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<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD HTML 4.0//EN">
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<title>1623/161 Kaninchenh&ouml;hle - far northern mainline</title>
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<body>
<p><center><a href="top.htm"><img alt="Overview "
src="../../../icons/ovview.gif" width=40 height=40></a>
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<h2>161 Kaninchenh&ouml;hle: Mainline to far north</h2></center>
<h3>Overview</h3>
<p>Although it can be bypassed via Burble Crawl, the logical approach to the
Far North is across the tyrolean of Strange Acrossfall to reach the large
chamber of Repton I, and this is where the <a href="#viasa">main
description</a> here starts. It is likely that the bypass will need to be
used at some stage to rerig the main route, so the route from the bottom of
Vom Pitch is also described in this page.
<p>Whichever way is taken to Repton I, the passages beyond are incompletely
explored, and the big trunk passages seem to have disappeared. It is
difficult to single out a "main way on". The routes are described in terms of
the "normal" or shortest currently known ways to the remotest points of the
cave, with the proviso that further exploration may reveal more direct or
more logical ways.
<hr>
<h3>Repton I reached via Burble/Leadmine</h3>
<p>In the event that no-one is foolish enough to trust the ageing fixed ropes
at Strange Upfall or Strange Acrossfall (this latter may have been removed
anyway), the only way to avoid repeating the climb is via Burble Crawl and
the Leadmine.
<p>This route starts from the same 90&deg; right hand bend in
<a href="sibria.htm#cfn">Chicken Flied Nice</a> mentioned above.
Follow that link and the description up to the entry to Leadmine,
at which point you will find a link back here.
<h4><a name="leadminese">Leadmine</a> - Maze to Repton (1991)</h4>
<p>From the T-junction in the passage east below Vom Pitch, right (south)
is the way into Leadmine.
<p>This is a complex of joint-controlled passages, generally 0.8m wide by
2-3m high with sandy floors, very civilised. Turning right at the T-junction
gives 25m of passage to a short drop and kink to the left, with a sand-filled
chamber down to the left. 5m beyond this is a passage off sharply back to the
left, leading to <a href="#repton1">Repton I</a>.
<p><a name="soilp">Carrying</a> on forwards another 20m of passage leads
round to the right past a 1m climb up on the left to a sand-filled chamber
with a hole down through the sand in the far corner. The apparent dodginess
of this <b>Soil Pitch</b> means that it has not been investigated
[<a name="qC1991-161-22" href="qmtodo.htm#C1991-161-22">C1991-161-22</a> C]). The climb just before
this chamber reveals 30-40m of unsurveyed high passage with a couple of 4m
climbs up at the end to boulder chokes.
<p><a href="300dpi/repton.png"><img alt="survey - 16k gif" width=560
height=350 src="inline/repton.gif"></a>
<p>Back on the route to Repton, 15m of passage (going north) leads to another
passage parallel to the one just left. You can go left for about 5m to a dead
end or right for 10m to a 2m climb down into three connected sand-floored
chambers. The only way out is the 4m climb up the sloping right hand wall of
these chambers.
<p>At the top of this climb, the obvious route to the left (SE) goes dead
straight for 25m to the foot of a wide inclined bedding full of boulders
which leads up for 10m to <a href="#repton1">Repton I</a>. To the right a
traverse around the top of the pitch leads to a small chamber with a hole
connecting back to the chambers below and a crawl up in the roof going
nowhere.
<h3><a name="viasa">Strange Acrossfall</a></h3>
<p>Beyond the 90&deg; right hand bend in <a href="sibria.htm#cfn">Chicken
Flied Nice</a> (where the Burble route departs), the passage changes: the
floor trench cuts down and widens to a high stream rift which opens onto a
big space, <a href="deepwy.htm#hgs">Hyper Gamma Spaces</a>.
<p><a name="stranged">The 23m</a> <b>Strange Downfall</b> pitch into
this very large aven/collapse chamber lands on boulders. This is believed to
have a <a href="../../fixaid.htm#strange">fixed rope</a> at present. Climbing down
to the lowest point of the chamber (West side) reaches a small rift which is
fairly full of stones at this point. To the right is more of Hyper Gamma
Spaces - <a href="deepwy.htm#HGSrift">the rift bit</a>, while to the left is
<a href="deepwy.htm#endless">Endless</a>.
<p><center><a name="strangea" href="l/sacros.htm"><img src="t/sacros.jpg"
width=120 height=177></a></center>
<br><center><a href="l/sacros.htm">The tyrolean of Strange
Acrossfall</a></center>
<p><a name="strangeu">The pitch up</a> the far side of Hyper Gamma
Spaces is the 18m <b>Strange Upfall</b> (1991), and the Tyrolean
straight across avoiding most of both of these pitches is, of course,
<b>Strange Acrossfall</b>.
<p>To avoid repeating the climb/traverse unaided, one or both of these would
be left rigged from year to year (see the
<a href="../../fixaid.htm#strangea">fixed ropes</a> page). However, in view
of the age of the ropes and the lack of immediate interest in pursuing leads
beyond Repton, they have been derigged. Thus they will need to be replaced by
a party following the Burble/Leadmine route before this route can be used
again.
<h3><a name="repton">Repton I</a> (1991)</h3>
<p><a name="repton1">At the top</a> of <a href="#strangeu">Strange
Upfall</a> is a big chamber - <b>Repton</b> (named after the computer game
involving huge piles of boulders). It has two distinct halves, both sloping
down from a central rockpile col. The smaller half, entered first, is
<b>Repton I</b>, 40m long, and 12m wide. About 25m upslope, a huge block
forms a 2m high step across the chamber. This can be passed by a hard climb
on the right hand wall, or an easier climb through boulders at the left hand
end.
<p>Just beyond this a wide bedding in the left hand wall descends into the
<a href="sibria.htm#leadmine">Leadmine</a>, and ramifications to the
Northwest. Then there is a steep rock pile leading up into Repton II, and the
most remote parts of the system to the Northeast.
<h3><a name="repton2">Repton II</a>, <a name="beehiver">Beehive</a> (1991) -
to the far Northeast</h3>
<p>Climbing over the rockpile from Repton I, beside a 10m cubed block, leads
into the huge 20m high and wide space of <b>Repton II</b>, sloping down to an
obvious large passage going out of the left hand side of the end wall. 15m
down here a climb/slide down a sandbank leads to a short crawl into a 10m
diameter chamber, <b>Beehive</b> (not to be confused with the
<a href="deepwy.htm#beehivef">Beehive</a> in Flapjack :-). The sandy passage
can also be followed round to the left to overlook this chamber.
<p><center>
<a href="l/bhclmb.htm"><img src="t/bhclmb.jpg" width=134 height=200>
<br><br>The Beehive climb</a></center>
<p>There are three other ways out of the chamber.
A <a href="offnth.htm#bhcrawl">small crawl</a> to the right, the obvious
passage ahead, <a href="offnth.htm#wetwe">Wet Weekend</a>, and the way on
into <b>Pipeless</b>. This is reached by climbing up the boulder pile on the
east side of the chamber. From here a very difficult move into the passage is
greatly eased by a long sling hung from a bolt on the right of the climb.
<h4><a name="pipeless">Pipeless</a> (1992)</h4>
<p>Pipeless (after its explorers' severe carbide difficulties) is a 4-5m
diameter phreatic tube going gently downhill for 120m. First there is a 2m
sandbank climb, most easily passed by chimneying against the left wall. The
passage continues past an area of large breakdown with left and right bends
to a long section containing impressive formations in the roof, and a small
stream in the floor. A small infill-choked passage goes off low on the left
at the breakdown area.
<p><center>
<a href="l/pipefm.htm"><img src="t/pipefm.jpg" width=115 height=173></a>
<img alt=" " src="../../../icons/lists/tab64.gif">
<a href="l/pipebr.htm"><img src="t/pipebr.jpg" width=114 height=158></a>
</center>
<p><center><a href="l/pipefm.htm">Pipeless formations</a>
<img alt=" " src="../../../icons/lists/tab64.gif">
<a href="l/pipebr.htm">The Bridge</a></center>
<p><a name="bridge">Next is</a> a 3m pitch/handline climb down and a 2m climb
down to <b>The Bridge</b>, some precariously balanced rocks over a big,
undescended pit.
<p><a href="300dpi/mmud.png"><img alt="survey - 15k gif" width=450
height=600 src="inline/mmud.gif"></a>
<h4><a name="ssr">Satan's Sitting Room</a> (1992)</h4>
<p>Beyond the Bridge in Pipeless, taking the lower, smaller passage for the
last 6m leads to a view into the impressive space of <b>Satan's Sitting
Room</b>. This can also be viewed but not reached from the bigger, higher
passage which can be gained by a 4m climb just beyond The Bridge.
<p>There is a choice of a tyrolean (<a href="../../fixaid.htm#ssr">fixed
rope</a>) across from the entry point, or a 20m pitch (rebelay at -6m, beware
of choss) down towards <a href="offnth.htm#silentf">Silent Fellow</a>.
<p><a name="3wisemen">The shelf</a> reached by the tyrolean goes around the
right hand wall of Satan's Sitting Room to an 8m climb up then a traverse
between two pitches. This is all roped. A tensioned traverse (also with
a <a href="../../fixaid.htm#3wm">permanently rigged</a> rope), <b>Three Wise
Men</b>, is rigged on the wall ahead, up around to the right, to a window,
ignoring the massive undescended pitch
[<a href="qmtodo.htm#C1992-161-12" name="qC1992-161-12">C1992-161-12</a>].
<p><center><a href="l/3wisea.htm">
<img alt="Photo - 38k" src="t/3wisea.jpg" width=134 height=200></a>
<img alt=" " src="../../../icons/lists/tab64.gif">
<a href="l/3wiseb.htm">
<img alt="Photo - 29k" src="t/3wiseb.jpg" width=134 height=200></a>
<br>
<b>Three Wise Men - Aggy Finn bolting and Andy Atkinson following</b>.
</center>
<p>From the first window, there is a tyrolean to another window, followed by
a 2m climb/ab down. All the drops here curve round to the big undescended one
in Satan's Sitting Room - a descent of 15m is sufficient to see that these
connect. Across this last chamber (which is very high, with passages coming
in high up) is a 3m climb up into another passage. There is some scrotty
stuff off to the right, a 3m climb forward on the left leads back into the
last chamber, and ahead is a big pitch (undescended [<a
href="qmtodo.htm#C1992-161-13" name="qC1992-161-13">C1992-161-13</a>]).
<h4><a name="tinkler">Tinkle Rift</a> (1992)</h4>
<p>Climbing up to the right just before the last big pitch in Satan's Sitting
Room leads into a stooping and very draughty passage. Straight on dead-ends
immediately, but an immediate left enters <b>Tinkle Rift</b>.
<p>This can be traversed at upper or lower levels. The higher level is more
difficult, starting with a rather Welsh traverse (trying not to break off too
many speleothems - the eponymous Tinkle) over holes ([<a
href="qmdone.htm#C1992-161-15" name="qC1992-161-15">C1992-161-15</a>] - blind), then an awkward
(<a href="../../fixaid.htm#trift">permanent rope</a>) 2m climb up a boulder
blockage. (Climbing up a further 3m here gets you to
<a href="offnth.htm#welliesp">Wellie Scraper</a>). Beyond this, a couple more
down climbs reach the big boulder pile.
<p>The lower route is reached by a 5m pitch (instead of the traverse) at the
start. There are a couple of crawls before the upper level is rejoined after
35m. There are numerous connecting climbs between the two levels. A hole in
the floor just before the two levels join is an 8m awkward blind pitch.
<h4><a name="bvelvet">Black Velvet</a> / Far Too Far (1992)</h4>
<p>On along the rift it gets very high (15m) with various narrow passages at
floor level. Another big boulder blockage can be passed most easily on the
right. Beyond this is a short (12m) blind pitch [<a href="qmdone.htm#C1992-161-16"
name="qC1992-161-16">C1992-161-16</a>]. Across the pitch head a continuation can be seen
(10m away) which can be reached from <a href="#furtcha">Further</a>.
<p><a href="300dpi/far.png"><img alt="survey - 14k gif" width=600
height=400 src="inline/far.gif"></a>
<p><a name="far2far">Climbing</a> up 6m through the boulders leads into a
rising 4m diameter phreas heading northeast, <b>Black Velvet</b> (named after
the very dark (oxidised ?) sand - take care to follow the route). A big hole
in the floor [<a href="qmdone.htm#C1992-161-17" name="qC1992-161-17">C1992-161-17</a>] drops about
12m back into the passage below leading to Further. At the end of Black
Velvet, a ramp pitch continuation, <a href="#axlest">Axle Stand</a> [<a
href="qmdone.htm#C1992-161-18" name="qC1992-161-18">C1992-161-18</a>] drops down, and there is a
sharp corner right into the smaller, southeast trending, <b>Far Too Far</b>
passage.
<p>A tiny hole in the floor here just connects back further along. This area
is muddy and care should be taken not to put mud into the pool at the end.
Here the passage is blocked with glacial fill. There is a crawl on the right,
which quickly enlarges and reaches another big, wet-sounding undescended
pitch [<a href="qmtodo.htm#C1992-161-19" name="qC1992-161-19">C1992-161-19</a>], and a rift off to
the left, giving pitch and traverse [<a href="qmtodo.htm#C1992-161-21"
name="qC1992-161-21">C1992-161-21</a>] routes. This rift lines up exactly with the
desperate-looking crack at the end of <a href="#scrofy">Scrofulosity</a>. On
the right here is an obscure climb which leads into a stooping passage - the
1992 limit of exploration [<a href="qmdone.htm#C1992-161-20" name="qC1992-161-20">C1992-161-20</a>]
which leads to <b>East Anglia</b>.
<h4><a name="eanglia">East Anglia</a> (1993)</h4>
<p>This low sandy passage (named because it is flat and horrible) is 120m
long, rising 16m to the far end at a final depth of -229m from 161a (Alt.
1557m). It starts off wide to the SW, but quickly becomes stooping and
crawling, and generally remains that way. After 20m it turns NE for 25m
before opening out into a 6m wide aven. The drip follows the extremely tight
floor rift out of here.
<p>Voices were heard at this point from <a href="#scrofy">Scrofulosity</a>,
so a connection with either the final pitch or the Aven/rift at the climb
seems likely.
<p>Crossing over the canyon the passage continues for another 45m, first
walking, then crawling before an aparent dead end. An easy c4 up here gains
another 20m of passage, now in a hading rift, going up and down, mostly up,
to emerge at the head of a big undescended pitch [<a href="qmtodo.htm#C1993-161-03"
name="qC1993-161-03">C1993-161-03</a>], perhaps 8m diameter, with a huge wedged boulder a
few metres down it.
<h4><a name="furtcha">Further</a> / Even Further (1993)</h4>
<p>The sketch in the 1993 logbook gives a good idea of this area, though
one or two names have changed:
<p><a href="../../years/1993/scrof0.gif">
<img src="../../years/1993/scrof2.gif" width=492 height=484
alt="Scrofulosity area sketch"></a>
<p><a name="axlest">The ramp pitch</a> at the end of Black Velvet - <b>Axle
Stand</b> drops 18m to reach <b>Further</b> chamber, about 25m long
developed along the big NE/SW rift that defines this area of the cave. The
pitch ends is a narrow canyon at the SW end. This can be followed a few m
further SW to walking 2-3m wide passage. This continues via a c2 up and a
couple of curves to look out over the blind pitch at the NE end of Tinkle
Rift. 3m back from the lip on the RH side is the bottom of the sizeable hole
in the floor of Black Velvet.
<p>Back in Further there is an old stream route which disappears into an
immature rift that can be followed for about 5m before it gets too tight.
The most obvious exit is a stoop/crawl in the SE corner. This leads to
Scrofulosity.
<p><a name="needlep">At the Northern end</a>, the highest point of Further,
is <b>The Needle</b>, a 7m up pitch, <a href="../../fixaid.htm#needle">left
rigged</a>. This was named after the numerous threads which made it climbable
with only a couple of slings for protection.
<p><a name="efurther">10m of passage</a> from the top of Needle Pitch gains a
view into the large space of <b>Even Further</b>.
<p><a name="weaselp">This 15m</a> diameter chamber is dominated by a huge
boulder which makes the 6m pitch down here, <b>Weasel Pit</b>, bloody
awkward as you must progress down between the wall and boulder at a steep
angle, and the cheesy rock makes foot purchase almost impossible. Ten metres
across the chamber at the far side on the right is another pitch, which has
been descended about 20m on dodgy naturals to no conclusion
[<a href="qmtodo.htm#C1993-161-01" name="qC1993-161-01">C1993-161-01</a>].
<p>From the foot of Weasel Pit you can descend underneath the huge boulder to
get to the lower level of Even Further (the NW side). A passage descends from
here to the WNW for about 15m to a crossrift, choked on the left and too
tight a few metres to the right. This point is -271m. The final feature of
Even Further is a <a href="qmaven.htm#C1993-161-ef" name="qC1993-161-ef">big
drippy aven</a> coming in in the north corner.
<h3><a name="scrofy">Scrofulosity</a></h3>
<p>To the right in Further is <b>Scrofulosity</b>, 140m of mostly sandy crawl
passing underneath <a href="#eanglia">East Anglia</a>. After 45m heading SW,
a 4m sandy downclimb is reached. This looked enough like a pitch to the
explorers that a completely superfluous bolt was put in, although a handline
is useful for the return. The foot is in a rift. It is 15-20m high on the
left hand side with a drip, and very narrow to the right where a strong
draught disappears into a desperate-looking crack. This is clearly (from the
survey) the same rift as that seen at the end of Far Too Far on the left
hand side [<a href="#qC1992-161-21">C1992-161-21</a>].
<p>From here there are two ways on leading to the same spot. A low, wide,
cobbly passage straight on, or a very narrow crabwalk to the right. The
former is far easier, and after 15m rejoins the crabwalk at a 2m down climb
where the passage becomes a walking rift. 12m along here there is a deep,
but extremely narrow hole in the floor at a diaclase. Mud (there are no
stones) sounds like it falls a long way, but a hammer would be required for
any chance of gaining access [<a href="qmtodo.htm#C1993-161-05"
name="qC1993-161-05">C1993-161-05</a>]. Climbing 2m up to the right here on a pile of
mud gains more sandy crawl. After 5m is a T-junction. Right goes about 8m
via a very tight spot to a tiny chamber. Left goes 20m, with a U-bend
squeeze to the top of a 15m rift pitch [<a href="qmtodo.htm#C1993-161-02"
name="qC1993-161-02">C1993-161-02</a>], at a depth of -269m from 161a (Alt. 1517m).
<hr>
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