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<html lang=en>
<!-- from Cambridge Underground 1983 p 18 -->
<head>
<title>
1982: Cambridge Underground report
</title>
</head>
<body>
<h3>THE UNDERGROUND CAMP</h3>
<p align=right>Charles Butcher
<p>By the time the expedition was halfway through we had reached the top of
Orgasm Chasm and pushing trips were taking about eighteen hours. After half a
dozen short pitches and some nice splashy streamway the cave was looking
serious again. The swimming duck was cold and the black Chasm looked
bottomless.
<p>When the idea of underground camping was first suggested there was some
opposition. Time was short, we had no experience of camping underground and
no spare equipment. In the end it was left to Tim, Phil, Dave and Paddy to
pack up a tent, sleeping bags, clothes, food and stoves. They established a
camp in the dry phreas above the last pitch, finding a chamber with a level
sandy floor and no draught.
<p>Tim and Phil stayed at the camp after their pushing trip and reported it a
great success. Now that the idea had been tested everyone was keen to use the
camp and it was a great morale booster. As it turned out we could have
bottomed the cave without camping but it would have been much harder.
<p>We used a lightweight Robert Saunders tent which gave some much needed
warmth in a cave air temperature of 1&deg;C. Condensation was potentially a
problem but was not serious when the tent was properly pitched. Of the two
sleeping bags, one was synthetic and the other down; both performed well with
an underlayer of Karrimat. There was also a variety of dry clothes which we
wore around camp and while sleeping. For cooking we had an army-type hexamine
cooker and a butane stove. The butane stove was sluggish in the cold and
easily upset. The hexamine cooker was light and efficient and would be a good
choice for any future camping; alternatively a Trangia stove has the same
stability and robustness.
<p>Food consisted of corned beef, packet soup, noodles, macaroni, Tabasco
sauce, teabags, dried milk, muesli and chocolate. German black bread is a
sustaining item which survives the journey underground well. We were close to
the stream and found a gallon plastic water container with a tap very useful.
Generally camp was very well supplied and towards the end of the expedition
there was more food underground than on the surface.
<p>A stay at the camp took about twelve hours with nine of these spent
sleeping. We found it hard to sleep for long periods without waking, and
judging time is difficult so a watch is a must. For a latrine we used a dry
vadose trench a few yards from the camp but this turned out to be a mistake.
The moral is - keep your privy well downwind of the tent. In the end we spent
twelve man-nights at the camp and it was an experience none of us will
forget.
<hr>
<!-- LINKS -->
<img alt="&gt;" src="../../../icons/lists/0.gif">
1982 Expedition info:<br>
<img alt="---&gt;" src="../../../icons/lists/1.gif">
<a href="log.htm">Logbook</a><br>
<img alt="---&gt;" src="../../../icons/lists/1.gif">
Main Expo report, Cambridge Underground 1983:<br>
<img alt="------&gt;" src="../../../icons/lists/2.gif">
<a href="report.htm">CUCC in Austria</a> - Phil Townsend<br>
<img alt="------&gt;" src="../../../icons/lists/2.gif">
<a href="41gd.htm">Stellerweg Guidebook Description</a> by Pete Lancaster<br>
<img alt="------&gt;" src="../../../icons/lists/2.gif">
<a href="41svy.htm">Stellerweg Survey</a> article by Andy Waddington<br>
<img alt="------&gt;" src="../../../icons/lists/2.gif">
<a href="newbit.htm">New Discoveries</a> 1982 by Mike Thomas<br>
<img alt="------&gt;" src="../../../icons/lists/2.gif">
<a href="bats.htm">The Bats of 115</a> by Dave Brindle<br>
<img alt="---&gt;" src="../../../icons/lists/1.gif">
<a href="bcracc.htm">BCRA Caves &amp; Caving Report</a><br>
<img alt="&gt;" src="../../../icons/lists/0.gif">
<a href="../../pubs.htm#1982">Index</a> to all publications<br>
<img alt="&gt;" src="../../../icons/lists/0.gif">
<a href="../../index.htm">Back to Expeditions intro page</a><br>
<img alt="&gt;" src="../../../icons/lists/0.gif">
<a href="../../../index.htm">CUCC Home Page</a>
</body>
</html>

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<!-- from Cambridge Underground 1983 pp 11-14 -->
<head>
<title>
1982: Cambridge Underground report
</title>
</head>
<body>
<center>
<h2>STELLERWEGHOHLENSYSTEM</h2>
<h3>Guide Book Description</h3>
</center>
<p align=right>Pete Lancaster
<p>(for a current description, see <a href="../../smkridge/41/41.htm">here</a>)
<p>Stoger Weg Area, Schwarzmoos Kogel, Totes Gebirge, Austria.<br>
Total depth: 898m<br>
Surveyed Length: 3.5km<br>
Explored: CUCC 1980 - 82
<p>The system has two distinct entrances which both drop rapidly in a series
of fairly dry passages, to intersect large abandoned phreatic passages,
providing the connection. The waters unite to flow down a large streamway in
small wet pitches until a sudden 150m drop to the final sump.
<p>Stellerweghohle Entrance 1623/41a and 41b<br>
41b : Alt 1625m 47&deg;40'10"N 13&deg;48'42"E<br>
41a : Alt 1611m 47&deg;40'10"N 13&deg;48'41"E
<p>The two entrances are located 50m vertically above the Stoger Weg (path
no. 201) at the point where it drops steeply (just beyond the draughting hole
of 1623/32).
<p>The upper entrance (41b) is in a large rift about 30m to the east of the
lower (41a) which is in a shattered gully, a strongly outward draughting
tube. Following this down leads to a chamber with a large snow bank, which is
th4 bottom of the upper entrance. Crossing this leads to the unproductive
German Route (see below), but the passage to the left is the main way on. An
ice traverse to a fine arched passage is followed up a dip until a right turn
reveals a large 45&deg; ramp. This is traversed over, as are 3 other similar
features in a short distance. The whole of the cave in this entrance series
is of phreatic origin, developed along the inclined bedding plane. Crossing
the final ramp leads via a climb and traverse to a 21m pitch, but this may be
bypassed by following the ramp down; along the strike leads to the chamber at
the foot of the pitch. From here four ways head on: a bedding plane down dip
is obstructed by boulders; and a climb down leads via a squeeze into a very
small vadose canyon; the main route is a climb up a ramp. This brings one to
a steeply descending phreatic passage and climbs which are followed by lined
traverses across two ramps. The next ramp has no way on the other side and is
descended using a ladder. To the right via a small pitch is the 1980 route
down the Big Pitch, but left, two small pitches lead to the best hang. This
is 100m in a large circular shaft and wonderfully free and airy until a
rebelay 25m from the bottom.
<p>The pitch lands in a rift with a small stream which can be followed in a
sharp passage until it sumps, but following above the canyon, the water is
regained after a 9m pitch. This is quickly succeeded by pitches (of 20, 9, 5,
6, and 6m) linked by narrow rift passages. A short climb up over boulders
breaks out into a large dry rift (100m high and 5m wide). A 7m gully and 24m
pitch are followed by a pendulum to the head of a 9m pitch which reaches the
floor. A boulder strewn climb down to a 16m pitch is followed in quick
succession by pitches of 5, 10, 17 and 17m. The final of these are wet in
clean washed holes, with the roof lowering to 10m in places. After 2 short
free climbs, a 17m pitch drops into Junction Chamber to join the route from
Schnellzughohle.
<h4>The German Route</h4>
From the snowbank near the entrance, a large passage crosses a couple of
ramps (presumably those seen on the main route) to a roped traverse over a
choked pot (28m deep) to the head of a series of pitches. The first two are
6m and 18m to the floor of a rift. At one end of this is a 20m pitch with a
small outlet at its base (not explored), but in the other direction pitches
of 2, 12 and 14m lead to an awkward traverse above a canyon. The route turns
left (straight on has not been pushed) and soon drops down a 10m free climb
to a low crawl which looks like a dried out sump. Beyond this, a climb down
and traverse lead to a 14m pitch (sloping at the top) which lands in a
chamber. Pitches of 8, 12 and 6m follow in a rift until the route narrows at
the head of a pitch (estimated 6m) which has not been descended.
<h4>Schnellzughohle Entrance 1623/115</h4>
(AKA Gemsescheissenhohle)
<p>Alt 1467m 47<34>&deg;0'3"N 13&deg;48'41"E
Depth to sump 740m
<p>The entrance is reached by steeply descending to 90m vertically below the
Stoger Weg just beyond the point where it drops rapidly (just beyond
1623/32). A large tube runs horizontally into the hillside (past the light
from a slightly higher entrance), until it suddenly closes down to a steeply
descending crawl full of loose stones (originally excavated) and strongly
draughting out in summer. This drops into a small chamber with a drip inlet;
down the slope an 8m pitch is followed by a scramble down loose stones to a
conclusive choke. The main route lies in following the draught up an obscure
8m climb above the pitch (bolt aid required), to a sharp crawl through a
small tube. A climb down and a traverse to the left over blocks finds the
head of the free hanging Bell Pitch (20m). This lands on a boulder floor with
two dry trenches leading off: the right leads to a 7m ladder with unstable
boulders at the head. This lands in a sharp thrutchy tube, (Hedgehog Crawl),
to emerge in a dry meandering trench which breaks out into a large abandoned
phreatic passage. Right appeared to get low. Left is developed along the
strike and traverses and a short up lead to a junction. Left here leads to an
inlet passage with eight small dry cascades to a choke 30m up. Right, the
large passage meets a hole in the floor (Baker's Bungle) which is crossed to
a small rift leading to the head of the Ramp and the start of 200m continuous
pitches to the Big Chamber.
<p>The Ramp is phreatic passage sloping at 45&deg; with an abandoned vadose
trench in the floor. Down the ramp, avoiding the trench, leads a muddy slope
to the Col; left here leads to a vast black space, but loose boulders
prevented exploration of this route. The main way on follows right down a
series of sloping pitches, largely against the wall and developed in a hading
rift. After passing some loose boulders, a 26m pitch reaches the bottom of
the rift where a small stream joins the route. This can be followed up until
a pitch is met. Two clean washed and fluted pitches (18, 19m) may be rigged
dry by traversing out. The Inlet streamway rises rapidly in wet weather and
makes the lower pitches unpleasant but not impassable. A 6m pitch lands on a
boulder floor where the water flows down to the left, but right, avoiding the
water (except in wet conditions), a 24m pitch drops onto the floor of the Big
Chamber (115 final chamber). From here several ways lead on. Following the
stream up beyond where the 115 waterfall comes in leads 50m in a big passage
to 50m of small vadose streamway closing at an inlet sump. Up the boulder
slope leads to the site of a food dump where an inlet is seen in wet weather;
through a hole in the wall, a short crawl is thought to emerge at an aven.
The main two ways on lie downstream. Following the large abandoned passage
above the streamway leads to the connection to Junction Chamber, with a
branch to the Futility Series. The water itself can be followed as Pete's
Purgatory.
<h4>Pete's Purgatory</h4>
Following the water down leads to 800m of unrelentingly narrow meandering
vadose canyon. The passage is of uniform size, never wider than 1m and in
places sufficiently small to require traversing above the squeeze or crawling
at water level. There are few features of interest, but a small drip inlet,
an oxbow, and a series of cascades permit some measure of progress to be
judged. Eventually, the passage meets an inlet at the Confluence, where the
dry Bypass from Junction Chamber joins the route from above.
<h4>The Futility Series</h4>
The Futility Series branches left from the large tube above the Purgatory,
soon after leaving Big Chamber. The way leads in a large passage past a ramp
on the left which can be followed up a gully to two avens and soon after a
small choked passage in the floor on the right breaks into the 12m high
Pebble Beach Chamber, with a drip inlet down a red flowstone covered area.
Beyond this, boulders become more frequent in the passage until a climb up
brings one to Big Enough Chamber (4m high) with two ways on. To the right, a
3m diameter tube soon becomes impassable as the sandy floor rises towards the
roof, with a strong draught at the end. To the left from the chamber up a mud
slope a horizontal slot leads to a larger passage with a stream which soon
sinks into the sandy floor. The passage ends abruptly at a choke just beyond
some rippled mud formations.
<h4>The Connection</h4>
The large abandoned tube may be followed above the Purgatory until the ledge
gives out, but shortly before this, a low mud filled phreatic tube leads off
to the right. The passage size increases down this, past a steeply rising
tube to the right which loops back to connect at roof level with the route
(there are a few straws here). After this junction a small vadose trench in
the floor contains only seepage water, but the route lowers to a crawl
through a sandy floored arch to a point where the route diverges. Left, a
short thrutch emerges at Connection Cairn, which lies in a complex area above
a vadose trench with water 10m below (thought to be the Purgatory). Several
passages lead off here, but one rises steeply upwards in a large tube, to
eventually reach the low wide sandy crawl which is the route uphill from the
point of divergence (and the easiest route through). The passage continues
large, with a small vadose trench in the floor and much mud infill. Following
the large tube to its conclusion emerges about 10m up the side of Junction
Chamber with no easy way down. This lies 50m back down the passage, where a
small hole in the right wall (coming from 115) leads to a horribly muddy
bedding plane crawl which pops out above a streamway which is followed up to
Junction Chamber by carefully traversing above it. The water flowing down
here is the combination of the stream flowing down the Stellerweg pitches and
a stream which flows in from the opposite side of the chamber. A 10m greasy
climb up gives access to a large passage which is the continuation of that on
the other side of the chamber. Following this above the water gives onto a
traverse which has not been pushed. However, the main way on lies up boulders
off to the left soon after the greasy climb; this is the Bypass to reach the
Confluence.
<h4>The Bypass</h4>
Down the passage off to the left (Dartford Tunnel), is steeply descending in
a huge (10m diameter) boulder strewn abandoned passage with much layered mud
and surge marks. Eventually a junction is reached where the passage section
changes to vadose canyon, still large. To the right in a big passage leads to
an aven with an inlet, but no way on. To the left carries on in a mud floored
rift to reach a 4m climb down, where a passage comes in from the right; this
may be followed to a low area of mud and boulders with no continuation. The
main way steeply descends, passing a small roof inlet which has washed the
mud floor clean. The water drops to a narrow vadose trench with the sound of
a stream perhaps 10m below. Carrying on down the dry passage leads to the
inscription cucc/UBSS 1981 and the start of a traverse on dusty loose mud
ledges (line useful). Following down, parallel to the top of the vadose
trench, with the sound of the stream below, soon leads to a sandy passage
branching left to Camp Chamber (care), this continues as a traverse above a
stream (thought to be Purgatory). Down from this turn off soon reaches a
corner where an easy 4m climb down drops into the Confluence. Instead of
dropping down here, following the upper passage round to the right leads to a
dry vadose trench in the floor and then a traverse above the main streamway
below. Rampant Passage starts near this corner and rises in a large dry tube
to a huge chamber (Cologne Cathedral) with a climb up to an aven. Many of the
passages in these levels contain dead bats, perhaps suggesting a lower
entrance.
<h4>The Confluence To The Sump</h4>
The climb down from the Bypass lands at the junction of the Purgatory water
and an inlet which can be followed upstream in a passage similar to the
Purgatory, until soon after a 7m climb up, the streamway divides twice and
becomes too small to follow. This is thought to be the Stellerweg water.
Downstream in a passage only slightly bigger than the Purgatory, a wet 4m
climb and 7m pitch soon reach a frothy round sump pool. This is bypassed up a
steep slope to the left, a 3m high muddy passage leads off to a 7m pitch back
down to the streamway, but the continuing way up is unexplored. The streamway
may be followed back up to the downstream side of the sump, showing it to be
less than 10m long. Downstream, a dry inlet enters on the right and a small
stream on the left (both unexplored). Pitches 5, 5 (the twelve foot climb), 9
and 7m (Marlow Climb) carry on down in a streamway 2 to 3m wide and 15m high,
liberally supplied with cascades. The passage lowers to a sharp crawl and a
couple of smooth steep climbs in a hading rift. The water can be largely
avoided on the following pitches 9m (Lake), 22m (Ledge with rebelay halfway
and followed by Commando Climb 4m), 17m (Grope), 13m (Subtle), 22m (The
Slit), 7m (Coming Soon) which are all vertical with short sections of
horizontal passage between them. The last of the pitches lands in a canal in
a high rift which leads to a low swimming duck in a sandy floored passage.
This turns to break out at an awe-inspiring abyss with the water thundering
into the depths. The 90m shaft of Orgasm Chasm is passed by traversing out to
the left in a series of pitches which avoid the water (11m to a ledge, 10m to
a small alcove, 6m), then a 42m free hang past well displayed beddings to a
bridge across the shaft where the route divides, with the 22m pitch following
the dry way down. This lands in a boulder strewn chamber where the main water
is again met. A run under this leads to a small phreatic tube and a short
climb down to the start of the final pitch (12, 13, 14m) which corkscrews
past ledges to a more vertical section with a damp rebelay to land in a spray
lashed chamber. A short wet climb down leads to the final sump in a rift at
an altitude of 727m at 47&deg;40'01"N 13&deg;48'15"E. There is a small tube
above with no draught and blocked with boulders. The water is thought to
resurge in the nearby Altausseer See, (alt. 712m).
<hr>
<!-- LINKS -->
<img alt="------&gt;" src="../../../icons/lists/2.gif">
<a href="../../smkridge/41/41.htm">Current Guidebook Description</a><br>
<img alt="&gt;" src="../../../icons/lists/0.gif">
1982 Expedition info:<br>
<img alt="---&gt;" src="../../../icons/lists/1.gif">
<a href="log.htm">Logbook</a><br>
<img alt="---&gt;" src="../../../icons/lists/1.gif">
Main Expo report, Cambridge Underground 1983:<br>
<img alt="------&gt;" src="../../../icons/lists/2.gif">
<a href="report.htm">CUCC in Austria</a> - Phil Townsend<br>
<img alt="------&gt;" src="../../../icons/lists/2.gif">
<a href="41svy.htm">Stellerweg Survey</a> article by Andy Waddington<br>
<img alt="------&gt;" src="../../../icons/lists/2.gif">
<a href="41camp.htm">The Underground Camp</a> by Chas Butcher<br>
<img alt="------&gt;" src="../../../icons/lists/2.gif">
<a href="newbit.htm">New Discoveries</a> 1982 by Mike Thomas<br>
<img alt="------&gt;" src="../../../icons/lists/2.gif">
<a href="bats.htm">The Bats of 115</a> by Dave Brindle<br>
<img alt="---&gt;" src="../../../icons/lists/1.gif">
<a href="bcracc.htm">BCRA Caves &amp; Caving Report</a><br>
<img alt="&gt;" src="../../../icons/lists/0.gif">
<a href="../../pubs.htm#1982">Index</a> to all publications<br>
<img alt="&gt;" src="../../../icons/lists/0.gif">
<a href="../../index.htm">Back to Expeditions intro page</a><br>
<img alt="&gt;" src="../../../icons/lists/0.gif">
<a href="../../../index.htm">CUCC Home Page</a>
</body>
</html>

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<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD HTML 4.0//EN">
<html lang=en>
<!-- from Cambridge Underground 1983 p 15 -->
<head>
<title>
1982: Cambridge Underground report
</title>
</head>
<body>
<h3>Stellerwegh&ouml;hle-Schnellzugh&ouml;hlensystem : The survey</h3>
<p>Andy Waddington
<p>During the period 1976-1981, surveying has not been the strong point of
CUCC expeditions to Austria, mainly because of the limited man-weeks
available, and the amount of exploration to be carried out. In 1982, when we
were virtually certain of finding an end to Schnellzugh&ouml;hle, it was
considered essential to complete a survey of the system, since it was highly
unlikely that a descent would be made later, merely for surveying purposes.
This task was expedited by the fact that the 1982 expedition was in the field
for almost four weeks.
<p>The survey now published includes survey material from previous years, of
those parts of the system that were not rigged in 1982, mainly in
Stellerwegh&ouml;hle. The survey from Stellerweg entrance to the start of the
big rift was carried out in 1980, and was to grade four in all respects
except one, namely that one of the compasses used had been left on top of Rob
Shackleton's fridge and had recalibrated itself. Calibration in Austria
showed it to have a 134 degree error, which has been allowed for in the data
processing, but it is not certain that this calibration was constant at all
times, so only grade three is claimed. The whole of the Big Rift down to the
junction with the rest of the system at Junction chamber was surveyed only by
measuring pitch lengths and so only grade two is claimed.
<p>A surface traverse from the two entrances of Stellerwegh&ouml;hle to the
entrance to Schnellzugh<67>hle, and extending to other entrances in the area was
carried out to grade five, and is in close agreement with data from previous
years. The survey from Schnellzugh&ouml;hle to the Confluence was all to
grade five, and agrees with the surveys done in 1980-81 to lower grade. From
the confluence to the 12' climb (Another pitch), the survey relies on 1981
data to grade three; in view of the agreement of other grade three surveys of
previous years with the 1982 data, this is considered reliable. From the 12'
climb to the bottom of the system, all surveying was done in 1982 and is to
grade five.
<p>Thus, of the 898m surveyed depth, all except a small portion is to BCRA
Grade five, and though there are no closed loops, we feel confident that the
depth is within plus or minus ten metres of that stated.
<p>Calibration of instruments on the surface suggested a magnetic deviation
of only 1.25 degrees. Since true north is difficult to determine accurately
from local maps, which have no grid lines, and since the deviation is
comparable with potential instrument errors, the survey has been drawn to
magnetic rather than true north. Calibration of instruments between two fixed
points on the surface will enable any additions to the survey to be
accurately aligned in future years.
<p>Data reduction was by the FORTRAN computer program SU 4.32 which is
implemented on a dual processor ICL 2982 (not at Cambridge), and the
centre-line plot was drawn using GHOST software on a Calcomp drum plotter.
Survey detail was sketched onto the centre line plot and then traced and
inked. The survey was originally drawn at a scale of 1:800, ie. on A0 paper,
and reduced to its present scale for publication. Passage detail in the grade
five parts of the survey were estimated and recorded in the cave, and drawn
directly from the original sketches. Passage detail for the main route in
Stellerweg was copied from the original 1980 survey drawn by Julian
Griffiths. This involved an increase in scale, and so the detail in this area
is probably not as accurate. Grade one survey data in areas near the
Purgatory Bypass were estimated and recorded in the cave and drawn from the
original sketches, while the Big Rift in Stellerweg was drawn from sketches
made in 1980 from memory with measured pitch lengths.
<!-- A.E.R.Waddington, February 1983. -->
<hr>
<!-- LINKS -->
<img alt="&gt;" src="../../../icons/lists/0.gif">
<a href="../1983/41svy.htm">The truth</a> about the 1982 survey
(from CU 1984)<br>
<img alt="&gt;" src="../../../icons/lists/0.gif">
1982 Expedition info:<br>
<img alt="---&gt;" src="../../../icons/lists/1.gif">
<a href="log.htm">Logbook</a><br>
<img alt="---&gt;" src="../../../icons/lists/1.gif">
Main Expo report, Cambridge Underground 1983:<br>
<img alt="------&gt;" src="../../../icons/lists/2.gif">
<a href="report.htm">CUCC in Austria</a> - Phil Townsend<br>
<img alt="------&gt;" src="../../../icons/lists/2.gif">
<a href="41gd.htm">Stellerweg Guidebook Description</a> by Pete Lancaster<br>
<img alt="------&gt;" src="../../../icons/lists/2.gif">
<a href="41camp.htm">The Underground Camp</a> by Chas Butcher<br>
<img alt="------&gt;" src="../../../icons/lists/2.gif">
<a href="newbit.htm">New Discoveries</a> 1982 by Mike Thomas<br>
<img alt="------&gt;" src="../../../icons/lists/2.gif">
<a href="bats.htm">The Bats of 115</a> by Dave Brindle<br>
<img alt="---&gt;" src="../../../icons/lists/1.gif">
<a href="bcracc.htm">BCRA Caves &amp; Caving Report</a><br>
<img alt="&gt;" src="../../../icons/lists/0.gif">
<a href="../../pubs.htm#1982">Index</a> to all publications<br>
<img alt="&gt;" src="../../../icons/lists/0.gif">
<a href="../../index.htm">Back to Expeditions intro page</a><br>
<img alt="&gt;" src="../../../icons/lists/0.gif">
<a href="../../../index.htm">CUCC Home Page</a>
</body>
</html>

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<html lang=en>
<!-- from Cambridge Underground 1983 p 20 -->
<head>
<title>
1982: Cambridge Underground report
</title>
</head>
<body>
<h3>THE BATS OF 115</h3>
<p align=right>Dave Brindle
<p>While exploring the side pasages around the underground camp in 115, we
discovered a number of dead bats. Although bats are known to live in other
caves in Austria, such as the Mammuthohle in the Dachstein, these were the
first ones we had seen in the Totes Gebirge. No live ones were seen, but we
found a total of six dead ones, each lying on the floor in regions of large
dry passage. They were all well preserved, owing to the cold dry atmosphere,
and it is not known how long ago they died. We collected two and took them
out, and our local contact, Dr. Gunther Graf, sent them to Vienna. They were
identified as follows:-
<ol>
<li> <i>Myotis mystacinus</i>
<li> <i>Barbastella barbastellus</i>
</ol>
The first one is a small insect-eating bat (wingspan 225mm) common in most of
Europe. It lives in trees and buildings during the summer, and hibernates in
cellars and caves in the winter. The average life expectancy is less than
five years. The second one is slightly larger (wingspan 260mm) but fairly
rare, and little is known about its habits. Both are now in the Natural
History Museum in Vienna.
<p>Initially we were surprised to find them so far underground. The camp was
about 1500m from and 350m below the entrance to 115. We discussed this with a
local caver, Karl Gaisberger, and he said it was quite normal to find bats so
far underground. However, the sketch survey we were plotting during
exploraion showed that the end of the Futility Series, which forms part of
the phreatic passage at the level of the underground camp, was within 100m,
horizontally, of the hillside below the entrance to 115. It seemed likely
that the extensive horizontal development at this level had been intersected
by the valley, to give another entrance which the bats had found. The
Futility Series ends in a small draughting hole where the mud floor rises
nearly to the roof, and at the time this was not pushed. A brief examination
of the hillside below 115 found nothing, as the valley sides are very rugged
- alternate cliffs and scree slopes. To find exactly where an entrance would
emerge, we intend next year to do a surface survey down from the entrance of
115, plotting as we go, to find the place on the hillside nearest ot the
known cave, which can then be searched more thoroughly. The entrances to 41
(at about 1600m) and 115 (at 1400m) are both old phreatic passages
subsequently cut off by the valley, and it seems almost certain that there
will be another entrance at about 1200m. At this altitude, there should be a
substantial outward draught.
<hr>
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1982 Expedition info:<br>
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<a href="report.htm">CUCC in Austria</a> - Phil Townsend<br>
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<a href="41gd.htm">Stellerweg Guidebook Description</a> by Pete Lancaster<br>
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<a href="41svy.htm">Stellerweg Survey</a> article by Andy Waddington<br>
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<a href="41camp.htm">The Underground Camp</a> by Chas Butcher<br>
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<a href="newbit.htm">New Discoveries</a> 1982 by Mike Thomas<br>
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<font size=-1>CTS 82.1124: BCRA Caves &amp; Caving 18 (Nov 1982) pp 21,24 [ISSN 0142-1832]</font>
<h1>CUCC in Austria</h1>
<font size=+1><i>For the seventh year running, Cambridge University Caving
Club visited the Totes Gebirge in Austria. The Totes Gebirge are a small
group of mountains fifty km east of Salzburg, and although the depth
potential is a modest 1100 metres, the limestone is very cavernous. Our
explorations have all been on the Loser Plateau on the south-east corner of
the Totes Gebirge, mainly because a toll road climbs a thousand metres from a
lake in the valley below up to plateau level. High altitude camping is
therefore unnecessary and caving is based on day trips from a comfortable
campsite by the lake.
<p>Last year we were joined by members of the University of Bristol
Speleological Society and Schnellzugh&ouml;hle was connected to an upper
entrance Stellerwegh&ouml;hle, giving a sporting through trip to 400m and an
overall depth of 650m. With the way on still open, our main objective this
year was to continue exploration via the lower entrance. Unfortunately no
U.B.S.S. were able to come, though they generously entrusted us with most of
their rope. A small team of nine cavers spent four weeks camping at Altaussee
by the lake, and although numbers were low, enthusiasm for caving ran
high</i></font>
<p>Rigging in Schnellzugh&ouml;hle proceeded rapidly at first, profiting from
experience gained last ear in bolting techniques. The entrance is an old
tunnel intersected by the valley, and this level is followed until a sloping
ramp leads to a series of pitches in a massive rift. Last year we followed
this down into the Big Chamber. From here horizontal passages radiate, both
vadose and dry phreatic. Initially our lack of continental experience had led
us follow the active stream down the notorious Pete's Purgatory. This is a
narrow twisting rift passage similar to the entrance series of Disappointment
POt, but over 800m long. Eventually this tortuous route enlarged at an inlet
at the Confluence, and the streamway continued in classic Yorkshire style
with short wet pitches separated by clean-washed passage and sporting
cascades. Exploration ground to a halt when the streamway alone was over
1500m long and 300m deep, with nowhere to camp. Meanwhile the dry phreatic
passage had been connected to Stellerwegh&ouml;hle final chamber.
<p>This year the unpleasant memories of Pete's Purgatory had faded somewhat,
and we started pushing down the streamway again. Pitch after pitch was
rerigged in a series of fifteen hour trips, and last year's terminus passed.
The cave continued inexorably, now a sizeable winding streamway. The pitches
became longer and wetter, leading to a fine canal. Round a corner this ended
at a deep and murky pool, but a chilly swim reached a sporting duck beyond
which airspace increased and a place to stand again was found. The stream
then plunged abruptly down a spectacular shaft over 70m deep. Meanwhile a
trip through the connection to the passage beyond the Stellerweg final
chamber had found the long hoped for dry bypass to the Purgatory. This
dropped into the streamway at the Confluence, and the inlet here turned out
to be the water from Stellerweg.
<p>It was now feasible to camp underground, and a small tent, well stocked
with tins of corned beef and beans, was set up in a side passage just above
the Confluence. This was to be used by pushing trips as a bivouac on their
way out. The 70m shaft was descended in a series of leaps clear of the water,
and led to a further three pitches into a large shattered chamber. The water
could be followed forward, and almost immediately cascaded into a frothy sump
in a deep rift. At a depth of 903m below the Stellerweg entrance, this sump
is only 20m above the presumed saturation level at the altitude of Altaussee
lake.
<p>By now only six cavers remained, and with a week left, the derig began on
the day following the discovery of the sump. Parts of the survey were rapidly
completed just ahead of the growing mound of tackle making its way up the
streamway. The camp was especially valued at this stage, and all the rope
brought out and down without a day to spare.
<p>The entire cave was surveyed to B.C.R.A. grades V and III and other
entrances triangulated on the surface. WIth over a thousand survey legs in
4km of cave, the amount of data to be processed was considerable. The survey
shown is based on the preliminary sketch made in Austria. This was drawn
using a small programmable calculator to convert tape, compass and clino
readings into 3d coordinates. We felt that taking a microcomputer and printer
would have been well worth while, to reduce tedious calculation. The data has
now been fed into a computer in England and a program is running which will
plot a centreline survey of the plan or any projected or extended elevations.
<p>There is no impervious cap or surface drainage on the plateau, and all the
currently active passages are fed by percolation water. This only forms
discrete streams below a depth of about 300m. However, the size of the Lower
Streamway shows that the integration of underground drainage is already
taking place. The passage finally drops rapidly to saturation level, and a
few well defined resurgences other than seepage flows, owing to the lack of
impervious basement rocks. No dry passage has been found below the
Confluence, and it seems likely that all other streams in the area will drain
to the Lower Streamway.
<p>Most of the known entrances have a cold outward draught, caused by the
temperature differences. However, Sonnenstrahlh&ouml;hle, a 300m deep find of
a few years ago, is slightly above Stellerweg and has a slight inward
draught. It was rerigged with renewed hopes of connecting it to the
Stellerweg system, but this attempt failed. Nevertheless, the area behind it
deserves further attention as it slopes up to the summit of the
Schwarzmooskogel 1100m above the lake. At 903m, the Stellerweg system is now
the second deepest in the Totes Gebirge by only 9m, and with the potential
for more depth we will return next year.
<p>Finally our thanks are expressed to local cavers Karl Gaisberger and Dr.
Gunther Graf, to campsite owner Fritz Madlmaier, and to the Sports Council
for a grant towards equipment.
<p align=right><i>Dave Brindle</i>
<hr>
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1982 Expedition info:<br>
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<a href="log.htm">Logbook</a><br>
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Main Expo report, Cambridge Underground 1983:<br>
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<a href="report.htm">CUCC in Austria</a> - Phil Townsend<br>
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<a href="41gd.htm">Stellerweg Guidebook Description</a> by Pete Lancaster<br>
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<a href="41camp.htm">The Underground Camp</a> by Chas Butcher<br>
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<a href="newbit.htm">New Discoveries</a> 1982 by Mike Thomas<br>
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1982: Logbook
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Arrive Saturday (24th July 1982) evening to glorious sunshine. Sunday dull,
examine lake from pedalo. Large canvas erection appears, much to horror of
everyone else on campsite. Uncouth rabble now appears and makes much noise
until uncivil hour in morning. Visit toll road.
<p>Monday visit toll road, visit plateau in misty wet conditions: no view; no
hot sun !
<hr><a name="1982-115-1">Tuesday Wave 1</a>
<p>Tuesday David &amp; Ian Brindle rig first section of ramps. 4 new bolts
placed. One on short pitch near entrance made redundant as no likes
prusikking up this delightful short pitch. Ramp declared open and much
improved. Fall off ramp whilst trying to place bolt, give up ! Second wave
arrives and takes over rigging ramp.
<p align=right>9 hrs or so<br>Tuesday was wet again!
<hr><a name="1982-115-2">27th Tuesday</a>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;115 wave
2&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Mike + Phil
<p>A good trip for dropping tackle, though all recovered this year unlike
last year's ammo can. The entrance series to 115 hasn't changed much, grotty
as ever. We reached the head of the ramp and voices, the Bouncing Brindles
were buggering about with bolts. After some discussion we took over and Mike
bolted a rather greasy traverse and a greasier abb down to the foot of the
Ramp - but out of the big hole which caused so much complaint last year. The
seemingly endless piece of Marlow took us half way down the Rift pitches to a
rather frighteningly perched half ton boulder. We slung a rope on the next
pitch and exitted. A good 8 hr breaking in trip and having dropped a tackle
bag, hammer, driver, gloves numerous times and sealing ring we should both
have exhausted our golden boot potential.
<p align=right>8 hrs
<p><a href="#1982-115-3">Next trip</a>/
<a href="#1982-115-1">Previous trip</a>
<hr>27th Tuesday&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;113&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Andy W + Pete
<p>Having calculated all the tackle to the nearest inch, the rigging in was
bound to be superbly efficient and smooth - WRONG ! The entrance pitch was
easy, then Andy tried to pioneer a new route to Fox's Glacier. Once a safe
route was relocated, life got complicated since Point Five Gully was
completely iced over - exit one 50+m rope meant for lower down. More big ice
formations in Barnsley Methodist Chapel then cock-up no. 2, a 15m rope for a
14m pitch with a 10m belay. A 22m rope didn't quite reach, much to Andy's
annoyance, so exit another 50+m rope meant for lower down. The next rope was
perfect though, and the smooth efficiency started to appear. Rigged right on
down the Opera House and Purple Pit to -210m and dumped remaining tackle
(just one short rope) before muesli crawl. Then up and out to a rainy, dark,
grotty evening. 7 hrs.
<br>Desperate walk back in wet black gravity. Missed pub but beer in car.
<p align=right>~ 7 hrs.
<hr>27th Tuesday&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;<a name="1982-115-S">Surface survey</a>
from 113 to 115
<p align=right>Andy D, Chas.
<p>Having been shown where 113 lurks, we surveyed down the gully &amp; along
the path to 115. We used two staffs, compass, clino &amp; tape.
<p>We left permanent survey stations outside 113, halfway down the 113 gully,
at 87, at 88 and outside 115. 113 is 164m or something above 115. Caused much
amusement to local tourists. &lt;---- <i>This ain't caving</i> <font
size=-1>but it is relevant</font>
<p>Survey at back of book
<hr><a name="1982-115-3">28th Wednesday</a>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;July
<p>Wave 1&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;115 Rigging rift&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Ian B &amp;
Chas
<p>Another half past six start so we were down in good time. The less said
about this trip the better. I couldn't find last year's route in the rift so
nearly gave myself a hernia placing a free-hanging bolt of which more anon.
Then under the boulders at the top of the inlet pitch which was a fairly
trepidating experience. Mucked about with a couple of ladders at the
entrance, met wave 2, and then we'd made a pig's ear of it &amp; went out.
<p align=right>8 hrs
<p><a href="#1982-115-4">Next trip</a>/
<a href="#1982-115-2">Previous trip</a>
<hr><u><a name="1982-115-4">Wave 2</a>&nbsp;&nbsp;115</u>&nbsp; &nbsp;Rigging
to Big Chamber&nbsp;&nbsp;Andy D, Dave B
<p>Well the sun was shining so wave 2 only reached the cave at half three.
God I hate this strenuous boring entrance series. Down the Ramp, mucho
improved. Incidentally, we passed wave 1 at the Bell Pitch - we we late or
were they early ? Chas had rigged a fine free hanging bolt but it was removed
and the old route taken down to the inlet. After much indecision whether to
go over or under the boulders we bolted out under, and on each successive wet
pitch we traversed out as far as we could, using the rope from the pitch
above as aid, to bolt. This made the changeovers strenuous but the pitches
are dry. At last we dropped down the fine pitch into the Chamber, still as
big as ever, the stream seemed quite high. Andy didn't say much (his first
trip) but I coukd see he was enjoying it really. We dumped rope, food, hexy
burners, sardines etc. and had some tomato &amp; beef soup (yeurgh). Hastened
slowly out. Emerged at about two in the morning. Andy got really pissed off
as his Petzl Stinky needed twice as much carbide as mine despite having a 14
litre jet anstatt the usual 21. 11 hrs.
<br>The furry suit is starting to niff a bit after only two trips.
<p align=right>Dave
<p align=right>11 hrs
<p><a href="#1982-115-5">Next trip</a>/
<a href="#1982-115-3">Previous trip</a>
<hr><a name="1982-115-5">29th Thursday</a>&nbsp; &nbsp;115&nbsp; &nbsp;Pete +
Phil
<p>The first big trip - jeez were we knackered ! Full of beans, literally,
Pete made a jet assisted walk in. Surprisingly efficient trip in with tackle
bags. The Ramp is different but no easier. Some entertaining rigging on the
Inlet Pitches. And then Purgatory, what can one say, it goes on and on and
on. We rigged the Pre-sump Pitch, then the Post-sump Bypass Pitch. On into
the stream, considering the quantity of rain there was pleasingly low water.
We rigged the first three streamway pitches, 7m slopping + damp, 5m, new bolt
to make the next 40m pitch drier. Carried on down a rather wet climb with
grotty memories of last year, we decided it needed a rope and that we'd turn
around before we got cold. Going back Purgatory was longer and destroyed a
tackle bag and a boiler suit. Soup in the main chamber provided just enough
body heat to combat the chill acquired waiting to brew it ! From then a
sleepy exit was made, both of us nodding off at strategic points on the
entrance pitches, and on the Stogerweg on the way back.
<p align=right>Time 14 hrs.
<p><a href="#1982-115-6">Next trip</a>/
<a href="#1982-115-4">Previous trip</a>
<hr>29th Thursday.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Sonnenstrahlh&ouml;hle
1623/113&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Andy &amp; Mike
<p>The usual early start got us underground by ~1pm with only mild wittering
on the entrance rebelay. Things went rather more smoothly than on Tuesday,
rerigging Point Five Gully with a 36m rope, thus freeing the 53m rope for
Sprucy Wind. Further success on the 14m pitch led us on to the Opera House
where Mike found a missing bolt. Purple Pit was as magnificent as ever (Mike
didn't appreciate the Bowers rebelay). Muesli Crawl was located and Sprucy
Wind rigged... The squeeze at the pitch head gave Andy some trouble but the
main trouble was the Union of Bullshitting Spastic Speleologists rope
protector of which more later... Pitches rigged with minimal slack (one with
tension between the bolts, much to Mike's chagrin - but the rope only just
reached the next rebelay anyway). At least one bolt on the next section
wasn't located, leaving a ~35m section with a couple of rubs :- must fix this
next time. Needless to say - the rope was too short on the wet part and Andy
had a brief spell of pitch rigging by braille and ended with a knot to pass
at the final ledge. Then.... the bottom.
<p>The chamber at the pitch bottom quickly became littered with bolts,
hangers and solid rubber trussing gear as yopur intrepid speleos prepared to
face ... THE SQUEEZE. Urgh ! Gnnuk ! Pop ! Into the Crematorium and the near
silence of a dry chamber. Tripping over drystone walls as they went, the
heroes, now over a thousand feet below the black hell of Schwarzmooskogel in
the remote Austrian Alps .. What ? Oh, sorry - facts only. We looked briefly
at some climbs and then shinned down into the narrow rift found by Tony's
carbide lamp in 1980. More thrutching noises, grunts, groans and sundry
curses accompanied desperate slow, woofta-ripping progress along a crawling
rift over a four inch stream slot among muddy, sharp crumbly rock. This led
for ages down tiny hading climbs to a micro-stream. More awkward climbs with
lobbing lumps of rock dropped to Andy's limit of 1980 - the promising ongoing
passage was huge ! after removing stones it was almost 4" (10cm) wide with a
half-body-sized cavity beyond. We extended it about 2ft (60cm) horizontally
and even less depth. SO much for top entrances to Stellerweg ! Turning round
and getting out took less than an hour or so, only slightly shredded. I don't
think Mike really appreciated being taken down here at all.
<p>So ... OUT ! Re-assuringly steady progress up the pitches interrupted only
by the crappy UBSS protector falling down the rope and landing on Andy. Don't
they have croc clips in Bristol ? Sardines at Muesli Crawl galvanised the
team to upward progress at almost exactly the same speed as before, slowing
as the boulders became oppressive at the Opera House. Not far to go now chaps
! Just the thrutchy boulder and the loose scree and the glassy ice slope and
the endless upward slogging entrance pitch and the bolt and the blasted
bouncy bunde blocking bludering blacked-out bleary-eyed (insert a plural word
meaning cavers but beginning with 'B'), from their rightful place on the
outside skin of the sphere we laughingly call the earth, or something. End
Delirium.
<p>We walked back in the dark and missed the pub.
<p align=right>8&frac12; hours
<hr><a name="1982-115-6">30th Friday</a>&nbsp;
&nbsp;Schnellzugh&ouml;hle&nbsp; &nbsp;115
<p align=right>Andy D + Chas
<p>A leisurely start saw us underground by 3 O'Clock. The memory has faded by now but we rigged the last three year's pitches. The next is a pleasant 10m pitch and shortly afterwards a slightly bigger pitch we didn't go down. At the time we thought it might be a climb but it definitely isn't.
<p>We took some food and a stove down to the sump bypass and had a brew of disgusting soup in the Big Chamber on the way out.
<p>Oh and we put backup bolts on some of the other streamway pitches. Out at 5.20 in the dawn light. Andy kept falling asleep on the walk back.
<p align=right>14 hrs
<p><a href="#1982-115-7">Next trip</a>/
<a href="#1982-115-5">Previous trip</a>
<hr><i>There is a very large blank space in the logbook suggesting an omitted
write-up that no-one ever got round to.</i>
<hr>Saturday 31st July
<p>Well, Dave and Ian were going to explore the phreatic maze at the bottom
of 41 .... but we'd been outdrinking the local cavers in Bad Mitterndorf last
night and the first expedition Huey &amp; Ralph by Dave meant that he jacked
at the carpark.
<hr>Sunday 1st August
<p><a name="1982-115-7">41 Phreatic</a>&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;Ian &amp; Dave
<p>Alpine style starts at 0600 hours just don't work for C.U.C.C. so a
leisurely start meant we felt vaguely human as we descended the usual boring
entrance. Excitement at the wet pitches with a roar of water (it had been
raining). We descended hurtling down through the spray footing it from wall
to wall to avoid the worst. Vague doubts about the return are dispelled as we
soar down into the Big Chamber. Food was dumped (fromk the tacklebag) and we
scrambled into the connection. Damn we're lost. Back and forth, eventually we
are on a ledge in 41 but 10m above the floor ! Shit ! BAck again and at last
we've done it. On into the Dartford Tunnel - this is huge but better things
are to come. Turning left to last year's terminus. Excitelment increases - we
are in virgin passage - no, still old footprints in the sand ahead. Suddenly
an inscription "cucc/UBSS 81" in the mud and ahead a sloping traverse. This
was quickly overcome and ahead a stomping passage leads to - what ? A small
climb is overcome and we cross a deep rift with a roar of water but ahead the
phreatic tube continues. We're almost running now, pinting out features, not
listening, the tension is incredible, a feeling of "how long will it last?"
Suddenly a junction with a dry Purgatory in the floor and a dead bat. Hardly
pausing we push up Rampant Passage, slower now, panting with exertion and
excitement, this tube rises a hundred feet in two hundred feet of length. At
the top we suddenly emerge into Cologne Cathedral, a silent but huge chamber.
A dangerous climb leads to 30m Echo Aven. We return and push down the rift.
Ahead the roar of water and suddenly we're hanging out over over an enormous
streamway, water cascades down out of sight. We can't go on so we survey
grade 2 out in what we've found. A magnificent trip and the sunset on the
Trisselwand as we emerged was quite superb. This was continental caving as
I'd really imagined it.
<p align=right>10 hrs
<p align=right>Dave
<p><a href="#1982-115-8">Tourist trip same day</a>/
<a href="#1982-115-9">Surveying trip next day</a>/
<a href="#1982-115-10">Next pushing trip</a>/
<a href="#1982-115-6">Previous trip</a>
<hr><a name="1982-142-1">Saturday 31st
July</a>&nbsp;&nbsp;-&nbsp;&nbsp;Prospecting south of 41 on east side of
Schwarzmooskogel.
<p>Pete, Mike, Phil.
<p>With three of us strung across the 'bunde' we covered quite a lot of
ground, and yet this amounted to probably only 10% of the area we crossed.
And caves do appear in the middle of nowhere. The major joint trends are easy
to follow but largely unproductive being full of small non-draughting shafts.
Valleys are much more promising and consequently full of bunde. Two decent
prospects were found.
<dl>
<dt>131<dd>A large classical cave entrance strewn with boulders in a
prominent valley. Back bearings to Trisselberg 170&deg;, Bergrestaurant
240&deg;. Probably about 1720m. Best reached from the cairned path along the
ridge top, which leaves Stogerweg at cave 28.
<dt>132<dd>Small hole immediately below an ice + stone plugged shaft. Very
good draught out. About 250m south of 41 at approx same height. No bearings.
Best reached from the Stogerweg 200m before 32, climb beneath a small cliff,
then up diagonally through bunde to large grassy + rocky slope. Climb to top
right of this slope to find the ice plugged shaft.
</dl>
<p><a href="#1982-142-2">Next trip</a>
<hr><a name="1982-142-2">Sunday 1st August</a>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Prospecting -
131, 132
<p>Phil + Mike
<p>We had intended to go down the streamway in 115, but all the rain the day
before and the swollen becks on the surface at the Bergrestaurant caused us
to make a nearly sensible decision. Unfortunately the restaurant was closed
and we didn't have the face to go straight back so we tramped to 115, thought
some more, and decided to go back to yesterday's finds. The bunde was piss
wet, so were we, maybe slightly in the head too.
<p>First to 132, clad in T-shirts + Wetsuit top + jeans, Phil dropped in,
squirmy entrance, dug through some stones into a low phreatic tunnel, no
draught. Mike tracked the draught, dug out some boulders and revealed masses
of phreatic passage, hading ramps and possible big pitches. This is almost
certainly another entrance into the top of Stellerweg hohle. There are also a
number of ramps upwards, two of which were traced to earthworm size wet holes
alluringly near to the surface. There must be potential for a higher entrance
to the system. Worth going back to but we're keeping the location secret
until 115 is surveyed. The exploration was halted by a shortage of light and
sore knees.
<p>131. Just a quick look, another steep ramp, but no horizontal development
in the top 30m. Holes in the ramp of tight vadose stream character, with a
drop estimated at 80m.
<p align=right>Time ~3 hrs
<p><a href="#1982-142-3">Next 142 trip</a>/
<a href="#1982-142-1">Previous trip</a>
<hr><a name="1982-115-8">Sunday 1st August</a>&nbsp; &nbsp;Gear + Limb
testing trip down 115
<p>Tim and Philip S
<p>Phil's first trip down any continental cave - and on his 28th (&lt;--
<font size=-2>I don't believe it!</font>) birthday too. Originally we were
only going down to test out Tim's SRT gear, wetsuit, enduro suit etc. that
had been sitting in 4 City Rd for months. When we were down it seemed a shame
not to go on so we continued down to the top of the wettish pitches before
the big chamber.
<p>Fine training trip, 5 hours
<p><a href="#1982-115-7">Pushing trip same day</a>/
<a href="#1982-115-9">Surveying trip next day</a>/
<a href="#1982-115-10">Next pushing trip</a>
<hr><a name="1982-115-9">Monday 2nd August</a>&nbsp;&nbsp;115
surveying&nbsp;&nbsp;Phil S &amp; Chas
<br>Surveying round the Big Chamber &amp; placed a fixed station. V. slow 7
hrs saw a pine marten on the way back not in the cave, fool. ~ 7 hrs
<hr><a name="1982-115-10">Monday 2nd August</a>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;115 Pushing
<p>Mike + Phil
<p>Got down to Main Chamber in 1&frac12; hrs for Dig Bicks, then to sump in
1&frac12; hrs, then added a short rope to the stream "Yet another pitch"
before continuing. Rebelayed the Letch Pitch to make it slightly less damp
though with a bit more enterprise and penduling through the waterfall a
comfortable rebelay may have been managed farther round to the right; but it
was too cold for acrobatics. Below 'the Slit', Andy + CHas' last pitch, the
stream meandered on to a fairly grotty looking pitch 'Coming Soon' which we
rigged and then jacked through coldness and the ever pesent paranoia that the
damned stream is out to get us. Met Tim + Pete at foot of Letch pitch and
left them with the glory hunt and tales of gathering clouds on the surface.
Not too hard on exit, it just takes so long, and Mike had a lot of trouble
with his genitalia; endeavouring to return them to a state of prepubescence
by the application of a non too comfortable prussik truss.
<p>As last year the trips are getting heroically long to place a couple of
bolts, and hydrophobia is rife. We definitely need some sustained fair
weather, or else we'll all be reduced to surveying trips.
<p align=right>Time 15 hrs
<p>
<a href="#1982-115-11">Next pushing trip</a> (following on same day) /
<a href="#1982-115-7">Previous pushing trip</a>
<hr><a name="1982-115-11">Monday 2nd August</a>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;115 Pushing
<p>Tim + Pete
<p>Team gastronomique went down with the express intention of blitzing the
food dumps; if the cave went a little bit further than last time then it was
purely by accident.
<p>Got quickly to main chamber + made do with a couple of Mars Bars. Blatted
on down Purgatory + met Phil + Mike at Letch pitch on their way out. Brief
pause to unload unruly bowels. Continued to Slit pitch where some rather
desperate rope damage was skilfully concealed with a rope protector. Next
pitch was Phil + Mike's undescended 8m pitch which landed in a pleasant,
gently sloping canal. Sauntered on down, passage looking more + more
sump-like every step. Rounded corner to see sump. Sighs of relief could be
heard all the way back to the main entrance. Unfortunately.... youthful
over-enthusiasm on the part of Plank caused him to plunge into a rather deep
dank pool + find a duck with a few inches of air space out under one wall.
Trying not to think of upstream bowel movements + ignoring little brown
submarines in the pool, our intrepid team swam through more cnal (the final
sump can't be far now can it ?) leading to yet another pitch - Orgasm Chasm.
Rigged ~ 40 ft to a ledge then 40ft to another ledge. Still couldn't see the
bottom. Pretty spray-lashed chamber - very impressive. Came out. Stopped for
a brew at sump bypass food dump. Stopped for another at main chamber. Came
out pretty slowly. May have had less to do with fatigue than with the weight
of Dig Biccies being carried in tummies.
<p align=right>time 16 hrs.
<p><a href="#1982-115-13">Next pushing trip</a>/
<a href="#1982-115-12">Next trip</a> (surveying)/
<a href="#1982-115-10">Previous trip</a>
<hr>Tuesday 3rd August&nbsp;&nbsp;No trips, at least not speleological (!)
<p align=right>. . . . . way out man . . . . .
<hr>Wednesday 4 August
<p>Phil S &amp; Janet abortive trip to begin survey of the Purgatory.
Sensible decision taken at 115 entrance in face of nausea (&amp; headache).
Retrat.
<hr><a name="1982-142-3">Weds 4th Aug</a>
<p>Doug, Mike
<p>Exploration of 132. Found a big chamber and a big pitch. Thrutched around
various crawls and lost each other. Sat around waiting for each other for 2
hrs and then went to call out rescue for each other. Fortunately met near
entrance. Almost a nasty fiasco.
<p align=right>Doug.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;~ 4 hrs
<p><a href="#1982-142-4">Next trip</a>/
<a href="#1982-142-2">Previous trip</a>
<hr><a name="1982-115-12">THURSDAY 5 AUGUST</a>
<p>Phil S. &amp; Janet
<p>Second attempt to survey Purgatory. Dave &amp; Chas followed us down -
about 1 hr 20 mins to Main Chamber. An hour later we were still there trying
to get the clino to be visible - all fogged up. Janet put it in a pocket
whilst we chatted to Phil &amp; Pete - then took itn out to discover it was
perfectly clear. Surveyed 9 stations down Purgatory when it fogged up again.
Philip tried everything - breathing on it, sucking it, licking it - sticking
it in armpits etc. whilst Janet painted a mark. Got it visible again and
surveyed - with several clino problem breaks - until station 24 when it
became completely unmanageable. Painted mark &amp; came out - sane but cold.
A quick dash around phreatic passage to Pebble Beach Chamber and the drafty
hole to warm up + back to main chamber for sardines (later regretted). Out in
3 hrs 10 minutes - forgetting the notebook in the Main Chamber. The Purgatory
has ways of preserving its secrets...
<p><a href="#1982-115-13">Next pushing trip</a> (same day)/
<a href="#1982-115-16">Next surveying trip</a>/
<a href="#1982-115-11">Previous trip</a>
<hr><a name="1982-115-13">Thursday 5th August</a>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;115
Pushing
<p>Chas &amp; Dave
<p align=right>My old man said "Follow the van..." geddit ? Gertcha !
<p>Well . . . . what can I say ? Preparing for a long trip, Dave put on long
johns, wetsuit, furry suit, pullover, cagoule and overalls. Unfortunately he
could barely move and had to take off a layer or two at the Ramp. Down the
Purgatory was as nasty as ever. Then, past the Confluence and "Yeeeeeeeah !"
I've never been as near having an orgasm underground as when I saw the smoked
"CUCC 82" in the roof. Suitably encouraged by the easy way out, we pressed
on. A pleasant series of pitches lead to the Duck. Yeurgh !! Chas did well to
survive in just a furry suit. Then - Orgasm Chasm. Jeez what a shaft ! We put
in two bolts and a large freehang 150+ dropped to (no not a floor) a ledge.
Another bolt but rope too short. Still no floor. Back (bounce) up (bounce)
the Interalp (bounce) which stopped bouncing when it caught and I was
prussiking up an iron bar ! Shit. We've now been under 9 hours so exit. Large
gonk at sump bypass. At confluence we gratefully climbed up into the phreas.
The way to 115 is about half a mile of walking and traversing. Towards the
end we were stopping every 50m for a rest. In the Big Chamber, we had a
really bad gonk for 25 minutes or so - I began to wonder if we'd make it.
Once the prussiking had started it wasn't so bad but it was slow hard
progress all the way. The Bell Pitch alone took 15 minutes. Then the crawl
out to a painful dawn. In silence we changed and walked back to the
Loserh&uuml;tte. The sight of Mike asleep in his car was very welcome indeed.
At long last we could relax, after sixteen and a half hours unbroken struggle
with this fierce cave.
<p align=right>16&frac12; hours
<p><a href="#1982-115-15">Next streamway pushing trip</a>/
<a href="#1982-115-14">Bypass pushing trip</a> (same day)/
<a href="#1982-115-7">Trip which left the "CUCC 82"</a>/
<a href="#1982-115-11">Previous streamway pushing trip</a>
<hr><a name="1982-142-4">Thursday 5th August</a>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Exploring
132
<p align=right>Tim, Andy D &amp; Mike
<p>Went to Big Chamber to descend pitch with 66m rope, water for Andy's stink
found next to rescue Mars Bar. Descended big pitch via ledge 4m down, after
much wittering ~35m pitch into huge chamber filled with v. loose boulders,
ways on opposite pitch via loose squeeze, not pushed. Ways down under loose
boulders in floor probably choked.
<p align=right>5 hrs
<p><a href="#1982-142-5">Next trip</a> (derigging)/
<a href="#1982-142-3">Previous trip</a>
<hr><a name="1982-115-14">Thursday 5th August</a>
<br>115&nbsp;&nbsp;Dry Bits
<br>Phil, Pete.
<p align=right>11 hrs
<p>Aim: to push the streamway found by Ian + Dave
beyond the railway tunnel in Stellerweg.
<p>Met Janet + Phil in Big Chamber, then through the connection; route
finding being moderately easy - following footprints. Heard Janet + Phil
surveying in Purgatory when we were at connection cairn. In Junction Chamber
we shot up the big passage and missed the turning left to the railway tunnel.
We eventually got to the point where traversing became nasty + realized our
mistake; but it should be possible to go much further up here. Down the
railway tunnel with various climbs up &amp; down and a jump across the top of
the stream canyon; we reached a corner where the traverse ran out; so
freeclimbed down ~5m to the stream below, we were amazed to find arrows
pointing upwards, smoked onto the wall and then a pitch, nicely rigged: we
were in the 115 streamway, we trogged down to the sump just to make sure. We
had dropped down at the Confluence. We went back up the "Stellerweg Inlet",
which starts off larger than Purgatory, but soon breaks down into inlets; we
freeclimbed ~7m pitch, but eventually gave up when it was getting tight.
There didn't seem any easy way of getting up into the dry stuff, so we went
back to the Confluence and climbed up there. Rigged a traverse with a rope
(before this we managed to avoid the jump across the stream by following a
parallel ramp on the left). We had a prod around in many of the passages, but
they all seem to close down as inlets; so there doesn't seem much prospect
for any great extension. Coming back found a phreatic tube/crawl which
bypassed the cairn + a small passage with some <u>straws</u> ! Dropped back
into the Purgatory to avoid the traverse near 115.
<p>Fine walk back - views of the Dachstein by moonlight !&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Pete.
<p><a href="#1982-115-13">Streamway pushing trip</a> which left the arrows (same day)/
<a href="#1982-115-12">Surveying trip</a> (same day)/
<a href="#1982-115-15">Next pushing trip</a> (camp)/
<a href="#1982-115-11">Previous Bypass pushing trip</a>
<hr>Thursday 5th August&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;SONNENSTRAHLH&Ouml;HLE&nbsp;survey +
frontier push.
<p>The trip that took four days to start ! Doug &amp; Andy had even got
changed outside the entrance for one attempt before jacking. Finally
underground at 12.30 on Thursday ... now read on ...
<p>Zapped down to Opera House then started survey from station 1980/S27 at
the thread. Keine promble down Purple Pit confirming previous "survey" to
1980/SA0 at the last bolt. Zoomed through muesli crawl to Sprucy Wind where
Andy relieved the tension in the rebelay (not without hassle). Then zipped
down the rope to the bottom. Thrutched into the Crematorium where Andy
started and Doug finished a bolt to protect a daring climb onto the loose
muddy sloping ledge. Doug did the daring deed of deadly dangerous desperate
daring (Bzzzzz! "repetition"). Onto the ledge and along past a thread
(runner) and onto the base of the ramp. Needless to say, but I'll say it
anyway, this didn't go. Doug reached the base of an unscalable 15m aven and
the hoped for streamway bypass was unfound. Retreat, unable to evade the
concept which strikes dread into every caver's heart. . .
<p>DERIGGING (Aaagh ! No ! Faint ! Throw up !)
<p>Derigged the whole of Sprucy Wind and the last bit of Purple Pit. Exitted
(very slowly with more cursing / unit depth than previously seen this year)
with 150m rope + hangers &amp; Co. &amp; Co. Out @ midnight to v. nice moon.
<p>11&frac12; hours (gasp!). A.
<hr><u>Friday 6th August</u>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;<u>Dachstein walking trip</u>
<p>Doug, Andy W, Andy D, Chas
<p>Quite a drive to Ramsau am Dachstein, aided by a [?] of beer and snacks.
Once there we looked at the walk up, looked at the Seilbahn tariff, looked at
the walk again and decided that 150 S would be well spent on a return ticket.
The ride is very steep and goes up 1000m in a single span. The path looks
appalling from the Seilbahn - very exposed &amp; scree-covered. Besides it's
better to save your energy for when you get to the top.
<p>Most of the glacier is flat, mushy snow without crevasses. We took a walk
up the Hoher Gjaidstein 2,7 hundred and something. Fine view of the
Trisselwand and of Hoher Dachstein from the top. It looks quite easy to get
up Hoher Dachstein so this must be done next time.
<p>Doug and Andy W went to play on the bergschrund &amp; Andy D and Chas
found a snowslope to learn braking and glissading on. Standing glissade is
really fun. We rushed back, missed a bahn by one minute and had to wait for
the last one down - by this time the weather had really come down and the
lightning was flashing. We met a real alpinist and his son, draped round with
sitharnesses, chest harnesses, pegs, nuts, etriers, crampons, enormous coils
of rope, u.s.w., u.s.w. A very good day out.
<p align=right>Chas.
<p>P.S. the altitude (or something) made us fart like drains. We think
methane comes out of solution at low pressures.
<hr>Friday 6th August
<p>No caving was done. Went to the fireworks at Hallstatt and spent the day
searching Bad Aussee for gas.
<br><font size=-1><i>Why walk further than Waddington's tent ?</i></font>
<hr>Saturday 7th August
<p>Tim and Phil nearly went underground, but fitness doubts in training and
intense precipitation caused a sensible decision to be made. Instead, tackle
for a camp was assembled and carried up to 115.
<p>Did anyone cave ? No. I think not. The three day cycle strikes with a
vengeance: it certainly can't be the sunshine that keeps us above ground.
<p>Somebody write in this space. So as I can have a clean page for the next
write up.
<p>[ someone has obligingly written "Balls" diagonally in large letters to
fill the space, Ed. ]
<hr><a name="1982-115-15">Sunday/Monday</a> 8/9th
August&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;115
<p>Tim + Phil
<p>We went in with Paddy and Dave as Sherpas to ferry four tackle bags and a
50m rope to the phreas above the Stellerweg - Purgatory confluence. A camp
was established on a moderately flat sandy patch in a side passage with very
little draught. Shitting facilities, upwind, in an abandoned vadose groove.
Water at the Confluence, a ten minute round trip.
<p>After Rams Bras + Dig Bix we went on a pushing trip. Rerigged ORgasm
Chasm, same bolts so enterprisingly installed by Chas + Dave, different rope.
Both had lots of fun shuffling ropes and knots and rebelays suspended 200' up
the gaping hole. The big pitch ~150', is really great to descend but a nerve
wracking slog up, listening for twangs and rubs. Orgasm Chasm finally rigged
with a 3m descending traverse line, two ~12m pitches, a 7m, 45mm, round a
col, 15m. At the floor of the Chasm, the water runs down a rift in one
corner, followed round to a black slit hole. On the opposite side of the
Chasm to the final rope, an archway leads into a semi-abandoned passage, with
a 6m pitch and then the same black slit as above. Put a bolt on this but
didn't descend, sounds about 100' deep - could this be the end ? Don't miss
next week's exiting episode. The return trip was dogged by light problems.
Four boxes of wet matches, two dud cigarette lighters, a self destructing
leaky ammo can led to several anxious moments. Good advert for Timex watches,
still running after a 60' drop and two hours immersed in water - not so Casio
watches.
<p>Back to camp at 2am, dry clothes, warm pits, soup, spag bol, egg noodles,
dig bix, cigarettes and a comfortable kip till midday. Nice not to be woken
by the sun, or to know that it had pissed with rain all night. Just as above
ground the worst part of camping is getting out of a warm pit into the cold
air and then into cold damp caving gear. A grade IV Yorkshire change.
<p>On our way back to the surface we were rather pissed off not to meet the
next wave of campers, bar amp followers. A little trickle of rain had
frightened them away, they sat in BAr fischer and auctioned off our cassette
tapes, hash, etc. Good to have friends. Exit from camp only took 3&frac12;
hours, including further extensive stops to get carbides going, Phil having
prussiked up his own prussik sling in the dark ! Emerged to daylight, Mike
and Andy to meet us, veg curry, beer and the munchies.
<p>CUCC first underground camp.
<br>Deepest CUCC trip ? But how deep.
<br>Time underground 31 hrs.
<p><a href="#1982-115-17">Next (abortive) pushing trip</a> (camp) /
<a href="#1982-115-16">Surveying trip</a> (same day)/
<a href="#1982-115-19">Next useful pushing trip</a> (camp) /
<a href="#1982-115-13">Previous pushing trip</a>
<hr><a name="1982-115-16">Schnellzugh&ouml;hle</a> : The Survey
?!&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Pete and Andy
<p>A 'gentle' introduction to the system for Andy - whose light was in his
car (oops). Down on Chas's light (Thanks Chas) but with no water - at first.
Pete and Andy soon had hands cold enough to grab water and make ice cubes,
but we refrained and carried on surveying and surveying and surveying and
surveying and surveying and
s&nbsp;u&nbsp;r&nbsp;v&nbsp;e&nbsp;y&nbsp;i&nbsp;n&nbsp;g&nbsp;
&nbsp;a&nbsp;n&nbsp;d&nbsp;
&nbsp;s&nbsp;u&nbsp;r&nbsp;v&nbsp;e&nbsp;y&nbsp;a&nbsp;w&nbsp;n. Met Paddy
and Dave coming the other way in their sherpa trip, so added them to the
survey party leaving Andy to sketch only. This didn't help as his light ran
out of water. Anyway, we stopped at the top of the Ramp. Relief for Andy also
meant light for Andy, but a nasty burnt urea smell for all concerned.
Thrashed out - 6 hrs ? What is this ? A short trip ?!! Unheard of !.
<p align=right>A.
<p>P.S. The survey, while short, may be the best bit !
<p>[Webeditor: the results of this particular survey trip may be seen on the
site in <a href="../../smkridge/41/115p.gif">plan (33k gif, 800x1080)</a> or <a href="../../smkridge/41/115x.gif">extended section (23k gif, 1090x700)</a>]
<p><a href="#1982-115-18">Next surveying trip</a> /
<a href="#1982-115-15">Pushing trip</a> (same day - camp) /
<a href="#1982-115-12">Previous surveying trip</a>
<hr><a name="1982-115-17">Tuesday / Wednesday 10/11
August</a>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;115 Pushing ? + Camping
<p>Mike and Andy
<p>It rained all night on Monday night but we still went down even though it
looked a bit wet. Got u/g at ~12 to be greeted almost immediately by the
sound of rushing water in places which are normally dry. Took a long time to
get to big chamber owing to failure of Mikes big stinky. Found way through
Purgatory Bypass surprisingly easily only went wrong way twice. The water at
the Confluence looked rather high but we decided to push on down. Got as far
as the 2nd pitch in Orgasm Chasm which we found <u>FULL</u> of water. Andy
tested it with his foot and retreated. We reluctantly jacked and had an
uneventful trip out apart from meeting Pete + Andy W in streamway (and being
later woken up by them) Our only achievement on this trip was removing some
rubbish from the camp.
<p align=right>~ 28 hours
<p><a href="#1982-115-19">Next streamway pushing trip</a> (the bottom) /
<a href="#1982-115-18">Surveying trip</a> (same day) /
<a href="#1982-115-15">Previous streamway pushing trip</a>
<hr><a name="1982-115-18">Tuesday / Wednesday 10/11
August</a>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 115
<p>Pete + Andy W
<p>Went down the streamway thought it rather wet but pressed on and surveyed
from the 12 foot climb downstream. Met Andy + Mike who'd jacked because of
water. Got to the head of the Marlow climb where we decided to turn back
because of extreme cold, worries about the water, single bolt rigging, etc.
So we surveyed the dry bit from Confluence almost to the Big Chamber,
stopping at the camp for a meal. Out not too rapidly.
<p align=right>Pete
<p align=right>21 hours
<p><a href="#1982-115-20">Next surveying trip</a> /
<a href="#1982-115-17">Pushing trip</a> (same day - camp, abortive) /
<a href="#1982-115-16">Previous surveying trip</a>
<hr><a name="1982-115-19">Wednesday / Thursday 11/12
August</a>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;115
<p>Chas and Dave
<p align=right>The Sump<!-- replace this with a scanned graphic ? -->
<br><font size=-1>Rabbit Rabbit Rabbit !</font>
<p>As we entered, sun was beating down &amp; promised to hold. This was the
last pushing trip cos time was out - derigging would have to start tomorrow.
We met Mike &amp; Dobbers at inlet pitches and learnt to our dismay that they
had been foiled by water in Orgasm Chasm. This meant that photo gear had to
be abandoned at the camp for an all out push. As we entered the streamway the
water seemed higher than usual. We pushed quickly on - I was thinking of the
wet pitch found by Tim &amp; Phil but knew we'd go on until bolts or rope ran
out regardless of time. Duck was not too bad and onto Orgasm Chasm. On the
big drop were two ropes - Chas went down the one with no knot on the end but
spotted it in time (phew). The pitches became wetter and then the 100'. I
vegetated while Chas placed one wet freehanging bolt then down into a cold
spray lashed chamber. We rushed into a corner to fettle. Poking among
enormous boulders we dropped into the stream again, through a canal and to a
20' pitch. No, it was a free climb and suddenly a sump. Just a rift with a
very deep scummy pool. No great thrill, no cheers or handshakes, we traversed
over to check for a bypass, but I think we knew this was it and we were
getting cold so a slow return to camp was made. A good meal and a King Edward
Cigar to celebrate, and a good nights sleep meant a speedy exit the next day.
It's very hard to get out of bed when it's dark even at 1pm. We hitched back
to camp and revealed all - I think they were all very pleased though cavers
aren't prone to outbursts of emotion.
<p align=right>29&frac12; hours
<p><a href="#1982-115-20">Next trip to bottom</a> /
<a href="#1982-115-17">Previous (abortive) pushing trip</a>
<a href="#1982-115-15">Previous pushing trip</a>
<hr>Friday 13th August&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;113
<p>Tim + Phil
<p>Just for a change of cave we derigged 113 from Purple Pit to the entrance.
Apart from one trip down Lost Johns and a couple down 132, 115 is the only
cave both of us had been in in the last twelve months. Sonnenstrahlhohle is a
fine pot, great shame its not the entrance to 115. Positively speleoorgasmic
entrance. Some pretty hair raising bolts though, even if they are well
positioned. In and out in 3&frac12; hours. Then we had to walk back avec
beaucoup de tackle; there are far more pleasurable ways of putting your back
out than carrying 120m of rope and a rucksack full of caving gear; but such
means are not so readily available. Malesh !
<hr>Friday 13th August&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Dachstein walking trip
<p align=right>Andy W, Dave, Mike, Chas
<p>We went up Hoher Dachstein. Across the glacier - saw one uncovered
crevasse - up a snowslope &amp; then via an incredible number of fixed
enormous pegs to the top. Having carried beer up for summit celebrations Chas
reached the top, dumped the sack and broke a bottle, flooding several
people's gear. Weather got worse &amp; we came down. V. fine walk.
<p>Chas.
<hr><a name="1982-115-20">Friday / Saturday 13/14
August</a>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;115 Derigging &amp; Surveying
<p>Pete and Andy D
<p>Got down to the bottom in about 5 hours, where we ritually peed in the
sump and photographed it. Its rather similar to the one in Penyghent, in a
rift, and looking as if it goes deep. There is a small passage going up above
the sump, but it is full of boulders and we didn't think it was the time to
start digging. We surveyed and derigged the two big pitches in 5 hours and
managed to take the tackle thru the duck before it all got too much and we
left it at the head of the last streamway pitch. 4&frac12; hours, 60 stations
and 5 bars of chocolate later we decided we were bored with surveying and
jacked in at the head of last year's undescended pitch. We arrived back at
camp after 16&frac12; hrs caving and ate a vast amount before we went to bed.
We met Chas &amp; Dave at the camp, then Andy + Mike who relieved us of
tackle bags at the bottom of the rift pitches. The entry was rather slow due
to severe abrasion problems in very sensitive areas. Just managed to see the
fireworks as we came out.
<p align=right>Pete
<p align=right>32 hours
<p><a href="#1982-115-22">Next derigging trip</a> /
<a href="#1982-115-19">Previous bottoming trip</a> /
<a href="#1982-115-21">Next (survey/sherpa) trip</a> /
<a href="#1982-115-18">Previous surveying trip</a> /
<hr><a name="1982-115-21">Saturday 14th August</a> 115 Surveying
<p>Mike &amp; Andy W
<p>Good late start, but not too inefficient down to Ramp. Survey went rather
slowly. Like everywhere else in the cave, its a bastard to sketch the ramp.
You can tell how slow progress was when two of us had time for 4 (four)
pisses and one shit at just one rebelay. Surveying hurriedly (but not too
quickly) out of the serious odour zone, we heard Pete &amp; Andy coming up
from below. Not wishing to collide part way down a rope, we waited and then
carried gear for the deriggers to the entrance. Out in time for an aerial
view of the fireworks. Rotten traffic jams in Altaussee.
<p align=right>6 hrs
<p><a href="#1982-115-22">Next surveying trip</a> (same day and overnight) /
<a href="#1982-115-20">Previous surveying trip</a>
<hr><a name="1982-115-22">Saturday / Sunday 13/14th</a> [actually 14/15th,
Ed.]&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;115 Surveying, Derigging, photoing, bat rescue, etc.
<p>Chas + Dave. <font size=-2>Gortcha !</font>
<p>After wogging all the beans and tuna, leaving only sardines for the other
intrepid speleos, we went quickly down to the camp &amp; met Pete &amp; Andy
there. Dismayed to find quite a bit of surveying still to be done, from the
free climb above the Pool Pitch down to last year's undescended pitch. This
took us over 100 legs of fast surveying to grade 3. We had Dave's Photo gear
&amp; photoed the Pool Pitch on the way. Went on down to the duck where Chas
bravely volunterred to venture into the icy water, the cold clutching at his
vitals, while Dave stood in up to his waist &amp; took several stunning
action photos. Then we derigged out as far as the head of the Pool Pitch and
left all the tackle there. This involved some tremendous activity with a
pulley and jammer courtesy of Brindle haulage Ltd. - Chas's footloops were
nearly sawn in half. Back to camp for an ausblaten meal.
<p>Leisurely start on Sunday. We piccied the Dartford Tunnel at length - at
least Dave piccied it while unwilling photographer's assistant scurried round
in the dark letting off flashguns. We found several bats in the phreas &amp;
brought out three, carefully packed in a tin, having photographed one in situ
first. This brings the known total of bats to about 5 and makes me wonder
whether the phreas does connect to the surface somewhere down the hill.
<p>Photographed the Rift pitches &amp; Bell pitch on the way out &amp; exited
to a colossal thunderstorm. The walk back was the most desperate part of the
trip &amp; we were grateful to Mike for being in the carpark.
<p>33 hrs Chas &lt;--- the longest ever
<p><a href="#1982-115-23">Next surveying trip</a> /
<a href="#1982-115-24">Next derigging trip</a>
<a href="#1982-115-21">survey/Sherpa trip</a> (earlier same day)
<a href="#1982-115-20">Previous derig/camping trip</a>
<hr><a name="1982-115-24">Monday / Tuesday</a>
<p align=center>115 Derigging
<p>Mike, Pete
<p>Spent many hours hauling 4 amazingly heavy tackle bags up from top of Lake
Pitch to camp, then carried 2 on to Stellerweg chamber where we rigged a rope
down the climb. So to bed, only to be woken by Andy &amp; Andy at ~3 in the
morning. Next day we derigged to camp, had a bonfire with the rubbish &amp;
carried all the gear back to Big Chamber. The inlet pitches were extremely
wet indeed. So we left the tackle bags we were carrying at the top of chamber
pitch + got ourselves out. But to redeem the situation we brought one of the
heavy tackle bags Andy + Andy had left at the last rift pitch.
<p align=right>31&frac12; hours
<p><a href="#1982-115-25">Final derigging trip</a>
<a href="#1982-115-23">survey/Sherpa trip</a> (same overnight)
<a href="#1982-115-22">Previous derig/camping trip</a>
<hr><a name="1982-115-23">Monday/Tuesday</a>
<p align=center>15th/16th [actually 16/17th]
<p>Andy W, Andy D
<p>Completed surveying of 115 by surveying from bottom of ramp to part way
down the connection. Went on to camp sketching as we went. Had a quick meal
at camp and started carrying the streamway tackle out. Found them too heavy
and left them at various stages on our journey. Came out at 1.30 pm.
<p align=right>~ 18&frac12; hours
<p><a href="#1982-115-25">Final derigging trip</a>
<a href="#1982-115-23">Derigging trip</a> (same overnight)
<a href="#1982-115-22">Previous surveying trip</a>
<hr><a name="1982-115-25">Wednesday / Thursday 17th/18th [actually 18/19th]</a> <u><b>115
Final Derig</b></u>
<p>Dave, Andy D, Paddy, Chas
<p>The lowest gear was in the Big Chamber and we derigged from there with no
major hitches. Thanks to everyone who carried the gear back from the
entrance.
<p>P.S. Chas was walled in with tackle bags at the entrance crawl. The
bastards !
<p align=center>10 hrs
<p>
<a href="#1982-115-24">Previous derig/camping trip</a> /
This was the last CUCC 115 trip to date
<hr><a name="1982-142-5"><u>Thursday 18th [actually 19th]</u></a>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;132
Derigging
<p>Mike, Pete
<p>We derigged 132 in 1&frac12; hrs, then surface surveyed from the lower to
the upper entrance of 41; and took lots + lots of bearings on the
Trisselwand.
<p align=right>1&frac12; hours.
<p><a href="../1983/log.htm#1983-142-1">Next trip</a> (1983)/
<a href="#1982-142-3">Previous trip</a>
<hr>
<!-- LINKS -->
<img alt="&gt;" src="../../../icons/lists/0.gif">
1982 Expedition info:<br>
<img alt="---&gt;" src="../../../icons/lists/1.gif">
Main Expo report, Cambridge Underground 1983:<br>
<img alt="------&gt;" src="../../../icons/lists/2.gif">
<a href="report.htm">CUCC in Austria</a> - Phil Townsend<br>
<img alt="------&gt;" src="../../../icons/lists/2.gif">
<a href="41gd.htm">Stellerweg Guidebook Description</a> by Pete Lancaster<br>
<img alt="------&gt;" src="../../../icons/lists/2.gif">
<a href="41svy.htm">Stellerweg Survey</a> article by Andy Waddington<br>
<img alt="------&gt;" src="../../../icons/lists/2.gif">
<a href="41camp.htm">The Underground Camp</a> by Chas Butcher<br>
<img alt="------&gt;" src="../../../icons/lists/2.gif">
<a href="newbit.htm">New Discoveries</a> 1982 by Mike Thomas<br>
<img alt="------&gt;" src="../../../icons/lists/2.gif">
<a href="bats.htm">The Bats of 115</a> by Dave Brindle<br>
<img alt="---&gt;" src="../../../icons/lists/1.gif">
<a href="bcracc.htm">BCRA Caves &amp; Caving Report</a><br>
<img alt="&gt;" src="../../../icons/lists/0.gif">
<a href="../../pubs.htm#1982">Index</a> to all publications<br>
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1982: Cambridge Underground report
</title>
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<h3>NEW DISCOVERIES</h3>
<p align=right>Mike Thomas
<p>Only a day of prospecting was done this year, surprising considering the
alternatives along the caving line. One small but powerfully draughting
entrance (132) was found by Phil T. also a larger but static entrance (131),
131 being just above 32 on the Wildensee Hut track, so probably connecting
with the 41 - 115 system, but about 15m below 41. They were both left while
the push went on in 115.
<p>Unfortunately the heavens opened one day, forcing everyone to hide in the
Bar Fischer and when Phil and Mike went up to push 115 they had to park the
car in a lake. Realising that we couldn't return for a while and finding the
restaurant closed, we decided to look at recent finds.
<p>After swimming through the bunde, we found the well concealed entrance
blowing a gale. Phil put on his hard caving gear comprising jeans, T-shirt
and even a wetsuit top and descended into the beckoning void. He raced in,
and avoiding the howling gale blowing in his ear, crawled up the blind
passage to find Mike squeezing through a hole he had just dug out. We were
in. The cave just got bigger and bigger. So, after running round and losing
each other, we surfaced after an arduous two hour trip. 131 was then looked
at. Although it has a probable 80m pitch down a narrow rift, past experience
has shown that the draught is necessary for a sizeable system.
<p>The next trip pushed further afield and found a medium sized chamber with
several leads going off. Doug and Mike tried to fill one of these in, but
decided to leave as the rocks were taking rather a long time to hit bottom.
They then lost each other and left separately to rescue each other.
<p>When this news was heard, it was ealised by an intelligent few that here
was an easier alternative to 115. So, a crack team did the half hour trip to
the head of the undescended pitch. When the bolts were finally placed and
powerful electric lights failed to show the rope to touch bottom, Mike and
Andy decided to jack but Tim abseiled into the gloom to find a 35-40m pitch
into a gigantic chamber approximately half the dimensions of Gaping Gill
(yes, it's all from memory - very grade 1). Two very promising leads
involving a squeeze past hanging death or a tumble down a tube were found in
the half hour's exploration which followed. The final trip derigged the rope
and left all the unexplored ends till next year.
<hr>
<!-- LINKS -->
<img alt="&gt;" src="../../../icons/lists/0.gif">
1982 Expedition info:<br>
<img alt="---&gt;" src="../../../icons/lists/1.gif">
<a href="log.htm">Logbook</a><br>
<img alt="---&gt;" src="../../../icons/lists/1.gif">
Main Expo report, Cambridge Underground 1983:<br>
<img alt="------&gt;" src="../../../icons/lists/2.gif">
<a href="report.htm">CUCC in Austria</a> - Phil Townsend<br>
<img alt="------&gt;" src="../../../icons/lists/2.gif">
<a href="41gd.htm">Stellerweg Guidebook Description</a> by Pete Lancaster<br>
<img alt="------&gt;" src="../../../icons/lists/2.gif">
<a href="41svy.htm">Stellerweg Survey</a> article by Andy Waddington<br>
<img alt="------&gt;" src="../../../icons/lists/2.gif">
<a href="41camp.htm">The Underground Camp</a> by Chas Butcher<br>
<img alt="------&gt;" src="../../../icons/lists/2.gif">
<a href="bats.htm">The Bats of 115</a> by Dave Brindle<br>
<img alt="---&gt;" src="../../../icons/lists/1.gif">
<a href="bcracc.htm">BCRA Caves &amp; Caving Report</a><br>
<img alt="&gt;" src="../../../icons/lists/0.gif">
<a href="../../pubs.htm#1982">Index</a> to all publications<br>
<img alt="&gt;" src="../../../icons/lists/0.gif">
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<center><font size=-1>CTS 83.1765: Cambridge Underground 1983 pp 5-10</font>
<h1>CUCC IN AUSTRIA: 1982 REPORT</h1></center>
<p align=right>Phil Townsend
<p>CUCC first went to Austria in 1976. The Loser Plateau on the southwest
edge of the Totes Gebirge was immediately attractive having considerable,
though not spectacular, depth potential (about 1100m) and easy access. The
presence of a toll road from the lakeside village of Altaussee up to the
plateau area means that the expedition can be based within staggering
distance of bars and restaurants. The 77-79 expeditions worked on the Loser
Plateau and bottomed 82 (-215m), 97 (-265m) and 106 (-506m). The 1980
expedition, seeking less walking and absolutely no camping away from
civilisation, worked in the area to the south of the Loser Plateau, near the
Stogerweg (see map). 113 (Sonnenstrahlh&ouml;hle) went to -329m, 41
(Stellerwegh&ouml;hle) was still going at -350m and 115
(Schnellzugh&ouml;hle) was discovered [<a href="../1980/report.htm">Cambridge
Underground 1981</a>]. In 1981 a large expedition successfully connected 41
and 115 at circa -400m and pushed on down a tight streamway to a first sump.
This was easily bypassed, the streamway getting larger and the pitches
increasing in size. At about -680m time ran out with a 10m pitch undescended
and at least a further 200m potential [<a href="../1981/report.htm">Cambridge
Underground 1982</a>].
<p><center><img alt="Expedition area location map - 7k gif" width=410
height=370 src="tgloc.gif"></center>
<h4>A wet beginning</h4>
<p>So; yet again CUCC found itself crammed into ageing vehicles with a crate
of sardines, 50lb of muesli, and over 1000m of rope, bound for Altaussee.
This years expedition was smaller in numbers but longer in time than 1981.
The UBSS contingent failed to materialise but did send along a valuable
mountain of tackle for which we are very grateful. Having less people meant a
greater devotion to caving and better organised festering than in '81. There
was also more beer per capita from Fritz's free crate on arrival.
<p>So who was there ?
<pre>
Dave Brindle Ian Brindle Andy Dolby Doug Florence
Paddy Gaunt Judith Greaves Pete Lancaster Janet Morgan
Tim Parker Philip Sargent Beryl Strike Mike Thomsa
Phil Townsend Andy Waddington Becky Ward Chas Butcher
</pre>
<p>-though only a stalwart few - students, UB 40's and Wadders - were able to
devote a full four weeks of their life to the cause. There was a good mixture
of old and new faces, over half the group had caved in Austria before and
most of those on the previous year's expedition.
<p>As a special consideration for those who had just flown in from the
deserts of the Middle East, it rained for the first ten days, and frequently
after that too. When it rains in Austria it surely rains, the campsite
rapidly became a quagmire despite intensive bailing operations. Acres of damp
clothes were displayed in every dry spell. Fortunately, this year we had a
mess (sic) tent - a battle scarred ridge tent that had seen service on many
Craven Winch meets. Further added luxuries were electric light and music
ranging from the Grateful Dead to the Grateful Dead. Many a happy day was
spent festering beneath the canvas with a good book, G&ouml;sser beer. Old
Holborn, and loud music drowning out the thunder and rain.
<p><center><img alt="location map for caves - 19k gif" width=640 height=960
src="tg82.gif"></center>
<p>But why are we here ?
<p>Because it's there. The Yorkshire conditions above ground finally drove us
underground if only out of a fatal curiosity to find out what the 115
streamway looked like with so much water about.
<h4>To the 1981 limit</h4>
<p>Rigging into last years termination went quite smoothly. Inevitably the
first trips involved much tackle-bag dropping, hammer-crushed thumbs and
failing lights; most forms of incompetance underground were exhausted before
the caving got serious. We rerigged the ramp to stay out of the deep central
rift; whilst this was a less exposed alternative to last year it was very
greasy and no less strenuous. The Rift Pitches didn't seem so bad at first so
apart from putting in a few more back-up bolts the route was unchanged at the
top. The lower half of the rift (Inlet Pitches) was rigged as dry as
possible, which meant strenuous changeovers at rebelays surpassed only by the
nervous and physical energy that must have been expended rigging them.
<p>So farewell then to an easy natured cave, to productive ten hour trips, to
regular eating, sleeping and drinking - into Purgatory we descend. The n
hundred metres (no one ever had the stamina or sufficient masochistic streak
to survey them) of the lovingly named Pete's Purgatory go on and on. Consider
the tighter parts of the entrance streamway in Stream Passage or the watery
bits of Pippikin and stretch them out for nearly two hours - you have
Purgatory. Furthermore unlike Stream Passage and Pippikin, one has to return
the same way.
<p>Once past the confluence with the 41 streamway the going is easier, the
perched sump bypassed neatly and the classic Yorkshire style streamway
begins. Two fourteen hour trips reached the previous limit of exploration and
established a dump of disgusting packet soup at the 115 Final Chamber. In
fact the body heat supplied by these dieticians nightmares just about
replenished that lost by sitting around waiting for the damn stuff to heat
up. These two trips were the first two to exit very sleepily into the early
morning hours - sleeping under the stars on the Stogerweg whilst returning to
Altaussee became quite fashionable. These first five days of efficient alpine
starts and rapid caving should have set us up well for the pushing phase -
but instead fatigue, a streak of good weather, and some serious drinking with
local cavers slowed down the pace of exploration.
<h4>Slow Progress</h4>
<p>The first four days of August saw a burst of activity. Long pushing trips
made tortoise-like progress adding one or two pitches at a time. The slow
progress was due to the cold, the effort required to get through Purgatory,
and ever increasing hydrophobia. Wilst most pitches were only spray lashed,
some were viewed with suspicion should there be a storm on the surface.
Similarly, the streamway, while generally very spacious, had a couple of low
sections which were enough to make one think twice. The long trip out was by
now familiar and rutine except for the inevitable niggles like a sit harness
with a painful propensity for pushing parts into a pre-pubescent position.
The last trip to traverse Pete's Purgatory both ways was one which spurred
the expedition on. After the easy 7m Coming Soon pitch was a pleasant gently
flowing canal terminating in a deep, open pool. The end ?
<p>Foolishly harkening back to his youth, ex-President Planc goes for plunge
in the terminal pool. Lo, tucked away in a corner a four inch swimming duck
and the canal continues quietly. Maybe its just a final twist, but it is with
apprehension that the pair continue, surely the cave is finished ? The a roar
and round a corner the floor disappears into a very broad spray lashed
chamber. An 11m and a 10m pitch are rigged onto broad ledges, traversing
around to get out of the spray. With no rope left the bottom is invisible.
They exited slowly to tell tales of "chambers fathomless to man". On the
surface, a fit of pitch naming hailed the rift Orgasm Chasm.
<h4>Purgatory Bypass</h4>
<p>The need for a bypass to the Purgatory was now even more apparent. One
trip had been made into the large abandoned phreatic passages beyond the
connection from 115 Final Chamber to 41 Final Chamber. The Dartford Tunnel,
some 10m square in section and strewn with boulders had been partially
explored in 1981. To quote Dave in the 1982 log book "suddenly an inscription
'cucc/UBSS 81' in the mud and ahead an untrodden sloping traverse. This was
quickly overcome and ahead a stomping passage leads on. A small climb, across
a deep stream-bearing rift, and ahead the phreatic tube continues. We're
almost running now, pointing out features, not listening, the tension is
incredible, how long will it last ? Suddenly a junction with a dry
"Purgatory" in the floor and a dead bat. Hardly pausing we push up Rampant
Passage, slower now, panting with exertion and excitement, this tube rises a
hundred feet in two hundred. At the top we emerge into Cologne Cathedral, a
silent but huge chamber. A dangerous climb leads to 30m Echo Aven. We return
and push down the rift. Ahead the roar of water and suddenly we're hanging
out over an enormous streamway, water cascades down and out of sight. We
can't go on; so survey out." In fact, as Pete and Phil discovered, this was
the main streamway just below the confluence at the far end of Purgatory. The
Bypass was finally made, some aids put in to ease the passage, and Purgatory
thankfully abandoned.
<h4>Orgasm Chasm</h4>
<p>On the same day that the bypass was conclusively established, Chas'n'Dave
rigged a 42m pitch from a splendid eyrie half way round Orgasm Chasm reached
by penduling and traversing from the waterfall. This pitch landed on a broad
ledge from which a pitch in a parallel shaft was rigged to stay out of the
spray lashed base of Orgasm Chasm. In fact they ran out of rope before
reaching the bottom. This one really big freehang close to the wall of the
chasm was one place where the expedition's Interalp rope was not appreciated:
the bounce made controlled prussiking difficult and very tiring, not to
mention the all too frequent twangs as one swung into the wall. The pitch
really needed one or more rebelays but these would have been feats of
engineering beyond our abilities (or inclinations, to be truthful) at this
very cold, damp, deep part of the cave. This trip spent seventeen hours
underground without a proper meal or any rest, and came out completely
exhausted. The last few trips had been similar, the seven or eight members of
the expedition - holiday was fast becoming a redundant term - who were keen
and able enough to get to the bottom were all washed out and a long weekend
of sleeping, walking, eating and driking was taken. The discovery of the dry
sandy passages of the Bypass prompted the idea of establishing an underground
camp. Whilst this camp was well above the bottom of the cave it did mean
cavers could rest before the final dominantly vertical exit and the walk back
across the plateau. Perhaps most of all it was a great psychological comfort
when one was down the streamway to think there was good food and a warm pit
only three hours away at the most.
<p>The trip that established the camp, also pushed on down the cave. Tim and
Phil straightened out the rigging of Orgasm Chasm to make best use of the
dwindling supply of rope. In fact the job was slackly done. Two ropes were
left on the main hang, one attached to the lower rebelay, the other dangling
free in space with no knot in it. Fortunately the next pair narrowly avoided
a rapid descent. At the floor of the Chasm the water ran down into a metre
wide rift then over into a slit shaped void. An abandoned polished passage
provided a second exit from the Chasm. A 6m pitch led to a steep slope above
the same dark slit that the stream falls into. Cold and tired and suffering
an attack of light failures the two put in a bolt and exited disappointedly,
this rift had surely to be the end. The return to the camp was a sorry tale
of temperamental carbide lamps, wet flints, soggy matches, cigarette lighters
that failed to cooperate in the cold, all caused by an ammo can which decided
to disgorge its contents at the head of Letch Pitch on the way in. The only
god news in this tedious exit was the survival of a very old Timex watch
after a sixty foot drop and two hours immersed in water, - not so the Casio
digital wonder. Back to the camp for spag. bol., soup, dig bix, tea and
cigarettes followed by nine hours solid sleep till midday. On the surface a
thunderstorm had kept everyone else above ground lamenting the loss of their
companions whilst auctioning off their cassette tapes, camping gear etc. What
good friends we are.
<h4>The End</h4>
<p>From then on camping trips lasted thirty to thirty six hours and the cave
suddenly seemed do-able in the two weeks remaining to bottom it, survey,
photograph and derig. In fact the next couple of trips failed to make new
ground as the lower pitches were impassable after storms. Finally the dynamic
duo - Chas'n'Dave (tone deaf version) braved Orgasm Chasm and descended the
rift, followed by a short free climb and a sump. No great thrill, just a deep
pool in the rift, no way on. They returned to the camp and after sleep,
trogged back to Altaussee to break the news to a quietly elated, appreciative
"squalor" of speleos.
<p>The only other trip to the bottom, unemcumbered by tackle or apprehension
of what was to come next, Pete and Andy reached the sump in six hours,
derigged back to the Duck, surveyed back to Subtle Approach pitch, camped and
exited to fireworks over the lake. Two more big trips and three or four more
arduous tackle hauling trips completed the surveying and derigging with a day
to spare. The writer had sensibly fled the country before derigging
commenced.
<h4>Bits</h4>
<p>We were overjoyed to bottom the system at last, but a little disappointed
that it didn't make 1000m. The search for higher entrances to the system was
continued. 131 and 132 are at approximately the same height as 41. 132 is
almost certainly connected to 41 via the high level abandoned phreatic system
in that cave, it also contains a series of deep rifts as in 41. The ramps in
132 were pushed upwards for approximately 40m but no way to the surface was
found. Some time was also spent in re-entering 113, Sonnenstrahlh&ouml;hle
[<a href="../1980/report.htm#113report">Cambridge Underground 1981</a>] to no
avail save that of providing a splendid, clean, varied trip as a rest from
the rather drab entrance series of 115.
<h4>And Now for Something Completely Different?</h4>
<p>At present it is uncertain whether CUCC will return to the same area next
year. After many years of luxury lakeside camping we will not be able to stay
at Fritzes next year. Furthermore, a radical change in local caving politics
in Austria led to a minor coup in which Gunther Graf, our main contact of the
past, was ousted. A night of much beer drinking and poor German communication
brought us recognition by the new regime; though we learned that we no longer
have exclusive rights to the Loser plateau and Stogerweg area. Whilst we were
there we met a small party of Germans who were slowly exploring a very
similar sounding system to 41 higher up and less than a kilometre from 41. An
offer of cooperation may provide the manpower and tackle to bottom this, or
even connect it to the Stellerwegh&ouml;hlensystem.
<p>Many thanks to Fritz Madlmeier, Karl Gaisberger and Co., and all the UBSS
and CUCC who have had a hand in the deepest CUCC find - so far.
<hr>
<!-- LINKS -->
<img alt="&gt;" src="../../../icons/lists/0.gif">
1982 Expedition info:<br>
<img alt="---&gt;" src="../../../icons/lists/1.gif">
<a href="log.htm">Logbook</a><br>
<img alt="---&gt;" src="../../../icons/lists/1.gif">
Main Expo report, Cambridge Underground 1983:<br>
<img alt="------&gt;" src="../../../icons/lists/2.gif">
<a href="41gd.htm">Stellerweg Guidebook Description</a> by Pete Lancaster<br>
<img alt="------&gt;" src="../../../icons/lists/2.gif">
<a href="41svy.htm">Stellerweg Survey</a> article by Andy Waddington<br>
<img alt="------&gt;" src="../../../icons/lists/2.gif">
<a href="41camp.htm">The Underground Camp</a> by Chas Butcher<br>
<img alt="------&gt;" src="../../../icons/lists/2.gif">
<a href="newbit.htm">New Discoveries</a> 1982 by Mike Thomas<br>
<img alt="------&gt;" src="../../../icons/lists/2.gif">
<a href="bats.htm">The Bats of 115</a> by Dave Brindle<br>
<img alt="---&gt;" src="../../../icons/lists/1.gif">
<a href="bcracc.htm">BCRA Caves &amp; Caving Report</a><br>
<img alt="&gt;" src="../../../icons/lists/0.gif">
<a href="../../pubs.htm#1982">Index</a> to all publications<br>
<img alt="&gt;" src="../../../icons/lists/0.gif">
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