After a long (41hr) trip out from NZ, a day setting up basecamp and -a day setting up the bivvy it was time for a caving trip! We did a carry -up in the morning, so didn’t have time for a long trip. Set off down -107 rigging ropeless. We improved the rigging on last year as we went.
- -One and a half pitches in ropeless and I suggested we swing across and -look at the lead that leads back towards the old route into the cave. -After swinging across we went down two short pitches – much [?] opens -out to the side of the first pitch. At the bottom of the second short -pitch a short section of rift leads off to another drop. We turned round -here.
- -Yet again back into sleepless and heading ever closer to KH. Took more rope, and last of our hangers and the last drill battery to the -pushing front/ Riggesd 2 short pitches with one larger rope and headed +pushing front. Rigged 2 short pitches with one larger rope and headed on. The passage is now much riftier and less obvious what level to be at. We stay at the level of the bottom of the pitch, not the floor trench and traverse along until we have to drop down a bit. A bit further on the passage widens and we rig a short rope to get to a lower level. A pitch drops deeper but we continue a long with the draft. We -stay either at the base of the rift or <4m above mostly and work our way +stay either at the base of the rift or <4m above mostly and work our way along. Sadly we then get to another pitch in the way.
Olly rigged round, it took him a while as each time he hammered to dress @@ -403,7 +385,8 @@ guilty for dragging Mike here I encouraged him to rig the pitch. We carefully passed rigging items back and forth to each other in order to not drop them down the ptich (we were nicely wedged above the pitch, but smaller items would fall all the way to the floor). Mike beautifully -rigged the pitch as follows [rigging diagram].
+rigged the pitch as follows
.
A 39m rope was used, however Mike had to 'elastic band' the rope between the Y-hang + the rebelay in order to reach the floor. At the bottom @@ -442,6 +425,9 @@ guesswork concerning the length of this pitch and the undescended pitch it appea Determination Series is getting close to the level of the horizontal development at the bottom of String Theory.
+With that, it was time to do battle with ‘The Flap/ again. This time, Holly had to perform an overtaking manoeuvre in the rift in order to show me how it should be done. With that obstacle overcame we slogged back to the entrance and staggered back to Top Camp @@ -453,7 +439,7 @@ through the small bits.
Becka started bolting across the traverse from 31/7 to reach aven, then Chris took over while Matt froze in the gale. After some time I reached the top: -[elevation drawing]
+Stepping across the top to the passage at the top of the aven, initially all I could see was a body sized tube at the top of another @@ -529,7 +516,7 @@ rain.
While Chris spent a while converting the messy crochet into something resembling a reasonable rig up Bring on the Clowns. Anthony begin rigging the pitch down at the top, into the wind. Some 30m down he met the wall of the shaft. So came nack up and Chris went down -with the drill and thrubolts (having run out of Hiltis 2 days ago).[elv/rigging guide of The NUmber of the Beast*]
+with the drill and thrubolts (having run out of Hiltis 2 days ago).[elv/rigging guide of The Number of the Beast*]* Dour: "Can you remember those numbers while I get my bok out?" Chris: "Maybe. Distance 6.66, Clino +66, Ooer!"