| 258 - a b | Tunnockschacht | 2 ?? |
|---|
From the stone bridge, follow the cairns towards 204e entrance. Upon reaching the final gully, where the path turns up to the right towards that entrance, continue straight across and then work to the right, traversing around the rear lip of a hole. This leads to the bottom of a loose climb, which is ascended to reach another level. A prominent Christmas tree style fir marks the point where another climb is made to the next level up. It is then necessary to ascend to the next level above this, either by a short traverse and then a narrow climb between two blocks, or by heading right and then heading back up to the left. Having done this, a short ascent on small loose stones brings one to the uppermost level, marked by a prominent cairn (visible from the stone bridge).
Follow the cairns around to the left, descending slightly at first and then maintaining the same level, to eventually reach a cairned point overlooking a large broken gully running from right to left. Descend into the gully (passing the shaft of 2004-18) and cross to the other side where an obvious level ascends upwards and to the right. Having reached the top, follow the cairns to the right to arrive quickly at an area with a hole to each side. The shakehole to the left, containing a cairn some two feet high, contains the A entrance; the B entrance is the other hole.
Warning: There are a fair number of loose rocks on the entrance pitch, particularly in the top section. Rocks that have been dislodged could fall almost all the way down the shaft. It is advisable for one person to descend at a time and for the others to cower in the places marked below, or wait at the very bottom by the ice stals.
The entrance, of moderate proportions, gives onto a steeply-sloping shaft that descends for a total of 70m depth. The shaft is imposing, and the view up from mid-descent is impressive. A thread in the bottom of the shakehole is succeeded by a bolt on the left wall under the dripline, enabling a descent for several metres to a small ledge. Working around to the right here gains a rebelay, succeeded by another under a small nose of rock just where the shaft becomes vertical.
The landing after the rebelay is on a large ledge, partially occupied by a large area of snow. There is a bolt here to anchor the rope, and above is visible the shaft of the B entrance. Upslope leads to an alcove, where it is possible to shelter whilst people are on the upper part of the pitch. The rear of this alcove opens onto the top of a pitch that appears to be of quite some depth [QM B]. Downslope from the landing a traverse is followed on the left wall; a bolt low on the wall just before the end provides the belay for a scruffy descent of only two metres to another rebelay on a flat wall. From here, the descent continues either on top of or alongside a large snow plug to a rebelay on the left wall. After this, one continues over a section of loose boulders and then drops in an awkward crack to a crows' nest known as the Col, where there is a further rebelay. (The rigging just above the Col is sub-optimal, and could do with further work.) Care should be taken at the Col not to bang one's head on the boulders above, as their undersides look loose. The Col provides a further place where shelter can be taken from falling debris.
Continuing the descent in the main shaft from the Col gains another snow plug and the base of the rift holding the Col. It is possible that this rift could lead to further passage [QM B], either accessed from this point or by descending the pitch on the other side at the Col. Abseiling over the snow plug towards the right wall, a high bolt provides the belay for the final section of the pitch. The rope rubs on a boulder here and a deviation should be installed. The final section drops near-vertical for a short distance and then becomes steeply-sloping over snow. Gradually, the snow flattens out (passing a possible way on to the side of the snow plug on the left wall [QM C]), and the bottom is reached at a pool of ice. There is an ice stal on the right and another in an alcove to the left. The one in the alcove could be ascended with ice and/or climbing equipment to reach a passage [QM C]. On the existing rigging, reaching this point requires approximately 100 metres of rope, a long sling, and nine hangers.
The main way on from the ice pool is a hole at floor level that leads into a chamber. Another small hole to the right gives access to Bauernkrapfen Passage, a well-formed crawl debouching into a large rift chamber, Three Fried Mice. Following the chamber around to the left leads to a choke at the bottom of a slope, although before this it is possible to climb up the wall and through a hole under boulders to gain a higher level, with a view over the chamber before Bauernkrapfen Passage but no other ways on.
Following the rift around to the right from the end of Bauernkrapfen Passage, passing some faulted phreatic tubes in the left wall, leads to an opening in the right wall. This sucks strongly and continues as a phreatic passage past a delicate traverse over a hole [QM C] to eventually arrive at a further hole in the floor. This will require rigging to traverse or descend.
Beyond the fine traverse of Caramel Catharsis a large sandy passage slopes gently down to a junction. Ahead is a stoop leading though into the Littoral North.
Beyond the stoop is a 3m climb down in a rift below an aven, which can be climbed far enough to see that it probably doesn't go. At the bottom is wide stony passage with obvious ways off to West and North. There is a handy water-filling pool here.
West, there is a stepped pitch down to the left [2007-258-01-A], and a 3m climb up to the right of this (rope needed) leads into a strongly draughting (inwards) passage which goes about 50m to the edge of a large round pitch[2007-258-02-A]. A continuation [2007-258-03-B] can be seen 15m away across the far side.
North (from the water-filling pool) a 2m climb up rotten calcite leads (past [2007-258-04-A], LHW) to an unusual critical-angle pile of 10cm diameter rocks Y KeyKey Beach. The narrowing at the top of this pile (it gets close to the roof) has a stonking gale coming through it. Just beyond this where the passage widens to 8m, behind the large rock on the left is the hidden entrance to Rhubarb Crumbly, the key to the Max Pleasure area. On the right, at the widening, is a shallow pit [2007-258-05-C].
Ahead the comfortable passage only goes for about 20m before reaching the edge of a huge shaft undercutting the RH wall[2007-258-06-A]. An airy traverse to the left of this reaches another hole on the left down, apparently into the same pitch[2007-258-07-B]. Immediately ahead is another large hole [2007-258-08-A]. Up is a large aven (30m+ [2007-258-09-X]. There appears to be a continuation across the other side - a long bolted traverse away[2007-258-10-B].
Climbing down behind a large rock in Littoral North gives access to nice walking passage floored with dark dirt, trending NNW. A strong breeze blows in. After 40m the passage passes over a cross-joint forming a pitch that can be seen through a very small hole in the floor. Would need capping to get in. Immediately beyond a C2 gets into almost perfectly straight passage with some popcord on the walls. At the end is a wider T-junction. Down to the left is a stoop into a boulder-floored chamber containing a too-tight crawl on the left and two small avens [2007-258-11-X] (at 1st corner), [2007-258-12-X] (at end). To the right is another T-junction only 5m further on. Right is Max Pleasure. Left is Dubious Pleasure, down which all the draft goes.
Fine walking passage heading steadily up-dip. Strong outward draft. Goes 180m to Starfish junction, via a few boulders to clamber over. After 130m a shelf forms on LH wall after floor canyon disappears under LH wall. The shelf is the main way on and rises slowly above floor level until you are traversing past a large hole on the R. This connects under RH wall to [passage name needed]. Crawls on LH side at shelf level 30m south of Starfish Junction have [2007-258-13-C] parallel to main passage and [2007-258-14-B] in back corner behind pillars. [2007-258-15-B] is a climb up on L in cross-rift 10m south of Starfish Junction. [2007-258-16-X] is a high (20m+) aven at the same point.
Starfish Junction has 4 large passages meeting at a large boulder and
is a distinctive spot. Ahead (North) Max Pleasure continues, The
right fork is
Max Pleasure north of Starfish Junction initially opens into a High chamber with a drafting (inwards) passage off on the L ( Just for a Laugh). The chamber merges back into walking passage after 40m. 10m along a soil slope comes in from the right wall, choked to the left, and a low crawl [2007-258-17-B] to the right. The passage slopes gently down until it meets a larger one with the way on going gently up-dip to the right. There is a large boulder at the junction. The continuation of the larger passage on the left is choked with soil.
Past a pillar the passage opens up into a high wide chamber with a deep canyon in the floor, largely covered by boulders. At the start of the chamber a rapidly-lowering passage goes back right for 8m before being choked with sand. At the far end of the chamber you step over the canyon [2007-258-18-A] and have to clamber over some very nice flowstone to proceed. The obvious way on is walking passage but in fact the passage goes at two levels here - you can also climb down below the flowstoned chockstone and follow the canyon upstream to get to the same chamber.
Following the obvious higher level brings you into another chamber with a deep hole in the floor [2007-258-19-A] , mostly blocked by a large jammed boulder. Traversing around the left hand side reaches a 3m climb down to the far side of the hole. This is Petticoat Junction where there is a choice of left towards Let's get Naked or ahead across rocks and uphill to Hedonism Highway.
Climbing over a large boulder the passage widens due to a junction. The passage goes off left upwards [2007-258-22-A], as does the canyon, and another goes off left downwards [2007-258-23-A]. The passage continues steeply up-dip and gets bouldery. There are a couple of huge dropped sections of rock that have been undercut and split from the roof. On the left is a small alcove passage. Next a small cross-passage roof tube. Neither of these go. The draught remains strong, blowing out. The passage turns 90 left to go along the dip. A strongly draughting small passage comes in fro the right at the corner. Hedonism highway gets boulderier and closes down over the next 60m. This point may be quite close to the surface.
Taking the smaller northerly passage at Petticoat Junction leads into passage of varying character. It starts with deep dark soily deposits. Awkward small passage on L connects back to the climb just before Petticoat Junction. The draught is still strong and inwards. Crossing a soily crater leads to a sloping c3 up a wide, high rift, then along 10m of narrow joint-controlled passage to another sudden change of character. Ahead is a tight passage which draughts out and becomes a dig after 10m [2007-258-24-D]. The way on is the very wide phreatic passage sloping steeply down to the east. The small central canyon of this passage goes under the RH wall to the west [2007-258-25-C].
The passage zigs and zags sharply past a crawl off on the L [2007-258-26-C] for 20m to merge into nice straight passage sloping gently down-dip. After 35m it steepens and a small canyon forms, reaching a 3m deep drippy pot after another 25m. A c2 gets to the floor and a delicate and slightly damp c3 gets back into the continuing passage.
Here the passage is wide and sandy and forks: off on the right is Let's get Naked (draughting out). Down to the left it descends steeply and crossword passage goes off on the Left. 10m beyond is [2007-258-27-C] on the L then a gravelly bit with an aven above [2007-258-28-X]. The passage continues to descend down-dip until it suddenly chokes (3m dia!) with mud and rocks. This would be a top dig site in the UK [2007-258-29-D]. On the L is a large (8m dia?) chibble-floored pothole which can also be overlooked from a balcony, reached via a passage on the L; that passage has a small QM [2007-258-30-C]. On the far side of the hole a crawl heads off, unsurveyed, continuing down-dip for quite some distance (30m?) hole.2007-258-31-C