diff --git a/years/2023/logbook.html b/years/2023/logbook.html index 44afca45c..33ff8554b 100644 --- a/years/2023/logbook.html +++ b/years/2023/logbook.html @@ -200,7 +200,7 @@ serious nerding to get WiFi internet working in potato hut.
2023-07-03
-
Honorata Bogusz,Jana Podbelsek,,Will Kay,Mike Butcher,Radost Waszkiewicz,
+
Honorata Bogusz,,Will Kay,Mike Butcher,Radost Waszkiewicz,Jana Podbelsek,
plateau - second water collection tarp


Me, Radost, Mike, Jana and Will went to top camp to set up main tarp and the second water collection tarp (which was a success). @@ -210,7 +210,7 @@ main tarp and the second water collection tarp (which was a success).
2023-07-03
-
Harry Kettle,Janis Huns,,Emma Caspers,Christian Kuhlmann,Charlotte Payne,
+
Harry Kettle,,Emma Caspers,Christian Kuhlmann,Charlotte Payne,Janis Huns,
Balkon - Rescuing Balcony ropes


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

@@ -272,7 +272,7 @@ non-working internal wifi on netbook causing config problems even though it was
2023-07-04
-
Wassil Janssen,Philip Balister,Sarah Parker,,Amelia Oliver,Ashley Gregg,Merryn Matthews,
+
Wassil Janssen,Sarah Parker,,Amelia Oliver,Ashley Gregg,Merryn Matthews,Philip Balister,
topcamp - Carry and set-up


Ash, Merryn, Amelia in [com?] Philip B., Sarah and me @@ -285,7 +285,7 @@ came down the mountain.
2023-07-04
-
Harry Kettle,Christian Kuhlmann,,Will Kay,Alice Kirby,Charlotte Payne,
+
Harry Kettle,,Will Kay,Alice Kirby,Charlotte Payne,Christian Kuhlmann,
Surface - Rope carry to Homecoming + Trial walk from Garlic Cave to Car Park on painted track


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

Gear ledt at Homecoming entrance: @@ -326,7 +326,7 @@ Nice write up [re Honorata's 3-day update]. The rope there now is stuff we bough
2023-07-05
-
Sarah Parker,Joel Stobbart,,Maddie Kirby,Lizzie Caisley,Philip Balister,
+
Sarah Parker,,Maddie Kirby,Lizzie Caisley,Philip Balister,Joel Stobbart,
Surface - Reflecting the Homecoming -> Fishface route, scoping out a Homecoming to col route


Joel, Lizzie and Philip fettled the tarp (where some water had pooled overnight) whilst I had a go at attaching the big Daren drum (filled with the solar panels and cables) to my rucksack, ready to carry from top camp to Garlic Cave. @@ -374,7 +374,7 @@ return.
2023-07-06
-
Emily Mabbett,Mike Butcher,,Emma Caspers,Charlotte Payne,Lizzie Caisley,
+
Emily Mabbett,,Emma Caspers,Charlotte Payne,Lizzie Caisley,Mike Butcher,
Fishface - Surveying around Benign Bubble Baby Bypass


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

As we finished bolting, the survey team emerged behind us. At the bottom of the pitch, 3 leads emerged, a large passage with a traverse sloping down in front of us, a small drafty tube to the right, and a hole heading into the ceiling behind us. With the rigging team and pushing team 2 in the near vicintity of the cave around us, me and Mike were a bit naughty and scooped the large passage in front of us, as we reached the end, we could hear voices in the rift above us, thinking it was the other pushing team we called up. It was not. It was Buck from the rigging team stood near the base of Blitzen Boulevard essentially where we started. Discovering we'd done a large circle , we returned to the base of the pitch where the survey team were. As we arrived, Zac from the team 2 appeared in the hole above us, they had also done an circle. @@ -400,7 +400,7 @@ return.
2023-07-06
-
Zac Woodford,Emma Caspers,,Amelia Oliver,Ashley Gregg,
+
Zac Woodford,,Amelia Oliver,Ashley Gregg,Emma Caspers,
Fishface - Surveying the top of liquid luck


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

At the beginning of BBBB (Benign Babble Baby Bypass) we talked with Mike's group pushing the other lead and descending some small pitches to push ours. We faffed around a while trying to find it, but when we did, we found it just looped back around to Mike's group's lead. We surveyed it anyway. @@ -445,7 +445,7 @@ Bolts used:
2023-07-07
-
Philip Sargent,Janis Huns,,Nadia Raeburn,Jonty Pine,
+
Philip Sargent,,Nadia Raeburn,Jonty Pine,Janis Huns,
Garlic - Hiking to Garlic Cave


Jonty's car: Jonty/Nads/Janis up to Garlic and return this evening. Taking new reflectors made this morning.
T/U: 0.0 hours
@@ -472,7 +472,7 @@ Bolts used:
2023-07-07
-
Ashley Gregg,Amelia Oliver,,Will Kay,Alice Kirby,
+
Ashley Gregg,,Will Kay,Alice Kirby,Amelia Oliver,
Fishface – Surveying Stalagtite Loop to the top of Liquid Luck


Following our previous shallow trip into Fishface we set out to continue the previous combined leads from the day before. The journey across the plateau and into the cave was uneventful, aside from @@ -501,7 +501,7 @@ camp for curry.
2023-07-08
-
Nadia,Jono,,Philip B,Oakem,Jana,
+
Nadia,,Philip B,Oakem,Jana,Jono,
Garlic - Garlic Cave Set up + First Nights
After doing a big bounce carry yesterday, we now had sufficient supplies to spend the night and begin the proper set up of camp.

@@ -540,7 +540,7 @@ Afternoon: added lots of expoers to folk.csv and adding lots of mugshots. Partic

2023-07-08
-
Janis Huns,Jonty Pine,,Amelia Oliver,Ashley Gregg,
+
Janis Huns,,Amelia Oliver,Ashley Gregg,Jonty Pine,
Fishface - Pushing deep Fishface


We went to where the group - Honorata, Radost and Mike - had left off the previous day. European Federalists was a very tough traverse that required the use of ascenders. We bolted and rigged (my first bolt!) the pitch at the end of the muddy passage about 10m down to a choke of boulders. At the bottom of it we saw that there is a large, smooth crack continuing east leading to a large, deep chamber that seems to be the same one we saw on the right. If it is it would be elongated roughly in a north east to south west direction. Ash and Mealy also explored some C leads which did not go far.
T/U: 0.0 hours
@@ -596,7 +596,7 @@ Slow, tired progress out saw us leave the cave at about 1am. I stumbled to Garli
2023-07-10
-
Buck Blake,Janis Huns,Ashley Gregg,,Jonty Pine,Joel Stobbart,Amelia Oliver,
+
Buck Blake,Ashley Gregg,,Jonty Pine,Joel Stobbart,Amelia Oliver,Janis Huns,
Fishface - Carrying rope to Fishface and failing to rig entrance


After the complicated operation of handling the solar panels out of the storage cave, the six of us packed kit, rope and a rescue bag and set @@ -616,7 +616,7 @@ left our caving kit under the small overhand near the entrance, then headed back
2023-07-10
-
Wassil Janssen,Merryn Matthews,,Alice Kirby,Harry Kettle,Christian Kuhlmann,
+
Wassil Janssen,,Alice Kirby,Harry Kettle,Christian Kuhlmann,Merryn Matthews,
Homecoming - Rig faff


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

The walk up to Top Camp took almost 2 hours, just as expected. We were also carrying drills, string, food, and other Top Camp equipment. We followed the reflectors to Fishface. They were white on both sides, which could make it frustrating if you are someone who is lost on their way to Top Camp. Instead, it should be red that leads to Top Camp, while white leads to caves and the car park. @@ -638,7 +638,7 @@ left our caving kit under the small overhand near the entrance, then headed back
2023-07-10
-
Honorata Bogusz,Christian Kuhlmann,,Ashley Gregg,Harry Kettle,Radost Waszkiewicz,
+
Honorata Bogusz,,Ashley Gregg,Harry Kettle,Radost Waszkiewicz,Christian Kuhlmann,
festering - Canyoning Strubklamm


We went canyoning on a rest day. The "Strubklamm" canyon is located near Saltzburg, approximately 1h of driving from Bad Aussee. The canyon is graded V1A3 (vertical 1, aquatic 3). It's very aquatic, with many small jumps available and a 300m swimming passage. There are 2 bigger jumps: approx. 8m and 10m, both can be abseiled (topo can be found online). @@ -674,7 +674,7 @@ Yet again a black bmw slowly moved in front of us with their sign flashing. Anot
2023-07-11
-
Philip Sargent,Ely Brookes,Radost Waszkiewicz,James Waite,,Honorata Bogusz,Thomas Phillips,Will Kay,Ashley Gregg,
+
Philip Sargent,Radost Waszkiewicz,James Waite,,Honorata Bogusz,Thomas Phillips,Will Kay,Ashley Gregg,Ely Brookes,
plateau - walk in


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

Dep. carpark 10:06 we walked to the col but got spread out, 2 Cardiffians particularly heavily loaded so Ash dropped back to accompany them while James headed on with Radost and Honorata. @@ -808,7 +808,7 @@ For the rest of the trip we actually ended up dropping to the bottom of the seco
2023-07-12
-
Emma,Jonty,,Mealy,Mike B,
+
Emma,,Mealy,Mike B,Jonty,
Fishface - Camp in Fishface - pushing Redlight & Persied Showers
10-07-23 - We wake up early-ish with the goal of leaving at 9/10 but quickly decide MUCH more faff is needed. A stop is made at the shops to buy biodegradable bags and a magazine, eventually Jonty, Mealy and I made it to the car park. It is very very warm and we worried about dehydration. We get waking, faffing more by running into many groups coming off the plateau, and Mike catches up quickly. Once on the plateau the weather seems more pleasant - a cool breeze is present now - when I see the cause - a huge could of rain hanging over the Dachstein. "Nah, that's just mist" says uncle Mike. We make our merry way, not forgetting to bow to the plateau monster (Mike doesn't bow) until we hear a rumble of thunder, "Nah, just a plane" says uncle Mike, soon, to vertical rains start, which we are not dressed nor prepared for, so we hide by crouching against a wall in the plateau. Then, wind turns and we get very soaked so we huddle under Jonty's 1-man emergency bothy. Anyway sun returns, much more faff is had, I take a fall... we don't make it into Fishface until 20:45, carrying LUDICROUSLY large bags! Mealy and I lead the way in, made a little clumsy by our heavy loads - though not as heavy as jonty's, and not at all as bad as mike's whose "side bag" is a full-sized tackle sack containing lots of rope. The first pitch was not my Friend and I dropped a plastic bottle - after that I enjoyed myself - esp. impressed by TK Maxx, a super cool pitch!! Mealy & I get down just after 23.00, followed soon by Jonty and a little later by Mike who had stopped to get even more Rope. Mealy goes of to faff with Cavelink, Jonty & I head over to help and we send the important message "camp creche want more peanut" - it sends. Mealy & I share warmth & noodles. Jonty & mike eat curry, we whip out the mini-Jagermeister, all take a little sip and head to sleep. I apparently caused some disturbance by snoring (sorry) and we all sleep intermittently.

@@ -829,7 +829,7 @@ Transcribers note, 21st July 2024. Whilst I do appreciate the write up and the

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


We started by walking to Unlucky Gamse Cave, mostly following the path to homecoming, as Radost and Honorata had told us there was an exciting looking entrance around 50m North of it - Rose Blumen Hoehle (2023-hbrw-05). We dismissed their cave as choked by snow, however it @@ -894,7 +894,7 @@ Can't really remember the rigging exactly. Continues for about 200 m of rope to
2023-07-13
-
Honorata Bogusz,Oakem Kyne,Jonty Pine,,Charlotte Payne,Radost Waszkiewicz,Harry Kettle,
+
Honorata Bogusz,Jonty Pine,,Charlotte Payne,Radost Waszkiewicz,Harry Kettle,Oakem Kyne,
festering - Via Ferrata "Panorama Kletterstieg Sisi"


@@ -1499,7 +1499,7 @@ Either way, glad to see it being pushed towards the rest of the system!
2023-07-23
-
Emily,Joel,,Thom,Merryn,Lizzy,
+
Emily,,Thom,Merryn,Lizzy,Joel,
Plateau - Prospecting near Fishface
After consulting the weather forecast in the morning and seeing 50mnm of rain forecast from 8pm onward we decided the best use of our day would be to prospect. Our first port of call was a previously scoped hole of the path between Fishcace and Homecoming. With no photo and only a rough location we looked in a few holes climbing to the bottom of a couple that looked possible but to no avail. After marking the holes we decided to continue in a vaguely North direction following a passage in homecoming below us. After some impressive Bundah walking we found another prospect in which Joel eagerly descended only to find it also choked out - it was therefore nicknamed Joel's disappointment , which later changed to sunglasses disappointment after he figured out he lost his sunglasses somewhere into the hole.

@@ -1629,7 +1629,7 @@ What an amazing feeling to be at the bottom of fishface! WOW!

2023-07-28
-
Becka,,Adam A,Adam E,Ben,
+
Becka,Adam A,Adam E,Ben,,
Fishface - Claw_crane off coconut shy
steady abseil down the entrance series. Ben + Adam EJ decided to head out from there so we had a quick tourist up Elizabeth line then they headed out. @@ -1750,7 +1750,7 @@ Also, it is now our closest cave passage to the neighbouring Schönberg system (
2023-07-30
-
Rob,Botch,Luke,Lea,,Becka,
+
Rob,Luke,Lea,,Becka,Botch,
Fishface - Pushing The bottom of fish Face - camp #2 - part 1
Headed underground at~10pm on 30/07, arrived at camp around half 11. Good nigts sleep, unike the following night. @@ -1807,7 +1807,7 @@ thru bolts used 16
2023-08-01
-
Joe Stell,Adam Aldridge,,Nathan Walker,Manfred Wuits,
+
Joe Stell,,Nathan Walker,Manfred Wuits,Adam Aldridge,
Surface - Hike to Garlic


Woke up to see a sub-optimal forecast. Somehow I was convinced that hiking to Garlic Cave Camp was of course the best course of action to take, so we set off. It was actually dry for the first third or so to fishface gear dump to collect our caving gear, but this did not last.
@@ -1849,7 +1849,7 @@ I got all the rope back to camp + sorted it to prusik out (beasing bags) + some
2023-08-02
-
Joe Stell,Nathan Walker,,Manfred Wuits,Adam Aldridge,
+
Joe Stell,,Manfred Wuits,Adam Aldridge,Nathan Walker,
Buzzard - dropping Buzzard Hole on the northerly Kleiner Wildkogel ridge


After our lovely sleep, we woke up to dry weather, and set off to the top of the ridge above Garlic. Carrying the thick, wet 90m up the mountain was not conducive to good balance so I did fall over in the bunde and struggle to get back up. We reached Buzzard, Adam rigged it, first to the bunde, then hand bolting whilst we waited patiently. The improvement in weather did give a lovely backdrop of the Braeuningzinken for photos. Nathan went down next, followed by Manfred whilst I stayed outside enjoying the view. Upon Adam's return, I swiftly fell asleep, and awoke to find Nathan and Manfred had finished their survey and were finalising some sketches. Adam spotted some interesting holes beneath us on the plateau, so wet set off to prospect (see next entry).
T/U: 3.0 hours
@@ -1858,7 +1858,7 @@ I got all the rope back to camp + sorted it to prusik out (beasing bags) + some
2023-08-02
-
Joe Stell,Adam Aldridge,,Nathan Walker,Manfred Wuits,
+
Joe Stell,,Nathan Walker,Manfred Wuits,Adam Aldridge,
Surface - Prospecting east and south of Kleiner Wildkogel


After dropping Buzzard, the fours of us decided to drop down the north face of the ridge, heading east at first, then split to form two prospecting groups, Adam and I heading further east to wrap around to the south face of the ridge, and Nathan and Manfred following the north face westwards to @@ -1911,7 +1911,7 @@ Luke then [...] a more direct, better route to Homecoming as he and I ferried ou
2023-08-03
-
Joe Stell,Becka Lawson,,Nathan Walker,Adam Aldridge,David Botcherby,
+
Joe Stell,,Nathan Walker,Adam Aldridge,David Botcherby,Becka Lawson,
Garlic - Fettling


Woke up. 10am. It was rainy :( @@ -1965,6 +1965,55 @@ We surfaced near 10 and I returned to Garlic with becka.
+
2023-08-03
+
Rob,Chi,,Luke,
+
Homecoming - Homecoming - second coming shitshow
+Chi had come up to top camp hoping to continue pushing 2nd comng with some people who might help him carry the gear out after, unlike some. +So we set off in the drizzle for Homecoming entrance, making use of part of the shortcut to the [?] that we scouted when dropping off our gear at the entrance the day before. +Down the rerigged entrance series, some of my rebolting still needs some work, especially the descending traverse below wallace. Then onwards down gromit and onward to the pushing front. +made quick time across some south wales esque traverses, before arriving at one where 3 excellent naturals had been ignored infavour of 3 shit bolts placed at ankle height. +A common theam of the trip. +

+A bit more ropes the we arrived at Swiss Cheese where Chi, Wassil and Merryn camped. +Atrociono campiste, freezing and muddy (felt sorry for him). +It was from here that the quality of equipment raidly deteriorated and I became very cross. +Moved along a traverse apparently rigged by top climbber Dan Heins in 2019, really muddy and cunty. +Slight rage. +heavily corroded litter rigging. +'Wilfully endagering lives' quite appropirate name. +

+Continued along the shitshow then down a terribly rigged pitch before arriving at an insane step across a gap, where it was entirely possible to rig on the original side all along. +Arrived at Chi's rigging which was a substantial improvement unitl we arrived at the pitch, where my bay (8.5 m rope) had been desecrated. I then learnt that Wassil had rigged some of the worst rigging I have ever seen. +From a blak canvas of rock he had created the worst rub possiblle over an unstable boulder pile, truly abysmal and pathetic for an expedition caver. +

+We continued to the main hag where Chi had tried his best in the circumstances but had nonetheless suffered from a lack of suspension. a massive rum point followed by a 25 m hang to a loose boulder climb to a one bolt wonder ~350 m deep into a harsh alpine cave. +At this point I became very upset. +No one should be at this poisition on their 1st expo. +We rerigged Chi's 1 bbolted to add another bolt then continued. At this point luke and I had decided we needed to completely derig this llead to prevent future idiocy. +Not only that but we had passed at least 5 A leads on route to the pushing front that Chi had guided s to. +We carried on to the actual pushing front with a pretty nasty traverse reigged by Chi to a massive drop into a huge space. +We could see into a massive continuation, possibly a ~10m phreas [?] even bigger. +But this project was not one for 4pm the day before leaving top camp. +We derigged the ropes then chi headed out with a full bag while luke and I stripped out all of the shit rigging until the south wales style traverese which we left because our bags were full. +Left full rope bags just before Gromit traverese. Then I added a new y hang rebbelay to gromit while luke left. +I exited the cave very dehydrated and still angry +

+ LEARNING POINTS +
1. do not use shit bolts that are 5 years old. +
2. Traverese lines are meant to be tight, NOT slack like a via Ferrata rope. +
3. Rope protectors are not jor use unless there is no alternative. +
4. rope rub is unacceptabble, especially on 9 mm rope or thinner +
5. 1 bolt wonders are never ok especially not on pitches deep into alpine caves. +
6. new expo cavers need appropriate supervision, especially if they claim they are experienced despite only having attened expo for 3 days in the past (not Chi) +
6. Fuck Haydon Saunders +
7. Fuck Wassil Janssen +

+thru bolts used: 2 +

T/U: 13.0 hours
+

Edit this entry
+ +
+
2023-08-04
Joe Stell,,Hannah Collings,
Basecamp - Garlic Guide
@@ -1992,7 +2041,7 @@ The website currently on shows 3,233.2 m 2023-08-06 -
Charlie,Adam B,,Adam E,Nathan W,Ben C,
+
Charlie,,Adam E,Nathan W,Ben C,Adam B,
Fishface - The Three-Day Bound for The Four-Day Week-End
-It all begins in the tatty hut, several gossers short of a brewery. "let's go up in the weather window!" charlie had not done enough caving and wanted to camp in FF. "We'll call it the three-day bounce"."then we'll have a four-day weekend!" "We go to find the four day weekend!" - @@ -2116,7 +2165,7 @@ The pitches back to camp were painful, despite their shortness, due to our mud c
2023-08-08
-
Sam,,Becka,Adam A,Hannah,
+
Sam,Becka,Adam A,Hannah,,
Homecoming - Homecoming push Derig - Watershed
After a big (double noodle) breakfast we packed all three of our through-bolts ... and headed down from garlic to Homecoming. Our mission was simple, push a lead in watershed, then derig Waterershed and the top of the entrace series. Our lack of through-bolts did not deter us.

@@ -2330,7 +2379,7 @@ expo suggestion - double sized both container bags 6 no. [?] (current bags don't

2023-08-10
-
Rob Watson,Kai Trusson,,Nadia Raeburn,David Botcherby,
+
Rob Watson,,Nadia Raeburn,David Botcherby,Kai Trusson,
fishface - Connecting FF to SMK: a step further
Blog Author: nobrotson
Connecting FF to SMK - a step further