From 1bc9ae7916f411d87aa04edf74f503a2fbc66ab4 Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001 From: dave Date: Sat, 11 Jun 2005 23:34:24 +0200 Subject: [PATCH] [svn r6902] Updated descriptions of 28, 31 and 183 after suggestions from Olly B. --- noinfo/CAVETAB2.CSV | 8 ++++---- 1 file changed, 4 insertions(+), 4 deletions(-) diff --git a/noinfo/CAVETAB2.CSV b/noinfo/CAVETAB2.CSV index 6c0a5acc0..10edf2062 100644 --- a/noinfo/CAVETAB2.CSV +++ b/noinfo/CAVETAB2.CSV @@ -26,10 +26,10 @@ 25,"2/T x",,,,"noinfo/egglgrub/25.htm",,,"Mauskothhöhle",,,7,"Höhlenforschervereinigung Altaussee, 1938 ",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,"1500m",,,"East of Egglgrubenalm, very near Steinbockhöhle (Kat. 23).",,,,,,"Lost", 26,"1/(W) +",,,,"noinfo/br-alm/26.htm",,,"Wasserschlinger I",,,3,"Sektion Ausseerland, 1976 ",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,"1542m",,,"In Bräuning Kunntal, the large closed depression west of Bräuning Alm. ",,,,,,"Lost", 27,"1/(W) +",,,,"noinfo/br-alm/27.htm",,,"Wasserschlinger II",,,3,"Sektion Ausseerland, 1976 ",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,"1542m",,," In Bräuning Kunntal, next to Kat.26",,,,,,"Lost", -28,"2/t/S +",,,,"noinfo/smkridge/28.htm",,,"Augsteckhöhle",,,"2a","LVHK Wien, 1974 ",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,"1630m",,,"Next to Stögerweg (path 201) just beyond Egglgrube and the branch path to the Kratzer valley. 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. Is this right? There is only one laser point around there and it's at the entrance to 31 -- DL",,,,"Red paint",,"Refindable","Near Stoger Weg. Should be easy to find" +28,"2/t/S +",,,,"noinfo/smkridge/28.htm",,,"Augsteckhöhle",,,"2a","LVHK Wien, 1974 ",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,"1630m",,,"Next to Stögerweg (path 201) just beyond Egglgrube and the branch path to the Kratzer valley. 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.",,,,"Red paint",,"Refindable","Near Stoger Weg. Should be easy to find" 29,"1/S x",,,,"noinfo/br-alm/29.htm",,,"Schwarzmoosloch",,,3,"Schauberger, 1921 ",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,"1560m",,,"NE of huts in Bräuning Alm ",,,,,,"Lost", 30,"1/S x",,,,"noinfo/br-alm/30.htm",,,"Grundloses Loch",,,3,"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) ",,,,,,"Lost", -31,"2/T +",,,,"noinfo/smkridge/31.htm",,,"Elchhöhle","Megalodontenhöhle",,"2a","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/31/31.svx","263m","+9/-18m","85m",,,,"p31","No idea",,"Surface survey",,,,,,,,"Next to Stögerweg (path 201) somewhat beyond Augsteckhöhle (Kat. 28). Located very near laser point 0/9.",,,,"Paint","Red number - next to main path","Surveyed", +31,"2/T +",,,,"noinfo/smkridge/31.htm",,,"Elchhöhle","Megalodontenhöhle",,"2a","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/31/31.svx","263m","+9/-18m","85m",,,,"p31","No idea",,"Surface survey",,,,,,,,"Next to Stögerweg (path 201) somewhat beyond Augsteckhöhle (Kat. 28). Located very near laser point 7/9.",,,,"Paint","Red number - next to main path","Surveyed", 32,"1/S +",,,,"noinfo/smkridge/32.htm",,,"Windloch am Stögerweg",,,"2a","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. Unfortunately, it doesn't go anywhere. It does, however, have a permanent survey station.",,"Spit","CUCC drilled hole and small red-painted pre-1981 number","Surveyed", 33,"1/T +",,,,"noinfo/br-alm/33.htm",,,"Schichtgrenzenhöhle",,,3,"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. ",,,,,,"Lost", 34,"1/T +",,,,"noinfo/kratzer/34.htm",,,"Höhle am Kratzer I",,,4,"Sektion Ausseerland, 1973 ",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,"1590m",,,"Quite a way east of Bräuning Alm in the top end of the Kratzer valley.",,,,,,"Lost", @@ -37,7 +37,7 @@ 36,"1/S x",,,,"noinfo/kratzer/36.htm",,,"Schachtgruppe I - V",,,4,"Höhlenforschervereinigung Altaussee, undated. ",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,"p36",,,"GPS post SA",,,,,,,,"Austrian kataster says Hinterbräuning, south of Bräuning Nase, but this isn´t where their map shows it. Map shows it south east of Schwarzmoossattel, on east side of upper Kratzer valley 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",,"Paint","Number is in red on the headwall just south of the three entrances. ","Surveyed", 37,"0/S -",,,,"noinfo/plateau/37.htm",,,"Schachtgruppe beim Hinterer Schwarzmooskogel",,,"1d","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. ",,,,,,"Lost", 38,"1/T +",,,,"noinfo/plateau/38.htm",,,"Algenhöhle",,,"1d","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.)",,,,,,"Lost", -39,"1/T +",,,,"noinfo/kratzer/39.htm",,,"SCHWA höhle 39",,,"2d or 4 (unclear)","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. ",,,,"Lost", +39,"1/T +",,,,"noinfo/kratzer/39.htm",,,"SCHWA höhle 39",,,"2b or 4 (unclear)","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. ",,,,"Lost", 40,"7/S/T/E x","a–s",,"yes","noinfo/smkridge/40.htm",,,"Schwarzmooskogeleishöhle","Schwarzmooskogelhöhlensystem","see also CUCC discoveries in Eishöhle","2b","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.

Translated brief guide

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:

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 Elefantengang.

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)

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","2941m",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,"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","noinfo/smkridge/40a.htm",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,"Oberer Eingang",,"p40a","it is laser point 14",,"laser point",,,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",,"Tag (?)",,"Surveyed","Marked entrance thought to be 40a" 40,,"b",,"entrance",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,"Schneeschacht ",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,"Tag","Tag placed eary in 2002 expo","?", @@ -226,7 +226,7 @@ 180,"2/S +",,"90/10",,"smkridge/180.htm",,,"Schwa Schacht 90/10",,,"2c","CUCC 1990 ","There is an ice shaft under collapsed boulders. A bedding in the side of this gives access to two adjacent loose pitches. Various impenetrable vocal connections to the surface exist. 30m pitch with ledge and rebelay at -15m leads to Icicle Works - very nice stals and flows. Follow flow down hole Slush crawl then rift. ",,,,,,,,,,,,,,"p180",,,"Surface survey",,,,,,,,"Located on terrace N of 161b and 161c (French entrance), before a big bowl of choss and rifts.",,,"

","Tag","Red painted ""CUCC 90/10"". Spit placed for tag in 1997. Tag 1999","Surveyed", 181,"1/S +",,"90/11",,"plateau/181.htm",,,"Plateau Schacht 90/11",,,"1b","CUCC 1990 ","12m shaft with snow at bottom and rocky ledge at -5m. Aligned on 120°. Short way off at bottom is soon too tight.",,,,,,,,,"12m",,,,,,,,,,,,,,"HSK 074°, Bräuning Nase 165°, Bräuning Scharte 194°, Bräuning Zinken 216°",,,,,,"Paint","Paint says ""90/11"" in red","Lost", 182,"4/S +",,"90/12",,"plateau/182/182.html",,,"Bovistundpuderzuckerhöhle","Puffball and Icing Sugar Cave",,"1b","CUCC 1990-1992 - see History for index into logbooks","The main entrance joins with a secondary, slightly smaller entrance in a daylit chamber on top of a snow plug. Sky can be seen through a third entrance in the ceiling, which is surrounded by undergrowth on the surface. A hole down the back edge of the snow plug leads to a slither down a partially iced steep (30°) boulder slope, with a low ceiling which soon rises. A large boulder several metres across is jammed across the slope at a few metres further down, below which the boulder slope continues. An inlet to the left just before an ice formation soon becomes too tight. Carrying on, the slope soon gives way to a traverse above a vadose canyon, with a laddered climb (6m) after about 25m. It is possible to continue along the top of the rift all the way to above the top of shell pitch. It is much more spacious than below but has a couple of bad steps.

From the bottom of the ladder, the passage soon drops down a climb of 2m. Then there is a winding, rifty passageway, named ""Magic Mushroom Passage"" due to the peculiar mushroom-like formations on the walls. These, together with the white dusty look of the walls in places, give the cave its name. After 100m the rift widens, and a traverse develops above a narrower rift below. The upper level may be followed to above the first rope pitch, but the more usual route is to climb down a rock pile into the lower rift (40cm wide), which is known as the Yorkshire Ripper, due to the effect of the sharp, narrow rift on oversuits, and the Yorkshire feel of the cave at this point. After 15m, relieved at one point by a small alcove with an irritating spray of water, the narrow rift widens, after a final flourish, to the head of the first rope pitch (6m).

Shell Pitch

Carrying on from the base of the pitch, the tiny rift in the floor deepens, and traversing along leads soon to the head of Shell pitch (19m). Descending gives a fine view of the chamber, the walls of which contain many large bivalve fossils (hence the pitch's name). From this chamber, a short traverse leads to a junction. Left is an unclimbable aven, whilst to the right is Piezo de Resistance, described below. The main route is currently down Q8 pitch which is broken by a ledge after 16m. After a further 9m and a rebelay, a pendulum through a window to one side leads on. Descending further, the shaft stops after 19m and a further rebelay. There are no passable ways on from the bottom (Strike One).

After the pendulum, a vast army of rebelays lies in wait (Dot to Dot), eventually ending in a larger pitch (25m) the bottom of which, again, has no ways on (Strike Two).

Yet again, a pendulum (at -14m) yields more cave (Bottom Bypass). A dubious 11m hang leads to a ledge. At one end of the ledge, ducking under an arch enters a chamber at the bottom of a high shaft (Lady's Loo), down which a vast torrent pours in wet weather. A further 9m down from the ledge is a floor. Progress can be made along the top of a slimy keyhole shaped rift (Tarzan's Folly) which is irritating to pass, especially with tackle. After 20m, a false floor appears and a few metres further on is The Dark Room, a high chamber with dark, textured walls. A waterfall cascades down from unfathomable heights, and pounds onto a ledge to the back right of the cavern.

Climbing down a slimy slope (which in an ideal world would be lined) the way on is along a rift which exits from the rear of the chamber on the left side. The rift has a couple of false floors in it. The middle level leads to the head of the next pitch: Natural Redundancy (11m) is reached after about 10m. The rope is belayed to a large chock stone at head level, then to a bolt about two inches from a beautifully rounded thread, hence the name. Cyclotron pitch follows immediately, then comes Quark, Strangeness and Charm, a rift passage with many possible traverse levels. In places there are flowstone bosses, and near the roof, some odd tippex stals can be seen. The formations are only notable due to their rarity in the caves of this region.

Cloud ChamberQuark Strangeness & Charm

At the end of QS&C, the passage sweeps round to the left as the floor drops away into Cloud Chamber. The pitch is broken by two rebelays. The grade 5 survey stops about 20m back from the pitch head. The details of the passage leading to the next pitch are uncertain, although the consensus is that it is around 20-30m long, and fairly straight. The lack of information led to the name Amnesia Alleyway. The next pitch is NDE, an acronym for ""Near Death Experience"" , since a party of cavers was flood-pulsed just below this pitch during the initial exploration. This incident also named The Delicate Sound of Thunder, another rift passage with a traverse along to a pitch (Traditional Style - laddered in 1991, marking the end of exploration that year).

After the first 5m slope to a rebelay, Traditional Style drops 12m (with one deviation) to a wide shelf. At the right hand edge is another 12m pitch. This lands in a muddy area which quickly becomes a very muddy steeply descending rift. An 8m pitch (2 bolts, Y-hang) a bit of clambering and a 5m pitch (one bolt) get you to a washing-up-bowl-sized sump at -292m.

5m up on the left hand wall (by the last bit of string) is a muddy crawl. This is below the 'tide-mark' of the sump so is somewhat oppressive. It leads, after 8m to a high parallel rift. A couple of 2m climbs ahead lead back down to another, slightly larger, sump. The rift rises at least 20m, apparently without connecting back to the main descent route.

Piezo de Resistance

From the head of ""Q8"" pitch, an alternative route may be followed along a rift on a fault at 20-200°, hading 80° to the west. Taking the passage to the right, a traverse develops after 10m. Water sinks into a hole in the floor after a further 10m, and beyond this, is a 9m pitch, followed after 10m or so by a longer pitch of 16mm.

Crow's NestThe Chimney

This lands on a ledge with an obvious continuation below, but the route, to keep away from potential water, takes a much more interesting route. It goes up a 6m pitch to the Crow's Nest, a narrow rock rib separating two parts of the shaft. This was originally reached by a bolt traverse round the right hand wall. From the Crow's Nest, The Chimney drops 30m in typical Puffball triangular pitch (elliptical joint-aligned phreas cut down on lower side by vadose action). The rope stays resolutely on the upper side with a series of epic hanging rebelays.

At the bottom a 34m freehang lands in the Darkroom, but the bottom of this is in the waterfall (noted in the Darkroom description), so the route goes through a window near the top of the hang which gives a nice dry 30m hang. ",,,,,"In dataset","? grade 5","caves/182/182.svx","1177m","292m","302m",,,,"p182",,,"Surface survey",,,,,,"Bräuning Scharte 180°,Bräuning Zinken 210°, HSK 070°. Journal CU's 1991,92 says VSK 210° but this has to be a typo, maybe 110 ?

Top Camp below the Bräuning wall is on 144° and +01.5° but can't actually be seen from entrance.",,,,,"

Entrance area with snow plug Entrance area (clear of snow) Entrance rift

Photos © Olly Betts 199? (1 + 2) & © Andy Atkinson 1992 (3)","Paint","Paint mark may still say ""90/12""","Surveyed", -183,"2/S +",,"90/13",,"plateau/183.htm",,,"Elchfalle",,,"1b","CUCC 1990-1992","A small man-sized hole behind a flake in the obvious fault. Boulder almost blocking entrance was pulled clear in 1992. Descend a boulder pile for 5m then sloping start to an 8m pitch. Strong draught at this point. A few metres of boulder-floored passage lead to another short pitch (5m sloping, then 5m vertical). Another very short passage leads to the third pitch of 10m to a flat boulder floor followed quickly by the fourth pitch rigged clear of a tiny stream by bolts on the roof/far wall. This is again c 10m with a deviation half way to land on more boulders. The water quickly sinks in these, and a little way forward, a hole opens onto a pitch of 6m rigged from a Y-hang. The stream comes down at the east end of this chamber, joined by another inlet from the north, and leaves south to another 5m pitch, quickly followed by another 5m pitch to a terminal rift.",,,,,"In dataset",,"caves/183/183.svx","106m","71m",,,,,"p183",,,"Surface survey",,,,,,,,,"From 182, go N up pavement. Just over crest turn left along sporadically vegetated ledge below 2m wall (to S). After 100m, a large fault is met which contains 183. ",,,"Paint","Paint mark still says ""90/13""","Surveyed", +183,"2/S x ",,"90/13",,"plateau/183.htm",,,"Elchfalle",,,"1b","CUCC 1990-1992","A small man-sized hole behind a flake in the obvious fault. Boulder almost blocking entrance was pulled clear in 1992. Descend a boulder pile for 5m then sloping start to an 8m pitch. Strong draught at this point. A few metres of boulder-floored passage lead to another short pitch (5m sloping, then 5m vertical). Another very short passage leads to the third pitch of 10m to a flat boulder floor followed quickly by the fourth pitch rigged clear of a tiny stream by bolts on the roof/far wall. This is again c 10m with a deviation half way to land on more boulders. The water quickly sinks in these, and a little way forward, a hole opens onto a pitch of 6m rigged from a Y-hang. The stream comes down at the east end of this chamber, joined by another inlet from the north, and leaves south to another 5m pitch, quickly followed by another 5m pitch, from the base of which there is a crawling passage. Downstream is a crawl was explored for varying distances on several occasions until the explorers ran out of enthusiasm; the passage also continues upstream, which was not explored.",,"Continuing crawl both upstream and downstream at bottom",,,"In dataset",,"caves/183/183.svx","106m","71m",,,,,"p183",,,"Surface survey",,,,,,,,,"From 182, go N up pavement. Just over crest turn left along sporadically vegetated ledge below 2m wall (to S). After 100m, a large fault is met which contains 183. ",,,"Paint","Paint mark still says ""90/13""","Surveyed", 184,"1/T +",,"90/14",,"plateau/184.htm",,,"Shiruken",,,"1b","Recorded CUCC 1990, descended by Adam ?","It's a sharp narrow canyon and it's a BASTARD. Hence is called Shiruken (the sharp spikey things Ninjas throw).",,,,,,,,,,,,,,"p184",,,"Surface survey",,,,,,,,,"From 183, go south up the fault until an area of exposed limestone is met on the left (about 20m). Go left (E) along this exposure up to where the bunde starts and locate a surface stream canyon. This becomes 184 when it goes underground (and it's marked). ",,,"Paint",,"Surveyed", 185,"2/S +",,,,"smkridge/185.htm",,,"Zweijahreentstehungshöhle",,,"2c","CUCC 1990 ","A narrow slot first bolted in 1988 and descended in 1990. First pitch, Fancy a coffee, descends past a small snow plug down to a large(ish) chamber covered with snow which appears to be about 7m deep. A small section to the left lets in a shaft of light, which changes from a wide beam to a narrow one. A low crawl on the left (ice covered) leads to the second pitch Your place or mine ?, a short (3m approx) drop to a ledge, then a longer (10 to 13m) drop down to the floor. The second pitch is slightly wet, with small amounts of water dripping from the roof. A loose climb leads to a tight crawl and even tighter pitch (Marble Sink revisited, JR), which is now named get yer kit off. This descends into a small chamber, where the limestone changes in colour from yellow to blue. A rift then drops into a boulder covered chamber, with a larger boulder choked to the right and a very, very small hole leading to the left for a few metres. The fourth and probably final pitch has been named Came too soon.",,,,,"In dataset",,"caves/185/185.svx",,,,,,,"p185",,,"Nils","gps96.185 gps96bestfit.185","gps00.185",,,,,,"On pavement on the east side of the col between the two Schwarzmooskogels on the usual (89/90) route from Top Camp to 161.",,,,"Paint","Paint says 162 (sigh)","Surveyed", 186,"2/S +",,,,"kratzer/186.htm",,,"Rosenkavalierhöhle",,,4,"CUCC 1990 ","Cairn built by entrances. There are three entrances investigated:

Highest is really tight flat out crawl leading to a tightish but passable rift, draughting. Abandoned in favour of a newly collapsed small hole 10m below, at the foot of a small (5m) cliff. This had a very big rock blocking the entrance and rewarded the huge effort required to move it with nearly 5m of passage to a choke and a choked shaft.

10m further down still is the third entrance. A 6m climb down to a large ramp and a rebelay is the start of a 30m pitch. One way at the bottom is an 8m boulder slope climb up to a choke and small aven. The other way is a 2m climb into moonmilk crawl and some tight thrutching and chokes. All thoroughly investigated and not going anywhere.",,,,,,"

sketch survey by William Stead from 1990 logbook",,,,,,,,"p186",,,"Surface survey",,,,,,"(1994 bearings Bräuning Zinken 284.5°, Loser 235°)",,"Near Schwarzmooskogel just before top camp, 50m higher than path and on opposite hillside, where path by Bräuning Nase meets fault running up the mountain.

1994 log shows location (note that the arrow labelled "approx north" is very approx, as it is actually roughly east):

Following the route depicted, if you reach a sandy depression, you have gone too far.",,,,"Tag","This was numbered 185 at the entrance, but this was fixed in 1997, and a metal tag ""CUCC 186"" bolted on. ","Surveyed",