AHNENSCHACHT 77-78

Situation : Totes Gebirge West - Feuertal
Depth : -607m
Altitude : 1890m ; Frigoschacht 1875m
History : see Spéalp number 1

The GSAB expedition was organised from 5th to 29th August, 1977

Several individuals from different clubs joined up, and in parallel with the exploration of the Gouffre Ovni (-565m), the GSAB expedition deepened Ahnenschacht and cleared up some unknowns.

• Frigoschacht (alt 1875m) was connected at a depth of 130m via pitches of 17, 5, 9, 9, 5 and 18m, with a final 11m pitch into Ahnenschacht.
• The Vegetable Garden was surveyed
• The Yodl system was explored, pushing Ahnenschacht's depth to 607m
• The KGB system was explored.

Yodl system

From the entrance, after 70m down the 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).

Participants :

GSAB :

F Dechany, E Degrave, D Ferrière, J C Hans

GSAB-CASEO :

G Feller, J Kirsch

SSSPA :

Pierre Dethier

GSREDAN :

J P Braun

ES GEODE :

F Saussus

SC Calcaires :

J M Piron

no club affiliations :

T Disneur, H Weber

Mini-expedition from 25th June to 5th July (among individuals)

The possibility of a connection with Epagédure prompted a number of individual Belgian cavers to organise a mini-expedition.

We didn't make the connection, since a bed of dolomite eliminated all hope. However, the trip did allow several Belgian cavers to discover a new Austrian cave.

Le Bilan : -500m at first, several different endings and a new theory for the pursuit of caves.

-150m in the upstream system from the Josef schacht : stopped by something and fissure (a high and tight canyon).

A new look at some areas: Enigmatic, KGB, Gruyère and Schnaps.

A visit and more exploration in the Belgica series.

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.

Participants :

GSAB:

J P Braun, F Dechany, E Degrave (organiser), J C Hans

GIPS:

F Spinoy

SCUCL:

Y Dubois

We noted the visit of six members of CARSS who had left their bag of bolts in the valley.

Jean Pierre Braun.