Online edit of logbookentry 2025-07-05d

years/2025/logbook.html

@@ -56,7 +56,36 @@ Thankfully, all worked out, with us arriving in two groups after 18hrs and 19hrs
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-<div class="tripdate" id="2025-06-29a">2025-07-01</div>
+<div class="tripdate" id="2025-06-30a">2025-06-30</div>
+<div class="trippeople"><u>Dan</u>, Ella, Harry, Hannah</div>
+<div class="triptitle">Plateau and Homecoming - Tiring 1st expo plateau walk</div>
+A nice early start of 7am allowed us to make it to the car park in good time, with some expert rally driving up the toll road by Alice. The views from the plateau are beautiful, and as the morning sun awoke, we made our way up to Homecoming for our day's plans.
+<p>
+During the walk up to Homecoming, we found a few promising holes that we thought would be worth prospecting further in a few days. Once at Homecoming, we donned our caving gear, and Ella rigged the first 3 pitches. This then allowed us to haul the ~1.2 km of rope out of Homecoming, which was left in a nice pile under a tarp to be transported to top camp the following day. 
+<p>
+A rather tiring walk from Homecoming to Top Camp with caving gear and some rope was then done - rather exhausting in the heat of the day. The cool offered from the top camp tarp was enjoyed by the party, and noodles and a yap to the other groups offered a nice break from the long day's walk.
+<p>
+Finally, a nice stroll down from top camp - 18 kilos lighter this time - allowed us to get back to the car park and bottom camp in good time to enjoy Becka's delicious risotto.
+<p>
+A very fun but tiring first experience of the plateau. It is hard to imagine what the plateau is like to someone who has never been before, but it is far sharper than I imagined. It felt a bit like what I imagine the surface of the moon would be like, just with more gravity and less spacesuits :( Same lack of aliens though, unless we find them down the promising holes we saw on our walk.
+<div class="timeug">T/U: 3.0 hours</div>
+<div class="editentry"><br /><a href="/logbookedit/2025-06-30a">Edit this entry</a><br /></div>
+<hr />
+
+<div class="tripdate" id="2025-06-30b">2025-06-30</div>
+<div class="trippeople"><u>Dyl</u>, Mark D</div>
+<div class="triptitle">Plateau - All roads lead to KH</div>
+<p>
+Given the option of either bimbling up the plataeu to help setup top camp or the gruelling task of pulling up hundreds of metres of old rope out of homecoming, I decided to choose the former option as a nice introduction to expo. Once we arrived at top camp, I dumped all my kit in my Bivi in a (hopefully) non drippy area and looked out for tasks to help out with. 
+<p>
+Mike suggested preemptively scouting out the route to KH as a group would be returning the next day, so I happily agreed to help out. Heading south east we plodded along, missing the Grike (as we were instructed to follow), arriving at a bunda forest. With no obvious way around we plowed though, popping out and carrying on following a path along the right edge of the plateau. After a considerable amount of time we realised we had messed up and headed far too south east. To remedy we turned sharply and followed straight in the direction of KH, which caused us to wade though a sea of bunda, do a fair amount of scrambling and scale the side of a cliff like mountain goats. To our annoyance the GPS coordinates were about 10m off the actual location of the cave, which cost us a lot of time waking and climbing in all directions trying to find the damn entrance. I found a window into the main entrance which allowed me to clap like a mad person whilst Mark searched for the actual entrance. 
+<p>
+Eventually it was found, and we headed back with more or less the same difficulties that we had on the way here.
+<div class="timeug">T/U: 0.0 hours</div>
+<div class="editentry"><br /><a href="/logbookedit/2025-06-30b">Edit this entry</a><br /></div>
+<hr />
+
+<div class="tripdate" id="2025-07-01a">2025-07-01</div>
 <div class="trippeople"><u>Buck Blake</u>, Alice Kirby, Joel Stobbart, Jonty Pine, Julia Kikel</div>
 <div class="triptitle">Plateau - Rope ferrying - Homecoming to Topcamp</div>
 The mission: ferry over 1km of rope (plus some other gear) between Homecoming and Topcamp.
@@ -88,36 +117,7 @@ Given that it was already around 2, and Julia needed to be down the hill for her
 
 The walk down went smoothly, but was incredibly hot. We passed Becka on the way back, who had managed to take the last of the rope back from Homecoming, leaving only the drum of metalwork there. After sweating through the rest of the walk, we finally returned to the carpark, did a quick shop, then headed to the lake via Basecamp for a very lovely and refreshing evening.
 <div class="timeug">T/U: 0.0 hours</div>
-<div class="editentry"><br /><a href="/logbookedit/2025-06-29a">Edit this entry</a><br /></div>
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-<hr />
-
-<div class="tripdate" id="2025-06-30a">2025-06-30</div>
-<div class="trippeople"><u>Dan</u>, Ella, Harry, Hannah</div>
-<div class="triptitle">Plateau and Homecoming - Tiring 1st expo plateau walk</div>
-A nice early start of 7am allowed us to make it to the car park in good time, with some expert rally driving up the toll road by Alice. The views from the plateau are beautiful, and as the morning sun awoke, we made our way up to Homecoming for our day's plans.
-<p>
-During the walk up to Homecoming, we found a few promising holes that we thought would be worth prospecting further in a few days. Once at Homecoming, we donned our caving gear, and Ella rigged the first 3 pitches. This then allowed us to haul the ~1.2 km of rope out of Homecoming, which was left in a nice pile under a tarp to be transported to top camp the following day. 
-<p>
-A rather tiring walk from Homecoming to Top Camp with caving gear and some rope was then done - rather exhausting in the heat of the day. The cool offered from the top camp tarp was enjoyed by the party, and noodles and a yap to the other groups offered a nice break from the long day's walk.
-<p>
-Finally, a nice stroll down from top camp - 18 kilos lighter this time - allowed us to get back to the car park and bottom camp in good time to enjoy Becka's delicious risotto.
-<p>
-A very fun but tiring first experience of the plateau. It is hard to imagine what the plateau is like to someone who has never been before, but it is far sharper than I imagined. It felt a bit like what I imagine the surface of the moon would be like, just with more gravity and less spacesuits :( Same lack of aliens though, unless we find them down the promising holes we saw on our walk.
-<div class="timeug">T/U: 3.0 hours</div>
-<div class="editentry"><br /><a href="/logbookedit/2025-06-30a">Edit this entry</a><br /></div>
-<hr />
-
-<div class="tripdate" id="2025-06-30b">2025-06-30</div>
-<div class="trippeople"><u>Dyl</u>, Mark D</div>
-<div class="triptitle">Plateau - All roads lead to KH</div>
-<p>
-Given the option of either bimbling up the plataeu to help setup top camp or the gruelling task of pulling up hundreds of metres of old rope out of homecoming, I decided to choose the former option as a nice introduction to expo. Once we arrived at top camp, I dumped all my kit in my Bivi in a (hopefully) non drippy area and looked out for tasks to help out with. 
-<p>
-Mike suggested preemptively scouting out the route to KH as a group would be returning the next day, so I happily agreed to help out. Heading south east we plodded along, missing the Grike (as we were instructed to follow), arriving at a bunda forest. With no obvious way around we plowed though, popping out and carrying on following a path along the right edge of the plateau. After a considerable amount of time we realised we had messed up and headed far too south east. To remedy we turned sharply and followed straight in the direction of KH, which caused us to wade though a sea of bunda, do a fair amount of scrambling and scale the side of a cliff like mountain goats. To our annoyance the GPS coordinates were about 10m off the actual location of the cave, which cost us a lot of time waking and climbing in all directions trying to find the damn entrance. I found a window into the main entrance which allowed me to clap like a mad person whilst Mark searched for the actual entrance. 
-<p>
-Eventually it was found, and we headed back with more or less the same difficulties that we had on the way here.
-<div class="timeug">T/U: 0.0 hours</div>
-<div class="editentry"><br /><a href="/logbookedit/2025-06-30b">Edit this entry</a><br /></div>
 <hr />
 
 <div class="tripdate" id="2025-07-01b">2025-07-01</div>
@@ -239,7 +239,7 @@ I tried descending to the prospecting party, but ended up cliffed out in bunda.
 <hr />
 
 <div class="tripdate" id="2025-07-05c">2025-07-05</div>
-<div class="trippeople"><u>nobody</u>, Mark D, Ash</div>
+<div class="trippeople"><u>nobody</u></div>
 <div class="triptitle">161 - KH to Staircase 36</div>
 KH to staircase 36
 Mark and I (Ash) set off for a productive trip in KH with the intention of learning the route and progressing the rigging at the end of the cave. GPX’ed the route to the entrance, having finally finessed the cairns and reflector-ed route to the entrance (161h). At the cave around 10am , perhaps the most efficient start yet. Progress through Iceland and onwards was efficient up to Amyl nitrate. At this point we somehow managed to confuse ourselves and think we’d reached Triassic park (when we hadn’t!). Ensue half an hour of wandering uo and down the southern branch of Triassic Pak being confused , before working out we wouldn’t find Knossos junction here!. We eventually figured it out, passed through the northern section of Triassic and onto to Knossos. The pitch rig was not great -perhaps more work needed here. But den into the massive chamber. Well worth visiting, 1000 lumens ais not sufficient to see the opposite wall. From here was straight forward to YAPATE and on to the bottom of staircase 36. From here Mark settled into the bothy whilst I cautiously climbed the staircase rope. Rebolted and roped, still not a great rig, a rubby beached whale rebelay at the top. Mark removed old rope, leaving in a foot loop. I began rigging a traverse at top to bridge between runnel leads pitch, still more work required here. Turned around and managed to get lost in tower blocks (massive passage wandering in circles). Rest of exit was efficient. 7 hours underground and dry exit. Slow walk back across plateau.
@@ -247,6 +247,28 @@ Mark and I (Ash) set off for a productive trip in KH with the intention of learn
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+<div class="tripdate" id="2025-07-05d">2025-07-05</div>
+<div class="trippeople"><u>Ella</u>, Buck, Hamish, Joel, Lara</div>
+<div class="triptitle">plateau - How short can shorts get</div>
+After parting ways with a Balcony group, the prospecting team headed west, into what was christened the ‘Valley of Death’.  Only a few minutes in, holes galore appeared around us. Noting down various dead ended shafts, including three bomb shaped holes in a line named ‘Bombordino Crocodino’ at [33T 411503 5283163], Lara pointed to a more promising looking entrance, ‘Oregano Hohle’ [33T 411480 5283183]
+<p>
+A slightly ungraceful survey performed by Buck and Ella followed; including a minor mishap involving a rock, Ella above a loose climb, and Buck’s poor knee. The cave started off as a 5m walk, and then a 3 meter climb down into a crawl going back on itself for another 3 meters before it chokes.
+<p>
+Meanwhile, Lara and Joel began an abseil into a more exciting looking hole nearby [33T 411454 5283151] ‘Ghast Hohle’, another wide hole with a promising looking section after the obvious bottom. Great frustration followed after Joel sighted evidence of previous bolting, yet no evidence has yet been found referencing this online. 
+<p>
+And so our journey continued. A ‘pincer’ approach was adopted for dropping into the next valley, where the team of Joel and Buck followed the left, and Ella, Lara, Hamish traversed towards the right. We met in a valley below, exchanging many tales of immensely draughty holes that lead nowhere found en route.  Three came of note. A snow plugged shaft of about 2 by 2 meters, with an obvious natural above [33T 411166 5283242]. Another Joel found: a strongly outwards drafting shaft with an overhang above, at least 5m deep but snow plug obscures continuation, but does not block the whole shaft [33T 4111605283056]. ‘Ella’s draughty hole’ [33T 411159 5283234], a small almost human sized hole with a howling draught, with notable depth determined by dropping rocks.
+<p>
+Now reassembled, the prospecting prophets continued up sweltering hot terrain. Formidably, the plateau didn’t have much mercy on either Ella nor Joel’s shorts. After much-a Bunda bashing, Ella’s resembled something more of denim thongs. Joel’s had also developed a tear, which for-sighted a similar trajectory. 
+<p>
+Thankfully, the materialisation of holes returned to being in rock, when we stumbled upon yet another possible cave, ‘Clockwork Orange’ [33T 410756 5282937]. This one had 4 different entrances, congregating in a 6 meter shaft which was dropped but choked.  
+<p>
+With an ominous overlooking of dark cloud, the final prospect of the day was prompt. We arrived at a long and thin slice, 1m wide and 6 across. This had been found previously but not dropped, named Blitz Baum Schacht [33T 410634 5283186]. Ella descended to the bottom of a 20m rope, another 5m is yet to be dropped with promising draught and possible continuation at the bottom. 
+<p>
+The delightful promise of gnocci with custard powder powered our plateau plod back to top camp. The end.
+<div class="timeug">T/U: 0.0 hours</div>
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+
 <div class="tripdate" id="2025-07-06a">2025-07-06</div>
 <div class="trippeople"><u>balister</u></div>
 <div class="triptitle">plateau - Meshtastic notes</div>