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<center><h2>CUCC EXPEDITION TO AUSTRIA, 1998</h2></center>

<h3>Summary</h3>

<p>In July of this year, Cambridge University Caving Club (CUCC) embarked
upon its 11th annual expedition to the
<a href="../../1623/161/top.htm">Kaninchenh&ouml;hle</a> cave system in
the Totes Gebirge mountains of Austria. The club has been exploring
previously undiscovered caves in this area since accepting an invitation by
an Austrian club, (then the Sektion Ausseerland of LVfHO, now VfHO), in 1976.
During the intervening years several of these caves have grown to be of
international significance, this includes Kaninchenh&ouml;hle, the subject of
our current and ongoing expeditions.

<p>Members have recently returned to Cambridge and work is in progress on a
full report and survey of the new finds. The smaller scale of the 1998 trip
and the relative inexperience of many of the members has meant that finds
have been somewhat less spectacular than on some of the recent expeditions.
However, a number of important finds were made:

<p><ul>
<li>The furthest reaches of Siberia were pushed to a conclusion at a new
depth of 534m in a series of long trips (up to 18&frac12; hours). This work
revealed the existence of a large fossil trunk passage at considerable
depth in an area far from the main part of the cave. At the point explored
it was comprehensively choked in both directions, but indicates the potential
for the future in this area of the cave.

<p><li>Also from Siberia, a somewhat less impressive series of passages and pitches,
Fuzzy Logic, was pushed to considerable depth, and no definite conclusion.
It is hoped that this area could reach the above mentioned trunk passage at
a point where the somewhat larger amounts of water in this series could
have removed more of the infill.

<p><li>Various possible ways on were looked at in the huge ice-decorated chamber
of Schneevulkanhalle, the closest point of approach of the massive south
Schwarzmooskogel system to Kaninchenh&ouml;hle. Some new passage was found
and surveyed, but no great breakthrough was made. This year's work was
essential as familiarisation with this cave which CUCC have not worked
in previously, and more substantive progress may be hoped for next year.

<p><li>A number of leads off Triassic Park and Locophobia, reached from the 161d
entrance of Kaninchenh&ouml;hle were pushed. None of these were expected
to lead to major breakthroughs, but exploring and surveying them was an
important part of our complete project.

<h4>Our Thanks</h4>

<p>The expedition is funded entirely by its members and support and
sponsorship such as has been provided by yourselves is a considerable help.
The continued success of the expedition in the training of new members and in
pushing back the boundaries of human experience and knowledge is with thanks
to you.

<hr />

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<li>1998 Expedition info:
<ul>
<li><a href="log.htm">Logbook</a></li>
<li>The full <a href="report.htm">Expo Report</a></li>
</ul></li>
<li><a href="../../pubs.htm">Index</a> to all publications</li>
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