@@ -308,11 +292,10 @@ Blog Author: honorata
Progress after the first 3 days o
The weather forecast shows rain and thunderstorms today and tomorrow, which jeopardizes caving. People are hiking down to base camp. Meanwhile, Martin, Jana, and I have put the second tarp up at base camp, while Radost and Phil have been setting up electronics here.
T/U: 0.0 hours
-
2023-07-04
-Rob Watson,
+Rob Watson
basecamp - re Honorata's post
Blog Author: nobrotson
@@ -321,11 +304,10 @@ Nice write up [re Honorata's 3-day update]. The rope there now is stuff we bough
:)
T/U: 0.0 hours
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2023-07-04
-Buck Blake,Ashley Gregg,Joel Stobbart,Janis Huns,Jonty Pine,Amelia Oliver,
+Buck Blake,Amelia Oliver,Ashley Gregg,Janis Huns,Joel Stobbart,Jonty Pine
Fishface - Carrying rope to Fishface and failing to rig entrance
After the complicated operation of handling the solar panels out of the storage cave, the six of us packed kit, rope and a rescue bag and set off for Fishface. It was a hot but pleasant walk and the route was well marked. We arrivced and stashed bags under a nearby overhang then
entered through the hole dug through the snow the previous day.
@@ -341,11 +323,10 @@ minutes, we left the cave. Mealy kicked an icicle at Jonty on the way out. We le
left our caving kit under the small overhand near the entrance, then headed back to top camp.
T/U: 0.33 hours
-
2023-07-05
-Sarah Parker,Maddie Kirby,Lizzie Caisley,Joel Stobbart,Philip Balister,
+Sarah Parker,Joel Stobbart,Lizzie Caisley,Maddie Kirby,Philip Balister
Surface - Reflecting the Homecoming -> Fishface route, scoping out a Homecoming to col route
Joel, Lizzie and Philip fettled the tarp (where some water had pooled overnight) whilst I had a go at attaching the big Daren drum (filled with the solar panels and cables) to my rucksack, ready to carry from top camp to Garlic Cave. @@ -366,22 +347,20 @@ return.
Rest of the walk was atmospheric, with lots of gusts and rolling, ominous clouds. We had just gotten back to the car when it started raining.
T/U: 0.0 hours
-
2023-07-06
-Janis Huns,Maddie Kirby,
+Janis Huns,Maddie Kirby
Plateau - scoping out a route from col to Garlic Cave
We set out to improve the direct route from the start of the plateau to Homecoming. The way down the wall after the second pole was suprisingly nice. This was followed by an easy flat section until the bunde and tiny cliffs obscured all the alternative paths we tried. Most of the way was already cairned, but we did find some nice fresh transitions through the bunde walls separating the easy-to-walk-on slabs. At Homecoming, we met Harry, Christian, Alice, Merryn getting ready to rig the cave. Then we visited Garlic cave - a massive above ground hole that leads to a bridge below which are the entrances to the cave itself. There was loads of snow - just as in every entrance - but there was a nice campable bit , plenty of water dripping. I sensed some garlic smell, remembering the story that this smell gave the name of the cave, but was still mysterious. Then Maddie realised we were surrounded by chives! Mystery solved.
On the way back we met Jono, Evelyn, and Oakem who were on the way to Garlic. At Homecoming, Honorata and Radost told us they had found 3 intriguing holes while prospecting. We found a baloon with a sweet note on it and read it to them.
Just after, we found a loose wellie which now acts as another cairn [reflectoring trip on 11th noticed that this is "size 9", so therefore a UK wellie]. The final pathwe made is quite nice except for one climb over a ravine tha t seems to be unavoidable without drastic changes to the route. It was a nice day. On the way back, we saw the Dachstein for the first time , complemented by all the numerous kinds of mountain flowers.
T/U: 0.0 hours
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2023-07-06
-Joel Stobbart,Jonty Pine,Buck Blake,
+Joel Stobbart,Buck Blake,Jonty Pine
Fishface - Rigging and pitch-measuring trip
An ambitious day which slowly went increasingly wrong. The group departed base camp at a stunning 8.20AM, blitzed up the plateau and promtly became mired in several hours of faff which soon descended into more festering. The plan had been to rig the entrance series of Fishface down to the bottom of Blitzen Boulevard (4th pitch), from where we expected everything to be left rigged. However, confusion about rope lengths and metalwork and some impressively long grike trips meant that the two shallow pushing groups planning to explore from Blitzen and Liquid Luck caught us up at Top Camp. Uncle Mike was not amused. We swiftly bombed down to FF in 25 mins and started rigging. Joel was left to do everything as Jonty's light 'broke'.
The entrance pitch/spiral traverse thing was completed on a 40m rope. Tasteful noods (2nd pitch) didn't quite go on a 27m due to rerigging around the top rebelay to avoid rub, so Joel initially reached the bottom on a knot pass and Jonty rerigged to the bottom on a 32m. The traverse at the bottom of Tasteful Noods (2A) and pitch 3 both had rope left from last year but not rigged - some of the knots didn't line up and required rerigging but the lengths were fine. Pendulum pitch needs some more bolts at the bottom, possibly as a traverse, to make getting on and off the pitch less deathy. Uncle Mike rigged Blitzen for us as we got too scared, he insisted the step over the huge rift with no traverse was fine, so we left him to it. There may or may not be a bolt there now @@ -389,11 +368,10 @@ return.
Having decided we'd held eveyone enough, we joyfully skipped back up the Plateau to bed.
T/U: 0.0 hours
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2023-07-06
-Emily Mabbett,Emma Caspers,Charlotte Payne,Mike Butcher,Lizzie Caisley,
+Emily Mabbett,Charlotte Payne,Emma Caspers,Lizzie Caisley,Mike Butcher
Fishface - Surveying around Benign Bubble Baby Bypass
After hiking up to plateau to arrive for midday, we discovered the advanced rigging party still above ground... In order to leave them time to start rigging the first 4 pitches of Fishface, an ungodly amount of faff began. We finally arrived at the cave at 3pm, thinking we'd left plenty of time for the riggers, we quickly changed and headed underground. Alas, our hopes were crushed as we came to the bottom of the first pitch to discover the other pushing party sat freezing their tits off at the top of the second pitch as the riggers rigged just below them. Needless to say, it took some time to descent to the bottom of Blitzen Boulevard with Mike taking over the rigging of the 4th pitch after a debate over placing another bolt at the pitch head. Once arrived at Benign Bubble Baby Bypass, we conducted a quick something time to refresh our surveying technique before splitting into 2 groups. Me and Mike went ahead through the tube leading on through the bottom of the climb heading towards the liquid luck ptch head to bolt the small pitch at the end of the traverse whilst the others began surveying from said turn off. As me and Mike arrived at the pitch head, I asked if I could begin my bolting lesson before a big scary hole. I was refused. Instead I was told to tie the rope around a small head sized bolder wedged in the rift, which were currently both stood on. I thought this was a silly idea but obliged. The actual bolting of the pitch went well (I think?), however comments about placing bolts higher were made which was somewhat impossible given my height. The final bolting and rigging became passable so I decended the large (4m...) hole. @@ -404,11 +382,10 @@ return.
Once regrouped, it was approaching 9:30PM so we decided to leave the small drafty tubeand started to make our way out of the cave eventually making it back to top camp just before midnight.
T/U: 0.0 hours
-
2023-07-06
-Honorata Bogusz,Radost Waszkiewicz,
+Honorata Bogusz,Radost Waszkiewicz
Prospecting
We prospected between Fischgesicht and Heimkehr entrances. We found 5 caves, which I will refer to here using the temporary number and names entered in expo.survex.com. Small drain (2023-hbrw-01) and medium drain (2023-hbrw-02) were surveyed completely and they both strecth for about 20-30m, a small stream passing through each of them.
We also found 3 new caves which seem to continue but we couldn't survey them since they all begin with large pitches: @@ -419,22 +396,20 @@ return.
T/U: 0.0 hours
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2023-07-06
-Zac Woodford,Ashley Gregg,Emma Caspers,Amelia Oliver,
+Zac Woodford,Amelia Oliver,Ashley Gregg,Emma Caspers
Fishface - Surveying the top of liquid luck
Gave the rigging team ~3hr headstart but we still caught up with them at the bottom of first pitch. Emma and Zac then sat around while Ash and Mealy calibrated the disto. We were waiting so long that Uncle Mike's surveying group caught up. We waited in a a bothy for them to pass us before slowly, one-by-one, following on. We then caught up with them again at the top of Blitzen pitch and had to bothy again (after Mealy led us on too low in the rift).
At the beginning of BBBB (Benign Babble Baby Bypass) we talked with Mike's group pushing the other lead and descending some small pitches to push ours. We faffed around a while trying to find it, but when we did, we found it just looped back around to Mike's group's lead. We surveyed it anyway.
Zac and Mealy surveyed the top of the rift and the pitch (Mealy on notes, Zac on disto) while Ash and Emma bolted and rigged the pitch. Once surveyed and linked to Mike's group's stuff, we packed up and headed out. Ash raced ahead while Mealy and Emma got stuck behind Zac who was very tired and slow and sweary. Eventually, they exited. Trip started at ~15.30 and ended at ~00.30. A very tiresome dark hike to top camp.
T/U: 9.0 hours
-
2023-07-06
-Wassil Janssen,Alice Kirby,Harry Kettle,Merryn Matthews,Christian Kuhlmann,
+Wassil Janssen,Alice Kirby,Christian Kuhlmann,Harry Kettle,Merryn Matthews
Homecoming - Rig faff
This was a long day that started at Base Camp with the intent of rigging the entrance series of Homecoming cave. We set off only slightly later than the planned 8:00 [illegible] some faff. Quite surprising since Will was not part of the team.
The walk up to Top Camp took almost 2 hours, just as expected. We were also carrying drills, string, food, and other Top Camp equipment. We followed the reflectors to Fishface. They were white on both sides, which could make it frustrating if you are someone who is lost on their way to Top Camp. Instead, it should be red that leads to Top Camp, while white leads to caves and the car park. @@ -443,11 +418,10 @@ return.
In the meantime, Merryn, Alice and Wassil were waiting in the group shelter practicing the fiddle.
T/U: 0.0 hours
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2023-07-07
-Christian Kuhlmann,Wassil Janssen,
+Christian Kuhlmann,Wassil Janssen
Homecoming - Foray into the Second Coming
Ropes used:
-
@@ -477,38 +451,34 @@ Bolts used:
Following a new set of bolts placed by myself (the first bolt is at a funky angle and could be replaced but is likely fine), a new traverse line is followed up the roof of the rift along steep-walls. This is easy with a traverse line but is more thought provoking to bolt, rig, and de-rig. Much like the top of The Lizard King, a Y-hang is reached (there is another bolt further used for exploring but was deemed to be useless) and is descended into War of Attrition. A 95m rope was used to righ from the the top of The Salamander Queen 2 (previously named "The Lizard King") to the Y-hang dropping into War of Attrition. A 1-bolt rebelay is reached and a deviation is used on the opposite wall. This is finally descended to a ledge with another 1-bolt rebelay. Here the intention is to continue down to reach a to-be-bolted Y-hang in the right in an attempt to decrease rope-rub. This would be descended about 7m to a vague ledge system and followed further into the large phreatic tube via a traverse line (later called The Salamander Queen).
T/U: 0.0 hours
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2023-07-07
-Philip Sargent,Jonty Pine,Janis Huns,Nadia Raeburn,
+Philip Sargent,Janis Huns,Jonty Pine,Nadia Raeburn
Garlic - Hiking to Garlic Cave
Jonty's car: Jonty/Nads/Janis up to Garlic and return this evening. Taking new reflectors made this morning.
T/U: 0.0 hours
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2023-07-07
-Honorata Bogusz,Radost Waszkiewicz,Mike Butcher,
+Honorata Bogusz,Mike Butcher,Radost Waszkiewicz
1623-290 - pushing deep Fishgesicht
We pushed 60m at the top of "Clap My Pitch Up". Pushing required bolting ~20m of a traverse ( Mike adds: 20m ish of the traverse was new passage surveyed this year but there was about 30m of traverse bolted this year which was naughtily pushed by me - Mike - and Luke last year in the Red Light Spells Danger trip so the traverse is about 50ish m long). The final few metres of the traverse go above a sizeable pitch (30m?). We names the bolted traverse, "European Federalists". At the end of the traverse, we continued walking for another ~40m until arriving at the top of a massive pitch - further pushing would require bolting. The distance from where we were standing to the furthest point down the pitch measured with the disto was ~40m. We kicked rocks down the pitch and the sound continued for 10s, giving rise to a presumption that the pitch may be very deep. If it connects to "Clap My Pitch Up", it's at least 100m deep. IMPORTANT: the traverse passage and the walkable continuation are muddy and slippery; posing a hazard of falling down the pitch. Ash, Jonty, Mealy and Janis want to push the lead further on Saturday 8th July.
T/U: 0.0 hours
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2023-07-07
-Emily Mabbett,Charlotte Payne,Harry Kettle,
+Emily Mabbett,Charlotte Payne,Harry Kettle
Homecoming - Rigging towards Watershed in Homecoming
We wandered down to the cave around 10am, making it to the entrance around 12pm. The entrance series went pretty fast ... at least it did for me as Harry and Charlotte were carrying the heavy bags. On the way we made a quick stop to rerig a knot pass. As we reached the bottom of Wallace and Grommit where they had finished rigging the previous day both me and Harry experienced fizzling as we glazed the dry rope on the final 55m. I did not enjoy this part. We then made our way up the climb and Harry began rigging the small pitches before the long pitch series. The most notable part of this was when Harry appeared the wrong side of a pitch head after following the description and getting lost. It was highly amusing. As Charlotte began rigging the final pitch series me and Harry huddled in a shelter and watched Mathilda the musical. As it came to replacing a bolt Harry left to go help Charlotte and I was left along ... until it was discovered the drill battery was dead and I had to come down with a back up. As 8pm approached we made our way out leaving rope to finish the final part of rigging. On the way out we made a noodle stop at the top of Wallace and Grommit but with no fork a knife had to suffice. The walk back was miserable as we started following new reflectors towards the col and had to turn around and start again. We finally made it back to top camp at 1 am.
T/U: 0.0 hours
-
2023-07-07
-Ashley Gregg,Alice Kirby,Amelia Oliver,Will Kay,
+Ashley Gregg,Alice Kirby,Amelia Oliver,Will Kay
Fishface – Surveying Stalagtite Loop to the top of Liquid Luck
Following our previous shallow trip into Fishface we set out to continue the previous combined leads from the day before. The journey across the plateau and into the cave was uneventful, aside from @@ -533,11 +503,10 @@ at the same time. One by one people left the bothy and headed up Blitzen to the camp for curry.
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2023-07-08
-Nadia,Philip B,Oakem,Jono,Jana,
+Nadia,Jana,Jono,Oakem,Philip B
Garlic - Garlic Cave Set up + First Nights
After doing a big bounce carry yesterday, we now had sufficient supplies to spend the night and begin the proper set up of camp.
@@ -560,11 +529,10 @@ Still need to find a grike.
T/U: 0.0 hours
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2023-07-08
-Philip Sargent,Martin Green,
+Philip Sargent,Martin Green
Basecamp - Nerd faff
Another frustrating day with network. WiFi router refused to allow connections - rebooted at ~0830. Ok.
Rebooted network for a reason I can't remember - failed to re-establish routing to router. Much faff standing on chairs typing at netbook as cables all duct taped to the wall with it in final operating position up by ceiling. Found the missing rune, edited into 'runfakenet'. Redocumented everything in handbook. By which time the morning has gone and no progress achieved. @@ -574,20 +542,18 @@ Looked at printer again. No clue as to why printer is not showing up on network Afternoon: added lots of expoers to folk.csv and adding lots of mugshots. Particularly good one of Merryn.
T/U: 0.0 hours
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2023-07-08
-Janis Huns,Ashley Gregg,Jonty Pine,Amelia Oliver,
+Janis Huns,Amelia Oliver,Ashley Gregg,Jonty Pine
Fishface - Pushing deep Fishface
We went to where the group - Honorata, Radost and Mike - had left off the previous day. European Federalists was a very tough traverse that required the use of ascenders. We bolted and rigged (my first bolt!) the pitch at the end of the muddy passage about 10m down to a choke of boulders. At the bottom of it we saw that there is a large, smooth crack continuing east leading to a large, deep chamber that seems to be the same one we saw on the right. If it is it would be elongated roughly in a north east to south west direction. Ash and Mealy also explored some C leads which did not go far.
T/U: 0.0 hours
-
2023-07-08
-Will Kay,Emma Caspers,Mike Butcher,
+Will Kay,Emma Caspers,Mike Butcher
Amphitheatre - Following up on Radost and Honorata's prospecting leads (Unlucky Gemse cave and Amphitheatre cave)
Radost and Honorata had found a few promising entrances that they could explore with just a hand line on Thursday so me, Mike and Emma set out with caving kit, bolting kit and a few ropes to investigate further (ropes were slightly out of date ones - ropes were very hard to come by at Top Camp so we pinched two 20m ropes from the stash at Fishface entrance).
@@ -604,11 +570,10 @@ The next lead was Radost and Honorata's. Amphitheatre cave, which Nadia and some We then walked back, attempting but failing to find Garlic Cave. On the way back we did find a nice looking camp spot (flat, grass, ????, would be good for a tne) at 47.6925722 13.8087777
T/U: 0.0 hours
-
2023-07-08
-Sarah Parker,Charlotte Payne,Harry Kettle,
+Sarah Parker,Charlotte Payne,Harry Kettle
Homecoming - Beyond Watershed in Homecoming Flowstone Canyon
I carried my caving and bivvy gear from Top Camp to Homecoming whilst Harry and Charlotte carried Top Camp's second shovel and a camp bed (surprisingliy heavy) to be picked up by the Garlic Cave people.
@@ -621,29 +586,26 @@ We surveyed for about 100m through sandy rifts, down a few climbs (that were muc Slow, tired progress out saw us leave the cave at about 1am. I stumbled to Garlic Cave to sleep on the slabs outside the camp whilst Charlotte and Harry bivvied in a group shelter at the entrance.
T/U: 0.0 hours
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2023-07-09
-Bier Tent,
+Bier Tent
basecamp - Nothing happened today at all
Nowt, apparently.
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-
2023-07-10
-Philip Sargent,Becka Lawson,
+Philip Sargent,Becka Lawson
basecamp - Becka arriving
She is arriving at 0941 at the station, would like lift.
T/U: 0.0 hours
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2023-07-10
-Honorata Bogusz,Ashley Gregg,Harry Kettle,Christian Kuhlmann,Radost Waszkiewicz,
+Honorata Bogusz,Ashley Gregg,Christian Kuhlmann,Harry Kettle,Radost Waszkiewicz
festering - Canyoning Strubklamm
We went canyoning on a rest day. The "Strubklamm" canyon is located near Saltzburg, approximately 1h of driving from Bad Aussee. The canyon is graded V1A3 (vertical 1, aquatic 3). It's very aquatic, with many small jumps available and a 300m swimming passage. There are 2 bigger jumps: approx. 8m and 10m, both can be abseiled (topo can be found online). @@ -655,11 +617,10 @@ The canyon had pre-rigged pitches and handlines, all of which were quite dodgy ( The weather was good, sunny and hot. The canyon seemed quite dry, as though there was usually more water there (e.g. some slides were only drippy as opposed to full with water). The canyon has at least 2 escape routes.
T/U: 0.0 hours
-
2023-07-10
-James Waite,
+James Waite
UK Caving Blog post: Cardiff Canon Ball Run
Blog Author: BabyhagridCanon Ball Run - Austria (Attempted)
@@ -675,21 +636,19 @@ This was until a black bmw slowly changed into our lane with the feared follow m Yet again a black bmw slowly moved in front of us with their sign flashing. Another check without the fishing for drugs. After this whole ordeal we arrived at base camp, one day late, with a breakdown and two stops from the police. A beer was cracked with relief!
@@ -675,21 +636,19 @@ This was until a black bmw slowly changed into our lane with the feared follow m Yet again a black bmw slowly moved in front of us with their sign flashing. Another check without the fishing for drugs. After this whole ordeal we arrived at base camp, one day late, with a breakdown and two stops from the police. A beer was cracked with relief!
T/U: 0.0 hours
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2023-07-11
-Philip Sargent,Thomas Phillips,Honorata Bogusz,James Waite,Radost Waszkiewicz,Ely Brookes,Ashley Gregg,Will Kay,
+Philip Sargent,Ashley Gregg,Ely Brookes,Honorata Bogusz,James Waite,Radost Waszkiewicz,Thomas Phillips,Will Kay
plateau - walk in
Will and Phil went up as part of the 2-car lift to the carpark. Others all going to topcamp. Cardiff contingent (Ely, James, Thomas) arrived the previous day (at last)
Dep. carpark 10:06 we walked to the col but got spread out, 2 Cardiffians particularly heavily loaded so Ash dropped back to accompany them while James headed on with Radost and Honorata.
T/U: 0.0 hours
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2023-07-11
-Philip Sargent,Will Kay,
+Philip Sargent,Will Kay
plateau - Garlic and reflectors
At the col, Will, Philip and ? followed Philip B's col-to-garlic GPS track. Somebody else was with us (memory hazy, is this true? [correct later editorially]). All OK until we hit the hill in the middle where we followed cairns instead of the GPS track, and got in a bit of @@ -722,11 +681,10 @@ hours of walking. [MISSING SCAN OF PHONE CARD DETAILS]
T/U: 0.0 hours
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2023-07-11
-Wassil Janssen,Oakem Kyne,
+Wassil Janssen,Oakem Kyne
Homecoming - Five and Flying
I managed to steal Oakem away from Harry, Charlotte and Becka just as they were preparing to depart from Top Camp. After a quick breakfast @@ -775,11 +733,10 @@ in time for the sunset. At the surface, Will was waiting for us. The poor man ha his own logbook entry.
T/U: 9.5 hours
-
2023-07-11
-Honorata Bogusz,Ashley Gregg,Radost Waszkiewicz,
+Honorata Bogusz,Ashley Gregg,Radost Waszkiewicz
1623-323 - Dropping Amphitheater Hoehle
The Amphitheater Hoehle is named after its entrance which resembles an amphitheather. There are a couple of meters of an easy climb from the very top to the boulder where we started rigging. Rigging starts with an approx. 5-6m down climb, where we put a handline. It's followed by a traverse (10m ?) above the entrance to the first pitch. We rigged a Y-hang at the end of the traverse. @@ -787,11 +744,10 @@ The Amphitheater Hoehle is named after its entrance which resembles an amphithea
We surveyed the cave to the end of that traverse with a few splays directed at the pitch below. Ash bolted the second pitch halfway down while Radost and I were surveying. The second pitch is slabby, drippy, and has ice patches on the sides. A stoney bridge lies underneath the traverse that leads to the second pitch. In total, we surveyed 70m of Amphitheather Hoehle on that trip.
T/U: 0.0 hours
-
2023-07-11
-Becka,Harry,Charlotte,
+Becka,Charlotte,Harry
Homecoming - Watershed
Slogged down from Top Camp to Homecoming and headed down the entrance series. Wassil had snagged the rope on the longish pitch near the entrance (just after snow ends, beyond short crawl). It was so tight that Charlotte had to downprussik to free it. Steady progress to the pushing front in ~2.5 hours.
Charlotte rigged a traverse down and across 2m so Harry and I could survey a side passage that quickly reached a pitch whilst Charlotte remained to finish rigging the pitch. We all descended the pitch to 2 routes. @@ -800,11 +756,10 @@ Slogged down from Top Camp to Homecoming and headed down the entrance series. Wa
We exited in ~4 hours with a disturbing find on Gromit (the 50m at the base of the entrance series) – I saw a lump of mud on the rope, tried to flick it off but argh, the sheath had gone from a chunk of rope. I cautiously jammered above it, shouted down to warn the others, and tied it out in a butterfly. It was ~5m below the rebelay and many metres from any of the walls so hard to know what caused it – sharp jammers? Rockfall? Previous damage? Out 11pm and then a disappointingly long slog up to Garlic Cave to enjoy the new facilities.
T/U: 13.0 hours
-
2023-07-11
-Emily,Harry,Charlotte,
+Emily,Charlotte,Harry
Fishface - Kresh Konnection exploring and rerigging
The day started fairly quick and we arrived at the Fishface entrance at 10:30am, making our way underground by 11. Joel and Lizzy went around to re-bolt the first pitch in the connection with me and Merryn following after to measure and record rigging diagrams. Due to an odd mixture of rope the first 9m pitch ended up being rigged with a rope from 1999… As we went on Joel and Merryn rerigged P4 and P5 with separate ropes to free up the 50m currently being used so we could bring the 50m down to where we were planning to push. During this time Joel rearranged the ropes and went back to remove the 1999 rope and replace it with an in-date rope. Essentially a good few hours were spent rearranging ropes, during which time me and Lizzy took a nap in a shelter at the bottom of P5.
@@ -813,11 +768,10 @@ For the rest of the trip we actually ended up dropping to the bottom of the seco [INSERT SCANNED IMAGES RIGGING PLAN]
T/U: 0.0 hours
-
2023-07-12
-Emma,Mike B,Jonty,Mealy,
+Emma,Mealy,Jonty,Mike B
Fishface - Camp in Fishface - pushing Redlight & Persied Showers
10-07-23 - We wake up early-ish with the goal of leaving at 9/10 but quickly decide MUCH more faff is needed. A stop is made at the shops to buy biodegradable bags and a magazine, eventually Jonty, Mealy and I made it to the car park. It is very very warm and we worried about dehydration. We get waking, faffing more by running into many groups coming off the plateau, and Mike catches up quickly. Once on the plateau the weather seems more pleasant - a cool breeze is present now - when I see the cause - a huge could of rain hanging over the Dachstein. "Nah, that's just mist" says uncle Mike. We make our merry way, not forgetting to bow to the plateau monster (Mike doesn't bow) until we hear a rumble of thunder, "Nah, just a plane" says uncle Mike, soon, to vertical rains start, which we are not dressed nor prepared for, so we hide by crouching against a wall in the plateau. Then, wind turns and we get very soaked so we huddle under Jonty's 1-man emergency bothy. Anyway sun returns, much more faff is had, I take a fall... we don't make it into Fishface until 20:45, carrying LUDICROUSLY large bags! Mealy and I lead the way in, made a little clumsy by our heavy loads - though not as heavy as jonty's, and not at all as bad as mike's whose "side bag" is a full-sized tackle sack containing lots of rope. The first pitch was not my Friend and I dropped a plastic bottle - after that I enjoyed myself - esp. impressed by TK Maxx, a super cool pitch!! Mealy & I get down just after 23.00, followed soon by Jonty and a little later by Mike who had stopped to get even more Rope. Mealy goes of to faff with Cavelink, Jonty & I head over to help and we send the important message "camp creche want more peanut" - it sends. Mealy & I share warmth & noodles. Jonty & mike eat curry, we whip out the mini-Jagermeister, all take a little sip and head to sleep. I apparently caused some disturbance by snoring (sorry) and we all sleep intermittently.
@@ -834,11 +788,10 @@ Author's note: MB would like me to include that we discussed the most likely po Transcribers note, 21st July 2024. Whilst I do appreciate the write up and the narrative of my friends going caving, this has been the most horrifically punctuated account I have yet had to digitize. I am aware there are typos in my version, I can't be fucked to change them currently.
T/U: 0.0 hours
-
2023-07-12
-Merryn Matthews,Thomas Phillips,Lizzie Caisley,Emily Mabbett,Joel Stobbart,
+Merryn Matthews,Emily Mabbett,Joel Stobbart,Lizzie Caisley,Thomas Phillips
plateau - Prospecting between Homecoming and Fishface
We started by walking to Unlucky Gamse Cave, mostly following the path to homecoming, as Radost and Honorata had told us there was an exciting looking entrance around 50m North of it - Rose Blumen Hoehle (2023-hbrw-05). We dismissed their cave as choked by snow, however it @@ -865,11 +818,10 @@ Caves found:
T/U: 0.0 hours
-
2023-07-12
-Ashley Gregg,Janis Huns,
+Ashley Gregg,Janis Huns
Amphitheatre – Surveying Frozen Unknown
We went back to continue exploring Amphitheatre. Since we were now pushing decently underground, we kitted up and then headed in. Adjusted the initial traverse line rigging slightly. @@ -888,11 +840,10 @@ and nothing to rig off other than ice anyway, I retreated. was no evidence of a draft at the bottom so not particularly promising.
T/U: 0.0 hours
-
2023-07-12
-Mike B,
+Mike B
Fishface - Persied Showers 2023
All on through bolts, about 300m of rope, taken in 1 bag to much regret.
@@ -901,11 +852,10 @@ All on through bolts, about 300m of rope, taken in 1 bag to much regret. Can't really remember the rigging exactly. Continues for about 200 m of rope to a boulder floor, dropped a 15M pitch to the left side of a house sized boulder. At least five streams converge in this area. below the 15m pitch the floor is choked by boulders with a pool/ gravley sump at the downstream end. Still a strong draught but not obvious way on. Could be many side passages on the way down. As I was alone with no disto and with a thunderstorm forecast (rightly) for the next day, this was not surveyed so a return visit to survey, drop the parallel shaft, and de rig is required. I was wearing a new AV hollock over suit which still had it's water proofing as well as a gimp mac over the top. Just about able to stay dry enough but a PVC would be better. This was a fantastic bit of cave, really enjoyed the splashy Yorkshire nature , even though I was a little scared of flood pulses at times. Was rather sad that it didn't break into the next horizontal level. Might still be worth pushing the parallel shaft from the end of the fist rope. - Mike
T/U: 0.0 hours
-
2023-07-12
-Emily,Thom,Merryn,Joel,Lizzy,
+Emily,Joel,Lizzy,Merryn,Thom
Plateau - Prospecting near Fishface
After consulting the weather forecast in the morning and seeing 50mnm of rain forecast from 8pm onward we decided the best use of our day would be to prospect. Our first port of call was a previously scoped hole of the path between Fishcace and Homecoming. With no photo and only a rough location we looked in a few holes climbing to the bottom of a couple that looked possible but to no avail. After marking the holes we decided to continue in a vaguely North direction following a passage in homecoming below us. After some impressive Bundah walking we found another prospect in which Joel eagerly descended only to find it also choked out - it was therefore nicknamed Joel's disappointment , which later changed to sunglasses disappointment after he figured out he lost his sunglasses somewhere into the hole.
@@ -914,11 +864,10 @@ Yet another Bundah battle later we emerged to 2 rucksacks on the plateau and rea From here we began to circle back towards FishFace, on the way we found a large flat expanse of limestone with one semi hopeful prospect but after a large amount of gardening and some dodgy free climbing down from Joel it was decided it was far too chossy to look into any further. Finally we found our one true promising prospect - a hole temporarily name crucifix as it's buried in a bundah patch next to a cross. After putting one bolt in and preparing to start more bolting / rigging we looked up to see a large thunderstorm approaching. We left our bolt and rope we started to leg it up the hill. Tom did not enjoy this part. Finally we arrived, drenched in sweat and wheezing for oxygen, but not burnt to the bone by lightning, we arrived at top camp as the storm hit. We spent the next part of the night cowering in the one only corner of the buivvy as the predicted rain poured. 5 of us sheltered in the animal shelter and watched Matilda the musical - a good storm pass time!
T/U: 0.0 hours
-
2023-07-13
-Honorata Bogusz,Jonty Pine,Radost Waszkiewicz,Oakem Kyne,Charlotte Payne,Harry Kettle,
+Honorata Bogusz,Charlotte Payne,Harry Kettle,Jonty Pine,Oakem Kyne,Radost Waszkiewicz
festering - Via Ferrata "Panorama Kletterstieg Sisi"
@@ -926,11 +875,10 @@ We went on a via ferrata located close to the Loseralm parking lot. The via ferr
The via ferrata route goes up the mountain (it's vertical) and it is very exposed. It requires using the upper body quite a lot and does not have many aids besides the metal wire. The route ends next to a metal cross at the peak of the mountain. One hikes down to get to the car. The description says that the via ferrata takes between 1 and 2 hours but it took us 50 minutes, with a 5 min photo break in the middle.
T/U: 0.0 hours
-
2023-07-13
-Honorata Bogusz,
+Honorata Bogusz
UK Caving Blog post: two weeks on
Blog Author: honorataThe first two weeks of expo have been quite eventful, with exploration proceeding in Fishface and Homecoming, and a new camp being set on the plateau.
@@ -982,11 +930,10 @@ Pic: Oakem Kyne (L) and Jonty Pine (R) on Panorama Kletterstieg Sisi.
after a heavy afternoon at the tatty hut, Harry asked if i fancied coming to @@ -1086,11 +1032,10 @@ so i stripped off and got into my sleeping bag and had a few hours of uncomfortable platau sleep.
Edit this entry @@ -1168,11 +1109,10 @@ drops approx. 5m with snow at bottom, can't clearly see bottom from top.
Entrance photos were also taken. (Note: These caves are all entered on website).
The plan was to do some prospecting in the relatively uncovered area around Garlic cave. We met up with Philip at Garlic cave and had some noodles for lunch. Philip had already done some @@ -1192,11 +1132,10 @@ mostly vertical. Then back to garlic cave to drop off rope (and Philip) before w Top Camp.
Following an impromptu pre-expo-dinner dinner the night before, we all arose with a tinge of hangover. Rapidly consuming breakfast and packing kit, we set off at 8:30am, only 30 minutes after we said we would which in all fairness is very good going for us. After a smooth ferry to the Loser car park by our wonderful chauffer Alice, we set off up the mountain. Almost immediately after we left the car park a navigational faux pas was made and we found ourselves on the wrong path, and with a small section of off-roading, we headed up to top camp with no other further obstructions. @@ -1226,20 +1165,18 @@ The escape was awful and became briefely less awful upon leaving the bolting kit Overall, a great trip with over ~294m surveyed and more promising leads found. Couldn’t recommend camping in the second coming more!
Deciding I wanted to go prospecting but didn’t particularly want to walk back over to garlic cave, so recruited Evelyn, our resident non-caver to go wander around near balcony. Armed with known cave @@ -1269,11 +1206,10 @@ yield any new caves.
2023-jw-05
Today was a good day, i nerded and drank beer. Why should i cave anymore? Maybe i am a armchair caver after all.
Joel had discovered an exciting new cave, unfortunately this left us with rope and a lead down in the Fish face – happy butterfly connection which no-one was going to. I was naively convinced to go and @@ -1334,11 +1266,10 @@ a large loop – kreshconnectionconfusion. It turned out half of this hadn’t b worthwhile on an otherwise pointless trip.
@@ -1426,20 +1357,18 @@ Annoyingly further thunderstorms were forecast but three days later we returned Despite ~300m of passage being surveyed minimal progress was made in getting closer to Fishface but there are lots of excellent leads to explore and four weeks left of expo so hopefully lots more cave will get found
.
@@ -982,11 +930,10 @@ Pic: Oakem Kyne (L) and Jonty Pine (R) on Panorama Kletterstieg Sisi.
T/U: 0.0 hours
-
2023-07-13
-Zac,Will,Sarah,Jono,
+Zac,Jono,Sarah,Will
Homecoming - Investingating around Radogast
The day started out bleak with the plateau overcast and still soaked from the night before. Zac and Sarah set out from top camp while will and Jono came from base. We all bumped into each other at homecoming which was excellent timing. We proceeded to garlic cave for some lunch where Zac and Sarah got very cold. Phillip joined us there also. we waited for the rain to die away then headed over to homecoming. Sarah followed by Zac, then Will then Jono. The plan was to re-rig the small pitch and traverse after Radogast as well as investigate a phreatic tube 5m bellow the Radogast pitch head. each of these were to be done in pairs but the plan was scrapped when Jono needed the longer rope from Sarah (exploring Radogast) to re rig the pitch and the traverse. In the end Zac re-rigged it under Jono's supervision while the other 2 stood around.
@@ -996,11 +943,10 @@ We then all exited the cave to the tying light, Zac and Sarah first followed by One the way back to top, Zac slipped and pulled his arm/ scraped his arse meaning Mike had to apply cream to it at top camp. A bit of a faffy trip but an important step for making progress.
T/U: 0.0 hours
-
2023-07-14
-James Waite,Charlotte Payne,Harry Kettle,
+James Waite,Charlotte Payne,Harry Kettle
Homecoming - pushing down homecoming from flowstone canyon, into alpine showers
after a heavy afternoon at the tatty hut, Harry asked if i fancied coming to @@ -1086,11 +1032,10 @@ so i stripped off and got into my sleeping bag and had a few hours of uncomfortable platau sleep.
T/U: 13.0 hours
-
2023-07-14
-Bier Tent,
+Bier Tent
basecamp - UK Caving Blog post: Rain at times
Blog Author: CUCC Austria Expedition
@@ -1100,20 +1045,18 @@ Administrative note: a few days of rain, heavy at times (1 tent bent, 1 flooded)
Full details at http://expo.survex.com/expedition/2023
T/U: 0.0 hours
-
2023-07-14
-Honorata,Radost,Chi,Oakem,Wassil,Merryn,
+Honorata,Chi,Merryn,Oakem,Radost,Wassil
Basecamp - Floating down the river to Bad Aussee
Floating down the river to Bad Aussee. Me and Radost are leaving today so we wanted to do a fun rest day activity on our last full day. Chi, Wassil, and Oakem agreed to go canyoning to Grabenback (VZVZ)(?) with us. We decided that we wanted to be in the canyon in the hottest moment of the day. We were ready to leave at noon but chi realised he'd lost his car keys. 2 hours of searching for them around the potato hut yielded no results. Disappointed, we decided to float down the river to Bad Aussee where we later had ice cream. Floating down the river has been definitely the most dangerous and stupid thing I've done on expo. Don't do it and if you have to - wear a helmet, gloves and shoes unlike us. I stated rolling on one waterfall and was really afraid I'd hurt my head. Then, I hit my lip really hard on a rock. I'm not gonna do it again. Ice cream was nice though.
T/U: 0.0 hours
-
2023-07-14
-Will,Sarah,Mike,Nadia,
+Will,Mike,Nadia,Sarah
homecoming - Shallow Homecoming and pushing beyond Hobknob Hallway & Dead Flied Passage
Having seen 2 A-leads at the end of dead flies passage on the big survey we headed down to investigate & push. Arriving at the end of the survey, we reached a small 3x1.5m chamber with a streamway passage (?2018-26A) back to the left and a more rifty passage straight ahead (?2018-25A).
@@ -1128,11 +1071,10 @@ Back at base camp Nadia looked up the survey points that weren't on the survey a Speaking of, towards the end of Dead Flies Passage we found a tacklesack presumably from 2018 with a rope and some incredibly rusted maillons & hangers . It was slightly wet but presumably mostly from dripping. The rope may be viable but the metalwork won't be.
T/U: 0.0 hours
-
2023-07-14
-Becka,Jono,Harry,James,Charlotte,
+Becka,Charlotte,Harry,James,Jono
1626-359 - Homecoming . Watershed . Alpine Showers
Walked from Top Camp to Homecoming + headed down quite efficiently, split to 2 groups at the previous survey limit, below CHarlotte's 2nd pitch, Harry, Charlotte + James started surveying downstream. Jono + I surveyed upstream for a mighty 3 legs ("Alpine Waterfall") to where the stream spouted down from on high.
We went up the pitch with the rope + drill aiming to bolt a vertical lead but Harry caught us up to say they needed it so he took the drill + rope + they bolted downstream until they ran out of rope to leave a splashy A-lead continuing downstream.
@@ -1144,11 +1086,10 @@ We'd run out of horizontal leads so headed out, luckily beating the jam caused b
T/U Becka and Jono 13 hours, the others 15 hours
T/U: 13.0 hours
-
2023-07-15
-Ashley Gregg,Ely Brookes,Janis Huns,
+Ashley Gregg,Ely Brookes,Janis Huns
Prospecting - Up to Homecoming from the Col
Edit this entry @@ -1168,11 +1109,10 @@ drops approx. 5m with snow at bottom, can't clearly see bottom from top.
Entrance photos were also taken. (Note: These caves are all entered on website).
T/U: 0.0 hours
-
2023-07-15
-Ashley Gregg,Ely Brookes,Philip Balister,
+Ashley Gregg,Ely Brookes,Philip Balister
2018-DM-04 – Prospecting, exploring, surveying
The plan was to do some prospecting in the relatively uncovered area around Garlic cave. We met up with Philip at Garlic cave and had some noodles for lunch. Philip had already done some @@ -1192,11 +1132,10 @@ mostly vertical. Then back to garlic cave to drop off rope (and Philip) before w Top Camp.
T/U: 0.0 hours
-
2023-07-15
-Christian Kuhlmann,Wassil Janssen,Merryn Matthews,
+Christian Kuhlmann,Merryn Matthews,Wassil Janssen
Homecoming - In Search Of Salamanders
Following an impromptu pre-expo-dinner dinner the night before, we all arose with a tinge of hangover. Rapidly consuming breakfast and packing kit, we set off at 8:30am, only 30 minutes after we said we would which in all fairness is very good going for us. After a smooth ferry to the Loser car park by our wonderful chauffer Alice, we set off up the mountain. Almost immediately after we left the car park a navigational faux pas was made and we found ourselves on the wrong path, and with a small section of off-roading, we headed up to top camp with no other further obstructions. @@ -1226,20 +1165,18 @@ The escape was awful and became briefely less awful upon leaving the bolting kit Overall, a great trip with over ~294m surveyed and more promising leads found. Couldn’t recommend camping in the second coming more!
T/U: 32.0 hours
-
2023-07-15
-Becka,Sarah,
+Becka,Sarah
2023-BL-01 - Prospecting N of Garlic Cave
We walked under the flanks of the Kleine Wildkogel to the ridge at the top where you can see down to the tiny hut in the bowl between that ridge and the next. The gps track for Becka is [?] downloaded and I logged four caves numbered 2023-BL-01 to 04. Two were horizontal and are katasterable (02 and 04) and the other two (01 and 03) are open shafts that would need to be dropped to be checked out.
T/U: 0.17 hours
-
2023-07-16
-Ashley Gregg,Evelyn Surman,
+Ashley Gregg,Evelyn Surman
Prospecting - Much prospecting near Balcony
Deciding I wanted to go prospecting but didn’t particularly want to walk back over to garlic cave, so recruited Evelyn, our resident non-caver to go wander around near balcony. Armed with known cave @@ -1269,11 +1206,10 @@ yield any new caves.
T/U: 0.0 hours
-
2023-07-16
-Mark Shinwell,James Waite,
+Mark Shinwell,James Waite
surface - Walk from Gschwandt Alm
Walk from Gschwandt Alm below the western edge of the plateau.
[note taken from gps23.svx]
@@ -1285,40 +1221,36 @@ Walk from Gschwandt Alm below the western edge of the plateau.
2023-jw-042023-jw-05
T/U: 0.0 hours
-
2023-07-16
-Becka,
+Becka
Homecoming - Hobnob Hallway
Alice and Buck came from top camp with a drill, batteries, and hammer... but sadly no drill bits. We hoped we might meet the camping trip exiting and be able to take their drill bits so we took all the kit down but sadly didn't see them so Sarah rigged as far as she could without bolting but couldn't bottom the pitches. Meanwhile Alice and I surveyed 'Golden Goose' to finish centreline(station 901) and we then resurveyed down to Sarah's pitch (Survey name 'Goose box') because Frank and Nadia's data for this had disappeared... unlike their survey stations which we largely reused.The survey is now nearly to the pushing front. We looked at 2018-20B and it ends. The ready replaced, new red rope on Gromit is already worryingly not good after so few trips
Ends at an aven QMX about 20m beyond last survey station after m'10m of tight rift.
T/U: 8.0 hours
-
2023-07-16
-Joel,
+Joel
Tempest - The Tempest Diaries
Having arrived at top camp we decided to go and poke the hole we had found at the end of the day on the 12th. Given the workinjg title of tomb of christ by Tom due to its situation under a large metal cross. It was agreed that if the cave went it would be renamed Tempest in honour of Lizzie's favourite primary school performance: The Tempest: The musical. Emily had begun bolting a traverse in before we were scared off by weather. So I connected this to a Y hang which dropped - 20m onto a snowy slope with passage leading both left and right. Tom dropped in and started bolting a rebelay while I dig through the snow to look at the more promising RH lead - this turned out to be a [?] slope - 45 degrees which confirmed for 15m. Sadly the drill fucked up before Tom could finish the bolt and with more weather approaching we turnedaround, vowing to return.
T/U: 2.0 hours
-
2023-07-17
-Jono Lester,
+Jono Lester
basecamp - I Drank Beer
Today was a good day, i nerded and drank beer. Why should i cave anymore? Maybe i am a armchair caver after all.
T/U: 8.0 hours
-
2023-07-17
-Ashley Gregg,Emma Caspers,Oakem Kyne,
+Ashley Gregg,Emma Caspers,Oakem Kyne
Fishface – Kresh connection confusion
Joel had discovered an exciting new cave, unfortunately this left us with rope and a lead down in the Fish face – happy butterfly connection which no-one was going to. I was naively convinced to go and @@ -1334,11 +1266,10 @@ a large loop – kreshconnectionconfusion. It turned out half of this hadn’t b worthwhile on an otherwise pointless trip.
T/U: 0.0 hours
-
2023-07-17
-Harry Kettle,
+Harry Kettle
Homecoming - Pushing Watershed
@@ -1426,20 +1357,18 @@ Annoyingly further thunderstorms were forecast but three days later we returned Despite ~300m of passage being surveyed minimal progress was made in getting closer to Fishface but there are lots of excellent leads to explore and four weeks left of expo so hopefully lots more cave will get found
.T/U: 0.0 hours
-
2023-07-17
-Joel,Thom,Lizzie,
+Joel,Lizzie,Thom
Tempest - The Tempest Diaries
Rearing to go and with many promising leads to explore we raced down to Tempest to continue the work we finished. Tom's bolt which means the scree slope was marginally safer to descend. I continued down to a choke above a short pitch with a ledge to LH whilst Lizzie and Tom surveyed from the entrance. Some serious gardening was required which occupied me until the other two arrived. Thyen we bolted a traverse into the short pitch and entered the chamber now known as Narnia. Due to the impressive frozen waterfalls and other ice formations we surveyed into this chambers noting again exciting leads to both left and right of the pitch base, then headed back to the surface.
T/U: 5.0 hours
-
2023-07-18
-Ashley Gregg,Zac Woodford,Merryn Matthews,
+Ashley Gregg,Merryn Matthews,Zac Woodford
Tempest – Touch of Death
Excited to go and see (and kill) this new cave, two groups set off to push the two ‘A’ leads at the extent of Tempest. Arriving at the cave we prepared the bags and realised we’d forgotten a hammer, so @@ -1461,11 +1390,10 @@ as this was just the ceiling of the main passage below. which we’d left lying around. Once out we packed up and headed back to Top Camp.
T/U: 0.0 hours
-
2023-07-18
-Amelia Oliver,
+Amelia Oliver
Expo - UK Caving Blog post 11
Blog Author: MealyWritten as we (Mealy, Jonty, Emily) made slow progress through endless traffic in Germany on our route back to the UK. Finished at home with working internet.
@@ -1519,20 +1447,18 @@ Post camp we have learnt that we should have visited Keanu Breeze as it is now s tldr: Camp: Effort does not equal success.
@@ -1519,20 +1447,18 @@ Post camp we have learnt that we should have visited Keanu Breeze as it is now s tldr: Camp: Effort does not equal success.
T/U: 0.0 hours
-
2023-07-18
-Joel,
+Joel
Tempest - The Tempest Diaries
The hype was growing and not one but two groups went to push (or kill in Ashs case) this cave. Congregating at the base of the Narnia Pitch after I had added a rebelay on the entrance pitch. Ash and Zac set off to survey the LH passage and scoped an impressive 100m before reaching a choke - fartichoke was born. A lovely horizontal and almost straight passage with Sandy floor and looping avens in ceiling. Meanwhile, the remainder set off to continue down Narnia bolting another 15m pitch with much faff and surveying up to the top of Tomb Reider. At the bottom which Tom reached first we were dismayed to find a cessation of human sized cave. Tom had landed on a choke with small holes to L and R but nothing easily accessible. Upon seeing this Lizzie turned around and left in disgust but driven mad with disappointment me and Tom began hacking frantically at the boulders either side. Suddenly with a cry of joy, I hearled aside a mighty boulder to find a nearly Joel sized hole in the floor with an excellent echo. After much experimental squeezing we found that feet first sans SRT kit worked best, and I had a quick look to see a large and impressive rift below. We had left Lizzie waiting long enough so turned around and retired to the surface. Planning to bring some heavy demolitions kit the next day.
T/U: 6.0 hours
-
2023-07-19
-James Waite,Jono Lester,
+James Waite,Jono Lester
Homecoming - pushing beyond death sump and the heifer
jono and i had spotted an A lead bolt climb off the edge of propane nightmares over the death sump. armed with bolts and mikes drill we set off from garlic cave and after much faff we finally enteretd into homecoming. we got our kit into two bags of very heavy nature and set off down the cave. the entrance pitches went easily and eventually we got to the traverse . this was a interesting with large blokes and large bags stuck in the rift. after a large amount of swearing we got down to wallace. this went easily, and we got onto grommit. this was rather "fun" as the rope was looking interesting, and you had to go very slowly to avoid sizzling. at the bottom of grommit we gathered some bolts and hangers from the bag down there and set off into propane nightmares.
@@ -1545,11 +1471,10 @@ we regrouped at the base of the heifer after adding a bolt to make the pitch hea
T/U: 13.5 hours
-
2023-07-19
-Ashley Gregg,Zac Woodford,Will Kay,
+Ashley Gregg,Will Kay,Zac Woodford
2023-ASH-15, 2023-ASH-16 - Prospecting – dropping Boring Hole and Dead on Arrival
Took Zac to bolt a cave he had previously found not too far of the path to Fishface. Slight delay as we’d forgotten something important (bolts maybe?), which Will went back to get. @@ -1561,11 +1486,10 @@ rift the were no continuations. Will named it Dead on Arrival (2023-ASH-15). Sur
Headed back to Top camp for noodles.
T/U: 0.0 hours
-
2023-07-19
-Ashley Gregg,Will Kay,
+Ashley Gregg,Will Kay
Plateau - Surveying Little Tent and Gollum Grotto
Deciding we weren’t done for the day yet an afternoon evening trip was decided upon to survey some of the caves Evelyn and I had found a few days ago. Will and I gathered the necessary gear and set off @@ -1581,49 +1505,44 @@ boulders, but this doesn’t go anywhere. off on the edges of the plateau. Plus curry for dinner.
T/U: 0.0 hours
-
2023-07-19
-Joel,Thom,Merryn,Ely,Lizzie,
+Joel,Ely,Lizzie,Merryn,Thom
Tempest - The Tempest Diaries
On what would really turn out to be our last day in Tempest, two groups went down once more - an intense pushing group and some tourists, me, Lizzie, and Ely attempted to bash a bigger hole to get into the rift at the bottom of Tomb Raider, achieving virtually nothing after an hour of work and deciding once again to drop in without SRT kits, we were joined by Merryn and the skeleton team squeezed in to survey the rift. This sadly crapped out ion chokes at both ends of the rift and along a continuation to the right, but we surveyed and got some good photos before returning out the hole to discover mildly hypothermic Tom waiting for us in his gimp poncho like some frozen wizard. Concluding that despite our best efforts the cave was going nowhere. We de-rigged the cave in stages and left all the rope at fishface. Defeated but content, we retreated to Top Camp.
[TOPO TO BE SCANNED AND UPLOADED]
T/U: 6.0 hours
-
2023-07-19
-Nadia,Max,Flo,Kai,
+Nadia,Flo,Kai,Max
surface - Prospecting near Fishface
We found a cave with 2 entries that linked together in several places. We dropped the first one and it didn't go anywhere so we dropped the second pitch which had loads of ice features which some of which had to be destroyed to stop them squishing people. The second part of the cave sent straight down then opened up slightly with a low flat chamber.
T/U: 2.0 hours
-
2023-07-19
-Becka,Sarah,
+Becka,Sarah
2023-BL-05 - Prospecting W of Garlic cave
See Becka's track log for route and 2023-BL-05 to 09 for 5 logged caves. Adam descended three of them on naturals but sadly they all ended immediately, as did the two horizontal areas that we logged, we also failed to circumnavigate the Flares wilks kogel which made me both sad and cross. I checked out Paul Walko's lidan hole in the bunde which turned out to be a grassy bowl with no hole whatsoever.
T/U: 0.0 hours
-
2023-07-20
-Jono Lester,
+Jono Lester
basecamp - I Drank More Beer
Today was a diffrent day. I walked down the Plat and was supose to enter all my 3D data and Nerd but i drank more beer instead.
T/U: 5.0 hours
-
2023-07-20
-Ashley Gregg,Thomas Phillips,
+Ashley Gregg,Thomas Phillips
Plateau - Surveying Top Camp Band and Bat versus Rat
Decided to go and survey/kill a couple more caves before heading down off the plateau for the year. Aware that I would have a lot of data to sort out and vague plans to go canyoning Friday before the @@ -1637,11 +1556,10 @@ entrance. Good opportunity for Tom to have more practice on book (paperless).
It was then back to top camp to pack up everything to then walk down.
T/U: 0.0 hours
-
2023-07-20
-Bier Tent,
+Bier Tent
Homecoming - I’m very happy that Homecoming is being revisited
[Author has to be an on-expo member, but "Samouse1" (whoever that is) is not on expo this year. So the author is given as the Bier Tent to prevent annoying reminder messages.]
@@ -1653,11 +1571,10 @@ Blog Author: Samouse1I’m very happy that Homecoming is
Either way, glad to see it being pushed towards the rest of the system!
T/U: 0.0 hours
-
2023-07-20
-Sarah,Becka,
+Sarah,Becka
Homecoming - Goosebox -> Lassitude Chambers
Managed to get underground before noon (!) at about 11:40am, Becka had gone via fishface to pick up her caving kit and some drill batteries. We got to the bottom of Grom,it without incidence and sorted through the drill and drill accessories that had been stashed there. They were in a holey tackle bag with no dry bag so drill was extremely dirty. We repurposed Adams sainsbury's bag to Hobnob hallway, dead flies to the pushing front. We dropped to a large ledge near where I had run out of bolts on a previous trip. I drilled up whilst Becka and Adam layered up. I descended to my previous single bolt rebelay and turned into a Y hand. I abseiled around 1 further sm and put in another rebelay. Here, the initial rift meets a perpendicular canyon with a small waterfall coming in from the side. I descended another 10m and peeked around the corner finally spotting the bottom of the pitch with my spot. I rigged a final rebelay and reached the bottom.
@@ -1667,29 +1584,26 @@ We surveyed until we reached a ~8m small cascade (honestly not very wet, even yo Becka and I tweaked the rigging on the way out, then we headed out of the cave.
T/U: 12.0 hours
-
2023-07-22
-BT,
+BT
travel - Pension talk
After a long drive across Europe consisting of pension, traffic, H52 and car talk we turned up to base camp overrun by all the kresh and their friends prepping for an [?] to Slovenia
T/U: 0.0 hours
-
2023-07-23
-Bier Tent,
+Bier Tent
basecamp - Nothing happened today at all
Nowt, apparently. Again. On a Sunday, again.
T/U: 0.0 hours
-
2023-07-23
-Adam Baldock,Kai,
+Adam Baldock,Kai
plateau - Mendip Man & Silver Moth
We set off to the fishface gear strone on a fine sunny day. I was promised some proper mendip esc horizpntal passages, exactly what I came to expo for.
Kai showed me into mendip man, past the dollop of snow on the rather impressive entrance and set off down boulder and rock rubble, [?] crawling passage.
@@ -1717,11 +1631,10 @@ We decuded to calll the name silver moth as the passage had a lot of moths and t
With a great draft draft out of the hole we planned to return with a handline and a lot of psych [?] the rain in 2 days time.
T/U: 0.0 hours
-
2023-07-23
-Emily,Thom,Joel,Merryn,Lizzy,
+Emily,Joel,Lizzy,Merryn,Thom
Plateau - Prospecting near Fishface
After consulting the weather forecast in the morning and seeing 50mnm of rain forecast from 8pm onward we decided the best use of our day would be to prospect. Our first port of call was a previously scoped hole of the path between Fishcace and Homecoming. With no photo and only a rough location we looked in a few holes climbing to the bottom of a couple that looked possible but to no avail. After marking the holes we decided to continue in a vaguely North direction following a passage in homecoming below us. After some impressive Bundah walking we found another prospect in which Joel eagerly descended only to find it also choked out - it was therefore nicknamed Joel's disappointment , which later changed to sunglasses disappointment after he figured out he lost his sunglasses somewhere into the hole.
@@ -1730,11 +1643,10 @@ Yet another Bundah battle later we emerged to 2 rucksacks on the plateau and rea From here we began to circle back towards FishFace, on the way we found a large flat expanse of limestone with one semi hopeful prospect but after a large amount of gardening and some dodgy free climbing down from Joel it was decided it was far too chossy to look into any further. Finally we found our one true promising prospect - a hole temporarily name crucifix as it's buried in a bundah patch next to a cross. After putting one bolt in and preparing to start more bolting / rigging we looked up to see a large thunderstorm approaching. We left our bolt and rope we started to leg it up the hill. Tom did not enjoy this part. Finally we arrived, drenched in sweat and wheezing for oxygen, but not burnt to the bone by lightning, we arrived at top camp as the storm hit. We spent the next part of the night cowering in the one only corner of the buivvy as the predicted rain poured. 5 of us sheltered in the animal shelter and watched Matilda the musical - a good storm pass time!
T/U: 0.0 hours
-
2023-07-23
-Botcherby,Rob Watson,
+Botcherby,Rob Watson
Fishface - 4th pitch derig
After storming up to Top Camp, we decided to make use of the rest of the day by de-rigging the 4th pitch in FishFace. I enjoyed learning the route to FF and the progression of alpine flowers. We arrived around 1700 only to discover that Rob's drill was not in the alcove. After having a meltdown and shouting at no one in particular, Rob decided to run back to Top Camp to get a drill whilst I chilled out in the sun. We actually got down around 1800, quickly smashing down to the offending pitch around 1900. While Rob got the drill set up I went down to identify which rope was the new one (Nadia had previously started the re-rig) and show Rob where to head for at the bottom. After faffing about changing ropes, I got down to the bottom, then up the handline to the new bottom of the pitch. As it would take some time, I decided to explore a bit. I ran down a few pitches which was easy due to [?]. Went wrong once when I popped through a little hole to a crumbling slope above a big drop. After a while, I thought maybe I should return, but maybe just one more pitch... This was the massive TK Max. At the bottom it was really time to return (2015) so I quickly stepped it back, returning to a (slightly worried) Rob at 2100ish. He'd been done for 40 minutes and had had the time to de-rig most of the old rope. To my disappointment he'd opted not to pass the rope through the little window. We got back to camp at around 2230 where the other were a bit suprised by our lateness. Ate a massive bowl of tortelloni.
Thru bolts used: 5
@@ -1742,21 +1654,19 @@ Thru bolts used: 5
[RIGGING TOPO TO BE UPLOADED]
T/U: 3.5 hours
-
2023-07-24
-Joe Stell,Kai Trusson,
+Joe Stell,Kai Trusson
Fishface - Tourist Trip to Pisspot
Tourist trip down Fishface to Pisspot. Already more SRT than Joe has done in his entire lifetime combined, hopefully not holding up Kai too much.
Turned around and headed back out after 2 hours or so as felt we had done enough SRT practice
T/U: 0.0 hours
-
2023-07-24
-Joe Stell,Kai Trusson,
+Joe Stell,Kai Trusson
Surface - surveying/prospecting small leads found yesterday by Luke, Becca and Max
Becka checked with Joe Stell and Kai Trusson to clarify this write-up. It does describe Mendip Man albeit confusingly. The paragraph starting "upon leaving" is the main, left route after the entrance. The initial write-up refers the shorter, right route. This was surveyed on this trip but there was a problem with the data collected and so the data wasn't added to the database. It also isn't clear where the GPS location referred to below was taken.
@@ -1766,11 +1676,10 @@ Thru bolts used: 5
This second lead to the left was not surveyed nor fully explored and needs returning to.
T/U: 0.0 hours
-
2023-07-24
-Rob W,Nadia,
+Rob W,Nadia
Homecoming - Rigging fixing
Various reports/complaints had made it clear that the rigging in homecoming left a lot to be desired so since the forecast for the afternoon precluded the possibility of derigging Big Bastard or making moves to push Clap My Pitch Up Nadia and I derived to go and fix this.
The walk between this cave from FF is one of the most irritating pieces of plateau bashing I have ever had to do. Lots of snaking up and down rugged terrain, through large patches of bunde and dwarf willow, with little idea how close you are to your destination. So SA to a good start. Eventually arrived and kitted up. Headed down the first couple of pitches with banks of snow before arriving at the pitches after the crawl. I installed a new bolt at the pitch head just after the crawl to make a traverse line. Then installed another rebelay near the bottom of this to reduce rub.
@@ -1783,20 +1692,18 @@ NB: While I was rigging the new descent to the head of wallace at 1700-1800 we h
We turned around at ~20:30. On the way out I noticed that Radagast, forced along a really nice normal fault, a marker had between 50cm thick between 2 shale bands shows it has ~10m displacement walks back was very damp of treacherous, saw many salamanders back at top camp at ~1am after dropping gear at FF. Thru bolts used: 13
T/U: 11.0 hours
-
2023-07-24
-Luke,Becka,Botch,
+Luke,Becka,Botch
surface - Wombling around tidying up the mess
After Becka was finally ready we set off to FF, underground before 11am. Got to camp in 1hr making note of all the equipment abandoned in the cave. 2x ropes, 1xbrew kit, 2x tackle bags. Went to de-rig morning the moths it was dry, no water insight, con-try to previous explorers reports. Both derigged removing the nuts (take note for returning explorers no nuts. After much discussion we decided to go to coconut shy to rejig our memory on the way and jokingly sent Botch down a rat hole, Unfortunately it went and he disappeared for too long and I realised I would have to regrettably follow him to survey it. We started to survey as the passage got progressively smaller and muddier before a final letter box which shot you out into a rift. Well Botch and Becka surveyed. I desperately looked for a way to get back to known passage without going back through the letter box, I succeeded by climbing up through the rift but would need bolting if people return. Went back to see that Botch and Becka had survey to a point that would need rope. I sent them back through the letter box (gerbialhole.sux) and did the dodgy climb one more time. Little scuttle around coconut shy. Then it was time to go home. Fettled the cave link, went out of the cage removing excess and dirty rope above ground before sunset.
T/U: 10.0 hours
-
2023-07-27
-Joe Stell,Frank Tully,
+Joe Stell,Frank Tully
Surface - Check your bits
Hearing of an exciting new lead, "Mahlstromhöhle", from Frank, Max and Flo, Frank and I embarked on a walk westward out of Fishface gear dump. Upon finding the entrance (which took considerably longer than anticipated) we quickly started kitting up, only to find an absence of any drill bits in the drill bag, contrary to what Frank believed to be the case. Frank then left for fishface gear dump in search of drill bits, whilst I waited patiently, in kit. @@ -1804,32 +1711,29 @@ After Becka was finally ready we set off to FF, underground before 11am. Got to
At some point during our travels, Frank had decided we should attempt to pioneer a new, shorter, easier path between topcamp and fishface, leaving the path halfway to embark on this endeavour. After much time scrambling, bunder-bashing and pathfinding, we finally refound the path, having created a path that was not easier, nor shorter. Frank then got bored and created a new gear rack at topcamp whilst we waited for the garlic cave prospecting group to arrive.
T/U: 0.0 hours
-
2023-07-27
-Becka,Luke,
+Becka,Luke
Fishface - Rerig clap my pitch up + 4[??] pitch
Down Elizabeth line +rigged the red [light?] for danger traverese, 2 short pitches + then luke rigged clap my pitch up.
We exited + luke rebolted the 4th pitch further back giving a hang that avoided the traverese + the awkward rebelay that had previously been tried - this is the 4th + hopefullly the final iteration of the 4th pitch this expo.
T/U: 10.0 hours
-
2023-07-27
-Botch,Nadia,
+Botch,Nadia
Fishface - Rigging and Gerbil Hole ATtempt
After a freezing night in the cloud at top camp, the prospect of an underground camp wasn't seeming too bad. We got going slowly due to the chill, then walked over to fishface. The camping team was myself, Nadia, Rob and Kai plus a non-camping team of Luke and Becka. We were last so spent some time re-rigging the 4th pitch - removing the footless traverse in favour of two rebelays. I was a bit concerned it'd be too tight but we didn't want to put any bolts in so left it at that. We got to underground camp and had some noodles - no utensils so we ate with a pencil. We then went to bolt down the rift that Luke freeclimbed to the lead in the rift at the end of Gerbil hole. Rigging took a while due to the confusiong nature of the rift and shit rock. We'd used our two ropes to get to the lead so just surveyed out to complete a loop. By the time we got back to camp it was 2100 so we just madesoopy smash curry and ate it with spanners.
[RIGGING TOPO TO BE SCANNED AND UPLOADED]
T/U: 24.0 hours
-
2023-07-27
-Rob,Becka,Botch,Nadia,
+Rob,Becka,Botch,Nadia
Fishface - Camping without utensils
Did a bit of packing the night before but it was too chilly to want to really to the past. So that had to be done on the following morning, when it was equally cold. Which made us all a bit grumpy. Plan for day 1was for Kai and i to visit the European Federalists area to see if we could work out what was going on there while Like was also there rigging CMPU.
After an uneventful commute we arrived at the traverse above red light. This was very much the return of Balcony's Arse. Disgusting sticky mud everywhere and they had used the 8.5mm rope to rig it. Thus making the rope really nasty. One part of the traverse was pretty strenuous and muddy, no one needed that. I feel bad for whoever had to wait while it got bolted. Anyway, got to the end and it was a total minger. Super chossy pitch combined with a mud festival. No thanks. Got a voice connection with Becka at the top of CMPU but couldn't see her light. Decided to fuck off as it was almost certainly just the top of Apis Medicus. Left it rigged for now. A visual connection can be made later. Then we headed back along the traverse to the head of CMPU to try and traverse across the 'free arse' that Luke and I had spotted the year previously. It quickly became apparent that traversing at the level of the 'free arse' would be very difficult, so I decided instead to traverse above and then drop in from the top. Some very muddy and naughty traversing ensured with a handy dose of choss. But a short while later and I was bolting at a rather nice phreatic passage with two junctions visible immediately. Very promising!
@@ -1839,11 +1743,10 @@ Then back to camp where we discovered the lack of utensils. Ate some gnocchi/cur
Next day we struggled to find motivation to leave sleeping bags but eventuallu made it back towards CMPU and the 'free arse'. Nadia, Botch and Kai began surveying the nice horizontal passage across the traverse while I rigged Apis Medicus. Remembered how poorly/quickly I rigged the traverse last year, resolved to fix it later. Pitch rigged to bottom, I looked at water levels quickly, seemed the same as last year in the rift. Looked at what the others were up to at the top, Really nice horizontal passage outgoing. On the way down earlier rocks were rained on me by the traversers alone so I hid and in the process noticed a canyon passage just before the top of Apis Medicus. So stole Botch and went to survey this. A nice passage that ended at a window onto Apis Medicus. Then Botch headed out while I improved the rigging of the traverse between CMPU and Apis. Much better now, headed out in a big trail of cavers, gettinbg out just before 10pm
T/U: 26.0 hours
-
2023-07-28
-Joe Stell,Frank Tully,
+Joe Stell,Frank Tully
Maelstrom - Finally Underground
After the brilliant success of yesterday's failed pushing trip, Frank and I returned to Mahlstromhöhle to actually go underground and push. After the entrance pitch, there is a small hole in the floor, from which several small-ish pitches follow. @@ -1851,11 +1754,10 @@ Next day we struggled to find motivation to leave sleeping bags but eventuallu m
The canyon appears to have several false floors which we followed, resulting in several very small pitches which would certainly be a freeclimb if there were actually any holds. Bolting and surveying on the way, we kept pushing until we ran out of bolts and found a squeeze followed by a big wet pitch. We turned around and quickly exited the cave, with much SRT faff from me at the small canyon pitchheads and unusually rigged pitches by the German pair.
T/U: 7.0 hours
-
2023-07-28
-Lea,Luke,
+Lea,Luke
Fishface - Fishface - perseid shower to flaque vente
Descended to camp near perseid showers.
Left some of our gear there and continued down Perseid showers.
@@ -1869,11 +1771,10 @@ Came out of FishFace, left the rope from Perseid Showers at the junction to the
What an amazing feeling to be at the bottom of fishface! WOW!
T/U: 11.0 hours
-
2023-07-28
-Becka,Adam E,Ben,Adam A,
+Becka,Adam A,Adam E,Ben
Fishface - Claw_crane off coconut shy
steady abseil down the entrance series.
Ben + Adam EJ decided to head out from there so we had a quick tourist up Elizabeth line then they headed out.
@@ -1887,11 +1788,10 @@ We met Luke + Nadia back at the camp kitchen + I exited in the midst of the camp
For some reason Adam dawdled at camp + ended up exiting last + was late back to top camp.
T/U: 10.0 hours
-
2023-07-28
-Nadia,Kai,Botch,
+Nadia,Botch,Kai
Fishface - Theopillus Goon, above CMPU
After Rob and Kai travered over the top of CMPU the day before, finding a phrease window, Botch, Kai and I got to reap the Horizontal rewards.
Starting at the window we took the small phreatic tube on the left of the window.
@@ -1920,11 +1820,10 @@ At least 3m long unclear if it is promising.
Also there is another small rift on the left earlier on in the passage that I couldn't decided if it was too small to be a lead.
T/U: 20.0 hours
-
2023-07-29
-Joe Stell,Frank Tully,Nadia Raeburn,
+Joe Stell,Frank Tully,Nadia Raeburn
Maelstrom - "Undersold"
Hearing of our great success with this shallow lead, Nadia, having returned from a fishface camping trip the day before, decided she would join us for a nice easy surface trip. @@ -1935,11 +1834,10 @@ Also there is another small rift on the left earlier on in the passage that I co
On the drive back, Nadia claimed we "undersold" everything between the pitches, and described Mahlstrom as a "Yorkshire blackbook" cave
T/U: 5.0 hours
-
2023-07-29
-Kai,Luke,Becka,
+Kai,Becka,Luke
Mendip man - Mendip man - Surveying trip
We headed out early ish and headed down to fish face gear store to find becka almost ready complaining about the quality of Distos lasers in the [day?] even tho she didn't [not?] to bring hers.
After some above ground ffaffing we headed to the entrance where Becka rigorously ran through propa[sic] surveying techniques with me.
@@ -1953,29 +1851,26 @@ Luke managed to climb out of the whole[hole?] but myself and Becka went back in.
Luke then showed me a hole he found that drafts
T/U: 2.0 hours
-
2023-07-29
-Botch,Rob,
+Botch,Rob
surface - Garlic Cave area prospecting
We were both tired from 2 days in FIsh Face so went to prospect around Garlic Cave. We took a couple of blue barrels over for GC storage. We stopped via Homecoming to have a look and took some extra stuff to take down the hill. We dallied a bit looking at plants and arthropods and also got a bit lost. Once at GC we relocated the Jape Drum and removed the soup inside then had bread and cheese while looking at the view. We had limited time to prospect so set off quickly. At first we found little but then by levitating over some bunda we located a couple of decent prospects - one hole under a green alder (needs capping due to boulders) and another large slope to a small square hole with a 10m drop below in big area of bunda, no movement. We then headed back and got very lost on the 'well cairned' route back. On the way we located a very good lead, drafting with a snow plug and a massive train tunnel near the path that has leads in the back that could have been blocked by a snow plug before. We were very late to meet our lift back, but so were they. Back down for a swim in the lake with lightning.
T/U: 0.0 hours
-
2023-07-30
-Bier Tent,
+Bier Tent
basecamp - Nothing happened today at all
Nowt, apparently. Again. On a Sunday, again.
T/U: 0.0 hours
-
2023-07-30
-Sarah Parker,
+Sarah Parker
Homecoming - UK Caving Blog post 14
Blog Author: Sarah PPushing Hobnob hallway in Heimkehrhoehle
@@ -1999,11 +1894,10 @@ Back down the hill with beer and chips in hand, we (and by we, I mean Becka, the Also, it is now our closest cave passage to the neighbouring Schönberg system (it's less than 2km away). If you have read Jono's intro post on this thread, you'll know that our long-term expo goal is to connect our SMK system to the Schönberg, to make one of the world's longest caves. I'm sure that last 1.94 km (and connecting Homecoming to Fishface, and Fishface to SMK..) will be a doddle
@@ -1999,11 +1894,10 @@ Back down the hill with beer and chips in hand, we (and by we, I mean Becka, the Also, it is now our closest cave passage to the neighbouring Schönberg system (it's less than 2km away). If you have read Jono's intro post on this thread, you'll know that our long-term expo goal is to connect our SMK system to the Schönberg, to make one of the world's longest caves. I'm sure that last 1.94 km (and connecting Homecoming to Fishface, and Fishface to SMK..) will be a doddle
T/U: 0.0 hours
-
2023-07-30
-Rob,Luke,Lea,Botch,Becka,
+Rob,Becka,Botch,Lea,Luke
Fishface - Pushing The bottom of fish Face - camp #2 - part 1
Headed underground at~10pm on 30/07, arrived at camp around half 11.
Good nigts sleep, unike the following night.
@@ -2033,11 +1927,10 @@ Called it 'Deutelle de Caca' after Lea said that the flaky calcite precipitates
thru bolts used 16
T/U: 48.0 hours
-
2023-07-30
-Rob,Lea,Luke,Becka,Botch,
+Rob,Becka,Botch,Lea,Luke
Fishface - Pushing the bottom of Fishface Camp#2
Headed underground at ~10pm on 30/07, arrived at camp around half 11. Good nights sleep, unlike the following night. Packed rope, bolts etc before facilitating a quick start. Fixed up the rigging on Apis Mediary on the way down, arrived at the first pitch which was left in the canyon by myself, Nathan and Max last year. Much wetter than last time so decided we needed an additional rebelay bolt way out to the left. Next drop rigged then we were into new territory. Scuttled along the top of the traverse after trying to force a lower route & deciding it was too shit. Reached a big pitch, decided the scuttle needed to have rope so began bolting along while Luke and Lea surveyed, Luke returning to the hang to get additional rope in the meantime . Dropped down the pitch towards a ledge, swung out to avoid the sprat of the pitch with a skyhook. PING! It was off, I swung across the shaft, stopping myself from hitting the wall with my hand which was unusable for the rest of the trip.
@@ -2046,20 +1939,18 @@ We then landed on a big ledge in a large fault zone. Massive piles of choss were Called it Dentelle de Caca after Lea said that the flaky calcite precipitates on the wall looked like the lace on a wedding dress.
T/U: 48.0 hours
-
2023-07-31
-Joe Stell,Ruairidh MacLeod,
+Joe Stell,Ruairidh MacLeod
Surface - Prospecting alternative entrances for Maelstrom
After a leisurely (not quite for Ruairidh, carrying far too much) walk up to topcamp with Frank and Nadia following a leisurely morning start from me, Ruairidh and I decided that we could attempt to find an easier, quicker entrance to Maelstrom by following the rift from the surface whilst the other two and Sam were actually in the cave derigging. First we found a large basin, containing what appeared to be a large cave entrance, but upon further inspection, choked out towards the back of the cave. Ruairidh did find a nice complete Gaemse skull though, which he seemed quite happy about. Another potential entrance found further along the rift with a steady flow of water disappearing into the ground which could explain some of the bigger drippy pitches after the lovely squeeze. The rift splits into two further on, with some promising, but inaccessible, looking gorges on the right fork as you follow it. The left seemed less promising from memory but this area is definitely worth another look with bolting kit to make sure. Realising we'd actually got quite close to the col, we decided to simply hike towards the slabs and rejoin the carpark-topcamp path and head back.
T/U: 0.0 hours
-
2023-07-31
-Ben Chaddock,Charlie Crossley,Adam E,
+Ben Chaddock,Adam E,Charlie Crossley
Fishface - Cocoa Channel Bolting Mission
[Adam E = Adam Erskine-Jones]
On the morning of my first pushing trip deep within Fishgesicht (5 minutes from camp) the nervous energy carried me up and away through the bountiful faff. After triple checking that we had all the equipment for bolting and surveying a rift that apparently continued but was too sketchy without a traverse line, Charlie, Adam EJ and I traipsed across the plateau for even more faff outside the entrance. After a prompt descent we met the camping team who showed us the way to silverback scoop including a stop at the tap and going down a wrong branch. Squeezing through a pitch head to descend 7m into a dusty tight canyon with a tackle sack full of heavy gear, I did wonder what I was doing, but once the drill was out that fell away completely. @@ -2069,11 +1960,10 @@ Called it Dentelle de Caca after Lea said that the flaky calcite precipitates on
The prussiking that then was meant to happen was further delayed on meeting the campers once again for a chit chat. After far too long wondering whether the next pitch was the last, we finally emerged into the warm clear night, comfortably into august. Charlie and I lay contemplating existence, and why the hell we bother caving but feeling very accomplished. All that was left to do after the trip was draw up the survey, continue the lead, input to survex, and write a logbook entry with rigging topo. All of that is now complete, see the topo below.
T/U: 12.5 hours
-
2023-07-31
-Botch,Becka,
+Botch,Becka
Fishface - Fuck Keanu - U/G camp Day 1
After getting underground late the light befroe we got going relatively promptly at 0830.
We were supposed to check Keanu Breezze, a wet lead that was supposed to be decent.
@@ -2094,22 +1984,20 @@ We made the [keyhole?] bank safe and I [?] bolted the pitch ready for tomorrow.
We got back to camp around 2030 and made dinner with a very wet Rob springint in about an hour later.
T/U: 0.0 hours
-
2023-07-31
-Adam Baldock,Kai,
+Adam Baldock,Kai
Mendip Man - and Silver Moth
We set off to the Fishface gear store on a fine sunny day. I was Promised some proper Mendipesque horizontal passage, exactly what i came to Expo for. Kai showed me into Mendip Man, past the dollop of snow in the rather impressive entrance and set off down boulder and rubble floored crawling passage. At a junction we started to survey a descent lead to the right. I was on disto and Kai on book. The passage was low and surveying was pretty tight. We surveyed on and the passage gently descended with a few turns and low squeezes and a junction halfway on the right. The roof lowers and craps out after about [no number given] metres. The ceiling is decorated with cloud and plume like lumps of calcite. After the passage crapped out we pushed back and surveyed along to the right. This just led us round in a loop to earlier in the entrance series. Before going left at the first junction I attempted to dig out a slope while Kai went for a piss. The dig was fruitless and we proceeded on through a rather rude and grumpy bit of low passage with a sea of rude routes on the floo and pushed into a standing height chamber with boulders in the center. There were two leads here. The first was a small crawling passage, not quite flat out, which ended quickly, and was filled with bat poo and fungus growing up on it. The other lead was after a climb up through a squeeze. After the squeeze a 4m rift appeared, human sized in width! It seemed to descend to floor level and we didnt descend it. It is still a open lead but definitely a D lead, and probably goes back to floor level. We surveyed to the rift and called it a day on Mendip man. Without a good dig it doesn't appear to be going.
Before heading back to camp we checked out a hole which Luke had found which needed some digging near Mendip Man. With energy low but the draft exciting we took turns pulling head sized boulders out of the entrance until we squeezed through to a sitting height junction. The route straight ahead crapped out after 11m but to the right a strong draft and a [?] great echo. The passage started as a sharp calcite crawl then dropped down in a series of free climbable steps descending 40ft to a 4m wide hole. We surveyed tired and excited up to this point and left it as an A lead. We named this Silver Moth as the passage had a lot of moths and took silver from the fact that Luke had found it. With a great draft out of the hole we were excited to come back in 2 days time after the rain.
T/U: 0.0 hours
-
2023-08-01
-Joe Stell,Manfred Wuits,Adam Aldridge,Nathan Walker,
+Joe Stell,Adam Aldridge,Manfred Wuits,Nathan Walker
Surface - Hike to Garlic
Woke up to see a sub-optimal forecast. Somehow I was convinced that hiking to Garlic Cave Camp was of course the best course of action to take, so we set off. It was actually dry for the first third or so to fishface gear dump to collect our caving gear, but this did not last.
@@ -2117,11 +2005,10 @@ Before heading back to camp we checked out a hole which Luke had found which nee The path is a little treacherous in the wet, so it was a little slow going and slightly miserable and wet but we made it. Adam started shovelling snow, Nathan joined in, then I did. I believe Adam had some grand design in mind but I think we ruined it. We then decided to rig a third tarp up to stop the horrible drip right next to the kitchen, but we rigged a drippy tarp and so the situation wasn't drastically improved. We all went to sleep pretty early without anything else to do.
T/U: 0.0 hours
-
2023-08-01
-Lea,Botch,
+Lea,Botch
Fishface - Bavarian Gentian
Descended big pitch pitch rigged by Both and started surveying the chamber.
It was a wet day and we heard the water at the back of the pitch start flowing with more energy. We surveyed a rift at water level. Didn't finish surveying it and lleft it as a QM. We surveyed the rift at the back of the chamber which led bback to coconut chamber?
@@ -2132,11 +2019,10 @@ We were limited in time and once in the chamber, it was quite wet so we sent a f
Very nice caving day. Went back to top camp after 2 nights in underground camp.
T/U: 0.0 hours
-
2023-08-01
-Becka,Rob,Luke,
+Becka,Luke,Rob
Fishface - Pushing the bottom of FishFace - camp #2 - part 2
After a slowish start we surveyed [?] Delicate steve
Rob's traverese into a phreatic window opposite the [clap?] my pich up pitch [ahead?], reapeating the Rob and Kai survey that had been deemed inadequate.
@@ -2147,20 +2033,18 @@ Luke and I eaded to the bold traverese on Elizabeth line + Luke bolted it as a p
I got all the rope back to camp + sorted it to prusik out (beasing bags) + some rope got washed at the spout whilst we waited for Lea + Botch to return out ~10pm
T/U: 0.0 hours
-
2023-08-02
-Joe Stell,Adam Aldridge,Nathan Walker,Manfred Wuits,
+Joe Stell,Adam Aldridge,Manfred Wuits,Nathan Walker
Buzzard - dropping Buzzard Hole on the northerly Kleiner Wildkogel ridge
After our lovely sleep, we woke up to dry weather, and set off to the top of the ridge above Garlic. Carrying the thick, wet 90m up the mountain was not conducive to good balance so I did fall over in the bunde and struggle to get back up. We reached Buzzard, Adam rigged it, first to the bunde, then hand bolting whilst we waited patiently. The improvement in weather did give a lovely backdrop of the Braeuningzinken for photos. Nathan went down next, followed by Manfred whilst I stayed outside enjoying the view. Upon Adam's return, I swiftly fell asleep, and awoke to find Nathan and Manfred had finished their survey and were finalising some sketches. Adam spotted some interesting holes beneath us on the plateau, so wet set off to prospect (see next entry).
T/U: 3.0 hours
-
2023-08-02
-Joe Stell,Manfred Wuits,Adam Aldridge,Nathan Walker,
+Joe Stell,Adam Aldridge,Manfred Wuits,Nathan Walker
Surface - Prospecting east and south of Kleiner Wildkogel
After dropping Buzzard, the fours of us decided to drop down the north face of the ridge, heading east at first, then split to form two prospecting groups, Adam and I heading further east to wrap around to the south face of the ridge, and Nathan and Manfred following the north face westwards to @@ -2176,11 +2060,10 @@ useful. that seem to follow a rift along the base of Wildkogel, then back to Garlic camp so as to not miss our callout.
T/U: 0.0 hours
-
2023-08-02
-Hannah Collings,Nadia Raeburn,
+Hannah Collings,Nadia Raeburn
Fishface Camp - Pushing Theophilus Goon
Tuesday was another wet day so a day of top camp fettling was had whilst plans were made for a fish face camp the following day. We had a (fairly) efficient morning, departing top camp shortly after 10 having received a debrief from the previous camp group, who had returned in the early hours, on the state of the latest leads. @@ -2197,11 +2080,10 @@ that seem to follow a rift along the base of Wildkogel, then back to Garlic camp
We returned to the traverse above clap my pitch up and due to some misunderstanding believed that all the other leads beyond this point had crapped out so Nadia derigged the traverse. This was a bold move requiring a pull through to derig the last section… shame it transpired to be not as helpful as we had thought. We had a frustratingly slow ascent of the red line pitches as our jammers were more mud than jammer by this point so once back at the tap we had an srt kit cleaning session before making our way out. Nadia found the rope near the bottom of tk maxx was core shot and tied this out. Our way out was otherwise uneventful, getting back to top camp for about 1:30.
T/U: 36.0 hours
-
2023-08-02
-Becka,Lea,Adam E,Luke,
+Becka,Adam E,Lea,Luke
Plateau - Prospecting around FishFace
A mellow, pleasant wander in the sunshine, we found + sechecked 2019-CUCC-RH-01 (GPS 47.69156 13.81210 alt 1659) - this was (still) a p4 to a ramp fown to a choke.
We then [found?] 2023-BL-10 Lea + Adam EK dropped a p5 to a 5*5m loose chamber with a crwal to the N to a 2*4m chamber 4m high with no way on.
@@ -2209,11 +2091,10 @@ Finally Beck explored 2023-BL-11 which was a 10m bouldery ramp to a cave with a
Luke then [...] a more direct, better route to Homecoming as he and I ferried our gear there.
T/U: 0.0 hours
-
2023-08-02
-Botch,Rob,
+Botch,Rob
Plateau - Cold Shallow Holes
prospecting N of FishFace
After gettinng out of a 48h camp we were a bit knackered so wanted t do some prospecting.
@@ -2232,11 +2113,10 @@ They showed us a promising potential bivvy site too.
T/U: 0.0 hours
-
2023-08-03
-Joe Stell,Nathan Walker,Adam Aldridge,Becka Lawson,David Botcherby,
+Joe Stell,Adam Aldridge,Becka Lawson,David Botcherby,Nathan Walker
Garlic - Fettling
Woke up. 10am. It was rainy :( @@ -2249,11 +2129,10 @@ finger which hurt. This did slow progress but I finished the intended extension, did also later. I took some photos and made some shoddy diagrams of the tarps. Good day of fettling.
T/U: 0.0 hours
-
2023-08-03
-Lea,Manfred,Adam E,Ben C,
+Lea,Adam E,Ben C,Manfred
FishFace - Channel number 2 (continuing Cocoa_channel)
Descended fishface antrance series with tourist trip (adam B, Sam Lee, Kai). Had a snack in the kitchen and went to the end of cocoa_channel.
Ben bolted new travers lines, adam EJ was on nail polish duty, manfred had Wookey's disto and I was doing the notes (for the first time).
@@ -2266,11 +2145,10 @@ We could see a waterfalll from where the rift was too narrow.
Adam EJ derigged and we came back to top camp.
T/U: 0.0 hours
-
2023-08-03
-Nathan,Botch,Becka,
+Nathan,Becka,Botch
Homecoming - Pushing/derigging trip down Homecoming - Goosebox - Sticky trigger
Having no plans to cave at Garlic camp I set off for homecoming with no plans, a bag full og gear of hope.
I met becka as they were descending the entrance and joined their pushing/derigging trip to their evident relief.
@@ -2287,11 +2165,10 @@ I caught up with Chi on the way out who had left Rob and luke in the insanity of
We surfaced near 10 and I returned to Garlic with becka.
T/U: 10.0 hours
-
2023-08-03
-Rob,Luke,Chi,
+Rob,Chi,Luke
Homecoming - Homecoming - second coming shitshow
Chi had come up to top camp hoping to continue pushing 2nd comng with some people who might help him carry the gear out after, unlike some.
So we set off in the drizzle for Homecoming entrance, making use of part of the shortcut to the [?] that we scouted when dropping off our gear at the entrance the day before.
@@ -2336,11 +2213,10 @@ I exited the cave very dehydrated and still angry
thru bolts used: 2
T/U: 13.0 hours
-
2023-08-04
-Joe Stell,Hannah Collings,
+Joe Stell,Hannah Collings
Basecamp - Garlic Guide
Following a swift departure from Garlic in the morning, and an even swifter (and sweaty) hike across the plateau carrying the thick 90m rope with
all my other kit, I partially completed the garlic camp guide.
@@ -2351,11 +2227,10 @@ typing out the way. Hannah convinced me to try a Goesser. Not bad as far as beer
with continued expo attendance in future years, should this be the case.
T/U: 0.0 hours
-
2023-08-05
-Philip Sargent,
+Philip Sargent
basecamp - Survey progress
Blog Author: PhilipSargent
@@ -2364,11 +2239,10 @@ Blog Author: PhilipSargent
The website currently on shows 3,233.2 m expo.survex.com/wallets/year/2023 but the new data update later this evening will show over 4km.