Online edit of cave 1623-264

cave_data/1623-264.html

@@ -58,6 +58,8 @@ code used in the Austrian kataster e.g '1/S +' - https://expo/.survex.com/katast
 <p><i>_______________________________________________________________</i></p>
 <p>From upslope above the entrance, descend a c6 (RIG01 - 15m, 1 bunde backup, 1 top hanger, 1 rebelay hanger ... needs another hanger at the top to make top-out easier) using a handline to reach a large ledge.</p>
 
+<h2><i>Upper series of Balkonh&ouml;hle (see &quot;264-upper-balkon-only&quot; survey)</i></h2>
+
 <h2>Entrance series</h2>
 
 <p>From the entrance (roomy and dry enough to leave surface gear), take the larger, R stooping passage (L passage runs parallel to this and re-joins at the entrance pitch) to reach the entrance pitch series (RIG02 - see rigging guide). This starts as a short, sloping drop which lands at a bridge. From here a second short drop reaches 2 ledges in a much larger shaft. Below these ledges traverse out to the longest hang, ignoring various old anchors that take you the wrong way. <i><b>This longest hang is always wet and responds rapidly to rain, quickly becoming unpleasant and it can be impassable.</b></i> This drops down with a deviation (not located in 2024 - it would be good to add a bolted deviation) to a large, loose, drippy ledge. Traverse out to the final short drop to reach a spacious chamber at the bottom of the entrance pitch series called <b>Room With A View</b>. An emergency dump - bothy, stove, food, etc. - should be left here in case returning cavers find the entrance pitch series too wet to ascend.</p>
@@ -132,19 +134,19 @@ code used in the Austrian kataster e.g '1/S +' - https://expo/.survex.com/katast
 
 <p>Further N along Turtlehead, past PT06, the 1st R and 2nd R both lead to the same passage running parallel to Turtlehead. Both passages eventually connect to <b>Ice Cock</b> aven (named after a priapic ice stal, knocked over on original exploration) and the <b>Frozen North</b>, named due to the ice floor and snow slopes that suggest a nearby entrance that has, to date, remained elusive. <i>The first connection made between 1623/264 Balkonh&ouml;hle and 1623/258 Tunnockschact came in down Ice Cock Aven, connecting it to the <b>March of the Penguins</b> area of Tunnockschacht.</i> This area is complex and involves a maze of interconnected passages at various levels and interspersed with pitches. <i>There may be plenty of leads remaining here and it should only take 1-2 hours to reach this area from the entrance to Balkonh&ouml;hle.</i></p>
 
-<h2><i>Balkonh&ouml;hle below Hangman's Pitch (see &quot;1623-midtunnbalc2&quot; survey)</i></h2>
+<h2><i>Mid-level and low-level Balkonh&ouml;hle (see &quot;264-mid-balkon&quot; survey)</i></h2>
 
-<h2>Trident to Hangman's Pitch </h2>
+<h2>From Trident to below Hangman's Pitch </h2>
 
 <p>To reach the lower areas of Balkonh&ouml;hle take an obscure L turn at PT05, around 4m along the L branch at the <b>Trident</b>. This leads immediately to a short, flat out crawl then, after &lt;10m, it returns to walking passage. Honeycomb Pitch is now very close - go past 3 dead bats, each marked with red/white conservation tape, the first 2 on a slope down then turn sharply back on yourself to the R and ascend past the 3rd dead bat <i>(there is a maze of climbs and interconnected passages in this area)</i> to a small chamber. <i>Ahead soon reaches a wet pitch, the far side of which eventually reaches P04 via Cathedral Chasm. This was the original route in to this area.</i></p>
 
-<p>Take a fairly well hidden R turn in this small chamber to immediately reach a short traverse on the L wall to the head of <b>Honeycomb Pitch</b> (RIG06 - see rigging guide; <i>named after the abundance of golden dogtooth crystals</i>). A short descent with a long deviation to a bridge leads to the main hang with several rebelays to a final wide Y-hang rebelay then a swing into a prominent ledge around 10m above the blind base of the pitch.</p>
+<p>Take a fairly well hidden R turn in this small chamber to immediately reach a short traverse on the L wall to the head of <b>Honeycomb Pitch</b> (RIG06 - see rigging guide; <i>named after the abundance of golden dogtooth crystals</i>). A short descent to a bridge leads to the main hang with several rebelays to a final wide Y-hang rebelay then a swing into a prominent ledge around 10m above the blind base of the pitch.</p>
 
-<p>Take the tube off from the ledge then go up an easy c3 to a p6 (RIG07 - natural and 1 hanger, 12m?; <i>this rigging could be improved with another bolt</i>). Stay on the R wall <i>(descending to the base of the chamber below the pitch leads to a narrow crawl. This soon opens up to a large, undescended pitch with the sound of water, QM 2017 01???)</i> and ascend a c4 (RIG08 - 2 hangers at top and 10m?). Descend along the R wall <i>(with a QM to an undescended pitch on L side)</i> then continue to follow the R wall in a rift as holes appear in the floor to soon reach the start of <b>Hangman's pitch</b> (RIG09 - see rigging guide; <i>Hangman's pitch is named after the monstrous boulder perched above the main hang. Climbing onto this boulder leads to <b>Myopia</b>, described in a separate section below</i>). This begins as a fairly narrow, catchy descent down the final hole in the rift <i>(this was free climbed in 2017 when it was surveyed)</i> to land on a roomy ledge with a stream cutting below. From this roomy ledge the main drop of Hangman's descends via a rebelay and a deviation to reach a bouldery floor. <i>The pitch down continues below the boulders here but it sounds unenticingly wet; still a QM</i>.</p>
+<p>Take the tube off to the L from the ledge then go up an easy c3 to a p6 (RIG07 - natural and 2 hangers?, 12m?). Stay on the R wall <i>(descending to the base of the chamber below the pitch leads to a narrow crawl. This soon opens up to a large, undescended pitch with the sound of water, QMA, p20?)</i> and ascend a loose c4 (RIG08 - 2 hangers at top and 10m?). Descend along the R wall <i>(with a QMC to an undescended pitch, p11?, on L side)</i> then continue to follow the R wall of the rift as holes appear in the floor. A short traverse then a constricted, short drop with deviations down the final hole in the rift <i>(this was free climbed in 2017 when it was surveyed)</i> drops onto to a large ledge. This ledge is the start of <b>Hangman's pitch</b> (RIG09 - see rigging guide; <i>Hangman's pitch is named after the monstrous boulder perched above the main hang. Climbing onto this boulder leads to <b>Myopia</b>, described in a separate section below</i>). The roomy ledge has a stream cutting below. From here the main drop of Hangman's descends from the R wall via a rebelay and a deviation to reach a bouldery floor. <i>The pitch down continues below the boulders but it sounds unenticingly wet; it is still a QM</i>.</p>
   
 <h3>Myopia</h3>
   
-<p>Climbing on top of the monstrous boulder above the main hang of <b>Hangman's pitch</b> lets you reach the far wall. From here, a short drop down (RIG09-01, see rigging guide) lets you descend a few metres and then swing into a window in the main pitch that leads to large, horizontal passage. This is called Myopia <i>named as one of the original explorers repeatedly failed to notice it</i>. This passage slopes up and is generally large with many loose boulders and huge amounts of dogstooth coating some rocks as well as some dead bats. It soon reaches the 1st Myopia traverse (RIG09-02, see rigging guide). This airy traverse follows the R wall past a large, undescended pitch (QM 2018 XX). The large passage continues to quickly reach the 2nd Myopia traverse (RIG09-03, see rigging guide). This was started but not finished in 2019 leaving QM 2019 XX for the wet pitch below and QM 2019 XX as the obvious passage continuing on the far side of the pitch that the traverse needs to access.</p>
+<p>Climbing on top of the monstrous boulder above the main hang of <b>Hangman's pitch</b> lets you reach the far wall. From here, a short drop down (RIG09-01, see rigging guide) lets you descend a few metres and then swing into a window in the main pitch that leads to large, horizontal passage. This is called Myopia <i>named as one of the original explorers repeatedly failed to notice it</i>. This passage slopes up and is generally large with many loose boulders and huge amounts of dogstooth coating some rocks as well as some dead bats. It soon reaches the 1st Myopia traverse (RIG09-02, see rigging guide). This airy traverse follows the R wall past a large, undescended pitch (QMB 2018). The large passage continues to quickly reach the 2nd Myopia traverse (RIG09-03, see rigging guide). This was started but not finished in 2019 leaving QMC 2019 for the wet pitch below and QMB 2019 as the obvious passage continuing on the far side of the pitch that the next traverse needs to access.</p>
 
 <h2>Below Hangman's Pitch to the bottom of Mongol Rally</h2>