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<h2>161 Kaninchenh&ouml;hle: Off Forbidden Land
(<a href="/years/1996/index.htm">1996</a>)</h2>

<h3><a name="gravpit">Gravel Pit</a>
(<a href="/years/1996/index.htm">1996</a>,
<a href="/years/1997/index.htm">1997</a>)</h3>

<!-- source: this is a synthesis of descriptions from Chris Densham (email),
William (1997 KH survey book p 13), then edited by AndyA 1998.01.18, and
then by AndyW 1998.01.21 by reference to half a dozen earlier email
messages and the first draft of the drawn-up survey. Wookey 1999.09.29:
The below is wrong - I'm almost sure of it, but wads has done such a good
job of amalgamating the parts that I can't untangle the bits. William's
logbook write-up makes it quite clear that they went down a hole on the
left at the bottom of the chamber as the obvious hole was '100% choss'. This
is the one Wookey descended in 1996, which William later describes as 'this
seems to go somewhere else and should be pushed' This bit of the description
is a mess.. -->

<p>20m beyond (west of) the 3m ladder climb in
<a href="fbl136.htm#twerke">Tirolia Werke</a> is a small opening low down
in the left hand (south) wall. This is the entrance to <b>Gravel Pit</b>, so
named because most of the walls, floors and roof are made of pebbles stuck
together with mud. The small hole opens into a large space, which is a pitch,
split by a ledge 7m down. Below this, the pitch turns into a steep (still
roped) slope.
<!-- This pitch can also be descended by traversing betweeen a boulder and
the wall on the right hand side. Which pitch is this talking about ? Not the
main pitch, or the (1996) choss pit in the floor, so presumably the 1997 bit
[W]. -->

<p>At the foot of the rope (c18m) is a chamber with a steeply sloping loose
silt floor. Looking downslope (south) a dry streambed runs down right (NW) to
left (SE). Upstream (right) leads to an easily diggable (in sand) small hole,
from which a strong draught issues
[<a name="qC1997-161-01" href="qmtodo.htm#C1997-161-01">C1997-161-01</a> B].
The passage appears to slope upwards beyond the dig, and is heading back
under Tirolia Werke.

<p>Left at the foot of the slope, beyond a boulder bridged over the
streambed, leads to a 5m pitch with one bolt on the right hand wall/ceiling.
A tiny hole in the wall here leads into a washed-out boulder choke. A large
(after rain in Austria this was normal Swildon's sized) stream bubbles out of
a sump and courses down through the boulders, to a wet slot.

<p>Above the sump is a continuing rift which needs to be climbed into and
therefore has not been pushed
[<a name="qC1996-161-90" href="qmtodo.htm#C1996-161-90">C1996-161-90</a> C]. There is a suspicion that it would go to Elin Algor, possibly at
[<a href="fbland.htm#qC1996-161-78">C1996-161-78</a>]. However, from the
survey, this would appear to be well beyond the end of Elin Algor, possibly
heading towards the unexplored area between Kaninchenh&ouml;hle and the
southern Schwarzmooskogel systems.

<p>The stream from the sump can be followed steeply for about 20m to a tight
squeeze
[<a name="qC1996-161-89" href="qmdone.htm#C1996-161-89">C1996-161-89</a> B]
pushed in drier conditions in 1997. It continues down a very small flat-out
passage (that appears to flood to the roof in places) through squeezes to
another tight squeeze that enters five metres of walking passage. This is
short-lived, leading to a down slope and extremely awkward slot. After
negotiating the slot you land on soft mud that quickly ends in a low sump. On
turning back another low passage can be seen to the right of the original
passage. This is a flat-out wriggle with squeezes to a boulder collapse 30m
along (the passage has to be reversed out of). This series has been sketched
but not properly surveyed, and has nothing to commend it. It should be
avoided except in the driest of conditions.

<p>Back at the bottom of the first pitch into Gravel Pit, across the steep
slope to the east (care!), a small canyon in the gravel leads through a
broader hading rift to an awkward 2m scramble down. This brings you out over
the head of a 8m pitch with a very loose takeoff. It is possible to traverse
round to the left at the pitch head to a climb down taking one 5m above the
stream. Looking across the pitch-head, another gravelly passage (apparently
walking sized) can be seen continuing on the right
[<a name="qC1997-161-02" href="qmtodo.htm#C1997-161-02">C1997-161-02</a> A].
This would be very hard to gain access to due to the gravel walls and
overhanging gravel pit.

<p>The pitch is descended by spits in the 'large' boulder embedded in the
gravel to the left. A small stream is followed for 30m down a few climbs to a
large aven. The stream disappears into rubble but can be regained the other
side of the chamber but then rapidly disappears into a small mud hole that
looks like it floods in wet conditions. Several holes in the roof become too
small very quickly.

<h2><a name="hotmcp">Pitch</a> at the top of Hall of the Mounting Choss
(<a href="/years/1999/index.htm">1999</a>)</h2>

<p>There are two very large holes at the apparent top of the
<a href="fbl136.htm#hotmc">Hall of the Mounting Choss</a> boulder slope.
The leftmost of these
[<a name="qC1996-161-75" href="qmdone.htm#C1996-161-75">C1996-161-75</a> A]
has been descended to a ledge with an undescended continuation visible.
The right hand hole from Hall of the Mounting Choss
[<a name="qC1996-161-74" href="qmtodo.htm#C1996-161-74">C1996-161-74</a> C]
appears in fact to be the same pitch. A description of the left hand
route follows.

<p>Two bolts in the left hand wall of the chamber provide a short, scrappy
descent to a large sloping boulder-strewn ledge where a further bolt affords
protection for the descent across the ledge (whilst avoiding a rub further
up). Just below the lip of the ledge is a rebelay, where good footholds
assist its passing. From here the floor can be seen some 20m down. Two
further rebelays are required to complete the descent, both of which are
bolted as all of the available naturals are insecurely attached.

<p>The foot of the pitch is spacious, some 5m across; to the left (facing the
rope) is a descent round to the left, passing beneath a very large wedged
boulder high up in the rift, to the foot of an impressive aven, which is
assumed to be the other pitch from that corner of Hall of the Mounting Choss.
To the right from the foot of the pitch is a hole down through boulders, too
tight and unstable to enter, down which stones fall free for over 3s. There
initially appears to be no viable way on from here, but in an alcove at the
foot of the pitch is a crawl concealed behind a flake on the right. This is
initially flat out, but almost immediately eases and reaches a left turn and,
straight ahead, a climb down into a small chamber.

<p>This chamber has a narrow slot in the floor which seems to communicate
with the deep pitch beneath the boulders mentioned above. Back in the crawl,
the left turn leads to an easy continuation which soon develops a narrow
floor slot; after some 10 or 15m the floor abruptly ends and one is left with
head and shoulders poking out of the crawl overlooking an impressive rift.
Stones fall for 3s before first impact, then fall free again before rattling
away. The sound of running water can be clearly heard throughout this part of
the cave, which unfortunately remains unsurveyed.

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