diff --git a/years/2013/logbook.html b/years/2013/logbook.html index 68a958cf9..dd27f381c 100644 --- a/years/2013/logbook.html +++ b/years/2013/logbook.html @@ -16,7 +16,7 @@
--end of fragment--> -
2013-07-13
+
2013-07-23
OllyB, Jenny
107 – Rigging
@@ -35,7 +35,7 @@ drop. We turned round here.

CUCC Logbook 2013 -
2013-07-13
+
2013-07-23
Jenny, OllyB
@@ -47,7 +47,7 @@ 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 +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.

@@ -56,7 +56,7 @@ here.

-
2013-07-13
+
2013-07-24
Jenny, OllyB
@@ -84,7 +84,7 @@ miss our call out so headed out leaving the survey for the next trip. -
2013-07-13
+
2013-07-25
Jenny, OllyB
@@ -92,12 +92,12 @@ miss our call out so headed out leaving the survey for the next trip.

First we tidied yesterday’s survey then went up the short pitch to the ledge, down the other side and up into the main Ropeless passage. -Headed towards the ? lead. On a sunnty day like today there is a very +Headed towards the [?] lead. On a sunnty day like today there is a very strong draft from here, cold too. Got to last year’s pushing front and followed the draft descending short climb/pitch to a ledge with two ways on. Took the RH way with the -draft down a rubble slope. Lost the draft part way down by I ? ? down to +draft down a rubble slope. Lost the draft part way down by I [? ?] down to the bottom through the boulders until it got too tight. I reckoned that we lost the draft to a window part way down the slope. Olly clambered across, to get into passage the other side. He accidently let the rope @@ -115,7 +115,7 @@ return tomorrow.

-
2013-07-13
+
2013-07-26
Jenny, OllyB
@@ -142,7 +142,7 @@ appear to continue. Surveyed out.

-
2013-07-13
+
2013-07-28
Jenny, OllyB
@@ -153,7 +153,7 @@ the squeezy bit (pushing the envelope) and we realised that we could bypass the first squeeze by being high up. Olly then put in a rope as protection on the shorter down, this made me happy because there is quite a pitch below and we removed quite a few of the footholds last -time (to ? down the pitch). +time (to [?] down the pitch). Went to the pushing front and rigged over the pitch, following the draft. Shortly after the passage mad a sharp right hand turn into @@ -175,7 +175,7 @@ colder and colder as we went. -
2013-07-13
+
2013-07-30
Jenny, OllyB
@@ -211,7 +211,7 @@ As ever we surveyed out getting colder and colder. -
2013-07-13
+
2013-08-01
Jenny,OllyB
@@ -259,7 +259,7 @@ Julian was patiently waiting to take us down the hill.

-
2013-07-13
+
2013-07-28
Becka, Chris, Mike
@@ -273,7 +273,7 @@ out to help Holly, Anthony and martin with top camp bivvy fettling.

-
2013-07-13
+
2013-07-29
Becka,Mike
@@ -281,14 +281,14 @@ out to help Holly, Anthony and martin with top camp bivvy fettling.

Becka re-rigged Tunnocks entrance on the new (and super slippy) 11mm 100m rope and put extra bolts to protect snow slope section on entrance -(as long drop either side of a snow 'bridge' there now) and on ? drop +(as long drop either side of a snow 'bridge' there now) and on [?] drop and traverse and took a look at the leads in Oompah.

T/U: 7hr
-
2013-07-13
+
2013-07-30
Becka,Chris
@@ -306,7 +306,7 @@ descent rigging guides before Expo next year.

-
2013-07-13
+
2013-07-31
Becka,Chris, Holly, Mike
@@ -331,7 +331,7 @@ one battery - surprisingly good... soft rock.

-
2013-07-13
+
2013-08-01
Becka,Mike, Anthony
@@ -355,7 +355,7 @@ final chamber.

-
2013-07-13
+
2013-08-02
Becka,Matt, Mike
@@ -371,7 +371,7 @@ walking.

-
2013-07-13
+
2013-07-29
Holly,Anthony
@@ -388,7 +388,7 @@ for the attempt at least.

-
2013-07-13
+
2013-07-31
Holly,Mike
@@ -407,9 +407,9 @@ with an exciting amount of medium to giant boudlers hanging over pitch held in by mud. (Not a happy place for Holly after String theory excitment). But I 'wo-maned' up and rigged down. After 4 bolts I abandoned the drill for Becka to collect and finally reached the floor -with only a couple of rub points to deal with on the way out. +with only a couple of rub points to deal with on the way out.

-10m pitch turned out to be much biger - probably about 30m so this took +

10m pitch turned out to be much biger - probably about 30m so this took a little longer than expected to rig. Floor of pitch was again bouldery hall angled down held together by soil. There was a small hole at bottom which I declared there was no way I was entering this. (I have decided @@ -423,7 +423,7 @@ this is the deepest part of Tunnocks at -397! Woo hoo!

-
2013-07-13
+
2013-07-30
Holly,Mike
@@ -432,9 +432,9 @@ Determination

With 3 bags between us, 1 with a drill and two for rope we headed to the far north of Tunnocks for pushing my infamous lead. Mike chose to -come with me as he was blissfully ignorant of my lead! +come with me as he was blissfully ignorant of my lead!

-Rigged Hooray for Boobies and cut end of rope for small pitch in the +

Rigged Hooray for Boobies and cut end of rope for small pitch in the Flap - which turned out to be perfect (this rope was orginally a 39m). Then came the Flap! here Mike releasised he'd been sold a dud! But he carried on relentlessly with his uber-bag and by following survey @@ -443,9 +443,9 @@ 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. +rigged the pitch.

-A 39m rope was used, however Mike had to 'elastic band' the rope between +

A 39m rope was used, however Mike had to 'elastic band' the rope between the Y-hang and the rebelay in order to reach the floor. At the bottom Mike landed on a ledge with another pitch (estimated as 25m). Having run out of rope and time we headed out with Mike declaring it as a good @@ -456,6 +456,739 @@ determination is required for further trips and so it's name is born -

T/U: 10hr
+ +
2013-08-02
+
Anthony,Holly, Chris
+
258 Pushing Determination
+ +

Lured by tales of an ongoing spacious pitch series, I found myself heading off to Holly’s +favourite lead at the far north of Tunnocks. After the usual tedium of the entrance series, +a long sweaty uphill stromp through Flying High etc, we found ourselves staring at the start +of ‘The Flap’ after approx. 2 and a half hours. Having been this far last year I had a rough +idea what to expect. I was informed that there was a double bend that Mike had not +appreciated due to long legs but was assured that it would be alright. The double bend did +indeed prove to be quite entertaining: it took me three attempts with much wibbling and +encouragement from Chris and Holly to coax my ample frame through. I’m not used to proper +caving at the best of times – especially within Austria!

+ +

However the pitch at the far end is most fine – a nice rift pitch that would not look out +of place in Yorkshire. Chris bolted the next pitch which is approx. 35m split by a small +ledge about halfway down. The continuing rift at the bottom (thankfully much larger than the +rift at the top) continues down, quickly reaching a further pitch with a drop of approx. 3 +seconds. We had no more rope, so Chris put some bolts in in readiness for a future descent +whilst Holly and I surveyed out. By the time we got to the bottom of the first pitch (pushed +by Holly and Mike) the clock was ticking so the survey was let hanging. With a bit of +guesswork concerning the length of this pitch and the undescended pitch it appears that the +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 +running on empty.

+ +

Overall a most satisfying and productive day. Thanks to Holly and Chris for coaxing me +through the small bits.

+ +
T/U: 11hrs
+ + +
2013-07-23
+
Stuart W,Joe B
+
Tunncoks
+ +

Took five ropes into cave and rigged entrance series to bottom of third pitch. Left rope +on final bolt in tackle sacks. Not much snow. Both warm during rift. A lead may have +appeared at final slope on entrance pitch due to melt.

+ + +
2013-07-24
+
Stuart W, Joe B
+
Tunnocks
+ +

Dsecneded already rigged rope. Carried on rigging. Y-hang followed by deviation was +difficult to rig. Got up to section before Caramel Catharsis before running out of +rope. Both rather warm during trip. Exit uneventful.

+ + +
2013-08-07
+
Becka, Matt, Cameron
+
Tour of upper level Tunnocks and gear haul
+ +

Fetched the gear we’d dumped yesterday just beyond the boulder choke and tottered down +Flying High to dump them at Starfish Junction. Left a tacklesack arrow for the others then +up to the snow and leaves aven. I climbed up as far as the window in the main aven but way +on blocked with snow – cool draft coming out though. Then to the end of the passage where +Matt thought 07-60x looked worth returning to. Back at Starfish discovered the others had +missed our arrow but taken our bags to Caramel Catharsis so we went via the Just For a Laugh +route to the top of String Theory to meet them packing the gear that Chris and Anthony had +derigged Caramel Catharsis so we went via the Just For a Laugh route to the top of String +Theory to meet them packing the gear that Chris and Anthony had derigged yesterday. They +headed out whilst we gave them a long head start and dumped our tacklesacks at Dubious +Pleasure and checked out the pitch 08-40A in Hedonism Highway which seemed to be drafting +out and looked a very promising lead to me. Finally Crossword Passage which was drafting +strongly – this needs updating on the survey. Out first in time to see the last of the other +group leaving the entrance and slogged out with fat tacklesacks.

+ +
T/U: 10hrs
+ + +
2013-08-04
+
Chris, Becka, Matt
+
Tunnocks – Procrastination – bolting the climb ‘Bring on the Clowns’
+ +

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. 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 2m climb. But surely all that air could not come from such a small hole? +Indeed, another cross passage materialised. Becka came up the now ridiculous rig to look +while Matt valiantly volunteered to being prussicking out as time was getting on. The cross +passage zig-zagged back after back after a few meters, but a too exposed climb at the end +soon saw Becka back thritching up to the body sized tube – it all reconnected up with the +zig zag at the head if a big pitch.

+ +

At ca. 6:30pm as Becka was prussicking up lower Procrastination pitch there was a sudden +roar and a waterfall appeared. Chris looked down in horror from pitch above and a little +later Becka appeared looking rather wide-eyed but extremely clean.

+
T/U: 13hrs
+ +
2013-08-06
+
Chris, Anthony
+
258 Tunnocks – The Number of the Beast
+ +

Dour and Chris took in over 100m rope to see what they could do with the pitch at the top +of Bring on the Clowns. On the way in Chris put in a bolt to shift the Procrastination part +II Y-hang one bolt over in an attempt to hand the rope out to dry after Becka’s exit on +previous trip. Any further would unfortunately have reached another trickle/torrent in +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).

+ +

At the bottom was a 3 sec drop down a dribbly shaft, but we [?] this is favour of a +shorter, rubblier, older and windier short drops (2 bolts). At the bottom was another drop – +with the wind issuing out of a steep rift cutting down steeply. A couple of spits saw us +down this (having run out of thrubolts) to the top of a few metre pitch, which another bolt +saw us down to big rift passage with a 4 to 4 second drop and the wind in our faces.

+ +

We were out of rope and were down to our last 2 clowns. Sadly we realised there were not +going to be enough people left on expo to take this further so we surveyed and derigged out +to the top of String Theory, out at 6am.

+ +

Left Bring on the Clowns rigged but removed deviations (2 slings and krabs needed).

+
T/U: 20hrs
+ + +
2013-08-05
+
Holly, Becka, Matt, Cameron
+
Antsinpantsschacht
+ +

In the hunt for a new entrance to Tunnocks we headed to the area of plateau above the +‘snow and leaves’ bit of Tunnocks (near Starfish Junction). A days prospecting 2 days before +had identified a number of holes in the area of which Matt had already dropped a couple. Of +these it was deemed Antsinpantsschacht was the most promising lead.

+ +

The first pitch had previously been dropped by Matt – a lovely y-hang off two naturals +straight down to a snow and ice bridge 30m down. Becka and I had headed off to AinP ahead of +the others to rerig the entrance (the rope had been removed after the prospecting but the +slings had been left in place) I re-rigged this pitch feeling a little precarious as I +wasn’t wearing my oversuit or helmet! (It was a fine hot day so less clothes was needed +here).

+ +

Becka then headed down to the ice bridge with crowbar in hand (or stuffed down the side +of her harness). The ice bridge was a very large but thin black of ice which we had to climb +under in order to proceed further into the cave. We weren’t sure how stable this was and it +would definitely hurt if it collapsed on you! So Becka spent a good 15 mins giving it a bash +with the crowbar. It didn’t break so we hoped that meant it was OK as we swapped places and +I headed under the snow bridge with drill, rope and all the other bits and pieces for +vertical cave exploration.

+ +

The way on was through a hole in the ice in a corner of the cave. This was tube like with +one half made of ice and the other half being the cave wall. Unfortunately this is where I +realised that perhaps this wasn’t going to be a great entrance alternative – the hole in the +ice was the consequence of water running down the wall of the pitch and therefore I suspect +that during a thunderstorm this tube becomes impassable. But as we were already here we +carried on regardless (plus it was lovely and sunny with no fear of rain). So I set up a +Y-hang and headed on down through the tube. This was rather chilly as I was basically now +inside the ice with a constant stream of water flowing down into my wellies. A rebelay was +needed a few metres down and then the pitch widened out. About halfway down a horizontal +snow tube appeared on the left which appears to provide a parallel pitch through the cie. As +this was the drier option I chose to continue with the route through here. As I was putting +in the Y-hang to drop the pitch becka arrived to hang out on the snow. By this point my feet +were very cold and I was very happy. When I got to move my feet from the ice to rock. I then +headed down to the floor – which ended on a bouldery floor with no further way on. We were +blocked in by the ice. By this point I was pretty cold and so was Becka from sitting on +snow. We had a quick discussion regarding surveying as Matt had come down to join us +too. Due to logistics Becka and I surveyed out and sent Matt out with our bags. This has to +be the coldest survey ever! By the time I was heading up the entrance pitch my feet were so +numb I couldn’t concentrate on anything other than the burning sunshine awaiting us +outside. Once we were out and the survey was complete we lay in the sunshine drying out and +reflecting on what a shame it was that there is still no way through.

+
T/U: 4hrs
+ +
2013-08-03
+
Holly, Becka, Fleur
+
Tunnocks - Determination
+ +

The last trip down Determination saw us dropping two more pitches deeper down in this +part of the system. No major comments for the journey in except that I’ll quote Becka who +said the following about the Flap (rift): “this is lovely” – Yes that’s right – my rift is +lovely! Ha! You’re all wimps!

+ +

Previously Anthony and I hadn’t managed to finish surveying out so whilst Becka and Fleur +finished this I headed to the pushing front. Chris D had already placed three bolts so I +commenced rigging. But before heading down I noticed that large parts of the wall had long +cracks. After taking a hammer to these some fairly large boulders fell down the pitch and I +carried on. About 10m down I landed on a ledge and needed to put a rebelay in. But this +would cause a rub point further up the pitch and there I prussicked back up the pitch a few +meters to place a deviation. This took me ages as I kept swinging off around the pitch where +my sky hook kept falling off. Eventually after drilling 2.5 holes (oh dear0 I had my +deviation and headed down to place my rebelay, It would actually be much better (and easier) +to place a deviation much higher up.

+ +

Eventually I headed down and landed in on another ledge with a rift in the right hand +corneer which opens out onto a second ledge, 3ish meters down. After placing a couple of +bolts I landed on this ledge and discovered a couple of horizontal tubes which led off from +here. Whilst I paced a Y-hang and dropped the next Becka and Fleur had a look in here. One +is a QMA ( though quite small) with strong draft heading into cave and very squelchy mud +lining the bottom.

+ +

At the bottom of the pitch I landed in a small chamber with another rift on the left. I +quickly placed a last bolt whilst Becka and Fleur came down to join me and I abseiled the +last mini-pitch (down this rift) of about 3m landing in a puddle. Here is a QMC with a +slight draft heading up the pitches. It is another rift which starts with a pinch point that +requires SRT kit removal. With time passing by and fear of thunderstroms (this would not be +a good section of cave to be in during a thunderstorm) we headed out, derigging along the +way. By the time we exited the rift we were knackered. We had 4 under tacklesacks filled +with 6 bags worth of rope (calculated from the number of bags that brought it into the +cave). Becka had done the rift 3 times lugging the bags through!

+ +

The three of us managed to drag the bafs to March of the Penguins where we then dumped +some weight to collect another day and also make our call out.

+
T/U: 13hrs
+ + +
2013-08-05
+
Jenny,Olly
+
107 Wonderland
+ +

By the time we had dried our gear and got sorted it was way too later for a long trip +into sleepless, so we decided to look at some of the other leads in ropeless and to tie +together some survey loops. Headed into the end of the traverse that leads into +ropeless. Dropped straight down here and did some loopy bits to connect stuff.

+ +

Headed to the passage directly above the 1970’s rift and dropped down to tie the surveys +together. There are now no leads here.

+ +

Went back along ropeless towards the passage heading to 76. I spotted a roof tube which I +climbed up into. It reconnected a few meters on, nut then continued. We followed the passage +up until it rejoined where the rope comes in. Surveyed back.

+ +

Went to the lead towards 76. Clambered down and then traversed at a widening above floor +level. It was tight at first then became more keyhole like. The floor/rift trench turned off +to the right and the phreas (which was getting bigger) went stragiht on. Followed the big +phreas called Wonderland. We got to a couple of junctions turned right each time (towards +76). Eventually the passage got smaller and full of soil. Surveyed out until we realised we +were tight for our callout, so left the last bit for later. As we went out we noticed a lot +of insects. Think they were dead. It was a bit spooky. Left the drill ready to carry in +further tomorrow.

+
T/U: 5.5hrs
+ + +
2013-08-06
+
Jenny, Olly
+
107 Land of Confusion
+ +

We hoped that this trip would lead us to KH, we set an 8am callout so that we wouldn’t be +hindered by time. It took 3 hours to get to the pushing front – carrying in the drill, +hangers etc didn’t help. Olly improved the rig on Too Bold for this pit. At the pushing +front Olly spotted that he could ab down to a ledge and climb up the other side, saving +precious hiltis and drill battery. The passage continues beyond, but the draft seemed weaker +(or it was higher). A few [? ?] down and the passage continued, but for the first time there +were some small side passages. Past a narrower rift and on to get another pitch intersecting +the passage. This was wider (20m disto across) and didn’t look inspiring to bolt round – no +ledges and over hanging walls. It would have taken more hiltis than we had and we weren’t +sure if it was heading too far north anyway, and the draft was weaker. We explored some of +the side passages chasing the draft. Most of them either drafted the wrong way or not at +all.

+ +

An exception was a rift on the left that led (via a couple of climbs to a slightly +drafting pitch. Olly failed to throw rocks down it as there was a ledge 6m down. I +remembered we had a disto and after a few goes managed to get a 46m diagonal leg +down. Surveyed back from here and concluded that the larger portion of the draft came from +the big pitch at the end of the passage. Went down a chossy ramp, which got us a bit closer +to the other side and close enough to see that the passage did not continue the other side +but was quite rifty looking.

+ +

A small rift led of NW from this ledge which we followed up a climb. This led to another +climb down that we didn’t take as it was coated with mud and above a pitch. Surveyed our way +out and slowly caved back to outside.

+
T/U: 14hrs
+ + +
2013-08-07
+
Fleur, Holly, Pete, Chris B
+
Tunnocks
+ +

A gear shifting, route familiarisation and lead identification. Staggered with Becka, +Matt and Cameron we went to retrieve the previous day’s derig bags from March of the +Penguins and the “paella” pile from top of String Theory’ Learnt some new routes and +identified undescended pitches in Dubious Pleasure. Starting to get a better feel for the +system now and ideas for pushing next week.

+
T/U: 5 to 6hrs
+ + +
2013-08-07
+
Jenny, Olly
+
107 Wonderland
+ +

We were a bit tired from yesterdays longish trip, so planned a short trip into Wonderland +hoping to (a) tie up the [?] survey and (b) explore as many of the leads as we had the time +and energy for. Surveyed in for once. Ponly took 1 hour of surveying to tie it in. Started +to look at leads, starting in the aven chamber. Sadly the passage reconnected back near the +bottom end of wonderland.

+ +

Back at the aven chamber we spotted a roof tube in the ceiling but it isn’t quite free +climbable.

+ +

Surveyed another side thing that ended. The only 2 leads left in Wonderland are the roof +tube and the floor trench early on – I had a poke in this and it does continue and get +wider.

+
T/U: 5hrs 45
+ +
2013-08-03
+
Becka, Matt, Chris, Holly
+
Ants In Pants
+ +

After a hot, heavy carry in the morning I rehydrated than headed off to 2012-NS-01 and +surrounding holes with chris and Matt. Chris wacthed Matt descend the furthest of four holes +(#1) which led to a window into hole #2. Meanwhile Holly and I found hole #4 which turned +out to have been tagged by Noel last year. Holly dropped her sunglasses down onto the snow +bank in it so I climbed down a bit to fetch the, and there was definitely a cool cave breeze +coming out quite strongly. Matt then rigged #4 and he and I went down but this just led to a +window into #3. Finally Matt rigged #2 off a fine pair of naturals and he and I descended a +lovely 30, pitch with a gorgeous ice column beside it (when Holly and I returned 2 days +later it had unfortunately crashed down after the rain storm the previous day). This pitch +landed under a thin but large bridge of very compact snow/ice with a further small pitch +below with a weak draft out. I’m sure one of these four holes connects to Tunnocks but +whether there is a safe way that isn’t blocked by snow or ice is another matter.

+
T/U: 1hr
+ + +
2013-08-06
+
Pete, Chris Burnley. Matt, Cameron
+
Prospecting – Snow Pole and Dead Tree area to w-NW of Tunnocks
+ +

We headed back to area looked at a few days before by Matt and Becka. Refining the bunda +avoidance on route from Tunnocks entrance down slabs, then along pitted dry valley, to main +low point, then up again to the snow pole area – via a dead tree that is visible (when you +know where) from Tunnocks.

+ +

Cameron went feet first then stood up in first small hole on way downhill – that was +choked.

+ +

Very drafty but choked hole. Pete GPS CAM 2 (WGS84 UTM) 1782m 33T 0411202 UTM 5283393: On +the way up towards snow pole, but only half way from valley bottom we felt cold draft. This +was located from ~1m diameter tube entrance. This dropped down easy 2m climb and a 2m crawl +to slab that blocked hole. Very strong cold draft came from below slab, but choked, it would +be a long term dig – needing capping perhaps.

+ +

Nearby We searched area to find an Austrian tagged hole – with snow slope down.

+ +

is a ~15m pitch that would be hard to rig but neither drafted: Matt’s hand-bolted +hole. Pete GPS CAMPIT (WGS84 UTM) 1767m. 33T 0410986 UTM 5283404

+ +

The team was being toasted by hot sun, and beginning to wander in small circles. This was +in area in line between a ‘prominent dead tree’ and of a snow pole. Matt’s pit was somewhat +deeper than the other 15-20 pits (all c. 20m deep) seen on the pavement. Although Matt’s pit +did not draft, it did seem to be inclined under hill to get away from falling debris. With +an initial sling Matt put in 3 hand bolts to go to end of 29m rope. There is a jammed block, +then a further 20 to 25m to bottom. Hard to judge but 60m rope needed.

+ +

Path back to Tunnocks recairned on way home.

+ + +
2013-07-27
+
Alex, Matt
+
Alex and Matt driving to Austria
+ +

So I foolishly booked tunnel tickets for 5:30am which required a 2:45 start in order to +collect Matt at 3… this was a silly idea! I awoke at 2:30, turned off my alarm and went back +to sleep. (Un)Fortunately Jess had also woken up and I was turfed out of bed and sent to +expo.

+ +

Things went smoothly until I lost the tunnel tickets somewhere outside matt’s +house. Thankfully everything is automated and an actual tickets doesn’t seem to be +required.

+ +

Things progressed smoothly as we set off following signs for Brussels. Unfortunately we +followed them for a bit too long and ended up in the city centre. After passing through many +tunnels we appeared on the NE side of the city, not quite where we intended.

+ +

After several dubious U-turns and passing through the same motorway junction about 5 +times we eventually got back on track.

+ +

At this point we hit the biggest thunderstorm I have ever seen ~3cm of standing water on +the motorway and large chunks of tree were flying everywhere.

+ +

Things went a little wiry at the Austrian border. Turns out my sav nav can’t join up maps +of several countries and doesn’t do international travel very well/ We dutifully turned off +the motorway before entering Austria and got hopelessly lost. Eventually we found our way +across the border and the sat nav bricked in. Eventually arrived at base camp around 21:30, +~19 hours after setting off.

+ +
2013-08-02
+
Alex C, martin G
+
bullet 2nd Hohle
+ +

Early in the morning (CUCC time) myself and Martin set out for Bullet 2nd Hohle with 150m +of rope and all the paraphernalia required to bolt and survey a promising hole in the +ground.

+ +

After 200m we decided that we were really rather hot and Martin had already fallen over +twice. After a bit of extrapolation we decide this would cause us to arrive in no fit state +to do any caving so we ditched half the gear on the plateau. After much staggering around +the plateau in the heat we eventually got to the cave and Martin set about rigging the +entrance whilst trying to avoid the ominous green slimy patches.

+ +

After about 40m of progress we jacked for the day. Following much blundering through +bunde we made it back to top camp just before our callout.

+ +
2013-08-03
+
Alex C, Martin
+
Bullet 2nd Hohle
+ +

Having re bolted the entrance we decided it was about time we did some surveying. The +upper part of the cave is formed along an obvious fault with 4 ~8m deep surface shafts.

+ +

The most northerly shaft is a fairly straight forward climb which leads to a sloping +keyhole passage. The top of the rift is bridged by small boulders. Bolts are placed for a +traverse line on the left hand wall leading to a Y-hang. A flake on the right hand wall +below the Y-hang is useful for a deviation and a Y-hang rebelay is rigged on the wide +sloping ledge on the opposite wall. Note! One of these spits is far too shallow and +generally shit. A short descent from this rebelay (~10m) leads to a small chamber.

+ +

This cave sucks in a lot of air so this point is stil quite comfortable In shorts and +t-shirt! Much nicer than your usual Austrian cave. We cairned a path on the return +journey.

+ +
2013-08-04
+
Alex C, Martin
+
Bullet 2nd Hohle
+ +

Woke up with a case of mild enthusiasm! At the bottom of the small chamber a traverse +along a minimalist ledge leads to a Y-hang which drops around 25m to a big ledge a single +spit is placed on the ledge for a very long (3m sling) deviation. Around 5m below the ledge +a Y-hang rebelay descends the remaining 35m of what has become a rather impressive +shaft.

+ +

At its base the floor is around 30mx10m with three ways on. The first of these is a +window ~20m off the floor at the northern end of the chamber. This climb was all a bit +exciting so we ignored it.

+ +

A small crawl at the SW end of the chamber leads to a narrow upward sloping passage full +of scary boulders which chokes after ~15m. A smaller hole (OK with SRT kit but not with all +your bolting and surveying gear as well) at the western side of the chamber leads to a low +sloping bedding plane heading southwest which is full of cobbles and boulders. A hole in the +ceiling leads to a short tight vertical rift which becomes too tight.

+ +

Prussicking out of the cave the sound of trickling water indicated that Martin and I were +about to experience our first Austrian food pulse. This was apparently a really quite large +storm and rather a lot of choss was washed down the shaft including some decent sized +cobbles. I had planned to sit the chaos out on the nice big ledge but that eventually turns +into a waterfall as well. Happily we both made it out unscathed although Martin’s helmet has +some new marks.

+ +
2013-08-05
+
Alex C, Martin
+
Bullet 2nd Hohle
+ +

Finished survey shaft and derigged.

+ + +
2013-08-11
+
Fleur, Pete, Cameron
+
Tunnocks – Hedonism Highway/ Rocky Road Area
+ +

We went to check out the draughting pitch (08-40A) off Hedonism Highway/ Rocky +Road. Becka had recommended this one and it was a good call. A dodgy natural thread and bolt +in dodgy rocky-hang saw Pete descend a p13 via a rebelay. The pitch landed in a typical +hading paddage of crawling/stooping height. The passage had a rift in the floor, possibly +passable initiall (QMC) but probably to connect with what happened later. Soon we +encountered a larger pitch with a continuation visible over the top. Pete set off around +some ledges to bolt a traverse to this, but a rift entering at the corner made this +difficult. So instead we went down, reaching a boulder/ledge where it was possible to 1) go +down further or 2) go up the inlet rift. We did the latter but ran out of rope.

+
T/U: 10hrs
+ + +
2013-08-12
+
Fleur, Pete and Cameron
+
Hedonism Highway/ Rocky Road area
+ +

Cameron dropped a small pitch in the inlet rift, but only led on to an aven. So I dropped +the rest of the main shaft in a nice 20m free hang. Overall this made a p30, now called +‘Downgrade’ as from 3A leads the day before we now had only 2. The pitch landed at a +confluence of inlets – one we had been in the previous day and the other beneath the +original hading passage (“Champagne a lie”). The outlet was a small rift leading almost +immediately to another pitch. A partial descent was made but not more drill batteries.

+
T/U: 9hr
+ +
2013-08-13
+
Fleur, Tom Clayton
+
Tunnocks, West Side Story – Clayton’s Cock-up
+ +

After a day of research following the expo dinner I had spotted a QMA at the end of West +Side Story at String Theory/Fellows level. The survey notes reported an undescended p20 with +a passage visible beyond. My plan was to take Tom down there and get him bolting.

+ +

First task was to find the way. Initially we searched above the climb up from the +balcony, but eventually I realised we needed to go back down. This led to the correct little +hole and some sporting climbing and thrutching before we reached the lead. It looked +good. And bloody drafty. Tom set off bolting but dropped the hiltis part way across… +traverse immediately called ‘Clayton’s Cock-up’. We would need to return.

+ +

On the way out checked out 07-38C and 07-39C in Dubious Pleasure. In 38 I squeezed +between blocks to small chamberette. All ways on choked except a blind aven. 39 was a small +rift which I thrutched down for several body lengths before it closed down.

+
T/U: 7hrs
+ +
2013-08-14
+
Fleur, Tom, Pete
+
Tunnocks, West Side Story – Bacm Bccm Afridi
+ +

This time hiltis were stashed in multiple locations and Clayton’s Cock-up was +conquered. However the other side just led to a brief rocky bridge and more holes in a +massive drafty hading rift. So instead we went down the first hole (Thus avoiding the nasty +traverse). This proved to be p30 landing in a small chamber where a connection from another +hoel from the rift also entered. Another shorter pitch followed where we landed on a ledge +in the big hading rift. We had no more rope, but the rift and the cave continued. It takes +some water, so a dry day is needed but definitely QMA. Going down!!

+ +

Derigged everything and String Theory on the way out as not many cavers left. String +Theory bolts were all greased and reflectors placed on all but one (where 2 bolt y-hang very +close together).

+
T/U: 10hrs
+ + +
2013-08-13
+
Pete Talling, Cameron Bullen
+
Tunnocks, Hedonism Highway/ Rocky Road Area (Downgrade) A* lead
+ +

The team returned to the bottom of the pitch rigged by Fleur, but discovered they had +everything but a drill bit. Unable to fashion one from Mars bars or limestone they did +manage to drop an extra pitch on a natural. This involved getting wet in spray from small +stream – so only Pete descended. He landed in pretty wide rift. An easy 2m climb led to a +further 10-15m pitch which is undescended. The team then derigged.

+ +
2013-08-10
+
Jenny, Olly, Stuart
+
107
+ +

It thunderstormed all night and was still raining in the morning so we altered our +planned trip to land of confusion and decided to look at leads in Ropeless and +Sleepless. The drill was at the pushing front so we were a bit limited. Headed to the end of +Ropeless and went down the pitch the other side of Ropefree. After a nice pitch we landed in +a drippy chamber with a small rift heading off. Sadly this got too small within a few +meters. Stuart and I surveyed out.

+ +

Headed through Pushing the Envelope into Sleepless. Olly looked down the short pitch +under the 5m rope traverse. It was a couple of little pitches and an exciting climb by +Olly. Olly could here water noise down a hole on the right (possibly connects to the +parallel rift) and another climb/pitch heading north. Decided to leave that until we had +more gear.

+ +

While Olly derigged Stuart looked at a roof tube above [?] looks promising but needs a +drill. [? ? ? ? ? ?] place in [? ? ? ? ?] to the start of the traverse. On the way out we had a +look at getting into the roof tubes level with the top of the short pitch. Stuart traversed +across from the pitch and I climbed from the bottom further along. The climb up was easy and +I got to a similar level to Stuart. I knocked off a few loose holds and climbed up +further. Suddenly I was falling down the rift, briefly I had a calm sense of inevitability, +I knew I would end up hurt at the bottom of the rift. Fortunately the feeling passed and it +was replaced by the idea that I wedge myself in as soon as possible. I managed this at the +last possible point and finally remembered to stop screaming.

+ +

Fortunately I wasn’t too hurt and Olly came and helped me extract myself. My hip hurt a +bit where I wedged myself in and I didn’t want to be underground anymore. I left Olly and +Stuart to survey the roof tube while I caved out feeling very lucky and very stupid.

+
T/U: 7.5hrs
+ + +
2013-08-11
+
Jenny, Olly, Stuart
+
Surface Prospecting
+ +

My hip and neck were quite sore after a yesterday’s fall and Olly was also feeling tired, +so we decided on a surface day. We started at [?] S and headed approx. parallel to the 204 +path but west of it.

+ + +

After not long Stuart found a slightly drafty hole 2012-SW-01. He climbed down into it +and [?] into a rift. It didn’t go. I photographed the entrance while he did a sketch survey +and got a GPS reading. Carried on north. It is very bunda-ry – I think the best prospecting +is either close to the 204 path or near the plateau/ridge fault. Stuart ended up at the +latter and found another climbable entrance that looked promising 2012-SW-02, sadly it got +too small. Again Stuart drew a survey while we photographed and GPS-ed.

+ +

Walked back to camped, Stuart walked up to Top to borrow a hand bolting kit so I could +2012-W-01. Went and tagged 2007-70 and 2007-71 and took photos.

+ +
2013-08-12
+
Jenny, Olly, Stuart
+
107 China
+ +

Set off to land of Confusion hoping to find ourselves in KH by the end of the trip. Got +to Land of Confusion fairly efficiently, Olly set off to rig the pitch at the end while +Stuart and I surveyed leads on the west of the passage. The first went along a little rift +with a thin coating of soft dry soil on the walls. We wriggled under a low dry muddy crawl +and it got bigger again. The walls and roof were in places coated (or made of?) mud and +gravel. The horizontal passage ended up choked in mud, but we could climb down a series of +vertical oxbows. Once it stopped being free climbable a lead went down and east, and another +down and west of this pitch. Looked like a window into a big passage 34m down.

+ +

Surveyed back to the main passage hearing Olly drill as we went. Olly was low in hiltis +so we gave him some more and looked at the next lead [?]. This ended in 2 different small +pitches. We surveyed this and followed Olly down the pitch. The pitch looked to have +multiple windows into it and was just under 50m deep to a big rocky floor. Olly went west +through breakdown shafts and wriggled over a rock, he said “we’ve not found KH, but I think +we might found China!!”

+ +

China was up to 20m high, 15m wide and a bit over 100m long breakdown chamber. We walked +south (the direction of the draft) until it narrowed (a few meters wide still) and became +more rift like. We stopped at a pitch down. The passage continues rift like beyond and I +think there is a second pitch down. We surveyed back north, with Stuarts light showing that +there were a lot of avens coming in. The survey data suggests that the pitch Stuart and I +started surveying at is one. The 40m disto leg of the 6th August another, and probably the +harder traverse (Too Bold for This Spit) yet another which may well provide a shorter and +quicker route in for future trips.

+ +

China continued beyond where we entered, but not for long. At the north end is a wall of +choss. Stuart climbed part way up and it looks like there is a continuation higher up. There +is a passage/window on the East wall, but this just connects back to the bottom of the +pitch. While we finished the survey to the pitch we set Stuart off to chase the draft and +find us a continuation.

+ +

He duly obliged and found a pitch through rocks north of the pitch down. We were +optimistic that is might become the poxy aven at the end of Blown Out, but after some +rigging through boulders it opened up and continued too deep. Once we were properly deeper +then the connection could be we called it a day for this year.

+ +

We surveyed out and took turns at derigging. We de-rigged to the south side of Too Bold for this Spit and got 5 bags most of the way along the rift before we decided we were too tired. We all made our way slowly and wearily out the cave. I think this doubled the length of Stuart’s previous longest trip!

+
T/U: 17hrs 10
+ +
2013-08-13
+
Jenny, Olly
+
Surface
+ +

Surfaced surveyed from 107 tag bolt to bottom end of Doppel Gemse so that 107 was tied to +Loser 5 [?] directly, incase that changed the / position of Land of Confusion and 161. There +appears to be at least one poor surface survey in this region.

+ + +
2013-08-14
+
Jenny, Olly
+
107 - derig
+ +

Back to 107 to derig and look at a few leads. Collected bags and slowly brought them out +derigging and drawing elevations as we went. At the bottom of the rift pitch I clambered and +wriggled down the rift which got increasingly echoy. I got to a pitch down that looked like +it belled out a lot. I didn’t have survey kit but estimate pitches 20-25m deeps and very +interesting in its location relative to China. There is a lot of cave still to find here! +Grade 1 surveyed back and continued to de-rig to the end of Sleepless. I bolted up into the +roof tube. A couple of short climbs lead to [?] aven, which might be free climbable. Surveyed +this and continued to derig and bag carry. We got all five bafs of gear, plus survey kit +through Pushing the Envelope. Too one bag out each to the entrance chamber.

+
T/U: 10hrs 30
+ + +
2013-08-15
+
Jenny, Olly, Stuart
+
107 final derig – Wonderland survey
+ +

Stuart rejoined us for the final derig. Got the gear to ropeless junction as had a quick +side trip to show Stuart Wonderland and look at the roof tube there. Frustratingly after +getting all the gear in, the fully charged, unused drill battery did half a hole. I +suggested that Olly tried to lasso a spike as a belay which he [?] did after several +attempts. Sadly the spike then came down the pitch, so the lead is still going… Finished +derigging and hauled the 6 bags up the entrance pitch and carted them back to camp. There +are a lot of great leads in 107 and possible connections with 101 and 76 still to be +found. If only expo lasted longer.

+
T/U: 6hrs
+ + +
2013-08-14
+
Tom Clayton , Cameron Bullen, Matt Watson
+
Tunnocks, Downgrade Window
+ +

Went to check out what was described as an ‘acrobatic traverse’ by Pete at the end of +Downgrade just off Hedonism Highway. The traverse was actually a large gap to a window the +other side of a cross-rift, but clearly a continuation of the same passage. The gap was too +large to step across and the window was too high to swing into so access was achieved by +bolting up and round the wall from the ledge, then using a deviation in the opposite wall +the rope was able to hang nearer the window allowing a swing across to it. Time had run out +bby then so exploring the continuing passage was left for the best day.

+ + +
2013-08-15
+
Tom Clayton, Alex Crow, Matt Watson
+
Tunnocks, Downgraded window
+ +

This trip had two objectives, to explore the passage found the day before and to +investigate the area of the cave under ‘Ants in your Pants’ surface shaft. A few places +where a shaft could come in were looked at but nothing likely was found.

+ +

The passage found the day before was explored/ It continued as a descending tube as the +previous passage before the gap had, then popped up into a larger drafting horizontal +passage and then up a climb into another passage, larger still with multiple ways +on. Excitement of this new discovery was soon dashed when footprints were seen and a quick +explore revealed that we had just climbed back into Hedonism Highway.

+ + +
2013-08-20
+
Tom Clayton, Becka Lawson
+
Tunnocks, Crossword – Double Barrel Passage
+ +

A trip to finish bolting a pitch in crossword Passage, which was attempted on a previous +expedition. The first pitch of 12m was descended to a window onto the head of a second. This +was descended for approximately 25m via a deviation and a free hanging rebelay to a +narrowing shaft. Lack of drill power meant this shaft couldn’t be bottomed, but another 10m +depth to the floor is estimated by stones thrown.

+ +

On the way up a window at about 15m down from the pitch head was noticed and swung +into. Horizontal passage was found to head off across a small traverse over a pitch +(est. 8m).

+ +

The explored passage then continued past a squeeze through which water could be heard and +could be easily enlarged with a hammer to intersect a steep (~30 degree) phreatic tube. This +was first followed up-dip past several cross rifts with possible climbs to eventually finish +in a choke. The largest of the cross rifts gave access to a second descending phreatic tube, +parallel to the first, almost identical to the first. Progress down was halted by a short +traverse. Back at the entrance to the first tube the passage was followed down-dip to a +small chamber where another uphill tube was found. This was suspected to be same on with the +traverse and was confirmed as such when the traverse was found from the other direction.

+ +

Both of the tubes (Double barrel passage) had a small rift in the floor which is believed +to drop to a lower level, the best place to drop this would probably be the traverse in the +second tube mentioned above.

+ +
T/U: 12hrs
+ + +
2013-08-21
+
Tom Clayton, Becka Lawson
+
Tunnocks, Oompah push and derig
+ +

We decided to add a bit of exploration to the derigging trip by looking at a lead in +Oompah. A 16m pitch was descended at the limit of previous exploration. The pitch was +pretty, landing in a rift but neither way at the bottom went. Upstream ending in a nice +clean washed aven and downstream a series of boulder climbs. A possible lead was noticed +halfway up the wall in the chamber above the pitch. This would require a traverse or a climb +or possibly a tube on the left of the passage above this chamber might give slightly easier +access. Then derigged Tunnocks entrance and caramel Catharsis.

+ +
T/U: 6hrs 30