diff --git a/1623/40/i/schneevulkanhalle.jpg b/1623/40/i/schneevulkanhalle.jpg new file mode 100644 index 000000000..608448687 Binary files /dev/null and b/1623/40/i/schneevulkanhalle.jpg differ diff --git a/1623/40/l/istal.htm b/1623/40/l/istal.htm index 6b7d466da..130a3b6b3 100644 --- a/1623/40/l/istal.htm +++ b/1623/40/l/istal.htm @@ -5,14 +5,13 @@ - Climbing on ice formations in - Schwarzmooskogeleishöhle + Climbing on ice formations in Schwarzmooskogeleishöhle - +

Wookey demonstrates the strength and stability of ice formations in the Schwarzmooskogeleishöhle, despite their @@ -25,19 +24,11 @@

- + diff --git a/1623/40/l/schneevulkanhalle.html b/1623/40/l/schneevulkanhalle.html new file mode 100644 index 000000000..e11481c1e --- /dev/null +++ b/1623/40/l/schneevulkanhalle.html @@ -0,0 +1,24 @@ + + + + +Plan + + + + +

Schneevulkanhalle

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Wookey's re-drawn up plan

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Photo © Wookey, 2000

+ +The previous survey (note that North is in a completely different angle):
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plan - 12k gif
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+ diff --git a/1623/40/t/schneevulkanhalle.jpg b/1623/40/t/schneevulkanhalle.jpg new file mode 100644 index 000000000..b183b918b Binary files /dev/null and b/1623/40/t/schneevulkanhalle.jpg differ diff --git a/cave_data/1623-40.html b/cave_data/1623-40.html index ca4be6339..44c61a3aa 100644 --- a/cave_data/1623-40.html +++ b/cave_data/1623-40.html @@ -119,10 +119,15 @@ was connected to the Stellerweghöhlensystem, the last part being very wet in early summer. Leading to Schotterland.

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Survey data also suggests a passage off to the right of the iceslope for 20m or so.

Above the scramble up is a short traverse, also rather interesting when covered in hard ice (and also protected by a fixed rope which had to be dug out in 1998). A steeply ascending passage to the L holds a quantity of particularly scrofulous rope (presumably a previous fixed rope). This can be climbed ~10m until it gets too vertical. It draughts. Beyond the ice is a steep snow/ice slope down into the huge Schneevulkanhalle. It is strongly recommended to equip this with a properly rigged SRT rope rather than anything less - the cave has seen a number of accidents, some fatal. Although the slope looks like soft snow, it is a layer of coarsely crystalline hard névé over solid ice. In parts it is almost impossible to kick steps into, whilst in others it offers only minimal purchase for crampon points. Conditions no doubt vary with the season as well as with position on the slope and the year. Tackle required: 50m rope, crampons. There is one bolt at the top, for a traverse line to two bolts off to the R in the roof where the snow-slope proper starts. Sometimes the traverse area is full of snow and an ice-screw or ice-axe rebelay/deviation (club first ? in 1989) may be needed. A deviation (from rock) at the head of the steep section was found adequate in 1998.

plan - 12k gif

The 50m Königschacht (40f) entrance is the source of the snow slope and comes in here. It is often full of snow but was open in 1999 and so was surveyed (by ARGE).

At the bottom is the main chamber from which the pitch does indeed look like a snow-covered volcanic cone. Most of the floor area is ice-covered and only a slight slope is necessary to make crampons vital here. Most of the chamber is filled with ice formations up to 15m high (end of season). Those with two ice-tools can climb almost anything in the chamber, though the formations are no doubt rather more spectacular and fragile in spring or early summer. Formation-ice can also shatter very easily as melting occurs between component crystals later in the season, so it is probably safer for climbers to stick to hard névé. Ways on are mostly reached by steeper slopes that definitely require ice-gear and can be quite unnerving approached from above. Note that the slopes are usually hard ice, ice-axe-braking after a slip is not an option - lifeline or don't fall !

Photo of ice formations, 41k jpeg

Starting from the pitch (facing outwards from the slope), heading round the chamber to the left leads over a large flat area of ice to where a gap between ice and rock [C0000-40-01 A] drops 10m (2 bolts, one added 1999) into large passage Elefantengang.

Right next to it is an icefall coming in from above [C0000-40-02 C] (Apparently explored by GSCB in early 80s for ~40m). 40m round the wall of the chamber is a rubble run-in, iced on the top half. This was climbed by Haines (1998) and Atkinson (1999), as well as the GSCB. At the top is a wet boulder choke that definately doesn't go, but the GSCB plan shows a narrow rift on the right marked 'tight'.

Halfway up this slope on the left is the narrow entrance to Persistence of Vision.

20m further round another couple of icefalls come in. Both are about 8-10m and vertical [C0000-40-03 A]. GSCB plan shows they have climbed up here to find a 20m pitch beyond into narrow rift. Their survey doesn't make it clear how it ends. CUCC bolted up the left side of the left icefall in 2000 to find an ice water duck leading to a pitch series (Mission Impossible). The duck was dry in 2001, but back again in 2002.

50m further round (downslope) the ice drops away steeply under the wall. A line is advisable for the descent. 20m down, the ice slope peters out giving way to sand and rocks. At the end here is a very strongly draughting hole [C0000-40-04 B]. This appears too tight, but survey data shows this is where Kalten Gang and Spinnefriedhof are (VfHM, 1984). To the right at the foot of the slope closes down with rocks and ice - it would probably connect with Plastic Hell. A few metres up from the bottom of the slope on the left hand (N) wall is a gap between the ice and rock leading into a large chamber [A1998-40-05 B] (reported by Robert Winkler).

Back in Schneevulkanhalle, another 10m clockwise round the chamber is another, steeper iceslope. A rope is definitely needed for this. This is the way to Plastic Hell.

Beyond and above are more thin icefalls coming from high in the ceiling - trying to climb these would be bonkers - the debris from the collapse of some of them is all around.

Schotterland (Munich cavers 198? and ARGE 2000)

The foot of the piss-wet pitch opens out into very large triangular passage. You can go NE about 35m until it chokes (a good draught comes out of one hoplessly choked corner) or SW 20 to a T-junction. Right (W) is Kleiner keller. Left, ducking under the low wall, is Schotterland.

Kleiner keller is about 50m on huge passage to where the end is choked with glacial fill and a waterspout comes in the from the roof 3m up. A sling ladder makes it possible to ascend the waterspout - you can even doing it without getting very wet, as the spout is unusually well-concentrated, and thus avoidable. This comes into an E-W rift, with the water coming from the E end. It can be ascended in both directions at various traverse levels for about 30m, but the top appears choked at all points. The top is probably very close to the floor of Elephantengang.

The old Munich cavers' data suggests that there is a passage off kleiner keller that we missed - which seems hard to believe, but maybe it is worth another visit?

Schotterland is more enormous passage (10m wide) going SSE, presumably schotterland, due to the flooring of small rocks. A ramp goes up steeply on the L after 30m. It closes down after 40m. Ahead the passage slowly narrows until it chokes at the end - probably very close to the surface. +

Survey data also suggests a passage off to the right of the iceslope for 20m or so.

Above the scramble up is a short traverse, also rather interesting when covered in hard ice (and also protected by a fixed rope which had to be dug out in 1998). A steeply ascending passage to the L holds a quantity of particularly scrofulous rope (presumably a previous fixed rope). This can be climbed ~10m until it gets too vertical. It draughts. Beyond the ice is a steep snow/ice slope down into the huge Schneevulkanhalle. It is strongly recommended to equip this with a properly rigged SRT rope rather than anything less - the cave has seen a number of accidents, some fatal. Although the slope looks like soft snow, it is a layer of coarsely crystalline hard névé over solid ice. In parts it is almost impossible to kick steps into, whilst in others it offers only minimal purchase for crampon points. Conditions no doubt vary with the season as well as with position on the slope and the year. Tackle required: 50m rope, crampons. There is one bolt at the top, for a traverse line to two bolts off to the R in the roof where the snow-slope proper starts. Sometimes the traverse area is full of snow and an ice-screw or ice-axe rebelay/deviation (club first ? in 1989) may be needed. A deviation (from rock) at the head of the steep section was found adequate in 1998.

+ + + +

The 50m Königschacht (40f) entrance is the source of the snow slope and comes in here. It is often full of snow but was open in 1999 and so was surveyed (by ARGE).

At the bottom is the main chamber from which the pitch does indeed look like a snow-covered volcanic cone. Most of the floor area is ice-covered and only a slight slope is necessary to make crampons vital here. Most of the chamber is filled with ice formations up to 15m high (end of season). Those with two ice-tools can climb almost anything in the chamber, though the formations are no doubt rather more spectacular and fragile in spring or early summer. Formation-ice can also shatter very easily as melting occurs between component crystals later in the season, so it is probably safer for climbers to stick to hard névé. Ways on are mostly reached by steeper slopes that definitely require ice-gear and can be quite unnerving approached from above. Note that the slopes are usually hard ice, ice-axe-braking after a slip is not an option - lifeline or don't fall !

Photo of ice formations, 41k jpeg

Starting from the pitch (facing outwards from the slope), heading round the chamber to the left leads over a large flat area of ice to where a gap between ice and rock [C0000-40-01 A] drops 10m (2 bolts, one added 1999) into large passage Elefantengang.

Right next to it is an icefall coming in from above [C0000-40-02 C] (Apparently explored by GSCB in early 80s for ~40m). 40m round the wall of the chamber is a rubble run-in, iced on the top half. This was climbed by Haines (1998) and Atkinson (1999), as well as the GSCB. At the top is a wet boulder choke that definately doesn't go, but the GSCB plan shows a narrow rift on the right marked 'tight'.

Halfway up this slope on the left is the narrow entrance to Persistence of Vision.

20m further round another couple of icefalls come in. Both are about 8-10m and vertical [C0000-40-03 A]. GSCB plan shows they have climbed up here to find a 20m pitch beyond into narrow rift. Their survey doesn't make it clear how it ends. CUCC bolted up the left side of the left icefall in 2000 to find an ice water duck leading to a pitch series (Mission Impossible). The duck was dry in 2001, but back again in 2002.

50m further round (downslope) the ice drops away steeply under the wall. A line is advisable for the descent. 20m down, the ice slope peters out giving way to sand and rocks. At the end here is a very strongly draughting hole [C0000-40-04 B]. This appears too tight, but survey data shows this is where Kalten Gang and Spinnefriedhof are (VfHM, 1984). To the right at the foot of the slope closes down with rocks and ice - it would probably connect with Plastic Hell. A few metres up from the bottom of the slope on the left hand (N) wall is a gap between the ice and rock leading into a large chamber [A1998-40-05 B] (reported by Robert Winkler).

Back in Schneevulkanhalle, another 10m clockwise round the chamber is another, steeper iceslope. A rope is definitely needed for this. This is the way to Plastic Hell.

Beyond and above are more thin icefalls coming from high in the ceiling - trying to climb these would be bonkers - the debris from the collapse of some of them is all around.

Schotterland (Munich cavers 198? and ARGE 2000)

The foot of the piss-wet pitch opens out into very large triangular passage. You can go NE about 35m until it chokes (a good draught comes out of one hoplessly choked corner) or SW 20 to a T-junction. Right (W) is Kleiner keller. Left, ducking under the low wall, is Schotterland.

Kleiner keller is about 50m on huge passage to where the end is choked with glacial fill and a waterspout comes in the from the roof 3m up. A sling ladder makes it possible to ascend the waterspout - you can even doing it without getting very wet, as the spout is unusually well-concentrated, and thus avoidable. This comes into an E-W rift, with the water coming from the E end. It can be ascended in both directions at various traverse levels for about 30m, but the top appears choked at all points. The top is probably very close to the floor of Elephantengang.

The old Munich cavers' data suggests that there is a passage off kleiner keller that we missed - which seems hard to believe, but maybe it is worth another visit?

Schotterland is more enormous passage (10m wide) going SSE, presumably schotterland, due to the flooring of small rocks. A ramp goes up steeply on the L after 30m. It closes down after 40m. Ahead the passage slowly narrows until it chokes at the end - probably very close to the surface. - +

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see also CUCC discoveries in Eishöhle SMK system total 54000m SMK system total 1032m