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<h2>161 Kaninchenh&ouml;hle: Triassic Park to Knossos</h2>

<h3><a name="triasp">Overview</a></h3>

<p>An extensive series of horizontal development at a similar altitude to the
other major passages in Kaninchenh&ouml;hle, but quite a distance away from
them with connections at both ends of a major trunk passage, Triassic Park.
This trends sub-parallel to the Chunnel - Yapate line, starting from
connections into Flat France and heading initially NE, then curving round to
NW to end at a climb up. A route from this point leads to a pitch into
Knossos. Side passages off the main trunk connect to three horizontal
entrances in the steep SE slopes of the Schwarzmooskogels. The first and most
accessible of these, 161d (Scarface) was the only entrance in which
exploration took place in 1996. This provides a much quicker way into the
horizontal series than the initial route through France.

<p>The pitch into Knossos is also a much quicker way to the previously remote
parts of the system to the north beyond Yapate Inlet. This was not used as
such in 1996, owing to the large quantity of easy pickings near the entrance,
but proved its value with a reexploration of Siberia in 1997 and 1998,
leading to a new deep point for the system.

<h3><a name="tpstart">Triassic Park</a> to Trifurcation
(<a href="/years/1995/index.htm">1995</a>)</h3>

<p><b>Triassic Park</b> is a passage 600m long, 5-18m wide and 3m-20+m tall,
carrying the combined draughts from Salt Lake City and the 161d entrance
series. It starts at the end of Guillotine heading NE and ends at Bugger, by
which time it has curved round to the NW. Thirty five side leads were
noted along the passage on the initial exploration alone, so only main
junctions are described here. <b>There is a well-defined route down the
passage (marked with red/white flagging tape) which should be followed.</b>

<p><a href="l/trias.htm"><img src="t/trias.jpg" width=183 height=124
hspace=20 align=middle></a>Flagged route in Triassic Park (here in Triassic
Park pt II).

<p><a name="guillot">The final</a> passage from 161d, <a
href="tptosf.htm#critend">Critters' End</a>, reaches the main trunk at the
<b>Guillotine</b>. A crawl to the left (west) is the emerging route from
<b>France</b> through <a href="tptofr.htm#slc">Salt Lake City</a> (the
continuation of the main route SW).
<table border=0 width=100%><colgroup><col width=20><col><col></colgroup>
<tr><td rowspan=2> </td><td rowspan=2><a href="l/shwall.htm"><img
src="t/shwall.jpg" width=178 height=123 hspace=20 vspace=10></a></td>
<td>The Guillotine is a high rift passage straight on up a sand/stone slope,
named from an obvious hanging death rock in the roof. Just beyond this the
passage opens out into <b>Shortage of Walls</b>
[<a href="qmdone.htm#C1995-161-24" name="qC1995-161-24">C1995-161-24</a> C] on the left (leading
to <a href="offffr.htm#teapot">Teapot</a>) and <b>Triassic Park</b> to the
right-ish.</td></tr>
<tr><th align=left><a name="shwall">Shortage of Walls</a></th></tr></table>

<h4><a name="overflow">Triassic Park I</a></h4>

<p><center><a href="300dpi/tp1.png"><img alt="TP 1 survey - 15k gif"
width=500 height=450 vspace=10 src="inline/tp1.png"></a></center>

<p>30m from the start is wide undercut in the left hand wall, where a 5m
wide passage [<a href="qmdone.htm#C1995-161-25" name="qC1995-161-25">C1995-161-25</a> A] leads to
<a href="offtri.htm#altuni">Alternative Universe</a>. 20m ahead, on the right
is [<a href="qmtodo.htm#C1995-161-27" name="qC1995-161-27">C1995-161-27</a> A]. 50m further along is
noisy inlet which, like all such inlets in this area, floods very suddenly
shortly after heavy rain on the surface. Below the inlet, the water has cut
down to form a clean-washed pitch, <a href="offtri.htm#overflow">The
Overflow</a> [<a href="qmdone.htm#C1995-161-28" name="qC1995-161-28">C1995-161-28</a> A]. When not
in flood, it is a very good carbide-filling spot. It is by-passed on the
right hand side, to continue along Triassic Park, passing a couple of very
large fallen boulders.

<p><a name="tp1hole">35m NNE</a> from the Overflow, small stuff on the right
is [<a href="qmtodo.htm#C1995-161-29" name="qC1995-161-29">C1995-161-29</a> B], but the main way is
into a trench in the floor. 60m beyond the Overflow, the trench ends in a
hole in the floor (goes to <a href="offtri.htm#wheelca">Wheelchair
Access</a>). This is most easily traversed on the right at the level of the
trench in Triassic Park, although a top-level traverse may also be viable.
There is a muddy c3 out of the trench just beyond the traverse, marking the
start of Triassic Park part II. 

<h4><a name="tp2">Triassic Park II</a></h4>

<p>Immediately after the 3m climb is another tunnel on the left
[<a href="qmdone.htm#C1995-161-32" name="qC1995-161-32">C1995-161-32</a> A]
(<a href="offtri.htm#snuggles">Dr. Snuggles</a>), beyond a pitch
[<a href="qmdone.htm#C1995-161-31" name="qC1995-161-31">C1995-161-31</a> A] - in fact just
a 3m deep blind shaft. Just beyond this, Triassic Park narrows and
turns abruptly left to head NW. A passage on the left, 15m beyond
the bend is [<a href="qmtodo.htm#C1995-161-33" name="qC1995-161-33">C1995-161-33</a> B].
<!-- 60m beyond this is another small passage on the left, apparently
with no QM number. -->

<p><center><a href="300dpi/tp2se.png"><img alt="TP 2 SE survey - 19k gif"
width=640 height=500 vspace=10 src="inline/tp2se.png"></a></center>

<p><a name="rpjn">Another</a> climb over a hole leads via a further 80m of
very dark-soiled passage going WNW to a complex junction, <b>Ring Piece
Junction</b>. There are three ways on: <a href="offtri.htm#rpjleft">left</a>
(south), straight ahead (west, to <a href="offtri.htm#rpjleft">Tapeworm</a>)
and right, which is the main continuation, now heading north again. This
gives 150m of easy passage passing <a href="offtri.htm#id11qms">11 QMs</a>, of
which 7 on left probably connect to <a href="offtri.htm#crailway">Children's
Railway</a>.

<p>50m or so from Ring Piece Junction is a passage on the right heading east,
which, like Triassic Park itself, has a flagged route into it. This is start
of the <a href="phnear.htm#phumour">Puerile Humour Series</a>, a very
extensive set of passages leading to the three other entrances of 161e, 161f and 161g.</p>

<p><center><a href="l/photop.htm"><img align=bottom src="t/photop.jpg"
width=181 height=124></a><br>
Photo party in Triassic Park between Ring Piece Junction and
Locophobia.</center>

<p><center><a href="300dpi/tp2nw.png"><img alt="TP 2 NW survey - 12k gif"
width=600 height=400 vspace=10 src="inline/tp2nw.png"></a></center>

<p><a name="locoph">Triassic Park</a> curves left again, heading WNW until,
150m from Ring Piece Junction, the main way opens out into a black chamber,
<b>Locophobia</b>, which contains a stream arriving from the right (north)
and leaving in the floor in the middle. The entry pool is another good
carbide-spot.

<h4><a name="tp3">Triassic Park III</a></h4>

<p>Locophobia marks the start of Triassic Park III, with a choice of ways.
The easiest, and <b>preferred</b> way across the chamber is by traversing on
the left hand wall. 10m along here is the start of <a
href="offtri.htm#crailway">Children's Railway</a> going back parallel to
Triassic Park. At this point a muddy climb down gains the floor of
Locophobia. It is also possible (but to be avoided) to follow the right wall
of Locophobia, dropping down earlier, and this is currently (end 1996) where
the flagging tape marks the route. A variety of
<a href="offtri.htm#loco">minor leads</a> leaves Locophobia.

<p><center><a href="300dpi/tp3.png"><img alt="TP 3 survey - 14k gif"
width=640 height=400 vspace=10 src="inline/tp3.png"></a></center>

<p><a name="trifurc">The</a> main passage is double-barrelled for about 25m
as it continues west into the breeze. A short piece of deep canyon in
mid-passage is probably 5-10m deep (no pebbles to drop!) and appears blind.
70m from Locophobia is a wide junction with much fallen rock and a large
aven. This is <b>Trifurcation</b>, although there is a fourth way off as well
as the three huge passages that give it its name. This fourth way is a high
rift on the right [<a href="qmdone.htm#C1995-161-55" name="qC1995-161-55">C1995-161-55</a> A]
leading to <a href="offtp3.htm#iblues">Interview Blues</a>.

<p>Straight on (north) at Trifurcation (feels like taking a right) passes the
obscure narrow chossy pitch of [<a href="qmtodo.htm#C1995-161-56"
name="qC1995-161-56">C1995-161-56</a> C] in alcove on the left, and becomes very wide. Ahead
is a 5m high col interrupting the passage. This can be reached by a climb
across broken boulders at floor level, a traverse to the right of this, or
most easily by the long slope on the right hand side, passing a flat crawl
[<a href="qmtodo.htm#C1995-161-57" name="qC1995-161-57">C1995-161-57</a> C] at the top. A 4m down
climb from the col (least scary to right hand side), reaches a big rift pitch
to left [<a href="qmdone.htm#C1995-161-58" name="qC1995-161-58">C1995-161-58</a> B]
(<a href="offtp3.htm#chossp">Choss Pot</a>) and the foot of a long
slope up to [<a href="qmdone.htm#C1995-161-59">C1995-161-59</a> A+]. The base of this wall
was called <a href="offtp3.htm#bugger"><b>Bugger</b></a>, as the expletive of
choice upon the discovery that it was not possible without gear and therefore
marked an end to exploration in this direction for 1995.

<p><a name="minoan">Left</a> (west) at Trifurcation is <b>Minoan
Surprise</b>, with three pitches. The first, [<a href="qmdone.htm#C1995-161-53"
name="qC1995-161-53">C1995-161-53</a> A] is apparently 20m+ (actually 55m, dropping into <a
href="offtp3.htm#iblues">Interview Blues</a>), whilst the second, [<a
href="qmdone.htm#C1995-161-54" name="qC1995-161-54">C1995-161-54</a> A] is deeper, with a four
second drop, forming the <a href="offtp3.htm#bpoec">Bottomless Pit of Eternal
Chaos</a>. Finally, a smaller drop [<a href="qmdone.htm#C1995-161-52"
name="qC1995-161-52">C1995-161-52</a> A] of 10-15m to a boulder slope is a way into
<a href="sibria.htm#knossos">Knossos</a> high in its NE corner.

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