From 41893491e49c9cd2e414f099ff4ecf651007ffb8 Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001
From: dave The entrance to a cave significant enough to get a number and a survey
will eventually be marked by a numbered tag attached to a spit. This
will then become the primary survey station - ie. the point where an
@@ -28,38 +30,53 @@ of the entrance. If you have found a group of caves close together, it
might be better to GPS a central point rather than get quick (but less
accurate) fixes on each entrance. Once you have chosen your point, mark it in some way (could be a spit hole
or a cairn, for example - we aren't supposed to use paint any more) and place
the GPS on the point. If you build a cairn, make it wide rather than high -
tall cairns are knocked down by the depth of snow each winter. Give it a
couple of minutes to get a fairly good fix (the first figure reported may be
-quite a way out, but after a couple of minutes things should settle). Then
-mark the point as a waypoint. If your GPS supports averaging, then choose
-"average" and leave the GPS to do its own averaging for half an hour or more.
-If it doesn't support averaging, then fix another waypoint at the same
-location just before you leave. This shows someone examining the track log
-later that all the track points relate to the same spot, and they can then do
-the averaging themselves.CUCC Expo Surveying Handbook
Locating entrances by GPS
+Which point to fix
+
Taking the fix
+
While the GPS is recording your location, you can do something useful (like rigging the cave, doing a surface survey from the GPS point to the -marker spit, looking for other caves, or even having lunch!) It does not -matter (and may be slightly beneficial) if you leave the GPS longer than half -an hour. But if you want to use it for anything else, remember to stop the -waypoint averaging before moving the unit or changing the display page. Take -a photo of your GPS point showing at least one of your cave entrances too.
+marker spit, looking for other caves, or even having lunch!) Remember to stop +the waypoint averaging before moving the unit or changing the display page. +Take a photo of your GPS point showing at least one of your cave entrances +too. + +It doesn't especially matter what display options are selected when you -are getting the GPS fix, but it is important to use standard ones when -writing down the reported position in the survey book. Currently we use -"German" grid, "Austrian" datum, and "metric" units. All is not lost if you -can't select this particular set, but it is very important that you write -down what was actually used, since different grid systems can give -results up to a couple of kilometres different!
+are getting the GPS fix, but it is important to use standard ones when writing +down the reported position in the survey book. The usual systems are either +Lat/Long with the WGS84 datum, which all GPSses support out of the box; or +the Austrian BMN (Bundesmeldnetz) system, which should be relative to the +Austrian MGI datum (Hermannskogel), which is what we use for our surveys. It +doesn't matter too much what combination of parameters you actually use +as long as you record what they were, since we have conversion programs that +can convert coordinates between the systems; but remember to record which +grid and which datum your GPS was set for when you copy the fix into the +survey file. (Besides the risk of introducing severe errors, it is an +extraordinarily tedious task to have to repeatedly try all the plausible +combinations of grid and datum that a given set of numbers might be in, convert +them all to dataset coordinates and see which ones give answers in vaguely the +right place, which is what someone will have to do if you don't write the +details down.) -If your GPS doesn't support Austrian coordinates out of the box, then you -can set it up as a "User Grid" using some or all of the following cryptic -runes:
+If you want to set up your GPS to use the same coordinates the survey data +set uses, which makes life a lot easier, then these are the runes to use as a +"User Grid" if the unit doesn't support BMN coordinates immediately (which +Garmin ones don't, for example):
| Datum: | Austria MGI (Hermannskogel) |
|---|---|
| Projection: | Transverse Mercator (BMN zone M31) |
| North reference: | Grid |
| Grid parameters: | Central meridian 13°20'E False easting 450km No additional scaling @@ -83,28 +101,46 @@ Scaling -2.5ppm |
(Technical note: the BMN grid is actually the same as Universal Transverse +Mercator zone 31, but setting your GPS for UTM will give rather different +coordinates, as the plateau is actually in zone 33. My understanding of the +situation is that the Austrians have found it more convenient to extend one +grid to cover the whole country, thus deviating from UTM for the areas of the +country which are just over the grid boundary. This is an important gotcha to +watch out for, since while all the other coordinate systems produce answers in +recognisably different formats, UTM 33 coordinates look like dataset +coordinates but are offset by a couple of kilometres. Having your GPS set to +the wrong datum produces even more subtle errors - the difference between BMN +grid + WGS84 datum and BMN grid + Austrian datum is an offset of around 500m to +the south and 50m in altitude.)
+A good way of testing that your GPS is correctly set up is to set it WGS84 Lat/Long and enter a waypoint for a point whose coordinates are known – such as the 204a tag, at 47°41.456'N 013°49.288' – and then change the settings again to use the user grid. It will now convert this point into the new grid; if you check its coordinates, it should come out as -something close to 36697E, 83699N, which are the Gauss + Krugers for 204a.
+something close to 486697E, 5283699N, which are the BMN coordinates for 204a. +For use in the dataset we tend to subtract the 450km offset in the easting and +ignore the first two digits of the northing, giving 36697E 83699N. -Write down the figure that the GPS gives for each waypoint at the time -(just in case some failure loses the data from the GPS memory). That's all -you need to do at the cave. Get the GPS data downloaded to a computer next -time you are in Base Camp (or Top Camp if someone has a laptop :-). This -should be put in a file and a clear reference to it put in the notKH survey -book. Don't alter the file in any way - it may be necessary to upload it to -a GPS unit at some time to do coordinate conversion. Also copy your written -down data to the survey book with all the other details of your cave.
+Write down the figure that the GPS gives for each waypoint at the +time (just in case some failure loses the data from the GPS memory – +this has happened a couple of times in recent years, much to the annoyance of +everybody involved). That's all you need to do at the cave. Get the GPS data +downloaded to a computer next time you are in Base Camp (or Top Camp if someone +has a laptop :-), and as a backup (expo computers break down surprisingly often +it seems) write it down by hand on one of the A5 cave info sheets with all the +other details of your cave and put that in the surveys ringbinder file.
-If you want to read about the nitty gritty of converting GPS coordinates -to the ones used by the Kataster system, you can do no better than read -Wookey's Compass Points Article. -Briefly, this says "it's horribly complicated and we don't really know how to -do it properly". However, the main point of having a GPS fix on an entrance -is so we can find it again and be sure it is the same one!
+If you want to read about the nitty gritty of converting GPS coordinates to +the ones used by the Kataster system, you can do no better than read Wookey's +Compass Points Article. Briefly, this +says "it's horribly complicated and we don't really know how to do it +properly". Things have improved a little since those days, particularly as +without the fog of the SA variation it's now easy to find out whether your GPS +is set up right by just GPSsing a known point and comparing the results. +However, the main point of having a GPS fix on an entrance is so we can find it +again and be sure it is the same one!
","Now, the Austrian's exploration details suggest that the cave was substantially unblocked in 1976 (to -30m in October), while CUCC's find was choked at -10m. Also, the description given of this cave in the local Climbing Guide (Krenmayr) sounds nothing like B5 at all, (he says, already explored in 1921, but today almost forgotten. Need Ice equipment) so the Austrian writing in the caver's magazine who said it was B5 may have been mistaken. Krenmayr gives length 250m, depth 100m.
This description by Karl Gaisberger is from the 1977 Exploration:
After climbing down 8m to where the shaft appeared blocked by snow, progress did not seem likely. I [translator] think ""there was a spiralling way in the snow to a wall of ice columns"". A very steep descent led into a passage with a snow cone. (This was still in the previous year's snow-free climb !). Pushing through a thin snow-wall through which the light glimmered, a direct way was established. Through a hole in the snow in a rubble-filled passage, the way soon branched. Both branches ended blind.
The lower level of the cave, described by O Schauberger, must be found on the opposite side of the snow-cone from the [Schluf?]. One now comes to a chamber complex where a sloping 10m shaft climbs down into the Kristallhalle. The walls here are covered with admittedly large, but superficially weathered calcite somethings (Kalzitdrusen).
From the Kristallhalle, through a narrow bit to a side-something with a pile of rubble, the Tropfsteinhalle. There is a single 60cm high stalagmite here. It shows a corroded appearance, indicating aggressive ground water. Tropfsteinhalle contains, so far, the most beautiful flowstone decorations in the Loser area. These include [plenty dictionary failure here] Sinterfahnen, Boden- und Deckenzapfen, sogar Excentriques.
In the area of the stalagmites, several dead pseudoscorpions (Neobisium aueri) were found. There is some more description of the floor of the chamber (I think), but I can't make head nor tail of it.",,,,,,,,"250m","Given 100m in 1980.",,,,,,,,,,,,,"1630m",,,"Just SW of the col (Schwarzmoossattel), SE of Bräuning Nase. ",,"Surface shaft often blocked with snow",,"This hole supposedly has a CUCC painted number ""B5"" of 1976 vintage, which will probably be pretty faded. But the cave descriptions do not agree.","Non-CUCC", @@ -61,7 +61,7 @@ 41,"7/S/T/E x","a b",,"yes","smkridge/41.htm",,,"Stellerweghöhle",,,"2a","Length of CUCC's part is approx 5.75 km, while the Germans had about 6 km in 88 in 1987, and the French (?) connected the Eishöhle (2.5 km or more) in the same year. This should make the system about 14-15 km all told before 1996. The Stuttgart group, Arbeitsgemeinschaft Höhle und Karst Grabenstetten e.V., have, early in 1996, connected their cave Schwabenschacht (1623-78) into a passage in 1623/142, one way into the system. This adds no new depth, but considerably increases the overall length. ARGE have also been doing much useful resurvey and some exploration, bringing their estimate of the total length to 22.7 km in 1999.","As the full guidebook description is understandably quite big and is still evolving, just an overview is given here.
Sub-horizontal passages lead through steeply-hading rifts from this entrance. A lower route was originally explored by a German group before CUCC's first visit, and remains poorly documented and not fully explored. The higher route, explored by CUCC, leads past connections to 142, another CUCC find. Passages trend downhill to reach the Big Pitch of 100m vertical.
Lärchenhöhle connects at the bottom of the Big Pitch, and a streamway leads down. A roof passage connects to CUCC's 144, and another leads on to smaller pitches to the Big Rift, dropping steeply down several pitches to reach Junction Chamber with connections to Schnellzughöhle (115).
The route to 115 also leads to Pete's Purgatory, 800m of awful streamway to the Confluence, much more easily reached by large fossil passages starting with Dartford Tunnel from Junction Chamber. The Confluence is around half the depth of the system, and marks a transition to a single linear streamway leading to great depth, a feature currently unique in the known caves of the area.
The streamway is interrupted by a bypassable sump and several, mainly short, pitches, before a low-airspace canal appears to mark the end. However, a low duck can be passed to reach a deep and very wet shaft Orgasm Chasm which drops to the final muddy passage and short pitch to a dismal and deep rift sump.
The sump is 898m below the 41a entrance, and is at just about the same level as Altausseer See, in whose underwater risings the Stellerweg water is presumed to emerge. The scope for greater depth here seems minimal, but connections to various higher entrances have increased this to c971m, with perhaps a little more potential still to realise (optimistically up to 1058m).",,,,,,,"smk-system.svx",,"Depth from 41b to sump 898m - Overall vertical range 971m in the 41 - 115 - 142 - 144 system. Connections to Lärchenschacht (88) and on to Schwarzmooskogeleishöhle (40) do not increase this.",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,"
","Follow Stögerweg to Windloch and then a hundred metres or so further. When the path starts to drop steeply, backtrack 10m (where there should be a permanent survey station 'P4') and start to hack up the hillside. Orange paint flashes on the rock should be visible, and will lead after 300m or so to a cave entrance at the head of a gully. If it isn't blowing the trees around in the cold air, it isn't the right place!",,,,, 41,,"a","40j","entrance",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,"p041a","station at entrance 41a, left side of main entrance","p041ax","Nils",,,81244,35827,"1621m",,,,,,,,"Surveyed", 41,,"b","40k","last entrance","smkridge/41b.htm",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,"p41b","Surface survey",,,81258,35863,"1635m",,,"The upper entrance (41b) is in a large rift about 30m to the east of the lower (41a) which is a strongly outward-draughting tube in a shattered gully.",,,,"Red writing","Surveyed", -42,"1/S =",,,,"noinfo/smkridge/42.htm",,,"Wasserschacht",,,"2b","Sektion Ausseerland, 1952 ",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,"1700m",,,"SSW of Vd. Schwarzmooskogel, not far (50m vertical) up the hill from Stellerweghöhle, so we have probably rediscovered it and renumbered it. ",,,,,"Non-CUCC", +42,"1/S =",,,,"noinfo/smkridge/42.htm",,,"Wasserschacht",,,"2a","Sektion Ausseerland, 1952 ",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,"1700m",,,"SSW of Vd. Schwarzmooskogel, not far (50m vertical) up the hill from Stellerweghöhle, so we have probably rediscovered it and renumbered it. ",,,,,"Non-CUCC", 43,"1/T+",,,,"noinfo/kratzer/43.htm",,,"Höhle beim Wackelstein",,,4,"Sektion Ausseerland, 1973 ",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,"1650m",,,"SE of Bräuning Nase, apparently just below the path up to Schwarzmoossattel. ",,,,,"Non-CUCC", 44,"1/T+",,,,"noinfo/kratzer/44.htm",,,"Höhle am Kratzer II",,,4,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,"1620m",,,"In upper Kratzer valley south of the col. ",,,,,"Non-CUCC", 45,"1/S/E +",,,,"noinfo/wilden/45.htm",,,"Dannerschacht",,,5,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,"1610m",,,"East of Vorderer Schwarzmooskogel. NE of the Eishöhle, and looking pretty difficult to get to. ",,,,,"Non-CUCC", @@ -106,7 +106,7 @@ ,,"c","40q","entrance",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,"Surveyed", ,,"d","40r","entrance",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,"Tannenzäpfle",,"p78d",,,"Nils",,,81662,35730,"1666m",,,,,,,,"Surveyed", ,,"e",,"last entrance",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,"Steinbläser",,"p78e",,,"Nils",,,81427,35787,"1682m",,,,,,,,"Surveyed", -79,"2/S +",,,,"noinfo/smkridge/79.htm",,,"Badenerschacht",,,"2b","Vischer, 1980 ",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,"1780m (c 1650m in older kataster)",,,"Vorderer Schwarzmooskogel. ",,,,,"Non-CUCC", +79,"2/S +",,,,"noinfo/smkridge/79.htm",,,"Badenerschacht",,,"2a","Vischer, 1980 ",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,"1780m (c 1650m in older kataster)",,,"Vorderer Schwarzmooskogel. ",,,,,"Non-CUCC", 80,"1/S +",,,,"plateau/80.htm",,,"Schwa Schacht 80",,,"1c","CUCC 1977 - Team Geriatric, 1994","A straight pitch of 14m to a choke.",,,,,,,,,"14m ",,,,,"p080",,,"Nils",,"gps00.80",,,,"(1996) VSK nipple: 135°, BW pt 1835: 043° (this cannot possibly be right), Grieskogel: 007°, HSK: 043°",,"Plateau just NE of col.","From Schwarzmoossattel, drop onto the plateau, where an intermittent line of cairns leads from the Bräuning wall camp (CUCC's Top Camp from 1988) across to the right, leading to the 8x caves and 145. Directly across a large clear area of karren, a large cairn used to mark the 8m by 5m entrance shaft, but this has apparently disappeared (1995) only to be rebuilt in 1996 - but is very vulnerable to demolition by winter snows. The shaft is otherwise invisible from a few metres away. The number 80, in red, is quite faded (1989) and is on the shaft wall facing the Bräuning wall.",,,"Tag 1998, retag 1999","Surveyed", 81,"1/T +",,,,"plateau/81.htm",,,"Schwa Höhle 81",,,"1c","CUCC 1977 - Team Geriatric","A short section of horizontal passage 5m below the surface, with two entrances, but no way on. ",,,,,,,,"15m. ",,,,,,,,,,,,,,"c 1670m",,,"Plateau just NE of col. ",,,,"paint","Lost","This has been seen many times, but not sure it can be reliably found" 82,"4/S/T +",,,,"plateau/82.htm",,,"Bräuninghöhle",,,"1c","CUCC 1977 - Team Geriatric","Very obvious walking sized cave entrance leads to a boulder strewn passage (ice formations early in season) into an aven with daylight entering 20m above. A scramble over boulders leads to Apfelschacht - a 6m pitch with loose boulders at the head. This drops to a 3m climb and then a 20m pitch Orangenschacht with a trickle of water entering halfway down. From the foot, a fine keyhole passage imaginatively named Schlüssellochgang, and a choice of routes. The most obvious way on is a 10m pitch, Bierschacht over a stalagmite flow to an awkward crawl, Worm Passage, which looked likely to end things. However, this opens out suddenly at a pitch head. Nocheinbierschacht is 15m, impressively free. At the foot, a vocal connection can be made with a phreatic passage above the third pitch which ends in a big hole.
Ahead is a phreatic tunnel which chokes, and a large black emptiness. This is descended for 25m in four 6m steps, Viermalbierschacht, to a ledge big enough for one and a bit people. The stream goes over this ledge into a large black void. This pitch, Besoffene, is 50m and hangs free for all but the last 8m in a very impressive shaft. From the foot, traverse above a steeply dropping stream canyon to a sloping platform from which a 17m pitch reaches the stream floor. This cascades over a further 6m pitch, below which a climb out of the stream reaches a rig point for a 30m pitch ending on a slope down to a sump at -216m.",,,,,,"Cambridge Underground 1978, facing p 32
There is also an area plan showing 82 in context with 145 and 148.
",,,"-216m, +20",,,,,"p82","tip of rock marked ""82"" at entrance",,"Surface survey",,,,,,,,"Plateau 430m from col, roughly NE.","From Schwarzmoossattel, follow description to 80. From here, a route leads directly towards Hinterer Schwarzmooskogel over fairly flat karren, becoming more shattered towards another cairn. Then there is a somewhat chaotic area.
Skirt this on the left to a small ridge running left-right. There is a cairn to the right across the chaotic bit. From the ridge, 82 is the obvious entrance directly ahead. Across the ridge to the right, more cairns lead initially towards 82, but then become misleading as they head up the hill to Wolfhöhle (145).",,"
","""82"" in red paint on boulder and on left of cave. 1998 tag ""1623 82 CUCC 1977"" on right inside cave entrance (not at survey point).","Surveyed", @@ -139,38 +139,38 @@ 106,,,,,,,,,,"Number not allocated (see Eislufthöhle 1623/76)",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,, 107,"4/S/T +",,,,"plateau/107.htm",,,"Gemshöhle",,,"1d","CUCC 1978: opened and Big Rift explored by Team Youth. Team Geriatric explored the Big Pitch and reached the bottom.","Small entrance in boulders in a dry gully drops into a small chamber, in the bottom corner of which is the excavated head of a pitch. This quickly bells out to 6m diameter and lands after 18m in a large passage which contains ice-formations early in the season. This large, phreatic passage chokes in both directions and the way on is in a rift to one side, from which the draught pours.
A pitch of 23m has an inlet entering part way down, which makes the rest of this pitch and the following one of 19m unpleasant in wet weather. Two ways then lead on, either down with the water or by traversing round this drop to another passage.
Climbing down with the water leads to a short passage with the water in a rift below. Round a sharp corner is a short drop to the head of a larger rift. A 5m pitch down this leads to another rift which, in turn, leads out to the side of a large shaft. Stones dropped from a small hole in the corner of the passage above the 5m pitch also fall into this shaft. Laddering from the side, the pitch is 67m with a large ledge just above half-way, and is unpleasantly wet in poor weather. From the base of this pitch, the continuing rift/canyon trends south west and has pitches of 5, 9 and 8m before the other route drops in from above.
Over the traverse, a short pitch of 4.5m, followed by a short climb up, leads to the head of a pitch of 10m to a boulder floor. Two ways on from here are down through the boulders into a shaft, or across the shaft and into a narrow rift. The way through boulders soon chokes, but the narrow rift soon opens into a massive shaft of 100m with a rebelay roughly halfway. This drops directly into the rift reached by the original route.
Below the junction, the rift continues with a 5m climb and pitches of 5, 14 and 44m, this last pitch being quite wet and emerging into a massive cross-rift trending south east. The water disappears into the choked floor of this rift via a nasty wet crawl, rapidly becoming too small.",,,,,"Reverse-engineered data in dataset measured from drawn-up survey","grade 5 survey from 1978
",,,"280m",,,,,"p107","exact point not recorded",,"Surface survey","gps98.107",,,,,,,"On the plateau in a prominent dry valley below southern forepeak of Hinterer Schwarzmooskogel, some way below Laser Point 0_5. The bottom of the gully is pretty much on the (cairned) best walking route from Top Camp to Bräuninghöhle (Kat.82) and Eislufthöhle (Kat.76).",,,"
","number twice in orange paint, 1998 tag on survey point ""1623 107 CUCC 1978""","Surveyed", 108,"1/S +",,,,"remote/108.htm",,,"Schwa-Höhle 108",,,6,"CUCC 1980 John, Tony and Andy Connolly","Horizontal entrance to a large chamber with narrow rift dropping away. Ends too tight.
A cave numbered 108 was relocated in 2004, but does not match this description. It's marked with paint ""108"" and has a spit in the centre of the ""0"". The spit isn't great, but there's a good chunky flake to use too. The shaft descends ~9m to a ledge. At this level there's a horizontal passage which leads immediately to a 4m deep blind rift pitch. Back in the main shaft, a few natural rebelays get you to a floor just under 30m down. At one end of the rift a draught emerges from rocks, but removing some rocks it appears it would need quite a lot of work to make progress and the continuation may be too small anyway.
",,,,,,,,,"7m",,"This does not appear to be in the Austrians' Kataster.",,,"p108",,,,,,,,,"Bräuning Nase 200°, Bräuning Zinken 235°, Vd. Schwarzmooskogel 175°.",,"108 is not near 41 - it is on the plateau. Further across than 76 (106) past erratics - middle of nowhere",,,,"Paint","Surveyed", -109,"1/t/S +",,,,"smkridge/109.htm",,,"Schwa-Schacht 109",,,"2b","CUCC 1980, 1987","The obvious way in leads to a 'Viewing gallery' over the entrance chamber, but descent this way would require tackle. Best way in is to the left where a freeclimb leads down a 10m ramp in a chamber. This is snow-choked in some years but in 1980 a dig opened a triangular slot to a 6m pitch into a smaller, boulder-choked chamber. This was reentered in 1987 and an animal skeleton was found and removed for the Austrian cavers. There is a very small, but draughting tube in the roof of this final chamber, going back towards the surface.",,,,,,"? grade 1",,,,,"This does not appear to be in the Austrians' Kataster.",,,"p109","point above 1623/109 entrance",,"Surface survey",,,,,,,,,"This is a hole you step over on the way to Sonnenstrahlhöhle (113).",,,"as at Aug 2001: ""109"" in very faded yellow paint, with an Omega.","Surveyed", +109,"1/t/S +",,,,"smkridge/109.htm",,,"Schwa-Schacht 109",,,"2a","CUCC 1980, 1987","The obvious way in leads to a 'Viewing gallery' over the entrance chamber, but descent this way would require tackle. Best way in is to the left where a freeclimb leads down a 10m ramp in a chamber. This is snow-choked in some years but in 1980 a dig opened a triangular slot to a 6m pitch into a smaller, boulder-choked chamber. This was reentered in 1987 and an animal skeleton was found and removed for the Austrian cavers. There is a very small, but draughting tube in the roof of this final chamber, going back towards the surface.",,,,,,"? grade 1",,,,,"This does not appear to be in the Austrians' Kataster.",,,"p109","point above 1623/109 entrance",,"Surface survey",,,,,,,,,"This is a hole you step over on the way to Sonnenstrahlhöhle (113).",,,"as at Aug 2001: ""109"" in very faded yellow paint, with an Omega.","Surveyed", 110,"1/S/T +",,,,"remote/110.htm",,,"Kein Hubschrauber Höhle",,,6,"CUCC 1978 - Team Supersmooth/Supercool ","Insignificant low entrance with icy draught is marked with number in red paint. Through boulders leads to an 8m drop and walking passage ending in a collapse chamber with draught emerging from the choke. Needed digging to get in.",,,,,,"",,,,,"Name comes from logbook comment ""helicopter failed to turn up"".",,,,,,,,,,,,,,"On the plateau, about 2km (sic) beyond Eislufthöhle towards Schönberg. Actually, I am convinced that 2 km is a gross exaggeration, and half a mile would be more likely, otherwise it would be in a huge area of dwarf pine.",,,,"paint","Lost","We don't have a cat's chance in hell of finding this"
111,"1/S +",,,,"plateau/111.htm",,,"Plateau Schacht 111",,,"1d","CUCC 1978 - Supersmooth/Supercool","Shaft 20m to ledge, then 10m to choke/too narrow.",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,"Out on plateau, quite near 98. ",,,,"Paint (?)","Lost","Near 98"
112,"1/S +",,,,"plateau/112.htm",,,"Plateau Schacht 112",,,"1d","CUCC 1978 - Supersmooth/Supercool","Next to open shaft half full of snow. Shaft drops 50m past two ledges to choke.",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,," Out on plateau, 50m from 111. ",,,,"Paint (?)","Lost","50m from 111 and close to 98"
-113,"4/S/T +",,,,"smkridge/113.htm",,,"Sonnenstrahlhöhle",,,"2b","
","Entrance is huge. A sizeable dry valley develops into a canyon which is full of snow. The canyon ends downstream in a solid wall, where the rigging point for the entrance pitch starts by the aforementioned tree. A short drop leads to a ledge where a stretch to the left (facing the rock) reaches a rebelay in a fine position on the impending wall. From here, drop 21m onto a large snow slope, then 10m further to the flat snow floor of a large chamber lit from above by the shaft.
The way on is up a climb of 3m to a horizontal passage. There is an area of hading rifts, not fully explored. The first hole descends a ramp over treacherous ice and rubble for 30m to the head of a pitch, Ibbeth Perilous Pot. A second parallel ramp connects to the same point. Both these ramps suffer from loose rock and are best tackled with a handline. The main pitch drops for 20m in a series of steps, best rigged. A final 13m drop then lands on a rock/ice blockage Marathon Ledge, which at one time contained the original explorer's helmet and lights, dropped from the head of the pitch. A hammered route past the blockage leads to two short drops, then a 6m pitch into the Opera House (see below).
A descent of the second major hole from the entrance is the normal route and leads to a ramp down, traverse across and the head of Point Five Gully. The gully is decorated with ice formations early in the season, as are all the useful hand- and footholds on the following ramp, so a rope is recommended to descend Fox's Glacier. At the foot, about 60m below the entrance chamber, is a low bouldery chamber, and a low arch leads to a larger chamber, Barnsley Methodist Chapel, which is 20m high and 30m long.
The Chapel is floored with large boulders at one end, but an obvious low sandy passage to the left leads to the head of a 14m dry rift pitch with a bouldery takeoff. The pitch is free-hanging after the first two metres, to a gravel-floored chamber opening off the rift. Water entering high on the right takes a floor trench 10m deep which may be traversed above to gain the Balcony of the Opera House, an impressive 20m diameter, roughly circular chamber. A 12.5m pitch (awkward takeoff as rigged in 1980) gains the bouldery, sloping floor. A scramble down boulders and a further 7m pitch over a very large boulder leads into a rift, where an awkward 10m pitch with natural belays and joke bolts leads to a flat mud floor at a larger section at the head of a pitch. At this point the draught changes direction, the cave becomes clean, and a stream is met falling from an inaccessible (and out of sight) passage, apparently at the same level as the pitch head.
Down the pitch, a rebelay (which is a very long stretch to rig unless you're very tall) avoids the worst of the water on Purple Pit. Quite possibly this could be rigged as a deviation (we didn't do these in 1980). There is a long section to a large ledge, from where the pitch leaves the fault it has been following and heads down a series of short steps with rebelays a few metres apart. At the bottom of this section, 60m below the start, a further fault is met at right angles, with twin holes in the floor. The first one is wet and nasty, while the second is tolerable. Both unite and go off to the left in a diminutive streamway. To the right above the holes is the entry point from Bananehöhle(152), explored in 1985.
The diminutive streamway ends shortly in a tight sump, but before this, a climb up leads unobviously to a traverse and then a crawl trending back over the entry point, Müsli Crawl. A number of acute bends are disorientating, then a short drop leads to a final rift and a pitch head. This is a thrutch to start, then drops 10m to where the water reenters. A series of drops, Sprucy Wind, follows, and some of the bolts (1980 vintage, greased in 1982) are easily missed, which makes the pitches wetter. There is a branch shaft at one point which is unexplored, but appears to reunite somewhat lower down. The pitches of 8, 26, 12, 10, 10, 20, 5 and 9m drop to a final rift chamber where an inlet from up on the left doubles the size of the stream on a rocky floor. This inlet responds to floods about an hour faster than the main water. The combined waters fall down a 6m drop and sink in a gravel-choked pool.
Climbing up opposite the inlet, a dry rift is a little tight but pops out into a series of dry passages, apparently quite unrelated to the rift pitches. This area, The Crematorium, is a good place to wait when the pitches flood. There is a large horizontal passage ending in a chamber with various bedding crawl extensions. Avens in the roof are hard to reach (one bolt used for aid) and don't seem to go anywhere. A narrow rift in the floor contains the stream, and a climb down can be made at one point where it is just wide enough. Thrutching forward in a traverse cum crawl a short way above the water, a couple more diminutive drops reach a place where to continue would be just plain stupid, since it is small and wet. The cave was rigged in 1982 just to go and push the end. It didn't go.
There is potential for further extension by traversing over down-ramps in the entrance area, and by gaining access to the source of the water (and route of the draught) at the top of Purple Pit. Apparently the Point Five Gully and Fox's Glacier Ramp was traversed over in 1987, and another ramp descended, but this seems to have rejoined the main route somewhere near Barnsley Methodist Chapel. This route was not surveyed.",,,,,,"? grade 3","caves/113/113.svx","521m","330m approx (apparently, but surveyed only to 206m)","91m",,,,"p113","pitch head bolt on wall above yawning chasm near ""113"" paint mark. NB this cannot be reached without SRTing off the bunde and is very exposed (start of underground survey)",,"Surface survey",,,81333,36253,"1640m",,,,"Follow Stögerweg (path 201) well past turn off for Stellerweghöhle. This involves a steep descent, then a long horizontal stretch, crossing the dry valley containing Kat. 87a. After quite a way, there is an orange paint flash on the left, more easily seen when coming the other way. This is just a few metres before you turn left and start hacking up the hillside. Further orange paint marks the route, which goes up a dry valley and over the entrance 109. Eventually, a scrub-free area is reached, go right and then scramble up rock towards a tree. Don´t rush beyond the tree or you'll fall a long way.",,"
","Orange painted number on north-facing wall above shaft","Surveyed", +113,"4/S/T +",,,,"smkridge/113.htm",,,"Sonnenstrahlhöhle",,,"2a","
","Entrance is huge. A sizeable dry valley develops into a canyon which is full of snow. The canyon ends downstream in a solid wall, where the rigging point for the entrance pitch starts by the aforementioned tree. A short drop leads to a ledge where a stretch to the left (facing the rock) reaches a rebelay in a fine position on the impending wall. From here, drop 21m onto a large snow slope, then 10m further to the flat snow floor of a large chamber lit from above by the shaft.
The way on is up a climb of 3m to a horizontal passage. There is an area of hading rifts, not fully explored. The first hole descends a ramp over treacherous ice and rubble for 30m to the head of a pitch, Ibbeth Perilous Pot. A second parallel ramp connects to the same point. Both these ramps suffer from loose rock and are best tackled with a handline. The main pitch drops for 20m in a series of steps, best rigged. A final 13m drop then lands on a rock/ice blockage Marathon Ledge, which at one time contained the original explorer's helmet and lights, dropped from the head of the pitch. A hammered route past the blockage leads to two short drops, then a 6m pitch into the Opera House (see below).
A descent of the second major hole from the entrance is the normal route and leads to a ramp down, traverse across and the head of Point Five Gully. The gully is decorated with ice formations early in the season, as are all the useful hand- and footholds on the following ramp, so a rope is recommended to descend Fox's Glacier. At the foot, about 60m below the entrance chamber, is a low bouldery chamber, and a low arch leads to a larger chamber, Barnsley Methodist Chapel, which is 20m high and 30m long.
The Chapel is floored with large boulders at one end, but an obvious low sandy passage to the left leads to the head of a 14m dry rift pitch with a bouldery takeoff. The pitch is free-hanging after the first two metres, to a gravel-floored chamber opening off the rift. Water entering high on the right takes a floor trench 10m deep which may be traversed above to gain the Balcony of the Opera House, an impressive 20m diameter, roughly circular chamber. A 12.5m pitch (awkward takeoff as rigged in 1980) gains the bouldery, sloping floor. A scramble down boulders and a further 7m pitch over a very large boulder leads into a rift, where an awkward 10m pitch with natural belays and joke bolts leads to a flat mud floor at a larger section at the head of a pitch. At this point the draught changes direction, the cave becomes clean, and a stream is met falling from an inaccessible (and out of sight) passage, apparently at the same level as the pitch head.
Down the pitch, a rebelay (which is a very long stretch to rig unless you're very tall) avoids the worst of the water on Purple Pit. Quite possibly this could be rigged as a deviation (we didn't do these in 1980). There is a long section to a large ledge, from where the pitch leaves the fault it has been following and heads down a series of short steps with rebelays a few metres apart. At the bottom of this section, 60m below the start, a further fault is met at right angles, with twin holes in the floor. The first one is wet and nasty, while the second is tolerable. Both unite and go off to the left in a diminutive streamway. To the right above the holes is the entry point from Bananehöhle(152), explored in 1985.
The diminutive streamway ends shortly in a tight sump, but before this, a climb up leads unobviously to a traverse and then a crawl trending back over the entry point, Müsli Crawl. A number of acute bends are disorientating, then a short drop leads to a final rift and a pitch head. This is a thrutch to start, then drops 10m to where the water reenters. A series of drops, Sprucy Wind, follows, and some of the bolts (1980 vintage, greased in 1982) are easily missed, which makes the pitches wetter. There is a branch shaft at one point which is unexplored, but appears to reunite somewhat lower down. The pitches of 8, 26, 12, 10, 10, 20, 5 and 9m drop to a final rift chamber where an inlet from up on the left doubles the size of the stream on a rocky floor. This inlet responds to floods about an hour faster than the main water. The combined waters fall down a 6m drop and sink in a gravel-choked pool.
Climbing up opposite the inlet, a dry rift is a little tight but pops out into a series of dry passages, apparently quite unrelated to the rift pitches. This area, The Crematorium, is a good place to wait when the pitches flood. There is a large horizontal passage ending in a chamber with various bedding crawl extensions. Avens in the roof are hard to reach (one bolt used for aid) and don't seem to go anywhere. A narrow rift in the floor contains the stream, and a climb down can be made at one point where it is just wide enough. Thrutching forward in a traverse cum crawl a short way above the water, a couple more diminutive drops reach a place where to continue would be just plain stupid, since it is small and wet. The cave was rigged in 1982 just to go and push the end. It didn't go.
There is potential for further extension by traversing over down-ramps in the entrance area, and by gaining access to the source of the water (and route of the draught) at the top of Purple Pit. Apparently the Point Five Gully and Fox's Glacier Ramp was traversed over in 1987, and another ramp descended, but this seems to have rejoined the main route somewhere near Barnsley Methodist Chapel. This route was not surveyed.",,,,,,"? grade 3","caves/113/113.svx","521m","330m approx (apparently, but surveyed only to 206m)","91m",,,,"p113","pitch head bolt on wall above yawning chasm near ""113"" paint mark. NB this cannot be reached without SRTing off the bunde and is very exposed (start of underground survey)",,"Surface survey",,,81333,36253,"1640m",,,,"Follow Stögerweg (path 201) well past turn off for Stellerweghöhle. This involves a steep descent, then a long horizontal stretch, crossing the dry valley containing Kat. 87a. After quite a way, there is an orange paint flash on the left, more easily seen when coming the other way. This is just a few metres before you turn left and start hacking up the hillside. Further orange paint marks the route, which goes up a dry valley and over the entrance 109. Eventually, a scrub-free area is reached, go right and then scramble up rock towards a tree. Don´t rush beyond the tree or you'll fall a long way.",,"
","Orange painted number on north-facing wall above shaft","Surveyed", 114,"0 + ?",,,,"wilden/114.htm",,,"Verlorenschacht 114",,,5,"CUCC 1980",,,,,,,,,,,,"I have just (May 1990) found an old note book which says this was explored by John, Tony and Andy C, but gives no detail on where or what. There is a strong suspicion that the cave was one of the ""promising leads"" found on their trip to Wildenseealm. However, the only published account refers the reader to the 1980 log book. This latter is, unfortunately, missing.
This does not appear to be in the Austrians' Kataster ",,,,,,,,,,,,,,"This cave has not been documented, but is probably somewhere near 115 or 41. ",,,,,"Lost","Near Wildenseealm (not a hope)" 115,"6/t/S/W x",,"40m",,"smkridge/115.htm",,,"Schnellzughöhle",,,"2a","CUCC 1980-1985","This is the main entrance through which the majority of the Stellerweghöhle system was explored. See the separate full guidebook description for details, just an overview is given here.
The entrance leads to a non-obvious way on to the head of the short Bell Pitch, from where very awkward going leads out to a bigger passage to reach The Ramp a series of off-vertical pitches. The damper but technically easier Inlet Pitches drop to a Big Chamber, from where Pete's Purgatory starts, and leads in 800m of tortuous going to The Confluence and the larger streamway leading to the deepest point.
Better is the Purgatory Bypass which starts as dry fossil tubes, with a choice of routes to reach Junction Chamber where the Big Rift of Stellerweghöhle enters. Opposite, the huge fossil tube of Dartford Tunnel makes for easy progress to the Confluence, about halfway down the system. The continuing main streamway is interrupted by a bypassable sump and numerous pitches before a low airspace duck at the end of an unpromising canal leads to the spectacular Orgasm Chasm. Careful rigging avoids the water in this 140m shaft, ending in muddy passage and another short drop to a deep and terminal sump. ",,,,,"In dataset","? grade 5","smk-system.svx",,"-740m, +231m",,"The Austrian Kataster has adopted a very perverse way of numbering things. Their numbers are as follows:
",,,"p115","P115 on left in Schnellzug entrance.","p115x","Nils",,"gps00.115",81041,35841,"1488m",,,,"Follow Stögerweg beyond Windloch to a steep descent. Just below this, by a large tree on the right of the path (permanent survey station P3), descend steeply to the right on a barely discernible trod.
This involves at least one freeclimb which is awkward with lots of kit. Make lots of noise if you are first, especially on the first trip, since snakes seem to like it here. Eventually a large horizontal railway-tunnel-like entrance appears. If you fall off a cliff, you've gone a little too far downhill.",,,"number painted on right (east-facing) wall of entrance","Surveyed", -116,"2/t/S/E +",,,,"noinfo/smkridge/116.htm",,,"Kleine Eishöhle",,,"2b","Germans",,,,,,"In dataset","M Schweicer & F Vischer, July 1982, PLAN (20k) and ELEVATION (12k)","caves/116/116.svx","286m","38m",,"This cave was previously marked as having an altitude of 1820m",,,"p116",,,"Nils",,,81449,35689,"1662m",,,"Vorderer Schwarzmooskogel. ",,,,,"Surveyed", -117,"2/T/S/ +",,,,"noinfo/smkridge/117.htm",,,"Stuttgarter-Schacht",,,"2b","Germans ",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,"Vorderer Schwarzmooskogel. ",,,,,"Non-CUCC", -118,"0/S =",,,,"noinfo/smkridge/118.htm",,,"Schwa-Schacht 118",,,"2b","Germans",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,"Vorderer Schwarzmooskogel. ",,,,,"Non-CUCC", -119,"0/S =",,,,"noinfo/smkridge/119.htm",,,"Schwa-Schacht 119",,,"2b","Germans",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,"Vorderer Schwarzmooskogel. ",,,,,"Non-CUCC", -120,"0/S =",,,,"noinfo/smkridge/120.htm",,,"Schwa-Schacht 120",,,"2b","Germans",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,"Vorderer Schwarzmooskogel. ",,,,,"Non-CUCC", +116,"2/t/S/E +",,,,"noinfo/smkridge/116.htm",,,"Kleine Eishöhle",,,"2a","Germans",,,,,,"In dataset","M Schweicer & F Vischer, July 1982, PLAN (20k) and ELEVATION (12k)","caves/116/116.svx","286m","38m",,"This cave was previously marked as having an altitude of 1820m",,,"p116",,,"Nils",,,81449,35689,"1662m",,,"Vorderer Schwarzmooskogel. ",,,,,"Surveyed", +117,"2/T/S/ +",,,,"noinfo/smkridge/117.htm",,,"Stuttgarter-Schacht",,,"2a","Germans ",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,"Vorderer Schwarzmooskogel. ",,,,,"Non-CUCC", +118,"0/S =",,,,"noinfo/smkridge/118.htm",,,"Schwa-Schacht 118",,,"2a","Germans",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,"Vorderer Schwarzmooskogel. ",,,,,"Non-CUCC", +119,"0/S =",,,,"noinfo/smkridge/119.htm",,,"Schwa-Schacht 119",,,"2a","Germans",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,"Vorderer Schwarzmooskogel. ",,,,,"Non-CUCC", +120,"0/S =",,,,"noinfo/smkridge/120.htm",,,"Schwa-Schacht 120",,,"2a","Germans",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,"Vorderer Schwarzmooskogel. ",,,,,"Non-CUCC", "121-126",,,,,,,,,,"Numbers 121-126 are allocated to the Germans, but there is no documentation available to suggest that caves have been found for these numbers.",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,, -127,"1/T =",,,,"noinfo/smkridge/127.htm",,,"Kleine Firnhöhle",,,"2b","Germans",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,"Vorderer Schwarzmooskogel. ",,,,,"Non-CUCC", -128,"1/S =",,,,"noinfo/smkridge/128.htm",,,"Enttauschungsschacht",,,"2b","Germans",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,"Vorderer Schwarzmooskogel. ",,,,,"Non-CUCC", -129,"2/T =",,,,"noinfo/smkridge/129.htm",,,"Große Firnhöhle",,,"2b","Germans",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,"Vorderer Schwarzmooskogel. ",,,,,"Non-CUCC", -130,"2/S +",,,,"noinfo/smkridge/130.htm",,,"Cäcilien-Schacht",,,"2b","Germans","Halfway down, a hading rift is intersected, which can be followed a short way SW, climbing up slightly. This appears to be dipping steeply SE, but becomes too narrow. ",,,,,,"K Gebhard, F Vischer, 1982 ",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,"1660m",,,"Vorderer Schwarzmooskogel.",," A fairly straight shaft of c 80m on a joint aligned on 230°.",,,"Non-CUCC", +127,"1/T =",,,,"noinfo/smkridge/127.htm",,,"Kleine Firnhöhle",,,"2a","Germans",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,"Vorderer Schwarzmooskogel. ",,,,,"Non-CUCC", +128,"1/S =",,,,"noinfo/smkridge/128.htm",,,"Enttauschungsschacht",,,"2a","Germans",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,"Vorderer Schwarzmooskogel. ",,,,,"Non-CUCC", +129,"2/T =",,,,"noinfo/smkridge/129.htm",,,"Große Firnhöhle",,,"2a","Germans",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,"Vorderer Schwarzmooskogel. ",,,,,"Non-CUCC", +130,"2/S +",,,,"noinfo/smkridge/130.htm",,,"Cäcilien-Schacht",,,"2a","Germans","Halfway down, a hading rift is intersected, which can be followed a short way SW, climbing up slightly. This appears to be dipping steeply SE, but becomes too narrow. ",,,,,,"K Gebhard, F Vischer, 1982 ",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,"1660m",,,"Vorderer Schwarzmooskogel.",," A fairly straight shaft of c 80m on a joint aligned on 230°.",,,"Non-CUCC", 131,"2/E/S x",,,,"noinfo/remote/131.htm",,,"Thomas-Eishöhle",,,6,,,,,,,,,"caves/131/131.svx","1017m","193m","234m",,,,"p131",,,"Laut Information Robert Seebacher, E-Mail 11/00 an Thilo",,,83700,37700,"1721m",,,"SE face of Kleines Augsteck. ",,,,,"Surveyed", 132,"2/T +",,,,"noinfo/remote/132.htm",,,"Tropfsteinhöhle am Augsteck",,,6,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,"1600m",,,"SE face of Kleines Augsteck.. ",,,,,"Non-CUCC", 133,"1/T +",,,,"noinfo/remote/133.htm",,,"Unterstandhöhle",,,6,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,"1604m",,,"SE face of Kleines Augsteck. ",,,,,"Non-CUCC", 134,"1/T +",,,,"noinfo/wilden/134.htm",,,"Höhlenruine bei der Wasserstelle",,,5,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,," 1531m ",,,"West of Wildenseealm. The name would suggest that it is next to the water tank which supplies drinking water to the various buildings of Wildenseealm, and which is shown on the map, at about the right altitude.",,,,,"Non-CUCC", -135,"1/S +",,,,"smkridge/135.htm",,,"Schwa Schacht 135",,,"2b","
","Shaft choked at -20m ",,,,,"In dataset",,"caves/135/135.svx","21m","20m","1m",,,"p135",,,,"Surface survey",,,82219,36399,"1783m",,," East of Vorderer Schwarzmooskogel. ","Approach as for 136, then a further 60m approx ENE down the slope. ",,,"Spit awaiting tag (1999). Red Paint ""CUCC 135"" (1983). ","Surveyed", +135,"1/S +",,,,"smkridge/135.htm",,,"Schwa Schacht 135",,,"2a","
","Shaft choked at -20m ",,,,,"In dataset",,"caves/135/135.svx","21m","20m","1m",,,"p135",,,,"Surface survey",,,82219,36399,"1783m",,," East of Vorderer Schwarzmooskogel. ","Approach as for 136, then a further 60m approx ENE down the slope. ",,,"Spit awaiting tag (1999). Red Paint ""CUCC 135"" (1983). ","Surveyed", 136,"2/S +","a–d",,"yes","smkridge/161/136.htm",,,"Steinschlagschacht",,,"2a","CUCC 1983, 1984, 1997, 1999","1983 description is : shaft -194m. The bottom was reached in 1984, at depths variously estimated -240m, -260m and -285m, when the rift became too narrow. 1983 survey (which was never drawn up) only goes to -194m.
1997 rigging
The rope (60m used in 1997, though this is not generous) for the first pitch is belayed to the 3m boulder. A short drop from the surface (c.3m) leads to the top of a steeply inclined boulder slope which is also very loose. The head of the main entrance pitch hang used to be immediately at the foot of this slope, however it has now been rigged from the right hand wall, out of the immediate line-of-fire from the boulder slope. A traverse line of around 10m at 30° is rigged on the right hand wall to reach the pitch head. The main hang is around 35m almost free-hanging, but for a minor deviation about 8m below the pitch head.
From the foot of the entrance pitch, a fairly narrow slot with a short climb down (c 1m) connects to a large boulder-strewn chamber. This chamber is entered from the top left corner (standing looking down the slope) and the main way on is around 10m down the slope, under a very large boulder towards the right hand wall. At the foot of the chamber are two large holes of around 5m depth, one in each corner. One of these holes has a spit above it, suggesting it was descended in 1983/4, however no descent was made of either hole in 1997. It is speculated that these may connect to the second pitch at a lower point than that used as the pitch head in 1997.
Second Pitch
Returning to the main route down, the head of the second pitch is a belay point on the right hand wall of the chamber immediately above a very large perched boulder at ""floor"" level. A 130m rope was initially used here, though some spare was later cut off. Beware of apparently sound footholds here as they have a habit of falling off down the next 70m or so of the pitch series! A rebelay is required just below the take-off point on the boulder to avoid rubbing the edge of the block on the way up. This rebelay is particularly awkward on the way up since the rope tends to pull into the crack between wall and boulder. The shaft continues down more or less vertically for a further 3 rebelays (50m) until the first substantial ledge is reached. (A deviation is required below the 3rd rebelay from the pitch head to avoid an otherwise serious rub just below the rebelay bolt).
From this ledge, a further pitch descends, rigged from two bolts on the left hand wall with an immediate deviation off the right hand wall. Traversing ahead over the pitch, it appears that there is a parallel shaft visible through an eyehole in the left hand wall. It is believed that this is the shaft described as being accessed by a ""desperate step across"" which was descended in 1984 and found to reconnect to the wet route lower down.
Descending from the ledge, a further substantial ledge is reached after c8m. On the way up it is advisable to cower under the overhanging wall of this ledge to avoid exposing yourself to rocks dislodged by people on the pitch above - the pitch head is especially loose.
From the ledge an awkward take-off to an almost immediate rebelay leads to a connection with a wet shaft - the main source of water below this point. The hang is fortunately almost dry, aided by a very wide rebelay about 12m below the ledge. A further 15m hang reaches another large ledge where water continues through a large slot in the floor at the foot of the pitch. It is at this point that the two routes diverge into Wet Dreams (the way explored in 1983/4) and the Eyehole Route.
The Eyehole Route is to-date the main route in 136, leading eventually to the 1997 connection with the Forbidden Land in 161, and the 2½km Chile series, found in 1999.
The eyehole is reached by means of a traverse over the slot in the floor (through which the water disappears) and is the obvious large hole on the right. A short horizontal rift, with a steeply-inclined hole in the floor, connects to the head of the fourth pitch series. This pitch series is about 30m of dry shaft, broken by three ledges and landing on a much larger ledge with a couple of large boulders jammed in the exit rift. A 54m rope was sufficient in 1997. From the foot of the fourth pitch, the head of the fifth is only a few metres away over the jammed boulders.
The head of the fifth pitch does an extremely good job of hiding the enormous cavern into which it breaks some 10m below. Do not be mistaken into believing that the floor, as it appears, is only 5m below your feet, nor that your light will be even remotely adequate for ensuring maximum exposure on the multiple hanging rebelays below. The pitch starts with a large Y-hang across the rift at the pitch head.
An airy traverse around the corner to the left (rigged rope) leads eventually to the Footlights Traverse. (The eyehole immediately opposite the pitch head connects with the climb around to the left).
Below the Y-hang is a large, mud-covered outcrop of rock, over which you must traverse before proceeding further to a very wide deviation, hated by those with short legs, just below the muddy ""floor"". A further 5m descent leads to a smallish ledge with another rock outcrop to cross to a hanging rebelay on the left-hand wall. This point is around 60m above the floor of the chamber and is where the Gods' Traverse begins. A 35m rope was sufficient to reach this point in 1997.
Continuing straight down from the rebelay, first a parallel shaft is reached and the wall of the chamber becomes convex, requiring another hanging rebelay 21m below the last. A further 24m hang drops to a boulder floor at the top of a huge chamber - The Theatre. The landing point for the main route into the Theatre is at the top of the steeply inclined floor.
Standing at this point, looking down the slope of the floor, an opening at the bottom of the chamber of the left-hand wall leads to the Orchestral Pit. From the foot of the chamber up a short (c 8m) climb over mud and boulders and then up another (c 8m) climb on steep rock, leads to a small opening. (The rope has been left permanently rigged on this climb). On the right hand wall at the foot of the chamber is a boulder choke through which it is possible to climb down around 10m. No recommendable leads were found here. Immediately behind the landing point and around 30m higher up the wall is the connection to the Forbidden Land (161) which must be reached via the God's Traverse.
Proceeding up the 16m climb from the floor of the Theatre, a narrow opening leads to a precarious climb down the other side (c.5m) over the top of a large wedged boulder in a rift chamber, Exit Stage Left. There is an aven in the roof of this chamber, which can be descended as a pitch (the 30m continuation of Plughole Pitch) from the end of the Footlights Traverse. A second aven is reached by a short (c 3m) climb up opposite the entry climb. A small window (too small for human access) in the left hand wall of the chamber connects to the undescended pitch accessible from the rock bridge 18m down Plughole pitch, 26m above. Rocks can also be thrown in through a small gap in the boulder floor. This pitch continues below this level.
In the Orchestral Pit, a number of wet shafts connect from the ceiling in addition to a number of dry avens. The dry avens nearest to the Forbidden Land have been connected to an eyehole on the God's Traverse around 15m above the connection to Elin Algor. The floor of the Orchestral Pit has a number of pools and also a considerable amount of brown powdery mud, similar to that found in the horizontal areas of Kaninchenhöhle such as Mississippi Mud Pie, Triassic Park etc. , of which the majority of 136 is devoid. No leads were found in the Orchestral Pit.
The earlier (and lower) of two impressive traverse routes off the fifth pitch, The Gods' Traverse heads NE towards Kaninchenhöhle, to which it eventually connects.
From the hanging rebelay 10m below the head of the 5th pitch (on Eyehole Route), a short (4m) descent with a swing leads to a small muddy sloping ledge, with precipitous drop. A bolt in the middle of the traverse ""protects"" a caver who teeters around the ledge and up a short (c.2m) climb over a corner bulge onto the main face of the traverse. This roughly horizontal section is about 12m in length across a slab of limestone inclined at 70 - 80 °. Should your lighting equipment allow, you will be able to admire the enormous vertical rock-face which forms the opposite wall of the Theatre and the precipitous drop to the floor 40+ metres below. Hand holds (barring the rope) are non-existent on the second half of the traverse and most foot ledges were of the disposable type (single use only), now long gone. At the far end of the traverse a hanging rebelay just over the edge of the wall leads, with a wide swing, to a large eyehole on the opposite wall. A short (15m) pitch against the wall on the outside of the hole leads to a large muddy sloping ledge at the back of which is a hole into narrow traversy passage. This is the final impressive overlook reached in Elin Algor from the Forbidden Land in Kaninchenhöhle in 1996. The whole of the pitch - traverse - pitch to this point was left rigged.
Back through the eyehole, a couple of pitches lead eventually to the Orchestral Pit.
The later traverse route off the fifth pitch (starting at the pitch head, some 10m higher than the Gods'). This heads generally SW, and is in two sections, split by a 16m pitch. The lower section is strictly the Footlights traverse, but the name has been applied to the whole route, causing some confusion.
A short, unobvious (roped) traverse, Service Duct, starts from the left hand side of the Y hang at the head of the fifth pitch. It goes left round the corner into a window, then climbs up 3m above a deep hole to a lip into a chamber with a large hole in the steeply sloping floor that drops down near the start of Traverse of the Gods. Traversing to the right of this chamber, past an eyehole with a view back to the Y hang, a pitch (Ventilation Shaft p.16, 1 bolt rebelay, -5m) descends to the Box, a platform with a fine view to the left across the Theatre to the Gods' Traverse. Looking out and to the right from the Box is the start of Footlights Traverse.
This airy, diagonal, section around and down the south-western corner of the Theatre, 30m off the floor was left rigged after the 1997 expedition, but in 1999 was deemed easy enough to rig afresh on each expedition, so the rope was taken off. Two bolt rebelays reach a Y hang, and descending from this a window can be reached by an entertaining pendulum to reach a rift in the wall. This window enters a choss-filled passage whose boulder floor is apparently suspended above a void (traverse line recommended). An old phreatic level was hypothesised to exist at a similar height to the connection with Elin Algor, and this seems to correspond roughly to that level, although at this point the morphology is a tall rift, passable at various levels, with many windows, climbs and pitches, difficult to explore exhaustively.
The passage leads, after a 3m climb up and a 2m climb down, to a narrow slot opening out into the spacious Plughole pitch below, which drops 18m to a rock bridge.
At the rock bridge the single shaft splits into three. An inlet enters from an aven and goes down an undescended clean-washed shaft [99-xx A]. This descends about 8m to a ledge where a slot drops at least 30m, past the choked floor at the bottom of the Footlights pitch (determined by rocks thrown in from two points below). This apparently does not connect (at least directly) with the Orchestral Pit - rocks were not audible from there. The second of the shafts is more like a 3m blind pit, of little interest.
The third, and biggest, of the dry shafts is a further drop of 30 m (bolt, tape deviation at -10m) and lands on the floor of Exit Stage Left (originally reached by the 16m climb up from the Theatre).
Across the rock bridge, over a few boulders and through a smallish slot, is a short 5m pitch. This is the way on to Chile, 1999's major find.
Wet Dreams is the original route, explored first in 1983/4, but named in 1997 in memory of the anticipated connection with 161 by this route. In fact no such connection has yet been found, but the shaft series has not yet been bottomed and so it's still a possibility.
Continuing from the foot of the third pitch and crossing the traverse to the point where the Eyehole Route diverges, a dry hang is possible to the bottom of the rift down which the water disappears. At the foot of this 15m pitch is a narrow rift, leading quickly to a further 12m pitch followed by another narrow rift to another pitch.
Around the head of this pitch, Phreatic Fantasy - so called because of the anticipated large sloping ramps expected from a previous cave description - are a number of small, clean and fairly uninteresting roof tubes, probably phreatic in origin. The shaft at this point becomes roughly vertical and descends in a number of sections a further surveyed 35m, becoming increasingly wet towards the bottom. From the surveyed limit a further pitch of around 30m (estimated) can be seen descending immediately below.
1983 rigging
The split between Eyehole and Wet Dreams is about three quarters of the way down what the 1983 description had as a broken shaft of c 100m. This was in sections of 14m vertical, 24m sloping, 13m vertical to a ledge. Here a desperate step across (worse on exit) attained a parallel shaft which apparently connected back lower down. The main way dropped 9m sloping, 29m vertical, to a 9m slope and a final 3m vertical to what is assumed to have been the Phreatic Fantasy level - though the pitch lengths (mainly deduced from survey data) don't correspond well with the 1997 experience and this may be below the next pitch. 1983 figures put the next pitch as 17m sloping, then 15m vertical to a bolt at -194m, which may be a similar point to that reached on this route in 1997, or not quite as deep.
1984 series
A further drop is 5m to ""a very bad bolt"" and either 15m total, or a further 15m from the bolt, to a spray lashed ledge with only one small alcove in which to cower and brew up. A rift in the floor leads 6m to a rebelay and a final 20-25m pitch into a chamber with two ways off. One was very tight to an aven and small drop which stones indicate ends blind in mud floor after c10m. The main way was a squeeze past a very large boulder, down a 10m pitch to a stream which flows into the classic too-narrow draughting rift. Logbook describes this as -260m, which fits with the non-existence of a 30m ""virtual"" pitch which is believed to be the result of an ambiguity elsewhere in the 1984 log book.",,,,,"In dataset","
","smk-system.svx",,"(to deepest point in 161) 534m",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,"135m on bearing of 66° from Vorderer Schwarzmooskogel summit or 123m East and 55m north of the summit. 136b is 22m N of 136a, 136c is 28m N of 136a, 136d is 35m NNE of 136a. All entrances on same shelf. 136b & are holes in shelf, 136d is large (15x10m) funnel-shaped hole just over 1m ridge (so not obvious from normal route).","Relocated in 1996. From main summit, drop down east to a bare limestone shelf. Follow this ~NE for some way (c 200m) until a way down east again reaches a small group of holes/shafts/rifts (CUCC 1997-07, 209, 136c, 136b). Cross this area south, initially keeping close below a small cliff to your right. After passing 136b, 136a is a little off to the left (east) of the cliff at the south end of the karren shelf. (See area map in NotKH survey book p88-89). The entrance is in a depression and is marked by, and under, a large (3m cubicish) boulder with a faint (in 1996) '136' painted on the S side, and a Tag.
From Top Camp, proceed via the 161 approach up to the point (immediately past 1623/147) where a short climb down through the bunde drops onto a large, wide, grassy area perhaps 200m before reaching Vd1 and 30m higher. Cross the grassy patch, contouring around the hill and then take the 3rd steep grassy bank up to the right, through some bunde (this is not the most obvious slope). Climb up to the limestone shelf above and then continue contouring around the hill at roughly the same level for a further 300m to the entrance.",,"
",,, ,,"a",,"entrance","smkridge/161/136a.htm",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,"p136",,,,"Nils","gps96bestfit.136","gps00.136 gps00.136_2",82220,36364,"1796m","135m on bearing of 66° from Vorderer Schwarzmooskogel summit or 123m East and 55m north of the summit.",,,,,,"Tag","Surveyed", ,,"b","CUCC96-WK10","entrance","smkridge/161/136b.htm",,,,,,,"
",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,"p136b","spit",,"Surface survey",,,82237,36367,"1789m","VSK: 233°, Hollweiser: 145° (from a point between the WK7-WK10 entrances)",,"136b is 22m N of 136a",,"Slot entrance, leads 10m down spacious boulder slope to p5. Warm draught.",,"Spit","Surveyed", ,,"c","CUCC96-WK9","entrance","smkridge/161/136c.htm",,,,,,,"
",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,"p136c","spit",,"Surface survey",,,82252,36371,"1790m","VSK: 233°, Hollweiser: 145° (from a point between the WK7-WK10 entrances)",,"136c is 28m N of 136a",,"136c is slot next to Schistock-Absturzschacht, and clearly connects to 136d.",,"Spit","Surveyed", ,,"d","CUCC96-WK9","last entrance","smkridge/161/136d.htm",,,,,,,"
",,,,,,,,,,,,,,"p136d",,,,"Surface survey",,,82252,36376,"1792m","VSK: 233°, Hollweiser: 145° (from a point between the WK7-WK10 entrances)",,"136d is 35m NNE of 136a.",,"136d is 15x10m funnel-shaped shaft over a 1m ridge from 209 - Schistock-Absturzschacht, so not quite as obvious.",,"Tag ""CUCC 97-08"" between 136d and 209 (Schistock-Absturzschacht)","Surveyed", -137,"1/S +",,,,"smkridge/137.htm",,,"Schwa Schacht 137",,,"2b","CUCC 1983","Shaft",,,,,,,,,"47m",,,,,,,,,,,,,"c 1790m",,,"East of Vorderer Schwarzmooskogel",,,,"Paint (?)","Refindable","Believed marked (may have been seen 1996) Same area as 135 & 136. Should be refindable" -138,"1/S +",,,,"smkridge/138.htm",,,"Schwa Schacht 138",,,"2b","
","Rapidly turns vertical and when explored, choked with snow at -40m.",,,,,"In dataset","Sketch in not-KH survey book 1996, page 14. Area map NoKH book p88.","caves/138/138.svx","46m","42m","6m",,,"p138",,,,"Surface survey",,,82206,36323,"1795m",,,"East flank of Vorderer Schwarzmooskogel. One shelf up from 136. 50m WSW of 136a.","Follow route to 136. From large cubic boulder at 136a entrance climb 4m step to west. Go 25m SW along 'gully' between bunde, then turn R into gap. Large, T-shaped entrance now visible in cliff 15m ahead.",,,"Number in red on the right wall of the vertical of the ""T"" saying ""138 CUCC 1983"". Spit with metal tag ""CUCC 138"" placed 1997. ","Surveyed", -139,"1/S +",,,,"smkridge/139.htm",,,"Schwa Schacht 139",,,"2b","
","Shaft. Two pitches to -30m, then too narrow.",,,,,"In dataset",,"caves/139/139.svx","21m","20m","0.6m",,,"p139",,,,"Surface survey",,"gps00.139",82312,362328,"1827m","HSK 022°, Gries Kgl. 356°, Hollweiser 147°",,"Vord SMK, just below (~70m on bearing 070°) secondary Northern summit. 90m NW of 136d, approx 200m N of Vorderer Schwarzmooskogel summit.
GPS fix GK 5411207 to 5282893, Alt. 1877 ± 91m","From VSMK summit: go down 50m on E side to a large shelf, walk along ~NE 200m to where shelf peters out. Up slope on left is 139.
From VD1 to 136 route: As you come over crest out of grassy gully there is a choss bowl/snow ahead (you cross this to get to the 136 shelf. Instead turn right uphill, up small steps on open limestone. 139 is a large square cleft in a limestone scarp after about 60m.",,,"Tag ""CUCC 139"" (1997). Red Paint ""139 CUCC 1983"" (1983).","Surveyed", -140,"2/S x ",,,,"smkridge/140.htm",,,"Schwa Schacht 140",,,"2b","CUCC 1983","Shaft entrance is 9m by 6m, with first pitch 15m to boulders. A 6m pitch is immediately followed by a 10m drop to a sloping boulder floor. From the end of this, a 5.5m drop reaches a longer boulder slope, which leads into a canyon at 90°. Down this is a longer pitch split into 10 and 10.5m sections by a small ledge, landing on a very large boulder. Over the boulder are two ways on.
Through a squeeze is a shaft 10m deep to floor with continuing hole and a further shaft to one side, neither of which were descended, despite a draught coming out through the squeeze.
The way followed is a 5m pitch from the big boulder, to a boulder false floor. At the end of this, the roof rises into a high aven and an 11m pitch drops to a flat boulder floor next to another huge block. A hole down gives a 7m drop next to stacked rocks and a way on across boulders leads to a final 8m pitch.
Forward over boulders passes under another high aven from which water falls. A short climb down leads to where this water disappears into a scrofulous slot, at a depth of 95m.
The cave is in a key position, almost directly above the Breeze Block area of Chile, in Kaninchenhöhle. However, these passages lie between 250 and 300m below the 140 entrance, so this is probably not a potential easy way in.",,,,,,"? grade 3. In 1983 logbook",,,,,,,,"p140","very old surface survey (notes missing)",,,"gps98.140","gps00.140",,,"1796m",,,"South of Vorderer Schwarzmooskogel - 126m on 194° from summit.
47° 40' 41"" N 13° 48' 58"" E","From Top Camp, climb the ""high"" route towards 161. Just past the highest point, join a traverse round the Schwarzmooskogel heading south and eventually more west. If you pick the right level, this passes the large open shaft of 140. Alternatively, the cave may be approached from the summit (point 1843) though various cliffs make this approach difficult.",,,"Paint (?)","Surveyed", -141,"1/S =",,,,"smkridge/141.htm",,,"Schwa Höhle 141",,,"2b","CUCC 1982, 1983",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,"p141",,,"Surface survey",,,,,,,,"On the hillside above Windloch (Kat.32).",,"A large non-draughting entrance, not pushed, appears to contain an 80m pitch in a narrow rift. Described in a later journal as -30m.",,"painted number ""131"" in red","Surveyed", +137,"1/S +",,,,"smkridge/137.htm",,,"Schwa Schacht 137",,,"2a","CUCC 1983","Shaft",,,,,,,,,"47m",,,,,,,,,,,,,"c 1790m",,,"East of Vorderer Schwarzmooskogel",,,,"Paint (?)","Refindable","Believed marked (may have been seen 1996) Same area as 135 & 136. Should be refindable" +138,"1/S +",,,,"smkridge/138.htm",,,"Schwa Schacht 138",,,"2a","
","Rapidly turns vertical and when explored, choked with snow at -40m.",,,,,"In dataset","Sketch in not-KH survey book 1996, page 14. Area map NoKH book p88.","caves/138/138.svx","46m","42m","6m",,,"p138",,,,"Surface survey",,,82206,36323,"1795m",,,"East flank of Vorderer Schwarzmooskogel. One shelf up from 136. 50m WSW of 136a.","Follow route to 136. From large cubic boulder at 136a entrance climb 4m step to west. Go 25m SW along 'gully' between bunde, then turn R into gap. Large, T-shaped entrance now visible in cliff 15m ahead.",,,"Number in red on the right wall of the vertical of the ""T"" saying ""138 CUCC 1983"". Spit with metal tag ""CUCC 138"" placed 1997. ","Surveyed", +139,"1/S +",,,,"smkridge/139.htm",,,"Schwa Schacht 139",,,"2a","
","Shaft. Two pitches to -30m, then too narrow.",,,,,"In dataset",,"caves/139/139.svx","21m","20m","0.6m",,,"p139",,,,"Surface survey",,"gps00.139",82312,362328,"1827m","HSK 022°, Gries Kgl. 356°, Hollweiser 147°",,"Vord SMK, just below (~70m on bearing 070°) secondary Northern summit. 90m NW of 136d, approx 200m N of Vorderer Schwarzmooskogel summit.
GPS fix GK 5411207 to 5282893, Alt. 1877 ± 91m","From VSMK summit: go down 50m on E side to a large shelf, walk along ~NE 200m to where shelf peters out. Up slope on left is 139.
From VD1 to 136 route: As you come over crest out of grassy gully there is a choss bowl/snow ahead (you cross this to get to the 136 shelf. Instead turn right uphill, up small steps on open limestone. 139 is a large square cleft in a limestone scarp after about 60m.",,,"Tag ""CUCC 139"" (1997). Red Paint ""139 CUCC 1983"" (1983).","Surveyed", +140,"2/S x ",,,,"smkridge/140.htm",,,"Schwa Schacht 140",,,"2a","CUCC 1983","Shaft entrance is 9m by 6m, with first pitch 15m to boulders. A 6m pitch is immediately followed by a 10m drop to a sloping boulder floor. From the end of this, a 5.5m drop reaches a longer boulder slope, which leads into a canyon at 90°. Down this is a longer pitch split into 10 and 10.5m sections by a small ledge, landing on a very large boulder. Over the boulder are two ways on.
Through a squeeze is a shaft 10m deep to floor with continuing hole and a further shaft to one side, neither of which were descended, despite a draught coming out through the squeeze.
The way followed is a 5m pitch from the big boulder, to a boulder false floor. At the end of this, the roof rises into a high aven and an 11m pitch drops to a flat boulder floor next to another huge block. A hole down gives a 7m drop next to stacked rocks and a way on across boulders leads to a final 8m pitch.
Forward over boulders passes under another high aven from which water falls. A short climb down leads to where this water disappears into a scrofulous slot, at a depth of 95m.
The cave is in a key position, almost directly above the Breeze Block area of Chile, in Kaninchenhöhle. However, these passages lie between 250 and 300m below the 140 entrance, so this is probably not a potential easy way in.",,,,,,"? grade 3. In 1983 logbook",,,,,,,,"p140","very old surface survey (notes missing)",,,"gps98.140","gps00.140",,,"1796m",,,"South of Vorderer Schwarzmooskogel - 126m on 194° from summit.
47° 40' 41"" N 13° 48' 58"" E","From Top Camp, climb the ""high"" route towards 161. Just past the highest point, join a traverse round the Schwarzmooskogel heading south and eventually more west. If you pick the right level, this passes the large open shaft of 140. Alternatively, the cave may be approached from the summit (point 1843) though various cliffs make this approach difficult.",,,"Paint (?)","Surveyed", +141,"1/S =",,,,"smkridge/141.htm",,,"Schwa Höhle 141",,,"2a","CUCC 1982, 1983",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,"p141",,,"Surface survey",,,,,,,,"On the hillside above Windloch (Kat.32).",,"A large non-draughting entrance, not pushed, appears to contain an 80m pitch in a narrow rift. Described in a later journal as -30m.",,"painted number ""131"" in red","Surveyed", 142,"6/T/S x",,"40n",,"smkridge/142.htm",,,"Schwa Höhle 142",,,"2a","
","Yet another entrance to Stellerweghöhle, with two points of connection, and also the first point of connection with Schwabenschacht, a similar cave explored by Arbeitsgemeinschaft Höhle und Karst Grabenstetten e.V.. 142 contains a very large chamber, imaginatively named The Big Chamber reached by a 34m pitch from a point adjacent to the connection. A full description of 142 (but not 78) is one of the components of the Stellerweghöhle guidebook, just an overview is given here.
Note: With apparent perversity, the Austrians have numbered this as 115e in their Kataster. This is likely to give rise to immense confusion in the long term as more caves are connected, and numbers on entrances cannot readily be altered (owing to the obscurity of their location and inaccessibility from within the system).
After an initial small tube, the cave opens into passages very similar to those in Schwabenschacht and the upper levels of Stellerweghöhle. Descent of some of the steep ramps to the right of the main way on may provide further connections into the main cave (and one may have already done so). However, staying high leads through tubes to an inobvious junction. Left is the connection to 78, whilst right leads immediately to the head of a pitch into the Big Chamber - a popular name in the system. A route from this chamber leads to the foot of an 18m pitch in the entrance series of Stellerweghöhle, and a more obscure route through boulders from the head of the Big Chamber pitch leads to the same place.",,,,,"In dataset","CUCC plan from surveys 1982-1985, here in several sections:
","smk-system.svx",,,,"this entrance to the main system really should have a name.",,,"p142",,,"Nils",,,81218.2,35770.4,"1615.1m",,,,"Hack up the hillside behind Windloch (Kat.32).",,,"The entrance was prominently numbered '132' in red but this was finally changed in 1996 after the connection to Schwabenschacht (1623-78)","Surveyed", 143,"3/S +",,,,"smkridge/143.htm",,,"Weiße Warze Schacht I",,,"2a","CUCC 1983, 1984 ","The first pitch starts after a short climb down boulders. From here light may be seen entering from another entrance 143b. The pitch of 20m lands on a small ledge and a short freeclimb leads to a traverse over wedged blocks. The next pitch of 10m is rigged over the edge of the last of these and brings one to a balcony at the start of a 23m shaft. Another clean, almost circular shaft (19m) follows, to a climb of 6m down wedged boulders. The passage now narrows to a small vadose canyon with a stream in it, but soon turns vertical at an 8m pitch, followed quickly by one of 18m. At the foot of this final shaft, the stream flows down a rift, approximately 10m deep, but too narrow to follow. Much hammering here achieved little progress, but could be heard clearly in passages leading from above the Big Pitch in Stellerweghöhle.",,,,,"In dataset","? grade 5","caves/143/143.svx","182m","124m","36m","The above name is provisional, since its not really my prerogative to name it, but it should have a name really.",,,"p143",,"p143x","Nils",,,,,,,,"The Nipple, (aka ""Weiße Warze"")",,"The square shaped entrance lies just below (22m vertically at 34m on 158°) the nipple at the end of the ridge running SSW from Vorderer Schwarzmooskogel.",,,"Surveyed", 144,"6/S/T x",,,,"smkridge/144.htm",,,"Tony's Second Höhle",,,"2a","CUCC 1983, 1985 ","This is the highest entrance to Stellerweghöhle found by CUCC, and a full description is included in the Stellerweghöhle guidebook description, just an overview is given here.
A predominantly vertical entrance series leads to a level of extensive fossil phreatic development, not fully explored. The main passage, The Yellow Brick Road, leads to the lip of a 25m pitch into a large muddy chamber. From the bottom, a steeply dipping tube is followed down until a canyon is reached from a boulder chamber. Most ways close down quickly from here.
Across the pitch from Yellow Brick Road is a large continuing passage, gained by an obscure and somewhat exposed route in boulders. It soon leads to a bolted climb, but a ramp down below drops to another large passage. Right here, the draught is followed through winding passage until it emerges 20m up in a chamber. Backtracking leads to a squeeze and muddy crawls to the bottom, from where a canyon develops, finally dropping into Stellerweghöhle below the Big Pitch via a 10m chimney.
There are a significant number of unpushed leads in the cave, but all are expected to connect back to already known passage. One may provide a connection to the northernmost reaches of Schwabenschacht (1623/78).",,,,,"In dataset","? grade 5","smk-system.svx",,,,"This name is the 1983 provisional name, which was intended to be scrapped. Weiße Warze Höhle II might be better, but this cave really should have a proper name - after all, it was 284m deep before the connection to the main system! It appears in Austrian lists just as Schwarzmooskogelschacht. ARGE call it ""Tony's Second Höhle"" , so we're probably stuck with the name now.",,,"p144",,"p144x","Nils",,,,,,,,"The Nipple, (aka ""Weiße Warze"")",,,,,"Surveyed", @@ -178,37 +178,37 @@ ,,"a",,"entrance",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,"p145","May be Laser point 0/4, but it is dubious",,,,"gps00.145",,,,,,,,,,"Paint","Surveyed", ,,"b",,"entrance",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,"p145b",,,"Surface survey",,,,,,,,,,,,,"Surveyed", ,,"c",,"last entrance",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,"p145c",,,"Surface survey",,,,,,,,,,,,,"Surveyed", -146,"1/S -",,,,"smkridge/146.htm",,,"Tobogganschacht",,,"2b",,,,,,,,,,,,,"Interestingly, the Austrians have this as 1/T +, at 1700m, NE of Schwarzmoossattel, and think it was explored by CUCC in 1984 to a depth of -40m.",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,"Unexplored entrance (may be the one Tony called Tobogganschacht)",,,"Lost","Probably unexplored, AERW doesn't know where to find it" -147,"2/T +",,,,"smkridge/147.htm",,,"Schwa Höhle 147",,,"2b","CUCC 1988 ","Horizontal walking entrance leads south to a descending passage and junction. Down to right is a shorter but smaller route to the lower cave, while ahead leads past a small choked passage on the right to the head of a pitch. Across the pitch a smaller passage continues to a blind pitch where a draught enters from the floor, and an even smaller continuing passage which ends too small, also draughting.
Down the main pitch, in a rift, is 10m to a boulder pile in a chamber where the shorter route reenters, and a passage continues back north towards the entrance. South is a rift ending too tight. The main way soon leads to a pitch of 10m with a large ledge halfway. A short passage intersects a cross-rift before becoming too small (with a draught), but down the rift drops c15m to a choke at about -45m.",,,,,"In dataset","Elevation and plan, 1988, unpublished? Claims to be grade 5b, but comment in 1988 logbook suggests that compass may have been seriously deviated by use of a torch to illuminate it. Drawn up survey has only one scale bar, though clearly plan and elevation are not to the same scale. Surface survey to top of Vd. Schwarzmooskogel, 1994
Re-explored and surveyed in 1999 - see log-book write-up.
","caves/147/147.svx",,,,"Number originally allocated to a cave which was not marked with a number, and which was not relocated until 1988. Interestingly, the Austrians had this as 2/T +, at 1700m, NW of Vorderer Schwarzmooskogel, and think CUCC explored it to 60m long and 10m deep in 1984. This suggests a CUCC documentation failure and probably a relocation failure, as the cave explored in 1988 was very different...",,"t147","p147","Start of (old) underground survey (Orange circle with orange dot in middle on rock nodule above entrance)",,"Nils",,,,,,,,"Probably somewhat uphill from 146, ie. NW of Vd. Schwarzmooskogel.
"3m entry pitch in rift going into bluff wall on camp 2 side of Vord. Schwarzmooskogel on cairned path." (Camp 2 refers to the 1988/89 camp up near the col between Vord. and Hint. Schwarzmooskogel.)",,,,"Tag","Surveyed", +146,"1/S -",,,,"smkridge/146.htm",,,"Tobogganschacht",,,"2a",,,,,,,,,,,,,"Interestingly, the Austrians have this as 1/T +, at 1700m, NE of Schwarzmoossattel, and think it was explored by CUCC in 1984 to a depth of -40m.",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,"Unexplored entrance (may be the one Tony called Tobogganschacht)",,,"Lost","Probably unexplored, AERW doesn't know where to find it" +147,"2/T +",,,,"smkridge/147.htm",,,"Schwa Höhle 147",,,"2a","CUCC 1988 ","Horizontal walking entrance leads south to a descending passage and junction. Down to right is a shorter but smaller route to the lower cave, while ahead leads past a small choked passage on the right to the head of a pitch. Across the pitch a smaller passage continues to a blind pitch where a draught enters from the floor, and an even smaller continuing passage which ends too small, also draughting.
Down the main pitch, in a rift, is 10m to a boulder pile in a chamber where the shorter route reenters, and a passage continues back north towards the entrance. South is a rift ending too tight. The main way soon leads to a pitch of 10m with a large ledge halfway. A short passage intersects a cross-rift before becoming too small (with a draught), but down the rift drops c15m to a choke at about -45m.",,,,,"In dataset","Elevation and plan, 1988, unpublished? Claims to be grade 5b, but comment in 1988 logbook suggests that compass may have been seriously deviated by use of a torch to illuminate it. Drawn up survey has only one scale bar, though clearly plan and elevation are not to the same scale. Surface survey to top of Vd. Schwarzmooskogel, 1994
Re-explored and surveyed in 1999 - see log-book write-up.
","caves/147/147.svx",,,,"Number originally allocated to a cave which was not marked with a number, and which was not relocated until 1988. Interestingly, the Austrians had this as 2/T +, at 1700m, NW of Vorderer Schwarzmooskogel, and think CUCC explored it to 60m long and 10m deep in 1984. This suggests a CUCC documentation failure and probably a relocation failure, as the cave explored in 1988 was very different...",,"t147","p147","Start of (old) underground survey (Orange circle with orange dot in middle on rock nodule above entrance)",,"Nils",,,,,,,,"Probably somewhat uphill from 146, ie. NW of Vd. Schwarzmooskogel.
"3m entry pitch in rift going into bluff wall on camp 2 side of Vord. Schwarzmooskogel on cairned path." (Camp 2 refers to the 1988/89 camp up near the col between Vord. and Hint. Schwarzmooskogel.)",,,,"Tag","Surveyed", 148,"2/t/S +",,,,"plateau/148.htm",,,"Marilyn Monroe Höhle",,,"1c","CUCC 1984, 1987","Not really pushed in 1984, since discovered right at the end, but relocated in 1987: horizontal tube entrance about 1m in diameter. An awkward crawl over boulders for 10m leads to a squeeze down behind a boulder with light entering ahead. Short freeclimb reaches a phreatic tube of about 3m diameter. To the right silts up in boulders while to the left descends gently over snow and big rocks to reach a sizeable chamber and pitch of about 20m. Avoiding the pitch, a route down through boulders for 3m reaches a very unstable boulder slope, which is crossed to reach another 3m pitch to a rift with a further pitch on the left. To the right, the roof lowers over large boulders, and a small ice chamber is reached with a frozen stream. A narrow section leads down to a rift of 5m down to an earthy passage.
Back at the boulder slope (I think), the 20m pitch can again be attained and from here is 15m to the floor of a 20m high chamber with three ways on. Facing away from pitch, righthand rift leads to a flat-out crawl over ice. This passes remarkable ice formations to emerge at The Ice Castle, a chamber with a large ice-stalagmite formation. The route terminates in a steep ice slope at the far side of the chamber.
Way directly ahead from pitch is a 3m climb into a large phreatic tube round a 90° bend to a solid wall of boulders. Ways into the choke proved very loose and tight, but a continuing rift/chamber could be seen through a tiny but strongly draughting hole.
Third way on from pitch ascends steeply and becomes tight, with a jammed boulder now in the way. Route ends at a steep ice-climb for which no equipment was available.",,,,,"In dataset","? grade 3","caves/148/148.svx","92m surveyed","39.2m surveyed","48m surveyed",,,,"p148",,,"Surface survey",,,,,,,,"On the plateau, next to cairned path from the col past 82 leading to 107 etc., just by a short climb up; noticeable by (and discovered by) its cold outward draught.",,,,"red painted number ""148"". 1998 tag ""1623 148 CUCC 1984"" on survey point on RHS of entrance.","Surveyed", -149,"1/S +",,,,"smkridge/149.htm",,,"Plateau Schacht 149",,,"2b","CUCC 1984","Documentation comprises a grade 1 sketch with no description in 1984 logbook. Horizontal entrance leads under a shaft to surface and a 5m climb down to a choke. Over the hole and left leads in a sandy tube to a traverse reaching a 4m diameter tube. To the right this is choked, with small blocked tubes leading off. Ahead and left a 10m pitch leads to a solid choke.",,,,,,,,,,,"Until the 1984 logbook surfaced in 1993, we thought this number was not allocated, but, interestingly, the Austrians had this as 2/T +, 1685m, NE of Schwarzmoossattel, and think it was explored in 1984 by CUCC to 100m long and 15m deep. Where is this information coming from, and why didn't CUCC record it for their own benefit too?",,,,,,,,,,,,,,"The entrance is in a large gully, just above the sandy depression, opposite Wolfhöhle. Several draughting entrances. Sketch with no north arrow, but would guess that its north from 145.",,,,,"Lost","Needs looking at again, AERW doesn't know where to find it" -150,"0/T +",,,,"smkridge/150.htm",,,"Schwa Röhrhöhle 150",,,"2b","CUCC 1985 ","Draughting tube, too tight at -2m, and therefore should not really have a kataster number. ",,,,,,,,,,,,,,"p150",,,"Surface survey",,,,,,,,"On the way to 152",,,,,"Surveyed", -151,"0/T +",,,,"smkridge/151.htm",,,"Schwa Höhle 151",,,"2b","CUCC 1985 ","Chamber 3m in diameter with draughting slot which proved too tight, -3m. This suggest that it is is too small to have a number. ",,,,,,,,,,,,,,"p151",,,"Surface survey",,,,,,,,"On the way to 152",,,,,"Surveyed", -152,"4/S +",,,,"smkridge/152.htm",,,"Bananehöhle",,,"2b","CUCC 1985 ","A vertical entrance which leads, at a depth of -145m, into Sonnenstrahlhöhle below the Purple Pit, just before Müsli crawl (-198m from Sonnenstrahl entrance bolt). Entrance pitch Scott is 9m over snow, then a small tube leads down to a short climb down boulders to an 8m pitch Virgil, followed immediately by Alan, another 8m pitch landing in Dump Chamber. A long rift, Boulder Alley leads to a rock bridge and scramble down boulders into Boulder Chamber which ends in a 4m climb and pitches of 5m (John) and 4m (Parker) over boulders. A 5m pitch (Mr. Tracy) drops into the top of a very tall narrow rift. A slight widening allows a short climb down into the canyon, but is soon too tight - Lady Penelope. The rift continues until a fault is met and The Good Pitch Venus is 24m to Behind the Drinks Cabinet. A further rift leads to a 16m pitch which lands in Sonnenstrahlhöhle.
Boulder Chamber appears to correspond with the bouldery Opera House in Sonnenstrahlhöhle, while the Good Pitch Venus and following 16m pitch correlate with the Purple Pit.",,,,,"In dataset","? grade 4","caves/152/152.svx","321m","145m","80m",,,,"p152","drilled station at entrance ",,"Surface survey",,,,,,,,"on the hillside below and to the east of 113",,,,"Drilled station","Surveyed", -153,"1/S +",,,,"smkridge/153.htm",,,"Schwa Schacht 153",,,"2b","Discovered CUCC 1985 (on last day), explored 1987","Entrance climb of 12m in doline appears to choke, but a small letterbox squeeze in side of shaft leads to broken pitch. First section of 6m in a rift less than 2m wide leads to a ledge, then 12m down to a floor. A slightly hammered squeeze leads into another narrow rift dropping 10m. This constricts to 20cm and then becomes totally impassable only shortly below. Squeezes are quite epic to reverse.",,,,,,"Grade 1 elevation from 1987 Log Book, surface survey from cairn on Bunter's Bulge.
",,,,,,,,"p153",,,"Surface survey",,"gps00.153",,,,,,"~200m on 013° magnetic and +03° from Bunter's Bulge (Weiße Warze).","From Weiße Warze, follow red arrows until you see yellow arrows, follow these (there would seem to be just two of them). After last yellow arrow, cross gully in same direction, then permanent survey mark TC is on large slab in centre of next depression. From here, climb out of depression on bearing 035°, then keep going up gully to 153 (large boulder above on left is a good vantage point). ",,,,"Surveyed", -154,"1/S x","a b",,"yes","smkridge/154.htm",,,"Schwa Schacht 154",,,"2b","Discovered CUCC 1985 (on last day), explored 1987","Loose pitch head gives onto 5m entrance pitch. A rift leads off but quickly chokes, while a draughting slot could be dug, but is rather loose and dangerous, so was left.",,,,,,"Grade 1 plan (no scale) from 1987 Log Book, surface survey from Bunter's Bulge.
",,,,,"This doesn't sound much like the 1985 log book description, which is of a climb down in a rift below the survey mark into a chamber with daylight entering in two or three places. There is another way out, though where this is isn't mentioned, and the cave needed a rope to push further. However, the 1987 sketch does sound like this ! It is not clear whether the 1987 push addressed the way out needing a rope - perhaps another look would be a good idea, if a party is working in this area.",,,,,,,,,,,,,,"~60m on 222° from outcrop which is ~100m on 10° from 153.","From 153, follow gully, keeping slightly left to end (10° magnetic), climb over ridge to left and continue with next gully into depression. Lower entrance in bottom of depression, but this is not marked, on over next ridge to find marked entrance.",,,,, +149,"1/S +",,,,"smkridge/149.htm",,,"Plateau Schacht 149",,,"2a","CUCC 1984","Documentation comprises a grade 1 sketch with no description in 1984 logbook. Horizontal entrance leads under a shaft to surface and a 5m climb down to a choke. Over the hole and left leads in a sandy tube to a traverse reaching a 4m diameter tube. To the right this is choked, with small blocked tubes leading off. Ahead and left a 10m pitch leads to a solid choke.",,,,,,,,,,,"Until the 1984 logbook surfaced in 1993, we thought this number was not allocated, but, interestingly, the Austrians had this as 2/T +, 1685m, NE of Schwarzmoossattel, and think it was explored in 1984 by CUCC to 100m long and 15m deep. Where is this information coming from, and why didn't CUCC record it for their own benefit too?",,,,,,,,,,,,,,"The entrance is in a large gully, just above the sandy depression, opposite Wolfhöhle. Several draughting entrances. Sketch with no north arrow, but would guess that its north from 145.",,,,,"Lost","Needs looking at again, AERW doesn't know where to find it" +150,"0/T +",,,,"smkridge/150.htm",,,"Schwa Röhrhöhle 150",,,"2a","CUCC 1985 ","Draughting tube, too tight at -2m, and therefore should not really have a kataster number. ",,,,,,,,,,,,,,"p150",,,"Surface survey",,,,,,,,"On the way to 152",,,,,"Surveyed", +151,"0/T +",,,,"smkridge/151.htm",,,"Schwa Höhle 151",,,"2a","CUCC 1985 ","Chamber 3m in diameter with draughting slot which proved too tight, -3m. This suggest that it is is too small to have a number. ",,,,,,,,,,,,,,"p151",,,"Surface survey",,,,,,,,"On the way to 152",,,,,"Surveyed", +152,"4/S +",,,,"smkridge/152.htm",,,"Bananehöhle",,,"2a","CUCC 1985 ","A vertical entrance which leads, at a depth of -145m, into Sonnenstrahlhöhle below the Purple Pit, just before Müsli crawl (-198m from Sonnenstrahl entrance bolt). Entrance pitch Scott is 9m over snow, then a small tube leads down to a short climb down boulders to an 8m pitch Virgil, followed immediately by Alan, another 8m pitch landing in Dump Chamber. A long rift, Boulder Alley leads to a rock bridge and scramble down boulders into Boulder Chamber which ends in a 4m climb and pitches of 5m (John) and 4m (Parker) over boulders. A 5m pitch (Mr. Tracy) drops into the top of a very tall narrow rift. A slight widening allows a short climb down into the canyon, but is soon too tight - Lady Penelope. The rift continues until a fault is met and The Good Pitch Venus is 24m to Behind the Drinks Cabinet. A further rift leads to a 16m pitch which lands in Sonnenstrahlhöhle.
Boulder Chamber appears to correspond with the bouldery Opera House in Sonnenstrahlhöhle, while the Good Pitch Venus and following 16m pitch correlate with the Purple Pit.",,,,,"In dataset","? grade 4","caves/152/152.svx","321m","145m","80m",,,,"p152","drilled station at entrance ",,"Surface survey",,,,,,,,"on the hillside below and to the east of 113",,,,"Drilled station","Surveyed", +153,"1/S +",,,,"smkridge/153.htm",,,"Schwa Schacht 153",,,"2a","Discovered CUCC 1985 (on last day), explored 1987","Entrance climb of 12m in doline appears to choke, but a small letterbox squeeze in side of shaft leads to broken pitch. First section of 6m in a rift less than 2m wide leads to a ledge, then 12m down to a floor. A slightly hammered squeeze leads into another narrow rift dropping 10m. This constricts to 20cm and then becomes totally impassable only shortly below. Squeezes are quite epic to reverse.",,,,,,"Grade 1 elevation from 1987 Log Book, surface survey from cairn on Bunter's Bulge.
",,,,,,,,"p153",,,"Surface survey",,"gps00.153",,,,,,"~200m on 013° magnetic and +03° from Bunter's Bulge (Weiße Warze).","From Weiße Warze, follow red arrows until you see yellow arrows, follow these (there would seem to be just two of them). After last yellow arrow, cross gully in same direction, then permanent survey mark TC is on large slab in centre of next depression. From here, climb out of depression on bearing 035°, then keep going up gully to 153 (large boulder above on left is a good vantage point). ",,,,"Surveyed", +154,"1/S x","a b",,"yes","smkridge/154.htm",,,"Schwa Schacht 154",,,"2a","Discovered CUCC 1985 (on last day), explored 1987","Loose pitch head gives onto 5m entrance pitch. A rift leads off but quickly chokes, while a draughting slot could be dug, but is rather loose and dangerous, so was left.",,,,,,"Grade 1 plan (no scale) from 1987 Log Book, surface survey from Bunter's Bulge.
",,,,,"This doesn't sound much like the 1985 log book description, which is of a climb down in a rift below the survey mark into a chamber with daylight entering in two or three places. There is another way out, though where this is isn't mentioned, and the cave needed a rope to push further. However, the 1987 sketch does sound like this ! It is not clear whether the 1987 push addressed the way out needing a rope - perhaps another look would be a good idea, if a party is working in this area.",,,,,,,,,,,,,,"~60m on 222° from outcrop which is ~100m on 10° from 153.","From 153, follow gully, keeping slightly left to end (10° magnetic), climb over ridge to left and continue with next gully into depression. Lower entrance in bottom of depression, but this is not marked, on over next ridge to find marked entrance.",,,,, ,,"a",,"entrance",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,"p154",,,"Surface survey",,,,,,,,,,,,,"Surveyed", ,,"b",,"last entrance",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,"p154b","unmarked",,"Surface survey",,,,,,,,,,,,"Unmarked","Surveyed", -155,"0 -",,,,"smkridge/155.htm",,,"Unerforscht Schacht 155",,,"2b","CUCC 1985 (on last day), was this pushed in 1987 ?","The cave can be entered via a slot on the right hand side of snow plug, or by crossing the snow plug onto the ice. The ice slopes down in one corner, possibly to a pitch, which, however, will need a rope to verify. Another slot nearby may drop into the same chamber. ",,,,,,"Grade 1 elevation in 1985 Log Book ?",,,,,,,,"p155",,,"Surface survey",,"gps00.155",,,,,,"about 150m ENE of 154","From 154, climb up and right and around a grassy shoulder. Then walk down (heading roughly east), skirting past a choked doline and 155 lies ahead.","A huge snow-plugged entrance apparently akin to 113.",,,"Surveyed", -156,"1/S +",,,,"smkridge/156.htm",,,"Schwa Schacht 156",,,"2b","CUCC 1987","An open rift with a rock bridge. Pitch of 25m drops onto snow bank, and route to southeast of this drops a further 15m to a complete choke with snow.",,,,,,"
Grade 1 plan/elev of 156 and T.B.H. from 1987 Log Book",,,,,"The log book refers to exploration in the vicinity of 0/1 including 156 and a nearby cave (unnumbered in 1987) Tumbling Boulder Hole. There is, however, another piece of paper which says it is very near (and NE of) point 0/2. This appears to arise from the diagram which accompanies the log book entry, which shows 0/2 with no north arrow, and uphill up the page. If the point was really 0/1 on this diagram, then the descriptions would match, with north at 7 O'Clock on the diagram. The logbook suggests that the discoverers had visited 0/2 (and found very little nearby) and then 0/1 later, finding 156. GPS location and later a surface survey (1998) confirms that 0/1 is the correct laser point.",,"t156","p156","random point or top rigging bolt",,"Surface survey","gps98.156",,,,,,,"Vorderer Schwarzmooskogel, 50m south of laser rangefound point 0/1. The recently (1998) cairned route up the Vd. Schwarzmooskogel NW flank passes very close to the laser point, and skirts the NE end of the open rift of 156. Surface survey connecting Tag and original survey ( to top rigging bolt) done in 1999. ",,,,"""1623 156 CUCC 1987"" on alloy tag on west side of more southerly opening, more-or-less directly above the first rigging bolt","Surveyed", -157,"2/S x ",,,,"smkridge/157.htm",,,"Schwa Schacht 157","Pirat Schacht",,"2b","Uncertain. Rediscovered CUCC 1987","Entrance shaft of 50m until gap between snow and rock became too perilous in 1987 - bottom still out of sight. About 25m below the karren, a rift passage leads off from side of shaft into parallel shaft with aven. This shaft is of unknown depth but has recent looking bolts of unknown origin. It is just conceivable that these bolts are in 107, but far more likely that the cave had been looked at by GSCB who were in the area on a reconnaissance in 1986 (?) and more seriously in 1987.
The second cave has a walk-in entrance, splitting just inside. The left passage comes out below a shaft from the surface, and apparently continues unexplored. The main passage reaches a 10m pitch, also below a surface shaft, which drops into a chamber. To the left is a short passage to an undescended pitch of about 10m, while to the right are three ways on. First is a rift, then a passage with an ice floor, and finally, half back towards the entrance, is a passage emerging below another surface shaft (passed on the surface just before reaching the entrance). This final passage also appeared to continue. Because a large carbide pig was found outside the entrance, it was assumed that someone else was in the course of exploring this cave.",,,,,,,,,,,,,"p157",,,,,,,,,,,,"""about 6m above Laser rangefound point 0/5"" (which is above gully containing Kat. 107 and marked with an alloy tag stamped ""LASER 0-5""). The cave was looked for but not seen in a visit to this laser point in 1998. A second cave 100m from 0/5, uphill to the left, was not given a number because of evidence of previous exploration, but should be investigated further. (This might, or might not, be Bogenhöhle.) 157 was relocated in 2001, visible to the right of the route up to 204. It was marked with faded yellow paint.",,,,"tag 2000","Surveyed","Much confusion" -158,"3/S +",,,,"smkridge/158.htm",,,"Donner und Blitzen Höhle",,,"2b","CUCC 1987","A body-width passage formed by a wall on the left and a large detached slab on the right descends for about 5m at 45°, with occasional glimpses of daylight above. A cross passage is then encountered. To the right is blocked after a few metres, but left descends to meet the base of the wall. To the right here, a 20-22cm squeeze is passed by lying on one side. After 2m of further tight progress, the rift opens onto a drop. A steep tube descends for about 12m to a small chamber and with care can be descended free.
From the chamber, the passage curves to the left and opens onto the head of a 7m pitch, which drops onto a large ledge. A rebelay just over the lip of the ledge at the left hand side gives a further 18m free-hanging pitch to a landing on boulders several metres across, which appear to be jammed across the shaft.
A narrow rift around a corner stops at a drip and a small pool. The way on is through a gap to a hole with a jammed block. Climbing down to the block leads to the head of an 18m pitch which rapidly opens into a huge split-level chamber. The pitch lands on Big Bertha, a boulder some 4m in diameter.
To the north, a narrow rift has been followed for about 10m to a tight vertical drop of at least 5m down the rift, but this has not been pushed. East from Big Bertha leads to a 5m drop to the lower half of the chamber, which is floored with loose rock. An archway to the left leads to a 7m pitch to a small stream. This disappears down an impassable slot, but is met lower in the cave.
From the archway, a climb up behind a boulder propped against the side of the chamber leads to a col. One side rapidly curves up to the roof. The other ascends over very loose boulders for at least 25m (15m vertical) until the roof is met. This area has not been exhaustively pushed, but seems unlikely to lead anywhere.
Descending the other side of the col gives a series of ledges via 5m, 7m and 8m pitches, in a canyon some 5m wide and at least 15m high. The stream enters at the bottom of the 7m pitch. Below, the rift continues down a moderate slope and round a corner, with a final short 4m pitch to a soil and rock floored chamber.
A strong draught is felt around the edges of the chamber, rising from the choked floor. It is possible to descend in loose boulders in a number of places but all ways meet the roof and choke - pushing in this area is dangerous and unpromising.
Near the bottom of the previous pitch, a 5m deep circular pit in the floor can be descended. This takes a large drip from the stream above. At the bottom, a tight (22-26cm) rift leads on for 3m to a further 3m pitch to a small chamber. An impassable passage continues, while a small window gives a view of a widening beyond.",,,,,"In dataset","Grade 3 plan and elevation in Cambridge Underground 1988, p 6
",,,"128m (deepest surveyed point is -118m)",,,,,"p158","on big rock at entrance",,"Surface survey",,"gps00.158",,,,,,"400m NNE of The Nipple (Weißen Warze) at the base of a wall to the left after passing a sandy depression (walking from the Nipple).",,,,"paint","Surveyed",
+155,"0 -",,,,"smkridge/155.htm",,,"Unerforscht Schacht 155",,,"2a","CUCC 1985 (on last day), was this pushed in 1987 ?","The cave can be entered via a slot on the right hand side of snow plug, or by crossing the snow plug onto the ice. The ice slopes down in one corner, possibly to a pitch, which, however, will need a rope to verify. Another slot nearby may drop into the same chamber. ",,,,,,"Grade 1 elevation in 1985 Log Book ?",,,,,,,,"p155",,,"Surface survey",,"gps00.155",,,,,,"about 150m ENE of 154","From 154, climb up and right and around a grassy shoulder. Then walk down (heading roughly east), skirting past a choked doline and 155 lies ahead.","A huge snow-plugged entrance apparently akin to 113.",,,"Surveyed",
+156,"1/S +",,,,"smkridge/156.htm",,,"Schwa Schacht 156",,,"2a","CUCC 1987","An open rift with a rock bridge. Pitch of 25m drops onto snow bank, and route to southeast of this drops a further 15m to a complete choke with snow.",,,,,,"
Grade 1 plan/elev of 156 and T.B.H. from 1987 Log Book",,,,,"The log book refers to exploration in the vicinity of 0/1 including 156 and a nearby cave (unnumbered in 1987) Tumbling Boulder Hole. There is, however, another piece of paper which says it is very near (and NE of) point 0/2. This appears to arise from the diagram which accompanies the log book entry, which shows 0/2 with no north arrow, and uphill up the page. If the point was really 0/1 on this diagram, then the descriptions would match, with north at 7 O'Clock on the diagram. The logbook suggests that the discoverers had visited 0/2 (and found very little nearby) and then 0/1 later, finding 156. GPS location and later a surface survey (1998) confirms that 0/1 is the correct laser point.",,"t156","p156","random point or top rigging bolt",,"Surface survey","gps98.156",,,,,,,"Vorderer Schwarzmooskogel, 50m south of laser rangefound point 0/1. The recently (1998) cairned route up the Vd. Schwarzmooskogel NW flank passes very close to the laser point, and skirts the NE end of the open rift of 156. Surface survey connecting Tag and original survey ( to top rigging bolt) done in 1999. ",,,,"""1623 156 CUCC 1987"" on alloy tag on west side of more southerly opening, more-or-less directly above the first rigging bolt","Surveyed", +157,"2/S x ",,,,"smkridge/157.htm",,,"Schwa Schacht 157","Pirat Schacht",,"1d","Uncertain. Rediscovered CUCC 1987","Entrance shaft of 50m until gap between snow and rock became too perilous in 1987 - bottom still out of sight. About 25m below the karren, a rift passage leads off from side of shaft into parallel shaft with aven. This shaft is of unknown depth but has recent looking bolts of unknown origin. It is just conceivable that these bolts are in 107, but far more likely that the cave had been looked at by GSCB who were in the area on a reconnaissance in 1986 (?) and more seriously in 1987.
The second cave has a walk-in entrance, splitting just inside. The left passage comes out below a shaft from the surface, and apparently continues unexplored. The main passage reaches a 10m pitch, also below a surface shaft, which drops into a chamber. To the left is a short passage to an undescended pitch of about 10m, while to the right are three ways on. First is a rift, then a passage with an ice floor, and finally, half back towards the entrance, is a passage emerging below another surface shaft (passed on the surface just before reaching the entrance). This final passage also appeared to continue. Because a large carbide pig was found outside the entrance, it was assumed that someone else was in the course of exploring this cave.",,,,,,,,,,,,,"p157",,,,,,,,,,,,"""about 6m above Laser rangefound point 0/5"" (which is above gully containing Kat. 107 and marked with an alloy tag stamped ""LASER 0-5""). The cave was looked for but not seen in a visit to this laser point in 1998. A second cave 100m from 0/5, uphill to the left, was not given a number because of evidence of previous exploration, but should be investigated further. (This might, or might not, be Bogenhöhle.) 157 was relocated in 2001, visible to the right of the route up to 204. It was marked with faded yellow paint.",,,,"tag 2000","Surveyed","Much confusion" +158,"3/S +",,,,"smkridge/158.htm",,,"Donner und Blitzen Höhle",,,"2a","CUCC 1987","A body-width passage formed by a wall on the left and a large detached slab on the right descends for about 5m at 45°, with occasional glimpses of daylight above. A cross passage is then encountered. To the right is blocked after a few metres, but left descends to meet the base of the wall. To the right here, a 20-22cm squeeze is passed by lying on one side. After 2m of further tight progress, the rift opens onto a drop. A steep tube descends for about 12m to a small chamber and with care can be descended free.
From the chamber, the passage curves to the left and opens onto the head of a 7m pitch, which drops onto a large ledge. A rebelay just over the lip of the ledge at the left hand side gives a further 18m free-hanging pitch to a landing on boulders several metres across, which appear to be jammed across the shaft.
A narrow rift around a corner stops at a drip and a small pool. The way on is through a gap to a hole with a jammed block. Climbing down to the block leads to the head of an 18m pitch which rapidly opens into a huge split-level chamber. The pitch lands on Big Bertha, a boulder some 4m in diameter.
To the north, a narrow rift has been followed for about 10m to a tight vertical drop of at least 5m down the rift, but this has not been pushed. East from Big Bertha leads to a 5m drop to the lower half of the chamber, which is floored with loose rock. An archway to the left leads to a 7m pitch to a small stream. This disappears down an impassable slot, but is met lower in the cave.
From the archway, a climb up behind a boulder propped against the side of the chamber leads to a col. One side rapidly curves up to the roof. The other ascends over very loose boulders for at least 25m (15m vertical) until the roof is met. This area has not been exhaustively pushed, but seems unlikely to lead anywhere.
Descending the other side of the col gives a series of ledges via 5m, 7m and 8m pitches, in a canyon some 5m wide and at least 15m high. The stream enters at the bottom of the 7m pitch. Below, the rift continues down a moderate slope and round a corner, with a final short 4m pitch to a soil and rock floored chamber.
A strong draught is felt around the edges of the chamber, rising from the choked floor. It is possible to descend in loose boulders in a number of places but all ways meet the roof and choke - pushing in this area is dangerous and unpromising.
Near the bottom of the previous pitch, a 5m deep circular pit in the floor can be descended. This takes a large drip from the stream above. At the bottom, a tight (22-26cm) rift leads on for 3m to a further 3m pitch to a small chamber. An impassable passage continues, while a small window gives a view of a widening beyond.",,,,,"In dataset","Grade 3 plan and elevation in Cambridge Underground 1988, p 6
",,,"128m (deepest surveyed point is -118m)",,,,,"p158","on big rock at entrance",,"Surface survey",,"gps00.158",,,,,,"400m NNE of The Nipple (Weißen Warze) at the base of a wall to the left after passing a sandy depression (walking from the Nipple).",,,,"paint","Surveyed",
159,"2/S +",,,,"plateau/159.htm",,,"Winded Hole",,,"1a","CUCC 1988 (1st pitch Chris & Becka, bottomed by Chris).","Two bolts in entrance for Y-hang to give c40m vertical to a boulder floor, then a further 20m in a big boulder chamber. A ""nice skeleton"" and an old colander (!) were found on the terminal choke in 1988.",,,,,,,,,"c50m",,,,"t159",,,,"Surface survey",,,,,,"1990 Bearings (we have no idea where these came from and they aren't remotely in the right place): HSK 116°, Nipple 174°, Bräuning Nase 199°, Bräuning Zinken 216°
1996: HSK 059°, VSK nipple 111°, Bräuning Nase 152°, Kleine Wild Kogel 009°(left) and 010°(right), Bräuning Wall pt. 1828 209°, Bräuning Wall pt. 1835 221°, Bräuning Zinken 232° ",,"Near 'crapping region' of Top Camp (1990). Cave is on the same fault/joint as 1623/90, 1623/207 and 1623/208, but further out from the Bräuning Wall, c 100m on 067°.","Cave relocated 1990, 1996 and surveyed to in 1998. Entrance reached in two minutes from upper top camp by heading west and dropping down one terrace.",,"
","orange number ""159"" facing north. 1998 tag ""1623 159 CUCC 1988"" attached to more northerly of two Y-hang bolts, just below surface. This is the anchor visible in the photograph (with an orange circle painted round it), taken before the tag was attached.","Surveyed", 160,"2/S/ +",,,,"plateau/160.htm",,,"Plateau Schacht 160","Jared's Hole",,"1a","CUCC 1988 ","Bottoming trip used a 70m rope to reach a choke (with a draught). A small side rift at the bottom choked after 3m.
The cave could probably do with another descent to record some details of the interior or even a survey !",,,,,,,,,,,"1988 logbook implies that this is "Jared's Hole". Was provisionally numbered "181" but apparently never marked. ",,"p160",,,,"Surface survey",,"gps00.160",,,,,,"On plateau, near B10 (according to B10 info). Map in 1988 logbook shows 160 as out on the plateau from Bräuning Scharte in an area of terracing, and WSW of B10. Hole tagged in 1998 is just east of 91, and can also be reached by following the terrace west from the 159 entrance.",,,,"The hole believed to be 160 was unmarked until tagged in 1998 ""1623 160 CUCC 1988"" on flat limestone 1m east of entrance. This had been relocated in 1996 and was then thought to be 159, but latter was found marked in 1998.","Surveyed", -161,"5/S/E x","a–h",,"yes","smkridge/161/top.htm",,,"Kaninchenhöhle",,,"2a","CUCC 1988-98","Rather than adopting the usual approach of describing every side passage in the main description, which makes the 'normal' descent route hard to follow, this description describes each main route down the cave first, mentioning side passages only where necessary to make the correct main route clear. Various side passages and connecting routes are described subsequently, area by area. The directions left and right are always relative to travel in the direction of the description, compass directions are given where there is any ambiguity. Most passages are described going 'into the cave', on the assumption that this is how they will be first met. Some passages are described in both directions, either because it is difficult to follow them without getting into side leads, or because they form important links between different parts of the system, and may be traversed either way on various round trips.
The clickable index has developed into a glossary, which it is hoped will make it easier to find bits of the cave by name - be warned, this became so big that it was decided to split it up and it is now a framed page.
There are also virtual tours, containing thumbnails of all the pictures of the caves. Although these pages are kept small, all the photos mean that they can require a lot of memory to load. The original comprehensive tour has been split into two, for the Right Hand Route, and for passages most conveniently reached from the Scarface entrance. Two new tours have been created for the Lost World and Wheelchair Access, and for the new way into the Forbidden Land via Steinschlagschacht.Each thumbnail on these tours links to a full-size version of the picture, and each full-size picture has links into the appropriate bit of the description.
Throughout the guide, the date of exploration is noted for each area. There is a history page which can be used as a clickable index into the logbook write ups of all the 161 trips, so it should be easy to follow the exploration of any part of the cave. Warning, this was also getting too big and is now framed.
The upper part of the system can be best thought of as a number of separate areas, each with its own vertical development. The more recently found extensive horizontal development, being easier to traverse, is generally better connected. Although there are various links between the vertical routes, a given destination will tend to have one 'obvious' approach. These areas are France, the Left Hand Routes, the Right Hand Routes, the southernmost part of the system reached via Steinschlagschacht, routes from Scarface entrance. So rapidly has exploration proceeded from Triassic Park that now more than half the total length is most conveniently reached via 161d.
The key to all the deepest and most remote parts of the system is the huge collapse chamber of Knossos. This was reached from the 161a entrance via the Right Hand Route, and now via the 161d ""Scarface"" entrance through Triassic Park. This provides a much easier route in, making trips to the further reaches less strenuous. From Knossos, horizontal trunk passage leads north, giving access first to a series of deep vertical systems, and further on to complex areas of rifts and old passages. A significant horizontal route leading northwest, Siberia, has only been pushed as a result of the new entrance, but has yielded a new deep point to the cave. There appear to be deep vertical leads in the far north, too, though they have mostly been avoided by a series of ""mental"" tyroleans and bolt traverses.
It is still probably some way off the time when one might choose a tourist trip on the basis of its ""classic"" quality. Mostly, choices available depend on what is rigged this year for exploratory purposes. This will usually only include one main route into an area, so trips like a Left Hand Route / Garden Party or Drunk & Stupid exchange will not be easy. Similarly, the original classic Right Hand Route / Dreamtime exchange was only really possible during the exploration of the latter, before the Squeeze was bypassed and this modified RHR became the trade route.
However, now that Knossos is accessible from the Scarface entrance, this has opened up the possibilities for a whole raft of pull-through trips with a minimum of pre-rigging. The one fly in the ointment is the relative difficulty of surface travel between the 161d and upper entrances. The route used in 1996 seems to be good enough to have become a trade route, and after one benightment through loss of the route in 1997, it has been very well marked with cairns.
Already possible is the 161c to 161d through trip via France. In the future, pull-throughs of LHR, Garden Party or Drunk and Stupid should all be possible via Ambidextrous. Right Hand Route or Dreamtime give access to Knossos. Care must be taken, however, not to try rapelling down any of the plethora of routes which don't connect into the Knossos area.
As in the more famous Dent du Crolles system, route-finding errors on bridge-burning trips could entail a long wait for someone to figure out where you went!
Line plots of the cave give some idea of it's shape, extent and structure.
The main entrance at 1787m drops to a major sub-horizontal level at 1720-1750m, containing the large passages of Big Sainsbury's and its continuation into the upper part of Dreamtime, and the smaller passages of the Rabbit Warren and the French entrances 161b and 161c. From this level a number of vertical routes drop to another significant sub-horizontal level dipping from around 1700m in the SW of the system (upper part of France) to around 1600m where this level is lost in the roof of Knossos. [This is probably debatable, as Boulder Alley from Poxy Pitch downwards is probably in a fault rift].
Multiple, predominantly vertical, routes drop to the cave's most important sub-horizontal passages around 1540m in the area below the entrance dipping to c1510m in Tower Blocks and the start of YAPATE. This is a major fossil passage rising up the dip to the NNE, and continuing as Chicken Flied Nice to c1540m where complexity increases. The major horizontal development in France is entered at c1550m, with the lowest passages down to 1480m. The major trunk route through Triassic Park is between 1560 and 1620m, and this level is also lost in what is presumed to be the roof of Knossos.
Whilst none of the routes below the entrance area get below about 1480m, there are a series of interconnecting shafts dropping below YAPATE and Chicken Flied Nice ending at or just above 1290m in sumps or tightness. The original deepest point, at the bottom of Flapjack, is at 1289m, 498m below the main entrance. Passages to the northwest led through a bitterly cold, draughty passage known as Siberia, which was left well alone until access via 161d made it easier. It was pushed in 1997 and 1998 down two very large pitches to a new deep point 534m below the 136 entrance at 1258m altitude.
There is just one section of horizontal level at c1400m, which is not very extensive to date, and similarly a tantalising glimpse of what appears to have been very large trunk passage below 1300m in Siberia, but this is comprehensively choked in both directions.
This overview is currently mostly updated to reflect exploration to 1995, though the line plots are up to 1996. ",,"Outstanding and now finished",,,"In dataset","? grade 5","smk-system.svx","24485m after 1999 expedition","534m",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,"On the limestone ridge between the Hinterer and Vorderer Schwarzmooskogels, about 200 metres up towards the Hinterer from the col, and about 20m down the east side of the ridge itself. The main 161a entrance shaft overlooks a gully dropping steeply SE towards Augstwies See. The 161b and 161c (French) entrances are close together about 75m to the SE, down the gully. Considerably further down the gully, a traverse is possible (somewhat engineered) to reach an area of recently fallen rock, where the ""Scarface"" 161d entrance is located. Continuing the traverse, but regaining about 20m of height to the NE, the ""exits"" of 161f and then 161e can be reached.",,,,,, -,,"a",,"entrance","smkridge/161/161a.htm",,,,,,,,"Click here for underground description",,,,,,,,,,,,,,"p161a",,,"Nils",,"gps00.161a2",,,,,,,,,,"Tag","Surveyed", -,,"b",,"entrance","smkridge/161/161b.htm",,,,,,,,"Click here for underground description",,,,,,,,,,,,,,"p161b",,,"Nils",,,,,,,,,,,,"Tag","Surveyed", -,,"c",,"entrance","smkridge/161/161c.htm",,,,,,,,"Click here for underground description",,,,,,,,,,,,,,"p161c",,,"Nils",,,,,,,,,,,,"Tag","Surveyed", -,,"d",,"entrance","smkridge/161/161d.htm",,,,,,,,"Click here for underground description",,,,,,,,,,,,,"p161dtag","p161d",,,"Surface survey","gps96.161d_1 gps96.161d_2 gps96.161d_3 gps96.161d_4 gps96.161d_5 GPS96bestfit.161d GPS96bestfit.161d_2 GPS96bestfit.161d_3 GPS96bestfit.d_4 GPS96bestfit.161d_5","gps00.161d gps00.161d_2",,,,,,,,,,"Tag","Surveyed", -,,"e",,"entrance","smkridge/161/161e.htm",,,,,,,,"Click here for underground description",,,,,,,,,,,,,,"p161e",,,"Nils",,,,,,,,,,,,"Tag","Surveyed", -,,"f",,"entrance","smkridge/161/161f.htm",,,,,,,,"Click here for underground description",,,,,,,,,,,,,,"p161f",,,"Surface survey",,,,,,,,,,,,"Tag","Surveyed", -,,"g","2003-06","entrance","smkridge/161/161g.htm",,,"Arachnowrapper",,,,,"Click here for underground description",,,,,,,,,,,,,"p161g",,,,,,"gps03.161g",,,,,,,,,,"Tag ""CUCC 2003/06"".","Surveyed","Tag still has old provisional number" -,,"h","2004-12","entrance","smkridge/161/161h.htm",,,,,,,"CUCC 2004","Click here for underground description",,,,,,,,,,,,,"p161h",,,,"Underground survey",,"gps04.p2004-12",,,,,,"NE slope of Hinterer Schwarzmooskogel","Difficult route finding past Damoclesschact and 2003-07 to edge of plateau. Climb down to easy gemsa path and turn north for 200m.","Above short climb low body sized tube below cleft in cliff.","
161h entrance
","Tag ""CUCC 2004-12""","Surveyed","Tag still has old provisional number" +161,"5/S/E x","a–h",,"yes","smkridge/161/top.htm",,,"Kaninchenhöhle",,,"2a and 2b","CUCC 1988-98","Rather than adopting the usual approach of describing every side passage in the main description, which makes the 'normal' descent route hard to follow, this description describes each main route down the cave first, mentioning side passages only where necessary to make the correct main route clear. Various side passages and connecting routes are described subsequently, area by area. The directions left and right are always relative to travel in the direction of the description, compass directions are given where there is any ambiguity. Most passages are described going 'into the cave', on the assumption that this is how they will be first met. Some passages are described in both directions, either because it is difficult to follow them without getting into side leads, or because they form important links between different parts of the system, and may be traversed either way on various round trips.
The clickable index has developed into a glossary, which it is hoped will make it easier to find bits of the cave by name - be warned, this became so big that it was decided to split it up and it is now a framed page.
There are also virtual tours, containing thumbnails of all the pictures of the caves. Although these pages are kept small, all the photos mean that they can require a lot of memory to load. The original comprehensive tour has been split into two, for the Right Hand Route, and for passages most conveniently reached from the Scarface entrance. Two new tours have been created for the Lost World and Wheelchair Access, and for the new way into the Forbidden Land via Steinschlagschacht.Each thumbnail on these tours links to a full-size version of the picture, and each full-size picture has links into the appropriate bit of the description.
Throughout the guide, the date of exploration is noted for each area. There is a history page which can be used as a clickable index into the logbook write ups of all the 161 trips, so it should be easy to follow the exploration of any part of the cave. Warning, this was also getting too big and is now framed.
The upper part of the system can be best thought of as a number of separate areas, each with its own vertical development. The more recently found extensive horizontal development, being easier to traverse, is generally better connected. Although there are various links between the vertical routes, a given destination will tend to have one 'obvious' approach. These areas are France, the Left Hand Routes, the Right Hand Routes, the southernmost part of the system reached via Steinschlagschacht, routes from Scarface entrance. So rapidly has exploration proceeded from Triassic Park that now more than half the total length is most conveniently reached via 161d.
The key to all the deepest and most remote parts of the system is the huge collapse chamber of Knossos. This was reached from the 161a entrance via the Right Hand Route, and now via the 161d ""Scarface"" entrance through Triassic Park. This provides a much easier route in, making trips to the further reaches less strenuous. From Knossos, horizontal trunk passage leads north, giving access first to a series of deep vertical systems, and further on to complex areas of rifts and old passages. A significant horizontal route leading northwest, Siberia, has only been pushed as a result of the new entrance, but has yielded a new deep point to the cave. There appear to be deep vertical leads in the far north, too, though they have mostly been avoided by a series of ""mental"" tyroleans and bolt traverses.
It is still probably some way off the time when one might choose a tourist trip on the basis of its ""classic"" quality. Mostly, choices available depend on what is rigged this year for exploratory purposes. This will usually only include one main route into an area, so trips like a Left Hand Route / Garden Party or Drunk & Stupid exchange will not be easy. Similarly, the original classic Right Hand Route / Dreamtime exchange was only really possible during the exploration of the latter, before the Squeeze was bypassed and this modified RHR became the trade route.
However, now that Knossos is accessible from the Scarface entrance, this has opened up the possibilities for a whole raft of pull-through trips with a minimum of pre-rigging. The one fly in the ointment is the relative difficulty of surface travel between the 161d and upper entrances. The route used in 1996 seems to be good enough to have become a trade route, and after one benightment through loss of the route in 1997, it has been very well marked with cairns.
Already possible is the 161c to 161d through trip via France. In the future, pull-throughs of LHR, Garden Party or Drunk and Stupid should all be possible via Ambidextrous. Right Hand Route or Dreamtime give access to Knossos. Care must be taken, however, not to try rapelling down any of the plethora of routes which don't connect into the Knossos area.
As in the more famous Dent du Crolles system, route-finding errors on bridge-burning trips could entail a long wait for someone to figure out where you went!
Line plots of the cave give some idea of it's shape, extent and structure.
The main entrance at 1787m drops to a major sub-horizontal level at 1720-1750m, containing the large passages of Big Sainsbury's and its continuation into the upper part of Dreamtime, and the smaller passages of the Rabbit Warren and the French entrances 161b and 161c. From this level a number of vertical routes drop to another significant sub-horizontal level dipping from around 1700m in the SW of the system (upper part of France) to around 1600m where this level is lost in the roof of Knossos. [This is probably debatable, as Boulder Alley from Poxy Pitch downwards is probably in a fault rift].
Multiple, predominantly vertical, routes drop to the cave's most important sub-horizontal passages around 1540m in the area below the entrance dipping to c1510m in Tower Blocks and the start of YAPATE. This is a major fossil passage rising up the dip to the NNE, and continuing as Chicken Flied Nice to c1540m where complexity increases. The major horizontal development in France is entered at c1550m, with the lowest passages down to 1480m. The major trunk route through Triassic Park is between 1560 and 1620m, and this level is also lost in what is presumed to be the roof of Knossos.
Whilst none of the routes below the entrance area get below about 1480m, there are a series of interconnecting shafts dropping below YAPATE and Chicken Flied Nice ending at or just above 1290m in sumps or tightness. The original deepest point, at the bottom of Flapjack, is at 1289m, 498m below the main entrance. Passages to the northwest led through a bitterly cold, draughty passage known as Siberia, which was left well alone until access via 161d made it easier. It was pushed in 1997 and 1998 down two very large pitches to a new deep point 534m below the 136 entrance at 1258m altitude.
There is just one section of horizontal level at c1400m, which is not very extensive to date, and similarly a tantalising glimpse of what appears to have been very large trunk passage below 1300m in Siberia, but this is comprehensively choked in both directions.
This overview is currently mostly updated to reflect exploration to 1995, though the line plots are up to 1996. ",,"Outstanding and now finished",,,"In dataset","? grade 5","smk-system.svx","24485m after 1999 expedition","534m",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,"On the limestone ridge between the Hinterer and Vorderer Schwarzmooskogels, about 200 metres up towards the Hinterer from the col, and about 20m down the east side of the ridge itself. The main 161a entrance shaft overlooks a gully dropping steeply SE towards Augstwies See. The 161b and 161c (French) entrances are close together about 75m to the SE, down the gully. Considerably further down the gully, a traverse is possible (somewhat engineered) to reach an area of recently fallen rock, where the ""Scarface"" 161d entrance is located. Continuing the traverse, but regaining about 20m of height to the NE, the ""exits"" of 161f and then 161e can be reached.",,,,,, +,,"a",,"entrance","smkridge/161/161a.htm",,,,,,"2a",,"Click here for underground description",,,,,,,,,,,,,,"p161a",,,"Nils",,"gps00.161a2",,,,,,,,,,"Tag","Surveyed", +,,"b",,"entrance","smkridge/161/161b.htm",,,,,,"2a",,"Click here for underground description",,,,,,,,,,,,,,"p161b",,,"Nils",,,,,,,,,,,,"Tag","Surveyed", +,,"c","VSS 88AF","entrance","smkridge/161/161c.htm",,,,,,"2a",,"Click here for underground description",,,,,,,,,,,,,,"p161c",,,"Nils",,,,,,,,,,,,"Tag","Surveyed", +,,"d",,"entrance","smkridge/161/161d.htm",,,,,,"2a",,"Click here for underground description",,,,,,,,,,,,,"p161dtag","p161d",,,"Surface survey","gps96.161d_1 gps96.161d_2 gps96.161d_3 gps96.161d_4 gps96.161d_5 GPS96bestfit.161d GPS96bestfit.161d_2 GPS96bestfit.161d_3 GPS96bestfit.d_4 GPS96bestfit.161d_5","gps00.161d gps00.161d_2",,,,,,,,,,"Tag","Surveyed", +,,"e",,"entrance","smkridge/161/161e.htm",,,,,,"2b",,"Click here for underground description",,,,,,,,,,,,,,"p161e",,,"Nils",,,,,,,,,,,,"Tag","Surveyed", +,,"f",,"entrance","smkridge/161/161f.htm",,,,,,"2b",,"Click here for underground description",,,,,,,,,,,,,,"p161f",,,"Surface survey",,,,,,,,,,,,"Tag","Surveyed", +,,"g","2003-06","entrance","smkridge/161/161g.htm",,,"Arachnowrapper",,,"2b","CUCC 2003","Click here for underground description",,,,,,,,,,,,,"p161g",,,,,,"gps03.161g",,,,,,,,,,"Tag ""CUCC 2003/06"".","Surveyed","Tag still has old provisional number" +,,"h","2004-12","entrance","smkridge/161/161h.htm",,,,,,"2b","CUCC 2004","Click here for underground description",,,,,,,,,,,,,"p161h",,,,"Underground survey",,"gps04.p2004-12",,,,,,"NE slope of Hinterer Schwarzmooskogel","Difficult route finding past Damoclesschact and 2003-07 to edge of plateau. Climb down to easy gemsa path and turn north for 200m.","Above short climb low body sized tube below cleft in cliff.","
161h entrance
","Tag ""CUCC 2004-12""","Surveyed","Tag still has old provisional number" ,,136,,"last entrance",,"smkridge/161/136.htm","a",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,, -162,"2/S +","main b",,"yes","smkridge/162.htm",,,"Schwa Höhle 162",,,"2b","CUCC 1988. 162b independently discovered by Brian and Becka 1999 and relocated + tagged ""1999-10"" by Wookey and Andy A 2000.","The cave takes a good couple of hours to explore thoroughly. Through the entrance is a large chamber with a 4m x 8m crater in it. A 3m climb down to the bottom gives access to a 3m climb back up to the right, leading into the cave and a crawl at the lowest point of the boulders leading into a choked bit of cave with small solutional stuff in the roof. It is also possible to traverse around the left edge of the crater to reach a triangular crawl which goes for about 10m before it gets too tight.
The entire floor of this cave consists of small rocks and boulders. There is no solid rock anywhere horizontal, except halfway down the pitch.
After climbing out of the hole there is another 5m deep choked hole beyond. Traverses round to both the left and right are possible, although a little care is required due to the low roof and loose floor.
To the right, rubble coming out of the bottom of a choked shaft almost blocks the passage but a crawl through to the left remains, with a strong wind blasting through the confined space. Beyond this constriction the draught is lost. The roof remains low on the other side, although it is possible to stand up off to the left where there is a 4m climb up to what looks like a way on but is actually blind. Moving around the boulder pile to the right leads to a big passage. There are a few large boulders 10m to the right with a 4m climb down between them leading to a tight choked rift. This was also dug into from the top passage by the extremely zealous original explorers! There is an alcove in front and a rubble slope up to the right. Round the corner to the right is another shaft-bottom rubble pile and a hole disappearing into the roof. At the top of the slope to the left is a 4m climb up through and around big wedged boulders to reach an impressive chamber 7m × 9m and 12m high. There is a possible climb up into an aven in the corner which probably doesn't go and has a couple of moves at the top which need protecting.
Back at the fork near the entrance, turning left and thrutching over a couple of rocks (another windy spot) leads to the head of a 17m pitch broken by a ledge 8m down. There is a bolt for a ladder hang on this ledge. Going off to the left allows a safe traverse past the pitch continuation to the bottom of a 6m high rift with some ice in it, slowly narrowing as it goes up.
At the foot of the pitch is what looks like an ancient phreatic remnant. It is about 40m long and 6m wide, and mostly full of rocks. To the left it is blocked at the end by the rubble coming out of the bottom of a big shaft. It is possible to work round the foot of this for about 3m to the left and 10m to the right.
Going the other way down the passage reveals a large snow column by the left hand wall. It is possible to climb up between the column and its containing shaft, presumably all the way to the surface, but no-one has managed it yet. Beyond this column the roof gets lower, apart from a couple of solutional avens and eventually a small shaft-bottom rock pile and a couple of small inlet tubes mark the end of the cave.
There is no extant description or survey of what Brian and Becka discovered in 1999 except that it was a shaft to around 50m of passage. This and the position of their entrance suggests that they had dropped into the lower part of 162, near the snow column from the original description.",,,,,"In dataset","1990 plan Cambridge Underground 1991
","caves/162/162.svx","156-159m","22 m (survey) or 33 m (text)",,"The 1988 log book refers to this cave as ""Adam's Hole (2)"".",,,,,,"Surface survey","gps96.162 gps96bestfit.162","gps00.162",,,,,,"Vorderer Schwarzmooskogel, about halfway between 161 and Eishöhle. Following the French traverse route along the shelf marked with orange paint from 161c will take you to just below 162 and 163.","About 250m from survey point vd1. From vd1, head directly down the gully (bearing about 100°, for about 130m, then turn right, angle right and traverse below the bunde field on the right along the most obvious shelf (you should find the french path here) for another 130m or so. The cave entrance is a 1.5m × 2m hole in the wall to the right of the traverse shelf with a very cold draught coming out of it. It is one shelf above the French path and if you are at the wrong level you will miss it.",,,,,
+162,"2/S +","main b",,"yes","smkridge/162.htm",,,"Schwa Höhle 162",,,"2a","CUCC 1988. 162b independently discovered by Brian and Becka 1999 and relocated + tagged ""1999-10"" by Wookey and Andy A 2000.","The cave takes a good couple of hours to explore thoroughly. Through the entrance is a large chamber with a 4m x 8m crater in it. A 3m climb down to the bottom gives access to a 3m climb back up to the right, leading into the cave and a crawl at the lowest point of the boulders leading into a choked bit of cave with small solutional stuff in the roof. It is also possible to traverse around the left edge of the crater to reach a triangular crawl which goes for about 10m before it gets too tight.
The entire floor of this cave consists of small rocks and boulders. There is no solid rock anywhere horizontal, except halfway down the pitch.
After climbing out of the hole there is another 5m deep choked hole beyond. Traverses round to both the left and right are possible, although a little care is required due to the low roof and loose floor.
To the right, rubble coming out of the bottom of a choked shaft almost blocks the passage but a crawl through to the left remains, with a strong wind blasting through the confined space. Beyond this constriction the draught is lost. The roof remains low on the other side, although it is possible to stand up off to the left where there is a 4m climb up to what looks like a way on but is actually blind. Moving around the boulder pile to the right leads to a big passage. There are a few large boulders 10m to the right with a 4m climb down between them leading to a tight choked rift. This was also dug into from the top passage by the extremely zealous original explorers! There is an alcove in front and a rubble slope up to the right. Round the corner to the right is another shaft-bottom rubble pile and a hole disappearing into the roof. At the top of the slope to the left is a 4m climb up through and around big wedged boulders to reach an impressive chamber 7m × 9m and 12m high. There is a possible climb up into an aven in the corner which probably doesn't go and has a couple of moves at the top which need protecting.
Back at the fork near the entrance, turning left and thrutching over a couple of rocks (another windy spot) leads to the head of a 17m pitch broken by a ledge 8m down. There is a bolt for a ladder hang on this ledge. Going off to the left allows a safe traverse past the pitch continuation to the bottom of a 6m high rift with some ice in it, slowly narrowing as it goes up.
At the foot of the pitch is what looks like an ancient phreatic remnant. It is about 40m long and 6m wide, and mostly full of rocks. To the left it is blocked at the end by the rubble coming out of the bottom of a big shaft. It is possible to work round the foot of this for about 3m to the left and 10m to the right.
Going the other way down the passage reveals a large snow column by the left hand wall. It is possible to climb up between the column and its containing shaft, presumably all the way to the surface, but no-one has managed it yet. Beyond this column the roof gets lower, apart from a couple of solutional avens and eventually a small shaft-bottom rock pile and a couple of small inlet tubes mark the end of the cave.
There is no extant description or survey of what Brian and Becka discovered in 1999 except that it was a shaft to around 50m of passage. This and the position of their entrance suggests that they had dropped into the lower part of 162, near the snow column from the original description.",,,,,"In dataset","1990 plan Cambridge Underground 1991
","caves/162/162.svx","156-159m","22 m (survey) or 33 m (text)",,"The 1988 log book refers to this cave as ""Adam's Hole (2)"".",,,,,,"Surface survey","gps96.162 gps96bestfit.162","gps00.162",,,,,,"Vorderer Schwarzmooskogel, about halfway between 161 and Eishöhle. Following the French traverse route along the shelf marked with orange paint from 161c will take you to just below 162 and 163.","About 250m from survey point vd1. From vd1, head directly down the gully (bearing about 100°, for about 130m, then turn right, angle right and traverse below the bunde field on the right along the most obvious shelf (you should find the french path here) for another 130m or so. The cave entrance is a 1.5m × 2m hole in the wall to the right of the traverse shelf with a very cold draught coming out of it. It is one shelf above the French path and if you are at the wrong level you will miss it.",,,,,
,,"main",,"entrance",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,"p162",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,"Paint","Surveyed",
,,"b","1999-10","last entrance",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,"p162b","spit hole",,,,"p1999-10",,,,,,,,,,"tag 2000","Surveyed","Tag still has old provisional number (if it's even the right hole)"
-163,"2/S +",,,,"smkridge/163.htm",,,"Schwa Höhle 163",,,"2b","CUCC 1988 ","This is a fairly small cave remnant, but it does have a draught at the end suggesting more passage beyond.
The entrance is low and wide (3.5m) and descends down a rocky slope for 20m to some impressive ice stals. There is a small tube in the roof on the right through which daylight can be seen. The cave extends another 10m past the ice stals in fossil passage until it chokes. A 3m climb up on the left allows access to a tiny rift which can be climbed down for a few uninspiring metres.
5m back from the ice stals, towards the entrance, there is a stoop under a massive boulder forming the left wall. Here is a 3m climb down into the second part of the cave. Downslope from here is a chamber with a small frozen stream running through it and a choked alcove containing another ice stal beyond the stream. The chamber through which the stream 'flows' appears to have been formed by the entire roof falling about 1.5m in one piece and it is possible to climb beneath this huge rock near the way in. Over on the right is a climb through an eyehole to a 3m climb down into a stream rift. This has a howling draught coming out of it but it is too small to get down - although the heavy application of a hammer might do the trick.",,,,,"In dataset","1990 plan, Cambridge Underground 1991
","caves/163/163.svx","58m","17m",,"The 1988 log book refers to this cave as ""Adam's Hole (1)"".",,"p163tag","p163",,,"Surface survey",,"gps00.163",,,,,,"In the right hand side of a 15m diameter couloir near 162.",,,,"Tag","Surveyed",
+163,"2/S +",,,,"smkridge/163.htm",,,"Schwa Höhle 163",,,"2a","CUCC 1988 ","This is a fairly small cave remnant, but it does have a draught at the end suggesting more passage beyond.
The entrance is low and wide (3.5m) and descends down a rocky slope for 20m to some impressive ice stals. There is a small tube in the roof on the right through which daylight can be seen. The cave extends another 10m past the ice stals in fossil passage until it chokes. A 3m climb up on the left allows access to a tiny rift which can be climbed down for a few uninspiring metres.
5m back from the ice stals, towards the entrance, there is a stoop under a massive boulder forming the left wall. Here is a 3m climb down into the second part of the cave. Downslope from here is a chamber with a small frozen stream running through it and a choked alcove containing another ice stal beyond the stream. The chamber through which the stream 'flows' appears to have been formed by the entire roof falling about 1.5m in one piece and it is possible to climb beneath this huge rock near the way in. Over on the right is a climb through an eyehole to a 3m climb down into a stream rift. This has a howling draught coming out of it but it is too small to get down - although the heavy application of a hammer might do the trick.",,,,,"In dataset","1990 plan, Cambridge Underground 1991
","caves/163/163.svx","58m","17m",,"The 1988 log book refers to this cave as ""Adam's Hole (1)"".",,"p163tag","p163",,,"Surface survey",,"gps00.163",,,,,,"In the right hand side of a 15m diameter couloir near 162.",,,,"Tag","Surveyed",
164,"2/S +",,,,"plateau/164.htm",,,"Plateau Schacht 164",,,"1a","CUCC 1988","The entrance pitch is 10m, and has a detectable draught - quite strong in view of the size of the entrance. There was only the remains of a snow plug in 1988, although the plug is almost complete in some years (eg. 1995 - it was gone again in 1996).
A small stream enters and lands on boulders at the foot of the pitch in a passage leading south along a fault. A climb of 4m over precarious boulders reaches a bolt for the second pitch. The quality of rock in this area leaves a lot to be desired. The second pitch, 12m and third pitch, 15m are separated only by a small ledge. Water sinks in floor of small passage floored with what would appear to be the previous season's roof, now decayed into small jagged rocks. Continuing passage over boulders rises to 4-5m dropping steeply for 30m on the same south-trending fault. The water is rejoined at a freehanging 10m pitch from a rock bridge overlooking a sizeable chamber.
The stream sinks at the foot of the pitch in the centre of the 15m by 7m chamber floor. To the east, a scramble leads up to a shattered cross-rift from a large shelf about 15m long and 10m wide, but ends too tight. A similar feature to the west up a 4m climb becomes a low bedding with no way on. Due south are two passages, the one to the right leading 20m round a couple of bends to a sandy choke. The left passage quickly chokes. The draught seems to be lost into the continuation of the passage above the final pitch, on the far side of the chamber. This would be best reached by a traverse on steep loose rock from the 4m climb in the chamber. The pitches take large quantities of water very quickly in rain.",,,,,,"Elevation in Cambridge Underground 1989",,,"60ish metres",,,,"p164tag","p164rig",,,"Surface survey","gps96.164/189 gps96bestfit.164",,,,,,,"On plateau, beyond B11 (1623/198). This is a snow-choked shaft next to the very large snow-choked shaft, which has always been blocked with snow and was therefore not explored or numbered for many years, but is now 189.",,,"
","On wall above entrance, facing NE, number in red, 1988. Austrian metal tag, 1995.","Surveyed", 165,"1/S +",,,,"smkridge/165.htm",,,"Schwa Schacht 165",,,"2b","CUCC 1989","15m shaft explored by Adam and Planc on 24th August 1989, and apparently never returned to, but did get its number painted. Relocated and surveyed to in 1999.
In same fault line, but further north, in an area of bare limestone is another shaft. This already had a bolt when encountered in 1989, despite being outside the area previously looked at by CUCC. It was in excess of 35m deep and was not marked by CUCC. Cross on Schönberg 322°, Bräuning Nase 222°
This latter cave may be 195 (marked in 1995) which is c 80m almost due north, although the faults in this area are mainly aligned on about 020°, so it may be an as-yet-unrelocated shaft.",,,,,,,,,,,,,,"p165",,,"Surface survey",,,,,,"Cross on Schönberg 331°, Bräuning Nase 226°",,"On the west side of the Hinterer Schwarzmooskogel in a fault line. About 80m due south of 195, which is visible from top camp.",,,,"tag 1999","Surveyed", "166-170",,,,,,,,,,"Not CUCC numbers",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,, @@ -223,14 +223,14 @@ 177,"1/S +",,"90/7",,"plateau/177.htm",,,"Tantalus Schacht",,,"1b","CUCC 1990 ","Named by dehydrated discoverers who had allowed water (and paint) out of their possession. At the bottom of the shaft is beautiful flowing stream. 35m shaft from Bunde belay to pool, water seep and ice at bottom. Access to promising looking passage which unfortunately quickly chokes.",,,,,,"
",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,"Bräuning Nase 215°, Bräuning Zinken 234°, Schönberg summit 332°. This proved impossible to find in 1995 from these bearings which bring one to a point c 200m NNE of 1623/104 (easily spotted by the prominent split boulder above its entrance). The vicinity is hard to search owing to an excess of dwarf pine scrub and small cliffs.",,"At break of slope between HSK and the plateau. ",,,,,"Lost","There is a shaft nearby with a loose rock numbered 177, which is wrong (suspected at the time, hence the use of an easily erasable mark)"
178,"1/T +",,"90/8",,"plateau/178.htm",,,"Plateau Höhle 90/8",,,"1b","CUCC 1990 ","Window into very large passage about 10×20m, fluted snow plug, second drops onto end of plug. To NE, passage leads to another large chamber with another shaft coming in at the far end.",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,"Schönberg cross 330°, Bräuning Zinken 239°, Bräuning Nase 229°, Nipple 210°",,,,,,,"Lost",
179,"1/S +",,"90/9",,"plateau/179.htm",,,"Plateau Schacht 90/9",,,"1b","CUCC 1990 ","A 7m pitch leading to c5m of low cave.",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,"Bräuning Scharte 218°",,,,,,,"Lost",
-180,"2/S +",,"90/10",,"smkridge/180.htm",,,"Schwa Schacht 90/10",,,"2b","CUCC 1990 ","There is an ice shaft under collapsed boulders. A bedding in the side of this gives access to two adjacent loose pitches. Various impenetrable vocal connections to the surface exist. 30m pitch with ledge and rebelay at -15m leads to Icicle Works - very nice stals and flows. Follow flow down hole Slush crawl then rift. ",,,,,,,,,,,,,,"p180",,,"Surface survey",,,,,,,,"Located on terrace N of 161b and 161c (French entrance), before a big bowl of choss and rifts.",,,"
","Red painted ""CUCC 90/10"". Spit placed for tag in 1997. Tag 1999","Surveyed", +180,"2/S +",,"90/10",,"smkridge/180.htm",,,"Schwa Schacht 90/10",,,"2a","CUCC 1990 ","There is an ice shaft under collapsed boulders. A bedding in the side of this gives access to two adjacent loose pitches. Various impenetrable vocal connections to the surface exist. 30m pitch with ledge and rebelay at -15m leads to Icicle Works - very nice stals and flows. Follow flow down hole Slush crawl then rift. ",,,,,,,,,,,,,,"p180",,,"Surface survey",,,,,,,,"Located on terrace N of 161b and 161c (French entrance), before a big bowl of choss and rifts.",,,"
","Red painted ""CUCC 90/10"". Spit placed for tag in 1997. Tag 1999","Surveyed", 181,"1/S +",,"90/11",,"plateau/181.htm",,,"Plateau Schacht 90/11",,,"1b","CUCC 1990 ","12m shaft with snow at bottom and rocky ledge at -5m. Aligned on 120°. Short way off at bottom is soon too tight.",,,,,,,,,"12m",,,,,,,,,,,,,,"HSK 074°, Bräuning Nase 165°, Bräuning Scharte 194°, Bräuning Zinken 216°",,,,,,"Paint","Lost","Paint says ""90/11"" in red" 182,"4/S +",,"90/12",,"plateau/182.htm",,,"Bovistundpuderzuckerhöhle","Puffball and Icing Sugar Cave",,"1a","CUCC 1990-1992 - see History for index into logbooks","The main entrance joins with a secondary, slightly smaller entrance in a daylit chamber on top of a snow plug. Sky can be seen through a third entrance in the ceiling, which is surrounded by undergrowth on the surface. A hole down the back edge of the snow plug leads to a slither down a partially iced steep (30°) boulder slope, with a low ceiling which soon rises. A large boulder several metres across is jammed across the slope at a few metres further down, below which the boulder slope continues. An inlet to the left just before an ice formation soon becomes too tight. Carrying on, the slope soon gives way to a traverse above a vadose canyon, with a laddered climb (6m) after about 25m. It is possible to continue along the top of the rift all the way to above the top of shell pitch. It is much more spacious than below but has a couple of bad steps.
From the bottom of the ladder, the passage soon drops down a climb of 2m. Then there is a winding, rifty passageway, named ""Magic Mushroom Passage"" due to the peculiar mushroom-like formations on the walls. These, together with the white dusty look of the walls in places, give the cave its name. After 100m the rift widens, and a traverse develops above a narrower rift below. The upper level may be followed to above the first rope pitch, but the more usual route is to climb down a rock pile into the lower rift (40cm wide), which is known as the Yorkshire Ripper, due to the effect of the sharp, narrow rift on oversuits, and the Yorkshire feel of the cave at this point. After 15m, relieved at one point by a small alcove with an irritating spray of water, the narrow rift widens, after a final flourish, to the head of the first rope pitch (6m).
Carrying on from the base of the pitch, the tiny rift in the floor deepens, and traversing along leads soon to the head of Shell pitch (19m). Descending gives a fine view of the chamber, the walls of which contain many large bivalve fossils (hence the pitch's name). From this chamber, a short traverse leads to a junction. Left is an unclimbable aven, whilst to the right is Piezo de Resistance, described below. The main route is currently down Q8 pitch which is broken by a ledge after 16m. After a further 9m and a rebelay, a pendulum through a window to one side leads on. Descending further, the shaft stops after 19m and a further rebelay. There are no passable ways on from the bottom (Strike One).
After the pendulum, a vast army of rebelays lies in wait (Dot to Dot), eventually ending in a larger pitch (25m) the bottom of which, again, has no ways on (Strike Two).
Yet again, a pendulum (at -14m) yields more cave (Bottom Bypass). A dubious 11m hang leads to a ledge. At one end of the ledge, ducking under an arch enters a chamber at the bottom of a high shaft (Lady's Loo), down which a vast torrent pours in wet weather. A further 9m down from the ledge is a floor. Progress can be made along the top of a slimy keyhole shaped rift (Tarzan's Folly) which is irritating to pass, especially with tackle. After 20m, a false floor appears and a few metres further on is The Dark Room, a high chamber with dark, textured walls. A waterfall cascades down from unfathomable heights, and pounds onto a ledge to the back right of the cavern.
Climbing down a slimy slope (which in an ideal world would be lined) the way on is along a rift which exits from the rear of the chamber on the left side. The rift has a couple of false floors in it. The middle level leads to the head of the next pitch: Natural Redundancy (11m) is reached after about 10m. The rope is belayed to a large chock stone at head level, then to a bolt about two inches from a beautifully rounded thread, hence the name. Cyclotron pitch follows immediately, then comes Quark, Strangeness and Charm, a rift passage with many possible traverse levels. In places there are flowstone bosses, and near the roof, some odd tippex stals can be seen. The formations are only notable due to their rarity in the caves of this region.
| Cloud Chamber | Quark Strangeness & Charm |
At the end of QS&C, the passage sweeps round to the left as the floor drops away into Cloud Chamber. The pitch is broken by two rebelays. The grade 5 survey stops about 20m back from the pitch head. The details of the passage leading to the next pitch are uncertain, although the consensus is that it is around 20-30m long, and fairly straight. The lack of information led to the name Amnesia Alleyway. The next pitch is NDE, an acronym for ""Near Death Experience"" , since a party of cavers was flood-pulsed just below this pitch during the initial exploration. This incident also named The Delicate Sound of Thunder, another rift passage with a traverse along to a pitch (Traditional Style - laddered in 1991, marking the end of exploration that year).
After the first 5m slope to a rebelay, Traditional Style drops 12m (with one deviation) to a wide shelf. At the right hand edge is another 12m pitch. This lands in a muddy area which quickly becomes a very muddy steeply descending rift. An 8m pitch (2 bolts, Y-hang) a bit of clambering and a 5m pitch (one bolt) get you to a washing-up-bowl-sized sump at -292m.
5m up on the left hand wall (by the last bit of string) is a muddy crawl. This is below the 'tide-mark' of the sump so is somewhat oppressive. It leads, after 8m to a high parallel rift. A couple of 2m climbs ahead lead back down to another, slightly larger, sump. The rift rises at least 20m, apparently without connecting back to the main descent route.
From the head of ""Q8"" pitch, an alternative route may be followed along a rift on a fault at 20-200°, hading 80° to the west. Taking the passage to the right, a traverse develops after 10m. Water sinks into a hole in the floor after a further 10m, and beyond this, is a 9m pitch, followed after 10m or so by a longer pitch of 16mm.
| Crow's Nest | The Chimney |
This lands on a ledge with an obvious continuation below, but the route, to keep away from potential water, takes a much more interesting route. It goes up a 6m pitch to the Crow's Nest, a narrow rock rib separating two parts of the shaft. This was originally reached by a bolt traverse round the right hand wall. From the Crow's Nest, The Chimney drops 30m in typical Puffball triangular pitch (elliptical joint-aligned phreas cut down on lower side by vadose action). The rope stays resolutely on the upper side with a series of epic hanging rebelays.
At the bottom a 34m freehang lands in the Darkroom, but the bottom of this is in the waterfall (noted in the Darkroom description), so the route goes through a window near the top of the hang which gives a nice dry 30m hang.",,,,,"In dataset","? grade 5","caves/182/182.svx","1177m","292m","302m",,,,"p182",,,"Surface survey",,,,,,"Bräuning Scharte 180°,Bräuning Zinken 210°, HSK 070°. Journal CU's 1991,92 says VSK 210° but this has to be a typo, maybe 110 ?
Top Camp below the Bräuning wall is on 144° and +01.5° but can't actually be seen from entrance.",,,,,"
","Paint","Surveyed","Paint mark may still say ""90/12""" 183,"2/S +",,"90/13",,"plateau/183.htm",,,"Elchfalle",,,"1a","CUCC 1990-1992","A small man-sized hole behind a flake in the obvious fault. Boulder almost blocking entrance was pulled clear in 1992. Descend a boulder pile for 5m then sloping start to an 8m pitch. Strong draught at this point. A few metres of boulder-floored passage lead to another short pitch (5m sloping, then 5m vertical). Another very short passage leads to the third pitch of 10m to a flat boulder floor followed quickly by the fourth pitch rigged clear of a tiny stream by bolts on the roof/far wall. This is again c 10m with a deviation half way to land on more boulders. The water quickly sinks in these, and a little way forward, a hole opens onto a pitch of 6m rigged from a Y-hang. The stream comes down at the east end of this chamber, joined by another inlet from the north, and leaves south to another 5m pitch, quickly followed by another 5m pitch to a terminal rift.",,,,,"In dataset",,"caves/183/183.svx","106m","71m",,,,,"p183",,,"Surface survey",,,,,,,,,"From 182, go N up pavement. Just over crest turn left along sporadically vegetated ledge below 2m wall (to S). After 100m, a large fault is met which contains 183. ",,,"Paint","Surveyed","Paint mark still says ""90/13""" 184,"1/T +",,"90/14",,"plateau/184.htm",,,"Shiruken",,,"1a","Recorded CUCC 1990, descended by Adam ?","It's a sharp narrow canyon and it's a BASTARD. Hence is called Shiruken (the sharp spikey things Ninjas throw).",,,,,,,,,,,,,,"p184",,,"Surface survey",,,,,,,,,"From 183, go south up the fault until an area of exposed limestone is met on the left (about 20m). Go left (E) along this exposure up to where the bunde starts and locate a surface stream canyon. This becomes 184 when it goes underground (and it's marked). ",,,"Paint","Surveyed", -185,"2/S +",,,,"smkridge/185.htm",,,"Zweijahreentstehungshöhle",,,"2b","CUCC 1990 ","A narrow slot first bolted in 1988 and descended in 1990. First pitch, Fancy a coffee, descends past a small snow plug down to a large(ish) chamber covered with snow which appears to be about 7m deep. A small section to the left lets in a shaft of light, which changes from a wide beam to a narrow one. A low crawl on the left (ice covered) leads to the second pitch Your place or mine ?, a short (3m approx) drop to a ledge, then a longer (10 to 13m) drop down to the floor. The second pitch is slightly wet, with small amounts of water dripping from the roof. A loose climb leads to a tight crawl and even tighter pitch (Marble Sink revisited, JR), which is now named get yer kit off. This descends into a small chamber, where the limestone changes in colour from yellow to blue. A rift then drops into a boulder covered chamber, with a larger boulder choked to the right and a very, very small hole leading to the left for a few metres. The fourth and probably final pitch has been named Came too soon.",,,,,"In dataset",,"caves/185/185.svx",,,,,,,"p185",,,"Nils","gps96.185 gps96bestfit.185","gps00.185",,,,,,"On pavement on the east side of the col between the two Schwarzmooskogels on the usual (89/90) route from Top Camp to 161.",,,,"Paint","Surveyed","Paint says 162 (sigh)" +185,"2/S +",,,,"smkridge/185.htm",,,"Zweijahreentstehungshöhle",,,"2a","CUCC 1990 ","A narrow slot first bolted in 1988 and descended in 1990. First pitch, Fancy a coffee, descends past a small snow plug down to a large(ish) chamber covered with snow which appears to be about 7m deep. A small section to the left lets in a shaft of light, which changes from a wide beam to a narrow one. A low crawl on the left (ice covered) leads to the second pitch Your place or mine ?, a short (3m approx) drop to a ledge, then a longer (10 to 13m) drop down to the floor. The second pitch is slightly wet, with small amounts of water dripping from the roof. A loose climb leads to a tight crawl and even tighter pitch (Marble Sink revisited, JR), which is now named get yer kit off. This descends into a small chamber, where the limestone changes in colour from yellow to blue. A rift then drops into a boulder covered chamber, with a larger boulder choked to the right and a very, very small hole leading to the left for a few metres. The fourth and probably final pitch has been named Came too soon.",,,,,"In dataset",,"caves/185/185.svx",,,,,,,"p185",,,"Nils","gps96.185 gps96bestfit.185","gps00.185",,,,,,"On pavement on the east side of the col between the two Schwarzmooskogels on the usual (89/90) route from Top Camp to 161.",,,,"Paint","Surveyed","Paint says 162 (sigh)" 186,"2/S +",,,,"kratzer/186.htm",,,"Rosenkavalierhöhle",,,4,"CUCC 1990 ","Cairn built by entrances. There are three entrances investigated:
Highest is really tight flat out crawl leading to a tightish but passable rift, draughting. Abandoned in favour of a newly collapsed small hole 10m below, at the foot of a small (5m) cliff. This had a very big rock blocking the entrance and rewarded the huge effort required to move it with nearly 5m of passage to a choke and a choked shaft.
10m further down still is the third entrance. A 6m climb down to a large ramp and a rebelay is the start of a 30m pitch. One way at the bottom is an 8m boulder slope climb up to a choke and small aven. The other way is a 2m climb into moonmilk crawl and some tight thrutching and chokes. All thoroughly investigated and not going anywhere.",,,,,,"
sketch survey by William Stead from 1990 logbook",,,,,,,,"p186",,,"Surface survey",,,,,,"(1994 bearings Bräuning Zinken 284.5°, Loser 235°)",,"Near Schwarzmooskogel just before top camp, 50m higher than path and on opposite hillside, where path by Bräuning Nase meets fault running up the mountain.
1994 log shows location (note that the arrow labelled "approx north" is very approx, as it is actually roughly east):
Following the route depicted, if you reach a sandy depression, you have gone too far.",,,,"This was numbered 185 at the entrance, but this was fixed in 1997, and a metal tag ""CUCC 186"" bolted on. ","Surveyed", -187,"1/S -",,,,"smkridge/187.htm",,,"Schwa Schacht 187",,,"2b","CUCC 1990-","Nearly vertical bedding plane allows a 5m climb from where 5m+ of pitch can be seen and stones thrown down it indicate more.",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,"Bräuning Nase 246°",,,"Up ridge to Hinterer Schwarzmooskogel from 161, Cairn by entrance.",,,"Paint","Refindable","Marked ""CUCC 90"". Near 161a" +187,"1/S -",,,,"smkridge/187.htm",,,"Schwa Schacht 187",,,"2a","CUCC 1990-","Nearly vertical bedding plane allows a 5m climb from where 5m+ of pitch can be seen and stones thrown down it indicate more.",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,"Bräuning Nase 246°",,,"Up ridge to Hinterer Schwarzmooskogel from 161, Cairn by entrance.",,,"Paint","Refindable","Marked ""CUCC 90"". Near 161a" 188,"1/T +","a–d",,"yes","plateau/188.htm",,,"Skinrip Durchgange I-VI",,,"1a","CUCC 1990","From memory, the cave consists of two 3m deep surface shafts of diameter two meters, connected by c. 4m of 0.60m diameter horizontal phreas at the bottom. From the shaft nearer the Hinter-SMK the phreas continued for another 5-6m before I ran away as it was getting a bit tight. It could well be skinrip durchgang from the huge description given on the website, and I just never made it as far as the awkward climb. Survey is Grade II.",,,,,,"It is not yet confirmed, but it seems likely that this is the same cave partially surveyed by Phil Underwood in 1997 entitled 'dodgy compost'.",,,,,"""Austria cave systems manual"" has scribbled note ""this number not CUCC's"" so this probably should revert to number CUCC-1990-18?",,,,,,,,,,,,,,"A line of about six entrances near Top Camp.",,"A fun system of openings in a line, all connected by cave, the last of which is a very tricky climb to get out of and is in the middle of Bunde. It contains some snow and ice blockages, making it unpleasant without gear.","The position of Dodgy compost is indicated on this pic:
","Tag","Surveyed",
,,"a",,"entrance",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,"p188",,,"Surface survey",,,,,,,,,,,,,,
,,"b",,"entrance",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
@@ -238,19 +238,19 @@
,,"d",,"last entrance",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
189,"1/S +",,,,"plateau/189.htm",,,"Plateau Schacht 189",,,"1a","CUCC 1993 or 1994","In fact, it doesn't appear to have been written up at the time. It was redescended in 1996, and there is nothing in the 1996 logbook or notKH survey book, so there is no description here.",,,,,,,,,,,,,"t189",,,,"Surface survey","gps96.164/189",,,,,,,,"From Schwarzmoossattel directly out onto the plateau, keeping to the left edge of a large flat area of karren, passes first Fuchshöhle B11, then 164, a snow-plugged shaft below a small north-facing scar. 164 and 189 are both on the same joint going 018-198°: a few metres north of 164 is a fault line on 102-282° with a large open and heavily snow-plugged shaft, noted often since 1976, but not explored and written up until 1994 (or 1993?).",,"
164 entrance (left of centre) seen over 189 entrance.
The entrance looking north during surface survey in 1996.
","This is 189, numbered in red paint, and marked with an Austrian metal tag in 1995.","Surveyed", 190,"1/S/t/E =",,"B9",,"plateau/190.htm",,,"Glitterstompf",,"B9 now known to be same as 190","1a","CUCC 1976, 1993","Rectangular shaft 6.7m long (aligned on a joint on 275°) and 4.0m wide. Wall on south side is 1.5m higher than rest of surface. Freeclimb descent of 6m to scree/boulder floor usually with snow plug. At eastern end of the south wall, a horizontal passage leads 7.5m on 185° to the lip of a second pitch. This is 10m leading to a big rift. Ahead over boulders and ice an 8m pitch descends through (sic) spectacular ice stalactites. Way on is effectively blocked by ice but could well connect with a major shaft nearby (1623/189), not descended in 1976 on account of the condition of the ice. The small alternative hole back in the rift is blocked by ice at -6m.
In 1993 the cave was ""extremely cold and some ice formations"".",,,,,,,,,"c 25m",,,,"t190",,,,"Surface survey",,,,,,,,,"From 164, north to an east-west fault line (climbing past the large open and heavily snow-plugged shaft, which is 189). To the east, this fault line is a north-facing scarp, below which is 190 (number in red, and Austrian metal tag on this wall above the SW corner of the shaft), somewhat before (ie. west of) B8 (1623/197). ",,"
","On wall above entrance, facing N, number in red, 1993. Austrian metal tag, 1995. The 1976 number ""B9"" was in dull green and was already hard to spot in 1977, since when it has not been seen.","Surveyed", -191,"1/S +",,,,"smkridge/191.htm",,,"Schwa Schacht 191",,,"2b","CUCC 1995 ","A 1½m diameter shaft in a limestone shelf with the sound of water. 4m 1st pitch leads to loose floor sloping to passage 3m long heading SSW. 2nd pitch in floor has water entering from above (which could simply be meltwater). 5m pitch leads to sloping boulder choke. ",,,,"Anthony from James 95.07.08 S94p45",,,,,,,,,,"p191",,,"Surface survey",,,,,,"Trisselberg cross 185½°, Summit of Vorderer Schwarzmooskogel 222½°, Prominent col to north of Trisselberg 147½°.",,"About 100m NNE from 161c",,,,"""CUCC 191 +"" in paint and a metal tag ""CUCC 191"" added in 1997.","Surveyed", -192,"1/S -",,,,"smkridge/192.htm",,,"Schwa Schacht 192",,,"2b","Unknown, and CUCC 1995 (unfinished) ","About a 15m shaft with a large rift at the bottom. Probably doesn't go but can't be sure. Rift c 10m long, on 50-230° with deepest point to SW. Descended to -10m on ladder, but can't see round corner to left (SE) below. Existing spit found near top, but previously unmarked.",,,,"Kate 95.07.26 S94p42",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,"c1755m","1623/161c 200°",,"About 100m NNE from 161c, and a few metres higher.",,"Two cairns, one either side of entrance.",,"Marked with the number in paint","Lost", -193,"1/S +",,,,"smkridge/193.htm",,,"Schwa Schacht 193",,,"2b","CUCC 1995, 2000 ","Rift at 70-80°. A 3m by 4m shaft descends 7m to a rock floor. To the south a tight bit of rift can be entered for a few metres. To the west a small chamber can be entered via a 1m step down.",,,,"
","In dataset","
","caves/193/193.svx",,,,,,,"p193",,,"Surface survey",,,,,,,,"200m East of 161c.",,,,"tag 2000","Surveyed",
+191,"1/S +",,,,"smkridge/191.htm",,,"Schwa Schacht 191",,,"2a","CUCC 1995 ","A 1½m diameter shaft in a limestone shelf with the sound of water. 4m 1st pitch leads to loose floor sloping to passage 3m long heading SSW. 2nd pitch in floor has water entering from above (which could simply be meltwater). 5m pitch leads to sloping boulder choke. ",,,,"Anthony from James 95.07.08 S94p45",,,,,,,,,,"p191",,,"Surface survey",,,,,,"Trisselberg cross 185½°, Summit of Vorderer Schwarzmooskogel 222½°, Prominent col to north of Trisselberg 147½°.",,"About 100m NNE from 161c",,,,"""CUCC 191 +"" in paint and a metal tag ""CUCC 191"" added in 1997.","Surveyed",
+192,"1/S -",,,,"smkridge/192.htm",,,"Schwa Schacht 192",,,"2a","Unknown, and CUCC 1995 (unfinished) ","About a 15m shaft with a large rift at the bottom. Probably doesn't go but can't be sure. Rift c 10m long, on 50-230° with deepest point to SW. Descended to -10m on ladder, but can't see round corner to left (SE) below. Existing spit found near top, but previously unmarked.",,,,"Kate 95.07.26 S94p42",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,"c1755m","1623/161c 200°",,"About 100m NNE from 161c, and a few metres higher.",,"Two cairns, one either side of entrance.",,"Marked with the number in paint","Lost",
+193,"1/S +",,,,"smkridge/193.htm",,,"Schwa Schacht 193",,,"2a","CUCC 1995, 2000 ","Rift at 70-80°. A 3m by 4m shaft descends 7m to a rock floor. To the south a tight bit of rift can be entered for a few metres. To the west a small chamber can be entered via a 1m step down.",,,,"
","In dataset","
","caves/193/193.svx",,,,,,,"p193",,,"Surface survey",,,,,,,,"200m East of 161c.",,,,"tag 2000","Surveyed",
194,"1/S +",,,,"smkridge/194.htm",,,"Schwa Schacht 194",,,"2b","Unknown, and CUCC 1995","A small hole in the side of a big surface rift (on about 060-240°). The surface rift is about 5m deep, and a tiny way goes off to the E at the north-eastern end, becoming too tight at about -15m. The small hole under the NW wall at the SE end is a pitch of c 30m to a 10m long rift parallel with the surface rift. Rope did not reach, but appears to be no way on.","50m rope?",,,"Kate 95.07.26 S94p42-3",,,,,,,,,,"p194",,,"Surface survey","gps96bestfit.194",,,,,"Bräuning Zinken 230°
Two other bearings are given, one to ""Kleine Wehr Kogel"" 354°, but, in fact, to ""Kleine Wild Kogel"". The other is 295° to a small peak left of the Schönberg which I can't identify from the map. ",,"On large white patch of limestone on NW flank of Hinterer Schwarzmooskogel (visible from Top Camp), quite near the far side of the bare area and just above a larch tree leaning SE.","On cairned path from Top Camp to Steinbruckenhöhle (204). 60m W of 195. Area map NotKH book p 115.",,"
","Tag ""CUCC 1623/194"" (1999). Cairn and numbered in red (1996) on NE face of a large boulder bridging the rift (visible in context photo).","Surveyed", 195,"1/S -",,,,"smkridge/195.htm",,,"Schwa Schacht 195",,,"2b","
","A very large surface rift (almost a canyon), with a pitch at the west end. This has a 5-6 second booming clattering drop, and had a very poor quality spit at the top. It was not descended in 1995. This may be the cave referred to in the description of 165, located by CUCC in 1989, but already having a bolt, and not descended by CUCC but with ""a drop in excess of 35m"".","50m rope?",,,"Kate 95.07.26 S94p43-4","In dataset",,"caves/195/195.svx",,,,,,,"p195",,,"Nils","gps96.195 gps96bestfit.195","gps00.195",,,,"Bräuning Zinken 225° ""Kleine Wild Kogel"" 354°",,"On large white patch of limestone on NW flank of Hinterer Schwarzmooskogel (visible from Top Camp), quite near the top of the bare area (higher up than 1623/194).","On cairned path from Top Camp to Steinbruckenhöhle (204). 195 is 60m E of 194 and 50m WSW of 196, and 90m NNW of 165. Area map NotKH book p115.",,"
","Cairn, Red paint '195' (1995). Tag ""CUCC 1623/195"" (1999).","Surveyed", 196,"1/T +",,,,"smkridge/196.htm",,,"Schwa Höhle 196",,,"2b","
","By a large (10m wide) snow choked doline, are two horizontal entrances going WSW. The right one is uphill over boulders and ends very quickly. The left one (196) is downhill and carries a draught. The triangular cross-section (widest at the bottom) passage goes for 10m to a junction with a blind uphill branch to the right, whilst straight ahead is too tight.","None",,,"Kate 95.07.26 S94p44","In dataset","
","caves/196/196.svx","26m","15m",,,,,"p196",,,"Surface survey",,,,,,"Bräuning Zinken 240°""Kleine Wild Kogel"" 356°",,"On large white patch of limestone on NW flank of Hinterer Schwarzmooskogel (visible from Top Camp), quite near the top of the bare area, higher up than 1623/195. ","Path from Top Camp to Steinbruckenhöhle (204) goes past this cave. Close to 194, 195, 165.",,,"Red paint '196' (1995). Tag ""CUCC 1623/196"" (1999).","Surveyed", 197,"1/S +",,"CUCC 1976/B8",,"plateau/197.htm",,,"Bemoost Tropfen Höhle","Mossy Dribble Cave",,"1a","CUCC 1976","A large open hole with snow in the bottom. In wet weather, the old number is even harder to spot, but the hole is very noisy with sinking water. 20m of ladder were fed down between snow and rock before snow plug totally blocked the way on. However, this was in 1976, a year with quite a large amount of snow.",,,,,,,,," 25m",,,,"t197",,,,"Surface survey","gps98.b8","gps00.b8",,,,"(1976) Bräuning Nase 208°, Schönberg 350°, Spot point 1828, 240°
In fact it is impossible to see any landmarks from the actual entrance.",,,"This is situated on the plateau just on a major fault where one climbs down over bare rock for 4m. From Top Camp, head somewhat east of north onto a large area of bare karren containing B11 (1623/198). Continue parallel with the line of a small scarp running north, and pass 1623/164 on the left. Scrambling past a wide snow choked shaft (1623/189) on the right, descend and turn right, along the line of a north-facing scarp containing B9 (1623/190), heading roughly east, and clamber down a few small scars to the large open doline.",,"
Photomontage showing location of B8 below scar. Vorderer Schwarzmooskogel and Schwarzmoossattel behind (Warning - full size image is 1000 pixels wide)
","Number ""B8"" of 1976 vintage painted in dull green on the wall facing south, opposite the fault scarp, which is very hard to spot, although not fading appreciably year to year. There is an easier-to-find number painted higher up on an east-facing rock, initially in orange, but "refreshed" in red in 1995 as the orange paint was crap. Below this number is the drilled spit with tag ""CUCC 1976 B8"" which is also the point surveyed to. This will, in due course, be replaced by a new tag with the Austrian kataster number, on the same bolt.
Retagged 1997.","Surveyed", 198,"2/S +",,"B11",,"plateau/198.htm",,,"Fuchshöhle",,,"1a","CUCC 1976, reexamined 1994, surface survey 1996","A fine pitch of 55m is broken by a ledge halfway down. The shaft narrows towards the bottom, and from the foot of the ladder, boulders lead to a choke a few metres further down.",,,,,,,,,"55m",,,,"t198",,,,,"gps96bestfit.b11 gps98.b11_1998","gps00.b11",,,,,,"On plateau between B8 and the col, very difficult to spot from more than 5m away, but very noisy in wet weather.",,,"
","Number ""B11"" was repainted in 1988 (in red) and this is quite visible on flat rock to the SE of the shaft. Just next to it is the spit for the tag ""CUCC 1976 B11"" which is the point surveyed to. This tag will shortly be replaced (on the same bolt) with a new tag bearing the official Austrian number.
Retagged 1999","Surveyed", -199,"1/T +",,,,"smkridge/199.htm",,,"Stürzender Felsbrocken Höhle","Tumbling Boulder Hole",,"2b","
","A steeply descending tube over scree (sometimes snow), initially 3m in diameter, leads down to a choke. To the right in a cross-rift 24m long (beware of loose rock here) is an audible connection to the surface (199c). The final section of the main tube has roof pendants, and ends with a rising sand floor over which the crawl becomes too tight. The second entrance (199b) is just up and to the left of the main one.","None absolutely required, but 15m handline helpful for entrance, especially if snowy.",,,,"In dataset","
","caves/199/199.svx","65m","29m",,,,,"p199",,,"Surface survey",,"gps00.199",,,,,,"NW flank of Vorderer Schwarzmooskogel. About 30m SSW of 156.","Follow the cairned path which ascends the Vorder Schwarzmooskogel from the NW. Shortly after passing the open rift entrance of 1623/156 (50m south of Laser Point 0/1), scramble up to the right (south). One large and two small open cave entrances.",,,"metal tag stamped ""CUCC 199"" fixed by M6 stud epoxied into vertical wall left of main entrance (stud placed 1998, kataster number tag replaced provisional one in 1999).","Surveyed", +199,"1/T +",,,,"smkridge/199.htm",,,"Stürzender Felsbrocken Höhle","Tumbling Boulder Hole",,"2a","
","A steeply descending tube over scree (sometimes snow), initially 3m in diameter, leads down to a choke. To the right in a cross-rift 24m long (beware of loose rock here) is an audible connection to the surface (199c). The final section of the main tube has roof pendants, and ends with a rising sand floor over which the crawl becomes too tight. The second entrance (199b) is just up and to the left of the main one.","None absolutely required, but 15m handline helpful for entrance, especially if snowy.",,,,"In dataset","
","caves/199/199.svx","65m","29m",,,,,"p199",,,"Surface survey",,"gps00.199",,,,,,"NW flank of Vorderer Schwarzmooskogel. About 30m SSW of 156.","Follow the cairned path which ascends the Vorder Schwarzmooskogel from the NW. Shortly after passing the open rift entrance of 1623/156 (50m south of Laser Point 0/1), scramble up to the right (south). One large and two small open cave entrances.",,,"metal tag stamped ""CUCC 199"" fixed by M6 stud epoxied into vertical wall left of main entrance (stud placed 1998, kataster number tag replaced provisional one in 1999).","Surveyed", 200,"1/S +",,"93/01",,"plateau/200.htm",,,"Verlorener Rucksack Schacht","Lost Rucksack Cave",,"1b","Discovery and initial descent CUCC 1993 (Adam Cooper), bottomed in three trips in 1998 (Wookey, Andy Waddington).","Found in 1993, it was intended to mark the cave but not descend. However Adam Cooper's rucksack (containing the rope), placed unwisely near the edge, made the first descent. Adam followed on a ladder to retrieve it, then placed a bolt for a further descent on rope. The shaft continued beside a snow plug, but was deemed unsuitable for further exploration in shorts. The find was not relocated in 1993, so exploration stopped. Found again in 1995 whilst marking other known entrances, and probably seen again in 1996.
After a first descent placing a bolt again showed it unsuitable for exploration in shorts, a determined effort by Wookey in 1998 pushed the second pitch, between hanging death ice and snow to a definite choke. However, partway down this pitch was a window with a draught, leading to a third pitch (one bolt at takeoff, another just below). This was nn metres to a final choke.
The whole cave is formed on a fault which forms a SE-facing scarp on the surface. A short distance NE of the entrance, the fault line cuts a lower-lying area. The draught, which was mostly outward through the head of the third pitch during the final exploratory trip, periodically reverses for 10-15 seconds. It would appear to be powered by surface breezes via various other small windows to the surface, most probably including ones lower down in the depression to the NE.",,,,,,"
",,,"45m",,,,"t200",,,,"Surface survey","gps98.1993_01 gps98.1993_01a","gps00.93_01a gps00.93_01b",,,,,,"700m north of Schwarzmoossattel.","From 164, avoid 189 (easiest 15m to its right over a small ridge, but OK immediately on its right edge), then go roughly NNW (a few cairns - 1996 vintage orange paint has completely faded). This leads up onto the right edge of a ridge (the main part of which is deep Lätchen), passing right of the OAV ski marker pole. This is an easy walk above a short (climbable) cliff looking down onto 210. When this easy walk is interrupted by a step down, head leftish over a series of limestone steps to reach a descent into a large broken area (near 173). Climb steeply left up boulders to a large cairn, then along a sloping limestone shelf. Shortly ahead is an abrupt headwall, below which is the shaft of Lost Rucksack Cave (given temporary number CUCC 1993 01). The area could also be reached (with more difficulty) from the ""central"" plateau area towards 76, and also via the ""Geologists' walk"" which passes much further left via 171 and 172. ",,"
","M6 stud with alloy tag ""CUCC 1993 01"" on flat rock NE of shaft. This will be replaced with the correct kataster number in due course.","Surveyed", -201,"1/S +",,"1998/01",,"smkridge/201.htm",,,"Haftefelle Schacht","Ski-skin shaft",,"2b","CUCC 1998 - a single descent.","2m diameter shaft drops 25m to a boulder floor - a short second pitch follows immediately leading to a too-tight rift. A 40m rope is sufficient.",,,,,"In dataset","? pic","caves/201/201.svx","15m","15m",,,,,"p201",,,"Surface survey",,"gps00.201",,,,,,"NW flank of Vorderer Schwarzmooskogel. 20m N of Laser 0/1","Follow the cairned path which ascends the Vorder Schwarzmooskogel from the NW. Shortly before the obvious open rift entrance of 1623/156 (which is 50m south of Laser Point 0/1) is a small (2m diameter) open shaft.",,,"metal tag stamped ""CUCC 201"" fixed by M6 stud epoxied into horizontal surface on NW side of main entrance (stud placed 1998, proper kataster number tag replaced provisional one in 1999).","Surveyed", -202,,,,,"noinfo/smkridge/202.html",,,"Dominoschacht",,,"2b",,,,,,,"In dataset",,"caves/202/202.svx",,,,,,,"p202",,,"Surface survey",,,,,,,,,,,,,"Surveyed", -203,,,,,"noinfo/smkridge/203.html",,,"Sonnenscheinschacht",,,"2b",,,,,,,"In dataset",,"caves/203/203.svx",,,,,,,"p203",,,"Surface survey",,,,,,,,,,,,,"Surveyed", +201,"1/S +",,"1998/01",,"smkridge/201.htm",,,"Haftefelle Schacht","Ski-skin shaft",,"2a","CUCC 1998 - a single descent.","2m diameter shaft drops 25m to a boulder floor - a short second pitch follows immediately leading to a too-tight rift. A 40m rope is sufficient.",,,,,"In dataset","? pic","caves/201/201.svx","15m","15m",,,,,"p201",,,"Surface survey",,"gps00.201",,,,,,"NW flank of Vorderer Schwarzmooskogel. 20m N of Laser 0/1","Follow the cairned path which ascends the Vorder Schwarzmooskogel from the NW. Shortly before the obvious open rift entrance of 1623/156 (which is 50m south of Laser Point 0/1) is a small (2m diameter) open shaft.",,,"metal tag stamped ""CUCC 201"" fixed by M6 stud epoxied into horizontal surface on NW side of main entrance (stud placed 1998, proper kataster number tag replaced provisional one in 1999).","Surveyed", +202,,,,,"noinfo/smkridge/202.html",,,"Dominoschacht",,,"2a",,,,,,,"In dataset",,"caves/202/202.svx",,,,,,,"p202",,,"Surface survey",,,,,,,,,,,,,"Surveyed", +203,,,,,"noinfo/smkridge/203.html",,,"Sonnenscheinschacht",,,"2a",,,,,,,"In dataset",,"caves/203/203.svx",,,,,,,"p203",,,"Surface survey",,,,,,,,,,,,,"Surveyed", 204,"5/S x","a–f","CUCC 1999/03","yes","smkridge/204/204.html",,,"Steinbrückenhöhle",,,"2b","
","
",,"Question mark list and Completed question mark list. ",,,"In dataset; download .3d file or Raw survey data","
","caves/204/204.svx","9147m","542m","645m (approximately N-S)",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,"The cave is situated on the west side of the col between the Hinterer Schwarzmooskogel and Nieder Augst-Eck. It is currently one of the main areas of exploration for CUCC, who in 2001 established a bivvy site under the stone bridge opposite the entrance.","The route from Top Camp used since 1999 (probably near optimal) is a cairned path via Wolfhöhle (1623/145) and Laser Point 5, then up to the top of the bare patch of white limestone visible from Top Camp, passing 195 and 196. The path used in 2001 then skirts around the contours, passing the unmistakable arched entrance of Hauchhöhle, to arrive directly opposite the stone bridge after which the cave was named (in previous years a route slightly higher up towards the Hinter was used, which some people still prefer; this is also cairned). Alternatively, the cave may be approached from the summit of HSK - probably the optimal route if you are coming from any of the 161 entrances.",,,"Tags on entrances A-F.",, ,,"a",,"entrance",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,"p204a",,,"Nils",,,,,,,,,,,,"Tag","Surveyed", ,,"b",,"entrance",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,"p204b",,,"Surface survey",,,,,,,,,,,,"Tag","Surveyed", @@ -258,8 +258,8 @@ ,,"d",,"entrance",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,"p204d",,,"Surface survey",,,,,,,,,,,,"Tag","Surveyed", ,,"e",,"entrance",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,"p204e",,,"Surface survey",,,,,,,,,,,,"Tag","Surveyed", ,,"f",,"last entrance",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,"p204f",,,"Surface survey",,,,,,,,,,,,"Tag","Surveyed", -205,"2/S +",,,,"smkridge/205.htm",,,"Nordalpenschacht",,,"2b","CUCC 1999","The main entrance is rigged off a spit and naturals and drops around 8m, via a natural deviation at a ledge, to a small chamber. A crawl leads off from here at head height for some distance, but closes off. The way on is to continue straight down through the floor of this chamber, through fairly solidly wedged boulders (quite tight) using the rope rigged on the entrance pitch. This lands at the head of a walking sized rift heading steeply down. There are two small passages in the wall where the rope comes down [these connect to the horizontal entrance of Nordalpenhöhle, see below]. Clamber down the rift. At the bottom is the snow plug from the second entrance. It is possible to cross the snow plug. At the far side, the passage closes down and is mud filled with no draught.
The way on is a flat-out crawl under the right wall, immediately before the snow plug. The crawl was dug because it was draughting out quite strongly. Once under the wall, the roof immediately rises to comfortable crawling height and the passage widens. After 5m, roomy phreatic passage is reached, around 5m wide and 3m high. A roof tube leads off to the right. It can also be reached by a roof crawl from further down the passage on the left. The tube leads to two small chambers and ends in a too-tight rift.
The floor of the main passage starts to drop away as the passage turns to the right, leaving a ledge along the left wall. A trickle of water enters at floor level. A pitch is rigged off the ledge using spits in the left wall. This pitch drops 10m and ends in a choked chamber. An exposed traverse on the left, beyond the pitch head, leads to a choked tube. Directly across from the pitch head, a further roof tube also chokes.
The third horizontal entrance begins with a flat out crawl in sticky mud, and reaches a small, low chamber. The low passage continues as hands and knees crawling. This passes a window on the left which looks into the snow-filled shaft (the second entrance). Straight ahead and a little further, an eyehole looks into the chamber which the first entrance pitch lands in. Continuing on, straddling over a rock ridge leads to two further eyeholes which look into the sloping rift passage where the rope ends from the first entrance pitch.",,,,,"In dataset",,"caves/205/205.svx","91m","39m",,,,"p205tag","p205",,,"Surface survey",,"gps00.205",,,,,,"(tagged point might be the start of underground survey, main entrance, ~2m from tag)",,"The main (first) entrance is a 2m x 0.5m shaft around 5m higher and 7m away from a larger, snow-plugged shaft (the second entrance), which in turn is just above a snow field, a little higher than the Eishöhle path. Both entrances lie on an obvious fault line which heads uphill for around 100m. If the fault line is followed up to just past a squeeze through bunde, you can turn left for around 100m to reach the entrance to 1623/136, Steinschlagschacht.
A third, horizontal entrance is found by heading down to the snow filled shaft (the second entrance) and traversing left beneath a small cliff for around 20m. This leads to a low, unobvious hole at foot height, noticed because it was draughting out quite strongly. There is a surface survey to this third entrance from the first entrance.",,"tag at main entrance ""CUCC 1999-01""","Surveyed", -206,,"a–g",,"yes","noinfo/smkridge/206.html",,,"7-Eingangshöhle",,,"2b",,,,,,,"In dataset",,"caves/206/206.svx",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,, +205,"2/S +",,,,"smkridge/205.htm",,,"Nordalpenschacht",,,"2a","CUCC 1999","The main entrance is rigged off a spit and naturals and drops around 8m, via a natural deviation at a ledge, to a small chamber. A crawl leads off from here at head height for some distance, but closes off. The way on is to continue straight down through the floor of this chamber, through fairly solidly wedged boulders (quite tight) using the rope rigged on the entrance pitch. This lands at the head of a walking sized rift heading steeply down. There are two small passages in the wall where the rope comes down [these connect to the horizontal entrance of Nordalpenhöhle, see below]. Clamber down the rift. At the bottom is the snow plug from the second entrance. It is possible to cross the snow plug. At the far side, the passage closes down and is mud filled with no draught.
The way on is a flat-out crawl under the right wall, immediately before the snow plug. The crawl was dug because it was draughting out quite strongly. Once under the wall, the roof immediately rises to comfortable crawling height and the passage widens. After 5m, roomy phreatic passage is reached, around 5m wide and 3m high. A roof tube leads off to the right. It can also be reached by a roof crawl from further down the passage on the left. The tube leads to two small chambers and ends in a too-tight rift.
The floor of the main passage starts to drop away as the passage turns to the right, leaving a ledge along the left wall. A trickle of water enters at floor level. A pitch is rigged off the ledge using spits in the left wall. This pitch drops 10m and ends in a choked chamber. An exposed traverse on the left, beyond the pitch head, leads to a choked tube. Directly across from the pitch head, a further roof tube also chokes.
The third horizontal entrance begins with a flat out crawl in sticky mud, and reaches a small, low chamber. The low passage continues as hands and knees crawling. This passes a window on the left which looks into the snow-filled shaft (the second entrance). Straight ahead and a little further, an eyehole looks into the chamber which the first entrance pitch lands in. Continuing on, straddling over a rock ridge leads to two further eyeholes which look into the sloping rift passage where the rope ends from the first entrance pitch.",,,,,"In dataset",,"caves/205/205.svx","91m","39m",,,,"p205tag","p205",,,"Surface survey",,"gps00.205",,,,,,"(tagged point might be the start of underground survey, main entrance, ~2m from tag)",,"The main (first) entrance is a 2m x 0.5m shaft around 5m higher and 7m away from a larger, snow-plugged shaft (the second entrance), which in turn is just above a snow field, a little higher than the Eishöhle path. Both entrances lie on an obvious fault line which heads uphill for around 100m. If the fault line is followed up to just past a squeeze through bunde, you can turn left for around 100m to reach the entrance to 1623/136, Steinschlagschacht.
A third, horizontal entrance is found by heading down to the snow filled shaft (the second entrance) and traversing left beneath a small cliff for around 20m. This leads to a low, unobvious hole at foot height, noticed because it was draughting out quite strongly. There is a surface survey to this third entrance from the first entrance.",,"tag at main entrance ""CUCC 1999-01""","Surveyed", +206,,"a–g",,"yes","noinfo/smkridge/206.html",,,"7-Eingangshöhle",,,"2a",,,,,,,"In dataset",,"caves/206/206.svx",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,, ,,"a",,"entrance",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,"p206",,,"Surface survey",,,,,,,,,,,,,"Surveyed", ,,"b",,"entrance",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,, ,,"c",,"entrance",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,, @@ -268,32 +268,32 @@ 207,"1/T +",,"96-WK2",,"plateau/207/207.html",,,"Plumpsklohöhle","Crapper Höhle",,"1a","
","Small (1.1 x 0.9 m) horizontal cave about 7m long in cliff edge, very small skylight lets light in at end.","None",,"Form sent 2000.05, number allocated. ",,"In dataset","
Survey drawn up in loose leaves in front of 1996-9 NotKH book","caves/207/207.svx","7m","1m",,,,,"p207",,,"Surface survey",,"gps00.wk2",,,,"VSK (obvious point = Nipple ?) 103°, HSK (leftmost top) 052°, Schönberg 346° ",,"100m W of the waterhole at (upper) top camp. In small cliff one step up from top camp level. Entrance faces N. 16m S of 1623/208.","From Top Camp (upper site) walk along ""crapper"" shelf, following path. After 80m where path goes down to next shelf, climb 3m step ahead. 207 is to the left (and 208 to the right).
Surface survey location sketch in not KH 1996 p 3, area map: NotKH book pp68-69",,,"""+"". Spit set awaiting tag (shared with 208).","Surveyed", 208,"1/S +","a b","96-WK3","yes","plateau/208/208.html",,,"Quallenhöhle","Jellyfish Cave",,"1a","
","Two entrances, one 5m lower than the other. Lower section is expanded joint at foot of step, 6m deep. free-climable to gain a choked floor. A small continuation leads to small space in rifty corner where rocks have not filled. Upper entrance is 2-3m diameter shaft 5m deep, also free-climable.","None, 8m handline would be useful.",,"Form sent 2000.05, number allocated. ",,"In dataset","
Grade 2 (at a guess), drawn up in loose leaves in front of 1996-9 NotKH book","caves/208/208.svx","15m","13m",,"The name is essentially spurious, but makes a change from bears, wolves and rabbits ;-).",,,,,,,"gps96.wk3 gps96bestfit.wk3","gps00.wk3",,,,"B.Nase 161°, VSK (obvious point = Nipple ?) 104°, HSK (leftmost top) 054°, Schönberg 346°, Wildkogel (L&R ends of obvious summit ridge) 007-011°",,"100m W of the waterhole at (upper) top camp. 65m N of 90. 16m N of 207.","From Top Camp (upper site) walk along ""crapper"" shelf, following path. After 80m where path goes down to next shelf, climb 3m step ahead. 208 is to the right (and 207 to the left). The lower entrance is accessible from below the step.
Surface survey location sketch in not KH 1996 p 3, area map: NotKH book pp68-69",,,"""+"" (on cliff between entrances). Spit set by upper entrance awaiting tag (shared with 207).","Surveyed", ,,"a",,"entrance",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,"p208",,,"Surface survey",,,,,,,,,,,,,"Surveyed", -,,"b",,"last entrance",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,"Surveyed", -209,"1/S +",,"1996WK8 (maybe also CUCC 1996-08)",,"smkridge/209.htm",,,"Schistock-Absturzschacht","Dropped skipole hole",,"2b","
","3m x 0.8m shaft, 16m deep. Freeclimb descent is possible but difficult. Belay (and light!) needed. No draught. Bottom choked by rubble.","20m rope. ",,"Form sent 2000.05, number 209 allocated. ",,"In dataset","? grade 5","caves/209/209.svx",,,,,,,"p209",,,"Surface survey",,,,,,"VSK: 233°, Hollweiser: 145° (from a point between the WK7-WK10 entrances)",,"Along shelf from 136. 35mN of 136a, 10m NW of 136d.","The normal route to 136 (from SMK col/Vd1), passes over/past this cave. It is one of the group of holes shafts and rifts on the same shelf as 136a,b,c,d. From large cubic boulder at 136a, follow shelf N past 136b, and 136c. This cave is the last of these 3 holes. The entrance is joint-developed 3 x 0.8m shaft. Area map NotKH book p 88-89.",,,"136d Tag, 8m away. ?has its own tag too",, +,,"b",,"last entrance",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,"Refindable", +209,"1/S +",,"1996WK8 (maybe also CUCC 1996-08)",,"smkridge/209.htm",,,"Schistock-Absturzschacht","Dropped skipole hole",,"2a","
","3m x 0.8m shaft, 16m deep. Freeclimb descent is possible but difficult. Belay (and light!) needed. No draught. Bottom choked by rubble.","20m rope. ",,"Form sent 2000.05, number 209 allocated. ",,"In dataset","? grade 5","caves/209/209.svx",,,,,,,"p209",,,"Surface survey",,,,,,"VSK: 233°, Hollweiser: 145° (from a point between the WK7-WK10 entrances)",,"Along shelf from 136. 35mN of 136a, 10m NW of 136d.","The normal route to 136 (from SMK col/Vd1), passes over/past this cave. It is one of the group of holes shafts and rifts on the same shelf as 136a,b,c,d. From large cubic boulder at 136a, follow shelf N past 136b, and 136c. This cave is the last of these 3 holes. The entrance is joint-developed 3 x 0.8m shaft. Area map NotKH book p 88-89.",,,"136d Tag, 8m away. ?has its own tag too",, 210,"1/T +",,"1998-03",,"plateau/210.htm",,,"Fettsack und Faulpelz höhle","Lardy Festerers' Cave",,"1a","
","In a small doline, a low horizontal entrance next to a snow plug leads to a boulder slope. A draughting squeeze leads to muddy passage + a small chamber with boulder floor, a choked depression to the left + a choked uphill slope stright on. There is a rifty hole in the floor just before the large boulder in the middle of the chamber, partly covered with boulders. The bottom can be seen 2m below. No way on, not clear where draught goes.","None",,"Form sent 2000.05, number 210 allocated. ",,,"
",,"~30m",,,,,"t210","lardysurf.0","Entrance",,"Surface survey",,"gps00.210",,,,,,"On plateau NNE of Lower Top Camp, on route to 101 area. This cave is about 120m north of B8, ~150m NNE from the large doline of 189.","Follow route (towards 101/102/200 area if that helps) from Lower Top Camp past 164 and 189 (large holes, passed 15m to right), then go roughly NNW (a few cairns). This leads up onto the right edge of a ridge (the main part of which is deep Lätchen), passing right of the OAV ski marker pole. This is an easy walk above a short (climbable) cliff looking down onto the small doline containing this cave.",,,"Tag on doline wall opposite cave.",, 211,,,,,,,,"?",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,, 212,,,,,,,,"?",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,, 213,,,,,,,,"?",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,, -214,,,"2000-03",,"smkridge/214.html",,,"Segment cave",,,"2b",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,"p214",,,"Surface survey",,,,,,,,,,,,"Tag","Surveyed","Tag still has old provisional number" -215,,"a b","2000-05","yes","smkridge/215/215.html",,,"Rufverbindungshöhle",,,"2b","CUCC 2000 Wookey, Mike Allen","? Wookey",,,,"2000 log book (2000/08/03 + 2000/08/06)","In dataset","
Notes in 2000#23","caves/215/215.svx",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,"Eishöhle portal row, between 40e and 40h","? wookey","Low and wide","? wookey","tag as 215 in 2001","Surveyed", +214,,,"2000-03",,"smkridge/214.html",,,"Segment cave",,,"2a",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,"p214",,,"Surface survey",,,,,,,,,,,,"Tag","Surveyed","Tag still has old provisional number" +215,,"a b","2000-05","yes","smkridge/215/215.html",,,"Rufverbindungshöhle",,,"2a","CUCC 2000 Wookey, Mike Allen","? Wookey",,,,"2000 log book (2000/08/03 + 2000/08/06)","In dataset","
Notes in 2000#23","caves/215/215.svx",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,"Eishöhle portal row, between 40e and 40h","? wookey","Low and wide","? wookey","tag as 215 in 2001","Surveyed", ,,"a",,"entrance",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,"p215",,"p215x","Nils",,,,,,,,,,,,"tag as 215a in 2001",, ,,"b",,"last entrance",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,"p215b",,,"Surface survey",,,,,,,,,,,,"tag as 215b in 2001",, -216,,,"2000-06",,"smkridge/216.html",,,"Nichts 50",,,"2b",,,,,,,"In dataset",,"caves/216/216.svx",,,,,,,"p216",,"p216x","Nils",,,,,,,,,,,,"tag as 216 in 2001","Surveyed", -217,,,"2000-07",,"smkridge/217.html",,,"Schneepfropfenhöhle",,,"2b","CUCC ?Wookey","? Wookey",,,,,,"? wookey.",,,,,,,,"p217",,,"Surface survey",,,,,,,,"? wookey","? wookey","? wookey","? wookey","tag","Surveyed", -218,"1/S =",,"1996WK6",,"smkridge/218.html",,,"Hammerkopfabsturtzhöhle",,,"2b","CUCC 1996 (Wookey)","A narrow rift entrance 4m deep leads to a tight squeeze needing caving gear (and maybe some hammering). An estimated 6m drop lies beyond the constriction.",,,,,,"? wookey.",,,,,,,,"p218",,,"Surface survey","gps96.218 gps96bestfit.218","gps00.218",,,,"Grießkogel: 354°, HSK (rightmost peak) 018°",,"Holes CUCC1996WK5 and CUCC1996WK6 are close together, at GPS fix GK 5411291 5282969. (Converted from GPS: E 36414 N (52)82369 H?, Averaged from GPS: E 36417 N (52)82366 H? )","On return from 161d, whilst heading up gully towards the col (and survey point Vd1), turn off left heading for top of VSK.",,,"tag 2000 as WOOK6","Surveyed","Tag still has old provisional number" -219,"1/S -",,"1996WK5",,"smkridge/219.html",,,"Tertaeingfester",,,"2b","CUCC 1996 (Wookey)","Cave in rift with two vertical ways in, both c 5m deep. There is a tight third way in at an angle. The floor of the rift chokes.",,,,,,"? wookey.",,,,,,,,"p219",,,"Surface survey",,"gps00.219",,,,"Grießkogel: 354°, HSK (rightmost peak) 018°",,"Holes CUCC1996WK5 and CUCC1996WK6 are close together, at GPS fix GK 5411291 5282969. (Converted from GPS: E 36414 N (52)82369 H?, Averaged from GPS: E 36417 N (52)82366 H? )","On return from 161d, whilst heading up gully towards the col (and survey point Vd1), turn off left heading for top of VSK.",,,"tag 2000 as WOOK5","Surveyed","Tag still has old provisional number" -220,"1/T +",,"2000-04",,"smkridge/220.html",,,"Kennedy Alternative",,,,"CUCC 2000 (Wookey, Olly B, Andy A)","Descending joint-controlled cave about 10m long, choked at end/bottom.",,,,"2000 log book (2000/08/01)",,"? wookey.",,,,,,,"p220",,,,"GPS post SA",,,,,,,,"Very close to 145b","? wookey","? wookey","? Apparently on Julian Todd's camera","Tag (?)","Lost", +216,,,"2000-06",,"smkridge/216.html",,,"Nichts 50",,,"2a",,,,,,,"In dataset",,"caves/216/216.svx",,,,,,,"p216",,"p216x","Nils",,,,,,,,,,,,"tag as 216 in 2001","Surveyed", +217,,,"2000-07",,"smkridge/217.html",,,"Schneepfropfenhöhle",,,"2a","CUCC ?Wookey","? Wookey",,,,,,"? wookey.",,,,,,,,"p217",,,"Surface survey",,,,,,,,"? wookey","? wookey","? wookey","? wookey","tag","Surveyed", +218,"1/S =",,"1996WK6",,"smkridge/218.html",,,"Hammerkopfabsturtzhöhle",,,"2a","CUCC 1996 (Wookey)","A narrow rift entrance 4m deep leads to a tight squeeze needing caving gear (and maybe some hammering). An estimated 6m drop lies beyond the constriction.",,,,,,"? wookey.",,,,,,,,"p218",,,"Surface survey","gps96.218 gps96bestfit.218","gps00.218",,,,"Grießkogel: 354°, HSK (rightmost peak) 018°",,"Holes CUCC1996WK5 and CUCC1996WK6 are close together, at GPS fix GK 5411291 5282969. (Converted from GPS: E 36414 N (52)82369 H?, Averaged from GPS: E 36417 N (52)82366 H? )","On return from 161d, whilst heading up gully towards the col (and survey point Vd1), turn off left heading for top of VSK.",,,"tag 2000 as WOOK6","Surveyed","Tag still has old provisional number" +219,"1/S -",,"1996WK5",,"smkridge/219.html",,,"Tertaeingfester",,,"2a","CUCC 1996 (Wookey)","Cave in rift with two vertical ways in, both c 5m deep. There is a tight third way in at an angle. The floor of the rift chokes.",,,,,,"? wookey.",,,,,,,,"p219",,,"Surface survey",,"gps00.219",,,,"Grießkogel: 354°, HSK (rightmost peak) 018°",,"Holes CUCC1996WK5 and CUCC1996WK6 are close together, at GPS fix GK 5411291 5282969. (Converted from GPS: E 36414 N (52)82369 H?, Averaged from GPS: E 36417 N (52)82366 H? )","On return from 161d, whilst heading up gully towards the col (and survey point Vd1), turn off left heading for top of VSK.",,,"tag 2000 as WOOK5","Surveyed","Tag still has old provisional number" +220,"1/T +",,"2000-04",,"smkridge/220.html",,,"Kennedy Alternative",,,"1c","CUCC 2000 (Wookey, Olly B, Andy A)","Descending joint-controlled cave about 10m long, choked at end/bottom.",,,,"2000 log book (2000/08/01)",,"? wookey.",,,,,,,"p220",,,,"GPS post SA",,,,,,,,"Very close to 145b","? wookey","? wookey","? Apparently on Julian Todd's camera","Tag (?)","Lost", 221,,,,,,,,"?",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,"Not CUCC", -222,"1/S -",,"1996-04",,"smkridge/222.html",,,"Gösserhöhle",,,"2b","CUCC 1993 (only marked “+""), 1996","Large space at foot of 5m cliff in very broken area. 5 x 1.8m shaft bridged by chockstone, 8m deep to a sloping choked floor.",,,,,,,,,,,,,,"p222",,,"Surface survey","gps96bestfit.96_04","gps00.96_04 gps00.96_04a",,,,"VSK (probably true summit): 213°, ?? (not Hollweiser - nearest peak across Hochklapf valley): 114°",,"East of HSK summit, in an area of small shafts (north of CUCC 96-02, south of 96-03)",,,,"A spit with tag ""CUCC 9604"" placed in 1996 and a red ""+"" next to chockstone on east side opposite cliff.","Surveyed","Tag still has old provisional number" -223,"1/S +",,"1996-03",,"smkridge/223.html",,,"Eggenbergschacht",,,"2b","CUCC 1993 (only marked “+""), drawn + tagged 1996, surveyed 2000","Cave appears as narrow slot. Two tight holes after 6m climb down gives p10 to choked floor & quite large chamber 10 x 5m floor area.","Ladder required",,,,,"? wookey.",,,,,,,,"p223",,,"Surface survey",,"gps00.96_03",,,,"VSK (probably true summit): 213°, ?? (not Hollweiser - nearest peak across Hochklapf valley): 114°",,"East of HSK summit, in an area of small shafts (north of CUCC 96-02 and 96-04)","See 2000 survey",,"
","A spit with tag ""CUCC 96-03"" placed in 1996 and a red ""+"", both on wall of doline facing north.","Surveyed","Tag may still have old provisional number" -224,"1/S +",,"1996-02",,"smkridge/224.html",,,"Toplesscayonhöhle ",,,"2b","CUCC 1993 (only marked “+""), explored 1996, surveyed 2000","Cave is exposed section of canyon formed on a bend. Bridge of roof remains at one point, separating the two entrances. At the bottom of the canyon (~8m deep) about 10m of descending rift is accessible with a climb back up part way along. All choked.","No tackle required",,,,,"? plan, elevation",,,,,,,,"p224",,,"Surface survey",,"gps00.96_02",,,,"VSK (probably true summit): 213°, ?? (not Hollweiser - nearest peak across Hochklapf valley): 114°",,"East of HSK summit, in an area of small shafts (south of CUCC 96-03 and 96-04)","area map notKH p23.",,,"A spit with tag ""CUCC 9602"" placed in 1996 and a red ""+"", on wall of canyon, facing west.","Surveyed","Tag may still have old provisional number" +222,"1/S -",,"1996-04",,"smkridge/222.html",,,"Gösserhöhle",,,"2a","CUCC 1993 (only marked “+""), 1996","Large space at foot of 5m cliff in very broken area. 5 x 1.8m shaft bridged by chockstone, 8m deep to a sloping choked floor.",,,,,,,,,,,,,,"p222",,,"Surface survey","gps96bestfit.96_04","gps00.96_04 gps00.96_04a",,,,"VSK (probably true summit): 213°, ?? (not Hollweiser - nearest peak across Hochklapf valley): 114°",,"East of HSK summit, in an area of small shafts (north of CUCC 96-02, south of 96-03)",,,,"A spit with tag ""CUCC 9604"" placed in 1996 and a red ""+"" next to chockstone on east side opposite cliff.","Surveyed","Tag still has old provisional number" +223,"1/S +",,"1996-03",,"smkridge/223.html",,,"Eggenbergschacht",,,"2a","CUCC 1993 (only marked “+""), drawn + tagged 1996, surveyed 2000","Cave appears as narrow slot. Two tight holes after 6m climb down gives p10 to choked floor & quite large chamber 10 x 5m floor area.","Ladder required",,,,,"? wookey.",,,,,,,,"p223",,,"Surface survey",,"gps00.96_03",,,,"VSK (probably true summit): 213°, ?? (not Hollweiser - nearest peak across Hochklapf valley): 114°",,"East of HSK summit, in an area of small shafts (north of CUCC 96-02 and 96-04)","See 2000 survey",,"
","A spit with tag ""CUCC 96-03"" placed in 1996 and a red ""+"", both on wall of doline facing north.","Surveyed","Tag may still have old provisional number" +224,"1/S +",,"1996-02",,"smkridge/224.html",,,"Toplesscayonhöhle ",,,"2a","CUCC 1993 (only marked “+""), explored 1996, surveyed 2000","Cave is exposed section of canyon formed on a bend. Bridge of roof remains at one point, separating the two entrances. At the bottom of the canyon (~8m deep) about 10m of descending rift is accessible with a climb back up part way along. All choked.","No tackle required",,,,,"? plan, elevation",,,,,,,,"p224",,,"Surface survey",,"gps00.96_02",,,,"VSK (probably true summit): 213°, ?? (not Hollweiser - nearest peak across Hochklapf valley): 114°",,"East of HSK summit, in an area of small shafts (south of CUCC 96-03 and 96-04)","area map notKH p23.",,,"A spit with tag ""CUCC 9602"" placed in 1996 and a red ""+"", on wall of canyon, facing west.","Surveyed","Tag may still have old provisional number" 225,"?",,"90 ADAM",,,,,"Jahrzehnschacht",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,"Lost","No records seem to survive of this one at all" 226,,"a b","1999OB03","yes","plateau/226.html",,,"Skaschacht",,,"1a",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,"226b tagged in 2001 as 226, 226a untagged",, ,,"a",,"entrance",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,"p226a",,,"Surface survey",,,,,,,,,,,,,"Surveyed", ,,"b",,"last entrance",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,"p226b",,,"Surface survey",,,,,,,,,,,,"tagged as 226","Surveyed", 227,,,"1999OB04",,"plateau/227.html",,,"Faultienschacht",,,"1a",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,"p227",,,"Surface survey",,,,,,,,,,,,"tag 2001","Surveyed", 228,,,,,"noinfo/egglgrub/228.html",,,"Kleine Schnellzughöhle",,,"3 or 7 (unclear)","ArGE (Nils + Kai Schwekendiek, August 2000)",,,,,,"In dataset",,"caves/228/228.svx",,,,,,,"p228",,,"Surface survey",,,,,,,,,,,,,"Surveyed", -229,,,,,"noinfo/smkridge/229.html",,,"Weiße Höhle",,,"2b","ARGE (Thilo et al, July 2000)",,,,,,"In dataset",,"caves/229/229.svx",,,,,,,"p229",,,"Surface survey",,,,,,,,,,,,,"Surveyed", +229,,,,,"noinfo/smkridge/229.html",,,"Weiße Höhle",,,"2a","ARGE (Thilo et al, July 2000)",,,,,,"In dataset",,"caves/229/229.svx",,,,,,,"p229",,,"Surface survey",,,,,,,,,,,,,"Surveyed", 230,"+(?)",,"1999-04",,,,,"Vergeßlichheithöhle",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,"tag 99-04","Lost", 231,"2/E +","a–i","2000-01","yes","smkridge/231/231.html",,,"Traungoldhöhle",,,"2b","CUCC 2000","Entrance A leads to daylight chamber, down an awkward climb, whilst entrance B is a snow and boulder slope to the same chamber. To the right leads to another chamber, which ent H drops into, and a slope up to the left about 2m up the wall leads to entrance D. Continuing on stooping passage leads to a climb which emerges under a stone bridge which contains entrances E, F and G. A crawl at ground level between A & B leads to some loose slopes and entrance I. From the day light chamber the passage to the left leads quickly to a 3m climb down into the largest chamber of the cave. From here around to the left leads to entrance shaft C, and a passage leads off the other side of the shaft that is walking height leading to climbs up over boulders with a loose ceiling above. This leads to a T junction, which ends in boulders to the right and a short climb to a dead end to the left. To the right in the largest chamber, a wide low short passage leads to an ice-floored chamber. Crawling passage then leads to the deepest chmber, which has an ice flow into and down the chamber. At the opposite end of the chamber a 3m climb is reached, which was climbed and quickly closed down. ",,,,,"In dataset","
Survey of 231 ","caves/231/231.svx","229m","27m",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,"The cave is situated 30m NE of 204b.",,,"
","Spit holes prepared, Tags made saying ""1623/231"" and may be placed for all entrances.",, ,,"a",,"entrance",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,"p231a",,,"Surface survey",,,,,,,,,,,"
","Tag","Surveyed", @@ -309,13 +309,13 @@ 234,"3/S/W x",,"2000-09","yes","smkridge/234/234.html",,,"Hauchhöhle",,,"2b","CUCC 2000, 2002, 2004.","
The horizontal entrance slopes downhill for about 20m, passing beneath a skylight, and a crawl to the left leading to the Left Hand Series. At the bottom of the slope there is an unpushed crawl to the left [C2002-234-01 C] and a wriggle up over rubble into a chamber. From this chamber, the obvious way on is a pitch of approximately 15m; the 2002 description alleges that there is an unpushed crawl above this, but that it ""doesn't look promising"" [C2002-234-07 C].
At the foot of the pitch, in large rift passage, a crawl on the left leads for about 15m before turning left and becoming too tight. Further along, a crawl on the left leads to Underhand Passage, while the main passage continues to a choice of a climb down of around 2m or an ascending traverse round to the left.
The traverse is exposed but easy, and leads to an upwards sloping passage, with an aven above from which daylight emerges; a vocal connection has been established to a nearby surface shaft, which has accordingly been tagged as 234b. The passage continues upwards past some loose boulders to emerge in a small chamber leading down to the right. An awkward wriggle through boulders to the left in the chamber leads to a drop [C2004-234-01 C].
The climb leads to a short slope down, after which ducking under a low arch leads to Doesn't Go Rift, where an ascending traverse can be followed up a ledge on the left-hand wall; alternatively it is possible to force through at floor level, but this is difficult. There is an aven above [C2004-234-29 X]. It is advisable to climbing back down to the level of two prominent wedged boulders, where there are threads in the left-hand wall from which a handline can be rigged for the 3m climb down to the floor of Flashgun Chamber. This is a large rift chamber whose floor slopes upwards steeply to the left; there is an aven above [C2004-234-30 X]. At the bottom of the chamber one can climb back down underneath the rift to the head of an undescended, awkward-looking pitch, Foolish Idea [C2004-234-02 B]. At the far side of the chamber is a ledge loose boulders (care); to the left is a crawl, with a narrow tube in the ceiling and an oxbow on the right. A few metres on there is a T-junction: straight on is tight and looks unpromising [C2004-234-35 B] while the draughting right-hand passage, Geometers' Crawl, is the main way on. A few metres in is the other end of the oxbow, and further along is a passage on the right, the far end of Clifton's Circuit.
At the end of Geometers' Crawl is a T-junction. Left leads to Hades, two interconnecting parallel passages sloping steeply upward. The right-hand passage is too tight; the left fork levels off slightly, at which point there are three possibilities: straight on is too tight; down a hole in the floor is choked; down and to the left through an extremely tight tube leads to a drop, awkward even to throw stones into, which could possibly be passed by someone really small and ambitious [C2004-234-03 C]. Right at the T-junction is a 2m deep hole in the floor, which can either be traversed over or climbed down.
At the bottom of the 2m climb there are two passages to the right and one to the left. The leftwards branch passes over some dry cascades to a climb down, where there are curious golfball-like formations in the ceiling. Crawling on from here the passage gradually becomes impassably tight; more spacious passage is visible through a slot in the floor, but this looks to be difficult to enter to enter [C2004-234-04 C]. The rightwards branches soon unite and lead back into Geometers' Crawl, forming the loop known as Clifton's Circuit.
An intimidating ascending traverse across the hole, You Must Be Joking, soon regains the floor. Climbing into the roof at this point gains access to Dangly Bag Jazz. Straight on is Tacklesack Blues, an awkward section of tight hading rift, with intermittent wider sections where there are holes in the floor - these could possibly be entered but are very tight [C2004-234-11 C]. A stal on the right-hand wall heralds the return to easier passage, where there is a triple junction. Climbing down a hole in the floor (5m handline recommended) leads to a small chamber, with possible crawls left, right and down, all looking tight and awkward [C2004-234-12 C]. Traversing over this hole to the left leads to Measles Inlet. Straight on leads to Stalactite Passage.
Stalactite Passage is a fine stooping-height phreatic passage with a soft mud floor; after a few metres there is a duck under a low section where there are some formations on the right. Shortly beyond this is a choice of a floor-level crawl, or a clamber over a greasy slab, into a chamber on the right. There may be a passage in the roof on the right behind some wedged boulders [C2004-234-13 C]. Immediately beyond is a junction, where a 3m climb leads to the Pie Series, while on the left is an upwards-sloping passage. This soon trifurcates. The leftmost passage leads to a drop [C2004-234-14 C]; this has not been descended but there is a light connection to Cess Pot. The middle and largest passage bends round to the right, where a sequence of small passages branch off to join up with the remaining fork at the head of a loose, chossy pitch of at least ten metres [C2004-234-15 B]; traversing over this leads to Sweet Sight. The main passage continues to a climb up to the left over a large smooth slab, where there is a window into a chamber. There is a possibly free-climbable hole in the floor, Cess Pot [C2004-234-16 B] and there may be passage continuing at the other side of the chamber [C2004-234-17 C]; there is also an aven above [C2004-234-31 X].
Measles Inlet begins as a fine phreatic passage, sloping slightly upwards. A few metres in there is a passage entering from the left. A few metres into this there is a rightwards bend, at which point a wriggle down into the floor on the left leads to a tight tube, Dangly Bag Jazz; after an S-bend this emerges in the roof above the top end of You Must Be Joking traverse. The passage continues past a prominent pillar to emerge in Cascade Chamber, an aven chamber with water dripping down several tiers of cascades. One can climb up for some distance but it is loose and rather unappealing [C2004-234-06 C]; decidedly exposed steps lead into two passages to either side [C2004-234-05 B] [C2004-234-07 B]. There is also a climb down at floor level at the far end of the chamber, which is too tight after around 3m. The water disappears into a hole in the floor, where there is another small chamber, with a crawl leading off to the right in sharp rock [C2004-234-08 C]. The main Measles Inlet passage continues sloping gradually upwards; the left-hand wall is covered in brown mud blobs (hence the passage name). There is a crawl leading off to the right around halfway along [C2004-234-09 C]. After some distance a chamber is reached; the only obvious way on is a crawl at floor level to the left, which was not pushed as it passes over attractive calcited mud with dessication cracks [C2004-234-10 B].
The initial 3m climb is free-climbable but in view of the drop beyond it is advisable to rig from the spit in the ceiling, which may be backed up to a thread back on the right. At the bottom is a wide ledge, with a narrow crawl leading off to the left [C2004-234-20 B]. Ahead is the head of the first pitch, Steak (21m), rigged from a Y-hang in the ceiling and a deviation from the left-hand wall around 5m down. There is a sizeable aven above the pitch [C2004-234-32 X]. The landing is on a boulder floor, a few metres away from the head of the next pitch, Kidney (17m). This is a fine shaft with a kidney-shaped cross-section; it is possible that in wet conditions it might need a deviation to stay out of the drips, but it has been drip-free on all trips so far. The landing is on another boulder-strewn floor; at the far side of the chamber is a narrow slot in the floor, Who Ate All The Pies, bridged by a large boulder. It is possible to squeeze past the boulder and climb down, but it does not appear to be possible to climb back up. For further exploration this will need rigging, and possibly a crowbar [C2004-234-21 A].
Around 5m from the floor of Kidney, a side passage, Crust leads off; after passing a puddle of water it turns to the right and slopes steeply upwards. At the top of the slope the continuation is a mud-floored, body-sized tube, which was explored for some distance but was becoming increasingly tedious; shortly beyond the furthest survey station it opens out into a small chamber (just big enough to turn round in) after which it closes in horizontally to a narrow high slot, which may be passable if anyone can be arsed [C2004-234-22 C]. If anyone does decide to go there, they may wish to collect in passing a bottle of red nail varnish accidentally left at the last survey station by the original explorers!
Traversing round the left-hand side of the pitch (rope advised; two natural pillars provide ample backup, and there is a thread at the far end). This leads to an ascending ruler-straight phreatic tube, Sweet Sight. After 30m this bends sharply right, and there is a sloping downwards crawl leading off straight ahead. Round the corner is a chamber, Fledermaushalle, with a high dripping aven on the right [C2004-234-36 X]; the floor is amply sprinkled with bat excrement, and a bat skeleton was observed by the discoverers in 2004. Across the chamber, a slot in the floor is too tight, and there is a possibly passable but awkward crawl beyond this [C2004-234-18 C]. Easier going is provided by a passage leading off to the left. A few metres into this is a branch to the left which connects back to the downward-sloping passage at the previous junction. The main passage continues on for a further 40m or so before closing down in a pebble choke [C2004-234-19 Dig]. Midway along this passage is a climb up into an ascending roof tube on the left, Sour Taste, which closes down after a few metres.
The crawl to the left in the entrance passage leads to a drop into a rift, where there are three ways on. To the right closes down; to the left, there are crawls at two levels. The higher-level crawl chokes; the two crawls at the lower level unite, passing two branches to the left [C2002-234-02 C] [C2002-234-03 C] and then reach a junction. To the left chokes; to the right leads to a chamber. This chamber can also be reached by going straight on from the aforementioned junction at the rift.
From this chamber, there are two ways on. A small choss wall surrounds a vertical hole through which it is possible to drop down (tricky on the return) into a small chamber. From here, an awkward squeeze leads into a continuing crawl, which has not been pushed [C2002-234-04 C]. To the left is a crawl over choss which enlarges. After a short distance a tube on the right leads to the head of a pitch (not pushed; probably 15-20m [C2002-234-05 B]) and continues to a choke. Straight ahead leads to an earthen-floored draughting crawl which has been dug, and needs further work to get through [C2002-234-06 Dig]. Shortly before the crawl becomes flat-out, a tube leading up on the right also becomes too tight.
The crawl on the left in the main rift shortly after the bottom of the first pitch leads to a small mud-floored chamber, after which a further downward-sloping crawl emerges in a large rift passage parallel to the main route. To the right are a profusion of tubes, one leading down into the floor [C2004-234-26 C], one leading up into the ceiling [C2004-234-25 C], and two at more or less head level [C2004-234-23 B] [C2004-234-24 B]. These have been explored by Pete Clifton, leading to a maze known as the Flatulence Series, but no description is extant. There is also an aven above [C2004-234-33 X], which is presumed to connect to undescended pitch 02-05 in the Left-Hand Series.
To the left, the rift passage continues onwards, sloping gradually downhill, past another aven [C2004-234-34 X]. After around 20m it closes down; a passage to the left leads to a contortion into a narrow immature dry streamway, which draughts somewhat and continues in both directions [C2004-234-27 C] [C2004-234-28 C]. ","20m rope + 2 slings for ent pitch; 5m handline + 1 or 2 slings for climb down into Flashgun Chamber. More needed for Pie Series and traverse to Sweet Sight.","Question mark list.","Form submitted summer 2003 as part of a misnumbering cockup. Resolved 2004-07-28 with allocation of new number 234.",,"In dataset; download .3d file or Raw survey data","plan drawn up after 2004 expo:
(Also exists in printable form, which will be 1:500 scale if printed at 300dpi; see here, or here and here for versions split up to print on 2 A4 sheets. There are also corresponding colour versions here, here and here.)","caves/234/234.svx","619m","61m","127m",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,"The arch-shaped entrance and gully are obvious from the route used in 2000 onwards from Top Camp to Steinbrückenhöhle. Shortly after crossing the large bare area of limestone slabs on the flanks of the Hinter, the path traverses directly around the right-hand side of the entrance gully.",,"
",,, ,,,,"entrance",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,"p234a",,,,"Surface survey",,,,,,,,,,,,"Tag","Surveyed", ,,,"2002-02","last entrance",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,"p234b",,,,"Surface survey",,,,,,,,,,,,"Tag","Surveyed", -235,"1/T +",,,,"smkridge/235/235.html",,,"Schaukelfelsbrockenhöhle",,,"2b","CUCC 2001","A rift can be descended, over wedged stones, inculding one that rocks. This leads to a narrow hading rift with wedged boulders for a ceiling.",,,,,,"",,"6m","3m",,,,,"gps01.p235",,,,,,,,,,,"The cave is situated on a flatish area of limestone uphill from the row of Eishöhle entrances that lead to Schneevulcanhalle. ",,,,"""1623/235"" tag placed 2002-08-09. (Is this correct, or does the tag really say 1623/230?)","Surveyed","There is a rumour of unknown origin that the tag actually says 230, which is perverse." -236,"1/T +",,,,"smkridge/236/236.html",,,"Moostunnelhöhle",,,"2b","CUCC 2001","A short initially mossy cave that slopes downhill to a corner, where the cave becomes to tight.",,,,,,"
",,"5m","2m",,,,,"gps01.p236",,,,,,,,,,,"The cave is situated on a flattish area of limestone uphill from the row of Eishöhle entrances that lead to Schneevulcanhalle. ",,,"
","Alloy tag ""1623/232"" placed 2002-08-09. Number realised to be in error 2004; should be corrected by end of 2004 expo.","Surveyed","Tag says 232" -237,"1/T +","a–c",,"yes","smkridge/237/237.html",,,"Dreieingangabdrosselnhöhle",,,"2b","CUCC 2001","A moderate sized chamber with large blocks on the floor, one entrance is low and wide, one is small up a 3m climb and one is a walk in entrance",,,,,,"
",,"10m","5m",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,"The cave is situated on a flattish area of limestone uphill from the row of Eishöhle entrances that lead to Schneevulcanhalle. ",,,"
","Main entrance tagged ""1623/233A"" in 2002. Spits placed for 233B and 233C and tags left by spit holes 2002-08-09 (failed to take enough bolts – d'oh). Misnumbering noticed 2004. New tags should be placed by end of expo 2004.","Surveyed","Tag on A entrance says 233. Entrances b and c have spits drilled and tags left by them in 2002." +235,"1/T +",,,,"smkridge/235/235.html",,,"Schaukelfelsbrockenhöhle",,,"2a","CUCC 2001","A rift can be descended, over wedged stones, inculding one that rocks. This leads to a narrow hading rift with wedged boulders for a ceiling.",,,,,,"
",,"6m","3m",,,,,"gps01.p235",,,,,,,,,,,"The cave is situated on a flatish area of limestone uphill from the row of Eishöhle entrances that lead to Schneevulcanhalle. ",,,,"""1623/235"" tag placed 2002-08-09. (Is this correct, or does the tag really say 1623/230?)","Surveyed","There is a rumour of unknown origin that the tag actually says 230, which is perverse." +236,"1/T +",,,,"smkridge/236/236.html",,,"Moostunnelhöhle",,,"2a","CUCC 2001","A short initially mossy cave that slopes downhill to a corner, where the cave becomes to tight.",,,,,,"
",,"5m","2m",,,,,"gps01.p236",,,,,,,,,,,"The cave is situated on a flattish area of limestone uphill from the row of Eishöhle entrances that lead to Schneevulcanhalle. ",,,"
","Alloy tag ""1623/232"" placed 2002-08-09. Number realised to be in error 2004; should be corrected by end of 2004 expo.","Surveyed","Tag says 232" +237,"1/T +","a–c",,"yes","smkridge/237/237.html",,,"Dreieingangabdrosselnhöhle",,,"2a","CUCC 2001","A moderate sized chamber with large blocks on the floor, one entrance is low and wide, one is small up a 3m climb and one is a walk in entrance",,,,,,"
",,"10m","5m",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,"The cave is situated on a flattish area of limestone uphill from the row of Eishöhle entrances that lead to Schneevulcanhalle. ",,,"
","Main entrance tagged ""1623/233A"" in 2002. Spits placed for 233B and 233C and tags left by spit holes 2002-08-09 (failed to take enough bolts – d'oh). Misnumbering noticed 2004. New tags should be placed by end of expo 2004.","Surveyed","Tag on A entrance says 233. Entrances b and c have spits drilled and tags left by them in 2002." ,,"a",,"entrance",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,"gps01.p237",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,, ,,"b",,"entrance",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,"
",,, ,,"c",,"last entrance",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,, -238,"1/T +","a b",,"yes","smkridge/238/238.html",,,"Flinkameiseschacht","Speedy Ant Shaft",,"2b","CUCC 2001,2002","An approximately 20m deep shaft with snow at the bottom. If snow levels allow, a way on can found down the left side of the snow plug, through an awkward squeeze over a large rock into a chamber with a snow and ice slope. A second short pitch leads off to the left, but soon ends.
A second small entrance leads via an awkward crawl to a sloping ledge on the right hand wall of the shaft a couple of metres down.",,,,,,"
Survey of 238 from 2001. The cave was resurveyed in 2002 but this has apparently never been drawn up.",,"25m","20m",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,"The cave is situated on a flattish area of limestone uphill from the row of Eishöhle entrances that lead to Schneevulcanhalle. The shaft is located at the base of a cliff.",,,,"Tag ""1623/234A"" placed on main entrance in 2002. ""1623/234B"" tag placed 2002-08-09. Misnumbering noticed 2004, new tags should be placed by end expo 2004.","Surveyed","Tags on both entrances say 234" +238,"1/T +","a b",,"yes","smkridge/238/238.html",,,"Flinkameiseschacht","Speedy Ant Shaft",,"2a","CUCC 2001,2002","An approximately 20m deep shaft with snow at the bottom. If snow levels allow, a way on can found down the left side of the snow plug, through an awkward squeeze over a large rock into a chamber with a snow and ice slope. A second short pitch leads off to the left, but soon ends.
A second small entrance leads via an awkward crawl to a sloping ledge on the right hand wall of the shaft a couple of metres down.",,,,,,"
Survey of 238 from 2001. The cave was resurveyed in 2002 but this has apparently never been drawn up.",,"25m","20m",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,"The cave is situated on a flattish area of limestone uphill from the row of Eishöhle entrances that lead to Schneevulcanhalle. The shaft is located at the base of a cliff.",,,,"Tag ""1623/234A"" placed on main entrance in 2002. ""1623/234B"" tag placed 2002-08-09. Misnumbering noticed 2004, new tags should be placed by end expo 2004.","Surveyed","Tags on both entrances say 234" ,,"a",,"entrance",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,"gps01.p238",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,, ,,"b",,"last entrance",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,, 239,"3/S/T x",,"2001-04",,"smkridge/239/239.html",,,"Rock'n'Roll Höhle",,"(a.k.a. Olly's Sucking Höhle)","2b","CUCC 2001 Phil U, Mark S","[Taken from 2001 log book] ""Went to investigate this draughting orifice. Initial entrance climb is fine, if you chimney down on the R side. At the bottom, there are three ways on. The first one goes back under the entrance, down a boulder slope, to emerge in a large chamber ""Cheesy dip"". There are a number of small leads off, all choked. In the roof is lots of daylight, coming from 2001-046. Left from the entrance went down a loose slope (blowing). Right (Sucking) went along a bit. We decided to do some surveying. Which required red paint. Which was at the bivvi site. So we went and had a cup of tea for a bit. Came back with surveying gear and surveyed the LH route to a ~5m deep pit.""
(There were at least three trips to this cave judging by the survey file, but only this one was written up.)",,,"Form sent 2004.04.30. Number 239 allocated by Robert TWC at 2004 expo dinner",,"In dataset","
","caves/239/239.svx","503m","45m","172m",,,,"p239",,,"Surface survey",,,,,,,,"In small valley just below top of SMK ridge, 200m S of 204 bivvy site",,,,"Tagged as 2001-04 by initial explorers. Retagged with final kataster number 2004-07-31.","Surveyed",
@@ -371,36 +371,35 @@
,,,"BS1-16",,,,,,,"UBSS finds - no documentation",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,"Lost",
,"2/S +",,"BS17",,"noinfo/remote/bs17.htm",,,"Organhöhle",,,6,"UBSS 1990","A deep and serious cave in a very remote location, with numerous Puits en bayonettes, from which rescue would be virtually impossible after a tortuous tube at -100m.
The 1m diameter entrance is followed by a walking sized phreatic passage with further entrances in the roof. This continues to a four-way junction. Straight on soon chokes at a boulder slope. Up to the left, the passage winds back to a further entrance. The way on is down to the right. The 5m high passage continues, passing low crawls on the left and right to a point where the roof lowers and the passage is split horizontally. The lower passage leads to an extensive series of low crawls whilst the upper passage continues to a squeeze past a debris cone with a distinct draught. Past the debris cone the passage splits again. The right hand passage chokes soon after a 12m pitch but the left hand passage carries on as a hands and knees crawl, crosses a blind 4m pit and soon reaches the first pitch.
A fine descent of 66m in a large shaft lands on a boulder ledge with the second pitch following on immediately. This descends 50m to a 15cm wide rift. Although there is a possible continuation beyond, this would require considerable effort to enter and was not pushed. A climb up to a window above the second pitch (krab and sling left rigged) gains a climb down to the boulder-strewn foot of an aven and a horizontal tube going off (not explored). 13m down the second pitch, Fledermaus ledge can be gained, with a passage leading off to Fledermaus pitch, named for the quantities of bat skeletons at its head. This 27m descent reaches about the same level as the base of the second pitch, and is blind except for a small slot in one wall. Traversing over Fledermaus leads to a small chamber with two tubes leading off, both draughting. The left tube becomes too tight, but a pitch can be seen beyond the constriction. The right tube is the Organ Grinder.
The Organ Grinder is 46m of exceedingly tortuous passage - nowhere extremely tight but twisting and turning, rising and falling, requiring a unique combination of contortions. It is best tackled feet first on the way in (head first on the way out) until a flat out crawl near the end which leads to the crux: a U-bend, best approached head first on the descent. This is even more difficult on the return, when it is best tackled feet first. UBSS's times to pass this passage varied from 10 minutes to 3½ hours, with an average of 20 minutes. There is just room to replace SRT gear before the following pitch. The return of an injured person through this tube would be almost impossible without extensive modification of the cave.
The third pitch descends 42m, passing two windows, to a floor with no way on. From the foot of the pitch, a 3m climb up to a ledge reveals two climbs down. One of thse is blind, but the other leads to an undescended pitch of c20m.
Both of the windows in the third pitch connect with Topher's pitch, and the lower one was rigged. From here the pitch is 86m with a large ledge near the bottom. At the foot, a window leads to an aven, whilst in the opposite wall, another window looks onto the fifth pitch, Toccata and Feuge (sic).
Toccata and Feuge is best descended from a ledge above the large ledge in Topher's pitch. Rigged mainly from flakes and threads, it drops in a series of steps, 39m in total. A small hole in the floor drops into a chamber with no passable way on - just two exits, both too tight. 10m back up the pitch, a ledge can be gained and is the start of the Rift Climb. This is a 40m descent, and is best rigged as a self-lined climb. The rift continues for some distance horizontally, but has not been followed. Below the Rift climb, the head of another pitch can be gained, but great care should be exercised in the Rift Climb and this following pitch (The Pitch of the Flying Boulders) as there are many loose rocks, which, when dislodged, fall the full depth of both pitches. From the bottom of Topher's Pitch to the head of PotFB, many fossils of ""large bivalves and snails on sticks"" protrude up to 25mm from the rock.
The PotFB was rigged from a thread and is somewhat awkward for 6m to a rebelay, after which it hangs free. The 32m descent lands in The Hall of the Flying Boulders, which again contains much loose rock, choking the floor level. However, a 2m climb up a mudbank leads to an impressive phreatic passage. A pit in the floor of this passage drops to a chamber with a deep well. Passing this, and a smaller side passage on he left, one soon reaches Another Bloody Pitch with a strong draught at the head. The side passage also joins this pitch. Another Bloody Pitch is 31m, but ends blind. A window part way down reaches a further shaft of 36m, also blind, but this is the deepest explored point, at -295m.
From the head of Another Bloody Pitch, a continuation of the phreatic passage can be seen, but will not be reached without a serious bolted traverse. It is thought that this is the main way on, at c260m depth.",,,," The above description is adapted from the UBSS report in Newsletter Vol 6 No. 3, November 1990. ",,"Grade 3c survey on cover of UBSS Nls 6(3), 11/90",,"235m","295m",,,,,,,,,,,,,"1950m",,,"About 300m along the north side of the ridge running east from Hohes Augst-Eck, about 50m from the summit of the ridge at the foot of a 5m cliff, a 1m diameter tube. [no surface survey info or coordinates].",,,,,"Lost", ,,,"BS18-nn?",,,,,,,"UBSS finds - no documentation",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,"Lost", -,,,"88H",,,,,,,"GSCB",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,"Non-CUCC", -,,,"88AF",,,,,,,"GSCB - now 161c",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,"Non-CUCC", +,,,"88H",,,,,,,"GSCB","2a",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,"Non-CUCC", ,,,"VSS188F",,,,,,,"GSCB",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,"tag VSS188F 2002","Non-CUCC", -,,,"1987/02",,"smkridge/1987_02.html",,,,,"? GSCB exploration","2b",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,"100m up from 157 and 0/5",,,,,"Lost", +,,,"1987/02",,"smkridge/1987_02.html",,,,,"? GSCB exploration","2a",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,"100m up from 157 and 0/5",,,,,"Lost", ,,,"1989/01",,,,,,,"Probably 195. See 165 for more details.",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,"North of 165",,,,"Unmarked","Lost","May be 195 but seems unlikely; or 196" ,,,"1990-15",,,,,,,"Possibly 185?",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,"""185"" in paint","Lost","Has been variously marked as 90/15 then (erroneously) as 185 - see cockups page. AERW doesn't know where to find it" -,"1/S -",,"1996-01",,"smkridge/1996_01.html",,,"Ski-pole höhle",,,"2b","CUCC 1996-07-15 Nick, Brian, Tina","Climb down shakehole to open shaft with a jammed boulder at the top. Shaft developed on joint is 1.4m across, 1.5m in the other direction and drops straight down 10m. Rift at bottom is 2m high. 1.5m drop then gently ascending rift gets too tight.",,,,,,,,,"11.1m",,"There are many holes along the rift - all the others are choked or too tight.",,,,,,,"gps96.96_1",,,,,,,,"Situated at top end of rift/gorge next to path to 161d. Walking to 161d: go into the very narrow gorge, then up the right hand wall about a third of the way along. This gets you into the next gorge, trending on bearing 031° (looking towards 161d end of path). Turn right up the rift. 96/01 is at the top end.",,,"A spit with ""CUCC 96-01""","Surveyed", +,"1/S -",,"1996-01",,"smkridge/1996_01.html",,,"Ski-pole höhle",,,"2a","CUCC 1996-07-15 Nick, Brian, Tina","Climb down shakehole to open shaft with a jammed boulder at the top. Shaft developed on joint is 1.4m across, 1.5m in the other direction and drops straight down 10m. Rift at bottom is 2m high. 1.5m drop then gently ascending rift gets too tight.",,,,,,,,,"11.1m",,"There are many holes along the rift - all the others are choked or too tight.",,,,,,,"gps96.96_1",,,,,,,,"Situated at top end of rift/gorge next to path to 161d. Walking to 161d: go into the very narrow gorge, then up the right hand wall about a third of the way along. This gets you into the next gorge, trending on bearing 031° (looking towards 161d end of path). Turn right up the rift. 96/01 is at the top end.",,,"A spit with ""CUCC 96-01""","Refindable","Has a 1996 GPS fix which is almost certainly hopelessly wrong" ,"1/S -",,"1996-05",,"plateau/1996_05.html",,,,,,"1d","CUCC 1996 Andy Waddington and Fran","Cave is a North-South rift in a joint hading very steeply - say 85 degrees dip to west. Stones rattle down shaft for a very long time. No evidence of previous exploration (ie. no spits, no mud, vegetation not noticeably trampled).",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,"gps98.1996_05",,,,"c. 1640m","Schönberg 342½°, Bräuning Zinken 204½°, Hinterer Schwarzmooskogel 101° (very flat summit, so exact point not obvious), Loser Cross 213½°, using AndyW compass NPC#2 (Suunto #439258)",,,"From 164, follow recent (1996 vintage? - not of CUCC origin) fluorescent orange paint dots (these had faded almost completely by 1998, but there are some older red ones for the early part of the route), over a ridge passing the OAV ski marker pole, then leftish over a series of limestone steps to reach a descent into a large broken area (thought to be near 173). Climb steeply left up boulders to a large cairn with a bright orange dot, then over a series of limestone shelves. Shortly up here is a shaft now known to be Lost Rucksack Cave (marked with temporary number CUCC 1993 01). The route continues remarkably easily over a series of bunde-free pavements - easily relocated in 1998. Eventually a large orange dot with an arrow points into a gap in the pines with many fresh (1996) cut branches (again, not CUCC's work). No more dots are to be found, and all ways close up in bunde beyond an obvious shaft in a N-S rift which is therefore clearly the ultimate destination of the marked path.",,"
A picture of the Bräuning wall and Loser from the vicinity of the entrance is here.","Tag placed on pavement on east side of shaft near middle, a spit with CUCC tag ""9605"".","Surveyed", -,"1/S -",,"1996WK4",,"smkridge/1996wk4.html",,,,,,"2b","CUCC 1996 (Wookey)","Big enough to be worth dropping.",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,"gps96.wk4 gps96bestfit.wk4","gps00.wk4",,,,,,"A picture of the Bräuning wall and Loser from the vicinity of the entrance is here.","This is a GPSed hole found by Wookey on a thrashed route whilst looking for a possible route from 161d over the top of the Hochklapf spur of the Vord to the Stogerweg. There is a large N-S (ish) fault/joint in the bunde here which provides useful path. Approximately on top of bulge sticking out into valley."," This cave was a squareish hole in a the path that one had to traverse carefully",,"Unmarked","Surveyed", -,"1/S -",,"1997-07",,"smkridge/1997_07.html",,,," =1996-07, 1996wk7",,"2b","CUCC 1996 (Wookey) Incomplete","Descent through narrow rift and choked bouldery leads (after 10m) to an undescended pitch (20m ?). Draught stops and starts with a period of about 30 seconds (on the day of discovery), but when active, it was inwards.",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,"gps96.wk7_1 gps96.wk7_2 gps96bestfit.wk7","gps00.wk7",,,"c. 1810-1820m","VSK: 233°, Hollweiser: 145° (from a point between 97-07 and the 97-08 group of entrances)",,"GPS: E 36338 N (52)82260 H? or E 36385 N (52)82234 H? Averaged from GPS: E 36370 N (52)82269 H?","From route to 139 E of VSK, take big shelf which leads to a series of holes (CUCC 96 WK7 to WK10) and eventually to Steinschlagschacht (136).",,,"Tag placed 1997","Surveyed", -,"1/S -",,"1996WK11",,"smkridge/1996wk11.html",,,,,,"2b","CUCC 1996 (Wookey)","Big rift aligned 115<->295°. At WNW end is big. Descends over boulders and then snow beyond point of exploration. Needs rope to complete descent, although it is likely to be choked.",,,,,,"? Survey plan and elv in NotKH book.NotKH book 1999- p16",,,,,,,,,,,,"gps96.wk11 gps96bestfit.wk11","gps00.wk11",,,"1661 +/- 53","Nipple: 202°, Trissel: 179°, Hollweiser: 138°",,"At foot of slope from top of VSK, on Eastern side, before flat area containing Nipple to south of VSK.",,,,"Unmarked","Surveyed", +,"1/S -",,"1996WK4",,"smkridge/1996wk4.html",,,,,,"2a","CUCC 1996 (Wookey)","Big enough to be worth dropping.",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,"gps96.wk4 gps96bestfit.wk4","gps00.wk4",,,,,,"A picture of the Bräuning wall and Loser from the vicinity of the entrance is here.","This is a GPSed hole found by Wookey on a thrashed route whilst looking for a possible route from 161d over the top of the Hochklapf spur of the Vord to the Stogerweg. There is a large N-S (ish) fault/joint in the bunde here which provides useful path. Approximately on top of bulge sticking out into valley."," This cave was a squareish hole in a the path that one had to traverse carefully",,"Unmarked","Surveyed", +,"1/S -",,"1997-07",,"smkridge/1997_07.html",,,," =1996-07, 1996wk7",,"2a","CUCC 1996 (Wookey) Incomplete","Descent through narrow rift and choked bouldery leads (after 10m) to an undescended pitch (20m ?). Draught stops and starts with a period of about 30 seconds (on the day of discovery), but when active, it was inwards.",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,"gps96.wk7_1 gps96.wk7_2 gps96bestfit.wk7","gps00.wk7",,,"c. 1810-1820m","VSK: 233°, Hollweiser: 145° (from a point between 97-07 and the 97-08 group of entrances)",,"GPS: E 36338 N (52)82260 H? or E 36385 N (52)82234 H? Averaged from GPS: E 36370 N (52)82269 H?","From route to 139 E of VSK, take big shelf which leads to a series of holes (CUCC 96 WK7 to WK10) and eventually to Steinschlagschacht (136).",,,"Tag placed 1997","Surveyed", +,"1/S -",,"1996WK11",,"smkridge/1996wk11.html",,,,,,"2a","CUCC 1996 (Wookey)","Big rift aligned 115<->295°. At WNW end is big. Descends over boulders and then snow beyond point of exploration. Needs rope to complete descent, although it is likely to be choked.",,,,,,"? Survey plan and elv in NotKH book.NotKH book 1999- p16",,,,,,,,,,,,"gps96.wk11 gps96bestfit.wk11","gps00.wk11",,,"1661 +/- 53","Nipple: 202°, Trissel: 179°, Hollweiser: 138°",,"At foot of slope from top of VSK, on Eastern side, before flat area containing Nipple to south of VSK.",,,,"Unmarked","Surveyed", ,"1/S -",,"1996WK12",,"kratzer/1996wk12.html",,,,,,4,"CUCC 1996 (Wookey)","Oval 3m deep hole. Way on in opposite corner from difficult climb down of 3m to bottom. To the SW is a small mossy hole to choked chamber about 2 x 3m. To the NE clamber 6m down rocky slope then 6m along narrowing rift. V. tight possible way on down, but easier way along can be followed for 10m to awkward boulder blockage. Passage continues at least 3m to corner. The boulder was not passed in shorts and goretex for fear of ripping!",,,,"NotKH book p29-p30",,"? Plan, elevation (grade2)",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,"c. 1684m",,,"Surface survey passes over cave, but no station at cave.","About 12m or 30m SW of laser point 7 'LSR7_' on south side of Schwarzmoossattel (the one with incorrect position on original laser survey), 40m NE of 36. NW (upslope) from CUCC 1976 B4.","Oval hole 4m x 3m at edge of pavement next to grassy area. Draughting - particularly on entrance slope.",,"Unmarked","Refindable","Wookey will know where this is" ,"? +",,"1998-X01",,"plateau/1998-X01.html",,,,,,"1b","Has a ""+"" mark of unknown provenance. Rediscovered and tied to surface survey by Wookey and Andy W 1998.",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,"p1998-x01",,,"GPS post SA",,,,,,,,,,,,"Unmarked (?)",, ,,,"1999_OB_01",,"plateau/1999_ob_01.html",,,,,,"1d",,"Inside small cliff facing toward B.wall. Slightly draughting, 6m deep, with snow plug at bottom. Unexplored, not a promising lead.",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,," VSK 151, HSK 065, Sch 010, BZW 222 (from top of small cliff). (from NotKH 1996- book p110)",,,,,,,"Refindable","Olly will know where this is" ,,,"1999_OB_02",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,"Refindable","Olly will know where this is" -,,,"1999_MS_01",,"smkridge/1999_ms_01.html",,,,,,"2b",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,"gps00.99ms01",,,,,,,,,,,"Surveyed", -,,,"1999_MS_02",,"smkridge/1999_ms_02.html",,,,,,"2b",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,"gps00.99ms02",,,,,,,,,,,"Surveyed", +,,,"1999_MS_01",,"smkridge/1999_ms_01.html",,,,,,"2a",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,"gps00.99ms01",,,,,,,,,,,"Surveyed", +,,,"1999_MS_02",,"smkridge/1999_ms_02.html",,,,,,"2a",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,"gps00.99ms02",,,,,,,,,,,"Surveyed", ,"1/T +",,"2000-AA-01",,"plateau/2000-aa-01.html",,,"Dämmerunghöhle","Twilight Cave",,"1b","Has a ""+"" mark of unknown provenance. Rediscovered and surveyed by CUCC (Andy A and Wookey) 2000","Surface pit 6m deep, choked at bottom.","Maybe some rope, I don't know.",,,"See 2000 logbook entry (August 9th).","In dataset","
Notes in 2000#34","caves/2000-aa-01/2000-aa-01.svx","10.2m","6.35m","7.98m",,,"p2000-aa-01",,,,,,,,,,,,"On path between 171 and 172.","From old Top Camp",,"A photo is alleged to have been taken in 2000 but has apparently been lost.","Tagged ""2000-aa-01""","Surveyed", -,"1/? +",,"2000-02",,"smkridge/2000-02/2000-02.html",,,,,,"2b","Has a ""+"" mark of unknown provenance. Relocated by Wookey, Andy W and Julian T in 1996; GPSsed and tagged Andy A and Wookey 2000","? Wookey","? Wookey",,,"See 2000 logbook entry (July 30th)",,,,,,,,,,"p2000-02",,,"GPS post SA",,,,,,,,,,,,"Tagged ""2000-02""",, +,"1/? +",,"2000-02",,"smkridge/2000-02/2000-02.html",,,,,,"2a","Has a ""+"" mark of unknown provenance. Relocated by Wookey, Andy W and Julian T in 1996; GPSsed and tagged Andy A and Wookey 2000","? Wookey","? Wookey",,,"See 2000 logbook entry (July 30th)",,,,,,,,,,"p2000-02",,,"GPS post SA",,,,,,,,,,,,"Tagged ""2000-02""",, ,"1/S +",,"2000-08",,"smkridge/2000-08/2000-08.htm",,,"Grabenkrieghöhle","Trench Warfare Cave",,"2b","Originally noted, but not descended, by Duncan in 2000. Has quite a history of getting reexplored regularly as people explore it and forget to record that it doesn't go: CUCC 2000 (Duncan), 2002 (MikeTA), 2003 (Mark S), 2004 (Dave L)","Short pitch (~6m) from chossy naturals leads to large (~4m wide) unroofed passage. Uphill leads to rift, which is choked (corresponding to nearby choked surface rift). Downhill passes a wedged rock to a climb down onto a snowbank. Right is blind, left descends and leads to a blind pit with a too-tight continuation (looks diggable though).",,"Plausible dig.",,,,,,"~20m","~10m","~15m",,,,"p2000-08",,,"Surface survey",,,,,,,,"The large entrance is adjacent to the route used in 2000 onwards across the plateau to Steinbrückenhöhle, shortly before arriving at the stone bridge. It lies almost directly above the huge aven of 7-11 Chamber in 204; the vertical separation, however, is of the order of 120m.",,,"
","Tag.","Surveyed", ,"1/T +",,"2001-02",,"smkridge/2001-02/2001-02.html",,,,,,"2b","CUCC 2001 MikeTA","Small downhill crawl, choked after around 1.5 body lengths.",,,,"2001 logbook",,,,,,,,,,"p2001-02",,,"Surface survey",,,,,,,,,,,,"Spit awaiting tag","Surveyed", ,"?",,"2001-03",,"smkridge/2001-03/2001-03.html",,,,,,"2b","CUCC 2001 MikeTA","No description extant",,,,"2001 logbook",,,,,,,,,,"p2001-03",,,"Surface survey",,,,,,,,,,,,"Spit awaiting tag","Surveyed", -,"-",,"2001-06",,"smkridge/2001-06/2001-06.html",,,"Erbärmlichbaumhöhle","Pathetic Tree Cave",,"2b","Entrance noted CUCC 2001 Olly B, Martin",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,"In the vicinity of the Eishöhle portal row",,,"
",,"Lost","Olly will know where this is" -,"-",,"2001-07",,"smkridge/2001-07/2001-07.html",,,"Hoffnungschacht","Hope Shaft",,"2b","Entrance noted CUCC 2001 Olly B, Martin",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,"Lost","Olly will know where this is" -,"+",,"2001-08",,"smkridge/2001-08/2001-08.html",,,"Schneeoberlichtschacht","Snow Skylight Shaft",,"2b","CUCC 2001 Olly B, Martin",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,"Lost","Olly will know where this is" -,"-",,"2001-09",,"smkridge/2001-09/2001-09.html",,,"Funkberaterschacht","Pundits Cave",,"2b","Entrance noted CUCC 2001 Olly B, Martin",,,,,,"Claimed to be in dataset (not clear where)",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,"In the vicinity of the Eishöhle portal row",,,"
",,"Lost","Olly will know where this is" -,"-",,"2001-10",,"smkridge/2001-10/2001-10.html",,,"Großarbeithöhle","Hard Work Cave",,"2b","Entrance noted CUCC 2001 Olly B, Martin",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,"Lost","Olly will know where this is" -,"-",,"2001-11",,"smkridge/2001-11/2001-11.html",,,"Schnürsenkelschacht","Bootlace Shaft",,"2b","Entrance noted CUCC 2001 Olly B, Martin",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,"Lost","Olly will know where this is" -,"-",,"2001-12",,"smkridge/2001-12/2001-12.html",,,"Unnotiggewohnlichkeitschacht","Unneccesary Comfort Shaft",,"2b","Entrance noted CUCC 2001 Olly B, Martin",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,"Lost","Olly will know where this is" -,"=",,"2001-MS-01",,"smkridge/bogen.html",,,"Bogenhöhle",,,"2b","Origin obscure; surveyed 2001 Mark S, Mike Cox",,,,,,"In dataset",,"surface/bogen.svx",,,,,,"tbogen",,,,"Surface survey",,,,,,,,,,"This cave is somewhat mysterious; it may in fact be the ""second cave with a walk-in entrance"" mentioned in the 157 description, but that is described as being 100m from Laser 0/5, whereas this is more like 30m (or 60m to the further entrance).",,"Tag, apparently, but what the tag says is unclear!","Surveyed","May have a tag, but it's not clear what the tag says if it does" +,"-",,"2001-06",,"smkridge/2001-06/2001-06.html",,,"Erbärmlichbaumhöhle","Pathetic Tree Cave",,"2a","Entrance noted CUCC 2001 Olly B, Martin",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,"In the vicinity of the Eishöhle portal row",,,"
",,"Lost","Olly will know where this is" +,"-",,"2001-07",,"smkridge/2001-07/2001-07.html",,,"Hoffnungschacht","Hope Shaft",,"2a","Entrance noted CUCC 2001 Olly B, Martin",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,"Lost","Olly will know where this is" +,"+",,"2001-08",,"smkridge/2001-08/2001-08.html",,,"Schneeoberlichtschacht","Snow Skylight Shaft",,"2a","CUCC 2001 Olly B, Martin",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,"Lost","Olly will know where this is" +,"-",,"2001-09",,"smkridge/2001-09/2001-09.html",,,"Funkberaterschacht","Pundits Cave",,"2a","Entrance noted CUCC 2001 Olly B, Martin",,,,,,"Claimed to be in dataset (not clear where)",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,"In the vicinity of the Eishöhle portal row",,,"
",,"Lost","Olly will know where this is" +,"-",,"2001-10",,"smkridge/2001-10/2001-10.html",,,"Großarbeithöhle","Hard Work Cave",,"2a","Entrance noted CUCC 2001 Olly B, Martin",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,"Lost","Olly will know where this is" +,"-",,"2001-11",,"smkridge/2001-11/2001-11.html",,,"Schnürsenkelschacht","Bootlace Shaft",,"2a","Entrance noted CUCC 2001 Olly B, Martin",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,"Lost","Olly will know where this is" +,"-",,"2001-12",,"smkridge/2001-12/2001-12.html",,,"Unnotiggewohnlichkeitschacht","Unneccesary Comfort Shaft",,"2a","Entrance noted CUCC 2001 Olly B, Martin",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,"Lost","Olly will know where this is" +,"=",,"2001-MS-01",,"smkridge/bogen.html",,,"Bogenhöhle",,,"1d","Origin obscure; surveyed 2001 Mark S, Mike Cox",,,,,,"In dataset",,"surface/bogen.svx",,,,,,"tbogen",,,,"Surface survey",,,,,,,,,,"This cave is somewhat mysterious; it may in fact be the ""second cave with a walk-in entrance"" mentioned in the 157 description, but that is described as being 100m from Laser 0/5, whereas this is more like 30m (or 60m to the further entrance).",,"Tag, apparently, but what the tag says is unclear!","Surveyed","May have a tag, but it's not clear what the tag says if it does" ,"2/T +",,"2002-01",,"smkridge/2002-01/2002-01.html",,,"Artischockehöhle",,,"2b","CUCC 2002 Dunks, Mark S","A contortion through boulders leads to a large horizontal passage, which gradually ascends until eventually lowering to a short flat-out crawl over choss. This leads to a chamber, from where it is possible to slither to the left through a gap between choss and the ceiling. Here there are two ways on. To the right ends quickly; a dig under the wall ended in a further choke. To the left leads to a tight crawl through dangerous boulders which would need digging to make further progress.
A noticable draught outwards is present throughout the cave.",,,,,,"
",,"64m","7m","51m",,,"t2002-01",,,,"Surface survey",,,,,,,,,"The entrance is situated in a large choss bowl adjacent to the route used in 2000 onwards from Top Camp to Steinbrückenhöhle, where the path turns left just beyond Hauchhöhle.",,"
","Tag on rock wall on LH side facing entrance.","Surveyed", ,"1/T +",,"2002-03",,"smkridge/2002-03/2002-03.html",,,"Igelhöhle","Hedgehog cave",,"2b","Entrance noted CUCC 2002 Dunks, Ben S. Descended CUCC 2004, Dave L.","Awkward sharp climb down leads to constricted chamber floored with choss. No ways on and no draught.",,,,,,,,"~5m","~2m","~5m",,,"p2002-03",,,,"Surface survey",,,,,,,,,"In the bottom of a small depression that one steps around on the 204 walk-in, just beyond the large choss bowl where the rather nonobvious entrance to Artischockehöhle is situated (which is itself a little beyond the obvious entrance to Hauchhöhle).",,,"Tag 2002","Surveyed", ,"1/S x",,"2002-07",,"smkridge/2002-07/2002-07.html",,,,"Quarries A-C",,"2b","CUCC 2002 Frank, Ben","From the sketch it seems that there are 3 entrances in a line which connect underground, and a continuing downwards shaft blocked with snow. In 2002 there was a gap down one side of the snow plug but this was not explored. This point is 34m below the surface and a mere 9m above Crowning Glory in 204.",,,,,"In dataset","
(Drawn up by DL from Frank's notes in 2002#23)","caves/2002-07/2002-07.svx","42m","34m","16m",,,"p2002-07",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,"Tag 2002","Surveyed", @@ -457,5 +456,5 @@ ,,"c",,"last entrance",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,"p2004-19c",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,"Surveyed", ,"1/S/T +",,"2004-20",,"smkridge/2004-20/2004-20.html",,,"Crowbar höhle",,,"2b","CUCC 2004 Dave, Olly M","Entrance pitch leads to small elongated chamber floored with gravel and blocks. A slope up at the southern end reveals two impassably tight passages to the left (eastwards). Near the foot of the pitch a tube slopes down to the west, but this is blocked by a large boulder; it presumably would connect to 2000-08 which is nearby.","20m rope + two hangers for ent pitch.","One dig, see description.",,,"In dataset","Notes in 2004#51","caves/2004-20/2004-20.svx","15m","10m","10m N-S",,,"t2004-20",,,"p2004-20",,,,,,,,,"In choss-filled depression near 2000-08.","Follow usual path from 204 bivvy. Turn left just before 2000-08.","Groove in side of depression allows descent past boulder floor; groove continues upwards to lip of depression and is easily spotted.","
","Tag 8/8/2004","Surveyed", ,"1/E =",,"2004-21",,"smkridge/2004-21/2004-21.html",,,,"Earl's Hat Cave",,"2b","CUCC 2001,2004","Walk down slope (sometimes snow plugged) to chamber. Two passages lead on, left hand passage is choked, right hand passage has not been explored.","Handline may be required","Right hand passage",,,,,,,,,,,,"gps04.p2004-21","No idea",,"GPS post SA",,,,,,,,"Very close to 204 D, approx. 15m down slope NW.",,"Huge open triangular entrance, facing North West.","
","Unmarked","Surveyed",
-,,,"1997-X01",,"smkridge/1997-X01/1997-X01.html",,,,"MI5 Cave",,"2b","? Entrance refound CUCC 1997",,,,,"1997 log book (13/8/97) doesn't actually mention this cave! (but it was definitely that survey trip)",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,"Schwarzmooskogel ridge near 180 and 191",,,,"Paint (?)","Surveyed",
+,,,"1997-X01",,"smkridge/1997-X01/1997-X01.html",,,,"MI5 Cave",,"2a","? Entrance refound CUCC 1997",,,,,"1997 log book (13/8/97) doesn't actually mention this cave! (but it was definitely that survey trip)",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,"Schwarzmooskogel ridge near 180 and 191",,,,"Paint (?)","Surveyed",
,"1/T +",,"1996-X01",,"plateau/1996-X01.html",,,,"Sheep Cave",,"1a","CUCC 1996 (Wookey, Andy W, while surface surveying to old Top Camp)","3m long, full of sheep shit",,,,,,,,"3m",,,,,,"nasetotc.7",,,,,,,,,,,"Halfway up the Brauning Näse",,,,"Unmarked","Surveyed",
diff --git a/noinfo/CAVETAB2.sxc b/noinfo/CAVETAB2.sxc
index 24e3f5bde88fc1eb0ec264b5620e0085867cf6ec..4449d7bf509096815beac9303c2af907b8358431 100644
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