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<title>1984: BCRA Caves &amp; Caving report</title>
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<font size=-1>CTS 85.1463: BCRA Caves &amp; Caving 29 (Aug 1985) pp 34-35 [ISSN 0142-1832]</font>
<h2>CUCC in Austria, 1984</h2>
<h3>Pete Lancaster</h3>
<p><i>The 1984 Cambridge expedition was the smallest for many years (10
people for 3 weeks in July/August), but it managed to tie up most of the
leads which had been left at the end of the previous year. As usual, activity
was centred around the small village of Altaussee in the South western Totes
Gebirge, 55km south east of Salzburg. Unfortunately the expedition was
characterised by conditions which were wet even for this mountainous region.
A week of continuous rain hit the expedition before it had really got
underway, and brought morale to an all time low. With the return of the sun
and reasonable conditions, the considerable attractions of letching at the
topless sunbathers on the Grundlsee proved as much of a deterrent to caving
as the rain had the week before.</i>
<p>The main aim during the early stages of the expedition was the exploration
of Wolfh&ouml;hle, which had been left wide open in 1983, a pleasant phreatic
entrance series leading to a succession of fine pitches. It was during the
second two-man rigging-in trip that the expedition hit its low point. The
team tackled to the 1983 limit, which was a superb 40m free hang in a
circular shaft. They roped on down a large clean washed rift which was
completely dry until a change of character was met at the muddy Beezley
Street, where they retreated, having finished the rope. They had just reached
the streamway when there was a characteristic rush of wind and sudden
increase in water level. On reaching the big pitch (Tiddley-Pom), they found
the water level had increased by five times and ascending the pitch was out
of the question.
<p>From reports by the surface partyit was later estimated that the water had
risen to this level in less than two hours, with the arrival of the worst
thundestorm experienced in many years of expeditions. Fifteen hours of caving
had depleted the team's food supplies, but solid planning based on equal
quantities of food and rope meant there were a few sardines, the dust-like
remains of a few packets of digestive biscuits, and some dried soup. They sat
down to wait, trying to gauge whether the roar was increasing or decreasing,
and experimenting with the best way to keep warm in a furry suit. After
twelve hours, with no sign that the water would dramatically decrease (in
fact it rained for the next 3 days), they took advantage of a slight
improvement in the water level and struggled up the wet pitch.
<p>Defensive rigging meant that the first rebelay was out of the main volume
of the water, but was still painful with hands tingling as they recovered
from the numbing water. They struggled out through the remaining 200m of
pitches, all unrecognisable in the increased water, expecting at every pitch
to see the lights of a rescue party. They dreamed of burnt rice pudding (a
CUCC rescue speciality), but emerged after 28 hours underground to a rain
swept and misty plateau with no sign of anyone. Halfway back they met an
ill-assorted bunch of cavers. Apparently the rescue had a slow start - this
would be the first caving of expedition for some; stops for food and beer at
the restaurant and finally 3 hours spent wandering fruitlessly looking for
the entrance all meant that the operation was not of the standard that might
have been hoped for. It was probably just as well that they never did get
underground.
<p>When the rain finally stopped and courage was summoned again, the cave
beyond Beezley Street was pushed down a muddy rift to a peculiar area of
dried out phreatic tubes and a small sump at -426m. The final ignominy was to
come, when the "wolf" skeleton which had given the cave its name was removed
at the request of the local cavers, who declared it to be a brown bear.
<p>During the later stages of the expedition, activity centred on the search
for an upper entrance to the 898m Schnellzug-Stellerweg H&ouml;hlen System,
explored by CUCC in 1982. The 1983 expedition had linked in the largely
horizontal 1623/142 to the entrance series of Stellerwegh&ouml;hle (1623/41),
but this did not produce an increased depth. The main hopes for 1984 were in
trying to connect 1623/143 and 1623/144, shaft systems further up the hill.
Several trips were made to the area above the big pitch in Stellerweg,
pushing the hitherto neglected maze of ramps and tubes in the search for a
connection. Fortunately we were blessed with modern technology, and
semi-instantaneous plotting of the survey data on a BBC micro showed that an
aven which had been found in the far reaches was very close to the bottom of
143, which ended in a narrow slot. A trip was arranged with parties down 41
and 143 in the hope of establishing a connection; this was done, with
hammering in 143 being heard in Stellerweg. The two ends of the caves are
probably about 30m apart, but explosives would be needed to enlarge the rift,
and this is unlikely to happen, even though the combined system depth would
be 971m.
<p>Other work done included the bottoming of the unloved Steinschlagschacht
(1623/136) at approximately 240m, with a narrowing of the rift; and a small
amount of prospecting on the Schwarzmoos Kogel which found some interesting
phreatic tunnels.
<p>Full details of the expedition will be found in the forthcoming Cambridge
Underground 1985. A return trip is planned for this summer.
<p>Once again our thanks to the local Austrian cavers, for many pleasant
drinking sessions, to the landlady of the Staudnwirt, and to the Sports
Council for a grant.
<hr>
<!-- LINKS -->
<img alt="&gt;" src="../../../icons/lists/0.gif">
1984 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">
<a href="stopp.htm">Stop Press report</a>, CU 1984<br>
<img alt="---&gt;" src="../../../icons/lists/1.gif">
Main Expo report, Cambridge Underground 1985:<br>
<img alt="------&gt;" src="../../../icons/lists/2.gif">
<a href="report.htm">Austria 1984 Expos&eacute;e</a><br>
<img alt="------&gt;" src="../../../icons/lists/2.gif">
<a href="cavegd.htm">Wolfh&ouml;hle</a> - A Guidebook Description<br>
<img alt="------&gt;" src="../../../icons/lists/2.gif">
An Ascent of the <a href="twand.htm">Trisselwand</a><br>
<img alt="&gt;" src="../../../icons/lists/0.gif">
<a href="../../pubs.htm#1984">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>
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<title>1984: Cambridge Underground report</title>
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<center><font size=-1>Cambridge Underground 1985 pp 7-9</font>
<h2>Wolfh&ouml;hle - A Guidebook Description</h2>
<p>by Brian Derby</center>
<p>Wolfh&ouml;hle was discovered by the 1983 expedition and pushed to a depth
of about 200m to the "Undescended 40m pitch" but more of that later. The cave
is situated on the Loser Plateau about 1km away from the col by the end of
the Br&auml;uning Wall. The entrance is in the side of a small depression
along an obvious surface fault-like feature in the bunde-coveed lapiaz.
<p>From the entrance the draught is followed through a small phreatic level.
The passage size is about 1-2m and at least 3 entrances are known to this
level. After about 20m the floor of the passage drops away. This is the first
pitch of about 20m into Wolf Chamber. The skeleton of a large fanged animal
was found here in 1983 and was identified by the expedition biologists
(botanists and molecular biologists!) as obviously a Wolf. The skeleton was
found at the far end of Wolf Chamber, several metres from the pitch. Whether
this indicates another way into the system is unknown. In 1984 we removed the
skeleton for the benefit of the Austrians who identified it as a Brown Bear.
By now it was too late to change the name of the cave but the blind pitch in
Wolf Chamber has been named the Bear Pit. The obvious way on in the chamber
is a continuation of the entrance pitch but the draught does not come from
here so only a cursory inspection was given and it is believed to choke off.
At the far end of this chamber is a short climb up to a hole in the wall.
Crawling through this leads to the Bog Seat Climb, a slimy tube down of about
15m which was laddered. The passage enlarges slightly to stooping height and
a sandy way leads on to the first big pitch.
<p>The Big Leap is a 90m rift rigged in 3 pitches with a nifty deviation near
the bottom. The walls are very dark and drip from a peaty layer which may be
remnants of melt flod debris. The highlight of the pitch is Julian's bolting
technique. Never one to expend needless effort, the first bolt has about 5mm
waving in the air and makes nasty cracking noises now and again. At the
bottom, the rift narrows and is blocked here and there by jammed boulders,
one forcing a squeeze until it was moved by a thuglike pushing party in 1984.
A couple of uneventful short pitches lead on to the first bit of real fun.
<p>Tiddley-Pom Pitch is quite straightforward at first, at least once you've
found John Bower's bolt hidden round the corner on the left. In order to
place this bolt John must either have secret powers of levitation or very
athletic knees. At about this level (10m down) a drip enters. This is in fact
a stream with very fast respnse to thunderstorms. Tiddley-Pom goes down 60m
to a big wet ledge and then 10m to a big dry one of jammed boulders - Cold
Toes Ledge. Here is a good place for a rest of about 16 hours while
Tiddley-Pom demonstrates its drainage abilities. For further details, ask
Planc or Dobbers. The ledge acted as comfort stop for soup on the way out but
we only brought the soup down after our intrepid duo showed how boring it
could be without it.
<p>From Cold Toes Ledge there is a sequence of short pitches from further
jammed boulders as the rift descends. The water sinks down a slit which was
followed down for about 15m before it became too tight (Nobody Knows). The
main way on is traversing over this to a pitch leading down to the
undescended 40m pitch and the limit of the 1983 expedition.
<p>This is now known as Fear and Loathing Pitch. FLP turned out to be a bit
bigger than 40m, in fact it goes down about 150m in several rebelayed
sections. Two high spots for their entertainment value were a particularly
airy traverse near the top and a bastard flake at Acrobat Point which before
it was rigged could only be passed by a move sponsored by Pressure for
Population Control and probably banned by the Catholic Church. The rift never
widened out more than 3-4m before landing on an unpleasant bit of damp floor
- Las Vegas. The way out of Las Vegas is Beezley Street (where the rats have
rickets) a particularly unpleasant mud walled slimy rift. The surveying of
this was done on the run as we slid down between the walls. Traversing this
if possible leads on to the next pitch. Another short traverse follows but
this one is clean washed and sharp. Three short pitches now corkscrew down to
the Drainage Ditch, a wading depth section of passage occasionally blocked by
boulders leading on to another series of pitches twising down. All the water
is in still pools which presumably get filled in spring. We are now almost at
the end. The Drainage Ditch passage continues for a few more metres and
finally reaches a static sump. A hile above leads on to another sump and some
avens before closing in. The cave is surveyed as -438m from the highest
entrance to here.
<p>The bottom is very dark walled and gives a good feeling of depth. It is
here that Wiggy's Premier cap lamp failed and he prussiked out with an
Aquaflash between his teeth with me waiting at rebelays to light him till my
carbide ran out.... Exit from Tiddley-Pom to surface on one and a half torch
lights between two.
<hr>
<!-- LINKS -->
<img alt="&gt;" src="../../../icons/lists/0.gif">
Cambridge Underground 1985,
<a href="../../../jnl/1985/index.htm">Table of Contents</a><br>
<img alt="&gt;" src="../../../icons/lists/0.gif">
Main Wolfh&ouml;hle <a href="../../plateau/145.htm">Guidebook page</a><br>
<img alt="&gt;" src="../../../icons/lists/0.gif">
1984 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">
<a href="stopp.htm">Stop Press report</a>, CU 1984<br>
<img alt="---&gt;" src="../../../icons/lists/1.gif">
Main Expo report, Cambridge Underground 1985:<br>
<img alt="------&gt;" src="../../../icons/lists/2.gif">
<a href="report.htm">Austria 1984 Expos&eacute;e</a><br>
<img alt="------&gt;" src="../../../icons/lists/2.gif">
An Ascent of the <a href="twand.htm">Trisselwand</a><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#1984">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>
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<title>1984: Logbook</title>
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The first part of the log is traditionally taken up by the journey out.<br>
If this is of no interest, here is a link <a href="#1984-142-1">to the
caving</a>!
<h3>THE WAY OUT</h3>
<p>&gt; Team advance party - Orange Fiesta.
<p>Brian, Mike T + Wiggy set off for Dover at 19:30 Friday after an
excellent feed at Becky's cafe. The ferry was old + slow, so we didn't make
Belgium 'till 5:30. 10 miles out of the docks we had a flat. This caused
some lack of confidence in Brian's driving as we thought the bad handling
was due to his incompetance ! On with the spare, next stop, Austria. The
landlady's eyes lit up with dollar signs when she met us at 20:30 Saturday.
<hr>TEAM MOMENTUM
<p>Andy D, Mike R in ROVER the ROVER
<p>We may not have travelled as fast as everyone else, but by god we had a
lot of momentum. Interesting steering and a brake drum full of oil added to
the interest. Left Cam 1 O'Clock Saturday morning, spent most of Saturday
going to sleep over the wheel, crashed out by the side of a German autobahn.
Visited Dachau on Sunday. Full of happy smiling people. Ugh. Arrived Sunday
evening after Rover got hot and bothered on the climb from Bad Goisern
to Bad Aussee.
<hr>THE LITTLE BLUE BASTARD MINI
<p>Andy W, Bill H + Blue Mini van
<p>Set off from Bramham X-roads on A1 down to Cambridge in fine style with
the tyres scraping the wheel arches and the exhaust an inch off the floor.
Kipped overnight at Becky's and then down to Ramsgate for the Sally-line
11.00 am Sat crossing to Dunkirk. Very nearly came off the road in France
due to a sharp corner &amp; Bill's expectation that the brakes would work
properly.
<p>Crashed out near Munich in a forest &amp; hoped it wouldn't rain.
<p>Arrived Grundlsee Sun lunchtime to find C.U.C.C. swimming in the lake.
<hr><a name="1984-142-1">23 July</a> <u>Day 1</u>
<p>142/41 -&gt; 144 ? Mike M, Bill, Brian
<p>It was decided to put 3 intrepid speleos who had never been down 142 on
this trip. Long delay as Mike's exhaust was welded up. Took wrong turning on
footpath, got to 142 at 4 pm. In to big chamber pitch no problems on route
finding. Spent a long time mucking about failing to find the draught from
the ramp/chamber after the tube. Bill found what later was found to be the
way on past a small bit of hanging death. H.D. was moved and small sequence
of ramps + pitches followed. Way on is through here. Tackle dumped and out
in 20 mins.
<p>4 hours
<p><a href="../1983/log.htm#1983-142-7">Previous trip</a> (last year) /
<a href="#1984-142-2">Next trip</a>
<hr><a name="1984-145-1">23/7/84 Wolfhole</a>
<p>Pete + Wiggy persuaded Wadders to help carry horrendous quantities of
rope, bolts and hangers up to Wolfhole. Of course, we didn't take any MRs,
that would be too easy.
<p>Wiggy thought that this complete lack of anything to hang rope on would
mean that we could all go home. He didn't reckon with the super-hero
qualities of Plank. Needless to say, we ended up rigging all but the last
two (known) pitches on an assortment of things that I daren't detail 'coz
it'd frighten the rest of you.
<p>In @ 16:00, 7 hour trip. Although we knew the way fairly well, bailer
twine would be useful at night.
<p>* a rapidly descending rope protector gave Wiggy heart failure when he
thought it was the sheath !
<p><a href="../1983/log.htm#1983-145-11">Previous trip</a> (last year) /
<a href="#rescue84">Next trip</a>
<hr><a name="1984-136-1">Steinschlag</a> 23/7/84
<p>Horrible walk up burdened down with tackle, it was hard climbing amongst
the rocks with your rucksack threatening to pull you over. Finally arrived
at hole after getting thoroughly lost. While we were recovering, Planc
appeared to beg some MRs. After he'd left we descended the first pitch after
doing some gardening first. Hell of a lot of loose rocks. Went into big
chamber and proceeded to rig 2nd pitch. I got stranded on a ledge until Mike
came back up from the bottom; then we quickly made our way out. Seems to be
best to keep away from 1st pitch while someone is on it. Easy (relative to
that on way there) walk back.
<p><a href="../1983/log.htm#1983-136-4">Previous trip</a> /
<a href="#1984-136-2">Next trip</a>
<hr><a name="1984-142-2">142/41</a>
<p>Mike M, Brian + Wiggy went down 142 because its a shorter walk than
everywhere else. We spent about 3 hours taking pickies of the 142
Mega-chamber using six flashguns and lots of other pretty camera gear. Wiggy
thought that after taking 60 pics, we could justify retireing to the pub
before it got dark. The majority verdict won + we went down the connection
to 41. We made the link to a large chamber in 41, put a bolt in on the
traverse from there + left further explorations for later.
<p>We pulled all the tackle out to the surface + walked back to the car in
the rain. In @ 13:00, out @ 23:00. 10 hours.
<p><a href="#1984-142-1">Previous trip</a> /
<a href="#1984-142-3">Next trip</a>
<hr><a name="1984-136-2">Steinschlag</a> 25th July
<p>Mike T and Mike R
<p>Mike R forgot light part way across the plateau so had to return.
Underground about 1-30, down very efficiently putting in some extra rebelays
on the way. (NB: the first 120' pitch could use a rebelay at the protector
to stop the rope bouncing so much). Passed phreatic level at about -150m,
then to about 5m below last year. Short on ropes, we calculated that we
could get back for a couple of beers. Passed John and Bill on the way out,
back at 10 O'clock, well before the thunderstorm.
<p>In 13:30, out 20:00, 6&frac12; hours
<p><a href="#1984-136-1">Previous trip</a> /
<a href="#1984-136-3">Other trip same day</a> /
<a href="#1984-136-4">Next trip</a>
<hr><a name="1984-136-3">25th July</a>. Steinschlag Schacht
<p>John &amp; Bill
<p>Exhausting walk up to S/S/S with full tackle bag. Decided to do a
&quot;second wave&quot; trip but did not count on thunderstorm. Abbed down
to pass Mikes T &amp; R at about -100m and did a bit of rerigging and added
c 24m of new rope. Came out in middle of thunderstorm and dark &amp;
couldn't find the way back so sat out all night - the n&acirc;dir of the
expedition for your author so far.
<p>Time in : 15.00 (25th) Time out : 01.00 (26th) Time back at camp site:
08.00 (26th)
<p>10 hours
<p><a href="#1984-136-1">Previous trip</a> /
<a href="#1984-136-2">Other trip same day</a> /
<a href="#1984-136-4">Next trip</a>
<hr><a name="rescue84">Wolfh&ouml;hle</a> 25/7/84
<p>Andy D and Pete
<p>Carefully leaving the survival bag at the entrance, but armed with nearly
300m of rope, we went down to tidy up last trips rigging (restoring my
personal SRT gear to its rightful place), finish rigging to last year's
limit, and push on. We put a ladder on the Bog Seat Pitch, completely
destroyed the little squeeze just after the first big shaft, and put a bolt
into the head of the pitch which was previously just belayed to a shitty
column. Managed to find John's rebelay on Tiddly Pom pitch, which was
carefully concealed behind a flake. Then some more bits, then we rigged the
small pitch before last year's final 40m pitch. This lands on a small ledge.
We found Wiggy's two bolts which we rigged (the start of the 200m Edelrid)
in a fine Y belay. It's a fine circular shaft, but twanging 10mm Edelrid
forced a rebelay ~10m from the floor. From here on we were in the new stuff,
it continues as a completely dry canyon ~4m wide. It looks as if it has been
washed out very thoroughly, very recently - there are no loose stones
around, and no mud, but no water flowing at all - I doubt whether it takes
any water even in flood (see later), it's probably an oxbow for the water
entering just before the pitch before the 40m - it may well flow in the
spring thaw. The canyon continues down in smallish pitches (4, 10, 6, 20) to
a large boulder-strewn section. All were rigged for zero abrasion, but
non-zero effort. At this bouldery bit there were some superb helictites. In
general, Wolfh&ouml;hle is the best decorated cave in this part of the
world. Also from this ledge was a pitch (10m ?) which looked to end in a mud
choke, but may be a way on. But we went down the obvious way, a 30m (?)
shaft which was rebelayed with various bits and pieces (Team zero
imagination). This landed on a solid floor, the way to the <u>left</u> led
to a muddy rift which ended in an aven (could thus be the continuation of
the pitch we saw on the bouldery bit); the way to the <u>right</u> led, yes,
you've guessed it, to a muddy rift, BEEZLEY STREET (where the cats have
rickets) (see note at end). We almost thought this was the final sump, but a
traverse above (the static puddle) led to some stal (now muddy) and a 15m
pitch from a flake. This dropped into the bottom of a fine phreatic shaft
with fine round potholes in the floor, another rift leads off (with puddle
in the bottom too) and where a slab falls across the rift a pitch (10m) was
undescended (our caving correspondant informs me). This area looks a bit
like the phreatic bits in 115 (well, a bit, anyway).
<p>So, at 1.30 am after 12 hours caving, we turned round and had to
negotiate all our nasty rigging. We got back to the pitch just above where
the stream disappears down the floor, and all of a sudden heard a WHOOSH and
a couple of seconds later the water volume tripled. Not being very slow, we
realised we'd been hit by a flood pulse. We retreated to think in the dry
bit for a while, but after half an hour decided to try and get out. We got
up the 50m Edelrid OK, but the lower section of Tiddly Pom pitch proved too
wet and we had to retreat to the rift before this, which was reasonably
draught free. We sat down to wait and assessed our situation, 10 hours
carbide, the very broken remains of a packet of Dig bics and 2 cherry sweets.
We attempted intellectual conversation - &quot;What time is it
Andy&nbsp;?&quot;, &quot;I'm bored Pete, can't we go out yet&nbsp;?&quot;,
&quot;Has the water gone down yet&nbsp;?&quot;
<p>We played I-Spy (Dark, bristle, innertube, eyebrows), rigged each other
up in strait jackets, and to maintain traditions, &quot;huddled together to
keep warm&quot; - Shalford man in rescue drama - and built stone walls
without much success. After 3 hours, the water started to go down, but being
simple lads and only expecting one pulse, we waited; unfortunately it went
up again. After it had fallen and risen once again, we realised it was
raining fairly continuously, and it might be days before it fully went down.
So after 12 hours wait, we took the advantage of a slight downflow in the
water to make a break for it. The bottom 15m were extremely wet (similar to
Main Shaft in reasonable water), but fortunately, John's rebelay was out of
the water, which had been our main worry because Andy's gobbler doesn't work
too well under water. The only problem was opening jammer safety catches
with frozen fingers. We both suffered slight nauseous shock as our fingers
defrosted at the head of the big pitch.
<p>The rest of the way out was damp everywhere, but no severe problems. At
every turn we were expecting to hear cheerful voices and friendly faces, but
we emerged at 5pm to fine mist and drizzle, with no sign of burnt rice
pudding anywhere. Where was our rescue ? (see next exciting installment).
<p>Pete 28 hours underground, 18 caving hours.
<p>Uneducated bugger:
<p><blockquote>&quot;... the <u>rats</u> have all got rickets,<br>
they spit through broken teeth...&quot;</blockquote>
<p><a href="#1984-145-1">Previous trip</a> /
<a href="#1984-145-3">Next trip</a>
<hr><a name="rescue">The Rescue</a> (or the day Wadders almost had to go
caving)
<p>It was wet. Team Boy Sprout had been performing various rain-dances for
several days, and they finally succeeded. They timed the thunderstorm so it
caught 2/3rds of team exploding sweetcorn underground down Wolfh&ouml;hle.
<p>The morning dawned (or rather 10:30am dawned) to find Mike (unwashed)
Thomas muttering dire things about rescues and how his gear was still on the
SchwarzmoosKergle [K&Ouml;GEL Pratt !!] and so someone else would have to
go. This was met with a suitable lack of enthusiasm. Eventually four
volunteers (?) were found to form the first 2 waves of the rescue:
<pre>
/ Wadders - Qualified by having not been caving yet<br>
Team A | + hence had dry gear.<br>
| Also knew where Wolfhole was.<br>
The only { Mike M - Was stupid enough to bring a wetsuit<br>
volunteer ----&gt; (uninformed burk !! Left westuit at campsite +<br>
\ took furry gear !!)<br>
/ Brian - Had his gear at the camp<br>
Team B {<br>
\ Wiggy - Knew the cave
</pre>
<p>Having decided who was going on the projected rescue, the next task was
to put off doing anything for as long as possible, in the hope that it would
prove unnecessary. Hence we auctioned off Pete's and Andy's gear before
retireing to the cafe to mull over how to drag two very large dead bodies
out of Wolfh&ouml;eler.
<p>In the cafe, opinions diverged as to the probable state of our intrepid
duo. The three states we oscillated between were:
<p>(1) Crazy sods, rigging into the abyss and now cut off by rising water.
<br>(2) Shattered bodies lying at the bottom of a pile of broken tackle.
<br>(3) Still rigging after 28 hours (Pete was on the trip).
<p>Opinions also varied as to which of these states was prefereable. By now
the possible confusion of two independant rescue parties was judge
dangerous, so a third party was formed. We returned to the camp at 1pm and
sent Andy and Mike off with almost all the first aid kit (2 bandages and a
lot of morphine derivative), lots and lots of food and a whistle (see
later).
<p>At 3pm, wave 2 set out. Discovering the Loser restaurant shut, we had to
set out. Heading straight for Wolfh&ouml;hle in the mist, carrying enough
tackle to haul out an entire troop of dead boy scouts, we heard whistles
through the impenetrable miasma. &quot;Thank god they're safe&quot; we
thought, but no ...
<p>Instead of rescuing Pete and <strike>Dobbers</strike> *
Andy Dolby, we had instead<br>
* Dobbers objects to being called DOBBERS<br>
rescued Wadders and Mike Martin. &lt;-- incorrect - we heard voices so
blew whistle to attract their attention (assuming Andy and Pete only to find
party 2). NB We were <u>not</u> lost. We <u>had</u> been.
<p>We decided that rescue seemed so easy that we set off to the cave again.
Indeed rescue was so easy that the moment we got to the cave Pete and Andy
appeared.
<p>We marked the way to Wolfhohle with twine to stop people getting lost.
<p>Time underground 0 hours.
<p>Case for the defence:
<p>Well, OK, so we got lost. Found 101 though ! No-one's been there for seven
years ! And we <u>weren't</u> rescued. We had just got ourselves back to col
and were setting off back to Wolfh&ouml;hle again when Wiggy arrived and told
us we were in the wrong place (We weren't - and it took some while to
convince him). Only then did Team B lead (almost) faultlessly to
Wolfh&ouml;hle - the timing perfect. A.
<hr><a name="1984-142-3">29th July 142</a>
<u>The Day</u> Bill, Pete, Mike M
<p>After several days unsuccessfully trying to get someone to walk across to
142 in the rain, I finally succeeded to persuade Pete. Bill, bored, came
along for the sardines !
<p>Through 142 into 41 (despite knacked back) + rigged traverses on ramps.
At point where you descend ramp to route to Big Pitch we explored up.
Ascended ~40m varying from easy to desperate. Explored side passage
(previously looked at) + surveyed &quot;connection&quot; with 143 to head of
each Big Pitch route.
<p>Time under 8 hrs.
<p><a href="#1984-142-2">Previous trip</a> /
<a href="#1984-142-4">Next trip</a>
<hr><a name="1984-142-4">30 July</a>
<p>John, Brian + Wiggy (Team waster) went down 142 to look at the possible
connection and take more pix. Unfortunately, the sketch opposite wasn't
available at the time, so we got lost. This was due in part to the previous
team omitting to mention an 18m rope we needed to descend ! Ah well, lots
more photographs were taken and an early exit to bright sunshine was made.
All very civilised - the next stage is to drop caving entirely and just take
piccies above ground.
<p>Time ~6 hours
<p>We were met at the BergRest by a guy with full local gear (shaving brush
etc.) who seemed to be telling us off (we couldn't understand a word). A
bloke at the Loser hut said shaving brush chap looks after the flowers !
<p><a href="#1984-142-3">Previous trip</a> /
<a href="#1984-142-5">Next trip</a>
<hr><a name="1984-136-4">30.7.84</a> STEINSCHLAG SCHACHT
<p>Mike R + Mike T
<p>Pushed on down to previous limit, past a very bad Parrington bolt to
reach the bottom of the shaft after ~15m. A spray lashed ledge with only one
small alcove to cower in and brew up. A rift in the floor led off ~5-6m to a
rebelay and a fine 20-25m pitch into a chamber with two ways off. One was
very tight to an aven, rocks chucked down landed after ~10m on mud. The main
way on involved a squeeze past a very large boulder, down a 10m pitch to a
stream flowing through a too narrow draughting rift - the end ~260m Went out
derigging as we went to -100m. Took some rope out - 10 hours.
<p>Must do a grade I survey but no space left here.
<p><a href="#1984-136-3">Previous trip</a> /
<a href="#1984-136-5">Last trip</a>
<hr><a name="1984-136-5">31.7.84</a>
<p>STEIN SCHLAG SCHACHTE
<p>DERIGGING
<p>John &amp; Bill
<p>Due to extremely hot day is was a very sweaty walk up. Abbed down to
-120m and decided to have a quick look down a parallel unexplored shaft.
This required a fairly desperate step across the rift (and even worse coming
back) - but to no avail. It connected at the side and bottom with the rift
which had already been explored.
<p>So - derigged &amp; John's light failed at the foot of the entrance (110
ft) pitch. So he had a bit of a hassle at the rebelay and kicked a few rocks
down which make a very nasty sound when you're at the bottom.
<p>Coming out we followed the wrong set of cairns to find the path to
Wolfhohle !!
<p>Time underground 1.07<br>
Time out 8.48<br>
- 7&frac12; hours
<p><a href="#1984-136-4">Previous trip</a> /
<a href="../1997/log.htm#1997-136-1">Next trip</a> -
not for a further 13 years !
<hr>31.7.84
<p><a name="1984-143-1"><u>143</u></a> Pete + Mike M
<p>The inevitable happened ! 143 had to be rigged to look for the
connection! Walk in very hot so an hour was spent cooling in the entrance.
Rigged to bottom + investigated squeeze. After much destruction of rock,
squeezing the way on was pronounced impassable for all except midgets who
can pass 5&quot; (12 cm) squeezes. It is heading the right way + it does
appear to open up marginally but the aven in &quot;41 connection&quot; can't
be seen. The draught is very similar + a voice connection and/or midget is
required.
<p>Time underground 2.00 pm<br>
Time out 6.30 pm<br>
4&frac12; hours
<p><a href="../1983/log.htm#1983-143-5">Previous trip</a> (last year) /
<a href="#1984-143-2">Next trip</a>
<hr>31/7/84
<p>In a brave effort to help AERW's continuing avoidance of caving, Wiggy
joined Andy on an assault of the Trissel Berg via the cliff on the front.
God it was hell out there. As this is a caving logbook, all I shall say is:
<p>Trissel Wand, 500+m, severe, loose as shit, no pro, 8h, but very
photogenic so watch out for bullshit photos (I took 28 !)
<hr>1st August Prospecting (?) 147
<p>Carrying the rope from Steinschlagschacht to Wolfh&ouml;hle, found a
draughting hole. (out). The draught came above a ~10m drop, from a 1m
diameter phreatic tube, this was followed for ~50m until a small drop.
<p>The hole lies just below an obvious cliff in altitude between Steinschlag
and Wolfh&ouml;hle.
<hr>AUGUST
<p><a name="1984-145-3">1st/2nd</a> Wolfh&ouml;hle Andy &amp; Brian
<p>While most wooftahs sat around and festered, we went caving. Though we
did have a last moment attack of nerves at the entrance as a thunderstorm
went over. An easy ab in to the limit so far (350m ?) took 3 hours. Put
another bolt on the last pre-rigged pitch.
<p>Way on is a tightening rift to a large jammed flake. Underneath flake is
small pitch to landing (5m ?). Across landing leads to next pitch of about
25m in a large shaft. Small pitch in landing also connects with big pitch.
From big pitch short trench leads to last pitch so far. 15m pitch to deep
puddle. From here horizontal development begins. We followed this for about
30m before coming to a short pitch-/climb. As we had finished off our
hangers, we beat our retreat. Others may have the glory.
<p>Comment on rigging.
<p>John Bower's rigs may be tricky but Planc's are suicidal. You can spot
Julian's bolts as they're the ones half out of the rock.
<p>In 1500 1st Aug, out 0600 2nd Aug
<p>15 hours
<p><a href="#rescue84">Previous trip</a> /
<a href="#1984-145-4">Next trip</a>
<hr><a name="1984-143-2">2nd August</a>
<p>Attempt at Voice Connection between 143 and 142
<p>(1) Four of us made an attempt at connecting these two caves. Me and Andy
Wadders (his first caving trip for some time) went to 143 and Bill and Wiggy
went down 142 to the aven mentioned by the party last week. Me and Andy got
to the top of the Nipple and spent about &frac12; an hour before we found
143. We descended about an hour after the others should have set off down
142. The pitches were rigged in a very strange manner, obviously the bolts
had been put in by someone with a sense of humour - it was a case of
acrobatics at some of the changeovers. Got to the bottom with no hassle and
started to chip away at the impossible rift. Blew whistles, shouted, for
~1&frac12;-2 hours but with no success. We both had a go at the squeeze at
floor level, but to no avail. Made a leisurely retreat.
<p>John Parrington.
<p><a name="1984-142-5">Sat in</a> this bloody cold aven for 2 hours
listening to team 143 chipping. Made lots of noise. Climbed up the aven and
pushed ~50+ft up an inlet towards (?) chipping noise. Wiggy. ~4 hours
<p><a href="#1984-142-4">Previous 142 trip</a> /
<a href="#1984-143-1">Previous 143 trip</a> /
<a href="#1984-142-6">Next 142 trip</a> (derigging) /
<a href="#1984-143-3">Last 143 trip</a>
<hr><a name="1984-145-4">2nd August</a> WOLFH&Ouml;HLE
<p>Mike Martin, Pete
<p>Went underground to the ritual thunderclap. Carrying ~120m of rope which
we later discovered to be a mistake. The descent was enlivened by occasional
shrieks from Mike as he suicide-rigged his Baker-converted Petzl bobbin. Put
another bolt in the small pitch with the v-shaped notch at the top, this
made it much easier on the return. At Beezley Street we found the rope Brian
had dropped and carried on to their limit. We went down the free climb and
soon arrived at another drop. This was rigged with a traverse on muddy
ledges to a 9m drop, rebelay, 10m and then 8m. This landed in a muddy rift
which looked to narrow at about 4m. There was another similar small sump,
and then a climb up a muddy slope (we had to use a rope). This ended at a
hole. Mike managed to squeeze through, but I had to dig out some of the mud
before it was possible. Through the hole led to a maze of phreatic tubes
filled with layered mud. All of these ended in dried out sumps. There is
possibly 150m of passage down here. An aven drops in, but didn't look
climbable. So, happy that it had finished, we started out, carrying most of
the rope we had foolishly brought with us. The whole of the cave below
Beezley Street is very muddy and toothbrushes were much appreciated.
Excellent soup at the dump, and a fairly slow exit.
<p><a href="#1984-145-3">Previous trip</a> /
<a href="#1984-145-5">Next trip</a>
<hr>3rd August 147 Mike T &amp; Mike R
<p>As we weren't allowed to derig Wolfh&ouml;hle we went to look at Pete's
new hole. A very hard slow walk in and followed draught through fine tube to
climb down. Draught disappeared ~20m further on &amp; despite several
desperate climbs we couldn't relocate it. No go.
<p>Underground c 1 hour.
<hr>4th August Surface surveying AW + MM (148)
<p>A sweaty walk up followed by survey starting at Wolfh&ouml;hle + then to
107. On return walk (trying to locate 82) Andy's credentials were caressed
by a howling gale emitting from a pile of rocks which with a little
modification became a cave entrance. Andy declined Pete's offer of a loan of
a torch so I accepted on his behalf. Explored to ~60m length. Still
continuing.
<p>Time underground &frac12; hour.
<hr><a name="1984-145-5">4th/5th</a> August Wolfh&ouml;hle Surveying
Wiggy + Brian
<p>We should have guessed that something was amiss because there was no
thunderstorm at the entrance. We shot down to last year's surveyed limit
(the top of the &quot;40m&quot; pitch) relieving the tedium with a
smattering of photography. Going down the 200m Edelrid we found that Planc
had rerigged some of the rebelays to reduce the acrobatic nature of the
passing movements. Surveying proceeded at a reasonable pace and camera gear
was dumped before Beezley St. to prevent it getting muddy. Here Wiggy's
light started to play up. By the time we had got to the 30m series of
pitches at the end of the drainage ditch, the light was kaput (as the locals
say). Though we were almost at the end we had to return leaving the last bit
unsurveyed. The return was also complicated by Brian's gobbler using up its
fuel at the foot of the big pitch and Wiggy's technolight giving out halfway
up it. Exit was made from about -400m by technolight held in teeth and from
about -150m by one Petzl headlight between two.
<p>In 12.30 Sat 4 Aug }<br>
Out 6.00 Sun 5 Aug } 17&frac12; hours
<p>P.S. God it was hell out there. Not to mention slipping cams and worse.
<p>[ &quot;Woolfhohle - unsurveyed bit - grade I&quot; ]
<p><a href="#1984-145-4">Previous trip</a> /
<a href="#1984-145-6">Next trip</a>
<hr>6/8/84
<p>Today some pissed up cunt pissed around with my car. If they're not
careful, tomorrow my car will mess around with their tents. I am not amused;
be warned. PJW
<p>Don't turn your ghetto blaster on people then you twat ! A
<hr>7/8/84
<p>Today I noticed some sober cunt had hung my ice axe, hangers and spanner
from an electricity pylon. If he's not careful, tomorrow my ice axe will
stick itself through his skull. I was moderately amused but be careful. AJD
<hr><a name="1984-145-6">5th->6th/8/84</a>
WOLFH&Ouml;HLE DERIGGING + SURVEYING
<p>John P &amp; Bill
<p>Andy came with us to the entrance in thick fog then found he'd left his
ascenders behind by accident !! Well, I believed him, but thousands
wouldn't. Zoomed down with a couple of route finding problems &amp; some
150T's [?] on our backs. We thought we'd got to the last survey station
about 3 pitches too early, but soon discovered our mistake. However, in the
general pissed-offness we forgot to take the bolting spanner with us so John
had to prussik back to retrieve it after we'd done the survey. Derigged to
the bottom of the Edelrid &amp; had some trough at the food dump.
<p>Prussiked out well-knackered at some ungodly hour.
<p>Time in 2.00 pm Sunday<br>
Time out 10.30 am xSatx MON &lt;- Pratts !!<br>
20frac12; hours
<p><a href="#1984-145-5">Previous trip</a> /
<a href="#1984-145-7">Last trip</a>
<hr><a name="1984-145-7">6th-7th/August/84</a>
Wolfh&ouml;hle Heroic Derigging Trip.
<p>Andy D and Mike R
<p>Underground 4pm and whizzed down to Beezley Street in just 1&frac14; hour.
Dragged the 200m Edelrid up to the camp and stuffed it (just) into a tackle
bag. Backed John and Bill's &quot;full&quot; two bags into one. Were
disconcerted by sudden watery noises and anticipated getting stuck, but
fortunately it didn't come to anything. Decided that we might as well
detackle the whole cave by hauling the bags up the pitches. Fun on the big
pitch, being unable to throw a rope back down, and a bag falling off a rope.
Collected the Wolf and exitted with four bags of rope, one bag of wolf and
enough rope for 1&frac12; bags more. Mike has to rerig the last pitch 'cos he
dropped a piddling little bit of rope back down it. Knackered.
<p>underground 4.30pm Mon<br>
out 8.30am Tue<br>
16 hours
<p><a href="#1984-145-6">Previous trip</a>
<hr><a name="1984-142-6">142 derigging</a> Pete and John
<p>Quick trip. I had my first glimpse of the Big Pitch. 2 hours
<p>P.S. Met Dolby and Mike R going to Wolfh&ouml;hle to get tackle after
wasting the afternoon away. The cheeky cunts expected us to come and help
them and Dolby threw a tantrum.
<p>Dolby Comment here |<br>
V
<p>I am sorry. After a really hard days caving it was unreasonable of me to
expect them to help fetch some more tackle instead of going to have their
well deserved beer in the Loser H&uuml;tte.
<p><a href="#1984-142-5">Previous trip</a> /
<a href="../1985/log.htm#1985-142-1">Next trip</a> (next year)
<hr><a name="1984-143-3">8/8/84</a> Derigging 143 Brian + Wiggy
<p>Went in, took some boring piccies, collected a bit of rope and came out
again. Visited 131 (141) on the way back due to gross navigational
ineptitude.
<p>~4-5 h
<p>PS the &quot;connection&quot; is awfully small.
<p><a href="#1984-143-2">Previous trip</a>
<hr>146 and 149 Sundry dates John, Mike, Pete
<p>149
<p>The entrance is in a large gully, just above the sandy depression,
opposite Wolfh&ouml;hle. Several draughting entrances.
<p>[ sketch ]
<p>Shame it didn't go, it was a nice hole.
<hr>146
<p>This is the hole we thought was 146, ie. Tony's Toboggan Hole. It's a
very large entrance, recognisable by the large pyramidal rock. Down a
snow/ice slope leads to a ledge (rebelay). There are two ways on, through a
small hole, down an icy 13m pitch till it gets too small with ice/rock. The
other way is down a 10m frozen waterfall, to a small grotto with large ice
crystals,where it all ends. The ice formations may even be worth a tourist
trip.
<hr>
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1984 Expedition info:<br>
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<a href="cavegd.htm">Wolfh&ouml;hle</a> - A Guidebook Description<br>
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An Ascent of the <a href="twand.htm">Trisselwand</a><br>
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<center><font size=-1>Cambridge Underground 1985 pp 4-6</font>
<h2>Austria 1984 Expos&eacute;e - Everything Revealed</h2>
<p>by Mike Richardson</center>
<p>An elite group visited Austria this time; team rust (Wadders and Bill in
the blue Mini), team speed (Mike M., Planc and John in the Alpine), team
smoothies (Wiggy, Brian and Mike T. in the Fiesta), and team momentum (Andy
D. and the author in Rover the Rover). Notice, <b>NO WOMEN</b>.... persistent
mutterings from Wiggy that he'd have to do some caving this year instead. "I
didn't do much caving last year, but I did an <b>awful</b> lot of ****ing".
<p>Outward bound was largely uneventful, except for criticism of Brian's
driving abilities before a flat tyre was diagnosed, and the partial
disintegration of the Alpine's exhaust. We visited
<span lang=de>Dachau;</span> full of happy, smiling tourists ("Aw, gee Elmer,
the gaz chamber. Ah've just got to take a photograph....."). Still, we all
got there, the Staud'nwirt's landlady's eyes coming up schilling signs as
Wiggy presented himself. Planc and Wadders immediately availed themselves of
the liquid refreshment, and spent a happy evening lobbing sugar into each
other's biers. It was later decided to experiment by heating up a tin of
sweetcorn on a petrol stove without any water, and the beer tent spent the
rest of the trip decorated with bits of corn. Next morning, the group of boy
scouts who were camped next to us asked us not to set off fireworks in the
middle of the night.
<p>An initial spell of lethargy was interrupted by some caving.
<span lang=de>Wolfh&ouml;hle</span> and
<span lang=de>Steinschlagschacht</span> were restarted, while Wadders played
Pacman (sorry, Snapper) on his Beeb in the Gasthof. Then Andy D. and Planc
set of to push <span lang=de>Wolfh&ouml;hle,</span> while Mikes T. and the
author headed for <span lang=de>SSSchacht,</span> to be followed later by
Bill and John. At about 5 p.m. we decided that we'd just about run out of
rope, and anyway could comfortably get back for a bier or four, so we set off
out, passing the other two. The weather remained dry until the first was
downed.
<p>Around 10 pm, the World War Three rehearsal got under way, Flash, Bang,
Zap, <span lang=de>Donner und Blitzen.</span> And the gentle patter of
torrential rain. Having retreated to the tents, the author got fed up of
being dripped on, and retreated to Rover, only to be dripped on from some
holes in the roof. Meanwhile, unbeknown to the campsite, Bill and John are
stumbling round on the plateau, mostly lost, and soaked to the skin, while
Andy and Planc are sitting it out at the bottom of the big pitch, huddled
round a gobbler.
<p>Next morning, the rain eased a little, and Bill and John returned looking
fraught. The absence of the other two provoked mumblings about possible
rescues, but little enthusiasm. However, in the early afternoon, Mike M. (who
had been daft enough to bring a wetsuit) and Wadders (an opportunity to get
him underground, we thought) were sent off, with promises that rescue parties
two and three would follow later. Wiggy and Brian departed a little later,
and the rest later still. Up on the plateau we all met up. Team the first had
got lost, rediscovered some holes otherwise lost to CUCC, and arrived at
<span lang=de>Wolfh&ouml;hle</span> to discover Andy and Planc coming out,
and Wiggy and Brian just arriving.
<p>Apart from a short interlude, it then rained continuously for five days.
The author doscovered the joys of a water bed due to an error in pitching his
tent in a hollow. The beer tent floor degenerated into a mud bath, and vast
quantities of bier were consumed. When the sun finally came out, the foolish
amongst us went caving, those with more sense got sunburned by
<span lang=de>Grundlsee.</span>
<p>The next trip to <span lang=de>SSSchacht</span> fortunately bottomed it at
about -240m, so Mike T. and the author rapidly derigged most of it to prevent
the possibility of any further descents. Meanwhile,
<span lang=de>Wolfh&ouml;hle</span> crept ominously deeper. But of more
important things ! Off we went one evening to the local caving group's
meeting. Slides were shown, and lots of bier consumed. At about quarter to
midnight, the landlord announced a further quarter hour and team
can't-take-the-pace (Planc, Wiggy, Brian and John) departed. At two, bier was
still flowing when it was decided to call it a day, so team
pretty-well-pissed piled into Rover along with Albert, and headed back to
<span lang=de>Grundlsee,</span> Mike T. doing his best to talk Austrian
through a bier haze and against the noise of AC/DC Highway to Hell drowning
out the engine.
<p>Having dropped Bill (Team can't-take-quite-this-much-pace) at the
campsite, and Albert up above <span lang=de>Grundlsee,</span> we set off back
down the valley, with an impromptu bop in the back. Wadders is spaced out
with a bookshelf sized speaker to each ear. Mike M. and Mike T. are bouncing
up and down in the back, and Andy is leaning out of the window pissing. The
dance floor jumps up and down on the specially fitted heavy-duty springs, and
to a tight foot twitching on the pedal. Back at the campsite Brian questions
our taste in music, and we have a long philosophical discussion on sexism,
vegetarianism, and vivisection in the beer tent.
<p>Mike M. went off to a garage to get the exhaust fixed, and was forced to
explain what we were doing in Austria. "Ah", said the garage man, "many
people come to Austria to walk on the mountains; that is normal. Few people
come to Austria to walk in the mountains; that is not normal!". He also
suggested that Mike might like to buy a new car. More sunshine prompted team
ornithologists to go and view the bird-life by the lake, and were rewarded by
the sight of many Great and Lesser Tits. Andy D. also bumped into a Blue Tit
which had fallen out of its nest (accidentally, he claims) while snorkelling.
Said Tit's mate looked set for an altercation, until the Hulk climbed
dripping from the water. We resorted to thoughts of bromide lollies, and then
decided to go posing round town with Rover's roof off.
<p>Meanwhile, Wadders had discovered that the tappets on the mini were so
badly adjusted that the exhaust valves weren't shutting, possibly accounting
for their state. Mike M's front brake pads finally committed suicide in
protest at the toll road, and a further visit to the garage again suggested
that a new car might be a good idea. Various bits of the Fiesta were
inverted, much to the owners displeasure.
<p>Andy D, Planc, and Wiggy went and climbed the
<span lang=de>Dachstein,</span> and Wadders and Wiggy climbed the
<span lang=de>Trisselwand,</span> the latter resulting in a certain amount of
brown perspiration on the 45m unprotected runouts from dubious belay points.
Oh, and we went to the fireworks, which were only so-so, but the bier tent
stayed open rather late, which was better.
<p>But what of the caving ? The <span lang=de>SSSchacht</span> gear was
ferried round to <span lang=de>Wolfh&ouml;hle,</span> and another draughting
hole discovered. Despite much persuasion to the contrary, Planc investigated
it, and reported that it went. Rats, we thought, it'll have to be looked up.
At last, however, there was some good news,
<span lang=de>Wolfh&ouml;hle</span> had stopped at last at a sump, and we all
breathed sighs of relief. Brian crashed out in Fritz's from the effort, and
had a three-storey house of cards built, photographed and demolished on his
back without even noticing. Further investigation of Planc's hole lost the
draught in a messy phreatic bit, so <span lang=de>Wolfh&ouml;hle</span> was
derigged, and some token exploration and surveying carried out on the
Plateau. The Wolf was recovered, and examined by Gunter, who said it was
actually a bear. Unfortunately, due to an administrative error (ie., balls
up) it had been promised to the other caving group.
<p>And that finished it. The key broke off in the Alpine's back hatch,
resulting in another embarassing visit to the garage, and Rover blew a hole
in a core plug. Andy D. and the author set off for
<span lang=fr>Chamonix,</span> Chas, and <span lang=fr>Mont Blanc;</span>
Bill returned to his beloved traction engine and the coal strike; Wadders
slipped away early having been caving exactly once; and everyone lived
happily ever after. Bye !
<hr>
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<center><font size=-1>Cambridge Underground 1984 p 36</font>
<h2>Austria 84 - Stop Press</h2></center>
<p>Since the Journal is so late this year, here's a brief report on CUCC's
latest activities.
<p>Steinschlagschacht bottomed at about 240m, with the rift suddenly becoming
too narrow to follow. Due to lack of enthusiasm it was not surveyed below
last year's limit. Wolfh&ouml;hle also stopped, at a sump, just after 400m,
but was surveyed. The Wolf, it seems, is actually a bear of some description.
We now anticipate a period of mindless recrimination while the name is
haggled over.
<p>The attempt to connect into the Stellerweg system from above (entrances
143 and 144) yielded an audible connection, in one direction at least, but is
too long to be hammered open.
<p>Some prospecting was done on the plateau, heading towards the Ht.
Schwarzmoos Kgl., which is getting a depressingly long way from the Car Park.
Maybe future expeditions will have to camp on the plateau.
<p>Apart from that, it rained rather a lot. The beer tent was decorated with
sweetcorn by the simple expedient of heating a can until it exploded. Some
biy scouts subsequently asked us not to let off fireworks in the middle of
the night. The landlady at the Staudnwirt also indicated that Meatloaf et al
at full blast tended to drown out the musak in the bar. Still, it was
discovered that it is possible to have a drunken bop for 4 people in the back
of a small Land Rover while doing 50 mph along the road to Grundlsee at 3 in
the morning.
<p>See <a href="../../../jnl/1985/index.htm">next years journal</a> for
the full sordid details!
<p align=right><font size=+1>Mike Richardson</font>
<p><hr>
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<center><font size=-1>Cambridge Underground 1985 pp 10-12</font>
<h2>An ascent of the Trisselwand</h2>
<p>by Andy Waddington</center>
<p>The Trisselwand is an imposing two thousand foot limestone face, which
dominates the view across Altausseer See, next to which Cambridge caving
expeditions have camped for several years. The sight of this apparently sheer
face over the lake has been a challenge for some time - a challenge which
Wiggy and myself finally took up during this year's expedition. The weather
was generally poor, restricting caving activities, but allowing a reccy to
the bottom of the crag during a break in the rain. The guidebook gives our
chosen route a III+ grade (around Hard V. Diff.), but describes 500m of
climbing in one short paragraph in German, so route finding looked like being
the major problem. The advance inspection showed the crag to be more complex,
but less vertical, than first thought, and we decided on an early start on
the first clear day.
<p>A few days later the sun came out, and our 'early' start got us on the
rock at 11am. The first couple of pitches were easy scrambling, though poorly
protected, and we set out confident that the guidebook time of four hours was
reasonable. More easy climbing ( but no more runners ) led to a big ledge
which took us into the 'Hauptschlucht' or main gully. From a distance this
had looked like a steep corner, but once inside, it proved to be a fine
clean-washed gully with - sheer luxury - both shady stances and reliable
belays. Wiggy led a pitch of excellent bridging to a belay below a huge
chockstone - a welcome relief from the now blistering heat. We had managed to
pick the hottest day of the entire trip to climb the dazzling white,
South-facing rock. The next pitch went out onto the face to the right,
becoming suddenly very exposed, and having avoided the direct line with a
fixed peg, I became a trifle concerned with the large quantity of unattached
rope dragging behind me. I reached for a piton. Since we had forgotten the
peg-hammer ( too heavy anyway ), I pulled off a convenient handhold with
which to bash in a peg. Any peg. Any crack. Please ! After what seemed an
age, one very tinny and insecure piton boosted my confidence enough to step
up on small, vaguely portable-looking holds to a better traverse line above.
Another peg went in, ostensibly to protect Wiggy as he climbed up to the
traverse, but quite good for my confidence too. The next pitch was easy
angled - a good job in view of its general mobility, but much looser rock
would follow.
<p>The guidebook says to go left for three ropelengths over 'Pl&auml;ttige
Schrofen', at which stage my dictionary gave up. We assumed it was some sort
of ledge system, but hadn't quite appreciated the amount of loose rock that
can accumulate on a five hundred foot long ledge ! I led ten feet up rock,
and the rest of the ropelength on scree to a dubious boulder. No other belay
for at least a hundred feet, so the boulder it had to be. Wiggy arrived,
found somewhere safish for the sack, and led another ropelength across scree
to an even more imaginary belay.
<p>At this stage the guide says 'don't go too high !', but there was real
rock up there, so up we went. That this was an error became apparent when I
reached a steep headwall and had to reverse 140' down a runnerless slab to
Wiggy, who was attached to one of the more esoteric pieces of modern climbing
hardware - a Friend - in an even more esoteric 'crack'. Suffice it to say
that we wasted about two hours getting across the ensuing slabs. The fact
that it got cooler as the sun went behind the rock didn't ease the nagging
feeling that it was later than it should be at this stage.
<p>Somewhere on the traverse we must have joined the right route again - I
found some litter by a belay in a crack with the peculiar feature of a strong
outward draught. A bit tight for a dig perhaps, but intriguing nonetheless.
Off to our left the world seemed to end, while above was impossibly steep. We
knew that round the corner was a steep ramp that would lead us to the summit
ridge, but where to go to reach it ? Wiggy thought I should drop down to a
notch in the corner, but I could see that this led to thin air, so I tied
myself to a rock and directed him upwards. A steep crack provided Wiggy with
perhaps the hardest lead on the route, but also with more protection than we
had had thus far. At the top were two fixed pegs, and a downward view to
infinity, or perhaps a little beyond. I found Wiggy seated comfortably on the
stance, and grinning as he pointed out an obvious line out over the drop. To
gain the ramp required either a long traverse out to the left, or the ascent
of an equally exposed steep little wall. I found a runner placement below the
wall which made my mind up. Above the step was easier ground and more fixed
pegs.
<p>Route finding on the ramp was a lot easier than below, and fixed pegs made
the exposure less unnerving. On the other hand, the pretty pink tinge in the
sky suggested that speed would be an asset. Three pitches up the ramp led to
a steep looking little headwall, but at the top was the summit ridge. The
headwall proved easy, but the ridge was a shock - the wall must only be a few
feet thick ! With three thousand feet of space each side, we were glad that
the four rope lengths of summit ridge were only a scramble. The final step
across to the summit overhangs our route lower down, and makes an impressive
finale. We hurriedly signed the summit book as the last rays of sunlight left
the sky.
<p>Having taken almost nine hours to climb the route, on the hottest day of
the trip, with just two litres of orange juice between us, we now felt
suitably knackered. The evening was hot and close, and the steep walk down
from the summit soon turned into an epic, with one light failed, and the
other absorbed by the inky blackness of the forest lower down. Seldom has a
litre of grapefruit juice vanished so fast as when we reached the campsite -
and it didn't spoil our appetite for beer !
<p>Summary: -------- Phil Wigglesworth and Andy Waddington climbed
&quot;St&uuml;gerweg&quot;, a 500m grade III+ route on the Trisselwand, a
limestone face some 50 miles East of Salzburg in Austria. The route was
technically no more than Severe but exposed and lacking in protection, and
with loose rock in parts. The ascent took almost nine hours - more than twice
the guidebook time, but this was mainly due to routefinding problems. The
upper part of the route is very fine, with impressive situations. Especially
at night. God, it was hell up there.
<hr>
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