Expo 2013

After a long (4 hr) trip out from NZ, a day setting up basecamp and a day setting up the bivvy it was time for a caving trip! We did a carry up in the morning, so didn’t have time for a long trip. Set off down 107 rigging ropeless. We improved the rigging on last year as we went. One and a half pitches in ropeless and I suggested we swing across and look at the lead that leads back towards the old route into the cave. After swinging across we went down two short pitches – much [?] opens out to the side of the first pitch. At the bottom of the second short pitch a short section of rift leads off to another drop. We turned round here.

After a long (4 hr) trip out from NZ, a day setting up basecamp and a day setting up the bivvy it was time for a caving trip! We did a carry up in the morning, so didn’t have time for a long trip. Set off down 107 rigging ropeless. We improved the rigging on last year as we went. One and a half pitches in ropeless and I suggested we swing across and look at the lead that leads back towards the old route into the cave. After swinging across we went down two short pitches – much ? opens out to the side of the first pitch. At the bottom of the second short pitch a short section of rift leads off to another drop. We turned round here.

Back into 107 with a bit more rope. Olly rigged the next pitch – I am impressed that he got a clean hang here. Landed in an aven chamber with a big boulder. Evidence of people. We followed the rift on and concluded that it was the 1970s route. Followed the walking size rift to the pitch at the end and surveyed out from their hang bolt back into ropeless, derigging as we went. Back in ropeless Olly rigged along rigged along the traverse with more rope and more hangers than last year. Instead of the free climbed traverse at the end we dropped down to a ledge off to the left. This led to two short segments of passage each of which ended looking down on the big boulder in the aven chamber seen earlier. It is increasingly looking like a lot of cave in a small area! We were cold and didn’t want to miss our call out so headed out leaving the survey for the next trip.

First we tidied yesterday’s survey then went up the short pitch to the ledge, down the other side and up into the main Ropeless passage. Headed towards the ? lead. On a sunnty day like today there is a very strong draft from here, cold too. Got to last year’s pushing front and followed the draft descending short climb/pitch to a ledge with two ways on. Took the RH way with the draft down a rubble slope. Lost the draft part way down by I ? ? down to the bottom through the boulders until it got too tight. I reckoned that we lost the draft to a window part way down the slope. Olly clambered across, to get into passage the other side. He accidently let the rope drop back down to me leaving him ‘rope free’ hence the name. I threw the rope back and Olly put in a bolt. We clambered down the other side into a drafty chamber. A too tight hole in the floor as the source of part if the draft. The rest seems to come out of a tight rift. We surveyed the chamber and the passage going off for a bit but we were both very cold. I decided that we were too cold to survey as thoroughly as I felt the chamber warranted, so we decided to return tomorrow.

Headed back into the chamber beyond Rope Free to chase the draft and complete the survey. First I tried in the lower level of the rift – I could squeeze through rift (without SRT kit on) and appeared in a widening that led to a pitch – I couldn’t get too close without gear. I surveyed back out to the chamber and we tried higher up in the rift. Olly got through a squeeze (above where I had been) and then to another – he pulled some rocks out so we could (just) fit through. We came out at the top of a rift that we could climb/slither down, leading on a ledge above a pitch that we carefully traversed around. We followed the draft into big passage, at first we followed it to a rift lvel, climbing over big boulders – this led to a hole in the floor, so we went back and followed at the base of the passage, past some pretty mud, down a climb and some more mud. We eventually got to a pitch that we had no gear to descend or cross. The draft and passage appear to continue. Surveyed out.

Took the drill and rigging gear in, Olly removed some more rocks from the squeezy bit (pushing the envelope) and we realised that we could bypass the first squeeze by being high up. Olly then put in a rope as protection on the shorter down, this made me happy because there is quite a pitch below and we removed quite a few of the footholds last time (to ? down the pitch). Went to the pushing front and rigged over the pitch, following the draft. Shortly after the passage mad a sharp right hand turn into passage that was much more phreatic in character ~2m wide. We then hit another rift was also strongly drafted, doubling the strength of the draft in the passage heading for ICH – it is seriously cold and windy. This is “The Coldest Place in Earth”. There is a short drop which I traversed over to see another pitch (not free climbable) immediately beyond. So we went back to get more rope and Olly rigged it across the traverse and down the short pitch to a gloopy muddy pool below. We continued along the rift beyond, which headed fairly persistently east. We stopped when another pitch blocked our way on. This looked like a long traverse was needed then we had rope for. We surveyed out getting colder and colder as we went.

Back into Sleepless, re-rigging some ropes along the way to free up what we needed for later. Got the The Coldest place in Earth, Olly is going first, and he discoveres what happens if you use a rack, it isn’t locked off and you don’t keep hold of the down rope. Fortunately the pitch is only ~5m high, he was already down 1m and he landed in soft squelchy mud. Still it was a very scary few moments for both of us… Got to yesterdays pushing front and Olly preceeded to bolt down the pitch into passage beyond. To keep watm I drew the elevation that got missed yesterday. After traversing over the pitch we followed the walking size rift on (with the draft), over a short climb and a hole and to a widening. This time the way on is down a short pitch to some more squelchy mud pools and sadly another pitch that we don’t have rope for. Olly comes up with the mad idea that I reassessed the reascend the previous pitch, throw him the rope so he can see what happens on the next pitch. I took both slings up with me to aid with me getting the rope back. Amazingly the mad plan worked. Olly ascertained that the passage and draft continued below and we both got safely back up. As ever we surveyed out getting colder and colder.

Yet again back into sleepless and heading ever closer to KH. Took more rope, and last of our hangers and the last drill battery to the pushing front/ Riggesd 2 short pitches with one larger rope and headed on. The passage is now much riftier and less obvious what level to be at. We stay at the level of the bottom of the pitch, not the floor trench and traverse along until we have to drop down a bit. A bit further on the passage widens and we rig a short rope to get to a lower level. A pitch drops deeper but we continue a long with the draft. We stay either at the base of the rift or <4m above mostly and work our way along. Sadly we then get to another pitch in the way. Olly rigged round, it took him a while as each time he hammered to dress the rock, flake fell and boomed down the pitch. I kept telling myself it was a really short pitch that echoed alot... There was nowhere to wait out of the draft and I started to wonder why I had used up nearly a whole years worth of annual leave to sit and shiver in Austria. Fortunately Olly got to the other side with 1 hanger left to rig there. I followed across the traverse and was very scared - the foot holds kept falling down the pitch, each bolt was lower than the one before and half of them needed tightening before I loaded them. Then I got my hand jammer too far away from me to undo with cold fingers and I got increasingly unhappy. I finally made it to the other side where I told Olly this was the worse thing he had ever rigged and that we might die when we have to retun to get out the cave. Fortunately he took it as a compliment... We continued on with the draft (which might be a bit weaker), until we got to another pitch. It looked like it would be tight to make our call out but we were keen to survey back before we went down the hill. As luck would have it we didn't die on the way out but I still whimpered quite a lot despite trying yo be brave. This is called Too Bold for this Spit as Olly lifted a Hilti out on the way back. We got the Makita drill and batteries out of the cave, and surveyed back to the previous dat, Also we made our call out and nearly got to the car park in time, where Julian was patiently waiting to take us down the hill.

Becka rigged Caramel Catharsis then showed Chris and Mike the top of String Theory which Chris made a start om rigging whilst Becka headed out to help Holly, Anthony and martin with top camp bivvy fettling.

Becka re-rigged Tunnocks entrance on the new (and super slippy) 11mm 100m rope and put extra bolts to protect snow slope section on entrance (as long drop either side of a snow 'bridge' there now) and on ? drop and traverse and took a look at the leads in Oompah.

Chris finished Holly's rigging off String Theory from yesterday then Becka started the rigging of Procrastination Pot. Chris put in an extra bolt for last drop of String Theory. Continuing the trend of us re-rigging every sodding rope in Tunnocks we re-rigged the bottom rope of String Theory to waste less rope then had to re-rig what I'd done in Procrastination when the rope didn't reach... not to self - sort out descent rigging guides before Expo next year.

Chris and Becka headed in early. becka finished rigging Procrastination which was dead easy to rig, all the bolts first where Norl's rigging guide said they would be, unlike String Thoery where bolts were heard to spot. Chris and I then bodged the traverse at the bottom to a broken chamber and then an ugly expo rig on naturals down aprrox. 4m. Holly and Mike turned up with the drill and Holly bolted the pitch down which finished. They surveyed and headed out. Chris and I had surveyed the upper section then Chris shimmied up a climb then got the drill when Holly had finished with it and rigged it them added a few bolts - strong draft coming from a small hole in the ceiling... draft good but passage dimensions not great. Chris then bolted a proper pitch to avoid the expo rig then headed up whilst Becka re-rigged with bolts the traveerese at the bottom of Procrastination. We got 11 holes out of one battery - surprisingly good... soft rock.

Becka and Mike down to Oompah and rigged the pitch on the left, down approx. 15m and looked blind but then Mike spotted a short climb up to another pitch with a good draft which just needs a crowbar to shift a teetering boulder so we left that as a good high level lead. Matt and Anthony caught up and we looked at the snow and pine needle aven which was very full of snow this year so no way up. Then took Mike and Matt to Just for a Laugh and they dropped the 25m pitch at 07-56A which was blind whilst I went with anthony to Naughty Naughty. Unfortunately Anthony couldn't turn to get around the Z bend so Becka went alone to check the leads at the end. Frustratingly failed to find where the strong draft was going to but it was still there at ceiling level in final chamber.

Mike's last day and it was hot. walked to Tunnocks entrance then hacked North then west in a big loop with Mike and Martin's GPS. Found a couple of areas pepppered with pits and another area with three drafting holes which needs looking at carefully as very promising. 6 hours walking.

Changed rope at top of pitch from 80m to 40m then carried on using 80m at large Y-hang at ledge. Hung about on rope for 3 hrs whilst locating spits. was very disappointed in self for not getting to floor and leaving Anthonu to get very cold at top of pitch. However first pitch of this size that I've ever attempted to rig, so happy with self for the attempt at least.

Just to add our part to Becka's report two sides back - took our time on way in to give Becka and Chris time to finish rigging procrastination. All going well until climbing up bouldery slope between usual Susspects and String Theory, when two large boulders slid down slope with a Holly holding on thinking of imminent squishish. Thankfully they stopped slidding with only a swollen and grazed hand to show for. Mike kicked boulders down to prevent future issues and we carried on to meet a very impatient Becka! We were sent down to rig a '10m' ish pitch with an exciting amount of medium to giant boudlers hanging over pitch held in by mud. (Not a happy place for Holly after String theory excitment). But I 'wo-maned' up and rigged down. After 4 bolts I abandoned the drill for Becka to collect and finally reached the floor with only a couple of rub points to deal with on the way out. 10m pitch turned out to be much biger - probably about 30m so this took a little longer than expected to rig. Floor of pitch was again bouldery hall angled down held together by soil. There was a small hole at bottom which I declared there was no way I was entering this. (I have decided that in Noel's absence Tunnocks is targeting me). Mike heroically climbed in, declared it scary and choked. We surveyed quickly and headed out. Later when writing ip survey notes I dsicovered Mike had called this 'Surfer girl' after my early boulder surfing! Also up to this date this is the deepest part of Tunnocks at -397! Woo hoo!

With 3 bags between us, 1 with a drill and two for rope we headed to the far north of Tunnocks for pushing my infamous lead. Mike chose to come with me as he was blissfully ignorant of my lead! Rigged Hooray for Boobies and cut end of rope for small pitch in the Flap - which turned out to be perfect (this rope was orginally a 39m). Then came the Flap! here Mike releasised he'd been sold a dud! But he carried on relentlessly with his uber-bag and by following survey stations we eventually found ourselves at the top of the pitch. Feeling guilty for dragging Mike here I encouraged him to rig the pitch. We carefully passed rigging items back and forth to each other in order to not drop them down the ptich (we were nicely wedged above the pitch, but smaller items would fall all the way to the floor). Mike beautifully rigged the pitch. A 39m rope was used, however Mike had to 'elastic band' the rope between the Y-hang and the rebelay in order to reach the floor. At the bottom Mike landed on a ledge with another pitch (estimated as 25m). Having run out of rope and time we headed out with Mike declaring it as a good lead.... MuWhahaha! MuWhahahahahahaha!!! Determination pays off! Although I'm not sure anyone else is going to be pleased! More determination is required for further trips and so it's name is born - 'The Determiniation Series'.