",,,,,,,"Plan by Alfred Auer at 1:100, 1968 ",,"13.1m","3.04m",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,"1015m",,"This is not marked on the Austrianīs map.","at the SW foot of the Loserstockes","reached from Altaussee above Posern. (I think this is below the toll road somewhere).","The entrance is 7.5m wide by 1.2m high. 'Durch das 7,5m breite und 1,2m hohe, flachbogenförmige Portal gelangt man zunächst in eine kuppelförmige Vorhalle, dann in einen durch Korrosionskolke ausgeformten Canyon. Höhlenkarren, Bergmilchbildungen, eine Sickerwasserquelle und Höhlenfauna fallen besonders auf.'",, 4,"1/T(W) +",,,,"noinfo/augstb/4.htm",,"Ritscherbachhöhle",,,11,"Höhlenforschervereinigung Altaussee, 1937",,,,,,,"Plan at 1:100 by Alfred Auer, 1968 ",,"12.3m","1.07m",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,"1015m",,,"Near Gellerofen (Kat. 3), at the SW foot of the Loserstockes.",,"A 2.2m wide and 1.3m high entrance leads horizontally to ""Bruchschutt und Sickerwassergerinne"". ",, 5,"1/S(W) +",,,,"noinfo/gschwand/5.htm",,"Holzknechtbrünndlloch",,,9,"Höhlenforschervereinigung Altaussee, 1938",,,,,,,"Plan at 1:100 by Alfred Auer, 1968 ",,"12m","8m",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,"1230m",,,"SW foot Loserstockes","reached by path west from Loser Hütte, past Augst A.H.","Eine 1,5m grosse Schachtöffnung fü in einen stiefelförmigen Schacht, in dem ein Sickerwassergerinne früher von Holzknechten als Trinkwasserquelle genutzt wurde.'",, -5,"2/W +",,,,"noinfo/1626/5.htm",,"Nagelsteghöhle",,,1626,"LVHK Oberösterreich, 1972","A short climb (protection advisable; two hangers in situ; rope of unknown vintage present in 2002) leads to a tube. This descends at 45° to a short walk round a pool to a short greasy climb. One soon emerges in the huge main passage, floored at the lower end by vast amounts of very unpleasant mud. The sump is reached by a right turn over some fine stratified sand, but CUCC's interest lay in some holes in the roof at the top end, with the hope of a high-level continuation.
The mud eventually runs out to be replaced by more and more inclined slabs, which were very easy on the way up. The gradient steadily increases until the floor merges into the end wall, and the trickle of water enters from high up. At this point, a couple of holes in the roof have already been passed, but investigation revealed these to be beyond reasonable reach without some fairly serious bolting.",,,,,,,,"278m",,,,,"A resurgence cave of major importance, visited by CUCC in 1976 and 2002. Krenmayr gives it 278m long, seasonally active, very roomy water cave. The associated perennial resurgence is Naglbrünndl, putting out 50-100 l/s.",,,,,,,,,,,"865m",,," Above Rettenbachtal (north side); about 20-25 minutes on foot from Blaa-Alm.","Continue past the Blaa-Alm hostelry on the track to a crossroads of paths. Take the path to the right and then bear downhill and to the left at a fork by a small wooden hut. Follow the track until you end up walking parallel to the river; keep a lookout on the right for a small bridge across the river. Cross the bridge and take a small path to the left, which arrives at a further (smaller!) bridge over a stream. Just before the bridge, ascend up the hillside to the right through the undergrowth, keeping the large rocky gully to your right and the stream to your left. After a few minutes you will arrive at the resurgence (under tree-roots) to the left. At this point, cross into the gully on the right and climb up to the very top to reach the cave.","Entrance is at the head of a large, steeply-inclined stream bed (carries major flow in flood), and is reminiscent of Sleets Gill.",, 6,"0/W +",,,,"noinfo/gschwand/6.htm",,"Quelle","Wasserloch",,9,"Unexplored - Noted for Kataster: Sektion Ausseerland, 1968 ",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,"1425m",,,"150m west of Augst A.H. ",,"a small unenterable resurgence ",, 7,"1/(W) +",,,,"noinfo/loser/7.htm",,"Bachschläg",,,"8a",,,,,,,,,,"3m",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,"1550m",,"Location plan by Alfred Auer at 1:200, 1968 ","West of the Loser Hütte below the south face of Loser.","Reached from the path up Loser by diagonalling down to the head of the gully from the path as it starts to climb again at about 1600m. ","A 1.8m wide by 1.2m high rock shelter, and an occasionally active rising. There is a noticeable gully below this, presumably carrying water in wet weather. ""Bei Hochwasser entströmt ihm ein mächtiger Bach und stürzt als Wasserfall über zwei Geländstufen und durch einen Graben 200m zur Loserstraße herab, wo das Wasser nach einem Durchlaß im verkarsteten Gestein versickert."" ",, 8,"2/T +",,,,"noinfo/loser/8.htm",,"Großes Loserloch",,,"8a","
","The round 8m wide by 10m high entrance leads into an upper level, the Hauptgang, leading north then northeast to Regenhalle, a sizeable chamber apparently formed on a significant SW-NE joint. Immediately right at the start of the chamber, a boulder slope leads up into Teilungshalle, from where a wider slope drops left back into Regenhalle about halfway along. At the highest point of Teilungshalle, a SE-going passage quickly chokes with boulders, but appears to be heading directly for the end of Kleines Loserloch, perhaps 10m away.
Keeping to the right (SW) wall entering Teilungshalle, a rift leads SW. A passage left after 5m quickly ends too tight. A traverse to the left hand side bypasses a 5m shaft in the floor. 15m beyond, another lead on the left leads up into a small chamber, Kapelle. The continuing rift, Südwest-Kluft, gets narrower for c 25m until deemed impassable.
Back in Regenhalle, a narrow section along the joint between the two ways to Teilungshalle, gives access to a lower series via a sharp turn to the right, due south. This wide passage, Südwest-gang, passes under Teilungshalle, and turns SW directly under Südwest-Kluft. A narrow rift on the left parallels the main passage for some way. The main way develops into Gr. Dom, 12m wide, with a boulder slope up until the passage chokes comprehensively on a broad front, almost exactly below the cliff outside.
At the far (NE) end of Regenhalle, stright on enters a draughting boulder choke, but two ways up to the right lead into Stufengang, with a complex of little rifts and an extension NE to a low choked area. ",,,,,,"A4 survey in Mitt. der Sektion Ausseerland 18(4), Oct. 1980, facing p 87: a plan by J Völlenkle of L.V.H.Linz, 1:250, 1972. As printed, this looks like about a 4th generation photocopy. Also includes Kat. 9",,"390m","+20m -11m","140m SW-NE",,,,,,,,,,,,,,"1615m",,"21.8 cm E, 17.75 cm N, OAV sheet 15/1 ","At the south foot of Loser (visible from Altaussee).","Reached by traversing west from the Loser path as it draws level with the cliffs. ","Round 8m wide by 10m high entrance",, @@ -71,29 +70,11 @@ 48,"1/T +",,,,"noinfo/wilden/48.htm",,"SCHWA höhle 48",,,5,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,"1612m",,,"Near Dannerschacht Kat.45",,,, 49,"1/T +",,,,"noinfo/wilden/49.htm",,"SCHWA höhle 49",,,5,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,"1618m",,,"Near Dannerschacht Kat.45",,,, 50,"1/T +",,,,"noinfo/wilden/50.htm",,"SCHWA höhle 50",,,5,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,"1620m",,,"Near Dannerschacht Kat.45",,,, -50,"3/S/T",,,,"noinfo/1626/50.htm",,"Ahnenschacht",,,1626,"
Meanwhile, on the other side of the range, Upper Austrian cavers have undertaken some homework that others left behind a quarter of a century ago. Ahnenschacht (Ancestors' Shaft) was discovered in the 1950s and pushed to -395m. In the 1970s, Belgian cavers found vast horizontal passages amounting to about 5km in total – and a continuation to -602m. Their pushes came to an abrupt halt, however, when in 1975 a caver fractured his pelvis and had to be transported out of the cave. It was Austria's biggest cave rescue operation in the 20th century.
Since documentation of the Belgian finds was fragmentary and of very poor quality, some members of the Verein für Höhlenkunde in Oberösterreich decided to fill in the gaps in the maps and resume surveying activities. So far, 1.7km have been accurately surveyed.
Correspondent: Theo Pfarr
(I fear attempting to reconcile the chronology of the above snippet with theinformation above is a hopeless task.)
","
The entrance is in a small shakehole situated on the ridge separating Feuertal and Hintergras. The cave starts with four pitches (p14, p11, p5 and p11) which drop onto a slope formed of big boulders (rope desirable). After this, another series of small pitches (p9, p7, p6, p4, p10, p18, p11) from which is reached the Sinterterrasse at -141m.
From this point, one has left the zone of small pitches and started a series of pitches which in reality are part of a single shaft down to -400m.
Indeed, if you had an unfortunate accident on the Sinterterrasse, you would fall all the way to -400m. These pitches are usually wet, especially after rain... Here is the list of pitches: p25, Schuppenstufe 30, p10, Sicherungsstufe 32, Schachtgabel 48, a 10m ramp, Josef Schacht 100m. On the Josef Schacht, a pendulum 6m from the top enables one to reach the entry to the Horizontal network. Descending the Josef Schacht a little further, after a 6.5m and a 10m pitch, access can be gained to a wide canyon, active in the bottom, and which ends in a fissure. This canyon is fossil in the upper level and certainly presents possibilities for continuation.
After one has crossed the ""doorway"" and a short squeeze, one enters the network proper. At this point is a passage covered in rather special formations. The first junction gives access to a network ... [unfortunately there are lines missing in my photocopy of Spéalp 1]
This fossil system, which has not been fully travelled through, contains numerous possibilities. It is reached by three principal access routes: the pitch already mentioned; a descending fissure a little before the Belgica; and a sloping passage with formations in the Mammoth pitch chamber. The system is composed of a big chamber with numerous passages and junctions; it is very poorly known and no doubt houses many surprises. Continuing along the passage, one passes a step of 4m to find a junction, to the left at which lies the bivouac.
Directly after the bivouac, there is a 10m pitch, and at the bottom, a new junction: downhill the Belgica passage, of fairly small dimensions, which leads, after traversing past three holes, to a descent of an 8m and a 17m pitch and to the squeezes passed by our French colleagues.
Uphill, discovered by D.Motte and PIE, in the course of the expedition in 1974, is the Galerie de Francs Comtois. This is a large ascending fossil passage interspersed with traverses, dips and pitches. It reascends to -90m. At -150m, a 20m pitch reaches the Résomega.
A little before the 20m pitch, a short descending canyon passage avoids the 20m pitch and the series of squeezes following it. The Résomega is an alternately ascending and descending passage, very chaotic, interspersed with several junctions and pitches which leads to the Balcon du Visionnaire, offering several possibilities. A 60m pitch gives onto another 60m pitch which is undescended. There is another big pitch in excess of 100m and an unfinished ascending passage. A little before, a 10m pitch allows one to reach a passage interspersed with 3 junctions and 7 exits ! This shows the level of complexity which we ran into.
It was also at the Balcon du Visionnaire that an accident occurred in 1975, which terminated exploration in that year.
Back in the Horizontal network, and after passing a little bouldery climb an inlet is encountered, named The Bath. The passage continues a little longer, to end in a pitch. [ exploration incomplete ]
The following junction has been named Mammoth Junction because the passage to the right leads onto the pitch of the same name. It is necessary to exercise great care and attention not to slip hereabouts, because a fall would drop you into same.
The Mammoth Pitch, Para-pitch and probably the Negus pitch, form part of the same system (see survey) which is composed of a 146m pitch, a 10m pitch and a narrow canyon interspersed with several cascades leading finally to a 35m pitch giving onto the sump at -612m. The Para-pitch, p106, is followed by pitches of 5, 10 and 50m and drops via the latter into the Mammoth Canyon.
The Negus pitch, which is undescended, should also drop into the same canyon. Several other small pitches and active streamways should also rejoin this system.
The depth of 612m should be treated cautiously because the method of survey used (based on the height of a man) is fairly imprecise. The bottom could be anywhere between -580m and -630m. The shortage of time prevented us from redoing our survey. [The depth quoted in Atlas des Grandes Gouffres is -607m, which is shown as the bottom of this system. However, a Belgian survey shows the Yodl system (which is supposed to end at -607m) to be somewhere else entirely, so it is rather unclear which survey is wrong.]
Turning left, the Zipfer passage is followed for 150m before reaching an important junction: to the left Chimneys passage, to the right Draughting passage.
This is very large with a constant slope, interrupted in the middle by a squeeze and a couple of drops. The Schnaps pitch (40m with an unexplored, narrow canyon) is avoided by traversing to reach a 25m pitch in which you must pendulum 5m from the bottom in order to reach a chamber in which is met a small stream. Climbing up a little opposite, a short upper passage rejoins the stream by a 20m pitch. In the chamber, the descent of a 10m pitch allows the stream to be followed to a squeeze beyond which one can hear the grumble of a large river ? A place to go back to.
This is fossil, and tight in places, and allows exploration of a very complex network which intersects itself in various places and which could hold very great surprises, since its exploration has only been sketchily outlined. The exit from this passage is in an area of boulders where two possibilities exist:
To the left: a tight passage has been forced on a slope to Kitschacht (Tackle Bag Shaft) a magnificent 50m drop, very wide and completely free hanging. At its base, several possibilities. A tight active canyon which can be bypassed by a fossil passage, broken by an earthy drop of 3m to a huge 15m pitch leading to a sump at -360m.
A drop of a few metres gives access to a huge fossil passage (10 × 5m). The floor of this is cut by a deep canyon which has not been explored. After a hundred metres or so the passage ends at a vast wet pitch. Climbing over a big boulder on the right gives access to another pitch upwards.
Just after the base of Kitschacht, a passage of 80m makes a connection with the system of the Décollement pitch at the bottom of the 40m shaft. A canyon leaving the junction passage can be followed for more than 300m, and exits, in several places, into the side of the big fossil passage, just before the pitch upwards.
To the right: The Décollement pitch, with, at its base, a sloping chamber full of boulders. To the left a very deep ascending canyon is unexplored. In the bottom is the Méandre Emeri, so called because the formations are orientated in the direction of progress and of the draught. This rejoins a wide pitch with an inlet. After this 15m pitch is a short canyon and a damp 40m pitch. At the bottom, a huge descending passage suddenly turns almost vertical. This is the Toboggan, needing 20m of rope (a very spectacular passage). At this level one again cuts a new streamway. The passage continues, then contracts, and chokes at -385m.
After the Bivouac: a 10m pitch, then turn left into a small passage, ignore three pitches to the side, then descend pitches of 8 and 13m to arrive at some easy squeezes on the left. After this, a climb of 5m and a 42m pitch. Stops in a sand blockage at -410m.
Over the 13m pitch a small passage goes to several climbs in a fossil series. There is a 25m pitch and two 10m pitches ending in several very tight chimneys.
From the entrance, after 70m down Josef schacht, climb down 7m over a large block and descend about 12m in the bottom of a meander. Progress is then in the meander, with a short climb in a fault on the left and a 120m pitch, in sections of 22m and 100m. Beyond is a tight canyon with a 20m pitch to a sump at -607m (the last part of the 100m pitch is wet).
Atlas des Grands Gouffres du Monde 1979 says that the original -395m route goes on to c-470m (unsurveyed) and there are also routes ending at -385m and -386m.",,,,"
The description was translated from the references by Andy Waddington and Jill Gates.",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,"1890m, Frigoschacht 1875m (enters at -130m at Sinterterrasse)",,,"NW of Wehrkogel on the Schönberg. Marked and named on OAV map sheet 15/1.",,,, 51,"1/T +",,,,"noinfo/aaussee/51.htm",,"Höhlen 1-3 in Weiße Wand",,,10,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,"1330-1400m",,,"At the bottom of Weiße Wand west of Hochklapfsattel, some way below the Stögerweg path. ",,,, 52,"1/S/W +","a b",,,"noinfo/gschwand/52.htm",,"Sennerkeller & Sauloch",,,9,"Sektion Ausseerland, 1968 ","To the north, an 11m long, 2m high and 0.5m wide meander passage leads off. Through the passage flows a small gutter, which might well end too tight just after the turn off to Sennerkeller, the water emerging at a small spring to the north of Sennerkeller in a karren field. ",,,,"Mitt. der Sektion Ausseerland 19(3) July, 1981, p 49 ",,"1:250, Alfred Auer, 1968 (no copy available) ",,"32m","15m","17.5m SW-NE",,,,,,,,,,,,,,"1490m",,,"Gschwandalm, by the path.","Reached by walking all the way round Loser from the Loser Hütte. ","In a 15m by 6m wide rift is the 6m by 4m entrance to the Sauloch. This is in a steep-sided doline used as a dumping place for all sorts of refuse.",, 53,"1/T +",,,,"noinfo/augstb/53.htm",,"Gellerliäger",,,11,,"""Horizontale, niedere Röhre mit Bruchschutt.""",,,,,,"Plan 1:100 by Alfred Auer, 1968 ",,,,"5m N-S ",,,,,,,,,,,,,,"1020m",,,,"12m east and 5m above Gellerofen (Kat.3)",,, 54,"1/T =",,,,"noinfo/augstb/54.htm",,"Seehöhle",,,11,"Karl Gaisberger, 1959 ",,,,,,,,,"5m",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,"780m",,,"South of and well below Gellerofen (Kat.3), not marked on the Austrianīs map, but apparently just off the road in Augstbachtal. Must be almost in the village. ""Kleine Höhle mit einer Wasserlacke im Inneren.""",,,, 55,"1/S/T =",,,,"noinfo/loser/55.htm",,"Schachthöhle west. Hochanger",,,"8d",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,"1750m",,,"Almost on the saddle between Loser and Hochanger. ",,,, -55,"4/T/S/E x","a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q",,"yes","noinfo/1626/55.htm",,"Raucherkarhöhle",,,1626,"
","The labyrinthine system contains several levels of development, mostly southwards towards Nagelsteghöhle (the probable resurgence at 850m). The current deepest point (a sump) has been reached by systematically traversing over pitches of 40 to 90m.",,,,"
The description is translated mainly from reference 78.2012 by Andy Waddington and Jill Gates, with additional info on dates/lengths as cited.",,,,,,,,,"
More information on this cave, by those exploring it, can be found on the Landesverein für Höhlenkunde in Oberosterreich site, with text available in both English and German and with a number of excellent photos.
",,,,,,,,,,,,,,"NE of Hinterer Raucher",,"There are seventeen entrances, of which the highest is at 1635m. This gives the cave a vertical range of -718m, +7m, total 725m.",, -55,,"a",,"entrance",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,"Durchgang Fensterhalle",,,,,,,,,,"1539m",,,,,,, -55,,"b",,"entrance",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,"Bärenhöhle",,,,,,,,,,"1547m",,,,,,, -55,,"c",,"entrance",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,"Neuer Eingang",,,,,,,,,,"1563m",,,,,,, -55,,"d",,"entrance",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,"Grundloch ("Brunnen")",,,,,,,,,,"1544m",,,,,,, -55,,"e",,"entrance",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,"Schacht I",,,,,,,,,,"1570m",,,,,,, -55,,"f",,"entrance",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,"Schacht II",,,,,,,,,,"1547m",,,,,,, -55,,"g",,"entrance",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,"Schacht III",,,,,,,,,,"1560m",,,,,,, -55,,"h",,"entrance",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,"Schneegrube",,,,,,,,,,"1540m",,,,,,, -55,,"i",,"entrance",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,"Schacht IV (Pilzlingschacht)",,,,,,,,,,"1560m",,,,,,, -55,,"k",,"entrance",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,"Obere Himmelspforte",,,,,,,,,,"1630m",,,,,,, -55,,"l",,"entrance",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,"Untere Himmelspforte",,,,,,,,,,"1593m",,,,,,, -55,,"m",,"entrance",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,"Durchgang Feistor",,,,,,,,,,"1540m",,,,,,, -55,,"n",,"entrance",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,"Einstieg Altausseergang",,,,,,,,,,"1553m",,,,,,, -55,,"o",,"entrance",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,"Planer-Eishöhle",,,,,,,,,,"1470m",,,,,,, -55,,"p",,"entrance",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,"Humuspforte",,,,,,,,,,"1635m",,,,,,, -55,,"q",,"last entrance",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,"Gigantenkluft",,,,,,,,,,"1518m",,,,,,, 56,"1/T +",,,,"noinfo/loser/56.htm",,"Hornsteinhöhle",,,"8c",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,"1650m",,,"West side of Augstsee. ",,,, 57,"1/S +",,,,"noinfo/loser/57.htm",,"Höhle unterhalb der Schafkirche",,,"8c",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,"1660m",,,"West side of Augstsee. ",,,, 58,"1/T +",,,,"noinfo/loser/58.htm",,"Höhle unterhalb ab Pauli-Loch",,,"8c",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,"1670m",,,"West side of Augstsee. ",,,, @@ -167,17 +148,10 @@ 115,"6/t/S/W x",,"40m",,"smkridge/115.htm",,"Schnellzughöhle",,,"2a","CUCC 1980-1985","This is the main entrance through which the majority of the Stellerweghöhle system was explored. See the separate full guidebook description for details, just an overview is given here.
The entrance leads to a non-obvious way on to the head of the short Bell Pitch, from where very awkward going leads out to a bigger passage to reach The Ramp a series of off-vertical pitches. The damper but technically easier Inlet Pitches drop to a Big Chamber, from where Pete's Purgatory starts, and leads in 800m of tortuous going to The Confluence and the larger streamway leading to the deepest point.
Better is the Purgatory Bypass which starts as dry fossil tubes, with a choice of routes to reach Junction Chamber where the Big Rift of Stellerweghöhle enters. Opposite, the huge fossil tube of Dartford Tunnel makes for easy progress to the Confluence, about halfway down the system. The continuing main streamway is interrupted by a bypassable sump and numerous pitches before a low airspace duck at the end of an unpromising canal leads to the spectacular Orgasm Chasm. Careful rigging avoids the water in this 140m shaft, ending in muddy passage and another short drop to a deep and terminal sump. ",,,,,"In dataset","? grade 5","smk-system.svx",,"-740m, +231m",,,,"The Austrian Kataster has adopted a very perverse way of numbering things. Their numbers are as follows:
",,,"p115","P115 on left in Schnellzug entrance.","p115x","Nils",,"gps00.115",81041,35841,"1488m",,,,"Follow Stögerweg beyond Windloch to a steep descent. Just below this, by a large tree on the right of the path (permanent survey station P3), descend steeply to the right on a barely discernible trod.
This involves at least one freeclimb which is awkward with lots of kit. Make lots of noise if you are first, especially on the first trip, since snakes seem to like it here. Eventually a large horizontal railway-tunnel-like entrance appears. If you fall off a cliff, you've gone a little too far downhill.",,,"number painted on right (east-facing) wall of entrance" 116,"2/t/S/E +",,,,"noinfo/smkridge/116.htm",,"Kleine Eishöhle",,,"2b","Germans",,,,,,"In dataset","M Schweicer & F Vischer, July 1982, PLAN (20k) and ELEVATION (12k)","caves/116/116.svx","286m","38m",,,,"This cave was previously marked as having an altitude of 1820m",,,"p116",,,"Nils",,,81449,35689,"1662m",,,"Vorderer Schwarzmooskogel. ",,,, 117,"2/T/S/ +",,,,"noinfo/smkridge/117.htm",,"Stuttgarter-Schacht",,,"2b","Germans ",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,"Vorderer Schwarzmooskogel. ",,,, -117,"3/S =",,,,"noinfo/1626/117.htm",,"Trunkemboldschacht","Gouffre Empagadure, H1",,1626,"
","Down to -287m the cave is made up of shortish pitches interspersed with tight meandering passage : p8, p12, p17, p9, p20, p3, p12, p30, p7, p6, p9, p8, p7, p5, p34, p6, p8, p5, p9. At -287m, an 18m pitch drops into a large chamber. The water disappears in the boulders to reappear in a whole series of wet pitches of which the longest is 30m. Floods impeded exploration at the bottom of this branch: at -456m a pitch of about 20m was definitely too wet to be descended. At -488m a low passage was also too wet. Moreover, the draught there was weak or absent.
In the chamber at -308m, a reascent of about 15m gave access to a fairly wide fossil canyon which blew a detectable draught. After 30m, this passage opened onto the enormous Puits de Naufragés (The Castaway's pitch), with a cross section of 15 by 25 metres and 242m deep. Near the bottom of this pitch, several inlets appeared to come from the first branch explored. The bottom of the pitch contracted to a joint-guided rift, exploration in 1976 ending at the head of a pitch estimated at 40m. (Depth 587m).
The cave continued predominantly vertical in 1977, with pitches of 54, 88, 53 and 25m to two siphons at -854m. The altitude of these sumps is 756m - the valley level.",,,,"
The description is translated mainly from reference 78.2003 by Andy Waddington and Jill Gates.",,,,,"-854m to 3 sumps, a predominantly vertical system.",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,"1610m",,,"NE of point 1895m (Hangender Kogel, NE face).",,,, 118,"0/S =",,,,"noinfo/smkridge/118.htm",,"Schwa-Schacht 118",,,"2b","Germans",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,"Vorderer Schwarzmooskogel. ",,,, 119,"0/S =",,,,"noinfo/smkridge/119.htm",,"Schwa-Schacht 119",,,"2b","Germans",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,"Vorderer Schwarzmooskogel. ",,,, 120,"0/S =",,,,"noinfo/smkridge/120.htm",,"Schwa-Schacht 120",,,"2b","Germans",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,"Vorderer Schwarzmooskogel. ",,,, -120,"4/T/S x","a b c d",,"yes","noinfo/1626/120.htm",,"Feuertalsystem",,,1626,"
","From the Quelli entrance, pitches p8, p19, p83, p33, p24, p17, p5, p33, p24, p9, p33, p27, p103 lead to -400m. Here one reaches a vast passage going up and downhill. The downstream passage emerges at the top of an 84m pitch. Below this a winding canyon interspersed with small pitches gives onto a 15m pitch and the end of exploration in 1976 at -708m.
The lower entrances lead by large phreatic passages to pitches which drop into a further large horizontal level which undulates between -410m and -500m. At -497m, this links to the main vertical system from Quelli. Using these lower ways in, exploration reached a sump at -913m in 1977. Following the large phreatic level away from Quelli goes for about a kilometre before breaking into the side of a colossal shaft at -414m. This is a 211m pitch to a choke at -625m. There is a possible way on across this shaft, which is, however, 20m in diameter.",,,,"
The description is translated mainly from these references by Andy Waddington and Jill Gates.",,,,,,,,,"
",,,,,,,,,,,,,,"In the south flank of Feuertal on the north side of Schönberg. Kataster says west of Schönberg, east of Franzosenschacht, 1626/119.",,,, -120,,"a",,"entrance",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,"Kacherlschacht (Quelli, F3)",,,,,,,,,,"1940m",,,,,,, -120,,"b",,"entrance",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,"Velo-Tracteur (F6)",,,,,,,,,,"1774m",,,,,,, -120,,"c",,"entrance",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,"Carcajau (F9)",,,,,,,,,,"1736m or 1731m",,,,,,, -120,,"d",,"last entrance",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,"Altarkögerlhöhle",,,,,,,,,,"1670m",,,,,,, "121-126",,,,,,,,,"Numbers 121-126 are allocated to the Germans, but there is no documentation available to suggest that caves have been found for these numbers.",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,, -122,"3/S =",,,,"noinfo/1626/122.htm",,"Ufoschacht","Gouffre Ovni",,1626,"
","The entrance consists of a crack about 20cm high, which was at first cleared as far as a chamber with no exit. The draught which had enabled the entrance to be found now showed the way on. After having unblocked a fissure dubbed Sas, a pitch, Escalier Anti-G, was reached. This is broken in five places. A second pitch, Puits Andromède, broken into three, leads to a short canyon, then to several drops and pitches interspersed with short squeezes. The following pitches can be seen as forming a single 80m shaft, the Puits Ganimède, divided into five and becoming bigger and bigger in depth as well as width. The cave continues by a fault rift two or three metres wide and 40m deep, Puits Trou Noir (The Black Hole). The early pitches are dry, but by this point, at -200m, the shafts are much wetter.
The explorers in 1977 started on the descent of a fine 60m pitch of constant shape, slightly sloping, Puits Zorglub. At the bottom of this is the only chamber of the cave : the Salle Galactique. Here the cave splits into two routes, the active and the fossil.
Downstream from the chamber a drop leads to a small chamber among boulders, the Love Nest. (No idea who ventured to call it this). Between the boulders a 20m pitch opens, immediately followed by a 25m pitch. In fact, the last 25m of descent drops between the walls of an immense aven to land on a flat gravel floor. A diagonal chimney leads to a trickle of water.
A fissure marks the start of the Méandre Anti-Matière, where one immediately rejoins the underground stream. This has an average flow of two litres per second but quite rapidly increases to 10-15 litres per second in flood. The first part of the meander is straight and interrupted by 3 small pitches and two drops. At the top of the first, in the roof, is the connection with the fossil system. Quickly, the meander becomes less amenable: high and narrow, it is plastered with mud (the anti-matter) which makes progress quite arduous. Three pitches of 5, 14 and 10m punctuate progress. This last, followed by a drop of 3m, gives access to a section of passage blocked by clay. At the end of this, the stream disappears into a fissure with tight impenetrable bends.
The main passage continues ahead as a quite large fossil branch. After some 50m, the draught goes into an earthy hole, the start of a big pitch of 70m in several stages, the Puits du Centaure.
Halfway down, the pitch is rejoined by the stream which is avoided by a parallel fossil shaft. There immediately follows another pitch of 55m, the Puits du Fond des Ages, totally wet and characterised by an elliptical cross-section and constant slope. At the bottom, the water is engulfed by a fissure about three metres long, followed by a tight meander which has not been pushed. This is the deepest point : -565m.
Upstream from the Salle Galactique, a window some metres high gives access to a good-sized passage (3x3m on average), the Méandre des Petits Hommes Verts (the Little Green Men's passage). One comes up against a climb of 3m at the base of which the trickle of water is lost into a meander cut below the fossil passage (see below). After a narrowing and a climb, the passage ends in boulders between which it is still possible to penetrate for a dozen metres.
Back in the meander below the fossil passage: this ends at the Puit de la Comète (discovered by the Gaumais), a 60m pitch, spray-lashed in its lower part by Le Pipi (the wee-wee). At the base of this pitch is the beginning of the Méandre des Mutants. This is a passage for masochists par excellence: low and tight, gear gets caught everywhere. It ends in a series of climbs and a 30m pitch joining the active system.",,,,"
",,,,,,,,,"Description adapted from the references by Andy Waddington. This translation has not been vetted by a fluent french reader, and I'm afraid it shows rather badly in places.
See reference 78-2008 for Geology and Meteorology.",,,,,,,,,,,"1520m",,,"Plagitzergrube, NE of Hangender Kogel. This puts it quite close to Trunkemboldschacht, 1626/117 (which is 90m higher) and also near the path.",,,, 127,"1/T =",,,,"noinfo/smkridge/127.htm",,"Kleine Firnhöhle",,,"2b","Germans",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,"Vorderer Schwarzmooskogel. ",,,, 128,"1/S =",,,,"noinfo/smkridge/128.htm",,"Enttauschungsschacht",,,"2b","Germans",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,"Vorderer Schwarzmooskogel. ",,,, 129,"2/T =",,,,"noinfo/smkridge/129.htm",,"Große Firnhöhle",,,"2b","Germans",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,"Vorderer Schwarzmooskogel. ",,,, @@ -337,6 +311,32 @@ ,,"a",,"entrance",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,"gps01.p234",,,,,,,,,,,,,,, ,,"b",,"last entrance",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,, 235,"1/T +",,,,"smkridge/235/235.html",,"Schaukelfelsbrockenhöhle",,,"2b","CUCC 2001","A rift can be descended, over wedged stones, inculding one that rocks. This leads to a narrow hading rift with wedged boulders for a ceiling.",,,,,,"
",,"6m","3m",,,,,,,"gps01.p235",,,,,,,,,,,"The cave is situated on a flatish area of limestone uphill from the row of Eishöhle entrances that lead to Schneevulcanhalle. ",,,,"""1623/235"" tag placed 2002-08-09. (Is this correct, or does the tag really say 1623/230?)" +5,"2/W +",,,,"noinfo/1626/5.htm",,"Nagelsteghöhle",,,1626,"LVHK Oberösterreich, 1972","A short climb (protection advisable; two hangers in situ; rope of unknown vintage present in 2002) leads to a tube. This descends at 45° to a short walk round a pool to a short greasy climb. One soon emerges in the huge main passage, floored at the lower end by vast amounts of very unpleasant mud. The sump is reached by a right turn over some fine stratified sand, but CUCC's interest lay in some holes in the roof at the top end, with the hope of a high-level continuation.
The mud eventually runs out to be replaced by more and more inclined slabs, which were very easy on the way up. The gradient steadily increases until the floor merges into the end wall, and the trickle of water enters from high up. At this point, a couple of holes in the roof have already been passed, but investigation revealed these to be beyond reasonable reach without some fairly serious bolting.",,,,,,,,"278m",,,,,"A resurgence cave of major importance, visited by CUCC in 1976 and 2002. Krenmayr gives it 278m long, seasonally active, very roomy water cave. The associated perennial resurgence is Naglbrünndl, putting out 50-100 l/s.",,,,,,,,,,,"865m",,," Above Rettenbachtal (north side); about 20-25 minutes on foot from Blaa-Alm.","Continue past the Blaa-Alm hostelry on the track to a crossroads of paths. Take the path to the right and then bear downhill and to the left at a fork by a small wooden hut. Follow the track until you end up walking parallel to the river; keep a lookout on the right for a small bridge across the river. Cross the bridge and take a small path to the left, which arrives at a further (smaller!) bridge over a stream. Just before the bridge, ascend up the hillside to the right through the undergrowth, keeping the large rocky gully to your right and the stream to your left. After a few minutes you will arrive at the resurgence (under tree-roots) to the left. At this point, cross into the gully on the right and climb up to the very top to reach the cave.","Entrance is at the head of a large, steeply-inclined stream bed (carries major flow in flood), and is reminiscent of Sleets Gill.",, +50,"3/S/T",,,,"noinfo/1626/50.htm",,"Ahnenschacht",,,1626,"
Meanwhile, on the other side of the range, Upper Austrian cavers have undertaken some homework that others left behind a quarter of a century ago. Ahnenschacht (Ancestors' Shaft) was discovered in the 1950s and pushed to -395m. In the 1970s, Belgian cavers found vast horizontal passages amounting to about 5km in total – and a continuation to -602m. Their pushes came to an abrupt halt, however, when in 1975 a caver fractured his pelvis and had to be transported out of the cave. It was Austria's biggest cave rescue operation in the 20th century.
Since documentation of the Belgian finds was fragmentary and of very poor quality, some members of the Verein für Höhlenkunde in Oberösterreich decided to fill in the gaps in the maps and resume surveying activities. So far, 1.7km have been accurately surveyed.
Correspondent: Theo Pfarr
(I fear attempting to reconcile the chronology of the above snippet with theinformation above is a hopeless task.)
","
The entrance is in a small shakehole situated on the ridge separating Feuertal and Hintergras. The cave starts with four pitches (p14, p11, p5 and p11) which drop onto a slope formed of big boulders (rope desirable). After this, another series of small pitches (p9, p7, p6, p4, p10, p18, p11) from which is reached the Sinterterrasse at -141m.
From this point, one has left the zone of small pitches and started a series of pitches which in reality are part of a single shaft down to -400m.
Indeed, if you had an unfortunate accident on the Sinterterrasse, you would fall all the way to -400m. These pitches are usually wet, especially after rain... Here is the list of pitches: p25, Schuppenstufe 30, p10, Sicherungsstufe 32, Schachtgabel 48, a 10m ramp, Josef Schacht 100m. On the Josef Schacht, a pendulum 6m from the top enables one to reach the entry to the Horizontal network. Descending the Josef Schacht a little further, after a 6.5m and a 10m pitch, access can be gained to a wide canyon, active in the bottom, and which ends in a fissure. This canyon is fossil in the upper level and certainly presents possibilities for continuation.
After one has crossed the ""doorway"" and a short squeeze, one enters the network proper. At this point is a passage covered in rather special formations. The first junction gives access to a network ... [unfortunately there are lines missing in my photocopy of Spéalp 1]
This fossil system, which has not been fully travelled through, contains numerous possibilities. It is reached by three principal access routes: the pitch already mentioned; a descending fissure a little before the Belgica; and a sloping passage with formations in the Mammoth pitch chamber. The system is composed of a big chamber with numerous passages and junctions; it is very poorly known and no doubt houses many surprises. Continuing along the passage, one passes a step of 4m to find a junction, to the left at which lies the bivouac.
Directly after the bivouac, there is a 10m pitch, and at the bottom, a new junction: downhill the Belgica passage, of fairly small dimensions, which leads, after traversing past three holes, to a descent of an 8m and a 17m pitch and to the squeezes passed by our French colleagues.
Uphill, discovered by D.Motte and PIE, in the course of the expedition in 1974, is the Galerie de Francs Comtois. This is a large ascending fossil passage interspersed with traverses, dips and pitches. It reascends to -90m. At -150m, a 20m pitch reaches the Résomega.
A little before the 20m pitch, a short descending canyon passage avoids the 20m pitch and the series of squeezes following it. The Résomega is an alternately ascending and descending passage, very chaotic, interspersed with several junctions and pitches which leads to the Balcon du Visionnaire, offering several possibilities. A 60m pitch gives onto another 60m pitch which is undescended. There is another big pitch in excess of 100m and an unfinished ascending passage. A little before, a 10m pitch allows one to reach a passage interspersed with 3 junctions and 7 exits ! This shows the level of complexity which we ran into.
It was also at the Balcon du Visionnaire that an accident occurred in 1975, which terminated exploration in that year.
Back in the Horizontal network, and after passing a little bouldery climb an inlet is encountered, named The Bath. The passage continues a little longer, to end in a pitch. [ exploration incomplete ]
The following junction has been named Mammoth Junction because the passage to the right leads onto the pitch of the same name. It is necessary to exercise great care and attention not to slip hereabouts, because a fall would drop you into same.
The Mammoth Pitch, Para-pitch and probably the Negus pitch, form part of the same system (see survey) which is composed of a 146m pitch, a 10m pitch and a narrow canyon interspersed with several cascades leading finally to a 35m pitch giving onto the sump at -612m. The Para-pitch, p106, is followed by pitches of 5, 10 and 50m and drops via the latter into the Mammoth Canyon.
The Negus pitch, which is undescended, should also drop into the same canyon. Several other small pitches and active streamways should also rejoin this system.
The depth of 612m should be treated cautiously because the method of survey used (based on the height of a man) is fairly imprecise. The bottom could be anywhere between -580m and -630m. The shortage of time prevented us from redoing our survey. [The depth quoted in Atlas des Grandes Gouffres is -607m, which is shown as the bottom of this system. However, a Belgian survey shows the Yodl system (which is supposed to end at -607m) to be somewhere else entirely, so it is rather unclear which survey is wrong.]
Turning left, the Zipfer passage is followed for 150m before reaching an important junction: to the left Chimneys passage, to the right Draughting passage.
This is very large with a constant slope, interrupted in the middle by a squeeze and a couple of drops. The Schnaps pitch (40m with an unexplored, narrow canyon) is avoided by traversing to reach a 25m pitch in which you must pendulum 5m from the bottom in order to reach a chamber in which is met a small stream. Climbing up a little opposite, a short upper passage rejoins the stream by a 20m pitch. In the chamber, the descent of a 10m pitch allows the stream to be followed to a squeeze beyond which one can hear the grumble of a large river ? A place to go back to.
This is fossil, and tight in places, and allows exploration of a very complex network which intersects itself in various places and which could hold very great surprises, since its exploration has only been sketchily outlined. The exit from this passage is in an area of boulders where two possibilities exist:
To the left: a tight passage has been forced on a slope to Kitschacht (Tackle Bag Shaft) a magnificent 50m drop, very wide and completely free hanging. At its base, several possibilities. A tight active canyon which can be bypassed by a fossil passage, broken by an earthy drop of 3m to a huge 15m pitch leading to a sump at -360m.
A drop of a few metres gives access to a huge fossil passage (10 × 5m). The floor of this is cut by a deep canyon which has not been explored. After a hundred metres or so the passage ends at a vast wet pitch. Climbing over a big boulder on the right gives access to another pitch upwards.
Just after the base of Kitschacht, a passage of 80m makes a connection with the system of the Décollement pitch at the bottom of the 40m shaft. A canyon leaving the junction passage can be followed for more than 300m, and exits, in several places, into the side of the big fossil passage, just before the pitch upwards.
To the right: The Décollement pitch, with, at its base, a sloping chamber full of boulders. To the left a very deep ascending canyon is unexplored. In the bottom is the Méandre Emeri, so called because the formations are orientated in the direction of progress and of the draught. This rejoins a wide pitch with an inlet. After this 15m pitch is a short canyon and a damp 40m pitch. At the bottom, a huge descending passage suddenly turns almost vertical. This is the Toboggan, needing 20m of rope (a very spectacular passage). At this level one again cuts a new streamway. The passage continues, then contracts, and chokes at -385m.
After the Bivouac: a 10m pitch, then turn left into a small passage, ignore three pitches to the side, then descend pitches of 8 and 13m to arrive at some easy squeezes on the left. After this, a climb of 5m and a 42m pitch. Stops in a sand blockage at -410m.
Over the 13m pitch a small passage goes to several climbs in a fossil series. There is a 25m pitch and two 10m pitches ending in several very tight chimneys.
From the entrance, after 70m down Josef schacht, climb down 7m over a large block and descend about 12m in the bottom of a meander. Progress is then in the meander, with a short climb in a fault on the left and a 120m pitch, in sections of 22m and 100m. Beyond is a tight canyon with a 20m pitch to a sump at -607m (the last part of the 100m pitch is wet).
Atlas des Grands Gouffres du Monde 1979 says that the original -395m route goes on to c-470m (unsurveyed) and there are also routes ending at -385m and -386m.",,,,"
The description was translated from the references by Andy Waddington and Jill Gates.",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,"1890m, Frigoschacht 1875m (enters at -130m at Sinterterrasse)",,,"NW of Wehrkogel on the Schönberg. Marked and named on OAV map sheet 15/1.",,,, +55,"4/T/S/E x","a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q",,"yes","noinfo/1626/55.htm",,"Raucherkarhöhle",,,1626,"
","The labyrinthine system contains several levels of development, mostly southwards towards Nagelsteghöhle (the probable resurgence at 850m). The current deepest point (a sump) has been reached by systematically traversing over pitches of 40 to 90m.",,,,"
The description is translated mainly from reference 78.2012 by Andy Waddington and Jill Gates, with additional info on dates/lengths as cited.",,,,,,,,,"
More information on this cave, by those exploring it, can be found on the Landesverein für Höhlenkunde in Oberosterreich site, with text available in both English and German and with a number of excellent photos.
",,,,,,,,,,,,,,"NE of Hinterer Raucher",,"There are seventeen entrances, of which the highest is at 1635m. This gives the cave a vertical range of -718m, +7m, total 725m.",, +55,,"a",,"entrance",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,"Durchgang Fensterhalle",,,,,,,,,,"1539m",,,,,,, +55,,"b",,"entrance",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,"Bärenhöhle",,,,,,,,,,"1547m",,,,,,, +55,,"c",,"entrance",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,"Neuer Eingang",,,,,,,,,,"1563m",,,,,,, +55,,"d",,"entrance",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,"Grundloch ("Brunnen")",,,,,,,,,,"1544m",,,,,,, +55,,"e",,"entrance",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,"Schacht I",,,,,,,,,,"1570m",,,,,,, +55,,"f",,"entrance",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,"Schacht II",,,,,,,,,,"1547m",,,,,,, +55,,"g",,"entrance",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,"Schacht III",,,,,,,,,,"1560m",,,,,,, +55,,"h",,"entrance",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,"Schneegrube",,,,,,,,,,"1540m",,,,,,, +55,,"i",,"entrance",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,"Schacht IV (Pilzlingschacht)",,,,,,,,,,"1560m",,,,,,, +55,,"k",,"entrance",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,"Obere Himmelspforte",,,,,,,,,,"1630m",,,,,,, +55,,"l",,"entrance",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,"Untere Himmelspforte",,,,,,,,,,"1593m",,,,,,, +55,,"m",,"entrance",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,"Durchgang Feistor",,,,,,,,,,"1540m",,,,,,, +55,,"n",,"entrance",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,"Einstieg Altausseergang",,,,,,,,,,"1553m",,,,,,, +55,,"o",,"entrance",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,"Planer-Eishöhle",,,,,,,,,,"1470m",,,,,,, +55,,"p",,"entrance",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,"Humuspforte",,,,,,,,,,"1635m",,,,,,, +55,,"q",,"last entrance",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,"Gigantenkluft",,,,,,,,,,"1518m",,,,,,, +117,"3/S =",,,,"noinfo/1626/117.htm",,"Trunkemboldschacht","Gouffre Empagadure, H1",,1626,"
","Down to -287m the cave is made up of shortish pitches interspersed with tight meandering passage : p8, p12, p17, p9, p20, p3, p12, p30, p7, p6, p9, p8, p7, p5, p34, p6, p8, p5, p9. At -287m, an 18m pitch drops into a large chamber. The water disappears in the boulders to reappear in a whole series of wet pitches of which the longest is 30m. Floods impeded exploration at the bottom of this branch: at -456m a pitch of about 20m was definitely too wet to be descended. At -488m a low passage was also too wet. Moreover, the draught there was weak or absent.
In the chamber at -308m, a reascent of about 15m gave access to a fairly wide fossil canyon which blew a detectable draught. After 30m, this passage opened onto the enormous Puits de Naufragés (The Castaway's pitch), with a cross section of 15 by 25 metres and 242m deep. Near the bottom of this pitch, several inlets appeared to come from the first branch explored. The bottom of the pitch contracted to a joint-guided rift, exploration in 1976 ending at the head of a pitch estimated at 40m. (Depth 587m).
The cave continued predominantly vertical in 1977, with pitches of 54, 88, 53 and 25m to two siphons at -854m. The altitude of these sumps is 756m - the valley level.",,,,"
The description is translated mainly from reference 78.2003 by Andy Waddington and Jill Gates.",,,,,"-854m to 3 sumps, a predominantly vertical system.",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,"1610m",,,"NE of point 1895m (Hangender Kogel, NE face).",,,, +120,"4/T/S x","a b c d",,"yes","noinfo/1626/120.htm",,"Feuertalsystem",,,1626,"
","From the Quelli entrance, pitches p8, p19, p83, p33, p24, p17, p5, p33, p24, p9, p33, p27, p103 lead to -400m. Here one reaches a vast passage going up and downhill. The downstream passage emerges at the top of an 84m pitch. Below this a winding canyon interspersed with small pitches gives onto a 15m pitch and the end of exploration in 1976 at -708m.
The lower entrances lead by large phreatic passages to pitches which drop into a further large horizontal level which undulates between -410m and -500m. At -497m, this links to the main vertical system from Quelli. Using these lower ways in, exploration reached a sump at -913m in 1977. Following the large phreatic level away from Quelli goes for about a kilometre before breaking into the side of a colossal shaft at -414m. This is a 211m pitch to a choke at -625m. There is a possible way on across this shaft, which is, however, 20m in diameter.",,,,"
The description is translated mainly from these references by Andy Waddington and Jill Gates.",,,,,,,,,"
",,,,,,,,,,,,,,"In the south flank of Feuertal on the north side of Schönberg. Kataster says west of Schönberg, east of Franzosenschacht, 1626/119.",,,, +120,,"a",,"entrance",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,"Kacherlschacht (Quelli, F3)",,,,,,,,,,"1940m",,,,,,, +120,,"b",,"entrance",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,"Velo-Tracteur (F6)",,,,,,,,,,"1774m",,,,,,, +120,,"c",,"entrance",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,"Carcajau (F9)",,,,,,,,,,"1736m or 1731m",,,,,,, +120,,"d",,"last entrance",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,"Altarkögerlhöhle",,,,,,,,,,"1670m",,,,,,, +122,"3/S =",,,,"noinfo/1626/122.htm",,"Ufoschacht","Gouffre Ovni",,1626,"
","The entrance consists of a crack about 20cm high, which was at first cleared as far as a chamber with no exit. The draught which had enabled the entrance to be found now showed the way on. After having unblocked a fissure dubbed Sas, a pitch, Escalier Anti-G, was reached. This is broken in five places. A second pitch, Puits Andromède, broken into three, leads to a short canyon, then to several drops and pitches interspersed with short squeezes. The following pitches can be seen as forming a single 80m shaft, the Puits Ganimède, divided into five and becoming bigger and bigger in depth as well as width. The cave continues by a fault rift two or three metres wide and 40m deep, Puits Trou Noir (The Black Hole). The early pitches are dry, but by this point, at -200m, the shafts are much wetter.
The explorers in 1977 started on the descent of a fine 60m pitch of constant shape, slightly sloping, Puits Zorglub. At the bottom of this is the only chamber of the cave : the Salle Galactique. Here the cave splits into two routes, the active and the fossil.
Downstream from the chamber a drop leads to a small chamber among boulders, the Love Nest. (No idea who ventured to call it this). Between the boulders a 20m pitch opens, immediately followed by a 25m pitch. In fact, the last 25m of descent drops between the walls of an immense aven to land on a flat gravel floor. A diagonal chimney leads to a trickle of water.
A fissure marks the start of the Méandre Anti-Matière, where one immediately rejoins the underground stream. This has an average flow of two litres per second but quite rapidly increases to 10-15 litres per second in flood. The first part of the meander is straight and interrupted by 3 small pitches and two drops. At the top of the first, in the roof, is the connection with the fossil system. Quickly, the meander becomes less amenable: high and narrow, it is plastered with mud (the anti-matter) which makes progress quite arduous. Three pitches of 5, 14 and 10m punctuate progress. This last, followed by a drop of 3m, gives access to a section of passage blocked by clay. At the end of this, the stream disappears into a fissure with tight impenetrable bends.
The main passage continues ahead as a quite large fossil branch. After some 50m, the draught goes into an earthy hole, the start of a big pitch of 70m in several stages, the Puits du Centaure.
Halfway down, the pitch is rejoined by the stream which is avoided by a parallel fossil shaft. There immediately follows another pitch of 55m, the Puits du Fond des Ages, totally wet and characterised by an elliptical cross-section and constant slope. At the bottom, the water is engulfed by a fissure about three metres long, followed by a tight meander which has not been pushed. This is the deepest point : -565m.
Upstream from the Salle Galactique, a window some metres high gives access to a good-sized passage (3x3m on average), the Méandre des Petits Hommes Verts (the Little Green Men's passage). One comes up against a climb of 3m at the base of which the trickle of water is lost into a meander cut below the fossil passage (see below). After a narrowing and a climb, the passage ends in boulders between which it is still possible to penetrate for a dozen metres.
Back in the meander below the fossil passage: this ends at the Puit de la Comète (discovered by the Gaumais), a 60m pitch, spray-lashed in its lower part by Le Pipi (the wee-wee). At the base of this pitch is the beginning of the Méandre des Mutants. This is a passage for masochists par excellence: low and tight, gear gets caught everywhere. It ends in a series of climbs and a 30m pitch joining the active system.",,,,"
",,,,,,,,,"Description adapted from the references by Andy Waddington. This translation has not been vetted by a fluent french reader, and I'm afraid it shows rather badly in places.
See reference 78-2008 for Geology and Meteorology.",,,,,,,,,,,"1520m",,,"Plagitzergrube, NE of Hangender Kogel. This puts it quite close to Trunkemboldschacht, 1626/117 (which is 90m higher) and also near the path.",,,, ,"1/S +",,"A1",,"kratzer/a1.htm",,"CUCC 1976/A1",,,4,"CUCC 1976","An obvious open entrance leads to an 11m pitch into a rift chamber choked in both directions. ",,,,,,,,,"11m",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,"c 1635m",,,"Situated some 50m vertically below Schwarzmoossattel, up valley from the Loser Hütte. (I think the reference to the Loser Hütte is very misleading outside the context of the original article in Cambridge Underground, and should really be up valley from Bräuning Alm).",,,, ,"1/S/T +",,"B1",,"kratzer/b1.htm",,"CUCC 1976/B1",,,4,"CUCC 1976","A 14m pitch drops into rift passage quickly choking to the east. To the west, a short walk reaches a 3m climb to a higher level, choking rapidly.",,,,,,,,,"14m ",,,,"Thought by the Austrians to be one of a group of shafts numbered 36 in the Kataster, but the location of B1 relative to B4, which is very near 36, precludes this interpretation. Unfortunately, B1 was not relocated in a search in 1990.",,,,,,,,,,,"c 1640m ?",,,"Situated some 40m from A1, up valley and slightly higher up the east slope, the hole lies in an obvious E-W fault.",,,, ,"1/S +",,"B2",,"kratzer/b2.htm",,"CUCC 1976/B2",,,4,"CUCC 1976 ","A 4m climb leads to two 5m drops and a snow plug. Across the snow a direct pitch can be reached.",,,,,,,,,"15m",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,"Up the bottom of the valley from B1, B2 is met just at the foot of the last steep pull up onto the col. Not relocated in search in 1990.",,,, diff --git a/noinfo/CAVETAB2.sxc b/noinfo/CAVETAB2.sxc index b8ae67925..be089862c 100644 Binary files a/noinfo/CAVETAB2.sxc and b/noinfo/CAVETAB2.sxc differ