CUCC 2003: Originally located by Olly M; entrance dug out by Olly + Earl; exploration and underground survey Olly M + Mark S.","Entrance is large alcove / chamber in NW side of choss bowl. Very strong outwards draught emerges from small gap under right-hand wall, which leads to a crawl. This opens up to a walking passage with scatterings of ice and snow. A passage goes up to the left as the main way on turns a corner. It enters a large (> 10m diameter) chamber with an ice floor, and an ice stal on the floor. There is some passage with dodgy boulders to the right, but the draught comes from a very dodgy boulder slope on the left (reached by climbing round the edge of the ice). Might be worth poking, but it's quite unstable. We looked up the passage on the left but it doesn't seem to go anywhere.",,"Tightish meander in the floor of left-hand passage might go (blows outwards a bit), but awkward to enter. QM C. Also dodgy boulder slope, which is in the right direction for terminal chokes of On a Mission in 204 and might repay some prodding with a crowbar.","Form will be prepared when Mark draws up the survey",,"In dataset","Notes in 2003#31","2003-09","134m","18m",,,,,,"t2003-09",,,,"Surface survey",,,,,,,,"In large choss bowl southwest of 204d entrance",,"Obvious arched entrance","","Tag."
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