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<h2>161 Kaninchenh&ouml;hle: Horizontal stuff below France</h2>

<h3>Overview</h3>

<p>An extensive series of horizontal development below France, linking to the
major trunk passages around Triassic Park. There is one logical route from
France to Triassic Park (and vice versa), but two other routes which also
link the two, but need rigging. These routes are described here, under the
reasonable assumption that they will be explored from the 161d (Scarface)
entrance.

<h3><a name="misisip">Mississippi</a>
(<a href="/years/1994/index.htm">1994</a>)</h3>

<p><a href="300dpi/bsus.png"><img alt="Mississippi survey -
22k gif" align=left width=400 height=840 hspace=10 src="inline/bsus.png"></a>

<br>Mississippi is the passage into which <a href="tptofr.htm#fbrownie">Fudge
Brownie</a> emerges at two points, when coming from Triassic Park. Originally
discovered from France by traversing off the
<a href="frtotp.htm#flatf">Sultans of Swing</a> pitch in Algeria, this is
about 150m of pebble-covered passage leading towards Rocky Horror. The
passage meanders from side to side, but trends SSE overall.

<p><a name="bsuspend">Progress is</a> eventually stopped by a pitch, <b>Black
Suspender</b>. This has been descended for 18m and a tight, wet, clean washed
rift found at the bottom - unexplored. One possible climb up a steep boulder
slope remains from part way down this pitch, to be explored. A ledge on the
opposite side from Mississippi, and about halfway down, can be reached from
<a href="fbland.htm#rhorrorp">Rocky Horror Pitch,</a> and a high, airy
traverse to Mississippi is possible, but would never be a "route" as such.

<p>Subsequent exploration and survey has shown that Black Suspender is almost
directly below the far NE end of <a href="fbl136.htm#hotmc">Hall of the
Mounting Choss</a>, where some holes in the floor may produce a marginally
less lethal route from the Forbidden land back into France.

<h4><a name="regurgitn">Regurgitation</a></h4>

<p><a name="mihemd"><b>Mohr im Hemd</b> is on the west</a> side of
Mississippi, between the two points of access from Fudge Brownie (turn left
from <a href="tptofr.htm#misisip">normal route coming from 161d</a> or right
when <a href="frtotp.htm#misisip">coming from France</a>).

<p>This is a short, narrow, tortuous passage leading after around 40m
to a large chamber, <b>Regurgitation</b>, with several avens
[<a href="qmaven.htm#C1994-161-ra" name="qC1994-161-ra">94-</a>]. From the
point of entry, the chamber extends some way to the right (east) up a slope.
There are two unexplored 5m pitches
[<a href="qmtodo.htm#C1995-161-10" name="qC1995-161-10">C1995-161-10</a> A].

<!-- Roomination desc Mark Shinwell, email 1999.09 -->
<p><a name="roomi">On the</a> opposite wall of the Regurgitation chamber from
the point of entry, to the left as you look across, there is an opening in
the wall partially filled with a small but steep choss bank about 2m high
[<a href="qmtodo.htm#C1994-161-68" name="qC1994-161-68">C1994-161-68</a> A].
Climbing the bank reveals a small hole in the wall. Entering the hole is
probably best done on one's front, feet first, as the hole drops into a small
chamber after a couple of metres. It is possible to exit the hole and
traverse to the left (as one emerges feet-first on your front) to reach the
floor about 3-4 m below.

<h4>Roomination Rifts</h4>

<p>Two rifts, several metres high, lead off; the one to the left was not
explored. The one to the right leads past a hole which drops steeply
(rope needed) probably 10-15m (not explored). Continuing, one arrives at a
rift heading to the left. It would be possible to traverse along the top
of the rift (not explored). Carefully bridging down several metres leads
to another level in the rift where it is easy to stand.

<p>Doubling back on yourself having descended to this point brings one back
into Regurgitation chamber via another hole. Traversing straight on,
however, leads to a three-way junction over a hole. There is a pitch here
of 10-15m to the floor where a stream can be seen. It is possible to
bridge down some way without gear by crossing over the hole (not
explored to bottom).

<p>Turning left at the junction leads to a narrower traverse. A pitch can be
seen through a hole to the left (not explored), thought to connect to the
bottom of the pitch at the three-way junction. Continuing the traverse
brings one to the lip of another pitch, about 15m, undescended and with
a considerable noise of rushing water below.

<p>A small amount of further exploration was carried out in this area,
not yet written up. Perhaps 60m of traversing high in a rift was abandoned
still going when it got rather wide for the degree of exposure involved.
The explorer returned by a different route, emerging from a point previously
determined to have no way on - it is possible that this was one of the 5m
pitches of C1995-161-10.<br clear=all>

<h3><a name="mmudpie">Mississippi Mud Pie</a> to Rich Tea
(<a href="/years/1994/index.htm">1994</a>)</h3>

<p>Mississippi Mud Pie was the original route of discovery of Rich Tea, and
is reached from the western end of
<a href="tptofr.htm#misisip">Mississippi</a> (originally reached
<a href="frtotp.htm#misisip">via France</a>). It is a muddy passage, slightly
ascending, departing NE from Mississippi north of the junction with
<a href="tptofr.htm#fbrownie">Fudge Brownie</a> (turn right from normal
route) and 20m SE of the mud slope up from <a href="frtotp.htm#flatf">Sultans
of Swing</a>.

<p><a name="gingerc">40m</a> of progress leads to a sharp right bend, and the
passage continues southeast, still ascending. After 50m is a left turn to a
parallel passage, while straight on is a climb up to the highest point. From
the highest point, an 8m pitch, <b>Ginger Crunch</b>, is soon encountered.
The pitch is best rigged from a lower point which may be found via the
parallel passage by traversing over a rift in the floor
[<a name="qC1994-161-64" href="qmdone.htm#C1994-161-64">C1994-161-64</a> B].
This leads to a rig point off large dodgy-looking natural flakes on either
side of the pitch head. (The right hand flake appeared to be missing on
return in 1995).

<p>Descending Ginger Crunch, into a high rift, leads to a boulder slope
(descending) into <a href="#richt">Rich Tea</a> Chamber. At the
bottom of the slope is a right turn, to which the name Rich Tea originally
applied.

<p><a name="pisspot">Descending</a> the rift (instead of traversing to Ginger
Crunch) leads into <b>Piss Pot</b>, which heads back NW, parallel to
Mississippi Mud Pie, to choke just about level with the sharp bend in the
latter. At this point there is a tight streamway (both ways)
[<a name="qC1995-161-09" href="qmtodo.htm#C1995-161-09">C1995-161-09</a> C]
from which water can be heard.

<h3><a name="teapot">Teapot</a> - Shortage of Walls to Rich Tea
(<a href="/years/1996/index.htm">1996</a>)</h3>

<!-- from triassic.pt1.34 to vaguely near ginger.10
this is southern branch of 95-24 -->
<p>From the SW corner of <a href="triasp.htm#shwall">Shortage of Walls</a>, a
steeply descending boulder slope proceeds for 15m until the roof lowers. On
the left a short crawl leads to a further 10m of sandy walking passage to a
3m climb (handline required) down into <b>Teapot</b> chamber. On the right
hand side of this passage is a crawl which bypasses the climb but is
constricted. There is an unexplored climb up to the right
[<a name="qC1996-161-16" href="qmtodo.htm#C1996-161-16">C1996-161-16</a> B].

<p>Teapot chamber is 40m by 10m and 10m high and slopes gently down a boulder
slope to the west from the entry point. It is believed that a lead
[<a href="#qC1995-161-23">C1995-161-23</a>] in Salt Lake City looks out over
a 9m pitch into the SE corner of this chamber. To the east from the entry
point the roof meets the floor in a mud wall. At the bottom of the boulder
slope is a large (7m diameter) pitch
[<a name="qC1996-161-17" href="qmtodo.htm#C1996-161-17">C1996-161-17</a> C]
which it is thought will drop into Rich Tea. To the south of this is the way
on, a 9m pitch rigged from the top of a large boulder (traverse line optional
across the top of the boulder).

<p>From the foot of this pitch a short boulder slope leads to the top of a
22m pitch. This drops into <b>Rich Tea</b> chamber (originally approached
from France) at the northern end of <a href="#hobnob">Hobnob
Passage</a>.

<h3><a name="richt">Rich Tea</a> to Skeleton in the Cupboard
(<a href="/years/1994/index.htm">1994</a>)</h3>

<p>Rich Tea chamber is a wide section of passage orientated WNW-ESE, with a
sharp right bend at the eastern end, and a boulder slope up to the west.
A steep mud slope off to the north goes nowhere. Various holes in the
floor lead to rifts
[<a href="qmtodo.htm#C1994-161-63" name="qC1994-161-63">C1994-161-63</a> C],
none of which have yet been descended. A difficult climb up to the north was
rumoured to be promising
[<a href="qmdone.htm#C1994-161-62" name="qC1994-161-62">C1994-161-62</a> A]
but apparently proved to be full of mud.

<p><a name="hobnob">From</a> the bend at the eastern end of Rich Tea,
<b>Hobnob Passage</b> heads south, as a mixture of rift and boulder slope.

<p><a name="digestive">After</a> 50m, Hobnob passage leads to <b>Digestive
Pitch</b> into <a name="bisfact"><b>Biscuit Factory</b></a> - a chamber.
Turning left at Biscuit Factory leads to a short pitch into parallel shafts,
<a name="tunnock"><b>Tunnocks caramel wafer</b></a>, one of which is blind
and the other with a 'too tight' rift exiting about 3m above the bottom.

<p><a name="vogoncs">Turning</a> right at Biscuit Factory up a steep
interesting climb to the left of a particularly chossy mud wall leads to a
boulder slope to a short climb down into <b>Vogon Constructor Ship</b>. To
the left (WSW) here is a short muddy passage, <a name="heartofau"><b>Heart of
Gold</b></a>, to a too tight hole through a chossy mud wall.

<h4><a name="iidrive">Infinite Improbability Drive</a></h4>

<p>To the right (WNW) in Vogon Constructor Ship is a superb phreatic tube
<b>Infinite Improbability Drive</b> which warps from one side of France to
the other, connecting with nothing else on the way. Trending NW then W with
an occasional meander, the tube leads for 200m underneath most of Flat
France, only to reach a 45m pitch <a name="skeletonc"><b>Skeleton in the
Cupboard</b></a> which eventually connects back into
<a href="france.htm#fatknotf">Fat Knot Fruity</a>, below Orient Express.

<hr />

<h3>Side leads off France - Triassic main route</h3>

<h4><a id="id13mcha">Fudge Brownie / French Revolution</a></h4>

<p>As well as the main ways <a href="frtotp.htm#id13mcha">in
from Fudge Brownie</a> and <a href="tptofr.htm#id13mcha">French Revolution</a>,
and the two southern exits to <a href="fbland.htm#rhorror">Rocky Horror</a>,
there are a number of minor leads from the 13m diameter chamber on the main
route.

<p>There is a short small passage in the SE wall which goes for
about 15m through a squeeze before getting too tight. Just beyond this is
another big boulder choke coming out of the ceiling on the left hand side.

<p>The pitch traversed over where French Revolution enters the chamber
[<a href="qmdone.htm#C1995-161-14" name="qC1995-161-14">C1995-161-14</a> B], opens out from the small entry hole to a vertical, clean shaft of about 20m
depth and 5m diameter. There are two tight rifts at the bottom, and an upward
trending rift heading east for c 10m to two avens, one with water.

<p><center><a href="300dpi/frev.png"><img alt="French Revolution survey -
18k gif" width=640 height=450 src="inline/frev.png"></a></center>

<h4><a name="zs3way">Zombie Slime</a></h4>

<p>Southeast (left <a href="tptofr.htm#zombie">coming from</a> Triassic Park)
at the western three-way junction in Zombie Slime is
[<a href="qmdone.htm#C1995-161-16" name="qC1995-161-16">C1995-161-16</a> A], starting as 10m of stooping passage. This briefly splits in two, before
rejoining at a 2m climb on the right. Straight on splits in two again, both
ways quickly becoming too tight. Up the climb leads to an upward tredning
passage with a rift in the floor and a further 3m climb up. Almost
immediately is a 5m pitch down followed by a further 3m pitch which becomes
very tight. However, the rope on this pitch was seen to be hanging out of the
roof of Zombie Slime about 10m back SW from the starting point.

<p>A small passage from the same three-way junction in Zombie Slime [<a
href="qmdone.htm#C1995-161-17" name="qC1995-161-17">C1995-161-17</a> C] only goes 10m before becoming too tight and choked with soil.

<p><a name="zscha">The chamber</a> in Zombie Slime (15m east of the three-way
junction), has two exits apart from the main ways on. North is a dead end
after 8m. NW is a tiny inlet crawl [<a href="qmdone.htm#C1995-161-18"
name="qC1995-161-18">C1995-161-18</a> B], pushed for 5 minutes to gain one
body length - doesn't go.

<h4>Staud'nwirt Palace - Salt Lake City</h4>

<p>Immediately above the 5m ladder pitch from Zombie Slime is a flat out
crawl to the right
[<a href="qmdone.htm#C1995-161-19" name="qC1995-161-19">C1995-161-19</a> B].
This goes downhill for about 5m to a point where you can just see a small
space on the right but can't get there. Could be dug, but there is no draught
and almost certainly no point.

<p>Also in the chamber above the 5m ladder is a hading exit in the roof.
This was climbed in 1996, and went c 45m until it became too scrotty.

<p><a name="stpal">A climb</a> to the top of the slope (SSW, on the outside
of the bend)
[<a href="qmdone.htm#C1995-161-21" name="qC1995-161-21">C1995-161-21</a> B],
was pushed in 1996 to a height of 44m.
Floor holes in the Staud'nwirt Palace boulder pile
[<a href="qmdone.htm#C1995-161-20" name="qC1995-161-20">C1995-161-20</a> B]
led into a fissure which led to the same place.
There are also five holes in the roof
[<a href="qmtodo.htm#C1995-161-22" name="qC1995-161-22">C1995-161-22</a> C],
one very big, but all apparently very hard to reach.

<p><a name="slc">On the NW</a> side of Salt Lake City, about half way along,
is a 2m climb up
[<a href="qmdone.htm#C1995-161-23" name="qC1995-161-23">C1995-161-23</a> A]
to a window which looks out onto what is believed to be a 9m pitch into the
SE corner of <a href="#teapot">Teapot</a>.

<h3>Minor leads near Rocky Horror
(<a href="/years/1996/index.htm">1996</a>)</h3>

<p>The canyon in the floor of the chamber at the SW end of
<a href="tptofr.htm#id13mcha">French Revolution</a> (coming from Triassic Park)
or the SE end of <a href="frtotp.htm#id13mcha">Fudge Brownie</a>
(coming from France) continues SW under the floor of the route towards
<a href="fbland.htm#rhorror">Rocky Horror</a>
[<a href="qmdone.htm#C1995-161-15" name="qC1995-161-15">C1995-161-15</a> B],
becoming rapidly too tight, but almost certainly would connect to
<a href="#whiter">White Rift</a>.

<p><a name="rhorift">Just below</a> <a href="fbland.htm#rhorrorp">Rocky
Horror Pitch</a>, on the right hand side is a tight-ish rifty bit to a 20m
pitch into a very high rift, <b>Rocky Horror Rift</b>, with a somewhat
questionable ceiling being entirely the floor of Rocky Horror.

<p><a name="whiter">Back under</a> the pitch is <b>White Rift</b>
[<a href="qmdone.htm#C1994-161-67" name="qC1994-161-67">C1994-161-67</a> C]. This heads north and splits into two branches after about 15m. Both ways
become too tight, the left hand branch is thought to be towards
<a href="#qC1995-161-15">C1995-161-15</a>, and the right hand to
<a href="#qC1995-161-14">C1995-161-14</a>. From the foot of the
20m pitch is another too tight rift, heading west, which is presumed to
connect to a similar rift at the foot of <a href="#bsuspend">Black
Suspender</a>.

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