From 187578c66333555fe468d0116b5a37fe5d7cbc8f Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001 From: sb476 Date: Thu, 6 May 2004 16:52:04 +0200 Subject: [PATCH] [svn r5948] This is now in CAVETAB2, and so CVS version is obsolete --- noinfo/smkridge/40.htm | 324 ----------------------------------------- 1 file changed, 324 deletions(-) delete mode 100644 noinfo/smkridge/40.htm diff --git a/noinfo/smkridge/40.htm b/noinfo/smkridge/40.htm deleted file mode 100644 index 8097cdb07..000000000 --- a/noinfo/smkridge/40.htm +++ /dev/null @@ -1,324 +0,0 @@ - - - - -1623:40 - - - -
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40 a b c d e f gSchwarzmooskogeleishöhle3/S/T/E x
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Altitudes : (from old kataster)

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Laser rangefinding puts an entrance (which we believe is 40a - the -highest) at E 36458.2 N (52)81700.4 H 1689.5 - -

Location: 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. - -

Approach: 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. - -

Overview:

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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. - -

Translated brief guide

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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'. - -

Schneevulkanhalle trip:

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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. - -

plan - 12k gif
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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 ! - -

Photo of ice formations, 41k jpeg
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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. - -

Schotterland (Munich cavers 198? and ARGE 2000)

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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.

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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?

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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.

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Exploration: 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. - -

Exploration: -

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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. - -

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