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@ -14,7 +14,7 @@ maintain half a dozen parser functions.
Sorry about all the crap that surrounds the image tags which has been imported along with the content
when UK Caving blogs have been parsed.
Exported on 2024-08-03 19:08 using either the control panel webpage or when editing a logbook entry online
Exported on 2024-08-03 22:08 using either the control panel webpage or when editing a logbook entry online
See troggle/code/views/other.py and core.models/logbooks.py writelogbook(year, filename)
-->
<body>
@ -36,70 +36,53 @@ See troggle/code/views/other.py and core.models/logbooks.py writelogbook(year, f
<hr />
<div class="tripdate" id="2024-01-01b">2024-07-29</div>
<div class="trippeople"><u>Sam Tittensor</u>,Chris H,Jono,Ellie D,Becka,</div>
<div class="triptitle">Balkonhoehle - Happy Campers (eventually!)</div>
After 2 hot trips ferrying kit up the plateau, a late start, and a great deal of faff, motivation to get underground was low.
This resulted in a (very necessary!) talking-to from the drill sergeant (Becka), before we bucked our ideas up, and kit was assembled for inspection on the rocks at top camp and packed into bags.
The prospect of a 3 night camp as my first expo caving trip was quite daunting, and at the top of the entrance pitch we waited as Nat's team emerged one by one, filthy and exhausted from a similar trip, which didn't do much to allay my fears!
We eventually headed underground around 21:00 on the 29th July, steadily making our way to camp whilst trying to commit the route to memory, making it to bed around 02:00, not thrilled by the impending alarm.
<div class="tripdate" id="2024-07-02a">2024-07-02</div>
<div class="trippeople"><u>Lara</u>,Colin,Liam,Chi,</div>
<div class="triptitle">Homecoming - The First Rule of Alpine Caving</div>
I'm not sure exactly why I decided to end my expo with a trip that was specifically designed to be a derigging sufferfest but it seemed like a good idea a few Gossers deep at basecamp. It did indeed turn out to be an epic but very much not in the way we expected.
<p>
Upon waking, the inevitable morning faff ensued, accompanied by the perpetual roar of the gas stove. Bags packed & plans made, we left camp just before 11:00 on the 30th.
The day started slightly sadly after a night at Garlic: Harry had consumed ice cream illadvisably (and maybe was ill on top of that). So his stomach and his fever meant it was decided it was unwise for him to join us. Colin was stolen from Todd and Aila to become an extra mule for the many many metres of rope we expected to carry out. The plan was simple: Watershed ended in a sketchy duck and the lack of enthusiasm for pushing it meant we should really remove all the rope up to Strained by Gravity. It was going to be around 300 to 400m and probably some strenuous prusiking. Chi and Harry had also realised the disto was in calibration mode on their last pushing trip so our extra task was surveying the lead they had slightly killed.
<p>
We split into 2 teams, with Chris & Jono going to bolt a pitch near camp, and Ellie, Becka & myself heading for Tartarus, where the previous team had stashed the second drill, along with the promise of draughting leads.
We went in down Aidan's new Welsh Engineering route, guided by Colin. Though it was very pretty (cool 60 meter freehanging pitch down a tube) it was deemed probably not safe for a main route. The main pitch was in a noticeably drippy and it was a bit snaggy. This was a bit of a shame because as much as Wallace and Grommit have grown on me against my will Welsh Engineering was definitely more efficient. Let it also be noted that the water was very low at this point and the streamway peaceful and quiet below Grommit.
<p>
Making good time through Northern Powerhouse & Medusa's Maze, we arrived at an unnamed 4 way junction, where Becka said "There's some QMBs around here, maybe we should take a look in case we don't fancy the Tartarus leads"
It turned out we were in the wrong place, so after a bit of a mooch about, we continued down the passage, passing through the bottom of a big chamber and down a short handline to a very different passage type, interconnected parallel ramps with a Swiss-Cheesy nature.
This was the location of the leads Becka had mentioned, and she & Ellie soon disappeared up a rift to the North to investigate a QMB.
Whilst stood at this junction, I noticed some definite air movement, which was quickly attributed to an upwards ramp with a distinctive 'frog spawn' texture to the floor.
I took over the tour guiding at this point and showed Colin down Watershed, Chi and Liam nattering about something technical at the back. At the bottom of Strained by Gravity I instructed him to walk quickly through the section Chi calls 'The Gauntlet'. Colin looked at me like I was being silly: 'Its not even that drippy'.
<p>
We followed the ramp, reaching a slippery step over an intersecting rift, with a climb down marked as a QMA on the left, and the ramp still continuing in front of us with a QMA marked at the top.
The far side of a second, more precarious step-over brought the exciting sight of untrodden mud, at the foot of a large boulder choke with the draught still beckoning.
After a fair bit of Caving we reached Chi's new traverses at around 3:30 and were pretty chuffed at our expediency. Chi and Colin arrived soon behind us in time for me to begin apologising as doing book was so slow. This theme continued but it was fun to see the new passage and seeing the duck at the end was a nice reward for finally getting down all the data. It was more promising than expected; a nice draft coming out of it and quite a few B leads which looked promising for bypasses.
<p>
A careful shimmy to the edge and & bridge across put me in uncharted territory, and after ducking under an arch I was in much bigger passage, 2 huge blocks looming over me blocking the way on, with an enticing black void above.
This presented an obvious barrier to further exploration, but after the echo coming back from a couple of shouts it was immediately clear we needed to investigate further.
Our turnaround time of 7 had crept up on us so we had to leave the very bottom of watershed and contemplate the long derig out. This is where things stopped going to plan.
<p>
I wriggled around under the choke for a while, finding a chimney narrow enough to bridge across, which I thrutched my way up, gaining the top of the first large block.
The further into the chamber I got, the bigger it seemed to grow (along with my excitement), whilst Becka & Ellie watched proceedings somewhat apprehensively from the floor below.
Chi began on the bits he and Harry had bolted, while I zoomed to the bottom of My Favourite things to wait for the bags to be passed out. Colin took a full bag and went on ahead. During this time feeling slightly guilty I decided I would offer to do the next section, up to the top of Alpine Showers. A slightly daunting task as I hadn't done any derigging on bolts and was pretty green at derigging in general. Ah well, I'd give it a go.
<p>
A second, much safer climb onto another jammed boulder entered the chamber properly, where I began to take in the scale of the place, trying (failing) to light it up, and bouncing echos off the walls.
I returned to the deck completely buzzing, trying to communicate what I'd just seen, and insisting we must return with a drill & rope asap!
Eventually Chi and Liam turned up, went up the pitch and I began. The first pitch was fine, but the second bolt at the top started spinning as I undid the bolt. I abandoned the hanger and continued along the traverse, aware I was being pretty slow. Somewhere along the traverse, undoing a Maillon I noticed the roaring of the waterfall - I always get paranoid at water noise. Better just check though: 'Chi! Is that getting louder'. He surprised me with a matter of fact: 'Yes, it is'. Oh fuck.
<p>
This meant somewhat reluctantly slogging off to Tartarus, where we decided we'd make the most of the day checking out some leads in Ichthyes. We spent a while trying to work out the way to the pushing front, clambering up and down in the rift, before deciding we were liable to run out of time to do anything useful. We then returned to a QMB we had passed on the way, resulting in a very quick and satisfying loop closure between 2 leads, finding a hole down and the continuation of a draughting rift behind a pillar, before returning to camp.
Having read Becca's trip report I checked my watch: 8:20. Apparently 40 mil of rain started on the surface at 7. At this point I should have abandoned the derigging and got the hell out of dodge but my decision making wasn't working perfectly. I sped up, shoving maillons and knots into the bag and not being as careful with points of attachments as I should have been. Chi shouts round the corner something about the waterfall getting bigger. He was going to get up it and out of there. I kept derigging, pretty frantically, one more bolt started spinning on the traverse and another at the top of the tiny pitch after the bottom of Alpine Showers, this time almost as I'd taken the hanger off. I cursed as I fumbled and dropped the nut on the next bolt. Chi was shouting something at me down the pitch, so was Liam but I couldn't hear a thing. The waterfall at the bottom pitch was an absolute torrent and at this point I was pretty goddamn scared. At least I had my layers in the bag with me, I could get through this.
<p>
A planned early start the next day was stalled slightly by Jono's alarm failing to go off, but we made up time with some much more direct route finding back to the foot of the boulder choke.
Becka & Ellie started surveying the connection, whilst I climbed back onto the large boulder and set about bolting a route up for them to follow.
I took my time with this, knowing I would be shortly marked on my work by Becka, arriving on the deck at the same time as Ellie came round the corner armed with the nail varnish.
At some point before expo I had a vague memory that Kai had made me promise not to ascend a pitch in a flood pulse. I knew what the middle pitch was like, pretty splashy at the best of times, it needed a deviation we'd never put in and I'm bad at avoiding water. Maybe I shouldn't so something stupid here. I finally gave up on the derigging, Chi was shouting at me something. Maybe: come up? I shouted 'IT'S TOO WET' a lot of times and heard clearly 'I KNOW!!'. Great.
<p>
We headed into the chamber, celebrating with snacks whilst deciding how to tackle the surveying. We chose convenient stations on top of the Tatty-Hut sized boulders, sending legs as far as the SAP could manage.
A large downwards rift forms the Western continuation of the chamber, but the rock of both walls at the would-be pitch head is fairly crap, so this will require some thought.
<P>
Back at the entry point, heading East across more boulders revealed more promising leads; a "black hole" downwards spotted by Becka whilst surveying, and a mouth-like opening with a strong draught in the Northern corner which captured my attention as soon as I found it.
Grabbing the drill & our last scraps of rope, I rigged and descended the awkward pitch head, sliding between the waterworn 'teeth' into the (horizontal!) passage below, naming this the Dental Floss pitch.
At this point I'd resigned myself to at least a few hours alone at the bottom waiting out a flood pulse, no group shelter but I had warm clothes and I wasn't wet yet. The bottom of the rope I'd just derigged landed on a nice dry ledge: that's where I wanted to be. As I reached to put the maillon back in and rig it again I realised I couldn't use a spinning bolt with the nut almost off it. I was just contemplating the rope rub by rigging of the previous bolt and quietly singing <em> My Favourite Things </em> top myself when I saw Chi's light at the top of the pitch. He really wanted me to come up. Okay, plan change.
<p>
There were 2 ways on from here; the continuation of the main passage straight on , and a small hole choked with mud to the right, which I promptly dug out to reveal a short drop to a second pitch, and some audible water dripping somewhere ahead.
I ditched all the rope onto the ledge, knots with maillons and hangers in the pile with everything else. After a glance to check my layers were there I got going. Chi shouted something about not swinging into the water: okey dokey. I half prussiked half clung to the wall, relieved this pitch wasn't as wet as it looked. The waterfall was roaring right next to me but I was fine. I reached Chi, very very relieved to no longer be alone.
<p>
Heading along the main passage, we reached a junction with a pillar; left leading down a steep slope covered with a thick layer of virgin mud, & right upslope leading to another junction with a switchback connecting to the small hole with dripping water described earlier. Here there were some interesting mud formations which we duly protected with the scrap of conservation tape we had remaining, before turning left up a short scramble to another right hand bend.
Chi leaned in to be heard, he was wet from the waist down but impressively calm. Right, we were going to get through this. I de-weighted the traverse so he could rerig is looser so it didn't pull you taught into the waterfall. He told me to watch what he did. In essence: climb up the right ledge as far as possible swing round the waterfall, now gushing like a split pipe out the right hand wall around three metres up the pitch. After that, prussik like hell. The ideal was to only get soaked legs. Chi swung but ended up in the waterfall, he was soaked but got to the top of the pitch. 'Not like that', okay I shouted, 'I'll do it my way'. My way wasn't better.
<p>
Upon turning this corner, we were immediately hit with the strongest draught I have felt in any cave, setting the tone for the next few steps across a pristine white traverse, the passage rapidly enlarging as we went...
Steps one and two went well but my pantin and footloop popped off just under the waterfall, exactly as they had the last time I'd got dripped on on this pitch. This time it was a lot more than the splashback spray. Chi was shouting GO GO GO, and I wasn't moving up the rope. At this point I decided there was nothing for it and reached down to put back on my footloop. The waterfall was pounding on my helmet - I had to get out. I frogged like hell fresher-style and got up the pitch, completely soaked but not drowned.
<p>
This spat us out on a ledge overlooking a hole which left me totally lost for words; a pitch plunging away below, and an aven towering above.
Much whooping and revelling in the echos followed, before taking some photos and surveying as far as we could reach (very little!).
Chi and I came to the same conclusion, abandon the derig, cave fast and get the hell out. Liam had also got soaked below the waist and this was dangerous. I met Colin along the rift and he greeted me with a cheery 'I'm completely dry!'. Despite the look I gave him he and Liam were brilliant: cajoling me up pitches where my SRT was shaky with adrenaline. There was a lot of checking everyone else was okay.
<p>
Underequipped and running out of time, we returned downslope, following the ramp back past the junction we'd entered from, for some very slippery surveying on the thick mud.
Reaching the bottom, I spotted what looked like freshly gardened rocks, and Becka then noticed the climb up on the right, which was the QMA we'd left immediately before entering the boulder choke that morning! This resulted in a very satisfying loop closure to finish the day, at which point I deployed the tactical miniature cave whisky, which I'd been saving in my oversuit for exactly such a moment.
Up flowstone canyon I was a lot calmer but worried. I was properly exerted but only lukewarm and I knew Chi got hypothermia at the drop of a hat. At the junction I raided my layer bag to the dregs: Chi got my pufferjackets, I got spare thermals and a waterproof and in surprisingly high spirits we kept going.
<p>
Returning to camp in good spirits, we passed the evening with many noodles and the remainder of the hot chocolate, setting an alarm for 6:30 for the trip out.
In the morning, Becka & Jono raced ahead, whilst Chris, Ellie & I plodded up, arriving at the surface around 17:00, just in time to get stuck in a thunder storm at top camp.
The way out was shivery but cheerful. Moral was pretty high and we even stopped for noodles. Poor Liam and Colin were roasting at the pace we needed so there was a lot of sitting very close at pitchheads and transferring warmth. Still we laughed at the clusterfuck that had happened and kept caving out making not terrible time.
<p>
Having vowed I was done with deep caving for this expo after the prussik up, it took all of 12 hours for the rose tinted glasses to go on, and back at base camp planning began for a return to the newly discovered shaft...
<div class="timeug">T/U: 68.0 hours</div>
<div class="editentry"><br /><a href="/logbookedit/2024-01-01b">Edit this entry</a><br /></div>
Chi's D and B was brilliant as always up Wallace and Grommit and for once I was looking forward to long pitches where: rather than the normal experience of sweating in no layers, this time I got back to a nice temperature. The final push and walk back to Garlic was very welcome, where we reassured Harry we hadn't died.
<p>
It sounds crazy but it was a brilliant trip, fun in adversity becomes more fun and we all got out safe. Still, I'm avoiding waterfalls for a little bit.
<div class="timeug">T/U: 15.0 hours</div>
<div class="editentry"><br /><a href="/logbookedit/2024-07-02a">Edit this entry</a><br /></div>
<hr />
<div class="tripdate" id="2024-07-06a">2024-07-06</div>
<div class="trippeople"><u>waite</u>,Charlotte,philips,Jacob C,</div>
<div class="trippeople"><u>waite</u>,Jacob C,philips,Charlotte,</div>
<div class="triptitle">Basecamp - Setup day 1</div>
Arrived in the afternoon and got keys from gasthof. Fridge full of other people's beer sadly. Picked up Philip S from the station and set up outside tarp and bier tent. Bier tent missing it's door ATM with a tarp rigged instead??????? Where has it gone ? Who knows?????? Gas hose fell off burner whilst cooking dinner, large plume of flame in bier tent but crisis averted
<div class="timeug">T/U: 0.0 hours</div>
@ -117,7 +100,7 @@ I was walking into town from the station (from Vienna this morning) when I was i
<hr />
<div class="tripdate" id="2024-07-07a">2024-07-07</div>
<div class="trippeople"><u>PhilipS</u>,Charlotte,Jacob,Waite,</div>
<div class="trippeople"><u>PhilipS</u>,Waite,Jacob,Charlotte,</div>
<div class="triptitle">topcamp - First visit to top camp</div>
Charlotte, James W and Jacob C going for a first carry to top camp to look at amount of snow etc., departed Gasthof at 11:00 expected back about 20:00. They are not taking the new top camp tarp up this time - it weighs 21 kg.
<p>
@ -140,7 +123,7 @@ Tarp is partly up at <em>side</em> of hut as there was a caravan parked there ye
<hr />
<div class="tripdate" id="2024-07-08a">2024-07-08</div>
<div class="trippeople"><u>PhilipS</u>,Julia,wassil,sieds,</div>
<div class="trippeople"><u>PhilipS</u>,sieds,wassil,Julia,</div>
<div class="triptitle">basecamp - Who went where</div>
Everyone went up to the plateau except for Julia and Philip S. Wassil and Sieds arrived during the day.
<div class="timeug">T/U: 0.0 hours</div>
@ -170,7 +153,7 @@ Isaac
<hr />
<div class="tripdate" id="2024-07-09a">2024-07-09</div>
<div class="trippeople"><u>Philip S</u>,Wookey,Sieds,</div>
<div class="trippeople"><u>Philip S</u>,Sieds,Wookey,</div>
<div class="triptitle">Basecamp - Nerd *</div>
Sieds has graduated (demoted?) to supernerd. Wookey spent a couple of hours last night failing to get
the scanner working with Debian, and Philip was tearing his hair trying it with Ubuntu and Windows
@ -183,7 +166,7 @@ Sieds calmly checked the online documentation, did the three-fingered salute to
<hr />
<div class="tripdate" id="2024-07-09b">2024-07-09</div>
<div class="trippeople"><u>waite</u>,jacob,charlotte,issac,</div>
<div class="trippeople"><u>waite</u>,issac,charlotte,jacob,</div>
<div class="triptitle">fishface - collecting rope</div>
no reflectors left on spits.
<br>
@ -223,7 +206,7 @@ on things and tried to kill me multiple times).
<hr />
<div class="tripdate" id="2024-07-10a">2024-07-10</div>
<div class="trippeople"><u>Isaac</u>,waite,charlotte,jacob,philip s,</div>
<div class="trippeople"><u>Isaac</u>,philip s,jacob,charlotte,waite,</div>
<div class="triptitle">basecamp - Bread Making</div>
<p>
With an afternoon of festering well on the way after arriving back from our FF rope
@ -285,7 +268,7 @@ Isaac.
<hr />
<div class="tripdate" id="2024-07-10b">2024-07-10</div>
<div class="trippeople"><u>Wassil</u>,Marie,Sieds,Lara,</div>
<div class="trippeople"><u>Wassil</u>,Lara,Sieds,Marie,</div>
<div class="triptitle">balcony - Rigging balcony entrance series</div>
<p>We were tasked by Antony to rig the entrance series of Balkonhöhle so that he could go and rig
Mongol Rally (presumably a more interesting rig).</p>
@ -311,7 +294,7 @@ rapidly approaching. Luckily we made it back to camp 5 minutes before it started
<hr />
<div class="tripdate" id="2024-07-11a">2024-07-11</div>
<div class="trippeople"><u>Wassil</u>,Jono,Marie,Becka,</div>
<div class="trippeople"><u>Wassil</u>,Becka,Marie,Jono,</div>
<div class="triptitle">garlic - Setting up Garlic Cave Camp</div>
<p>It turns out that Garlic Camp is a really good idea. 1h58 from the car park, under 20 minutes from
Homecoming, so I'll be spending more time there.</p>
@ -370,7 +353,7 @@ Walked back to Bad Aussee. Had coffee having missed last bus.
<hr />
<div class="tripdate" id="2024-07-11c">2024-07-11</div>
<div class="trippeople"><u>waite</u>,wook,charlotte,lara,</div>
<div class="trippeople"><u>waite</u>,lara,charlotte,wook,</div>
<div class="triptitle">homecoming - more naughty rope</div>
We rigged the entrance to Homecoming and rigged ropes down to the up pitch. ropes after this were left insitu. wookey dissapeared behind us to play with his new toy (Sap6) he measured some pitches as far as the 4 bolt traverse at the bottom of radagast. We found the pile of rope at the bottom of the uprope to Propane Nightmares.
<p>
@ -393,7 +376,7 @@ charlotte was the bull and this was the red rag!
<hr />
<div class="tripdate" id="2024-07-11d">2024-07-11</div>
<div class="trippeople"><u>Anthony</u>,Ruairidh,Sieds,</div>
<div class="trippeople"><u>Anthony</u>,Sieds,Ruairidh,</div>
<div class="triptitle">Balkon - Rigging</div>
Set off with the intention of rigging as far as Hangmans if time permitted. I felt a bit ropey, and this sensation did not subside once we started caving. Ruairidh attempted to fettle the entrance rig a bit, and we extended the existing handline on the approach to Natural Highs. At the pitch by Natural Highs I was still feeling nauseous, so elected to turn round. This was a good move as I was even slower than usual on the way out, finding myself sitting gazing into space for minutes on end at various points. Ruairidh and Sieds got as far as rigging the traverse to the head of Honeycomb before heading out.
<p>
@ -404,7 +387,7 @@ TU is a guess - two hours less for me
<hr />
<div class="tripdate" id="2024-07-12a">2024-07-12</div>
<div class="trippeople"><u>jw</u>,lara,charlotte,</div>
<div class="trippeople"><u>jw</u>,charlotte,lara,</div>
<div class="triptitle">garlic - thunderstruck</div>
we walked to garlic from top and fettled the tarps and kit. then thunder, lightning and lotsa of rain struck. we dealt with this by laying down and trying to sleep under the tarp. we ended up using a bivi bag as a duvet and had a book reading session until the rain had passed. was very warm and lovely.
<div class="timeug">T/U: 0.0 hours</div>
@ -413,7 +396,7 @@ we walked to garlic from top and fettled the tarps and kit. then thunder, light
<hr />
<div class="tripdate" id="2024-07-12b">2024-07-12</div>
<div class="trippeople"><u>Becka</u>,RM,Marie,</div>
<div class="trippeople"><u>Becka</u>,Marie,RM,</div>
<div class="triptitle">Balkonhoehle - Rigging Honeycomb</div>
Zero stoke for this trip and a crack of 11am start saw us heading down with the 2 bags of rope to rig
Mongol Rally plus associated hardware and some kit to keep us warm, safe and happy. The 2024 rig of
@ -458,7 +441,7 @@ walk back to an empty Top Camp.
<hr />
<div class="tripdate" id="2024-07-12c">2024-07-12</div>
<div class="trippeople"><u>waite</u>,lara,charlotte,</div>
<div class="trippeople"><u>waite</u>,charlotte,lara,</div>
<div class="triptitle">homecoming - silly james gets grumpy</div>
i left my pantin on the surface and then got my feet wet going into the A lead at heifer.
cue some grumpy rigging by myself and an early turnaround partway down strained by gravity.
@ -469,7 +452,7 @@ on exit we had a a large traffic jam on wallace with people going down to second
<hr />
<div class="tripdate" id="2024-07-13a">2024-07-13</div>
<div class="trippeople"><u>pb</u>,Isaac,Jono,</div>
<div class="trippeople"><u>pb</u>,Jono,Isaac,</div>
<div class="triptitle">Garlic - Dropped gear at garlic and setup meshtastic</div>
I set out to drop my gear at Garlic and setup some fixed nodes to test the meshtastic radios. We
dropped the first radio at the Col, up the slope to the left as use enter the plateau. It was
@ -492,7 +475,7 @@ Jono and Isaac mode it back a little while later.
<hr />
<div class="tripdate" id="2024-07-13b">2024-07-13</div>
<div class="trippeople"><u>Jacob C</u>,Wassil,Marie,</div>
<div class="trippeople"><u>Jacob C</u>,Marie,Wassil,</div>
<div class="triptitle">homecoming - Homechundering</div>
Wassil and I wandered over to top camp to meet Marie in the early hours of the Saturday morning. The weather was unassuming and I felt brimming with eagerness to get underground having spent one day too many days festering at base camp.
<p>
@ -534,7 +517,7 @@ Jacob
<hr />
<div class="tripdate" id="2024-07-14a">2024-07-14</div>
<div class="trippeople"><u>ps</u>,Marie,Wookey,Jacob,</div>
<div class="trippeople"><u>ps</u>,Jacob,Wookey,Marie,</div>
<div class="triptitle">basecamp - Heute ist Domstag</div>
Delayed Onset Muscle Stiffness my walk up to StoneBridge a couple of days ago.
<p>
@ -558,7 +541,7 @@ Let's see if he gets a parking ticket as he sprints back down the hill...
<hr />
<div class="tripdate" id="2024-07-14c">2024-07-14</div>
<div class="trippeople"><u>PS</u>,Sieds,PB,JC,Isaac,RM,Marie,JL,</div>
<div class="trippeople"><u>PS</u>,JL,Marie,RM,Isaac,JC,PB,Sieds,</div>
<div class="triptitle">Basecamp - Who came down, and went up</div>
Jacob, Marie came down (Phil B got them?) and Marie went to bed in the attic.
@ -569,7 +552,7 @@ Jacob, Marie came down (Phil B got them?) and Marie went to bed in the attic.
<hr />
<div class="tripdate" id="2024-07-15a">2024-07-15</div>
<div class="trippeople"><u>Lara</u>,James W,Charlotte,Issac,</div>
<div class="trippeople"><u>Lara</u>,Issac,Charlotte,James W,</div>
<div class="triptitle">homecoming - Failed pushing but excellent sidequests</div>
We set off from Garlic Camp to homecoming vaguely early in the morning which was a very welcome change, 20 minutes downhill walking which was lovely as long as you didn't think about the walk back up. Isaac had joined our motley crew the night before and was <em>very</em> excited for a big trip (read: scared to be beasted by Charlotte and James).
<p>
@ -673,7 +656,7 @@ Isaac
<hr />
<div class="tripdate" id="2024-07-16b">2024-07-16</div>
<div class="trippeople"><u>PS</u>,Lara,AD,JW,</div>
<div class="trippeople"><u>PS</u>,JW,AD,Lara,</div>
<div class="triptitle">basecamp - More chundering</div>
Anthony had a very bad night last night at Stone Bridge a couple of hours after eating, but got down today feeling a bit weak.
<p>
@ -699,7 +682,7 @@ The tofu curries were consumed when a prospecting trip returned. I was sad.
<hr />
<div class="tripdate" id="2024-07-16d">2024-07-16</div>
<div class="trippeople"><u>Isaac</u>,Ruairidh,Charlotte,Marie,Jono,Lara,Waite,Jacob,</div>
<div class="trippeople"><u>Isaac</u>,Jacob,Waite,Lara,Jono,Marie,Charlotte,Ruairidh,</div>
<div class="triptitle">Lake - Marie Hates Swimming</div>
See title.
<div class="timeug">T/U: 0.01 hours</div>
@ -730,7 +713,7 @@ Tess arrived, and cooked the evening slop + rice (with Lara) for the canyoning [
<hr />
<div class="tripdate" id="2024-07-18a">2024-07-18</div>
<div class="trippeople"><u>Lara</u>,Charlotte,Jacob,James W,</div>
<div class="trippeople"><u>Lara</u>,James W,Jacob,Charlotte,</div>
<div class="triptitle">homecoming - There and there and there and back again</div>
When I emerged from homecoming and realised the stars were only just still visible because it was dawn I seriously considered if I'd left some of my sanity down by the pushing front. We had finished faffing and started descending around midday the day before, a solid 16 and a half hours ago.
<p>
@ -807,7 +790,7 @@ The tag for p2018-dm-04 is in the foreground, the tackle sack is near the beginn
<hr />
<div class="tripdate" id="2024-07-20a">2024-07-20</div>
<div class="trippeople"><u>PS</u>,Harry,Christian,Colin,</div>
<div class="trippeople"><u>PS</u>,Colin,Christian,Harry,</div>
<div class="triptitle">Bascamp - New arrivals</div>
Christian, Harry and Colin arrived.
<br>
@ -841,7 +824,7 @@ Signed: The people of the plateau.
<hr />
<div class="tripdate" id="2024-07-20c">2024-07-20</div>
<div class="trippeople"><u>Marie</u>,Anthony,Wookey,</div>
<div class="trippeople"><u>Marie</u>,Wookey,Anthony,</div>
<div class="triptitle">Balcony - Balcony Camp Set up and the Pushing Begins</div>
I love camping in unusual places and so I was excited, if not a little apprehensive for an underground camp. This would be my first surveying trip and my first trip after becoming quite ill in Homecoming and so the fear of everything that could go wrong so deep underground for so long was quite high but luckily the thrill of adventure triumphed in the end. I was in good hands with two very experienced expo goers who offered great advice whilst packing for the trip - a special shout out to the raisins and seeds that Anthony packed which made our morning porridge significantly more palatable and nutritious. I was worried we would be stuck at top camp in the pouring rain for the day but it turns out I never fully understood the meaning of caving faff until I helped pack for an underground camp. We were only just about ready when the rain lessened up around 4pm and so we took advantage of the weather window and scampered across the plateau through a thick mist, hopes high that nothing too important had been forgotten. <p>
<p>
@ -870,7 +853,7 @@ We were greeted by a few rays of sunshine when we finally exited around 5pm befo
<hr />
<div class="tripdate" id="2024-07-21a">2024-07-21</div>
<div class="trippeople"><u>Philip S</u>,Dickon,Tom,Rosa,Aidan,</div>
<div class="trippeople"><u>Philip S</u>,Aidan,Rosa,Tom,Dickon,</div>
<div class="triptitle">basecamp - New arrivals today</div>
One car arrived:
<br />
@ -882,7 +865,7 @@ Aidan came by train and Dickon drove here.
<hr />
<div class="tripdate" id="2024-07-21b">2024-07-21</div>
<div class="trippeople"><u>Philip S</u>,chi,Charlotte,lara,harry,</div>
<div class="trippeople"><u>Philip S</u>,harry,lara,Charlotte,chi,</div>
<div class="triptitle">plateau - Surface walk from col to Geschwantalm</div>
<a href="/years/2024/images/col.jpg">
<img width=20% src="/years/2024/images/col.jpg"></a>
@ -920,7 +903,7 @@ ADDENDUM 26th July:
<hr />
<div class="tripdate" id="2024-07-21c">2024-07-21</div>
<div class="trippeople"><u>Lara</u>,Harry,Charlotte,Chi,</div>
<div class="trippeople"><u>Lara</u>,Chi,Charlotte,Harry,</div>
<div class="triptitle">Homecoming - A satisfying but not very useful result</div>
Slavedriver Payne woke us up early and we got up the hill vaguely fast (despite Chi's moderate faff). Unfortunately further faff then occurred at the entrance to Homecoming. This included further effort towards the Gordian Knot from the first Homecoming trip, which concluded in Chi doing an Alexander the Great. We ended up with two ropes. Chi also spent <em> some </em> time reconstructing a pantin from two broken ones (it didn't work). Clearly one person was the issue here. *editorial note: it would transpire that Lara concluded faffing a good 20 mins after the futile pantin was birthed*
<p>
@ -960,7 +943,7 @@ We got out of the cave at midnight and Sieds walked to Garlic camp and I walked
<hr />
<div class="tripdate" id="2024-07-22a">2024-07-22</div>
<div class="trippeople"><u>Colin</u>,Becka,waite,</div>
<div class="trippeople"><u>Colin</u>,waite,Becka,</div>
<div class="triptitle">Balkonhoehle - Rack Vs Rally</div>
This is my first logbook entry so may need fettling.
<p>
@ -994,7 +977,7 @@ Mark Shinwell arrived in an electric van (hired) and in the early evening Jono's
<hr />
<div class="tripdate" id="2024-07-22c">2024-07-22</div>
<div class="trippeople"><u>Jacob</u>,Phil S,Isaac,</div>
<div class="trippeople"><u>Jacob</u>,Isaac,Phil S,</div>
<div class="triptitle">Basecamp - Festering and computers at the end of time</div>
Isaac and I were tasked with writing up 2023's unfinished logbook writeups. After overwhelming Philip with website bugs and general stress we each decided to go on missions of self discovery to stave off a complete mental break.
<p>
@ -1009,7 +992,7 @@ I need to go caving.
<hr />
<div class="tripdate" id="2024-07-22d">2024-07-22</div>
<div class="trippeople"><u>Rosa B</u>,Aidan K,Jacob C,Jono L,</div>
<div class="trippeople"><u>Rosa B</u>,Jono L,Jacob C,Aidan K,</div>
<div class="triptitle">Menstrual Tunnel - My first underground trip abroad</div>
I asked Jono for him to teach me to survey and which he enthusiastically agreed. The next morning he came up with a grin telling me to grab my helmet and my swimming costume????? and get in the landy. We arrived in a car park with Jono keeping the plan quiet and walked us alo0ng the river opposite a chinese. Across the river under the chinese was a small tunnel. It was a battle to get into the tunnel with the strong torrent of water trying to push us down. I mistakenly volunteered to go in to mark the survey point with my finger and was instantly hit by slime underfoot and a grotesque smell. I concealed my disgust and headed in. The others took their time learning about the survey device and choosing their spot. Then they entered with much dramatica, Jono gagging and threatening to throw up, Aidan doing his best to avoid the slime and Jacob quietly disgusted. At this point we noticed the used menstrual products next to me and the strong scent of fecal matter. We sped up the process with Aidan valiantly fighting the cobwebs. Much surveying was learnt and ready to try in an actual trip. We made a quick escape all taking time to wash thoroughly in the river.
<p>
@ -1020,7 +1003,7 @@ Lesson learnt: Be wary of Jono's ideas. Ask more questions.
<hr />
<div class="tripdate" id="2024-07-22e">2024-07-22</div>
<div class="trippeople"><u>Aidan K</u>,Rosa B,Tom P,</div>
<div class="trippeople"><u>Aidan K</u>,Tom P,Rosa B,</div>
<div class="triptitle">Plateau - First Plateau Crossing</div>
It's Rosa and I's first expo and it was Tom's first time up to Garlic camp. We had lots of fun navigating our way across, mostly playing join the dots orienteering style. We bumped into Rosa, Lara, Chi, and Harry who had finished prospecting just before the Homecoming junction. It took us about 3.5 hours to get to HC where I left my caving kit and Rosa and Tom left their camping kit. On the return journey we found the autobahn and followed it, but lost the trail around the traverse climb. The route needs more reflectors but we had a good day and I saw a tiny snake that Rosa did not like at all!
<div class="timeug">T/U: 0.0 hours</div>
@ -1029,7 +1012,7 @@ It's Rosa and I's first expo and it was Tom's first time up to Garlic camp. We h
<hr />
<div class="tripdate" id="2024-07-23a">2024-07-23</div>
<div class="trippeople"><u>Philip S</u>,Isaac,Jacob,</div>
<div class="trippeople"><u>Philip S</u>,Jacob,Isaac,</div>
<div class="triptitle">basecamp - Troggle: Seem to have fixed logbook overwriting problem</div>
Yesterday Jacob and Isaac got round a duplication problem with logbook entry by overwriting an existing entry - which meant that a dozen entries from 2023 were typed up, but all overwriting the same entry. (So these now need to be recovered from the git records).
<p>
@ -1047,7 +1030,7 @@ Nope: the duplication problem is still happening on the server (but not on the d
<hr />
<div class="tripdate" id="2024-07-23b">2024-07-23</div>
<div class="trippeople"><u>Philip S</u>,Jacob,Jono,</div>
<div class="trippeople"><u>Philip S</u>,Jono,Jacob,</div>
<div class="triptitle">Basecamp - They typed up the survey training exercise</div>
Jacob created a wallet and survex file which have since been removed from the system entirely. The survey notes are here:
<img src="/years/2024/images/notes1-menstrualcave.jpg" width=30%>
@ -1065,7 +1048,7 @@ So as for training in survey technique, for recording the data this counts as a
<hr />
<div class="tripdate" id="2024-07-23c">2024-07-23</div>
<div class="trippeople"><u>Aidan K</u>,Rosa B,Tom Phillips,Lara B,</div>
<div class="trippeople"><u>Aidan K</u>,Lara B,Tom Phillips,Rosa B,</div>
<div class="triptitle">Homecoming - Swinging into the Tube</div>
Following the walk across the plateau with everyone and Isaac (who watched us go in before heading off to Garlic), and a lot of faff, we went down the entrance series. Lara lead the way, followed by Rosa, Tom, and then I. Tom had a battle with the entrance pitch - unaided by the 5om of rope I had given him to take down - which required teamwork and feeding him chocolate role like it's an apple to free him.
<p>
@ -1101,7 +1084,7 @@ Aidan's Note: Unfortunately there was a loop closure error of 13%. :( A week and
<hr />
<div class="tripdate" id="2024-07-24b">2024-07-24</div>
<div class="trippeople"><u>Isaac</u>,Harry,Chi,Lara,</div>
<div class="trippeople"><u>Isaac</u>,Lara,Chi,Harry,</div>
<div class="triptitle">Homecoming - The Aborted Camping Trip</div>
Before this entry begins I'd like to make it clear that I feel truly ashamed of my performance (or lack of one) on this trip. I failed to meet the standard expected of one signing onto a trip of this nature, and by this failure I caused a lot of negative attention to be bought onto the trip and my companions.
<br>
@ -1170,7 +1153,7 @@ text-align: center;
<hr />
<div class="tripdate" id="2024-07-25b">2024-07-25</div>
<div class="trippeople"><u>ZW</u>,Nat,Sarah,</div>
<div class="trippeople"><u>ZW</u>,Sarah,Nat,</div>
<div class="triptitle">basecamp - Arrival #2</div>
Nat and Sarah also arrived
<div class="timeug">T/U: 0.0 hours</div>
@ -1190,7 +1173,7 @@ Zac did break the log book, while waiting around. But Phil got very grumpy about
<hr />
<div class="tripdate" id="2024-07-25d">2024-07-25</div>
<div class="trippeople"><u>Philip S</u>,Sarah,Nat,Becka,PB,Zac,, *Sandy</div>
<div class="trippeople"><u>Philip S</u>,Zac,PB,Becka,Nat,Sarah,, *Sandy</div>
<div class="triptitle">plateau - Entrance spotting</div>
Lift up with Nat, Sarah and Zac, they went off to topcamp and from the col I wandered down and around the near plateau photographing whatever entrances and tags I could find.<br>
<img src="/years/2024/images/2024-07-26-philipwalk.jpg" width=60% >
@ -1244,7 +1227,7 @@ Jono
<hr />
<div class="tripdate" id="2024-07-25f">2024-07-25</div>
<div class="trippeople"><u>ZW</u>,James w,Philip S,Sarah,Colin,Nat,</div>
<div class="trippeople"><u>ZW</u>,Nat,Colin,Sarah,Philip S,James w,</div>
<div class="triptitle">topcamp - Top camp bounce</div>
Sarah, Nat, Zac and Phil drove up the loser. We then hiked up to the Col. It being Sarah, Nat and Zac's first time up since the installation of the new cable car, we were quite taken unawares by the new path from the car park. From there it was plain hiking up to the col. Once at the Col, Phil s parted ways and headed off on his own adventures. Sarah, Nat and Zac, meanwhile hiked on to top camp. Once there we caught Becka as she was leaving and James W and Colin as they were thinking about leaving. After a little faffing and some noodles, we rang down to base camp to ask what kit we should carry down. We were told only some some roll mats and camp beds for Garlic. Packing these, alongside some tackle sacks from a recent Balkon trip (See report), we began to head down. Zac Lagged behind a lot of the way as his new shoes were wearing on his feet. But eventually we reached the loser car park where we all packed, tightly, into Sarah's car and drove down the hill.
<div class="timeug">T/U: 0.0 hours</div>
@ -1253,7 +1236,7 @@ Sarah, Nat, Zac and Phil drove up the loser. We then hiked up to the Col. It bei
<hr />
<div class="tripdate" id="2024-07-25g">2024-07-25</div>
<div class="trippeople"><u>Dickon Morris</u>,Marie,Wassil,Chi,</div>
<div class="trippeople"><u>Dickon Morris</u>,Chi,Wassil,Marie,</div>
<div class="triptitle">basecamp - Grabenbach Canyon</div>
<p>Ar ddiwrnod cinio'r expo ymgasglodd grŵp tag rag o ogofa o dan darp y cwt tatty. Roedd yr ogofwyr hyn i gyd yma am y rhesymau anghywir i gyd. Yn gyntaf, roedd y goruchaf arweinydd a'r cynllunydd teithiau Marie wedi mechnïo ar ogofa yn hytrach na golchi ei danwisg. Nesaf mae gennym Wassil a oedd yn gohirio ei draethawd meistr ac yn teimlo trueni drosto'i hun am ladd ei dennyn ei hun. Yn olaf mae gennym Dickon a benderfynodd fynd ar alldaith ogofa er ei fod yn casáu ogofa, ac o ganlyniad yn cael ei ethol yn mynd canyoning. Wrth fwrw ymlaen â ffurfio'r triawd gogoneddus hwn, penderfynodd Chi ddangos ei wyneb yn dilyn taith wersylla anghysbell na arweiniodd at wersyll yn digwydd ac a oedd ar ben colled. Mae'n debyg bod Marie, Wassil, a Dickon yn edrych fel grŵp addas i fynd â'r ceunant gyda nhw a rhywsut fe benderfynon nhw y byddai Chi yn gyd-chwaraewr addas.</p>
<p>
@ -1290,7 +1273,7 @@ Sarah, Nat, Zac and Phil drove up the loser. We then hiked up to the Col. It bei
<hr />
<div class="tripdate" id="2024-07-25h">2024-07-25</div>
<div class="trippeople"><u>R Brew</u>,Aidan K,Thomas P,</div>
<div class="trippeople"><u>R Brew</u>,Thomas P,Aidan K,</div>
<div class="triptitle">Plateau - Crossing for expo dinner</div>
After our first stay up on the plateau we made a crossing back across the plateau after some breakfast. Got a bit disorientated and lost trying to follow the markers and Gaia on the way back but eventually got back en route. Our bodies were in pain from the vast change of physical exercise they had endured. We met an adder which started heading towards Aidan. Aidan hopped onto a rock and tried to keep track of it for me. I was not a fan at all and took a very roundabout way around. It started raining towards the end and we made a dash to the car. My Achilles heel is playing up which is quite hard on the plateau! We got back in time for a swim and a wash before a lovely dinner.
<div class="timeug">T/U: 4.0 hours</div>
@ -1299,7 +1282,7 @@ After our first stay up on the plateau we made a crossing back across the platea
<hr />
<div class="tripdate" id="2024-07-26a">2024-07-26</div>
<div class="trippeople"><u>Isaac</u>,Marie,Jono,</div>
<div class="trippeople"><u>Isaac</u>,Jono,Marie,</div>
<div class="triptitle">basecamp - Bread making part 2</div>
After a great deal of consideration (7 beers) I decided to give bread making a second crack. This time I followed the "Numpty Dumpty bakes a loaf of expo bread 2016 version" by Antony Day, and I will confidently say they are by far the best version of the instructions present at the hut!
<p>
@ -1312,7 +1295,7 @@ How well do you trust the expedition leader?
<hr />
<div class="tripdate" id="2024-07-26b">2024-07-26</div>
<div class="trippeople"><u>R Brew</u>,Aidan K,James M,</div>
<div class="trippeople"><u>R Brew</u>,James M,Aidan K,</div>
<div class="triptitle">Plateau - Return to Garlic Camp</div>
We waited until the evening due to the hot weather to go up to Garlic camp. This was James' first crossing of the plateau and he got very sweaty but had a really good pace. Mine and Aidan's bags were heavy carrying across ropes and bolts. Having got very drunk the evening previous our bodies were feeling a bit sluggish. The weather was hot but lovely weather and clear views. I enjoyed introducing James to the camp and plateau life. We prepared for our trip the following morning.
<div class="timeug">T/U: 0.0 hours</div>
@ -1321,7 +1304,7 @@ We waited until the evening due to the hot weather to go up to Garlic camp. This
<hr />
<div class="tripdate" id="2024-07-26c">2024-07-26</div>
<div class="trippeople"><u>Todd Rye</u>,Harry Kettle,Aila Taylor,</div>
<div class="trippeople"><u>Todd Rye</u>,Aila Taylor,Harry Kettle,</div>
<div class="triptitle">Eishoehle - Cooling off on a hot day</div>
We weren't going to have time to go properly caving, and we had heard good things about the ice cave. So, armed with Shinwell and Wookeys expert guidance, we set off to find what we were hoping was going to be an impressive chamber.
<p>
@ -1336,7 +1319,7 @@ After this, we headed back, creating a GPX track to make it easier for future ex
<hr />
<div class="tripdate" id="2024-07-27a">2024-07-27</div>
<div class="trippeople"><u>Rosa B</u>,Aidan K,James M,</div>
<div class="trippeople"><u>Rosa B</u>,James M,Aidan K,</div>
<div class="triptitle">Homecoming - Bolting and descending pitch</div>
Myself and Aidan wanted to return to homecoming to explore our leads above Radagast further.Our main aim was to descend a pitch we have named 'tiered gherkin' into the stream way we could see below. The pitch was drippy with a few re-belays required. Unsure of how passable pitch will be in wet weather. Some 'fuck no's from Aidan when bolting as the wall made some dull noises when hit with a hammer. Whilst Aidan was bolting myself and James M tried out our opera singing skills with a range of languages. We initially descended down the left side of the pitch as it was drier but there was not an obvious way down to the streamway so Aidan went to bolt in the other direction. Whilst he was doing this I tried to climb down via a few routes however overcommitted and got myself jammed in a rift for a good while. Lengths of pitches were recorded and a couple of extra bits of survey data was collected to solidly connect our surveying from a few days ago to the main data. Aidan is to explore Banana Boat Stream way with James M and Colin on Monday.
<div class="timeug">T/U: 6.0 hours</div>
@ -1345,7 +1328,7 @@ Myself and Aidan wanted to return to homecoming to explore our leads above Radag
<hr />
<div class="tripdate" id="2024-07-27b">2024-07-27</div>
<div class="trippeople"><u>Todd Rye</u>,Christian,Aila Taylor,Harry Kettle,</div>
<div class="trippeople"><u>Todd Rye</u>,Harry Kettle,Aila Taylor,Christian,</div>
<div class="triptitle">Homecoming - Watershed Murder Camp</div>
I was so excited to go back into Homecoming after six years, and Harry promised caverns measureless down Watershed. A camp was needed to make it more pleasant, so off we went with sleeping bags and mats. Faff ensued, with Aila breaking her toe at Garlic, and us having picked the wrong sleeping bag up, We got underground at middayish in the end.
<p>
@ -1366,7 +1349,7 @@ The next morning, we slowly got ready, dismantling camp. It was going to be a lo
<hr />
<div class="tripdate" id="2024-07-27c">2024-07-27</div>
<div class="trippeople"><u>Aidan K</u>,James M,Rosa B,</div>
<div class="trippeople"><u>Aidan K</u>,Rosa B,James M,</div>
<div class="triptitle">Homecoming - Sauruman Pot</div>
With James having replaces his mentor in our trio of pushing in the upper area of Homecoming, Rosa and I returned to our pushing in the big drippy Aven in the 4th Pitch Tube area which we believed would lead to what we were looking down to from Banana Slip.
<p>
@ -1421,7 +1404,7 @@ Got permission to descend to base camp that evening due to a large number of bli
<hr />
<div class="tripdate" id="2024-07-28e">2024-07-28</div>
<div class="trippeople"><u>lucy h</u>,sarah p,nat,lara,zac,jacob,</div>
<div class="trippeople"><u>lucy h</u>,jacob,zac,lara,nat,sarah p,</div>
<div class="triptitle">balcony - bloody balcony</div>
26th - 28th
<p>
@ -1485,7 +1468,7 @@ We slept out under the shooting stars and milky way. Every time I woke, relieved
<hr />
<div class="tripdate" id="2024-07-28f">2024-07-28</div>
<div class="trippeople"><u>ZW</u>,Lucy h,Jacob,Lara,Sarah,Nat,</div>
<div class="trippeople"><u>ZW</u>,Nat,Sarah,Lara,Jacob,Lucy h,</div>
<div class="triptitle">Balkonhoehle - Who needs ascenders anyway?</div>
<p><i>Lucy having already covered much of the trip in <a href="logbookentry/2024-07-28/2024-07-28e#"></a> I will only fill in the gaps alluded to</i></p>
<p>
@ -1509,7 +1492,7 @@ I was so happy to find that we had made it out in time to catch the sun and spen
<hr />
<div class="tripdate" id="2024-07-28g">2024-07-28</div>
<div class="trippeople"><u>Aidan K</u>,Rosa B,James W,Dickon,Colin Foord,James M,</div>
<div class="trippeople"><u>Aidan K</u>,James M,Colin Foord,Dickon,James W,Rosa B,</div>
<div class="triptitle">Garlic - Landscaping and Festering</div>
We woke up to some pretty miserable clag that around 10am developed into rain - Colin had fortunately arrived about 40 minutes prior from SB so stayed dry, Dickon and James on the other hand weren't so lucky! They both got fairly wet on their walk over.
<p>
@ -1522,18 +1505,80 @@ In the evening, when it finally brightened up a bit, James, Dickon and I summitt
<hr />
<div class="tripdate" id="2024-07-29a">2024-07-29</div>
<div class="trippeople"><u>Sam Tittensor</u>,Becka,Ellie D,Jono,Chris H,</div>
<div class="triptitle">Balkonhoehle - Happy Campers (eventually!)</div>
After 2 hot trips ferrying kit up the plateau, a late start, and a great deal of faff, motivation to get underground was low.
This resulted in a (very necessary!) talking-to from the drill sergeant (Becka), before we bucked our ideas up, and kit was assembled for inspection on the rocks at top camp and packed into bags.
The prospect of a 3 night camp as my first expo caving trip was quite daunting, and at the top of the entrance pitch we waited as Nat's team emerged one by one, filthy and exhausted from a similar trip, which didn't do much to allay my fears!
We eventually headed underground around 21:00 on the 29th July, steadily making our way to camp whilst trying to commit the route to memory, making it to bed around 02:00, not thrilled by the impending alarm.
<p>
Upon waking, the inevitable morning faff ensued, accompanied by the perpetual roar of the gas stove. Bags packed & plans made, we left camp just before 11:00 on the 30th.
<p>
We split into 2 teams, with Chris & Jono going to bolt a pitch near camp, and Ellie, Becka & myself heading for Tartarus, where the previous team had stashed the second drill, along with the promise of draughting leads.
<p>
Making good time through Northern Powerhouse & Medusa's Maze, we arrived at an unnamed 4 way junction, where Becka said "There's some QMBs around here, maybe we should take a look in case we don't fancy the Tartarus leads"
It turned out we were in the wrong place, so after a bit of a mooch about, we continued down the passage, passing through the bottom of a big chamber and down a short handline to a very different passage type, interconnected parallel ramps with a Swiss-Cheesy nature.
This was the location of the leads Becka had mentioned, and she & Ellie soon disappeared up a rift to the North to investigate a QMB.
Whilst stood at this junction, I noticed some definite air movement, which was quickly attributed to an upwards ramp with a distinctive 'frog spawn' texture to the floor.
<p>
We followed the ramp, reaching a slippery step over an intersecting rift, with a climb down marked as a QMA on the left, and the ramp still continuing in front of us with a QMA marked at the top.
The far side of a second, more precarious step-over brought the exciting sight of untrodden mud, at the foot of a large boulder choke with the draught still beckoning.
<p>
A careful shimmy to the edge and & bridge across put me in uncharted territory, and after ducking under an arch I was in much bigger passage, 2 huge blocks looming over me blocking the way on, with an enticing black void above.
This presented an obvious barrier to further exploration, but after the echo coming back from a couple of shouts it was immediately clear we needed to investigate further.
<p>
I wriggled around under the choke for a while, finding a chimney narrow enough to bridge across, which I thrutched my way up, gaining the top of the first large block.
The further into the chamber I got, the bigger it seemed to grow (along with my excitement), whilst Becka & Ellie watched proceedings somewhat apprehensively from the floor below.
<p>
A second, much safer climb onto another jammed boulder entered the chamber properly, where I began to take in the scale of the place, trying (failing) to light it up, and bouncing echos off the walls.
I returned to the deck completely buzzing, trying to communicate what I'd just seen, and insisting we must return with a drill & rope asap!
<p>
This meant somewhat reluctantly slogging off to Tartarus, where we decided we'd make the most of the day checking out some leads in Ichthyes. We spent a while trying to work out the way to the pushing front, clambering up and down in the rift, before deciding we were liable to run out of time to do anything useful. We then returned to a QMB we had passed on the way, resulting in a very quick and satisfying loop closure between 2 leads, finding a hole down and the continuation of a draughting rift behind a pillar, before returning to camp.
<p>
A planned early start the next day was stalled slightly by Jono's alarm failing to go off, but we made up time with some much more direct route finding back to the foot of the boulder choke.
Becka & Ellie started surveying the connection, whilst I climbed back onto the large boulder and set about bolting a route up for them to follow.
I took my time with this, knowing I would be shortly marked on my work by Becka, arriving on the deck at the same time as Ellie came round the corner armed with the nail varnish.
<p>
We headed into the chamber, celebrating with snacks whilst deciding how to tackle the surveying. We chose convenient stations on top of the Tatty-Hut sized boulders, sending legs as far as the SAP could manage.
A large downwards rift forms the Western continuation of the chamber, but the rock of both walls at the would-be pitch head is fairly crap, so this will require some thought.
<P>
Back at the entry point, heading East across more boulders revealed more promising leads; a "black hole" downwards spotted by Becka whilst surveying, and a mouth-like opening with a strong draught in the Northern corner which captured my attention as soon as I found it.
Grabbing the drill & our last scraps of rope, I rigged and descended the awkward pitch head, sliding between the waterworn 'teeth' into the (horizontal!) passage below, naming this the Dental Floss pitch.
<p>
There were 2 ways on from here; the continuation of the main passage straight on , and a small hole choked with mud to the right, which I promptly dug out to reveal a short drop to a second pitch, and some audible water dripping somewhere ahead.
<p>
Heading along the main passage, we reached a junction with a pillar; left leading down a steep slope covered with a thick layer of virgin mud, & right upslope leading to another junction with a switchback connecting to the small hole with dripping water described earlier. Here there were some interesting mud formations which we duly protected with the scrap of conservation tape we had remaining, before turning left up a short scramble to another right hand bend.
<p>
Upon turning this corner, we were immediately hit with the strongest draught I have felt in any cave, setting the tone for the next few steps across a pristine white traverse, the passage rapidly enlarging as we went...
<p>
This spat us out on a ledge overlooking a hole which left me totally lost for words; a pitch plunging away below, and an aven towering above.
Much whooping and revelling in the echos followed, before taking some photos and surveying as far as we could reach (very little!).
<p>
Underequipped and running out of time, we returned downslope, following the ramp back past the junction we'd entered from, for some very slippery surveying on the thick mud.
Reaching the bottom, I spotted what looked like freshly gardened rocks, and Becka then noticed the climb up on the right, which was the QMA we'd left immediately before entering the boulder choke that morning! This resulted in a very satisfying loop closure to finish the day, at which point I deployed the tactical miniature cave whisky, which I'd been saving in my oversuit for exactly such a moment.
<p>
Returning to camp in good spirits, we passed the evening with many noodles and the remainder of the hot chocolate, setting an alarm for 6:30 for the trip out.
In the morning, Becka & Jono raced ahead, whilst Chris, Ellie & I plodded up, arriving at the surface around 17:00, just in time to get stuck in a thunder storm at top camp.
<p>
Having vowed I was done with deep caving for this expo after the prussik up, it took all of 12 hours for the rose tinted glasses to go on, and back at base camp planning began for a return to the newly discovered shaft...
<div class="timeug">T/U: 68.0 hours</div>
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<div class="tripdate" id="2024-07-29b">2024-07-29</div>
<div class="trippeople"><u>Todd</u>,</div>
<div class="triptitle">Basecamp - Minesweeper sweeping</div>
Having been addicted to minesweeper previously in life, to the point of dreaming about it, I decided to take on the challenge of beating Hagrid. Between writing up Logbook entries and swimming in a lake, I defeated all records on all sizes of board. All top 10 on 8x8 are mine, sub 10s, 5s being the top. On 16x16 all 10 records are mine, the best being 46s. No one else has tried the 30x16 board, but my record is 2mins 36s. I throw down the gauntlet to anyone who wants a go.
<p>
I am a very sad man with too much time on his hands...
<div class="timeug">T/U: 0.0 hours</div>
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<div class="tripdate" id="2024-07-29b">2024-07-29</div>
<div class="trippeople"><u>Colin</u>,JamesM,Aidan,</div>
<div class="tripdate" id="2024-07-29c">2024-07-29</div>
<div class="trippeople"><u>Colin</u>,Aidan,JamesM,</div>
<div class="triptitle">homecoming - Welsh Engineering</div>
I was sold a nice easy surveying trip with a short pootle down a stream way. little did I know how wrong we were. we packed a single drill battery some short ropes and a few hangers just in case a few short drops were encountered. Once underground I was given the guided tour of what was known as the below Radagast series.
<p>
@ -1551,12 +1596,12 @@ The new pitch head was bolted with a combination of me and Aidan resulting in li
<p>
This bottom bit was bolted badly due to my frustration although it is still safe. We promptly called it a day and ran out of the cave trying to conserve energy. Exiting at 11:30. The eye of Sauron is pleasantly easy on the way out even with the knot pass. Resulting in an exit in less than 45 minutes. Once at garlic we clattered around trying to get to bed as quickly as possible waking Adam and disturbing Fiona sorry guys.
<div class="timeug">T/U: 12.0 hours</div>
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<div class="tripdate" id="2024-07-29c">2024-07-29</div>
<div class="trippeople"><u>Aidan K</u>,Colin F,James M,</div>
<div class="tripdate" id="2024-07-29d">2024-07-29</div>
<div class="trippeople"><u>Aidan K</u>,James M,Colin F,</div>
<div class="triptitle">Homecoming - The Eye of Sauron</div>
I was starting to lose psyche for my lead after the day of festering in Garlic and realising I might spend the entirety of my first expo in a small pointless, upper level of the system. The believed order of the day was mostly a surveying trip so we didn't bring many bolts or much rope.
<p>
@ -1580,12 +1625,12 @@ Before I had left I'd told Colin I'd wait 45 mins for him at the surface before
<p>
What. A. Day.
<div class="timeug">T/U: 12.0 hours</div>
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<div class="tripdate" id="2024-07-30b">2024-07-30</div>
<div class="trippeople"><u>bier tent</u>,Aidan,Colin,Fiona,, Adam</div>
<div class="tripdate" id="2024-07-30a">2024-07-30</div>
<div class="trippeople"><u>bier tent</u>,Adam,Fiona,Colin,Aidan,</div>
<div class="triptitle">Homecoming - Homecoming Round Trip</div>
[Written by Adam, under Bier Tent for now]
<p>
@ -1609,23 +1654,23 @@ I liked the look of the rift going off to the left, hoping to visit it again.
<p>
We headed back up, eventually getting to a rebelay named Rivendell. This had a green rope traversing to the left that lead to the main route. This had many awkward, horizontal passages. I remember shuffling on my butt to the left for a good while, trying to keep my position good whilst also not getting my bag stuck. At one point, we had to go down again to go up again! I should really know the names of the pitches here. Eventually we came back up Radagast and, being very tired, I was very happy to hear that we could see the other rope for the Welsh Engineering Route. We came out and saw off Colin and Aidan, who were heading down the hill. We updated our callout with basecamp and set off, getting to Garlic camp safe and sound, but still tired from the cave and the plateau walk. Curries never taste better than after a caving trip.
<div class="timeug">T/U: 7.5 hours</div>
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<div class="tripdate" id="2024-07-31b">2024-07-31</div>
<div class="tripdate" id="2024-07-31a">2024-07-31</div>
<div class="trippeople"><u>Sarah</u>,Nat,</div>
<div class="triptitle">Plateau - Prospecting north of Tunnocks</div>
After scrounging together prospecting gear from Stone Bridge, Nat and I set off north of the Tunnock's col searching for new entrances. Some bunde bashing to a first rocky valley yielded some nice looking holes, but all pinched out after less than 5m. Wandering further along, we found p2013-cucc-pit. Finding no info on this entrance on the website, we assumed it hadn't been dropped yet. Nat rigged a rope on with a sling and 2 hexes, and I abseiled down (approx 8m), past a choked boulder, to the bottom. Unfortunately, it choked with rocks and ice at the bottom.
Further along, Nat spotted another hole (2024-ND-01) - I poked my head in, to be hit in the face with a strong draught. Dropping rocks down gave 4-5 seconds of rattle. Nat began gardening the rocks and boulders suspended above the entrance. I came to help, but ended up dropping a boulder into the entrance, blocking it. We then spent the next 2 hours trying to unblock it, with the hammer, and some slings and my pulley. But to no avail. We eventually admitted defeat and decided someone would need to return with a crow bar and lump hammer.
We began heading back to Stone Bridge, via the Tunnock's col, feeling hot and grumpy. Part of the plateau disintegrated on me and I twisted my ankle. We slowly continued, and found another good hole (big hole in side of cliff, with horizontal bedding planes - 2024-ND-02), but it was too late in the day and we were too dehydrated to drop. 10m further north, we found another hole (2024-ND-03) and made a note. Made it back to SB, dehydrated, took some vitamin I, and headed down the hill.
<div class="timeug">T/U: 0.0 hours</div>
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<div class="tripdate" id="2024-07-31c">2024-07-31</div>
<div class="trippeople"><u>bier tent</u>,Fiona,, Adam</div>
<div class="tripdate" id="2024-07-31b">2024-07-31</div>
<div class="trippeople"><u>bier tent</u>,Adam,Fiona,</div>
<div class="triptitle">Homecoming - Bolting the Brandywine</div>
[Written by Adam, but under Bier Tent for now]
<p>
@ -1650,12 +1695,24 @@ My ascent of Eye of Sauron before Fiona had given me a bit of headway, so I took
A good trip, we'd made progress though not nearly as much as I wanted to make, my main goals for the next trip were to survey it and to rig a deviation. Due to me giving the SAP away for the next day, the former would prove difficult.
<p>
<div class="timeug">T/U: 7.0 hours</div>
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<div class="tripdate" id="2024-07-31c">2024-07-31</div>
<div class="trippeople"><u>ZW</u>,</div>
<div class="triptitle">basecamp - To top</div>
<P>i WILL NOPT BE DENIED</P>
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[Ed. date fixed using git commit records.]
<div class="timeug">T/U: 0.0 hours</div>
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<div class="tripdate" id="2024-08-01a">2024-08-01</div>
<div class="trippeople"><u>Lara</u>,Chi,Liam,Colin,</div>
<div class="trippeople"><u>Lara</u>,Colin,Liam,Chi,</div>
<div class="triptitle">Homecoming - The First Rule of Alpine Caving</div>
I'm not sure exactly why I decided to end my expo with a trip that was specifically designed to be a derigging sufferfest but it seemed like a good idea a few Gossers deep at basecamp. It did indeed turn out to be an epic but very much not in the way we expected.
<p>
@ -1703,7 +1760,7 @@ It sounds crazy but it was a brilliant trip, fun in adversity becomes more fun a
<hr />
<div class="tripdate" id="2024-08-01b">2024-08-01</div>
<div class="trippeople"><u>Todd Rye</u>,Isaac Neale,Aila Taylor,</div>
<div class="trippeople"><u>Todd Rye</u>,Aila Taylor,Isaac Neale,</div>
<div class="triptitle">Homecoming - Simple Pleasures</div>
After a bit of festering at base camp, it was decided that a rescue mission was needed to recover Isaac’s simple. Luckily, the A lead he had dropped it down was above Strained by Gravity, which meant we could get there and out relatively quickly. So off we went!
<p>
@ -1718,7 +1775,7 @@ Unfortunately and fortunately the SAP battery died, and we realised that we were
<hr />
<div class="tripdate" id="2024-08-01c">2024-08-01</div>
<div class="trippeople"><u>bier tent</u>,Fiona,, Adam</div>
<div class="trippeople"><u>Adam</u>,Fiona,</div>
<div class="triptitle">Homecoming - Back to Brandywine</div>
[Written by Adam, under Bier Tent for now]
<p>
@ -1745,62 +1802,5 @@ But in any case, I got out in 2 hours at 5:30pm, popping out of the cave entranc
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<div class="tripdate" id="2024-12-31a">2024-07-31</div>
<div class="trippeople"><u>ZW</u>,</div>
<div class="triptitle">basecamp - To top</div>
<P>i WILL NOPT BE DENIED</P>
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[Ed. date fixed using git commit records.]
<div class="timeug">T/U: 0.0 hours</div>
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<div class="tripdate" id="2024-07-02z">2024-07-02</div>
<div class="trippeople">Chi, Liam, Colin, Lara</div>
<div class="triptitle">Homecoming - The First Rule of Alpine Caving</div>
I'm not sure exactly why I decided to end my expo with a trip that was specifically designed to be a derigging sufferfest but it seemed like a good idea a few Gossers deep at basecamp. It did indeed turn out to be an epic but very much not in the way we expected.
<p>
The day started slightly sadly after a night at Garlic: Harry had consumed ice cream illadvisably (and maybe was ill on top of that). So his stomach and his fever meant it was decided it was unwise for him to join us. Colin was stolen from Todd and Aila to become an extra mule for the many many metres of rope we expected to carry out. The plan was simple: Watershed ended in a sketchy duck and the lack of enthusiasm for pushing it meant we should really remove all the rope up to Strained by Gravity. It was going to be around 300 to 400m and probably some strenuous prusiking. Chi and Harry had also realised the disto was in calibration mode on their last pushing trip so our extra task was surveying the lead they had slightly killed.
<p>
We went in down Aidan's new Welsh Engineering route, guided by Colin. Though it was very pretty (cool 60 meter freehanging pitch down a tube) it was deemed probably not safe for a main route. The main pitch was in a noticeably drippy and it was a bit snaggy. This was a bit of a shame because as much as Wallace and Grommit have grown on me against my will Welsh Engineering was definitely more efficient. Let it also be noted that the water was very low at this point and the streamway peaceful and quiet below Grommit.
<p>
I took over the tour guiding at this point and showed Colin down Watershed, Chi and Liam nattering about something technical at the back. At the bottom of Strained by Gravity I instructed him to walk quickly through the section Chi calls 'The Gauntlet'. Colin looked at me like I was being silly: 'Its not even that drippy'.
<p>
After a fair bit of Caving we reached Chi's new traverses at around 3:30 and were pretty chuffed at our expediency. Chi and Colin arrived soon behind us in time for me to begin apologising as doing book was so slow. This theme continued but it was fun to see the new passage and seeing the duck at the end was a nice reward for finally getting down all the data. It was more promising than expected; a nice draft coming out of it and quite a few B leads which looked promising for bypasses.
<p>
Our turnaround time of 7 had crept up on us so we had to leave the very bottom of watershed and contemplate the long derig out. This is where things stopped going to plan.
<p>
Chi began on the bits he and Harry had bolted, while I zoomed to the bottom of My Favourite things to wait for the bags to be passed out. Colin took a full bag and went on ahead. During this time feeling slightly guilty I decided I would offer to do the next section, up to the top of Alpine Showers. A slightly daunting task as I hadn't done any derigging on bolts and was pretty green at derigging in general. Ah well, I'd give it a go.
<p>
Eventually Chi and Liam turned up, went up the pitch and I began. The first pitch was fine, but the second bolt at the top started spinning as I undid the bolt. I abandoned the hanger and continued along the traverse, aware I was being pretty slow. Somewhere along the traverse, undoing a Maillon I noticed the roaring of the waterfall - I always get paranoid at water noise. Better just check though: 'Chi! Is that getting louder'. He surprised me with a matter of fact: 'Yes, it is'. Oh fuck.
<p>
Having read Becca's trip report I checked my watch: 8:20. Apparently 40 mil of rain started on the surface at 7. At this point I should have abandoned the derigging and got the hell out of dodge but my decision making wasn't working perfectly. I sped up, shoving maillons and knots into the bag and not being as careful with points of attachments as I should have been. Chi shouts round the corner something about the waterfall getting bigger. He was going to get up it and out of there. I kept derigging, pretty frantically, one more bolt started spinning on the traverse and another at the top of the tiny pitch after the bottom of Alpine Showers, this time almost as I'd taken the hanger off. I cursed as I fumbled and dropped the nut on the next bolt. Chi was shouting something at me down the pitch, so was Liam but I couldn't hear a thing. The waterfall at the bottom pitch was an absolute torrent and at this point I was pretty goddamn scared. At least I had my layers in the bag with me, I could get through this.
<p>
At some point before expo I had a vague memory that Kai had made me promise not to ascend a pitch in a flood pulse. I knew what the middle pitch was like, pretty splashy at the best of times, it needed a deviation we'd never put in and I'm bad at avoiding water. Maybe I shouldn't so something stupid here. I finally gave up on the derigging, Chi was shouting at me something. Maybe: come up? I shouted 'IT'S TOO WET' a lot of times and heard clearly 'I KNOW!!'. Great.
<p>
At this point I'd resigned myself to at least a few hours alone at the bottom waiting out a flood pulse, no group shelter but I had warm clothes and I wasn't wet yet. The bottom of the rope I'd just derigged landed on a nice dry ledge: that's where I wanted to be. As I reached to put the maillon back in and rig it again I realised I couldn't use a spinning bolt with the nut almost off it. I was just contemplating the rope rub by rigging of the previous bolt and quietly singing <em> My Favourite Things </em> top myself when I saw Chi's light at the top of the pitch. He really wanted me to come up. Okay, plan change.
<p>
I ditched all the rope onto the ledge, knots with maillons and hangers in the pile with everything else. After a glance to check my layers were there I got going. Chi shouted something about not swinging into the water: okey dokey. I half prussiked half clung to the wall, relieved this pitch wasn't as wet as it looked. The waterfall was roaring right next to me but I was fine. I reached Chi, very very relieved to no longer be alone.
<p>
Chi leaned in to be heard, he was wet from the waist down but impressively calm. Right, we were going to get through this. I de-weighted the traverse so he could rerig is looser so it didn't pull you taught into the waterfall. He told me to watch what he did. In essence: climb up the right ledge as far as possible swing round the waterfall, now gushing like a split pipe out the right hand wall around three metres up the pitch. After that, prussik like hell. The ideal was to only get soaked legs. Chi swung but ended up in the waterfall, he was soaked but got to the top of the pitch. 'Not like that', okay I shouted, 'I'll do it my way'. My way wasn't better.
<p>
Steps one and two went well but my pantin and footloop popped off just under the waterfall, exactly as they had the last time I'd got dripped on on this pitch. This time it was a lot more than the splashback spray. Chi was shouting GO GO GO, and I wasn't moving up the rope. At this point I decided there was nothing for it and reached down to put back on my footloop. The waterfall was pounding on my helmet - I had to get out. I frogged like hell fresher-style and got up the pitch, completely soaked but not drowned.
<p>
Chi and I came to the same conclusion, abandon the derig, cave fast and get the hell out. Liam had also got soaked below the waist and this was dangerous. I met Colin along the rift and he greeted me with a cheery 'I'm completely dry!'. Despite the look I gave him he and Liam were brilliant: cajoling me up pitches where my SRT was shaky with adrenaline. There was a lot of checking everyone else was okay.
<p>
Up flowstone canyon I was a lot calmer but worried. I was properly exerted but only lukewarm and I knew Chi got hypothermia at the drop of a hat. At the junction I raided my layer bag to the dregs: Chi got my pufferjackets, I got spare thermals and a waterproof and in surprisingly high spirits we kept going.
<p>
The way out was shivery but cheerful. Moral was pretty high and we even stopped for noodles. Poor Liam and Colin were roasting at the pace we needed so there was a lot of sitting very close at pitchheads and transferring warmth. Still we laughed at the clusterfuck that had happened and kept caving out making not terrible time.
<p>
Chi's D and B was brilliant as always up Wallace and Grommit and for once I was looking forward to long pitches where: rather than the normal experience of sweating in no layers, this time I got back to a nice temperature. The final push and walk back to Garlic was very welcome, where we reassured Harry we hadn't died.
<p>
It sounds crazy but it was a brilliant trip, fun in adversity becomes more fun and we all got out safe. Still, I'm avoiding waterfalls for a little bit.
<div class="timeug">T/U: 15.0 hours</div>
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