Once in the chamber, climbing down over boulders to the left leads to a small exit between rocks. A short rubble-strewn chute follows arriving after a few -metres at a large shaft. Neither roof [C2000-204-97 X] -nor floor are visible; rocks fall for some 2-3 -seconds. [C2000-204-96 A] -
+metres at a large shaft, Gaffered to the Wall, the start of the Plan Not Interesting series.Back in the main chamber, a rubble slope to the north leads onwards. To the north of the slope is @@ -44,6 +41,18 @@ a phreatic tube enters from Juicy Bits on the left a head, and a crawl en slope over boulders to the start of the main Swings trunk passage: 10m wide and 8m high.
+| 204 (CUCC 1999/03) |
- Steinbrückenhöhle |
- 4/S x |
|---|---|---|
| 204 (CUCC 1999/03) | Steinbrückenhöhle | 4/S x |
|---|---|---|
Bonsai Crawl joins at a point where The Colonnade, a wide walking passage with a boulder floor, makes a sharp turn. To the right the passage comes to a chamber-like crossroads. To the left is an initially walking-sized tube Sucker and to the right a low draughting crawl Flopsy the Bunny Rabbits Lair. The Colonnade continues and a stream joins from the left. Further along on the left is a pile of stones which must originate from a passage [C2000-204-43 Dig]. The passage then becomes small with a possible aven [C2000-204-44 X], a tight rift [C2000-204-45 B], and a crawl down and to the right. The crawl emerges into a chamber, with a possible way on over rocks directly ahead [C2000-204-49 C]. The chamber gets larger to the right, where there are two tight rifts leading off [C2000-204-46 C], [C2000-204-47 C] and an aven [C2000-204-48 X]. Water was flowing down one of these, possibly to the waterfall entering the chamber in No Pain No Gain. At this time in 2000 it had not rained on the surface for 8 days. Back where Bonsai Crawl enters, the passage goes straight on with a number of minor passages to the sides. These are a crawl to the left which slopes slightly upwards to a pit with a small body sized tube going of at the bottom[C2000-204-54 C], continuing over the pit a flat out crawl continues upwards[C2000-204-53 C]; then some distance further on, another crawl on the left [C2000-204-16 B] leading from a trench in the passage; a small passage on the right [C2000-204-17 C] that links to [C2000-204-21 C]; and a crawl high up to the left [C2000-204-18 C]. A short distance further a walking-size passage goes to the left [C2000-204-19 C]. The main passage then forks: to the left is [C2000-204-20 C] whilst to the right the passage continues past a high up crawl [C2000-204-21 C], and then possibly [C2000-204-22 C]. The main passage then pops out intoTreeumphant Passage. +
Bonsai Crawl joins at a point where The Colonnade, a wide walking passage with a boulder floor, makes +a sharp turn. To the right the passage comes to a chamber-like crossroads. To the left is an initially walking-sized +tube Sucker and to the right a low draughting crawl Flopsy the Bunny Rabbits Lair. The Colonnade +continues and a stream joins from the left. Further along on the left is a pile of stones which must originate from a +passage [C2000-204-43 Dig]. The passage then becomes small with +a possible aven [C2000-204-44 X], a tight rift [C2000-204-45 B], and a crawl down and to the right. The crawl +emerges into a chamber, with a possible way on over rocks directly ahead [C2000-204-49 C]. The chamber gets larger to the right, where there are two tight rifts leading +off [C2000-204-46 C], [C2000-204-47 C] and an aven [C2000-204-48 +X]. Water was flowing down one of these, possibly to the waterfall entering the chamber in No Pain No Gain. +At this time in 2000 it had not rained on the surface for 8 days. Back where Bonsai Crawl enters, the passage +goes straight on with a number of minor passages to the sides. These are a crawl to the left which slopes slightly +upwards to a pit with a small body sized tube going of at the bottom[C2000-204-54 C], continuing over the pit a flat out crawl continues upwards[C2000-204-53 C]; then some distance further on, another crawl on +the left [C2000-204-16 B] leading from a trench in the passage; +a small passage on the right [C2000-204-17 C] that links to [C2000-204-21 C]; and a crawl high up to the left [C2000-204-18 C]. A short distance further a walking-size passage +goes to the left [C2000-204-19 C]. The main passage then forks: +to the left is [C2000-204-20 C] whilst to the right the passage +continues past a high up crawl [C2000-204-21 C], and then +possibly [C2000-204-22 C]. The main passage then pops out +intoTreeumphant Passage.
The Colonnade meets Treeumphant Passage at a narrow angle. In one direction Treeumphant Passage ends just next to its entrance at a boulder slope. Ascending this leads to a fork; the left branch is blind and the right branch ends shortly afterwards in a choked chamber. In the other direction, Treeumphant Passage continues over large boulders going slightly up hill. There is a walking passage off to the left which goes to Crowning Glory, as well as a high up crawl to the right [C2000-204-25 C] and then a tight high passage to the left [C2000-204-26 C]. The passage then increases in height approaching a sharp turn to the right. Here a walking size passage [C2000-204-28 A] continues straight on, and there may be an aven in the ceiling [C2000-204-27 X]. The main passage passes possibly diggable holes at floor level [C2000-204-29 Dig], and continues into Great Oak Chamber. +
The Colonnade meets Treeumphant Passage at a narrow angle. In one direction Treeumphant Passage ends +just next to its entrance at a boulder slope. Ascending this leads to a fork; the left branch is blind and the right +branch ends shortly afterwards in a choked chamber. In the other direction, Treeumphant Passage continues over large +boulders going slightly up hill. There is a walking passage off to the left which goes to Crowning Glory, as +well as a high up crawl to the right [C2000-204-25 C] and then a +tight high passage to the left [C2000-204-26 C]. The passage +then increases in height approaching a sharp turn to the right. Here a walking size passage [C2000-204-28 A] continues straight on, and there may be an aven in +the ceiling [C2000-204-27 X]. The main passage passes possibly +diggable holes at floor level [C2000-204-29 Dig], and continues +into Great Oak Chamber.
Treeumphant Passage disappears into an approx 5m drop [C2000-204-32 B] in Great Oak Chamber and there is an aven above [C2000-204-33 X]. There may be passage continuing straight across the chamber [C2000-204-31 B], as well as a passage to the right [C2000-204-30 C]. Just before the drop there is a bouldery slope up to another smaller walking size passage. There is an oxbow to the left, with a possible passage leading offit [C2000-204-34 B], as well as an aven [C2000-204-35 X]. There are a couple of possible digs to the left slightly further on [C2000-204-36 C], [C2000-204-37 C] before the passage enters Cave Tree Chamber. +name=qC2000-204-32>C2000-204-32 B] in Great Oak Chamber and there is an aven above [C2000-204-33 X]. There may be passage continuing straight across the chamber [C2000-204-31 B], as well as a passage to the right [C2000-204-30 C]. Just before the drop there is a bouldery slope up +to another smaller walking size passage. There is an oxbow to the left, with a possible passage leading offit [C2000-204-34 B], as well as an aven [C2000-204-35 X]. There are a couple of possible digs to the left +slightly further on [C2000-204-36 C], [C2000-204-37 C] before the passage enters Cave Tree Chamber.
There is a climb down of about 2m into Cave Tree Chamber, which has a bouldery floor on -the left, and a pitch on the right [C2000-204-39 B]. An aven extends above [C2000-204-38 X], and the passage may continue over the pitch [C2000-204-40 A]. It would be advisable to protect this traverse. +
There is a climb down of about 2m into Cave Tree Chamber, which has a bouldery floor on the left, and a pitch +on the right [C2000-204-39 B]. An aven extends above [C2000-204-38 X], and the passage may continue over the pitch [C2000-204-40 A]. It would be advisable to protect this traverse.
A phreatic passage with a stream flowing down it, which heads upwards from a passage ofTreeumphant Passage. Near the begining a high up crawl heads of to the left[C2000-204-8 C]. Another 20m leads to a bolder infall which can be climbed over, or the stream can be followed around to the right. A 2m scramble climb is reaced, and Bolder Coaster, on the left, can be acessed by traversing from the pitch head. Further up the passage bolder infall from the left leads to Treeumphant Passage[C2000-204-9 A]. The summit of a bolder is soon reached, as the passage becomes smaller. Going down the bolders goes into a chamber, with an aven[C2000-204-11 X], and a 4m climb up at the end, followed by a pitch, which has been started down[C2000-204-10 A]. +
A phreatic passage with a stream flowing down it, which heads upwards from a passage ofTreeumphant Passage. +Near the begining a high up crawl heads of to the left[C2000-204-8 +C]. Another 20m leads to a bolder infall which can be climbed over, or the stream can be followed around to the +right. A 2m scramble climb is reaced, and Bolder Coaster, on the left, can be acessed by traversing from the +pitch head. Further up the passage bolder infall from the left leads to Treeumphant Passage[C2000-204-9 A]. The summit of a bolder is soon reached, as the +passage becomes smaller. Going down the bolders goes into a chamber, with an aven[C2000-204-11 X], and a 4m climb up at the end, followed by a pitch, which has been started +down[C2000-204-10 A].
Germknödels Revenge is the short connection between 204e and the Treeumphant end of Boulder Coaster. 204e is a low square hole in the face of a cliff. From here a low passage leads down and to the right. A short climb down and up again brings one to the top of the pitch. The (awkward) passage from 204f is a small tube sloping uphill at ~45° on the right, and a possible QM from across the top of the shaft.
+Germknödels Revenge is the short connection between 204e and the Treeumphant end of Boulder Coaster. 204e is a +low square hole in the face of a cliff. From here a low passage leads down and to the right. A short climb down and up +again brings one to the top of the pitch. The (awkward) passage from 204f is a small tube sloping uphill at ~45° on +the right, and a possible QM from across the top of the shaft.
-A backup and Y-hang are followed by a rebelay or short deviation next to a window into a parallel shaft (There may be undocumented QMs in this shaft). The pitch narrows below the deviation, to a rebelay where it bells out to several metres diameter. The remaining drop is in a fine open shaft, passing a ledge a few metres off the floor, into Crowning Glory Chamber
+A backup and Y-hang are followed by a rebelay or short deviation next to a window into a parallel shaft (There may +be undocumented QMs in this shaft). The pitch narrows below the deviation, to a rebelay where it bells out to several +metres diameter. The remaining drop is in a fine open shaft, passing a ledge a few metres off the floor, into +Crowning Glory Chamber
-204f is a hole in a pile of boulders a few metres up the surface gully from 204e. A small tube descends towards 204e via a couple of bouldery squeezes. The tube becomes steeper with a black space beyond. A light shone down this tube reveals that it connects to the top of the pitch reached from 204e. +
204f is a hole in a pile of boulders a few metres up the surface gully from 204e. A small tube descends towards 204e +via a couple of bouldery squeezes. The tube becomes steeper with a black space beyond. A light shone down this tube +reveals that it connects to the top of the pitch reached from 204e.
This summer, Cambridge University Caving Club will be continuing our highly successful series of expeditions to the -Loser plateau in Austria. Here we set out the principal goals for this year.
+This summer, Cambridge University Caving Club will be continuing its highly successful series of expeditions to the +Loser plateau in Austria. This document sets out the principal goals of the 2003 expedition.
This summer sees CUCC's 27th expedition to the Loser plateau, which lies in the Totes Gebirge mountains, about -80km east of Salzburg. We are the principal group exploring in the area, which continues to yield new discoveries.
+80km east of Salzburg. CUCC is the principal group exploring in the area, which continues to yield new discoveries.The principal known systems in the area are the southern Schwarzmooskogel system, comprising Stellerweghöhle itself, the stunningly beautiful Schwarzmooskogel Eishöhle, and a number of other smaller caves, much of which was explored by CUCC in the 70s and early 80s; and Kaninchenhöhle, -an extremely complex system discovered by CUCC in 1989 which was the main focus of our expeditions between then and +an extremely complex system discovered by CUCC in 1989 which was the main focus of expeditions between then and 2000.
For a long period these caves were known to approach each other very closely but a connection between them proved @@ -26,23 +26,27 @@ elusive. This was finally achieved by a German group last year, bringing the tot Schwarzmooskogelhöhlensystem to over 50km and its depth to 1030m, placing it in among both the world's deepest and longest caves.
-Over the last three years the principal focus of our expeditions has been Over the last three years the principal focus of CUCC's work has been Steinbrückenhöhle, a cave lying to the north of the furthest known reaches of Kaninchenhöhle. This has quickly yielded over 4.7km of passage reaching a depth of 368m. As well as its considerable potential in its own right, it has a number of promising leads pointing in the direction of Kaninchenhöhle, in particular the Razordance streamway which is currently the deepest known point in the cave and is no more than 300m away from the Fuzzy Logic series in Kaninchenhöhle. This area of Kaninchenhöhle has a -number of large unexplored leads which we shall be returning to now that the possibility of a connection to -Steinbrühöhle seems possible. +number of large unexplored leads which will be reexamined in more detail now +that a connection to Steinbrückenhöhle seems possible.