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[svn r6320] DL: Added description of 2004 finds in Razordance

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@@ -27,17 +27,16 @@ id="status">4/S x</th></tr>
The pitch series begins with a short pitch of 5m rigged from a large thread in
the roof a few metres back, with a single spit for the vertical part, which is
almost a scramble. This lands on a large ledge formed of boulders wedged across
a narrow point, with impressive aven above.
There are two choices of descent here: one to the north,
<b>You're So Veined</b> (15m) which was used in 1999, and one to the south,
<b><a id="potulike">Pot-U-Like</a></b> (~35m) which has been the trade route
since 2000.</p>
a narrow point, with impressive aven above. There are two choices of descent
here: one to the north, <b>You're So Veined</b> (15m) which was used in 1999,
and one to the south, <b><a id="potulike">Pot-U-Like</a></b> (~35m) which has
been the trade route since 2000.</p>
<h4>You're So Veined route</h4>
<p>One rebelay provides a good hang against the wall of You're So Veined to reach
the foot of the pitch, which is in a spacious shaft, with an impressive aven
above. From here, there are two ways on.</p>
<p>One rebelay provides a good hang against the wall of You're So Veined to
reach the foot of the pitch, which is in a spacious shaft, with an impressive
aven above. From here, there are two ways on.</p>
<p><i>To the left, facing away from the pitch just descended, is a gully, which
in 1999 contained a thick layer of ice. Carefully traversing this rather
@@ -65,26 +64,26 @@ of a sloping rock wedged across the rift, from where an entertaining Y-hang on
the left-hand wall provides a free-hang to the base of the pitch. A ledge is
passed a few metres from the bottom.</p>
<p>Crossing an ice floor leads to the head of the next pitch of 14m. A backup
bolt is followed by a Y-hang, which utilises one very cratered spit only usable
with a bollard type hanger. This is succeeded by a deviation from the opposite
wall, providing a clear hang to the bottom. The landing is on a floor of
boulders wedged across the shaft, although
it seems sound. A backup bolt protects the approach to the Y-hang at the head
of the next pitch, <b>Steel Toecap</b> (35m). After a ledge 3m down, where a
deviation optimises the hang, the walls of the shaft bell out dramatically and
the rope hangs in stimulating isolation. About 5m from the floor a ledge is
passed, which could be gained by a swing across, where there may possibly be a
passage leading off [<a href="qm.html#C1999-204-20"
id="qC1999-204-20">C1999-204-20 B</a>].</p>
<p>At the foot of this pitch is a pool of water, or an ice pan, depending on
the conditions that year. Crossing this leads to the head of the next pitch of
14m. A backup bolt is followed by a Y-hang, which utilises one very cratered
spit only usable with a bollard type hanger. This is followed by a deviation
from the opposite wall, providing a clear hang to the bottom. The landing is
on a floor of boulders wedged across the shaft, although it seems sound. A
backup bolt protects the approach to the Y-hang at the head of the next pitch,
<b>Steel Toecap</b> (35m). After a ledge 3m down, where a deviation optimises
the hang, the walls of the shaft bell out dramatically and the rope hangs in
stimulating isolation. About 5m from the floor a ledge is passed, which could
be gained by a swing across, where there may possibly be a passage leading off
[<a href="qm.html#C1999-204-20" id="qC1999-204-20">C1999-204-20 B</a>].</p>
<p>At the foot of the pitch, the way on is a very chossy, sloping descent which
will require either re-rigging or bypassing (which may be possible by a climb
up and over) in future. This leads to a further short pitch (10m), which lands
in an aven chamber of ample proportions. <i>From here drops an 8m pitch,
landing on a rubble floor. The only way on is a tight rift [<a
href="qm.html#C2000-204-60" id="qC2000-204-60">C2000-204-60 C</a>], which
was penetrated for only a short distance. More progress might be possible by
href="qm.html#C2000-204-60" id="qC2000-204-60">C2000-204-60 C</a>], which was
penetrated for only a short distance. More progress might be possible by
someone small and imaginative. Not surveyed in 2000.</i> From the aven chamber,
a crawl leads off, followed by a descending rubble slope. The rubble slope
curves round to the right, passing a tight rift on the left [<a
@@ -116,44 +115,68 @@ a couple of metres back). Suddenly, at the base of the funnel, there is an
impressive black space. In 2000 the descent was rigged New-Zealand style,
entirely from naturals, which seemed sound, but worrisome for us bolt-junkies,
especially given the record of 'Bomb-Proof' naturals in KH visiting the bottoms
of pitches; the current rig as of 2003 uses a pitch-head deviation, and a
of pitches; the current rig as of 2002 uses a pitch-head deviation, and a
Y-hang rebelay around halfway down, to keep the descent clear of walls and the
small trickle of water which falls down the shaft. This looks worryingly like
it would become a huge deluge after rain, drenching anyone on the rebelay, but
apparently even in the miserable weather of 2002 there was only a very slight
increase. The floor is reached after 54 metres of descent. The way on is a
short traverse, an 8 metre pitch, another short traverse, and then a 20 metre
pitch to a ledge. The final pitch from this ledge is an impressive rift of 47
metres depth, rigged in 2000 from a natural, one bolt, and the rope from the
pitch above.</p>
even during one epic trip in 2004 when water levels throughout the cave were
extremely high this area was no more than drippy. The floor is reached after 54
metres of descent. The way on is a short traverse, an 8 metre pitch, another
short traverse, and then a 20 metre pitch to a ledge. The final pitch from this
ledge is an impressive rift of 47 metres depth, rigged from a Y-hang backed up
to the pitch above. This is also slightly drippy at the bottom if the water
levels are high, but this is not problematic.</p>
<h3><a id="razor">Razordance</a></h3>
<p>At the bottom of the 47m pitch, a merry little stream is reached (similar
volume of water to the Top Camp waterhole in spate). Upstream was not pushed,
but reportedly leads quickly to the foot of a waterfall [<a
href="qm.html#C2000-204-63" id="qC2000-204-63">C2000-204-63 B</a>].
Downstream quickly narrows to about 50cm wide, and progress is made by
constantly changing level to stay where the passage is wide enough. After about
40m a small cascade of about 4m is reached, which could probably be
free-climbed, but a handline here helps avoid getting soaked. The passage is
considerably wider for a few metres below the cascade, but soon resumes in its
previous manner. Suddenly, the head of a pitch, <b>Black Lightning</b> (13m),
is reached. The streamway continues past a 2m climb and 2m pitch leading to the
25m pitch of <b>Mystery Wind</b>; this is descended via a crow's-nest which
gives a dry sloping descent to the floor, protected by two rebelays. The
streamway continues to <b>Easy There</b> (p15) and <b>Steady Now</b> (p4), the
2002 limit. 2003 saw further pushing to a short down pitch (no more than 3m)
shortly followed by a climb up into a large chamber, <b>God Loves a Drunk</b>,
where an (impassably tight) inlet enters from the right. Immediately beyond
this are <b>The Mash Tun</b> (p8) and <b>Copper</b>[<a href="qm.html#C2003-204-48" id="qC2003-204-48">C2003-204-48 B</a>] (p17). Beyond this the rift
becomes tighter and more awkward again, leading to the head of yet another
pitch, <b>Yeast</b> (p10). Shortly beyond this the bottom of the rift becomes
rather tight and an ascending traverse can be followed, as far as a local
widening; here it will be necessary to bolt, either for a pitch to the floor or
for protection to continue the traverse. A plumb was made at this point to the
floor 7m below, at 484m below the 204a entrance. Further exploration awaits in
2004 [<a href="qm.html#C2003-204-86" id="qC2003-204-86">C2003-204-86 A</a>].</p>
href="qm.html#C2000-204-63" id="qC2000-204-63">C2000-204-63 B</a>]. Downstream
quickly narrows to about 50cm wide, and progress is made by constantly changing
level to stay where the passage is wide enough. After about 40m a small cascade
of about 4m is reached, which could probably be free-climbed, but has been
rigged with an SRT line to avoid getting soaked; if the water level rises much
this is still rather aqueous, and probably needs at least one more bolt. The
passage is considerably wider for a few metres below the cascade, but soon
resumes in its previous manner; it is helpful to traverse quite high up in
this section.</p>
</p>Suddenly, the head of a pitch, <b>Black Lightning</b> (13m), is reached.
The streamway continues past a 2m climb and 2m pitch leading to the 25m pitch
of <b>Mystery Wind</b>; this is descended via a crow's-nest which gives a dry
sloping descent to the floor, protected by two rebelays. Immediately beyond
this is <b>Dave Dives</b>, an awkward roof-tube climb to bypass a tight spot;
this should on no account be descended head-first. A bolt here might render the
process safer. The streamway continues to the twin pitches of <b>Easy There</b>
(15m) and <b>Steady Now</b> (4m), the 2002 limit; the head of the latter is
difficult and tight, but it seems unlikely that the rig could be improved by
any alteration not involving a large hammer.</p>
<p>2003 saw further pushing to a short, rather damp down pitch (3m) shortly
followed by a climb up over boulders into a large chamber, <b>God Loves a
Drunk</b>, where an (apparently impassably tight) inlet enters from the right.
Immediately beyond this are <b>The Mash Tun</b> (p8) and <b>Copper</b> (p17).
In high water levels these are both very wet, dangerously so given the cold
and draughty nature of the passage. There may be a continuation at high level
via a loony bolt traverse across the head of Copper [<a
href="qm.html#C2003-204-48" id="qC2003-204-48">C2003-204-48 B</a>].</p>
<p>Beyond this the rift becomes tighter and more awkward again, leading to the
head of yet another pitch, <b>Yeast</b> (p10). Shortly beyond this the bottom
of the rift becomes rather tight and an ascending traverse can be followed, as
far as a local widening, the 2004 limit; dropping back to stream level rapidly
becomes tight again, but a traverse line across, <b>Nordic Traverse</b>, gives
access to a dry fossil passage to the head of <b>Thirteen Year Pitch</b (7m),
which drops into a spacious dry chamber. Here a tight and scrofulous-looking
rift leads off to the right (QM 04-XXX C), while the chosen way on is to
descend <b>Pepper Pot</b> (20m) back to stream level. Here the passage returns
to familiar rifty crappiness for a few metres; it is helpful to take a
relatively high level for a while until the passage widens again, at which
point a 6m pitch, <b>(unnamed)</b>, regains the stream level. At this point
there is a convenient widening at a level that gradually ascends to the head of
<i>yet another</i> pitch, at which point the exploration team finally got
bored. (QM 04-XX)</p>
<h3><a id="fled">Fledermausschacht</a></h3>
@@ -164,11 +187,11 @@ descended. Soon the pitch becomes vertical, and a rebelay on the far wall (at
-5m) allows the next few metres to be descended. Unfortunately the shaft still
hades slightly, and a further two rebelays (at -15m and -28m) are required
before the magnitude of this 112m shaft starts to become apparent. A 40m
free-hanging section leads to a sloping ledge, where the shaft dog-legs again and
a scrappy descent down a gully, and a further two rebelays (at -68m and -80m),
reaches a sloping ledge overlooking the final section of the pitch. A chossy
traverse across the left hand wall appears to head into a parallel shaft [<a
href="qm.html#C2000-204-61" id="qC2000-204-61">C2000-204-61 C</a>]. A bolt
free-hanging section leads to a sloping ledge, where the shaft dog-legs again
and a scrappy descent down a gully, and a further two rebelays (at -68m and
-80m), reaches a sloping ledge overlooking the final section of the pitch. A
chossy traverse across the left hand wall appears to head into a parallel shaft
[<a href="qm.html#C2000-204-61" id="qC2000-204-61">C2000-204-61 C</a>]. A bolt
round the corner to the right allows a descent of the final 22m to the floor to
be made, where a boulder choke is met, with no way on. The whole pitch,
particularly the far wall, is rather loose and due care must be taken. A large