Access to the final sump is guarded by short siphons in each of the two passages going to the far end of the cave. These can be drained, but care should be taken to ensure they are drained towards the entrance, otherwise the final sump will become muddy. Visited by Mike Thomas and Pete Lancaster in 1989, as far as the short sumps.
A note on the geology : The north shore of the lake follows a large fault with a big throw, so that this cave is in the same block of limestone as the Stögerweg area caves. The Austrians think there is no hydrological connection between this cave/resurgence and the lake level, since vauclusian resurgences in the lake appear to be in a very different block of limestone which has been down-faulted relative to the plateau. However, it seems more likely that these risings are actually on the fault, and that the lake level, and the level of the sumps in this cave and in Stellerweghöhle are closely related.
The 1m diameter entrance is followed by a walking sized phreatic passage with further entrances in the roof. This continues to a four-way junction. Straight on soon chokes at a boulder slope. Up to the left, the passage winds back to a further entrance. The way on is down to the right. The 5m high passage continues, passing low crawls on the left and right to a point where the roof lowers and the passage is split horizontally. The lower passage leads to an extensive series of low crawls whilst the upper passage continues to a squeeze past a debris cone with a distinct draught. Past the debris cone the passage splits again. The right hand passage chokes soon after a 12m pitch but the left hand passage carries on as a hands and knees crawl, crosses a blind 4m pit and soon reaches the first pitch.
A fine descent of 66m in a large shaft lands on a boulder ledge with the second pitch following on immediately. This descends 50m to a 15cm wide rift. Although there is a possible continuation beyond, this would require considerable effort to enter and was not pushed. A climb up to a window above the second pitch (krab and sling left rigged) gains a climb down to the boulder-strewn foot of an aven and a horizontal tube going off (not explored). 13m down the second pitch, Fledermaus ledge can be gained, with a passage leading off to Fledermaus pitch, named for the quantities of bat skeletons at its head. This 27m descent reaches about the same level as the base of the second pitch, and is blind except for a small slot in one wall. Traversing over Fledermaus leads to a small chamber with two tubes leading off, both draughting. The left tube becomes too tight, but a pitch can be seen beyond the constriction. The right tube is the Organ Grinder.
The Organ Grinder is 46m of exceedingly tortuous passage - nowhere extremely tight but twisting and turning, rising and falling, requiring a unique combination of contortions. It is best tackled feet first on the way in (head first on the way out) until a flat out crawl near the end which leads to the crux: a U-bend, best approached head first on the descent. This is even more difficult on the return, when it is best tackled feet first. UBSS's times to pass this passage varied from 10 minutes to 3½ hours, with an average of 20 minutes. There is just room to replace SRT gear before the following pitch. The return of an injured person through this tube would be almost impossible without extensive modification of the cave.
The third pitch descends 42m, passing two windows, to a floor with no way on. From the foot of the pitch, a 3m climb up to a ledge reveals two climbs down. One of thse is blind, but the other leads to an undescended pitch of c20m.
Both of the windows in the third pitch connect with Topher's pitch, and the lower one was rigged. From here the pitch is 86m with a large ledge near the bottom. At the foot, a window leads to an aven, whilst in the opposite wall, another window looks onto the fifth pitch, Toccata and Feuge (sic).
Toccata and Feuge is best descended from a ledge above the large ledge in Topher's pitch. Rigged mainly from flakes and threads, it drops in a series of steps, 39m in total. A small hole in the floor drops into a chamber with no passable way on - just two exits, both too tight. 10m back up the pitch, a ledge can be gained and is the start of the Rift Climb. This is a 40m descent, and is best rigged as a self-lined climb. The rift continues for some distance horizontally, but has not been followed. Below the Rift climb, the head of another pitch can be gained, but great care should be exercised in the Rift Climb and this following pitch (The Pitch of the Flying Boulders) as there are many loose rocks, which, when dislodged, fall the full depth of both pitches. From the bottom of Topher's Pitch to the head of PotFB, many fossils of "large bivalves and snails on sticks" protrude up to 25mm from the rock.
The PotFB was rigged from a thread and is somewhat awkward for 6m to a rebelay, after which it hangs free. The 32m descent lands in The Hall of the Flying Boulders, which again contains much loose rock, choking the floor level. However, a 2m climb up a mudbank leads to an impressive phreatic passage. A pit in the floor of this passage drops to a chamber with a deep well. Passing this, and a smaller side passage on he left, one soon reaches Another Bloody Pitch with a strong draught at the head. The side passage also joins this pitch. Another Bloody Pitch is 31m, but ends blind. A window part way down reaches a further shaft of 36m, also blind, but this is the deepest explored point, at -295m.
From the head of Another Bloody Pitch, a continuation of the phreatic passage can be seen, but will not be reached without a serious bolted traverse. It is thought that this is the main way on, at c260m depth.
Until recently, it has been difficult to come close to a comprehensive survey or even a good estimate of the length of the system because of a lack of contact and some misunderstanding between the groups involved. However, in 1997 a chance encounter (at the International Congress) by Wookey with Denis Motte, of the G.S.Clerval, led to renewed contacts with one group who explored this area, and Thilo Müller of ARGE has contacted the leaders of other groups and obtained all the rest of the 1980s information that survives. This is being merged into a coherent set of information which will guide necessary resurvey work to complete the picture.
Stellerweghöhle in turn is connected to Schwabenschacht which was over 7km at the time and exploration continues. This must make the combined system at least 19 km long. We have seen figures quoted as high as 25km, but this may involve some double-counting, given the uncertainties involved. Arge's estimate (entirely from extant survey data) was 22.7 km after summer 1999.
Until recently, it has been difficult to come close to a comprehensive survey or even a good estimate of the length of the system because of a lack of contact and some misunderstanding between the groups involved. However, in 1997 a chance encounter (at the International Congress) by Wookey with Denis Motte, of the G.S.Clerval, led to renewed contacts with one group who explored this area, and Thilo Müller of ARGE has contacted the leaders of other groups and obtained all the rest of the 1980s information that survives. This is being merged into a coherent set of information which will guide necessary resurvey work to complete the picture.
Stellerweghöhle in turn is connected to Schwabenschacht which was over 7km at the time and exploration continues. This must make the combined system at least 19 km long. We have seen figures quoted as high as 25km, but this may involve some double-counting, given the uncertainties involved. Arge's estimate (entirely from extant survey data) was 22.7 km after summer 1999.
Open shaft descends 5m to first rigging bolt, then short pitch to snow plug. The way out is to the NE, where the survey shows a couple of (inaccessible ?) question marks and a traverse over a pit. Narrow rift continues past another unexplored small passage to the right, and in 20m opens out into a sizeable chamber. The boulder floor drops away to the north (left) and ahead. Up right is a bouldery antechamber with the base of a ramp up SE. A short passage here chokes.
20m across the boulder slope, it is possible to descend the slope left into the main part of Oberpfälzer Halle, 15m wide and 30m long, now heading west, still descending over boulders. To the right is a 15m rift passage with an inlet. Ahead, the chamber narrows, but large bouldery passage continues with two or three big boulders (over 5m). To SW is a junction marking the start of Jsartal. Up a steep ramp to the right (NW) is unexplored, whilst left, south, goes directly below the entrance in a passage with a slot in the floor. After 25m is a widening and junction. Right curves round to end below an aven. Left goes quickly to another junction. Right soon chokes in boulders, whilst left ends quickly in an undescended rift pitch.
Back at the junction at the start of Jsartal, the main way SW soon traverses a large hole in the floor, then continues as a small canyon until 50m from the start is a junction in small passage. Right pops out immediately into the side of a ramp rising right (north) to a choke. Down ends in a pitch, which is best reached by the small passage left at the junction. This quickly doglegs and comes out over the pitch on the opposite side from the ramp. The pitch (undescended) is seen to be a widening in a deep floor canyon, which continues as Jsartal develops into an 8m wide rocky chamber through which the floor trench meanders.
After a short way, the trench abruptly ends, and a ramp up above it leads to a junction. Left continues up ramp, but not very far. Right traverses the ramp (another down-section soon ends), then heads west past another blind passage on the right, to break out into a larger passage ahead. Left (south) is the way to Geburtstagsgang, whilst right (north) eventually leads to the SchwarzmooskogelEishöhle connection.
Ascending a low ramp leads past various short side-extensions to Schafott - apparently a breakthrough point in 1986 ? Beyond this, small passage continues SW, with a mudbank on the left, for almost 50m until it widens out and descends a steep slope towards a floor trench. Left here a further ramp ascends east to a choke. The floor trench continues W, then NW, but would seem to be too narrow. Staying on the north side of the trench and heading NW (right from the point of entry) leads through mud and/or shingle deposits in a small zig-zag passage which meets first a small canyon which doesn't go, and then a T-junction over another canyon.
Right ends after ten metres or so, whilst left (west) meets another junction where a further trench comes in from the left (south). This also appears to be too small to follow, but would seem likely to connect with one or both of the trenches seen earlier. Ahead reaches a chamber, with a steep slope down left to yet another trench, but staying high gains the continuation of Geburtstagsgang continuing small with a narrow floor canyon. This now goes NW for 50m, to a T-junction. Right ends almost immediately, whilst left shortly pops out in bigger passage on a ledge overlooking a small stream.
Right in the canyon, 12m away, is bigger passage (Großer Cañon), and the original way to Stellerweghöhle, whilst ahead/left goes west, quickly picking up an inlet from the left and dropping 30m in Ungarn Cañon, a narrow way for 50m, to where exploration ceased. It is not clear, but this may well be a pitch, quite possibly into part of the Stellerweg system.
By going right at the start of Ungarn Cañon, large, bouldery passage is soon met at a T-junction. To the right is an alternative route from the entrance via Frankenschnellweg and Großer Cañon. This route was found first, but the survey numbering suggests it was surveyed later and I might deduce that this is not the normal way.
Left in the bigger passage is over boulders, passing a short passage on the left. A hole in the floor of this appears to connect to Ungarn Cañon. Ahead, a slit in the floor is traversed (on the right ?) to reach a pair of large boulders. Up right here ends quickly in an unclimbable sediment wall. Continuing west, the trench reappears (now traversed on left) and soon expands to be a large hole in the floor. It is unclear from the survey how this is crossed, but on the far side, it would appear that a pitch of c 35m is descended, over jammed blocks. Rising steeply to the right (north) from (the foot ?) here is an unascended ramp, which seems likely to connect to unsurveyed passages below Roddick's Dive in 1623/144.
A continuation WNW from this point would appear to be part of the streamway below the Big Pitch in Stellerweghöhle. This in turn suggests that the 35m or so descent must be in the lower part of this shaft, and the ramp seen to the right starts some way above the foot of the pitch.
From the junction at the west of Jsartal, large passage heads north for a short way to a T-junction. Right encounters two floor trenches, the right hand of which soon widens to a 3m deep blind pit. Across this is 25m of rising passage to a choke. Left soon swings round and heads north again, passong another short, blind ascending way on the left. A short section of floor trench is traversed and a short way beyond is Brotzeitplatz, where a large cross-rift goes a short distance left and right.
Ahead is Frankenschnellweg, a rifty passage with rounded roof, heading north with an initial floor trench. Thirty metres or so from Brotzeitplatz another cross-rift is met, this time at an angle. This is the start of a slightly mazey area. To the right is narrow for 30m to the edge of a wide shaft, Regenschacht, 4m deep. By traversing right on the near edge, a small passage is gained which circles all the way round to the far side, then ends in a small aven.
Ahead in Frankenschnellweg, another cross-rift is encountered less than 20m ahead. Right turns sharply back and connects to the Regenschacht passage about halfway along. Left is too narrow to follow, but lines up with another section of rift in the mazey area. Continuing north in Frankenschnellweg, the boulder floor changes and a steep slope down leads to the lip of a canyon at Puits du Sable. Directly opposite is a short blind ramp up. Right is the way to Grand Galerie, described below, whilst left is the start of Großer Cañon.
This is the deep rift reached at the end of Frankenschnellweg, but it is not clear that this is the best way to get to it. Back at the start of the mazey area, the way left (SW) is boulder-floored rift which continues for twenty metres or so until a junction. Ahead chokes, but two ways right soon unite. The left way looks harder - a traverse over a trench, whilst the right way is boulder floored. Beyond the reunion is narrower, with a slot in the floor, and zig-zagging roughly NW, though clearly interrupted by a number of SW-NE joints. One of these can be followed for ten or fifteen metres, where it becomes too narrow, but lined up with a cross-rift in Frankenschnellweg.
After this joint, the next junction is effectively an oxbow on the left, where a bat was found during exploration. Ahead soon reaches the top of the Großer Cañon, some 40m downstream from the point reached in Frankenschnellweg. A descent to the bottom at this point is a 30m pitch. Directly across from the point of entry is a ramp up, with various sediment banks, leading to Sophienhalle. To the right goes back towards the Puits du Sable and Grand Galerie - see below.
To the left, Großer Cañon heads SW in a classic meander, or traversing rift. Give or take a couple of zags, this is straight for almost 100m, at which point it is interrupted by a bouldery chamber of about 10m diameter. Beyond, Großer Cañon continues S then SW again, getting wider. Boulders hide the trench, and the passage curves west. To the left is the way in via Geburtstagsgang and on to Ungarn Cañon. Ahead is the main way into Stellerweg, described above. It is not clear whether the stream below Großer Cañon goes on this way, or joins Ungarn Cañon.
Upstream in Großer Cañon, most easily reached by the Puits du Sable, ascending passage heads east, and soon develops into a very wide passage with a deep canyon floor. It looks as if this passage is done at the level of the bottom of the canyon, which leads up, passing an inlet on the right, to a large pool at the foot of Puits Madonna. This is ascended to reach a similar level to the point of entry above Puits du Sable. The continuation enlarges into Grande Galerie, soon attaining impressive dimensions of 15m wide by 20m high. Question marks mark apparently inaccessible passages, two on the right and one on the left.
Beyond a couple of impressive boulders, a climb up leads to a smaller continuation. To the right is a hole in the floor with passage beyond, but left is a ramp up which soon rejoins the passage beyond the hole. The way gets bigger again, in passage first explored from Schwarzmooskogeleishöhle, until after 50m, it ends at the foot of a thirty metre pitch from the other cave.
On the NW side of Großer Cañon, directly opposite the entry via the mazey area, or 40m downstream from the entry via Puits du Sable, is a ramp up NNW. Right and left are walls of sediment, but the main way suddenly turns right, though still ascending steeply. The ramp eases and becomes more bouldery, now heading NE, suddenly to end at a widening above a deep undescended pit. A climb up on the right of this reaches the top of the far wall, in a large N-S collapse chamber, Sophienhalle. This shows clear bedding in the walls, and appears to have formed by spalling. Over the boulder floor, another steep wall precedes a ramp down to a choke. Dotted lines suggest a northward continuation, though whether this is above or below the ramp is unclear.
In the chamber at -308m, a reascent of about 15m gave access to a fairly wide fossil canyon which blew a detectable draught. After 30m, this passage opened onto the enormous Puits de Naufragés (The Castaway's pitch), with a cross section of 15 by 25 metres and 242m deep. Near the bottom of this pitch, several inlets appeared to come from the first branch explored. The bottom of the pitch contracted to a joint-guided rift, exploration in 1976 ending at the head of a pitch estimated at 40m. (Depth 587m).
The cave continued predominantly vertical in 1977, with pitches of 54, 88, 53 and 25m to two siphons at -854m. The altitude of these sumps is 756m - the valley level.
The description is translated mainly from reference 78.2003 by Andy Waddington and Jill Gates.
The description is translated mainly from reference 78.2003 by Andy Waddington and Jill Gates.
The lower entrances lead by large phreatic passages to pitches which drop into a further large horizontal level which undulates between -410m and -500m. At -497m, this links to the main vertical system from Quelli. Using these lower ways in, exploration reached a sump at -913m in 1977. Following the large phreatic level away from Quelli goes for about a kilometre before breaking into the side of a colossal shaft at -414m. This is a 211m pitch to a choke at -625m. There is a possible way on across this shaft, which is, however, 20m in diameter.
The description is translated mainly from these references by Andy Waddington and Jill Gates.
The description is translated mainly from these references by Andy Waddington and Jill Gates.
The explorers in 1977 started on the descent of a fine 60m pitch of constant shape, slightly sloping, Puits Zorglub. At the bottom of this is the only chamber of the cave : the Salle Galactique. Here the cave splits into two routes, the active and the fossil.
Downstream from the chamber a drop leads to a small chamber among boulders, the Love Nest. (No idea who ventured to call it this). Between the boulders a 20m pitch opens, immediately followed by a 25m pitch. In fact, the last 25m of descent drops between the walls of an immense aven to land on a flat gravel floor. A diagonal chimney leads to a trickle of water.
A fissure marks the start of the Méandre Anti-Matière, where one immediately rejoins the underground stream. This has an average flow of two litres per second but quite rapidly increases to 10-15 litres per second in flood. The first part of the meander is straight and interrupted by 3 small pitches and two drops. At the top of the first, in the roof, is the connection with the fossil system. Quickly, the meander becomes less amenable: high and narrow, it is plastered with mud (the anti-matter) which makes progress quite arduous. Three pitches of 5, 14 and 10m punctuate progress. This last, followed by a drop of 3m, gives access to a section of passage blocked by clay. At the end of this, the stream disappears into a fissure with tight impenetrable bends.
The main passage continues ahead as a quite large fossil branch. After some 50m, the draught goes into an earthy hole, the start of a big pitch of 70m in several stages, the Puits du Centaure.
Halfway down, the pitch is rejoined by the stream which is avoided by a parallel fossil shaft. There immediately follows another pitch of 55m, the Puits du Fond des Ages, totally wet and characterised by an elliptical cross-section and constant slope. At the bottom, the water is engulfed by a fissure about three metres long, followed by a tight meander which has not been pushed. This is the deepest point : -565m.
Upstream from the Salle Galactique, a window some metres high gives access to a good-sized passage (3x3m on average), the Méandre des Petits Hommes Verts (the Little Green Men's passage). One comes up against a climb of 3m at the base of which the trickle of water is lost into a meander cut below the fossil passage (see below). After a narrowing and a climb, the passage ends in boulders between which it is still possible to penetrate for a dozen metres.
Back in the meander below the fossil passage: this ends at the Puit de la Comète (discovered by the Gaumais), a 60m pitch, spray-lashed in its lower part by Le Pipi (the wee-wee). At the base of this pitch is the beginning of the Méandre des Mutants. This is a passage for masochists par excellence: low and tight, gear gets caught everywhere. It ends in a series of climbs and a 30m pitch joining the active system.
Meanwhile, on the other side of the range, Upper Austrian cavers have undertaken some homework that others left behind a quarter of a century ago. Ahnenschacht (Ancestors' Shaft) was discovered in the 1950s and pushed to -395m. In the 1970s, Belgian cavers found vast horizontal passages amounting to about 5km in total – and a continuation to -602m. Their pushes came to an abrupt halt, however, when in 1975 a caver fractured his pelvis and had to be transported out of the cave. It was Austria's biggest cave rescue operation in the 20th century.
Since documentation of the Belgian finds was fragmentary and of very poor quality, some members of the Verein für Höhlenkunde in Oberösterreich decided to fill in the gaps in the maps and resume surveying activities. So far, 1.7km have been accurately surveyed.
Correspondent: Theo Pfarr
(I fear attempting to reconcile the chronology of the above snippet with theinformation above is a hopeless task.)
Meanwhile, on the other side of the range, Upper Austrian cavers have undertaken some homework that others left behind a quarter of a century ago. Ahnenschacht (Ancestors' Shaft) was discovered in the 1950s and pushed to -395m. In the 1970s, Belgian cavers found vast horizontal passages amounting to about 5km in total – and a continuation to -602m. Their pushes came to an abrupt halt, however, when in 1975 a caver fractured his pelvis and had to be transported out of the cave. It was Austria's biggest cave rescue operation in the 20th century.
Since documentation of the Belgian finds was fragmentary and of very poor quality, some members of the Verein für Höhlenkunde in Oberösterreich decided to fill in the gaps in the maps and resume surveying activities. So far, 1.7km have been accurately surveyed.
Correspondent: Theo Pfarr
(I fear attempting to reconcile the chronology of the above snippet with theinformation above is a hopeless task.)
The entrance is in a small shakehole situated on the ridge separating Feuertal and Hintergras. The cave starts with four pitches (p14, p11, p5 and p11) which drop onto a slope formed of big boulders (rope desirable). After this, another series of small pitches (p9, p7, p6, p4, p10, p18, p11) from which is reached the Sinterterrasse at -141m.
From this point, one has left the zone of small pitches and started a series of pitches which in reality are part of a single shaft down to -400m.
Indeed, if you had an unfortunate accident on the Sinterterrasse, you would fall all the way to -400m. These pitches are usually wet, especially after rain... Here is the list of pitches: p25, Schuppenstufe 30, p10, Sicherungsstufe 32, Schachtgabel 48, a 10m ramp, Josef Schacht 100m. On the Josef Schacht, a pendulum 6m from the top enables one to reach the entry to the Horizontal network. Descending the Josef Schacht a little further, after a 6.5m and a 10m pitch, access can be gained to a wide canyon, active in the bottom, and which ends in a fissure. This canyon is fossil in the upper level and certainly presents possibilities for continuation.
After one has crossed the "doorway" and a short squeeze, one enters the network proper. At this point is a passage covered in rather special formations. The first junction gives access to a network ... [unfortunately there are lines missing in my photocopy of Spéalp 1]
This fossil system, which has not been fully travelled through, contains numerous possibilities. It is reached by three principal access routes: the pitch already mentioned; a descending fissure a little before the Belgica; and a sloping passage with formations in the Mammoth pitch chamber. The system is composed of a big chamber with numerous passages and junctions; it is very poorly known and no doubt houses many surprises. Continuing along the passage, one passes a step of 4m to find a junction, to the left at which lies the bivouac.
Directly after the bivouac, there is a 10m pitch, and at the bottom, a new junction: downhill the Belgica passage, of fairly small dimensions, which leads, after traversing past three holes, to a descent of an 8m and a 17m pitch and to the squeezes passed by our French colleagues.
Uphill, discovered by D.Motte and PIE, in the course of the expedition in 1974, is the Galerie de Francs Comtois. This is a large ascending fossil passage interspersed with traverses, dips and pitches. It reascends to -90m. At -150m, a 20m pitch reaches the Résomega.
A little before the 20m pitch, a short descending canyon passage avoids the 20m pitch and the series of squeezes following it. The Résomega is an alternately ascending and descending passage, very chaotic, interspersed with several junctions and pitches which leads to the Balcon du Visionnaire, offering several possibilities. A 60m pitch gives onto another 60m pitch which is undescended. There is another big pitch in excess of 100m and an unfinished ascending passage. A little before, a 10m pitch allows one to reach a passage interspersed with 3 junctions and 7 exits ! This shows the level of complexity which we ran into.
It was also at the Balcon du Visionnaire that an accident occurred in 1975, which terminated exploration in that year.
Back in the Horizontal network, and after passing a little bouldery climb an inlet is encountered, named The Bath. The passage continues a little longer, to end in a pitch. [ exploration incomplete ]
The following junction has been named Mammoth Junction because the passage to the right leads onto the pitch of the same name. It is necessary to exercise great care and attention not to slip hereabouts, because a fall would drop you into same.
The Mammoth Pitch, Para-pitch and probably the Negus pitch, form part of the same system (see survey) which is composed of a 146m pitch, a 10m pitch and a narrow canyon interspersed with several cascades leading finally to a 35m pitch giving onto the sump at -612m. The Para-pitch, p106, is followed by pitches of 5, 10 and 50m and drops via the latter into the Mammoth Canyon.
The Negus pitch, which is undescended, should also drop into the same canyon. Several other small pitches and active streamways should also rejoin this system.
The depth of 612m should be treated cautiously because the method of survey used (based on the height of a man) is fairly imprecise. The bottom could be anywhere between -580m and -630m. The shortage of time prevented us from redoing our survey. [The depth quoted in Atlas des Grandes Gouffres is -607m, which is shown as the bottom of this system. However, a Belgian survey shows the Yodl system (which is supposed to end at -607m) to be somewhere else entirely, so it is rather unclear which survey is wrong.]
Turning left, the Zipfer passage is followed for 150m before reaching an important junction: to the left Chimneys passage, to the right Draughting passage.
This is very large with a constant slope, interrupted in the middle by a squeeze and a couple of drops. The Schnaps pitch (40m with an unexplored, narrow canyon) is avoided by traversing to reach a 25m pitch in which you must pendulum 5m from the bottom in order to reach a chamber in which is met a small stream. Climbing up a little opposite, a short upper passage rejoins the stream by a 20m pitch. In the chamber, the descent of a 10m pitch allows the stream to be followed to a squeeze beyond which one can hear the grumble of a large river ? A place to go back to.
This is fossil, and tight in places, and allows exploration of a very complex network which intersects itself in various places and which could hold very great surprises, since its exploration has only been sketchily outlined. The exit from this passage is in an area of boulders where two possibilities exist:
To the left: a tight passage has been forced on a slope to Kitschacht (Tackle Bag Shaft) a magnificent 50m drop, very wide and completely free hanging. At its base, several possibilities. A tight active canyon which can be bypassed by a fossil passage, broken by an earthy drop of 3m to a huge 15m pitch leading to a sump at -360m.
A drop of a few metres gives access to a huge fossil passage (10 × 5m). The floor of this is cut by a deep canyon which has not been explored. After a hundred metres or so the passage ends at a vast wet pitch. Climbing over a big boulder on the right gives access to another pitch upwards.
Just after the base of Kitschacht, a passage of 80m makes a connection with the system of the Décollement pitch at the bottom of the 40m shaft. A canyon leaving the junction passage can be followed for more than 300m, and exits, in several places, into the side of the big fossil passage, just before the pitch upwards.
To the right: The Décollement pitch, with, at its base, a sloping chamber full of boulders. To the left a very deep ascending canyon is unexplored. In the bottom is the Méandre Emeri, so called because the formations are orientated in the direction of progress and of the draught. This rejoins a wide pitch with an inlet. After this 15m pitch is a short canyon and a damp 40m pitch. At the bottom, a huge descending passage suddenly turns almost vertical. This is the Toboggan, needing 20m of rope (a very spectacular passage). At this level one again cuts a new streamway. The passage continues, then contracts, and chokes at -385m.
After the Bivouac: a 10m pitch, then turn left into a small passage, ignore three pitches to the side, then descend pitches of 8 and 13m to arrive at some easy squeezes on the left. After this, a climb of 5m and a 42m pitch. Stops in a sand blockage at -410m.
Over the 13m pitch a small passage goes to several climbs in a fossil series. There is a 25m pitch and two 10m pitches ending in several very tight chimneys.
From the entrance, after 70m down Josef schacht, climb down 7m over a large block and descend about 12m in the bottom of a meander. Progress is then in the meander, with a short climb in a fault on the left and a 120m pitch, in sections of 22m and 100m. Beyond is a tight canyon with a 20m pitch to a sump at -607m (the last part of the 100m pitch is wet).
Atlas des Grands Gouffres du Monde 1979 says that the original -395m route goes on to c-470m (unsurveyed) and there are also routes ending at -385m and -386m.
The description was translated from the references by Andy Waddington and Jill Gates.
The description was translated from the references by Andy Waddington and Jill Gates.
The description is translated mainly from reference 78.2012 by Andy Waddington and Jill Gates, with additional info on dates/lengths as cited.
The description is translated mainly from reference 78.2012 by Andy Waddington and Jill Gates, with additional info on dates/lengths as cited.