diff --git a/years/2023/logbook.html b/years/2023/logbook.html
index af2450b54..2889f0a46 100644
--- a/years/2023/logbook.html
+++ b/years/2023/logbook.html
@@ -16,7 +16,7 @@ re-written. This is prevent spurious re-orderings and spurious git commit lines
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 2025-02-05 14:02 using either the control panel webpage or when editing a logbook entry online
+Exported on 2025-07-24 11:07 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)
-->
@@ -33,8 +33,12 @@ Slogged down from Top Camp to Homecoming and headed down the entrance series. Wa
@@ -135,8 +138,7 @@ In terms of practical preparation, I’ve been trying to get down the bigger and
This pretty much sums up my prep for my first time on expedition and aside from the nightmares of caves crumbling just by looking at them and flash floods lurking around each corner I’m psyched as f*** and basically just saving up money working, and getting down caves.
@@ -149,8 +151,7 @@ Blog Author: honorata
The first expoers arrived at Bad Aussee and we started setting up base camp. The instruction says setting up the kitchen tent is a two man job but we barely managed with six...
@@ -158,8 +159,7 @@ The first expoers arrived at Bad Aussee and we started setting up base camp. The
We hauled most stuff out of the storage cave (had to rig some out of the snow) and set up one water collection tarp.
Harry Kettle, Charlotte Payne, Christian Kuhlmann, Emma Caspers, Janis Huns
Balkon - Rescuing Balcony ropes
@@ -215,8 +212,7 @@ Charlotte derigged.
at about 5pm. Charlotte and Harry were both very grumpy walking back with very heavy bags and returned to top camp at 11pm.
Fishface - Digging the snow out of Fishface entrance
@@ -224,8 +220,7 @@ at about 5pm. Charlotte and Harry were both very grumpy walking back with very h
did need digging. Jonty got particularly into this, producing quit the snow trench.
Harry Kettle, Alice Kirby, Charlotte Payne, Christian Kuhlmann, Will Kay
Surface - Rope carry to Homecoming + Trial walk from Garlic Cave to Car Park on painted track
@@ -284,8 +276,7 @@ came down the mountain.
Then tried the painted track back to car park from Garlic Cave. Track was very easy to find from Homecoming. About an hour and a half from the plateau followed by treacherous cliff traversing - would be very unsafe with a heavy bag/in bad weather. Around halfwat becomes quite pleasant, 3h30m from Homecoming with empty bags. Route very hilly. Heavy carry with bagsfrom car park to Garlic cave likely to be at least 5 hours. Everyone agreed path unsuitable as route to Garlic Cave - takes longer and more dangerous than going via top camp.
Progress after the first 3 days o
The weather forecast shows rain and thunderstorms today and tomorrow, which jeopardizes caving. People are hiking down to base camp. Meanwhile, Martin, Jana, and I have put the second tarp up at base camp, while Radost and Phil have been setting up electronics here.
Buck Blake, Amelia Oliver, Ashley Gregg, Janis Huns, Joel Stobbart, Jonty Pine
Fishface - Carrying rope to Fishface and failing to rig entrance
@@ -327,8 +316,7 @@ minutes, we left the cave. Mealy kicked an icicle at Jonty on the way out. We le
left our caving kit under the small overhand near the entrance, then headed back to top camp.
Plateau - scoping out a route from col to Garlic Cave
@@ -361,8 +348,7 @@ return.
Just after, we found a loose wellie which now acts as another cairn [reflectoring trip on 11th noticed that this is "size 9", so therefore a UK wellie]. The final pathwe made is quite nice except for one climb over a ravine tha t seems to be unavoidable without drastic changes to the route. It was a nice day. On the way back, we saw the Dachstein for the first time , complemented by all the numerous kinds of mountain flowers.
Emily Mabbett, Charlotte Payne, Emma Caspers, Lizzie Caisley, Mike Butcher
Fishface - Surveying around Benign Bubble Baby Bypass
@@ -386,8 +371,7 @@ return.
Once regrouped, it was approaching 9:30PM so we decided to leave the small drafty tubeand started to make our way out of the cave eventually making it back to top camp just before midnight.
Zac Woodford, Amelia Oliver, Ashley Gregg, Emma Caspers
Fishface - Surveying the top of liquid luck
@@ -410,8 +393,7 @@ return.
Zac and Mealy surveyed the top of the rift and the pitch (Mealy on notes, Zac on disto) while Ash and Emma bolted and rigged the pitch. Once surveyed and linked to Mike's group's stuff, we packed up and headed out. Ash raced ahead while Mealy and Emma got stuck behind Zac who was very tired and slow and sweary. Eventually, they exited. Trip started at ~15.30 and ended at ~00.30. A very tiresome dark hike to top camp.
@@ -455,32 +436,28 @@ Bolts used:
Following a new set of bolts placed by myself (the first bolt is at a funky angle and could be replaced but is likely fine), a new traverse line is followed up the roof of the rift along steep-walls. This is easy with a traverse line but is more thought provoking to bolt, rig, and de-rig. Much like the top of The Lizard King, a Y-hang is reached (there is another bolt further used for exploring but was deemed to be useless) and is descended into War of Attrition. A 95m rope was used to righ from the the top of The Salamander Queen 2 (previously named "The Lizard King") to the Y-hang dropping into War of Attrition. A 1-bolt rebelay is reached and a deviation is used on the opposite wall. This is finally descended to a ledge with another 1-bolt rebelay. Here the intention is to continue down to reach a to-be-bolted Y-hang in the right in an attempt to decrease rope-rub. This would be descended about 7m to a vague ledge system and followed further into the large phreatic tube via a traverse line (later called The Salamander Queen).
We pushed 60m at the top of "Clap My Pitch Up". Pushing required bolting ~20m of a traverse ( Mike adds: 20m ish of the traverse was new passage surveyed this year but there was about 30m of traverse bolted this year which was naughtily pushed by me - Mike - and Luke last year in the Red Light Spells Danger trip so the traverse is about 50ish m long). The final few metres of the traverse go above a sizeable pitch (30m?). We names the bolted traverse, "European Federalists". At the end of the traverse, we continued walking for another ~40m until arriving at the top of a massive pitch - further pushing would require bolting. The distance from where we were standing to the furthest point down the pitch measured with the disto was ~40m. We kicked rocks down the pitch and the sound continued for 10s, giving rise to a presumption that the pitch may be very deep. If it connects to "Clap My Pitch Up", it's at least 100m deep. IMPORTANT: the traverse passage and the walkable continuation are muddy and slippery; posing a hazard of falling down the pitch. Ash, Jonty, Mealy and Janis want to push the lead further on Saturday 8th July.
Homecoming - Rigging towards Watershed in Homecoming
We wandered down to the cave around 10am, making it to the entrance around 12pm. The entrance series went pretty fast ... at least it did for me as Harry and Charlotte were carrying the heavy bags. On the way we made a quick stop to rerig a knot pass. As we reached the bottom of Wallace and Grommit where they had finished rigging the previous day both me and Harry experienced fizzling as we glazed the dry rope on the final 55m. I did not enjoy this part. We then made our way up the climb and Harry began rigging the small pitches before the long pitch series. The most notable part of this was when Harry appeared the wrong side of a pitch head after following the description and getting lost. It was highly amusing. As Charlotte began rigging the final pitch series me and Harry huddled in a shelter and watched Mathilda the musical. As it came to replacing a bolt Harry left to go help Charlotte and I was left along ... until it was discovered the drill battery was dead and I had to come down with a back up. As 8pm approached we made our way out leaving rope to finish the final part of rigging. On the way out we made a noodle stop at the top of Wallace and Grommit but with no fork a knife had to suffice. The walk back was miserable as we started following new reflectors towards the col and had to turn around and start again. We finally made it back to top camp at 1 am.
@@ -546,16 +521,14 @@ Looked at printer again. No clue as to why printer is not showing up on network
Afternoon: added lots of expoers to folk.csv and adding lots of mugshots. Particularly good one of Merryn.
Janis Huns, Amelia Oliver, Ashley Gregg, Jonty Pine
Fishface - Pushing deep Fishface
We went to where the group - Honorata, Radost and Mike - had left off the previous day. European Federalists was a very tough traverse that required the use of ascenders. We bolted and rigged (my first bolt!) the pitch at the end of the muddy passage about 10m down to a choke of boulders. At the bottom of it we saw that there is a large, smooth crack continuing east leading to a large, deep chamber that seems to be the same one we saw on the right. If it is it would be elongated roughly in a north east to south west direction. Ash and Mealy also explored some C leads which did not go far.
Amphitheatre - Following up on Radost and Honorata's prospecting leads (Unlucky Gemse cave and Amphitheatre cave)
@@ -574,8 +547,7 @@ The next lead was Radost and Honorata's. Amphitheatre cave, which Nadia and some
We then walked back, attempting but failing to find Garlic Cave. On the way back we did find a nice looking camp spot (flat, grass, ????, would be good for a tne) at 47.6925722 13.8087777
Homecoming - Beyond Watershed in Homecoming Flowstone Canyon
@@ -590,24 +562,21 @@ We surveyed for about 100m through sandy rifts, down a few climbs (that were muc
Slow, tired progress out saw us leave the cave at about 1am. I stumbled to Garlic Cave to sleep on the slabs outside the camp whilst Charlotte and Harry bivvied in a group shelter at the entrance.
Honorata Bogusz, Ashley Gregg, Christian Kuhlmann, Harry Kettle, Radost Waszkiewicz
festering - Canyoning Strubklamm
@@ -621,8 +590,7 @@ The canyon had pre-rigged pitches and handlines, all of which were quite dodgy (
The weather was good, sunny and hot. The canyon seemed quite dry, as though there was usually more water there (e.g. some slides were only drippy as opposed to full with water). The canyon has at least 2 escape routes.
@@ -640,8 +608,7 @@ This was until a black bmw slowly changed into our lane with the feared follow m
Yet again a black bmw slowly moved in front of us with their sign flashing. Another check without the fishing for drugs. After this whole ordeal we arrived at base camp, one day late, with a breakdown and two stops from the police. A beer was cracked with relief!
Philip Sargent, Ashley Gregg, Ely Brookes, Honorata Bogusz, James Waite, Radost Waszkiewicz, Thomas Phillips, Will Kay
plateau - walk in
@@ -649,8 +616,7 @@ Yet again a black bmw slowly moved in front of us with their sign flashing. Anot
Dep. carpark 10:06 we walked to the col but got spread out, 2 Cardiffians particularly heavily loaded so Ash dropped back to accompany them while James headed on with Radost and Honorata.
@@ -748,8 +712,7 @@ The Amphitheater Hoehle is named after its entrance which resembles an amphithea
We surveyed the cave to the end of that traverse with a few splays directed at the pitch below. Ash bolted the second pitch halfway down while Radost and I were surveying. The second pitch is slabby, drippy, and has ice patches on the sides. A stoney bridge lies underneath the traverse that leads to the second pitch. In total, we surveyed 70m of Amphitheather Hoehle on that trip.
@@ -760,8 +723,7 @@ Slogged down from Top Camp to Homecoming and headed down the entrance series. Wa
We exited in ~4 hours with a disturbing find on Gromit (the 50m at the base of the entrance series) – I saw a lump of mud on the rope, tried to flick it off but argh, the sheath had gone from a chunk of rope. I cautiously jammered above it, shouted down to warn the others, and tied it out in a butterfly. It was ~5m below the rebelay and many metres from any of the walls so hard to know what caused it – sharp jammers? Rockfall? Previous damage? Out 11pm and then a disappointingly long slog up to Garlic Cave to enjoy the new facilities.
@@ -792,8 +753,7 @@ Author's note: MB would like me to include that we discussed the most likely po
Transcribers note, 21st July 2024. Whilst I do appreciate the write up and the narrative of my friends going caving, this has been the most horrifically punctuated account I have yet had to digitize. I am aware there are typos in my version, I can't be fucked to change them currently.
@@ -856,8 +814,7 @@ 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
@@ -868,8 +825,7 @@ Yet another Bundah battle later we emerged to 2 rucksacks on the plateau and rea
From here we began to circle back towards FishFace, on the way we found a large flat expanse of limestone with one semi hopeful prospect but after a large amount of gardening and some dodgy free climbing down from Joel it was decided it was far too chossy to look into any further. Finally we found our one true promising prospect - a hole temporarily name crucifix as it's buried in a bundah patch next to a cross. After putting one bolt in and preparing to start more bolting / rigging we looked up to see a large thunderstorm approaching. We left our bolt and rope we started to leg it up the hill. Tom did not enjoy this part. Finally we arrived, drenched in sweat and wheezing for oxygen, but not burnt to the bone by lightning, we arrived at top camp as the storm hit. We spent the next part of the night cowering in the one only corner of the buivvy as the predicted rain poured. 5 of us sheltered in the animal shelter and watched Matilda the musical - a good storm pass time!
Honorata Bogusz, Charlotte Payne, Harry Kettle, Jonty Pine, Oakem Kyne, Radost Waszkiewicz
festering - Via Ferrata "Panorama Kletterstieg Sisi"
@@ -879,8 +835,7 @@ We went on a via ferrata located close to the Loseralm parking lot. The via ferr
The via ferrata route goes up the mountain (it's vertical) and it is very exposed. It requires using the upper body quite a lot and does not have many aids besides the metal wire. The route ends next to a metal cross at the peak of the mountain. One hikes down to get to the car. The description says that the via ferrata takes between 1 and 2 hours but it took us 50 minutes, with a 5 min photo break in the middle.
@@ -947,8 +901,7 @@ We then all exited the cave to the tying light, Zac and Sarah first followed by
One the way back to top, Zac slipped and pulled his arm/ scraped his arse meaning Mike had to apply cream to it at top camp. A bit of a faffy trip but an important step for making progress.
@@ -1049,16 +1001,14 @@ Administrative note: a few days of rain, heavy at times (1 tent bent, 1 flooded)
Full details at http://expo.survex.com/expedition/2023
Floating down the river to Bad Aussee. Me and Radost are leaving today so we wanted to do a fun rest day activity on our last full day. Chi, Wassil, and Oakem agreed to go canyoning to Grabenback (VZVZ)(?) with us. We decided that we wanted to be in the canyon in the hottest moment of the day. We were ready to leave at noon but chi realised he'd lost his car keys. 2 hours of searching for them around the potato hut yielded no results. Disappointed, we decided to float down the river to Bad Aussee where we later had ice cream. Floating down the river has been definitely the most dangerous and stupid thing I've done on expo. Don't do it and if you have to - wear a helmet, gloves and shoes unlike us. I stated rolling on one waterfall and was really afraid I'd hurt my head. Then, I hit my lip really hard on a rock. I'm not gonna do it again. Ice cream was nice though.
homecoming - Shallow Homecoming and pushing beyond Hobknob Hallway & Dead Flied Passage
@@ -1075,8 +1025,7 @@ Back at base camp Nadia looked up the survey points that weren't on the survey a
Speaking of, towards the end of Dead Flies Passage we found a tacklesack presumably from 2018 with a rope and some incredibly rusted maillons & hangers . It was slightly wet but presumably mostly from dripping. The rope may be viable but the metalwork won't be.
@@ -1090,8 +1039,7 @@ We'd run out of horizontal leads so headed out, luckily beating the jam caused b
T/U Becka and Jono 13 hours, the others 15 hours
Christian Kuhlmann, Merryn Matthews, Wassil Janssen
Homecoming - In Search Of Salamanders
@@ -1169,16 +1115,14 @@ The escape was awful and became briefely less awful upon leaving the bolting kit
Overall, a great trip with over ~294m surveyed and more promising leads found. Couldn’t recommend camping in the second coming more!
We walked under the flanks of the Kleine Wildkogel to the ridge at the top where you can see down to the tiny hut in the bowl between that ridge and the next. The gps track for Becka is [not] downloaded and I logged four caves numbered 2023-BL-01 to 04. Two were horizontal and are katasterable (02 and 04) and the other two (01 and 03) are open shafts that would need to be dropped to be checked out.
@@ -1235,24 +1177,21 @@ Alice and Buck came from top camp with a drill, batteries, and hammer... but sad
Ends at an aven QMX about 20m beyond last survey station after m'10m of tight rift.
Having arrived at top camp we decided to go and poke the hole we had found at the end of the day on the 12th. Given the workinjg title of tomb of christ by Tom due to its situation under a large metal cross. It was agreed that if the cave went it would be renamed Tempest in honour of Lizzie's favourite primary school performance: The Tempest: The musical. Emily had begun bolting a traverse in before we were scared off by weather. So I connected this to a Y hang which dropped - 20m onto a snowy slope with passage leading both left and right. Tom dropped in and started bolting a rebelay while I dig through the snow to look at the more promising RH lead - this turned out to be a [?] slope - 45 degrees which confirmed for 15m. Sadly the drill fucked up before Tom could finish the bolt and with more weather approaching we turnedaround, vowing to return.
@@ -1361,16 +1299,14 @@ Annoyingly further thunderstorms were forecast but three days later we returned
Despite ~300m of passage being surveyed minimal progress was made in getting closer to Fishface but there are lots of excellent leads to explore and four weeks left of expo so hopefully lots more cave will get found .
Rearing to go and with many promising leads to explore we raced down to Tempest to continue the work we finished. Tom's bolt which means the scree slope was marginally safer to descend. I continued down to a choke above a short pitch with a ledge to LH whilst Lizzie and Tom surveyed from the entrance. Some serious gardening was required which occupied me until the other two arrived. Thyen we bolted a traverse into the short pitch and entered the chamber now known as Narnia. Due to the impressive frozen waterfalls and other ice formations we surveyed into this chambers noting again exciting leads to both left and right of the pitch base, then headed back to the surface.
@@ -1394,8 +1330,7 @@ as this was just the ceiling of the main passage below.
which we’d left lying around. Once out we packed up and headed back to Top Camp.
The hype was growing and not one but two groups went to push (or kill in Ashs case) this cave. Congregating at the base of the Narnia Pitch after I had added a rebelay on the entrance pitch. Ash and Zac set off to survey the LH passage and scoped an impressive 100m before reaching a choke - fartichoke was born. A lovely horizontal and almost straight passage with Sandy floor and looping avens in ceiling. Meanwhile, the remainder set off to continue down Narnia bolting another 15m pitch with much faff and surveying up to the top of Tomb Reider. At the bottom which Tom reached first we were dismayed to find a cessation of human sized cave. Tom had landed on a choke with small holes to L and R but nothing easily accessible. Upon seeing this Lizzie turned around and left in disgust but driven mad with disappointment me and Tom began hacking frantically at the boulders either side. Suddenly with a cry of joy, I hearled aside a mighty boulder to find a nearly Joel sized hole in the floor with an excellent echo. After much experimental squeezing we found that feet first sans SRT kit worked best, and I had a quick look to see a large and impressive rift below. We had left Lizzie waiting long enough so turned around and retired to the surface. Planning to bring some heavy demolitions kit the next day.
We found a cave with 2 entries that linked together in several places. We dropped the first one and it didn't go anywhere so we dropped the second pitch which had loads of ice features which some of which had to be destroyed to stop them squishing people. The second part of the cave sent straight down then opened up slightly with a low flat chamber.
@@ -1537,16 +1465,14 @@ See Becka's track log* for route and 2023-BL-05 to 09 for 5 logged caves. Adam d
[Ed. But Becka's GPS track has not been uploaded to expofiles/gpslogs ]
@@ -1590,24 +1514,21 @@ We surveyed until we reached a ~8m small cascade (honestly not very wet, even yo
Becka and I tweaked the rigging on the way out, then we headed out of the cave.
After a long drive across Europe consisting of pension, traffic, H52 and car talk we turned up to base camp overrun by all the kresh and their friends prepping for an [?] to Slovenia
@@ -1637,8 +1558,7 @@ We decuded to calll the name silver moth as the passage had a lot of moths and t
With a great draft draft out of the hole we planned to return with a handline and a lot of psych [?] the rain in 2 days time.
@@ -1649,8 +1569,7 @@ Yet another Bundah battle later we emerged to 2 rucksacks on the plateau and rea
From here we began to circle back towards FishFace, on the way we found a large flat expanse of limestone with one semi hopeful prospect but after a large amount of gardening and some dodgy free climbing down from Joel it was decided it was far too chossy to look into any further. Finally we found our one true promising prospect - a hole temporarily name crucifix as it's buried in a bundah patch next to a cross. After putting one bolt in and preparing to start more bolting / rigging we looked up to see a large thunderstorm approaching. We left our bolt and rope we started to leg it up the hill. Tom did not enjoy this part. Finally we arrived, drenched in sweat and wheezing for oxygen, but not burnt to the bone by lightning, we arrived at top camp as the storm hit. We spent the next part of the night cowering in the one only corner of the buivvy as the predicted rain poured. 5 of us sheltered in the animal shelter and watched Matilda the musical - a good storm pass time!
@@ -1698,16 +1614,14 @@ NB: While I was rigging the new descent to the head of wallace at 1700-1800 we h
We turned around at ~20:30. On the way out I noticed that Radagast, forced along a really nice normal fault, a marker had between 50cm thick between 2 shale bands shows it has ~10m displacement walks back was very damp of treacherous, saw many salamanders back at top camp at ~1am after dropping gear at FF. Thru bolts used: 13
After Becka was finally ready we set off to FF, underground before 11am. Got to camp in 1hr making note of all the equipment abandoned in the cave. 2x ropes, 1xbrew kit, 2x tackle bags. Went to de-rig morning the moths it was dry, no water insight, con-try to previous explorers reports. Both derigged removing the nuts (take note for returning explorers no nuts. After much discussion we decided to go to coconut shy to rejig our memory on the way and jokingly sent Botch down a rat hole, Unfortunately it went and he disappeared for too long and I realised I would have to regrettably follow him to survey it. We started to survey as the passage got progressively smaller and muddier before a final letter box which shot you out into a rift. Well Botch and Becka surveyed. I desperately looked for a way to get back to known passage without going back through the letter box, I succeeded by climbing up through the rift but would need bolting if people return. Went back to see that Botch and Becka had survey to a point that would need rope. I sent them back through the letter box (gerbialhole.sux) and did the dodgy climb one more time. Little scuttle around coconut shy. Then it was time to go home. Fettled the cave link, went out of the cage removing excess and dirty rope above ground before sunset.
@@ -1717,8 +1631,7 @@ After Becka was finally ready we set off to FF, underground before 11am. Got to
At some point during our travels, Frank had decided we should attempt to pioneer a new, shorter, easier path between topcamp and fishface, leaving the path halfway to embark on this endeavour. After much time scrambling, bunder-bashing and pathfinding, we finally refound the path, having created a path that was not easier, nor shorter. Frank then got bored and created a new gear rack at topcamp whilst we waited for the garlic cave prospecting group to arrive.
@@ -1726,8 +1639,7 @@ Down Elizabeth line +rigged the red [light?] for danger traverese, 2 short pitch
We exited + luke rebolted the 4th pitch further back giving a hang that avoided the traverese + the awkward rebelay that had previously been tried - this is the 4th + hopefullly the final iteration of the 4th pitch this expo.
@@ -1749,8 +1660,7 @@ Then back to camp where we discovered the lack of utensils. Ate some gnocchi/cur
Next day we struggled to find motivation to leave sleeping bags but eventuallu made it back towards CMPU and the 'free arse'. Nadia, Botch and Kai began surveying the nice horizontal passage across the traverse while I rigged Apis Medicus. Remembered how poorly/quickly I rigged the traverse last year, resolved to fix it later. Pitch rigged to bottom, I looked at water levels quickly, seemed the same as last year in the rift. Looked at what the others were up to at the top, Really nice horizontal passage outgoing. On the way down earlier rocks were rained on me by the traversers alone so I hid and in the process noticed a canyon passage just before the top of Apis Medicus. So stole Botch and went to survey this. A nice passage that ended at a window onto Apis Medicus. Then Botch headed out while I improved the rigging of the traverse between CMPU and Apis. Much better now, headed out in a big trail of cavers, gettinbg out just before 10pm
@@ -1760,8 +1670,7 @@ Next day we struggled to find motivation to leave sleeping bags but eventuallu m
The canyon appears to have several false floors which we followed, resulting in several very small pitches which would certainly be a freeclimb if there were actually any holds. Bolting and surveying on the way, we kept pushing until we ran out of bolts and found a squeeze followed by a big wet pitch. We turned around and quickly exited the cave, with much SRT faff from me at the small canyon pitchheads and unusually rigged pitches by the German pair.
Fishface - Fishface - perseid shower to flaque vente
@@ -1777,8 +1686,7 @@ Came out of FishFace, left the rope from Perseid Showers at the junction to the
What an amazing feeling to be at the bottom of fishface! WOW!
@@ -1794,8 +1702,7 @@ We met Luke + Nadia back at the camp kitchen + I exited in the midst of the camp
For some reason Adam dawdled at camp + ended up exiting last + was late back to top camp.
@@ -1826,8 +1733,7 @@ At least 3m long unclear if it is promising.
Also there is another small rift on the left earlier on in the passage that I couldn't decided if it was too small to be a lead.
@@ -1857,24 +1762,21 @@ Luke managed to climb out of the whole[hole?] but myself and Becka went back in.
Luke then showed me a hole he found that drafts
We were both tired from 2 days in FIsh Face so went to prospect around Garlic Cave. We took a couple of blue barrels over for GC storage. We stopped via Homecoming to have a look and took some extra stuff to take down the hill. We dallied a bit looking at plants and arthropods and also got a bit lost. Once at GC we relocated the Jape Drum and removed the soup inside then had bread and cheese while looking at the view. We had limited time to prospect so set off quickly. At first we found little but then by levitating over some bunda we located a couple of decent prospects - one hole under a green alder (needs capping due to boulders) and another large slope to a small square hole with a 10m drop below in big area of bunda, no movement. We then headed back and got very lost on the 'well cairned' route back. On the way we located a very good lead, drafting with a snow plug and a massive train tunnel near the path that has leads in the back that could have been blocked by a snow plug before. We were very late to meet our lift back, but so were they. Back down for a swim in the lake with lightning.
@@ -1900,8 +1802,7 @@ Back down the hill with beer and chips in hand, we (and by we, I mean Becka, the
Also, it is now our closest cave passage to the neighbouring Schönberg system (it's less than 2km away). If you have read Jono's intro post on this thread, you'll know that our long-term expo goal is to connect our SMK system to the Schönberg, to make one of the world's longest caves. I'm sure that last 1.94 km (and connecting Homecoming to Fishface, and Fishface to SMK..) will be a doddle
@@ -1945,16 +1845,14 @@ We then landed on a big ledge in a large fault zone. Massive piles of choss were
Called it Dentelle de Caca after Lea said that the flaky calcite precipitates on the wall looked like the lace on a wedding dress.
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.
@@ -1966,8 +1864,7 @@ Called it Dentelle de Caca after Lea said that the flaky calcite precipitates on
The prussiking that then was meant to happen was further delayed on meeting the campers once again for a chit chat. After far too long wondering whether the next pitch was the last, we finally emerged into the warm clear night, comfortably into august. Charlie and I lay contemplating existence, and why the hell we bother caving but feeling very accomplished. All that was left to do after the trip was draw up the survey, continue the lead, input to survex, and write a logbook entry with rigging topo. All of that is now complete, see the topo below.
@@ -1990,8 +1887,7 @@ We made the [keyhole?] bank safe and I [?] bolted the pitch ready for tomorrow.
We got back to camp around 2030 and made dinner with a very wet Rob springint in about an hour later.
@@ -2000,8 +1896,7 @@ We set off to the Fishface gear store on a fine sunny day. I was Promised some p
Before heading back to camp we checked out a hole which Luke had found which needed some digging near Mendip Man. With energy low but the draft exciting we took turns pulling head sized boulders out of the entrance until we squeezed through to a sitting height junction. The route straight ahead crapped out after 11m but to the right a strong draft and a [?] great echo. The passage started as a sharp calcite crawl then dropped down in a series of free climbable steps descending 40ft to a 4m wide hole. We surveyed tired and excited up to this point and left it as an A lead. We named this Silver Moth as the passage had a lot of moths and took silver from the fact that Luke had found it. With a great draft out of the hole we were excited to come back in 2 days time after the rain.
Joe Stell, Adam Aldridge, Manfred Wuits, Nathan Walker
Surface - Hike to Garlic
@@ -2011,8 +1906,7 @@ Before heading back to camp we checked out a hole which Luke had found which nee
The path is a little treacherous in the wet, so it was a little slow going and slightly miserable and wet but we made it. Adam started shovelling snow, Nathan joined in, then I did. I believe Adam had some grand design in mind but I think we ruined it. We then decided to rig a third tarp up to stop the horrible drip right next to the kitchen, but we rigged a drippy tarp and so the situation wasn't drastically improved. We all went to sleep pretty early without anything else to do.
@@ -2025,8 +1919,7 @@ We were limited in time and once in the chamber, it was quite wet so we sent a f
Very nice caving day. Went back to top camp after 2 nights in underground camp.
Fishface - Pushing the bottom of FishFace - camp #2 - part 2
@@ -2039,16 +1932,14 @@ Luke and I eaded to the bold traverese on Elizabeth line + Luke bolted it as a p
I got all the rope back to camp + sorted it to prusik out (beasing bags) + some rope got washed at the spout whilst we waited for Lea + Botch to return out ~10pm
Joe Stell, Adam Aldridge, Manfred Wuits, Nathan Walker
Buzzard - dropping Buzzard Hole on the northerly Kleiner Wildkogel ridge
After our lovely sleep, we woke up to dry weather, and set off to the top of the ridge above Garlic. Carrying the thick, wet 90m up the mountain was not conducive to good balance so I did fall over in the bunde and struggle to get back up. We reached Buzzard, Adam rigged it, first to the bunde, then hand bolting whilst we waited patiently. The improvement in weather did give a lovely backdrop of the Braeuningzinken for photos. Nathan went down next, followed by Manfred whilst I stayed outside enjoying the view. Upon Adam's return, I swiftly fell asleep, and awoke to find Nathan and Manfred had finished their survey and were finalising some sketches. Adam spotted some interesting holes beneath us on the plateau, so wet set off to prospect (see next entry).
@@ -2086,8 +1976,7 @@ that seem to follow a rift along the base of Wildkogel, then back to Garlic camp
We returned to the traverse above clap my pitch up and due to some misunderstanding believed that all the other leads beyond this point had crapped out so Nadia derigged the traverse. This was a bold move requiring a pull through to derig the last section… shame it transpired to be not as helpful as we had thought. We had a frustratingly slow ascent of the red line pitches as our jammers were more mud than jammer by this point so once back at the tap we had an srt kit cleaning session before making our way out. Nadia found the rope near the bottom of tk maxx was core shot and tied this out. Our way out was otherwise uneventful, getting back to top camp for about 1:30.
@@ -2097,8 +1986,7 @@ Finally Beck explored 2023-BL-11 which was a 10m bouldery ramp to a cave with a
Luke then [...] a more direct, better route to Homecoming as he and I ferried our gear there.
Joe Stell, Adam Aldridge, Becka Lawson, David Botcherby, Nathan Walker
Garlic - Fettling
@@ -2135,8 +2022,7 @@ finger which hurt. This did slow progress but I finished the intended extension,
did also later. I took some photos and made some shoddy diagrams of the tarps. Good day of fettling.
@@ -2171,8 +2056,7 @@ I caught up with Chi on the way out who had left Rob and luke in the insanity of
We surfaced near 10 and I returned to Garlic with becka.
@@ -2233,8 +2116,7 @@ typing out the way. Hannah convinced me to try a Goesser. Not bad as far as beer
with continued expo attendance in future years, should this be the case.
@@ -2245,8 +2127,7 @@ Blog Author: PhilipSargent
The website currently on shows 3,233.2 m expo.survex.com/wallets/year/2023 but the new data update later this evening will show over 4km.
@@ -2327,8 +2207,7 @@ After about 20 legs Rob had finished his rigging and came and collected Botch to
(In a subsequent underground camp trip I returned to the same area but Hannah will be telling you about that adventure. I brought my down jacket to underground camp and found that to be a game changer. Not only was I warm at night, somehow that heat carried on to my caving trips. It was amazing)
@@ -2366,8 +2245,7 @@ A pleasant evening was had in camp with Ruairidh and Frank, who had been explori
The pitches back to camp were painful, despite their shortness, due to our mud caked jammers. We reached the ‘tap’ near camp with relief and had a good gear cleaning session before making our way out. We were greeted on the surface with the impressive sight of an almost full moon, bright and low on the horizon, which lit the first part of the walk back before slipping below the mountain peaks - I have definitely missed life on the plateau since last year!
Garlic Camp - Garlic Camp - Garlic camp inventory at end of expo
@@ -2577,8 +2453,7 @@ Garlic camp kit packed away in garlic cave on RHS, in corner at front of cave.
expo suggestion - double sized both container bags 6 no. [?] (current bags don't fit bothies in when wet/muddy)
.
