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[svn r5553] Fleshed out the descriptions a bit, mentioning current trade route down Pot-U-Like (replacing old route via YSV), and describing Rainbow by name. Also a very brief sketch of the 2003 discoveries in Razordance, pending Mr Smaugwell coming up with the better one he wrote on Expo which is apparently lying around somewhere on his machine.

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@ -19,107 +19,122 @@ 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; there are two choices of descent here, one to the north,
<B>You're So Veined</B> (15m), which was used in 1999, and an as yet undescended
pitch to the south, which will land further down the Ariston Series, which
should probably be used in 2000. 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.
<B>You're So Veined</B> (15m), which was used in 1999, and one to the south,
<b>Pot-U-Like</b> (~35m), which has been the trade route since 2000. 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.</p>
<p>From here, there are two ways on. <i>To the
<p>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 slippery
section leads to the head of a small pitch of 6m, which was rigged with a
Y-hang. From here a walking size phreatic passage leads off, carrying a
substantial breeze. The passage initially descends, but then develops a narrow
floor trench; as the trench deepens, the phreatic part of the passage rises, and
then ends abruptly where the floor trench turns right and leads off as a
too-tight rift while ahead the phreas pinches out.</i>
To the right leads into
a small, very crumbly chamber, from which a short section of awkward rift leads
to a fine crow's nest in the wall of a large rift. A very short pitch (5m) lands
on a large ledge, from which a roped traverse along the left-hand wall gains the
head of the next pitch of 12m, which avoids a large ledge which would have been
in the way but for the traverse. This pitch currently requires a rope protector
just below the Y-hang at the top. The landing is on another large ledge, where a
pool can be used to refill water containers. It is thought that the alternative
pitch to You're so Veined will land here, if rigged.
<P>The next pitch of 14m consists of a backup bolt followed by a Y-hang, which
utilises one very cratered spit, which can only be used with a bollard type
hanger. This pitch requires a deviation from the opposite wall or a rebelay to
be installed as there is currently a rub point just below the Y-hang. The ledge
that this pitch lands on consists 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 (35m). Unfortunately, it seems to be impossible to get a clean
hang from here, and a rub-point 3m down will require the installation of a
rebelay or deviation in future. Immediately after this point, the walls of the
shaft bell out, 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.shtml#C1999-204-20"
name=qC1999-204-20>C1999-204-20 B</A>].
<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.shtml#C2000-204-60" name="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
href="qm.shtml#C1999-204-22"
name=qC1999-204-22>C1999-204-22 C</A>], to reach the bottom of a short climb up
of 3m on the right, which is followed by a scramble down on the other side. <i>From
here, straight ahead is a climb up into the foot of an aven, half-right is a
short ascending passage leading to a chamber where a traverse around the right
hand wall leads to a slope down to <b><a href="#fled">Fledermausschacht</a></b>.</i>
Full right is a stooping/crawling
height phreatic passage with a mud floor. This passes on the right the other end
of the crawl which led off from the foot of the previous pitch.
<P>Some 50m of alternate crawling and stooping, including a single point where
the roof dips and the crawl is flat-out, leads to a small chamber. Here there
are two holes in the floor. One leads to
<a href="#kiwisuit"><b>Kiwi Suit</b></a>; the other drop is much shorter, and is
split into two sections by ledges on each wall part way down. The first section
of 8m reaches these small ledges, where a stream enters from the foot of a very
large aven. The next section of 11m is wet, and lands on a small ledge
overlooking a massive shaft. Stones thrown out from here fall for 3s. This is
believed to be the same pitch as the first pitch of <b>Kiwi Suit</b>.
Y-hang. From here a walking size phreatic passage ("Rainbow") leads off,
carrying a substantial breeze. The passage initially descends, but then
develops a narrow floor trench; as the trench deepens, the phreatic part of the
passage rises, and then ends abruptly where the floor trench turns right and
leads off as a too-tight rift while ahead the phreas pinches out.</i></p>
<p>To the right leads into a small, very crumbly chamber, from which a short
section of awkward rift leads to a fine crow's nest in the wall of a large
rift. A very short pitch (5m) lands on a large ledge in the side of the
Pot-U-Like shaft. From here a roped traverse along the left-hand wall gains the
head of the next pitch of 12m, which avoids a large ledge which would have been
in the way but for the traverse. This pitch currently requires a rope protector
just below the Y-hang at the top. The landing is on another large ledge, where
a pool can be used to refill water containers. This is also the landing of
Pot-U-Like.</p>
<P>The next pitch of 14m consists of a backup bolt followed by a Y-hang, which
utilises one very cratered spit, which can only be used with a bollard type
hanger. This pitch requires a deviation from the opposite wall or a rebelay to
be installed as there is currently a rub point just below the Y-hang. The ledge
that this pitch lands on consists 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.shtml#C1999-204-20"
name=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.shtml#C2000-204-60" name="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
href="qm.shtml#C1999-204-22" name=qC1999-204-22>C1999-204-22 C</A>], to reach
the bottom of a short climb up of 3m on the right, which is followed by a
scramble down on the other side. <i>From here, straight ahead is a climb up
into the foot of an aven, half-right is a short ascending passage leading to a
chamber where a traverse around the right hand wall leads to a slope down to
<b><a href="#fled">Fledermausschacht</a></b>.</i> Full right is a
stooping/crawling height phreatic passage with a mud floor. This passes on the
right the other end of the crawl which led off from the foot of the previous
pitch, which provides a convenient shortcut.</p>
<P>Some 50m of alternate crawling and stooping over soft crumbly mud, including
a single point where the roof dips and the crawl is flat-out, leads to a small
chamber. Here there are two holes in the floor. One leads to <a
href="#kiwisuit"><b>Kiwi Suit</b></a>; the other drop is much shorter, and is
split into two sections by ledges on each wall part way down. The first section
of 8m reaches these small ledges, where a stream enters from the foot of a very
large aven. The next section of 11m is wet, and lands on a small ledge
overlooking Kiwi Suit just above the rebelay.</p>
<h3><a name="kiwisuit">Kiwi Suit</a></h3>
<p>The first pitch begins with a funnel-shaped opening. The initial approach is rigged
from a large pillar at the edge of the funnel (the approach to this could be further
protected by a traverse line tied round an even larger pillar 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. Two deviations keep the descent clear of walls and
the small trickle of water which falls down the shaft (probably becomes a much bigger
trickle after rain). 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>
<p>The first pitch begins with a funnel-shaped opening. The initial approach is
rigged from a large pillar at the edge of the funnel (the approach to this
could be further protected by a traverse line tied round an even larger pillar
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 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>
<h3><a name="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.shtml#C2000-204-63" name="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
<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.shtml#C2000-204-63" name="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
[<a href="qm.shtml#C2000-204-64" name="qC2000-204-64">C2000-204-64 A</a>],
estimated at about 10 metres,
is reached. This was the limit of exploration in 2000
[<a href="qm.shtml#C2002-204-01" name="qC2002-204-01">C2002-204-01 A</a>].
In 2002, the streamway was pushed further, down Black Lightning (p13),
to a 2m climb and 2m pitch leading to the 25m pitch of Mystery Wind.
The streamway continues to Easy There (p15) and Steady Now (p4), the current
limit of exploration.
considerably wider for a few metres below the cascade, but soon resumes in its
previous manner. Suddenly, the head of a pitch [<a href="qm.shtml#C2000-204-64"
name="qC2000-204-64">C2000-204-64 A</a>],
estimated at about 10 metres, is reached. This was the limit of exploration in
2000 [<a href="qm.shtml#C2002-204-01" name="qC2002-204-01">C2002-204-01 A</a>].
In 2002, the streamway was pushed further, down <b>Black Lightning</b> (p13), to 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> (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. [C2003-204-XXX A]</p>
<h3><a name="fled">Fledermausschacht</a></h3>