diff --git a/years/2023/logbook.html b/years/2023/logbook.html index aab8475e1..786fc12d7 100644 --- a/years/2023/logbook.html +++ b/years/2023/logbook.html @@ -14,7 +14,7 @@ maintain half a dozen parser functions. Sorry about all the crap that surrounds the image tags which has been imported along with the content when UK Caving blogs have been parsed. -Exported on 2024-07-21 11:07 using either the control panel webpage or when editing a logbook entry online +Exported on 2024-07-22 09:07 using either the control panel webpage or when editing a logbook entry online See troggle/code/views/other.py and core.models/logbooks.py writelogbook(year, filename) --> @@ -32,27 +32,6 @@ Slogged down from Top Camp to Homecoming and headed down the entrance series. Wa

Edit this entry
-
- -
2023-07-12
-
Emma,Mike B,Jonty,Mealy,,
-
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. -

------------------ -

-11-07-23. We make a late start (it's hard to leave warm sleeping bags) - no response on cavelink so we spend several more messages saying "weather update pls"? etc. Mealy, Mike & I eat porridge, Jonty eats noodles, then Mealy and Jonty head off to push Radorst's lead and Mike starts rigging Persied Showers - I sit in a bothy in case Mike needs me. he does not, and I get quite bored. Eventually he comes back, now a little damp! Quite displeased at the state & placement of some bolts. We go to find the others and run into them on their way back - Radorsts lead was a loop & Fishface was connected to Fishface yet again. Back we go to camp - still nothing on the cavelink - a little concerning as rain was forecast for +/- 24 hours later and we really wanted a weather forecast. After more Faff we decide to stay another night, so Mike went off to re-bolt and rig the rest while Jonty, Mealy & I went to look at the mysterious ABC- lead in Moths 2. I enjoyed doing the free climbs there. Then, we heard LOTS and LOTS of water that Mealy did not remember - we carried on to look down the pitch witch was rigged quite weirdly - the rope into Moths was sort of... dragged into Moths 2. We decided the vibes were simply off and left without pushing... pre-this me and Mealy had some veg soup and also fancied non-freezing water so we heated up water which tasted SO Good. Jonty was sipping the warm water and it fogged up his glasses - upon which he proclaimed he couldn't see anything other than the BEAUTIFUL GOLDEN GLOW of our veg soup! and indeed this beautiful glow felt like a 'diving presence'! We each took turns fogging up our glasses and looking at what we decided must be the face of God himself and went thus lenthily intranced. -

-Anyhow, back from Moths area, we decided to have a lil look for anything, realistically, and stumbled upon what looked deeply unpromising - a tight little sandy rift Jonty had to crawl into, but was in fact some really niece passage that contained some merry little formations!!! Thus we surveyed Get Righty - a fun detour. We popped out into a BIG rift that we briefly were hyped about but turned out to be familiar ground. Back at camp we were quite tired to headed to bed despite being a little worried about Uncle Mike who was still on Persied Showers. Luckily he showed up not long after - a little damp and not too thrilled about the efforts - Persied Showers still needs surveying and it was wetter than you would want to get even with rebolting. -

-Mealy and I got up around 7 and pack (&faff a lil) to start prussicing out & stay on the safe side of any rain. The bags were very arkward in the rifts but other than that it was quite a good time - Mealy left me sweet treats on the bolts every not and then as motivation. At around BBBB time, I got horrile cramps that made the entire rest a bit of an ordeal though prussiking wasn't too bad. I had a little cry on the surface but mostly was just very pleased to be in the sun again. Soon followed by Jonty and Mike - conclusion. Effort does not equal Success! -

-Author's note: MB would like me to include that we discussed the most likely position to find Kerian A in a sex shop - costumer or salesman - and decided we would expect to find him naked as a human counter. -

-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
-

Edit this entry
-
2023-06-22
@@ -208,7 +187,7 @@ Pic: Janis Huns attaching stuff to the rope for hauling up.
2023-07-03
-
Philip Sargent,Martin Green,,
+
Philip Sargent,,Martin Green,
basecamp - nerding
Philip arrived by train at lunchtime. Joined Martin for serious nerding to get WiFi internet working in potato hut. @@ -221,7 +200,7 @@ serious nerding to get WiFi internet working in potato hut.
2023-07-03
-
Honorata Bogusz,Mike Butcher,,Jana Podbelsek,Radost Waszkiewicz,Will Kay,
+
Honorata Bogusz,,Jana Podbelsek,Will Kay,Mike Butcher,Radost Waszkiewicz,
plateau - second water collection tarp


Me, Radost, Mike, Jana and Will went to top camp to set up main tarp and the second water collection tarp (which was a success). @@ -231,7 +210,7 @@ main tarp and the second water collection tarp (which was a success).
2023-07-03
-
Harry Kettle,Christian Kuhlmann,,Janis Huns,Charlotte Payne,Emma Caspers,
+
Harry Kettle,,Janis Huns,Emma Caspers,Christian Kuhlmann,Charlotte Payne,
Balkon - Rescuing Balcony ropes


A crack team of expo's hardest cavers was assembled to take a rope out of balcony that was left there last year.

@@ -247,7 +226,7 @@ at about 5pm. Charlotte and Harry were both very grumpy walking back with very h
2023-07-03
-
Amelia Oliver,Jonty Pine,,Emily Mabbett,
+
Amelia Oliver,,Emily Mabbett,Jonty Pine,
Fishface - Digging the snow out of Fishface entrance


After a carrying day on the 2nd, we suspected ff would be snowed in. A faff morning of acquiring shovel. We got to ff with shovels, discovering it did need digging. Jonty got particularly into this, producing quit the snow trench. @@ -293,7 +272,7 @@ non-working internal wifi on netbook causing config problems even though it was
2023-07-04
-
Wassil Janssen,Sarah Parker,Amelia Oliver,,Ashley Gregg,Merryn Matthews,Philip Balister,
+
Wassil Janssen,,Amelia Oliver,Merryn Matthews,Sarah Parker,Ashley Gregg,Philip Balister,
topcamp - Carry and set-up


Ash, Merryn, Amelia in [com?] Philip B., Sarah and me @@ -306,7 +285,7 @@ came down the mountain.
2023-07-04
-
Harry Kettle,Alice Kirby,,Christian Kuhlmann,Charlotte Payne,Will Kay,
+
Harry Kettle,,Christian Kuhlmann,Will Kay,Alice Kirby,Charlotte Payne,
Surface - Rope carry to Homecoming + Trial walk from Garlic Cave to Car Park on painted track


After more faff from Chi, we set off about 10AM to carry gear and check out the route to Homecoming. Fishface to Homecoming was well cairned and fairly straightforward to follow.

Gear ledt at Homecoming entrance: @@ -347,7 +326,7 @@ Nice write up [re Honorata's 3-day update]. The rope there now is stuff we bough
2023-07-05
-
Sarah Parker,Lizzie Caisley,,Joel Stobbart,Philip Balister,Maddie Kirby,
+
Sarah Parker,,Joel Stobbart,Maddie Kirby,Lizzie Caisley,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. @@ -372,7 +351,7 @@ return.
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. @@ -383,7 +362,7 @@ return.
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 @@ -395,7 +374,7 @@ return.
2023-07-06
-
Emily Mabbett,Charlotte Payne,,Mike Butcher,Lizzie Caisley,Emma Caspers,
+
Emily Mabbett,,Mike Butcher,Emma Caspers,Charlotte Payne,Lizzie Caisley,
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.

As we finished bolting, the survey team emerged behind us. At the bottom of the pitch, 3 leads emerged, a large passage with a traverse sloping down in front of us, a small drafty tube to the right, and a hole heading into the ceiling behind us. With the rigging team and pushing team 2 in the near vicintity of the cave around us, me and Mike were a bit naughty and scooped the large passage in front of us, as we reached the end, we could hear voices in the rift above us, thinking it was the other pushing team we called up. It was not. It was Buck from the rigging team stood near the base of Blitzen Boulevard essentially where we started. Discovering we'd done a large circle , we returned to the base of the pitch where the survey team were. As we arrived, Zac from the team 2 appeared in the hole above us, they had also done an circle. @@ -406,7 +385,7 @@ return.
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: @@ -421,7 +400,7 @@ return.
2023-07-06
-
Zac Woodford,Ashley Gregg,,Emma Caspers,Amelia Oliver,
+
Zac Woodford,,Emma Caspers,Ashley Gregg,Amelia Oliver,
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. @@ -432,7 +411,7 @@ return.
2023-07-07
-
Christian Kuhlmann,Wassil Janssen,,
+
Christian Kuhlmann,,Wassil Janssen,
Homecoming - Foray into the Second Coming
Ropes used:
T/U: 0.0 hours
-

Edit this entry
+

Edit this entry
-
2023-07-12
-
Ashley Gregg,Janis Huns,,
+
2023-07-12
+
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. @@ -878,12 +878,23 @@ and nothing to rig off other than ice anyway, I retreated. ‘learning experience’. Unfortunately, cave killed until a future year with very low snow perhaps. There was no evidence of a draft at the bottom so not particularly promising.
T/U: 0.0 hours
-

Edit this entry
+

Edit this entry
+ +
+ +
2023-07-12
+
Mike B,,
+
Fishface - Persied Showers 2023
+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
+

Edit this entry
2023-07-13
-
Honorata Bogusz,Jonty Pine,Charlotte Payne,,Radost Waszkiewicz,Harry Kettle,Oakem Kyne,
+
Honorata Bogusz,,Charlotte Payne,Harry Kettle,Jonty Pine,Radost Waszkiewicz,Oakem Kyne,
festering - Via Ferrata "Panorama Kletterstieg Sisi"


@@ -951,7 +962,7 @@ Pic: Oakem Kyne (L) and Jonty Pine (R) on Panorama Kletterstieg Sisi.
2023-07-14
-
James Waite,Harry Kettle,,Charlotte Payne,
+
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 @@ -1055,7 +1066,7 @@ Full details at
2023-07-15
-
Ashley Gregg,Ely Brookes,,Janis Huns,
+
Ashley Gregg,,Janis Huns,Ely Brookes,
Prospecting - Up to Homecoming from the Col

Edit this entry @@ -1079,7 +1090,7 @@ drops approx. 5m with snow at bottom, can't clearly see bottom from top.
2023-07-15
-
Ashley Gregg,Ely Brookes,,Philip Balister,
+
Ashley Gregg,,Philip Balister,Ely Brookes,
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 @@ -1103,7 +1114,7 @@ Top Camp.
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. @@ -1137,7 +1148,7 @@ Overall, a great trip with over ~294m surveyed and more promising leads found. C
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 @@ -1171,7 +1182,7 @@ yield any new caves.
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] @@ -1196,7 +1207,7 @@ Walk from Gschwandt Alm below the western edge of the plateau.
2023-07-17
-
Ashley Gregg,Emma Caspers,,Oakem Kyne,
+
Ashley Gregg,,Oakem Kyne,Emma Caspers,
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 @@ -1308,7 +1319,7 @@ Despite ~300m of passage being surveyed minimal progress was made in getting clo
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 @@ -1392,7 +1403,7 @@ tldr: Camp: Effort does not equal success.
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.

@@ -1409,7 +1420,7 @@ we regrouped at the base of the heifer after adding a bolt to make the pitch hea
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. @@ -1425,7 +1436,7 @@ rift the were no continuations. Will named it Dead on Arrival (2023-ASH-15). Sur
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 @@ -1454,7 +1465,7 @@ off on the edges of the plateau. Plus curry for dinner.
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 @@ -1488,7 +1499,7 @@ Either way, glad to see it being pushed towards the rest of the system!
2023-07-23
-
Emily,Lizzy,,Joel,Merryn,, Tom
+
Emily,,Joel,Lizzy,Merryn,, Tom
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.

@@ -1519,7 +1530,7 @@ Test of the logbook entry editing system.

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 @@ -1529,7 +1540,7 @@ Test of the logbook entry editing system.
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.

@@ -1543,7 +1554,7 @@ Test of the logbook entry editing system.
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. @@ -1555,7 +1566,7 @@ Test of the logbook entry editing system.
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. @@ -1567,7 +1578,7 @@ Test of the logbook entry editing system.
2023-07-29
-
Joe Stell,Frank Tully,,Nadia Raeburn,
+
Joe Stell,,Nadia Raeburn,Frank Tully,
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. @@ -1619,7 +1630,7 @@ Also, it is now our closest cave passage to the neighbouring Schönberg system (
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
@@ -1628,7 +1639,7 @@ Also, it is now our closest cave passage to the neighbouring Schönberg system (
2023-07-31
-
Ben Chaddock,Charlie Crossley,,Adam Erskine,
+
Ben Chaddock,,Adam Erskine,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. @@ -1642,7 +1653,7 @@ Also, it is now our closest cave passage to the neighbouring Schönberg system (
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.
@@ -1654,7 +1665,7 @@ The path is a little treacherous in the wet, so it was a little slow going and s
2023-08-02
-
Joe Stell,Adam Aldridge,,Nathan Walker,Manfred Wuits,
+
Joe Stell,,Nathan Walker,Adam Aldridge,Manfred Wuits,
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
@@ -1663,7 +1674,7 @@ The path is a little treacherous in the wet, so it was a little slow going and s
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 @@ -1683,7 +1694,7 @@ that seem to follow a rift along the base of Wildkogel, then back to Garlic camp
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. @@ -1704,7 +1715,7 @@ that seem to follow a rift along the base of Wildkogel, then back to Garlic camp
2023-08-03
-
Joe Stell,Adam Aldridge,,Becka Lawson,David Botcherby,Nathan Walker,
+
Joe Stell,,Becka Lawson,Nathan Walker,Adam Aldridge,David Botcherby,
Garlic - Fettling


Woke up. 10am. It was rainy :( @@ -1721,7 +1732,7 @@ did also later. I took some photos and made some shoddy diagrams of the tarps. G
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. Only the badly taken photos and badly drawn diagrams to add. I think I'll redraw the @@ -1817,7 +1828,7 @@ The pitches back to camp were painful, despite their shortness, due to our mud c
2023-08-10
-
Rob Watson,David Botcherby,Kai Trusson,Nadia Raeburn,,
+
Rob Watson,,Kai Trusson,David Botcherby,Nadia Raeburn,
fishface - Connecting FF to SMK: a step further
Blog Author: nobrotson
Connecting FF to SMK - a step further