diff --git a/years/2023/logbook.html b/years/2023/logbook.html index c1037902e..1afe84f18 100644 --- a/years/2023/logbook.html +++ b/years/2023/logbook.html @@ -35,7 +35,7 @@ Slogged down from Top Camp to Homecoming and headed down the entrance series. Wa
2023-06-22
-
Jono Lester,,
+
Jono Lester,
Expo - UK Caving Blog post 1
Blog Author: ILoveCaves
CUCC 2023 EXPO BLOG

@@ -119,7 +119,7 @@ RRPC/DUSA/CUCC/FCCC

2023-06-25
-
Adam B,,
+
Adam B,
Expo - UK Caving Blog post: my first expedition
Blog Author: Adam 63
A little something on preparing for my first expedition,
@@ -139,7 +139,7 @@ This pretty much sums up my prep for my first time on expedition and aside from
2023-07-01
-
Honorata Bogusz,,
+
Honorata Bogusz,
basecamp - Just arrived
Blog Author: honorata @@ -154,7 +154,7 @@ The first expoers arrived at Bad Aussee and we started setting up base camp. The
2023-07-02
-
Honorata Bogusz,,
+
Honorata Bogusz,
plateau - water collection


12 people went to top camp. We hauled most stuff out of the storage cave (had to rig some out of the snow) and set up one water collection tarp. @@ -164,7 +164,7 @@ We hauled most stuff out of the storage cave (had to rig some out of the snow) a
2023-07-02
-
Honorata Bogusz,,
+
Honorata Bogusz,
Expo - UK Caving Blog post 4
Blog Author: honorata
Progress after the first 3 days of expo

@@ -186,7 +186,7 @@ Pic: Janis Huns attaching stuff to the rope for hauling up.

2023-07-03
-
Philip Sargent,Martin Green,,
+
Philip Sargent,Martin Green,
basecamp - nerding
Philip arrived by train at lunchtime. Joined Martin for serious nerding to get WiFi internet working in potato hut. @@ -199,7 +199,7 @@ serious nerding to get WiFi internet working in potato hut.
2023-07-03
-
Honorata Bogusz,Radost Waszkiewicz,Jana Podbelsek,Mike Butcher,,Will Kay,
+
Honorata Bogusz,Radost Waszkiewicz,Jana Podbelsek,Mike Butcher,Will Kay,
plateau - second water collection tarp


Me, Radost, Mike, Jana and Will went to top camp to set up main tarp and the second water collection tarp (which was a success). @@ -209,7 +209,7 @@ main tarp and the second water collection tarp (which was a success).
2023-07-03
-
Harry Kettle,Charlotte Payne,Janis Huns,Christian Kuhlmann,,Emma Caspers,
+
Harry Kettle,Charlotte Payne,Janis Huns,Christian Kuhlmann,Emma Caspers,
Balkon - Rescuing Balcony ropes


A crack team of expo's hardest cavers was assembled to take a rope out of balcony that was left there last year.

@@ -225,7 +225,7 @@ at about 5pm. Charlotte and Harry were both very grumpy walking back with very h
2023-07-03
-
Amelia Oliver,Emily Mabbett,,Jonty Pine,
+
Amelia Oliver,Emily Mabbett,Jonty Pine,
Fishface - Digging the snow out of Fishface entrance


After a carrying day on the 2nd, we suspected ff would be snowed in. A faff morning of acquiring shovel. We got to ff with shovels, discovering it did need digging. Jonty got particularly into this, producing quit the snow trench. @@ -235,7 +235,7 @@ did need digging. Jonty got particularly into this, producing quit the snow tren
2023-07-03
-
Honorata Bogusz,,
+
Honorata Bogusz,
Expo - UK Caving Blog post 4
Blog Author: honorata
Progress after the first 3 days of expo

@@ -258,7 +258,7 @@ Meanwhile, the new shiny rope that we got from the sponsors (thank you!) was was
2023-07-04
-
Philip Sargent,,
+
Philip Sargent,
basecamp - nerding again


Everyone due to come down from plateau due to bad weather forecast. Much shopping for food being done.[Netgear router seems to have got into an IP6-only state. RETIRED @@ -271,7 +271,7 @@ non-working internal wifi on netbook causing config problems even though it was
2023-07-04
-
Wassil Janssen,Merryn Matthews,Amelia Oliver,Philip Balister,Ashley Gregg,,Sarah Parker,
+
Wassil Janssen,Merryn Matthews,Amelia Oliver,Philip Balister,Ashley Gregg,Sarah Parker,
topcamp - Carry and set-up


Ash, Merryn, Amelia in [com?] Philip B., Sarah and me @@ -284,7 +284,7 @@ came down the mountain.
2023-07-04
-
Harry Kettle,Charlotte Payne,Christian Kuhlmann,Alice Kirby,,Will Kay,
+
Harry Kettle,Charlotte Payne,Christian Kuhlmann,Alice Kirby,Will Kay,
Surface - Rope carry to Homecoming + Trial walk from Garlic Cave to Car Park on painted track


After more faff from Chi, we set off about 10AM to carry gear and check out the route to Homecoming. Fishface to Homecoming was well cairned and fairly straightforward to follow.

Gear ledt at Homecoming entrance: @@ -299,7 +299,7 @@ came down the mountain.
2023-07-04
-
Honorata Bogusz,,
+
Honorata Bogusz,
Expo - UK Caving Blog post 4
Blog Author: honorata
Progress after the first 3 days of expo

@@ -312,7 +312,7 @@ The weather forecast shows rain and thunderstorms today and tomorrow, which jeop
2023-07-04
-
Rob Watson,,
+
Rob Watson,
basecamp - re Honorata's post
Blog Author: nobrotson @@ -325,7 +325,7 @@ Nice write up [re Honorata's 3-day update]. The rope there now is stuff we bough
2023-07-04
-
Buck Blake,Amelia Oliver,Jonty Pine,Janis Huns,Joel Stobbart,,Ashley Gregg,
+
Buck Blake,Amelia Oliver,Jonty Pine,Janis Huns,Joel Stobbart,Ashley Gregg,
Fishface - Carrying rope to Fishface and failing to rig entrance
After the complicated operation of handling the solar panels out of the storage cave, the six of us packed kit, rope and a rescue bag and set off for Fishface. It was a hot but pleasant walk and the route was well marked. We arrivced and stashed bags under a nearby overhang then entered through the hole dug through the snow the previous day. @@ -345,7 +345,7 @@ left our caving kit under the small overhand near the entrance, then headed back
2023-07-05
-
Sarah Parker,Philip Balister,Joel Stobbart,Lizzie Caisley,,Maddie Kirby,
+
Sarah Parker,Philip Balister,Joel Stobbart,Lizzie Caisley,Maddie Kirby,
Surface - Reflecting the Homecoming -> Fishface route, scoping out a Homecoming to col route


Joel, Lizzie and Philip fettled the tarp (where some water had pooled overnight) whilst I had a go at attaching the big Daren drum (filled with the solar panels and cables) to my rucksack, ready to carry from top camp to Garlic Cave. @@ -370,7 +370,7 @@ return.
2023-07-06
-
Janis Huns,Maddie Kirby,,
+
Janis Huns,Maddie Kirby,
Plateau - scoping out a route from col to Garlic Cave


We set out to improve the direct route from the start of the plateau to Homecoming. The way down the wall after the second pole was suprisingly nice. This was followed by an easy flat section until the bunde and tiny cliffs obscured all the alternative paths we tried. Most of the way was already cairned, but we did find some nice fresh transitions through the bunde walls separating the easy-to-walk-on slabs. At Homecoming, we met Harry, Christian, Alice, Merryn getting ready to rig the cave. Then we visited Garlic cave - a massive above ground hole that leads to a bridge below which are the entrances to the cave itself. There was loads of snow - just as in every entrance - but there was a nice campable bit , plenty of water dripping. I sensed some garlic smell, remembering the story that this smell gave the name of the cave, but was still mysterious. Then Maddie realised we were surrounded by chives! Mystery solved.

On the way back we met Jono, Evelyn, and Oakem who were on the way to Garlic. At Homecoming, Honorata and Radost told us they had found 3 intriguing holes while prospecting. We found a baloon with a sweet note on it and read it to them. @@ -381,7 +381,7 @@ return.
2023-07-06
-
Joel Stobbart,Buck Blake,,Jonty Pine,
+
Joel Stobbart,Buck Blake,Jonty Pine,
Fishface - Rigging and pitch-measuring trip


An ambitious day which slowly went increasingly wrong. The group departed base camp at a stunning 8.20AM, blitzed up the plateau and promtly became mired in several hours of faff which soon descended into more festering. The plan had been to rig the entrance series of Fishface down to the bottom of Blitzen Boulevard (4th pitch), from where we expected everything to be left rigged. However, confusion about rope lengths and metalwork and some impressively long grike trips meant that the two shallow pushing groups planning to explore from Blitzen and Liquid Luck caught us up at Top Camp. Uncle Mike was not amused. We swiftly bombed down to FF in 25 mins and started rigging. Joel was left to do everything as Jonty's light 'broke'.

The entrance pitch/spiral traverse thing was completed on a 40m rope. Tasteful noods (2nd pitch) didn't quite go on a 27m due to rerigging around the top rebelay to avoid rub, so Joel initially reached the bottom on a knot pass and Jonty rerigged to the bottom on a 32m. The traverse at the bottom of Tasteful Noods (2A) and pitch 3 both had rope left from last year but not rigged - some of the knots didn't line up and required rerigging but the lengths were fine. Pendulum pitch needs some more bolts at the bottom, possibly as a traverse, to make getting on and off the pitch less deathy. Uncle Mike rigged Blitzen for us as we got too scared, he insisted the step over the huge rift with no traverse was fine, so we left him to it. There may or may not be a bolt there now @@ -393,7 +393,7 @@ return.
2023-07-06
-
Emily Mabbett,Lizzie Caisley,Mike Butcher,Charlotte Payne,,Emma Caspers,
+
Emily Mabbett,Lizzie Caisley,Mike Butcher,Charlotte Payne,Emma Caspers,
Fishface - Surveying around Benign Bubble Baby Bypass


After hiking up to plateau to arrive for midday, we discovered the advanced rigging party still above ground... In order to leave them time to start rigging the first 4 pitches of Fishface, an ungodly amount of faff began. We finally arrived at the cave at 3pm, thinking we'd left plenty of time for the riggers, we quickly changed and headed underground. Alas, our hopes were crushed as we came to the bottom of the first pitch to discover the other pushing party sat freezing their tits off at the top of the second pitch as the riggers rigged just below them. Needless to say, it took some time to descent to the bottom of Blitzen Boulevard with Mike taking over the rigging of the 4th pitch after a debate over placing another bolt at the pitch head. Once arrived at Benign Bubble Baby Bypass, we conducted a quick something time to refresh our surveying technique before splitting into 2 groups. Me and Mike went ahead through the tube leading on through the bottom of the climb heading towards the liquid luck ptch head to bolt the small pitch at the end of the traverse whilst the others began surveying from said turn off. As me and Mike arrived at the pitch head, I asked if I could begin my bolting lesson before a big scary hole. I was refused. Instead I was told to tie the rope around a small head sized bolder wedged in the rift, which were currently both stood on. I thought this was a silly idea but obliged. The actual bolting of the pitch went well (I think?), however comments about placing bolts higher were made which was somewhat impossible given my height. The final bolting and rigging became passable so I decended the large (4m...) hole.

@@ -408,7 +408,7 @@ return.
2023-07-06
-
Honorata Bogusz,Radost Waszkiewicz,,
+
Honorata Bogusz,Radost Waszkiewicz,
Prospecting


We prospected between Fischgesicht and Heimkehr entrances. We found 5 caves, which I will refer to here using the temporary number and names entered in expo.survex.com. Small drain (2023-hbrw-01) and medium drain (2023-hbrw-02) were surveyed completely and they both strecth for about 20-30m, a small stream passing through each of them.

We also found 3 new caves which seem to continue but we couldn't survey them since they all begin with large pitches: @@ -423,7 +423,7 @@ return.
2023-07-06
-
Zac Woodford,Amelia Oliver,Emma Caspers,,Ashley Gregg,
+
Zac Woodford,Amelia Oliver,Emma Caspers,Ashley Gregg,
Fishface - Surveying the top of liquid luck


Gave the rigging team ~3hr headstart but we still caught up with them at the bottom of first pitch. Emma and Zac then sat around while Ash and Mealy calibrated the disto. We were waiting so long that Uncle Mike's surveying group caught up. We waited in a a bothy for them to pass us before slowly, one-by-one, following on. We then caught up with them again at the top of Blitzen pitch and had to bothy again (after Mealy led us on too low in the rift).

At the beginning of BBBB (Benign Babble Baby Bypass) we talked with Mike's group pushing the other lead and descending some small pitches to push ours. We faffed around a while trying to find it, but when we did, we found it just looped back around to Mike's group's lead. We surveyed it anyway. @@ -434,7 +434,7 @@ return.
2023-07-06
-
Wassil Janssen,Christian Kuhlmann,Merryn Matthews,Harry Kettle,,Alice Kirby,
+
Wassil Janssen,Christian Kuhlmann,Merryn Matthews,Harry Kettle,Alice Kirby,
Homecoming - Rig faff


This was a long day that started at Base Camp with the intent of rigging the entrance series of Homecoming cave. We set off only slightly later than the planned 8:00 [illegible] some faff. Quite surprising since Will was not part of the team.

The walk up to Top Camp took almost 2 hours, just as expected. We were also carrying drills, string, food, and other Top Camp equipment. We followed the reflectors to Fishface. They were white on both sides, which could make it frustrating if you are someone who is lost on their way to Top Camp. Instead, it should be red that leads to Top Camp, while white leads to caves and the car park. @@ -447,7 +447,7 @@ return.
2023-07-07
-
Christian Kuhlmann,Wassil Janssen,,
+
Christian Kuhlmann,Wassil Janssen,
Homecoming - Foray into the Second Coming
Ropes used:
    @@ -481,7 +481,7 @@ Bolts used:
    2023-07-07
    -
    Philip Sargent,Nadia Raeburn,Janis Huns,,Jonty Pine,
    +
    Philip Sargent,Nadia Raeburn,Janis Huns,Jonty Pine,
    Garlic - Hiking to Garlic Cave


    Jonty's car: Jonty/Nads/Janis up to Garlic and return this evening. Taking new reflectors made this morning.
    T/U: 0.0 hours
    @@ -490,7 +490,7 @@ Bolts used:
    2023-07-07
    -
    Honorata Bogusz,Mike Butcher,,Radost Waszkiewicz,
    +
    Honorata Bogusz,Mike Butcher,Radost Waszkiewicz,
    1623-290 - pushing deep Fishgesicht


    We pushed 60m at the top of "Clap My Pitch Up". Pushing required bolting ~20m of a traverse ( Mike adds: 20m ish of the traverse was new passage surveyed this year but there was about 30m of traverse bolted this year which was naughtily pushed by me - Mike - and Luke last year in the Red Light Spells Danger trip so the traverse is about 50ish m long). The final few metres of the traverse go above a sizeable pitch (30m?). We names the bolted traverse, "European Federalists". At the end of the traverse, we continued walking for another ~40m until arriving at the top of a massive pitch - further pushing would require bolting. The distance from where we were standing to the furthest point down the pitch measured with the disto was ~40m. We kicked rocks down the pitch and the sound continued for 10s, giving rise to a presumption that the pitch may be very deep. If it connects to "Clap My Pitch Up", it's at least 100m deep. IMPORTANT: the traverse passage and the walkable continuation are muddy and slippery; posing a hazard of falling down the pitch. Ash, Jonty, Mealy and Janis want to push the lead further on Saturday 8th July.
    T/U: 0.0 hours
    @@ -499,7 +499,7 @@ Bolts used:
    2023-07-07
    -
    Emily Mabbett,Harry Kettle,,Charlotte Payne,
    +
    Emily Mabbett,Harry Kettle,Charlotte Payne,
    Homecoming - Rigging towards Watershed in Homecoming


    We wandered down to the cave around 10am, making it to the entrance around 12pm. The entrance series went pretty fast ... at least it did for me as Harry and Charlotte were carrying the heavy bags. On the way we made a quick stop to rerig a knot pass. As we reached the bottom of Wallace and Grommit where they had finished rigging the previous day both me and Harry experienced fizzling as we glazed the dry rope on the final 55m. I did not enjoy this part. We then made our way up the climb and Harry began rigging the small pitches before the long pitch series. The most notable part of this was when Harry appeared the wrong side of a pitch head after following the description and getting lost. It was highly amusing. As Charlotte began rigging the final pitch series me and Harry huddled in a shelter and watched Mathilda the musical. As it came to replacing a bolt Harry left to go help Charlotte and I was left along ... until it was discovered the drill battery was dead and I had to come down with a back up. As 8pm approached we made our way out leaving rope to finish the final part of rigging. On the way out we made a noodle stop at the top of Wallace and Grommit but with no fork a knife had to suffice. The walk back was miserable as we started following new reflectors towards the col and had to turn around and start again. We finally made it back to top camp at 1 am.
    T/U: 0.0 hours
    @@ -508,7 +508,7 @@ Bolts used:
    2023-07-07
    -
    Ashley Gregg,Will Kay,Amelia Oliver,,Alice Kirby,
    +
    Ashley Gregg,Will Kay,Amelia Oliver,Alice Kirby,
    Fishface – Surveying Stalagtite Loop to the top of Liquid Luck


    Following our previous shallow trip into Fishface we set out to continue the previous combined leads from the day before. The journey across the plateau and into the cave was uneventful, aside from @@ -537,7 +537,7 @@ camp for curry.
    2023-07-08
    -
    Nadia,Jana,Jono,Oakem,,Philip B,
    +
    Nadia,Jana,Jono,Oakem,Philip B,
    Garlic - Garlic Cave Set up + First Nights
    After doing a big bounce carry yesterday, we now had sufficient supplies to spend the night and begin the proper set up of camp.

    @@ -564,7 +564,7 @@ Still need to find a grike.


    2023-07-08
    -
    Philip Sargent,Martin Green,,
    +
    Philip Sargent,Martin Green,
    Basecamp - Nerd faff


    Another frustrating day with network. WiFi router refused to allow connections - rebooted at ~0830. Ok.

    Rebooted network for a reason I can't remember - failed to re-establish routing to router. Much faff standing on chairs typing at netbook as cables all duct taped to the wall with it in final operating position up by ceiling. Found the missing rune, edited into 'runfakenet'. Redocumented everything in handbook. By which time the morning has gone and no progress achieved. @@ -578,7 +578,7 @@ Afternoon: added lots of expoers to folk.csv and adding lots of mugshots. Partic
    2023-07-08
    -
    Janis Huns,Amelia Oliver,Jonty Pine,,Ashley Gregg,
    +
    Janis Huns,Amelia Oliver,Jonty Pine,Ashley Gregg,
    Fishface - Pushing deep Fishface


    We went to where the group - Honorata, Radost and Mike - had left off the previous day. European Federalists was a very tough traverse that required the use of ascenders. We bolted and rigged (my first bolt!) the pitch at the end of the muddy passage about 10m down to a choke of boulders. At the bottom of it we saw that there is a large, smooth crack continuing east leading to a large, deep chamber that seems to be the same one we saw on the right. If it is it would be elongated roughly in a north east to south west direction. Ash and Mealy also explored some C leads which did not go far.
    T/U: 0.0 hours
    @@ -587,7 +587,7 @@ Afternoon: added lots of expoers to folk.csv and adding lots of mugshots. Partic
    2023-07-08
    -
    Will Kay,Mike Butcher,,Emma Caspers,
    +
    Will Kay,Mike Butcher,Emma Caspers,
    Amphitheatre - Following up on Radost and Honorata's prospecting leads (Unlucky Gemse cave and Amphitheatre cave)


    Radost and Honorata had found a few promising entrances that they could explore with just a hand line on Thursday so me, Mike and Emma set out with caving kit, bolting kit and a few ropes to investigate further (ropes were slightly out of date ones - ropes were very hard to come by at Top Camp so we pinched two 20m ropes from the stash at Fishface entrance).

    @@ -608,7 +608,7 @@ We then walked back, attempting but failing to find Garlic Cave. On the way back
    2023-07-08
    -
    Sarah Parker,Harry Kettle,,Charlotte Payne,
    +
    Sarah Parker,Harry Kettle,Charlotte Payne,
    Homecoming - Beyond Watershed in Homecoming Flowstone Canyon


    I carried my caving and bivvy gear from Top Camp to Homecoming whilst Harry and Charlotte carried Top Camp's second shovel and a camp bed (surprisingliy heavy) to be picked up by the Garlic Cave people.

    @@ -625,7 +625,7 @@ Slow, tired progress out saw us leave the cave at about 1am. I stumbled to Garli
    2023-07-09
    -
    Bier Tent,,
    +
    Bier Tent,
    basecamp - Nothing happened today at all


    Nowt, apparently.
    T/U: 0.0 hours
    @@ -634,7 +634,7 @@ Slow, tired progress out saw us leave the cave at about 1am. I stumbled to Garli
    2023-07-10
    -
    Philip Sargent,Becka Lawson,,
    +
    Philip Sargent,Becka Lawson,
    basecamp - Becka arriving


    She is arriving at 0941 at the station, would like lift.
    T/U: 0.0 hours
    @@ -643,7 +643,7 @@ Slow, tired progress out saw us leave the cave at about 1am. I stumbled to Garli
    2023-07-10
    -
    Honorata Bogusz,Radost Waszkiewicz,Christian Kuhlmann,Harry Kettle,,Ashley Gregg,
    +
    Honorata Bogusz,Radost Waszkiewicz,Christian Kuhlmann,Harry Kettle,Ashley Gregg,
    festering - Canyoning Strubklamm


    We went canyoning on a rest day. The "Strubklamm" canyon is located near Saltzburg, approximately 1h of driving from Bad Aussee. The canyon is graded V1A3 (vertical 1, aquatic 3). It's very aquatic, with many small jumps available and a 300m swimming passage. There are 2 bigger jumps: approx. 8m and 10m, both can be abseiled (topo can be found online). @@ -659,7 +659,7 @@ The weather was good, sunny and hot. The canyon seemed quite dry, as though ther
    2023-07-10
    -
    James Waite,,
    +
    James Waite,
    UK Caving Blog post: Cardiff Canon Ball Run
    Blog Author: Babyhagrid
    Canon Ball Run - Austria (Attempted)
    @@ -679,7 +679,7 @@ Yet again a black bmw slowly moved in front of us with their sign flashing. Anot
    2023-07-11
    -
    Philip Sargent,Will Kay,Ashley Gregg,Ely Brookes,Radost Waszkiewicz,James Waite,Honorata Bogusz,,Thomas Phillips,
    +
    Philip Sargent,Will Kay,Ashley Gregg,Ely Brookes,Radost Waszkiewicz,James Waite,Honorata Bogusz,Thomas Phillips,
    plateau - walk in


    Will and Phil went up as part of the 2-car lift to the carpark. Others all going to topcamp. Cardiff contingent (Ely, James, Thomas) arrived the previous day (at last)

    Dep. carpark 10:06 we walked to the col but got spread out, 2 Cardiffians particularly heavily loaded so Ash dropped back to accompany them while James headed on with Radost and Honorata. @@ -689,7 +689,7 @@ Yet again a black bmw slowly moved in front of us with their sign flashing. Anot
    2023-07-11
    -
    Philip Sargent,Will Kay,,
    +
    Philip Sargent,Will Kay,
    plateau - Garlic and reflectors


    At the col, Will, Philip and ? followed Philip B's col-to-garlic GPS track. Somebody else was with us (memory hazy, is this true? [correct later editorially]). All OK until we hit the hill in the middle where we followed cairns instead of the GPS track, and got in a bit of @@ -726,7 +726,7 @@ hours of walking.
    2023-07-11
    -
    Wassil Janssen,Oakem Kyne,,
    +
    Wassil Janssen,Oakem Kyne,
    Homecoming - Five and Flying


    I managed to steal Oakem away from Harry, Charlotte and Becka just as they were preparing to depart from Top Camp. After a quick breakfast @@ -779,7 +779,7 @@ his own logbook entry.
    2023-07-11
    -
    Honorata Bogusz,Radost Waszkiewicz,,Ashley Gregg,
    +
    Honorata Bogusz,Radost Waszkiewicz,Ashley Gregg,
    1623-323 - Dropping Amphitheater Hoehle


    The Amphitheater Hoehle is named after its entrance which resembles an amphitheather. There are a couple of meters of an easy climb from the very top to the boulder where we started rigging. Rigging starts with an approx. 5-6m down climb, where we put a handline. It's followed by a traverse (10m ?) above the entrance to the first pitch. We rigged a Y-hang at the end of the traverse. @@ -791,7 +791,7 @@ The Amphitheater Hoehle is named after its entrance which resembles an amphithea
    2023-07-11
    -
    Becka,Charlotte,,Harry,
    +
    Becka,Charlotte,Harry,
    Homecoming - Watershed
    Slogged down from Top Camp to Homecoming and headed down the entrance series. Wassil had snagged the rope on the longish pitch near the entrance (just after snow ends, beyond short crawl). It was so tight that Charlotte had to downprussik to free it. Steady progress to the pushing front in ~2.5 hours.

    Charlotte rigged a traverse down and across 2m so Harry and I could survey a side passage that quickly reached a pitch whilst Charlotte remained to finish rigging the pitch. We all descended the pitch to 2 routes. @@ -804,7 +804,7 @@ Slogged down from Top Camp to Homecoming and headed down the entrance series. Wa


    2023-07-11
    -
    Emily,Charlotte,,Harry,
    +
    Emily,Charlotte,Harry,
    Fishface - Kresh Konnection exploring and rerigging
    The day started fairly quick and we arrived at the Fishface entrance at 10:30am, making our way underground by 11. Joel and Lizzy went around to re-bolt the first pitch in the connection with me and Merryn following after to measure and record rigging diagrams. Due to an odd mixture of rope the first 9m pitch ended up being rigged with a rope from 1999… As we went on Joel and Merryn rerigged P4 and P5 with separate ropes to free up the 50m currently being used so we could bring the 50m down to where we were planning to push. During this time Joel rearranged the ropes and went back to remove the 1999 rope and replace it with an in-date rope. Essentially a good few hours were spent rearranging ropes, during which time me and Lizzy took a nap in a shelter at the bottom of P5.

    @@ -817,7 +817,7 @@ For the rest of the trip we actually ended up dropping to the bottom of the seco


    2023-07-12
    -
    Emma,Mealy,Jonty,,Mike B,
    +
    Emma,Mealy,Jonty,Mike B,
    Fishface - Camp in Fishface - pushing Redlight & Persied Showers
    10-07-23 - We wake up early-ish with the goal of leaving at 9/10 but quickly decide MUCH more faff is needed. A stop is made at the shops to buy biodegradable bags and a magazine, eventually Jonty, Mealy and I made it to the car park. It is very very warm and we worried about dehydration. We get waking, faffing more by running into many groups coming off the plateau, and Mike catches up quickly. Once on the plateau the weather seems more pleasant - a cool breeze is present now - when I see the cause - a huge could of rain hanging over the Dachstein. "Nah, that's just mist" says uncle Mike. We make our merry way, not forgetting to bow to the plateau monster (Mike doesn't bow) until we hear a rumble of thunder, "Nah, just a plane" says uncle Mike, soon, to vertical rains start, which we are not dressed nor prepared for, so we hide by crouching against a wall in the plateau. Then, wind turns and we get very soaked so we huddle under Jonty's 1-man emergency bothy. Anyway sun returns, much more faff is had, I take a fall... we don't make it into Fishface until 20:45, carrying LUDICROUSLY large bags! Mealy and I lead the way in, made a little clumsy by our heavy loads - though not as heavy as jonty's, and not at all as bad as mike's whose "side bag" is a full-sized tackle sack containing lots of rope. The first pitch was not my Friend and I dropped a plastic bottle - after that I enjoyed myself - esp. impressed by TK Maxx, a super cool pitch!! Mealy & I get down just after 23.00, followed soon by Jonty and a little later by Mike who had stopped to get even more Rope. Mealy goes of to faff with Cavelink, Jonty & I head over to help and we send the important message "camp creche want more peanut" - it sends. Mealy & I share warmth & noodles. Jonty & mike eat curry, we whip out the mini-Jagermeister, all take a little sip and head to sleep. I apparently caused some disturbance by snoring (sorry) and we all sleep intermittently.

    @@ -838,7 +838,7 @@ Transcribers note, 21st July 2024. Whilst I do appreciate the write up and the


    2023-07-12
    -
    Merryn Matthews,Joel Stobbart,Emily Mabbett,Lizzie Caisley,,Thomas Phillips,
    +
    Merryn Matthews,Joel Stobbart,Emily Mabbett,Lizzie Caisley,Thomas Phillips,
    plateau - Prospecting between Homecoming and Fishface


    We started by walking to Unlucky Gamse Cave, mostly following the path to homecoming, as Radost and Honorata had told us there was an exciting looking entrance around 50m North of it - Rose Blumen Hoehle (2023-hbrw-05). We dismissed their cave as choked by snow, however it @@ -869,7 +869,7 @@ Caves found:
    2023-07-12
    -
    Ashley Gregg,Janis Huns,,
    +
    Ashley Gregg,Janis Huns,
    Amphitheatre – Surveying Frozen Unknown


    We went back to continue exploring Amphitheatre. Since we were now pushing decently underground, we kitted up and then headed in. Adjusted the initial traverse line rigging slightly. @@ -892,7 +892,7 @@ was no evidence of a draft at the bottom so not particularly promising.
    2023-07-12
    -
    Mike B,,
    +
    Mike B,
    Fishface - Persied Showers 2023
    All on through bolts, about 300m of rope, taken in 1 bag to much regret.

    @@ -905,7 +905,7 @@ Can't really remember the rigging exactly. Continues for about 200 m of rope to


    2023-07-12
    -
    Emily,Lizzy,Joel,Merryn,,Thom,
    +
    Emily,Lizzy,Joel,Merryn,Thom,
    Plateau - Prospecting near Fishface
    After consulting the weather forecast in the morning and seeing 50mnm of rain forecast from 8pm onward we decided the best use of our day would be to prospect. Our first port of call was a previously scoped hole of the path between Fishcace and Homecoming. With no photo and only a rough location we looked in a few holes climbing to the bottom of a couple that looked possible but to no avail. After marking the holes we decided to continue in a vaguely North direction following a passage in homecoming below us. After some impressive Bundah walking we found another prospect in which Joel eagerly descended only to find it also choked out - it was therefore nicknamed Joel's disappointment , which later changed to sunglasses disappointment after he figured out he lost his sunglasses somewhere into the hole.

    @@ -918,7 +918,7 @@ From here we began to circle back towards FishFace, on the way we found a large


    2023-07-13
    -
    Honorata Bogusz,Harry Kettle,Charlotte Payne,Oakem Kyne,Radost Waszkiewicz,,Jonty Pine,
    +
    Honorata Bogusz,Harry Kettle,Charlotte Payne,Oakem Kyne,Radost Waszkiewicz,Jonty Pine,
    festering - Via Ferrata "Panorama Kletterstieg Sisi"


    @@ -930,7 +930,7 @@ We went on a via ferrata located close to the Loseralm parking lot. The via ferr
    2023-07-13
    -
    Honorata Bogusz,,
    +
    Honorata Bogusz,
    UK Caving Blog post: two weeks on
    Blog Author: honorata
    The first two weeks of expo have been quite eventful, with exploration proceeding in Fishface and Homecoming, and a new camp being set on the plateau.
    @@ -986,7 +986,7 @@ Pic: Oakem Kyne (L) and Jonty Pine (R) on Panorama Kletterstieg Sisi.
    2023-07-13
    -
    Zac,Jono,Sarah,,Will,
    +
    Zac,Jono,Sarah,Will,
    Homecoming - Investingating around Radogast
    The day started out bleak with the plateau overcast and still soaked from the night before. Zac and Sarah set out from top camp while will and Jono came from base. We all bumped into each other at homecoming which was excellent timing. We proceeded to garlic cave for some lunch where Zac and Sarah got very cold. Phillip joined us there also. we waited for the rain to die away then headed over to homecoming. Sarah followed by Zac, then Will then Jono. The plan was to re-rig the small pitch and traverse after Radogast as well as investigate a phreatic tube 5m bellow the Radogast pitch head. each of these were to be done in pairs but the plan was scrapped when Jono needed the longer rope from Sarah (exploring Radogast) to re rig the pitch and the traverse. In the end Zac re-rigged it under Jono's supervision while the other 2 stood around.

    @@ -1000,7 +1000,7 @@ One the way back to top, Zac slipped and pulled his arm/ scraped his arse meanin


    2023-07-14
    -
    James Waite,Harry Kettle,,Charlotte Payne,
    +
    James Waite,Harry Kettle,Charlotte Payne,
    Homecoming - pushing down homecoming from flowstone canyon, into alpine showers


    after a heavy afternoon at the tatty hut, Harry asked if i fancied coming to @@ -1090,7 +1090,7 @@ uncomfortable platau sleep.
    2023-07-14
    -
    Bier Tent,,
    +
    Bier Tent,
    basecamp - UK Caving Blog post: Rain at times
    Blog Author: CUCC Austria Expedition @@ -1104,7 +1104,7 @@ Full details at
    2023-07-14
    -
    Honorata,Merryn,Wassil,Oakem,Chi,,Radost,
    +
    Honorata,Merryn,Wassil,Oakem,Chi,Radost,
    Basecamp - Floating down the river to Bad Aussee
    Floating down the river to Bad Aussee. Me and Radost are leaving today so we wanted to do a fun rest day activity on our last full day. Chi, Wassil, and Oakem agreed to go canyoning to Grabenback (VZVZ)(?) with us. We decided that we wanted to be in the canyon in the hottest moment of the day. We were ready to leave at noon but chi realised he'd lost his car keys. 2 hours of searching for them around the potato hut yielded no results. Disappointed, we decided to float down the river to Bad Aussee where we later had ice cream. Floating down the river has been definitely the most dangerous and stupid thing I've done on expo. Don't do it and if you have to - wear a helmet, gloves and shoes unlike us. I stated rolling on one waterfall and was really afraid I'd hurt my head. Then, I hit my lip really hard on a rock. I'm not gonna do it again. Ice cream was nice though.
    T/U: 0.0 hours
    @@ -1113,7 +1113,7 @@ Floating down the river to Bad Aussee. Me and Radost are leaving today so we wa
    2023-07-14
    -
    Will,Nadia,Mike,,Sarah,
    +
    Will,Nadia,Mike,Sarah,
    homecoming - Shallow Homecoming and pushing beyond Hobknob Hallway & Dead Flied Passage
    Having seen 2 A-leads at the end of dead flies passage on the big survey we headed down to investigate & push. Arriving at the end of the survey, we reached a small 3x1.5m chamber with a streamway passage (?2018-26A) back to the left and a more rifty passage straight ahead (?2018-25A).

    @@ -1132,7 +1132,7 @@ Speaking of, towards the end of Dead Flies Passage we found a tacklesack presuma


    2023-07-14
    -
    Becka,Charlotte,James,Harry,,Jono,
    +
    Becka,Charlotte,James,Harry,Jono,
    1626-359 - Homecoming . Watershed . Alpine Showers
    Walked from Top Camp to Homecoming + headed down quite efficiently, split to 2 groups at the previous survey limit, below CHarlotte's 2nd pitch, Harry, Charlotte + James started surveying downstream. Jono + I surveyed upstream for a mighty 3 legs ("Alpine Waterfall") to where the stream spouted down from on high. We went up the pitch with the rope + drill aiming to bolt a vertical lead but Harry caught us up to say they needed it so he took the drill + rope + they bolted downstream until they ran out of rope to leave a splashy A-lead continuing downstream. @@ -1148,7 +1148,7 @@ T/U Becka and Jono 13 hours, the others 15 hours
    2023-07-15
    -
    Ashley Gregg,Janis Huns,,Ely Brookes,
    +
    Ashley Gregg,Janis Huns,Ely Brookes,
    Prospecting - Up to Homecoming from the Col

    Edit this entry @@ -1172,7 +1172,7 @@ drops approx. 5m with snow at bottom, can't clearly see bottom from top.
    2023-07-15
    -
    Ashley Gregg,Philip Balister,,Ely Brookes,
    +
    Ashley Gregg,Philip Balister,Ely Brookes,
    2018-DM-04 – Prospecting, exploring, surveying


    The plan was to do some prospecting in the relatively uncovered area around Garlic cave. We met up with Philip at Garlic cave and had some noodles for lunch. Philip had already done some @@ -1196,7 +1196,7 @@ Top Camp.
    2023-07-15
    -
    Christian Kuhlmann,Merryn Matthews,,Wassil Janssen,
    +
    Christian Kuhlmann,Merryn Matthews,Wassil Janssen,
    Homecoming - In Search Of Salamanders


    Following an impromptu pre-expo-dinner dinner the night before, we all arose with a tinge of hangover. Rapidly consuming breakfast and packing kit, we set off at 8:30am, only 30 minutes after we said we would which in all fairness is very good going for us. After a smooth ferry to the Loser car park by our wonderful chauffer Alice, we set off up the mountain. Almost immediately after we left the car park a navigational faux pas was made and we found ourselves on the wrong path, and with a small section of off-roading, we headed up to top camp with no other further obstructions. @@ -1230,7 +1230,7 @@ Overall, a great trip with over ~294m surveyed and more promising leads found. C
    2023-07-15
    -
    Becka,,Sarah,
    +
    Becka,Sarah,
    2023-BL-01 - Prospecting N of Garlic Cave
    We walked under the flanks of the Kleine Wildkogel to the ridge at the top where you can see down to the tiny hut in the bowl between that ridge and the next. The gps track for Becka is [?] downloaded and I logged four caves numbered 2023-BL-01 to 04. Two were horizontal and are katasterable (02 and 04) and the other two (01 and 03) are open shafts that would need to be dropped to be checked out.
    T/U: 0.17 hours
    @@ -1239,7 +1239,7 @@ We walked under the flanks of the Kleine Wildkogel to the ridge at the top where
    2023-07-16
    -
    Ashley Gregg,Evelyn Surman,,
    +
    Ashley Gregg,Evelyn Surman,
    Prospecting - Much prospecting near Balcony


    Deciding I wanted to go prospecting but didn’t particularly want to walk back over to garlic cave, so recruited Evelyn, our resident non-caver to go wander around near balcony. Armed with known cave @@ -1273,7 +1273,7 @@ yield any new caves.
    2023-07-16
    -
    Mark Shinwell,James Waite,,
    +
    Mark Shinwell,James Waite,
    surface - Walk from Gschwandt Alm
    Walk from Gschwandt Alm below the western edge of the plateau. [note taken from gps23.svx] @@ -1289,7 +1289,7 @@ Walk from Gschwandt Alm below the western edge of the plateau.
    2023-07-16
    -
    Becka,,
    +
    Becka,
    Homecoming - Hobnob Hallway
    Alice and Buck came from top camp with a drill, batteries, and hammer... but sadly no drill bits. We hoped we might meet the camping trip exiting and be able to take their drill bits so we took all the kit down but sadly didn't see them so Sarah rigged as far as she could without bolting but couldn't bottom the pitches. Meanwhile Alice and I surveyed 'Golden Goose' to finish centreline(station 901) and we then resurveyed down to Sarah's pitch (Survey name 'Goose box') because Frank and Nadia's data for this had disappeared... unlike their survey stations which we largely reused.The survey is now nearly to the pushing front. We looked at 2018-20B and it ends. The ready replaced, new red rope on Gromit is already worryingly not good after so few trips

    @@ -1300,7 +1300,7 @@ Ends at an aven QMX about 20m beyond last survey station after m'10m of tight ri


    2023-07-16
    -
    Joel,,
    +
    Joel,
    Tempest - The Tempest Diaries
    Having arrived at top camp we decided to go and poke the hole we had found at the end of the day on the 12th. Given the workinjg title of tomb of christ by Tom due to its situation under a large metal cross. It was agreed that if the cave went it would be renamed Tempest in honour of Lizzie's favourite primary school performance: The Tempest: The musical. Emily had begun bolting a traverse in before we were scared off by weather. So I connected this to a Y hang which dropped - 20m onto a snowy slope with passage leading both left and right. Tom dropped in and started bolting a rebelay while I dig through the snow to look at the more promising RH lead - this turned out to be a [?] slope - 45 degrees which confirmed for 15m. Sadly the drill fucked up before Tom could finish the bolt and with more weather approaching we turnedaround, vowing to return.
    T/U: 2.0 hours
    @@ -1309,7 +1309,7 @@ Having arrived at top camp we decided to go and poke the hole we had found at th
    2023-07-17
    -
    Jono Lester,,
    +
    Jono Lester,
    basecamp - I Drank Beer


    Today was a good day, i nerded and drank beer. Why should i cave anymore? Maybe i am a armchair caver after all.
    T/U: 8.0 hours
    @@ -1318,7 +1318,7 @@ Having arrived at top camp we decided to go and poke the hole we had found at th
    2023-07-17
    -
    Ashley Gregg,Oakem Kyne,,Emma Caspers,
    +
    Ashley Gregg,Oakem Kyne,Emma Caspers,
    Fishface – Kresh connection confusion


    Joel had discovered an exciting new cave, unfortunately this left us with rope and a lead down in the Fish face – happy butterfly connection which no-one was going to. I was naively convinced to go and @@ -1338,7 +1338,7 @@ worthwhile on an otherwise pointless trip.
    2023-07-17
    -
    Harry Kettle,,
    +
    Harry Kettle,
    Homecoming - Pushing Watershed

    @@ -1430,7 +1430,7 @@ Despite ~300m of passage being surveyed minimal progress was made in getting clo
    2023-07-17
    -
    Joel,,Lizzie,, Tom
    +
    Joel,Lizzie, Thom
    Tempest - The Tempest Diaries
    Rearing to go and with many promising leads to explore we raced down to Tempest to continue the work we finished. Tom's bolt which means the scree slope was marginally safer to descend. I continued down to a choke above a short pitch with a ledge to LH whilst Lizzie and Tom surveyed from the entrance. Some serious gardening was required which occupied me until the other two arrived. Thyen we bolted a traverse into the short pitch and entered the chamber now known as Narnia. Due to the impressive frozen waterfalls and other ice formations we surveyed into this chambers noting again exciting leads to both left and right of the pitch base, then headed back to the surface.
    T/U: 5.0 hours
    @@ -1439,7 +1439,7 @@ Rearing to go and with many promising leads to explore we raced down to Tempest
    2023-07-18
    -
    Ashley Gregg,Merryn Matthews,,Zac Woodford,
    +
    Ashley Gregg,Merryn Matthews,Zac Woodford,
    Tempest – Touch of Death


    Excited to go and see (and kill) this new cave, two groups set off to push the two ‘A’ leads at the extent of Tempest. Arriving at the cave we prepared the bags and realised we’d forgotten a hammer, so @@ -1465,7 +1465,7 @@ which we’d left lying around. Once out we packed up and headed back to Top Cam
    2023-07-18
    -
    Amelia Oliver,,
    +
    Amelia Oliver,
    Expo - UK Caving Blog post 11
    Blog Author: Mealy
    Written as we (Mealy, Jonty, Emily) made slow progress through endless traffic in Germany on our route back to the UK. Finished at home with working internet.
    @@ -1523,7 +1523,7 @@ tldr: Camp: Effort does not equal success.

    2023-07-18
    -
    Joel,,
    +
    Joel,
    Tempest - The Tempest Diaries
    The hype was growing and not one but two groups went to push (or kill in Ashs case) this cave. Congregating at the base of the Narnia Pitch after I had added a rebelay on the entrance pitch. Ash and Zac set off to survey the LH passage and scoped an impressive 100m before reaching a choke - fartichoke was born. A lovely horizontal and almost straight passage with Sandy floor and looping avens in ceiling. Meanwhile, the remainder set off to continue down Narnia bolting another 15m pitch with much faff and surveying up to the top of Tomb Reider. At the bottom which Tom reached first we were dismayed to find a cessation of human sized cave. Tom had landed on a choke with small holes to L and R but nothing easily accessible. Upon seeing this Lizzie turned around and left in disgust but driven mad with disappointment me and Tom began hacking frantically at the boulders either side. Suddenly with a cry of joy, I hearled aside a mighty boulder to find a nearly Joel sized hole in the floor with an excellent echo. After much experimental squeezing we found that feet first sans SRT kit worked best, and I had a quick look to see a large and impressive rift below. We had left Lizzie waiting long enough so turned around and retired to the surface. Planning to bring some heavy demolitions kit the next day.
    T/U: 6.0 hours
    @@ -1532,7 +1532,7 @@ The hype was growing and not one but two groups went to push (or kill in Ashs ca
    2023-07-19
    -
    James Waite,Jono Lester,,
    +
    James Waite,Jono Lester,
    Homecoming - pushing beyond death sump and the heifer
    jono and i had spotted an A lead bolt climb off the edge of propane nightmares over the death sump. armed with bolts and mikes drill we set off from garlic cave and after much faff we finally enteretd into homecoming. we got our kit into two bags of very heavy nature and set off down the cave. the entrance pitches went easily and eventually we got to the traverse . this was a interesting with large blokes and large bags stuck in the rift. after a large amount of swearing we got down to wallace. this went easily, and we got onto grommit. this was rather "fun" as the rope was looking interesting, and you had to go very slowly to avoid sizzling. at the bottom of grommit we gathered some bolts and hangers from the bag down there and set off into propane nightmares.

    @@ -1549,7 +1549,7 @@ we regrouped at the base of the heifer after adding a bolt to make the pitch hea
    2023-07-19
    -
    Ashley Gregg,Will Kay,,Zac Woodford,
    +
    Ashley Gregg,Will Kay,Zac Woodford,
    2023-ASH-15, 2023-ASH-16 - Prospecting – dropping Boring Hole and Dead on Arrival


    Took Zac to bolt a cave he had previously found not too far of the path to Fishface. Slight delay as we’d forgotten something important (bolts maybe?), which Will went back to get. @@ -1565,7 +1565,7 @@ rift the were no continuations. Will named it Dead on Arrival (2023-ASH-15). Sur
    2023-07-19
    -
    Ashley Gregg,Will Kay,,
    +
    Ashley Gregg,Will Kay,
    Plateau - Surveying Little Tent and Gollum Grotto


    Deciding we weren’t done for the day yet an afternoon evening trip was decided upon to survey some of the caves Evelyn and I had found a few days ago. Will and I gathered the necessary gear and set off @@ -1585,7 +1585,7 @@ off on the edges of the plateau. Plus curry for dinner.
    2023-07-19
    -
    Joel,Lizzie,,Ely,Merryn,, Tom
    +
    Joel,Lizzie,Ely,Merryn, Thom
    Tempest - The Tempest Diaries
    On what would really turn out to be our last day in Tempest, two groups went down once more - an intense pushing group and some tourists, me, Lizzie, and Ely attempted to bash a bigger hole to get into the rift at the bottom of Tomb Raider, achieving virtually nothing after an hour of work and deciding once again to drop in without SRT kits, we were joined by Merryn and the skeleton team squeezed in to survey the rift. This sadly crapped out ion chokes at both ends of the rift and along a continuation to the right, but we surveyed and got some good photos before returning out the hole to discover mildly hypothermic Tom waiting for us in his gimp poncho like some frozen wizard. Concluding that despite our best efforts the cave was going nowhere. We de-rigged the cave in stages and left all the rope at fishface. Defeated but content, we retreated to Top Camp. @@ -1596,7 +1596,7 @@ On what would really turn out to be our last day in Tempest, two groups went dow
    2023-07-19
    -
    Nadia,Kai,,Flo,Max,
    +
    Nadia,Kai,Flo,Max,
    surface - Prospecting near Fishface
    We found a cave with 2 entries that linked together in several places. We dropped the first one and it didn't go anywhere so we dropped the second pitch which had loads of ice features which some of which had to be destroyed to stop them squishing people. The second part of the cave sent straight down then opened up slightly with a low flat chamber.
    T/U: 2.0 hours
    @@ -1605,7 +1605,7 @@ We found a cave with 2 entries that linked together in several places. We droppe
    2023-07-19
    -
    Becka,,Sarah,
    +
    Becka,Sarah,
    2023-BL-05 - Prospecting W of Garlic cave
    See Becka's track log for route and 2023-BL-05 to 09 for 5 logged caves. Adam descended three of them on naturals but sadly they all ended immediately, as did the two horizontal areas that we logged, we also failed to circumnavigate the Flares wilks kogel which made me both sad and cross. I checked out Paul Walko's lidan hole in the bunde which turned out to be a grassy bowl with no hole whatsoever.
    T/U: 0.0 hours
    @@ -1614,7 +1614,7 @@ See Becka's track log for route and 2023-BL-05 to 09 for 5 logged caves. Adam de
    2023-07-20
    -
    Jono Lester,,
    +
    Jono Lester,
    basecamp - I Drank More Beer


    Today was a diffrent day. I walked down the Plat and was supose to enter all my 3D data and Nerd but i drank more beer instead.
    T/U: 5.0 hours
    @@ -1623,7 +1623,7 @@ See Becka's track log for route and 2023-BL-05 to 09 for 5 logged caves. Adam de
    2023-07-20
    -
    Ashley Gregg,Thomas Phillips,,
    +
    Ashley Gregg,Thomas Phillips,
    Plateau - Surveying Top Camp Band and Bat versus Rat


    Decided to go and survey/kill a couple more caves before heading down off the plateau for the year. Aware that I would have a lot of data to sort out and vague plans to go canyoning Friday before the @@ -1641,7 +1641,7 @@ entrance. Good opportunity for Tom to have more practice on book (paperless).
    2023-07-20
    -
    Bier Tent,,
    +
    Bier Tent,
    Homecoming - I’m very happy that Homecoming is being revisited
    [Author has to be an on-expo member, but "Samouse1" (whoever that is) is not on expo this year. So the author is given as the Bier Tent to prevent annoying reminder messages.] @@ -1657,7 +1657,7 @@ Either way, glad to see it being pushed towards the rest of the system!

    2023-07-20
    -
    Sarah,,Becka,
    +
    Sarah,Becka,
    Homecoming - Goosebox -> Lassitude Chambers
    Managed to get underground before noon (!) at about 11:40am, Becka had gone via fishface to pick up her caving kit and some drill batteries. We got to the bottom of Grom,it without incidence and sorted through the drill and drill accessories that had been stashed there. They were in a holey tackle bag with no dry bag so drill was extremely dirty. We repurposed Adams sainsbury's bag to Hobnob hallway, dead flies to the pushing front. We dropped to a large ledge near where I had run out of bolts on a previous trip. I drilled up whilst Becka and Adam layered up. I descended to my previous single bolt rebelay and turned into a Y hand. I abseiled around 1 further sm and put in another rebelay. Here, the initial rift meets a perpendicular canyon with a small waterfall coming in from the side. I descended another 10m and peeked around the corner finally spotting the bottom of the pitch with my spot. I rigged a final rebelay and reached the bottom.

    @@ -1671,7 +1671,7 @@ Becka and I tweaked the rigging on the way out, then we headed out of the cave.


    2023-07-22
    -
    BT,,
    +
    BT,
    travel - Pension talk
    After a long drive across Europe consisting of pension, traffic, H52 and car talk we turned up to base camp overrun by all the kresh and their friends prepping for an [?] to Slovenia
    T/U: 0.0 hours
    @@ -1680,7 +1680,7 @@ After a long drive across Europe consisting of pension, traffic, H52 and car tal
    2023-07-23
    -
    Bier Tent,,
    +
    Bier Tent,
    basecamp - Nothing happened today at all


    Nowt, apparently. Again. On a Sunday, again.
    T/U: 0.0 hours
    @@ -1689,7 +1689,7 @@ After a long drive across Europe consisting of pension, traffic, H52 and car tal
    2023-07-23
    -
    Adam Baldock,Kai,,
    +
    Adam Baldock,Kai,
    plateau - Mendip Man & Silver Moth
    We set off to the fishface gear strone on a fine sunny day. I was promised some proper mendip esc horizpntal passages, exactly what I came to expo for. Kai showed me into mendip man, past the dollop of snow on the rather impressive entrance and set off down boulder and rock rubble, [?] crawling passage. @@ -1721,7 +1721,7 @@ With a great draft draft out of the hole we planned to return with a handline an
    2023-07-23
    -
    Emily,Lizzy,Merryn,,Joel,, Tom
    +
    Emily,Lizzy,Merryn,Joel, Thom
    Plateau - Prospecting near Fishface
    After consulting the weather forecast in the morning and seeing 50mnm of rain forecast from 8pm onward we decided the best use of our day would be to prospect. Our first port of call was a previously scoped hole of the path between Fishcace and Homecoming. With no photo and only a rough location we looked in a few holes climbing to the bottom of a couple that looked possible but to no avail. After marking the holes we decided to continue in a vaguely North direction following a passage in homecoming below us. After some impressive Bundah walking we found another prospect in which Joel eagerly descended only to find it also choked out - it was therefore nicknamed Joel's disappointment , which later changed to sunglasses disappointment after he figured out he lost his sunglasses somewhere into the hole.

    @@ -1734,7 +1734,7 @@ Yet another Bundah battle later we emerged to 2 rucksacks on the plateau and rea


    2023-07-23
    -
    Botcherby,,Rob Watson,
    +
    Botcherby,Rob Watson,
    Fishface - 4th pitch derig
    After storming up to Top Camp, we decided to make use of the rest of the day by de-rigging the 4th pitch in FishFace. I enjoyed learning the route to FF and the progression of alpine flowers. We arrived around 1700 only to discover that Rob's drill was not in the alcove. After having a meltdown and shouting at no one in particular, Rob decided to run back to Top Camp to get a drill whilst I chilled out in the sun. We actually got down around 1800, quickly smashing down to the offending pitch around 1900. While Rob got the drill set up I went down to identify which rope was the new one (Nadia had previously started the re-rig) and show Rob where to head for at the bottom. After faffing about changing ropes, I got down to the bottom, then up the handline to the new bottom of the pitch. As it would take some time, I decided to explore a bit. I ran down a few pitches which was easy due to [?]. Went wrong once when I popped through a little hole to a crumbling slope above a big drop. After a while, I thought maybe I should return, but maybe just one more pitch... This was the massive TK Max. At the bottom it was really time to return (2015) so I quickly stepped it back, returning to a (slightly worried) Rob at 2100ish. He'd been done for 40 minutes and had had the time to de-rig most of the old rope. To my disappointment he'd opted not to pass the rope through the little window. We got back to camp at around 2230 where the other were a bit suprised by our lateness. Ate a massive bowl of tortelloni. Thru bolts used: 5 @@ -1746,7 +1746,7 @@ Thru bolts used: 5
    2023-07-24
    -
    Joe Stell,Kai Trusson,,
    +
    Joe Stell,Kai Trusson,
    Fishface - Tourist Trip to Pisspot


    Tourist trip down Fishface to Pisspot. Already more SRT than Joe has done in his entire lifetime combined, hopefully not holding up Kai too much.

    Turned around and headed back out after 2 hours or so as felt we had done enough SRT practice @@ -1756,7 +1756,7 @@ Thru bolts used: 5
    2023-07-24
    -
    Joe Stell,Kai Trusson,,
    +
    Joe Stell,Kai Trusson,
    Surface - surveying/prospecting small leads found yesterday by Luke, Becca and Max


    Becka checked with Joe Stell and Kai Trusson to clarify this write-up. It does describe Mendip Man albeit confusingly. The paragraph starting "upon leaving" is the main, left route after the entrance. The initial write-up refers the shorter, right route. This was surveyed on this trip but there was a problem with the data collected and so the data wasn't added to the database. It also isn't clear where the GPS location referred to below was taken.

    @@ -1770,7 +1770,7 @@ Thru bolts used: 5
    2023-07-24
    -
    Rob W,,Nadia,
    +
    Rob W,Nadia,
    Homecoming - Rigging fixing
    Various reports/complaints had made it clear that the rigging in homecoming left a lot to be desired so since the forecast for the afternoon precluded the possibility of derigging Big Bastard or making moves to push Clap My Pitch Up Nadia and I derived to go and fix this. The walk between this cave from FF is one of the most irritating pieces of plateau bashing I have ever had to do. Lots of snaking up and down rugged terrain, through large patches of bunde and dwarf willow, with little idea how close you are to your destination. So SA to a good start. Eventually arrived and kitted up. Headed down the first couple of pitches with banks of snow before arriving at the pitches after the crawl. I installed a new bolt at the pitch head just after the crawl to make a traverse line. Then installed another rebelay near the bottom of this to reduce rub. @@ -1787,7 +1787,7 @@ We turned around at ~20:30. On the way out I noticed that Radagast, forced along
    2023-07-24
    -
    Luke,Botch,Becka,,
    +
    Luke,Botch,Becka,
    surface - Wombling around tidying up the mess
    After Becka was finally ready we set off to FF, underground before 11am. Got to camp in 1hr making note of all the equipment abandoned in the cave. 2x ropes, 1xbrew kit, 2x tackle bags. Went to de-rig morning the moths it was dry, no water insight, con-try to previous explorers reports. Both derigged removing the nuts (take note for returning explorers no nuts. After much discussion we decided to go to coconut shy to rejig our memory on the way and jokingly sent Botch down a rat hole, Unfortunately it went and he disappeared for too long and I realised I would have to regrettably follow him to survey it. We started to survey as the passage got progressively smaller and muddier before a final letter box which shot you out into a rift. Well Botch and Becka surveyed. I desperately looked for a way to get back to known passage without going back through the letter box, I succeeded by climbing up through the rift but would need bolting if people return. Went back to see that Botch and Becka had survey to a point that would need rope. I sent them back through the letter box (gerbialhole.sux) and did the dodgy climb one more time. Little scuttle around coconut shy. Then it was time to go home. Fettled the cave link, went out of the cage removing excess and dirty rope above ground before sunset.
    T/U: 10.0 hours
    @@ -1796,7 +1796,7 @@ After Becka was finally ready we set off to FF, underground before 11am. Got to
    2023-07-27
    -
    Joe Stell,Frank Tully,,
    +
    Joe Stell,Frank Tully,
    Surface - Check your bits




    Hearing of an exciting new lead, "Mahlstromhöhle", from Frank, Max and Flo, Frank and I embarked on a walk westward out of Fishface gear dump. Upon finding the entrance (which took considerably longer than anticipated) we quickly started kitting up, only to find an absence of any drill bits in the drill bag, contrary to what Frank believed to be the case. Frank then left for fishface gear dump in search of drill bits, whilst I waited patiently, in kit. @@ -1808,7 +1808,7 @@ After Becka was finally ready we set off to FF, underground before 11am. Got to
    2023-07-27
    -
    Becka,Luke,,
    +
    Becka,Luke,
    Fishface - Rerig clap my pitch up + 4[??] pitch
    Down Elizabeth line +rigged the red [light?] for danger traverese, 2 short pitches + then luke rigged clap my pitch up. We exited + luke rebolted the 4th pitch further back giving a hang that avoided the traverese + the awkward rebelay that had previously been tried - this is the 4th + hopefullly the final iteration of the 4th pitch this expo. @@ -1818,7 +1818,7 @@ We exited + luke rebolted the 4th pitch further back giving a hang that avoided
    2023-07-27
    -
    Botch,,Nadia,
    +
    Botch,Nadia,
    Fishface - Rigging and Gerbil Hole ATtempt
    After a freezing night in the cloud at top camp, the prospect of an underground camp wasn't seeming too bad. We got going slowly due to the chill, then walked over to fishface. The camping team was myself, Nadia, Rob and Kai plus a non-camping team of Luke and Becka. We were last so spent some time re-rigging the 4th pitch - removing the footless traverse in favour of two rebelays. I was a bit concerned it'd be too tight but we didn't want to put any bolts in so left it at that. We got to underground camp and had some noodles - no utensils so we ate with a pencil. We then went to bolt down the rift that Luke freeclimbed to the lead in the rift at the end of Gerbil hole. Rigging took a while due to the confusiong nature of the rift and shit rock. We'd used our two ropes to get to the lead so just surveyed out to complete a loop. By the time we got back to camp it was 2100 so we just madesoopy smash curry and ate it with spanners.

    @@ -1829,7 +1829,7 @@ After a freezing night in the cloud at top camp, the prospect of an underground


    2023-07-27
    -
    Rob,Nadia,,Botch,Becka,
    +
    Rob,Nadia,Botch,Becka,
    Fishface - Camping without utensils
    Did a bit of packing the night before but it was too chilly to want to really to the past. So that had to be done on the following morning, when it was equally cold. Which made us all a bit grumpy. Plan for day 1was for Kai and i to visit the European Federalists area to see if we could work out what was going on there while Like was also there rigging CMPU. After an uneventful commute we arrived at the traverse above red light. This was very much the return of Balcony's Arse. Disgusting sticky mud everywhere and they had used the 8.5mm rope to rig it. Thus making the rope really nasty. One part of the traverse was pretty strenuous and muddy, no one needed that. I feel bad for whoever had to wait while it got bolted. Anyway, got to the end and it was a total minger. Super chossy pitch combined with a mud festival. No thanks. Got a voice connection with Becka at the top of CMPU but couldn't see her light. Decided to fuck off as it was almost certainly just the top of Apis Medicus. Left it rigged for now. A visual connection can be made later. Then we headed back along the traverse to the head of CMPU to try and traverse across the 'free arse' that Luke and I had spotted the year previously. It quickly became apparent that traversing at the level of the 'free arse' would be very difficult, so I decided instead to traverse above and then drop in from the top. Some very muddy and naughty traversing ensured with a handy dose of choss. But a short while later and I was bolting at a rather nice phreatic passage with two junctions visible immediately. Very promising! @@ -1843,7 +1843,7 @@ Next day we struggled to find motivation to leave sleeping bags but eventuallu m
    2023-07-28
    -
    Joe Stell,Frank Tully,,
    +
    Joe Stell,Frank Tully,
    Maelstrom - Finally Underground




    After the brilliant success of yesterday's failed pushing trip, Frank and I returned to Mahlstromhöhle to actually go underground and push. After the entrance pitch, there is a small hole in the floor, from which several small-ish pitches follow. @@ -1855,7 +1855,7 @@ Next day we struggled to find motivation to leave sleeping bags but eventuallu m
    2023-07-28
    -
    Lea,Luke,,
    +
    Lea,Luke,
    Fishface - Fishface - perseid shower to flaque vente
    Descended to camp near perseid showers. Left some of our gear there and continued down Perseid showers. @@ -1873,7 +1873,7 @@ What an amazing feeling to be at the bottom of fishface! WOW!
    2023-07-28
    -
    Becka,Adam A,Ben,,Adam E,
    +
    Becka,Adam A,Ben,Adam E,
    Fishface - Claw_crane off coconut shy
    steady abseil down the entrance series. Ben + Adam EJ decided to head out from there so we had a quick tourist up Elizabeth line then they headed out. @@ -1891,7 +1891,7 @@ For some reason Adam dawdled at camp + ended up exiting last + was late back to
    2023-07-28
    -
    Nadia,Botch,,Kai,
    +
    Nadia,Botch,Kai,
    Fishface - Theopillus Goon, above CMPU
    After Rob and Kai travered over the top of CMPU the day before, finding a phrease window, Botch, Kai and I got to reap the Horizontal rewards. Starting at the window we took the small phreatic tube on the left of the window. @@ -1924,7 +1924,7 @@ Also there is another small rift on the left earlier on in the passage that I co
    2023-07-29
    -
    Joe Stell,Nadia Raeburn,,Frank Tully,
    +
    Joe Stell,Nadia Raeburn,Frank Tully,
    Maelstrom - "Undersold"




    Hearing of our great success with this shallow lead, Nadia, having returned from a fishface camping trip the day before, decided she would join us for a nice easy surface trip. @@ -1939,7 +1939,7 @@ Also there is another small rift on the left earlier on in the passage that I co
    2023-07-29
    -
    Kai,Becka,,Luke,
    +
    Kai,Becka,Luke,
    Mendip man - Mendip man - Surveying trip
    We headed out early ish and headed down to fish face gear store to find becka almost ready complaining about the quality of Distos lasers in the [day?] even tho she didn't [not?] to bring hers. After some above ground ffaffing we headed to the entrance where Becka rigorously ran through propa[sic] surveying techniques with me. @@ -1957,7 +1957,7 @@ Luke then showed me a hole he found that drafts
    2023-07-29
    -
    Botch,,Rob,
    +
    Botch,Rob,
    surface - Garlic Cave area prospecting
    We were both tired from 2 days in FIsh Face so went to prospect around Garlic Cave. We took a couple of blue barrels over for GC storage. We stopped via Homecoming to have a look and took some extra stuff to take down the hill. We dallied a bit looking at plants and arthropods and also got a bit lost. Once at GC we relocated the Jape Drum and removed the soup inside then had bread and cheese while looking at the view. We had limited time to prospect so set off quickly. At first we found little but then by levitating over some bunda we located a couple of decent prospects - one hole under a green alder (needs capping due to boulders) and another large slope to a small square hole with a 10m drop below in big area of bunda, no movement. We then headed back and got very lost on the 'well cairned' route back. On the way we located a very good lead, drafting with a snow plug and a massive train tunnel near the path that has leads in the back that could have been blocked by a snow plug before. We were very late to meet our lift back, but so were they. Back down for a swim in the lake with lightning.
    T/U: 0.0 hours
    @@ -1966,7 +1966,7 @@ We were both tired from 2 days in FIsh Face so went to prospect around Garlic Ca
    2023-07-30
    -
    Bier Tent,,
    +
    Bier Tent,
    basecamp - Nothing happened today at all


    Nowt, apparently. Again. On a Sunday, again.
    T/U: 0.0 hours
    @@ -1975,7 +1975,7 @@ We were both tired from 2 days in FIsh Face so went to prospect around Garlic Ca
    2023-07-30
    -
    Sarah Parker,,
    +
    Sarah Parker,
    Homecoming - UK Caving Blog post 14
    Blog Author: Sarah P
    Pushing Hobnob hallway in Heimkehrhoehle
    @@ -2003,7 +2003,7 @@ Also, it is now our closest cave passage to the neighbouring Schönberg system (
    2023-07-30
    -
    Rob,Becka,Botch,Lea,,Luke,
    +
    Rob,Becka,Botch,Lea,Luke,
    Fishface - Pushing The bottom of fish Face - camp #2 - part 1
    Headed underground at~10pm on 30/07, arrived at camp around half 11. Good nigts sleep, unike the following night. @@ -2037,7 +2037,7 @@ thru bolts used 16
    2023-07-30
    -
    Rob,,Botch,Becka,Luke,Lea,
    +
    Rob,Botch,Becka,Luke,Lea,
    Fishface - Pushing the bottom of Fishface Camp#2
    Headed underground at ~10pm on 30/07, arrived at camp around half 11. Good nights sleep, unlike the following night. Packed rope, bolts etc before facilitating a quick start. Fixed up the rigging on Apis Mediary on the way down, arrived at the first pitch which was left in the canyon by myself, Nathan and Max last year. Much wetter than last time so decided we needed an additional rebelay bolt way out to the left. Next drop rigged then we were into new territory. Scuttled along the top of the traverse after trying to force a lower route & deciding it was too shit. Reached a big pitch, decided the scuttle needed to have rope so began bolting along while Luke and Lea surveyed, Luke returning to the hang to get additional rope in the meantime . Dropped down the pitch towards a ledge, swung out to avoid the sprat of the pitch with a skyhook. PING! It was off, I swung across the shaft, stopping myself from hitting the wall with my hand which was unusable for the rest of the trip.

    @@ -2050,7 +2050,7 @@ Called it Dentelle de Caca after Lea said that the flaky calcite precipitates on


    2023-07-31
    -
    Joe Stell,Ruairidh MacLeod,,
    +
    Joe Stell,Ruairidh MacLeod,
    Surface - Prospecting alternative entrances for Maelstrom


    After a leisurely (not quite for Ruairidh, carrying far too much) walk up to topcamp with Frank and Nadia following a leisurely morning start from me, Ruairidh and I decided that we could attempt to find an easier, quicker entrance to Maelstrom by following the rift from the surface whilst the other two and Sam were actually in the cave derigging. First we found a large basin, containing what appeared to be a large cave entrance, but upon further inspection, choked out towards the back of the cave. Ruairidh did find a nice complete Gaemse skull though, which he seemed quite happy about. Another potential entrance found further along the rift with a steady flow of water disappearing into the ground which could explain some of the bigger drippy pitches after the lovely squeeze. The rift splits into two further on, with some promising, but inaccessible, looking gorges on the right fork as you follow it. The left seemed less promising from memory but this area is definitely worth another look with bolting kit to make sure. Realising we'd actually got quite close to the col, we decided to simply hike towards the slabs and rejoin the carpark-topcamp path and head back.
    T/U: 0.0 hours
    @@ -2059,7 +2059,7 @@ Called it Dentelle de Caca after Lea said that the flaky calcite precipitates on
    2023-07-31
    -
    Ben Chaddock,Adam E,,Charlie Crossley,
    +
    Ben Chaddock,Adam E,Charlie Crossley,
    Fishface - Cocoa Channel Bolting Mission
    [Adam E = Adam Erskine-Jones]

    On the morning of my first pushing trip deep within Fishgesicht (5 minutes from camp) the nervous energy carried me up and away through the bountiful faff. After triple checking that we had all the equipment for bolting and surveying a rift that apparently continued but was too sketchy without a traverse line, Charlie, Adam EJ and I traipsed across the plateau for even more faff outside the entrance. After a prompt descent we met the camping team who showed us the way to silverback scoop including a stop at the tap and going down a wrong branch. Squeezing through a pitch head to descend 7m into a dusty tight canyon with a tackle sack full of heavy gear, I did wonder what I was doing, but once the drill was out that fell away completely. @@ -2073,7 +2073,7 @@ Called it Dentelle de Caca after Lea said that the flaky calcite precipitates on
    2023-07-31
    -
    Botch,Becka,,
    +
    Botch,Becka,
    Fishface - Fuck Keanu - U/G camp Day 1
    After getting underground late the light befroe we got going relatively promptly at 0830. We were supposed to check Keanu Breezze, a wet lead that was supposed to be decent. @@ -2098,7 +2098,7 @@ We got back to camp around 2030 and made dinner with a very wet Rob springint in
    2023-07-31
    -
    Adam Baldock,,Kai,
    +
    Adam Baldock,Kai,
    Mendip Man - and Silver Moth
    We set off to the Fishface gear store on a fine sunny day. I was Promised some proper Mendipesque horizontal passage, exactly what i came to Expo for. Kai showed me into Mendip Man, past the dollop of snow in the rather impressive entrance and set off down boulder and rubble floored crawling passage. At a junction we started to survey a descent lead to the right. I was on disto and Kai on book. The passage was low and surveying was pretty tight. We surveyed on and the passage gently descended with a few turns and low squeezes and a junction halfway on the right. The roof lowers and craps out after about [no number given] metres. The ceiling is decorated with cloud and plume like lumps of calcite. After the passage crapped out we pushed back and surveyed along to the right. This just led us round in a loop to earlier in the entrance series. Before going left at the first junction I attempted to dig out a slope while Kai went for a piss. The dig was fruitless and we proceeded on through a rather rude and grumpy bit of low passage with a sea of rude routes on the floo and pushed into a standing height chamber with boulders in the center. There were two leads here. The first was a small crawling passage, not quite flat out, which ended quickly, and was filled with bat poo and fungus growing up on it. The other lead was after a climb up through a squeeze. After the squeeze a 4m rift appeared, human sized in width! It seemed to descend to floor level and we didnt descend it. It is still a open lead but definitely a D lead, and probably goes back to floor level. We surveyed to the rift and called it a day on Mendip man. Without a good dig it doesn't appear to be going.

    @@ -2109,7 +2109,7 @@ Before heading back to camp we checked out a hole which Luke had found which nee


    2023-08-01
    -
    Joe Stell,Nathan Walker,Adam Aldridge,,Manfred Wuits,
    +
    Joe Stell,Nathan Walker,Adam Aldridge,Manfred Wuits,
    Surface - Hike to Garlic


    Woke up to see a sub-optimal forecast. Somehow I was convinced that hiking to Garlic Cave Camp was of course the best course of action to take, so we set off. It was actually dry for the first third or so to fishface gear dump to collect our caving gear, but this did not last.
    @@ -2121,7 +2121,7 @@ The path is a little treacherous in the wet, so it was a little slow going and s
    2023-08-01
    -
    Lea,Botch,,
    +
    Lea,Botch,
    Fishface - Bavarian Gentian
    Descended big pitch pitch rigged by Both and started surveying the chamber. It was a wet day and we heard the water at the back of the pitch start flowing with more energy. We surveyed a rift at water level. Didn't finish surveying it and lleft it as a QM. We surveyed the rift at the back of the chamber which led bback to coconut chamber? @@ -2136,7 +2136,7 @@ Very nice caving day. Went back to top camp after 2 nights in underground camp.
    2023-08-01
    -
    Becka,Luke,,Rob,
    +
    Becka,Luke,Rob,
    Fishface - Pushing the bottom of FishFace - camp #2 - part 2
    After a slowish start we surveyed [?] Delicate steve Rob's traverese into a phreatic window opposite the [clap?] my pich up pitch [ahead?], reapeating the Rob and Kai survey that had been deemed inadequate. @@ -2151,7 +2151,7 @@ I got all the rope back to camp + sorted it to prusik out (beasing bags) + some
    2023-08-02
    -
    Joe Stell,Manfred Wuits,Nathan Walker,,Adam Aldridge,
    +
    Joe Stell,Manfred Wuits,Nathan Walker,Adam Aldridge,
    Buzzard - dropping Buzzard Hole on the northerly Kleiner Wildkogel ridge


    After our lovely sleep, we woke up to dry weather, and set off to the top of the ridge above Garlic. Carrying the thick, wet 90m up the mountain was not conducive to good balance so I did fall over in the bunde and struggle to get back up. We reached Buzzard, Adam rigged it, first to the bunde, then hand bolting whilst we waited patiently. The improvement in weather did give a lovely backdrop of the Braeuningzinken for photos. Nathan went down next, followed by Manfred whilst I stayed outside enjoying the view. Upon Adam's return, I swiftly fell asleep, and awoke to find Nathan and Manfred had finished their survey and were finalising some sketches. Adam spotted some interesting holes beneath us on the plateau, so wet set off to prospect (see next entry).
    T/U: 3.0 hours
    @@ -2160,7 +2160,7 @@ I got all the rope back to camp + sorted it to prusik out (beasing bags) + some
    2023-08-02
    -
    Joe Stell,Nathan Walker,Adam Aldridge,,Manfred Wuits,
    +
    Joe Stell,Nathan Walker,Adam Aldridge,Manfred Wuits,
    Surface - Prospecting east and south of Kleiner Wildkogel


    After dropping Buzzard, the fours of us decided to drop down the north face of the ridge, heading east at first, then split to form two prospecting groups, Adam and I heading further east to wrap around to the south face of the ridge, and Nathan and Manfred following the north face westwards to @@ -2180,7 +2180,7 @@ that seem to follow a rift along the base of Wildkogel, then back to Garlic camp
    2023-08-02
    -
    Hannah Collings,Nadia Raeburn,,
    +
    Hannah Collings,Nadia Raeburn,
    Fishface Camp - Pushing Theophilus Goon


    Tuesday was another wet day so a day of top camp fettling was had whilst plans were made for a fish face camp the following day. We had a (fairly) efficient morning, departing top camp shortly after 10 having received a debrief from the previous camp group, who had returned in the early hours, on the state of the latest leads. @@ -2201,7 +2201,7 @@ that seem to follow a rift along the base of Wildkogel, then back to Garlic camp
    2023-08-02
    -
    Becka,Luke,Adam E,,Lea,
    +
    Becka,Luke,Adam E,Lea,
    Plateau - Prospecting around FishFace
    A mellow, pleasant wander in the sunshine, we found + sechecked 2019-CUCC-RH-01 (GPS 47.69156 13.81210 alt 1659) - this was (still) a p4 to a ramp fown to a choke. We then [found?] 2023-BL-10 Lea + Adam EK dropped a p5 to a 5*5m loose chamber with a crwal to the N to a 2*4m chamber 4m high with no way on. @@ -2213,7 +2213,7 @@ Luke then [...] a more direct, better route to Homecoming as he and I ferried ou
    2023-08-02
    -
    Botch,Rob,,
    +
    Botch,Rob,
    Plateau - Cold Shallow Holes
    prospecting N of FishFace After gettinng out of a 48h camp we were a bit knackered so wanted t do some prospecting. @@ -2236,7 +2236,7 @@ They showed us a promising potential bivvy site too.
    2023-08-03
    -
    Joe Stell,David Botcherby,Becka Lawson,Adam Aldridge,,Nathan Walker,
    +
    Joe Stell,David Botcherby,Becka Lawson,Adam Aldridge,Nathan Walker,
    Garlic - Fettling


    Woke up. 10am. It was rainy :( @@ -2253,7 +2253,7 @@ did also later. I took some photos and made some shoddy diagrams of the tarps. G
    2023-08-03
    -
    Lea,Ben C,Adam E,,Manfred,
    +
    Lea,Ben C,Adam E,Manfred,
    FishFace - Channel number 2 (continuing Cocoa_channel)
    Descended fishface antrance series with tourist trip (adam B, Sam Lee, Kai). Had a snack in the kitchen and went to the end of cocoa_channel. Ben bolted new travers lines, adam EJ was on nail polish duty, manfred had Wookey's disto and I was doing the notes (for the first time). @@ -2270,7 +2270,7 @@ Adam EJ derigged and we came back to top camp.
    2023-08-03
    -
    Nathan,Becka,,Botch,
    +
    Nathan,Becka,Botch,
    Homecoming - Pushing/derigging trip down Homecoming - Goosebox - Sticky trigger
    Having no plans to cave at Garlic camp I set off for homecoming with no plans, a bag full og gear of hope. I met becka as they were descending the entrance and joined their pushing/derigging trip to their evident relief. @@ -2291,7 +2291,7 @@ We surfaced near 10 and I returned to Garlic with becka.
    2023-08-03
    -
    Rob,Chi,,Luke,
    +
    Rob,Chi,Luke,
    Homecoming - Homecoming - second coming shitshow
    Chi had come up to top camp hoping to continue pushing 2nd comng with some people who might help him carry the gear out after, unlike some. So we set off in the drizzle for Homecoming entrance, making use of part of the shortcut to the [?] that we scouted when dropping off our gear at the entrance the day before. @@ -2340,7 +2340,7 @@ thru bolts used: 2
    2023-08-04
    -
    Joe Stell,Hannah Collings,,
    +
    Joe Stell,Hannah Collings,
    Basecamp - Garlic Guide


    Following a swift departure from Garlic in the morning, and an even swifter (and sweaty) hike across the plateau carrying the thick 90m rope with all my other kit, I partially completed the garlic camp guide. Only the badly taken photos and badly drawn diagrams to add. I think I'll redraw the @@ -2353,7 +2353,7 @@ with continued expo attendance in future years, should this be the case.
    2023-08-05
    -
    Philip Sargent,,
    +
    Philip Sargent,
    basecamp - Survey progress
    Blog Author: PhilipSargent @@ -2366,7 +2366,7 @@ The website currently on shows 3,233.2 m 2023-08-06
    -
    Charlie,Ben C,Adam B,Nathan W,,Adam E,
    +
    Charlie,Ben C,Adam B,Nathan W,Adam E,
    Fishface - The Three-Day Bound for The Four-Day Week-End
    -It all begins in the tatty hut, several gossers short of a brewery. "let's go up in the weather window!" charlie had not done enough caving and wanted to camp in FF. "We'll call it the three-day bounce"."then we'll have a four-day weekend!" "We go to find the four day weekend!" - @@ -2420,7 +2420,7 @@ The website currently on shows 3,233.2 m
    2023-08-06
    -
    Nadia Raeburn,,
    +
    Nadia Raeburn,
    Fishface - Underground camp
    Blog Author: Tinywoman
    My first underground camp
    @@ -2450,7 +2450,7 @@ After about 20 legs Rob had finished his rigging and came and collected Botch to
    2023-08-06
    -
    Hannah Collings,Nadia Raeburn,,
    +
    Hannah Collings,Nadia Raeburn,
    Fishface - Camp: Muddy Goons
    Blog Author: h_collings
    Fishface Camp - Muddy Goons
    @@ -2490,7 +2490,7 @@ The pitches back to camp were painful, despite their shortness, due to our mud c
    2023-08-08
    -
    Sam,Becka,Hannah,,Adam A,
    +
    Sam,Becka,Hannah,Adam A,
    Homecoming - Homecoming push Derig - Watershed
    After a big (double noodle) breakfast we packed all three of our through-bolts ... and headed down from garlic to Homecoming. Our mission was simple, push a lead in watershed, then derig Waterershed and the top of the entrace series. Our lack of through-bolts did not deter us.

    @@ -2531,7 +2531,7 @@ NO METALWARE on any derigged ropes


    2023-08-09
    -
    Bier Tent,,
    +
    Bier Tent,
    FishFace - Fish Face Rope Inventory
    rope left at bottom of 4th pitch
    rope lengths are an estimate @@ -2637,7 +2637,7 @@ rope left at bottom of 4th pitch
    2023-08-09
    -
    bier tent,,
    +
    bier tent,
    Garlic Camp - Garlic Camp - Garlic camp inventory at end of expo
    Garlic camp kit packed away in garlic cave on RHS, in corner at front of cave.

    @@ -2704,7 +2704,7 @@ expo suggestion - double sized both container bags 6 no. [?] (current bags don't


    2023-08-10
    -
    Rob Watson,Nadia Raeburn,Kai Trusson,,David Botcherby,
    +
    Rob Watson,Nadia Raeburn,Kai Trusson,David Botcherby,
    fishface - Connecting FF to SMK: a step further
    Blog Author: nobrotson
    Connecting FF to SMK - a step further
    @@ -2746,7 +2746,7 @@ And that was it for my exploration in FF. Lea continued the trend of french name
    2023-08-29
    -
    Joel Stobbart,,
    +
    Joel Stobbart,
    Tempest - The Tempest Diaries
    Blog Author: El Stobbarto
    The Tempest Diaries*