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<title>Cambridge Underground 1982: 1981 Expo report</title>
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<center><font size=-1>Cambridge Underground 1982 pp 4-14</font>
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<h1>Austria 1981</h1></center>
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<p>For newcomers to Cambridge Underground, a few words may be in order about
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our involvement with Austria. The first CUCC expedition in 1976 stayed at
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the small village of Altaussee, 55km southeast of Salzburg and on the
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southwestern fringe of the Totes Gebirge - and we have had no reason to
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move. The 77-79 expeditions worked on the Loser Plateau and found 82
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(-215m), 97 (-265m) and 76 (-506m) (<a href="loser.htm">see map</a>). The
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numbers are those of the Austrian Catalogue and should be prefixed by the
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area code 1623/. The 1980 expedition concentrated on an area further south
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(and nearer the car park at the top of the toll road); this was the region
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near Stoger Weg (path no. 201).
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<p>113 (Sonnenstrahlhöhle) went to -329m; 41 (Stellerweghöhle) was
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still going at -350m; and 115 (Schnellzughöhle, but referred to as
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Gemsescheisenhöhle in <a href="../1980/report.htm">last year's
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journal</a>) was discovered. The 41 entrance is just above the path near the
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point where it drops sharply and 115 is nearby, below the path. It was with
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the intention of looking at these two pots that the 1981 expedition went out
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for the first three weeks of August.
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<p>This year's expedition included a large number of new faces. The usual
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exCS contingent had decided to give Austria a rest for a year and live it up
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in the Pyrenees; so that there were mostly resident CUCC members on this
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year's trip. They were joined by a large party from UBSS, some of whom had
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been to Austria before. Although the expedition as a whole lacked experience
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outside Britain, the larger than usual number of very enthusiastic and able
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speleos gave hopes of a successful expedition.
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<p>Those partaking of regular refreshment in the Bar Fischer were:
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<p>Rich Barker (UBSS)
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<br>Dave Brindle
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<br>Chas Butcher
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<br>John Cownie
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<br>Judith Greaves
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<br>Simon Kellet
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<br>Pete Lancaster
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<br>Jane Lolly
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<br>Tim Lyons (UBSS)
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<br>Fraser MacDonald
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<br>Mick McHale (UBSS)
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<br>Mike Martin
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<br>Pat Martin (UBSS)
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<br>Janet Morgan
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<br>Clive Owen (UBSS)
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<br>Rob Parker (SWCC)
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<br>Tim Parker
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<br>Steve Perry
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<br>Phil Townsend
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<br>Julian Walker (UBSS)
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<br>Martin Warren (UBSS)
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<p>four of whom had caved on the CUCC expedition in previous years.
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<p>The expedition intended to continue the exploration of 41 and 115 from
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1980 and so Altaussee was the obvious place to stay. The steady influx of
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nineteen cavers, their cars, ropes and heaps of smelly tackle came as rather
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a shock to Fritz the campsite owner and even more so to the other campers.
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The half-sized campsite rapidly became overcrowded - some of us nearly had to
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sleep in t'bottom o't'lake with only a handful of cold ravioli for breakfast.
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This overcrowding was certainly a factor, along with the hedgehog, in the
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spreading of the dreaded lurgi in the second week, when everybody on the site
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was struck down at some time by the legendary Spanish tummy, Delhi belly, or
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whatever you care to call it. This illness nearly had serious consequences
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when several people were taken ill underground, one particularly badly,
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leading to a certain lack of enthusiasm to enter 115 amongst other cavers for
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fear of what they might put their hands in ! Many thanks are due to our
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eminent expedition surgeon for ministering to the sick with undying
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affection.
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<p>CUCC will not forsake Fritz another opportunity of forcing them to drink a
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crate of beer on arrival; Seecamping Madlmeier will see them again next year.
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As in previous years, a special rate was negotiated for the toll road -
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bottles of Scotch should go at the top of any quartermaster's list of
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essentials. An accident-free three weeks on the driving front was an
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unexpected achievement considering the many early hours trips back from the
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plateau and our previous record of crashes.
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<p>The arrival of the UBSS in force on the Loser this year was particularly
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useful from an expedition point of view. They had received and spent a
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sizeable grant on expedition tackle so that there was enough rope to explore
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two large caves at once and furthermore no necessity to chop up personal
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rope. The UBSS also provided much of the transport during the first week.
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<p>It was decided that the ubss/SWCC Höhlenforschers would concentrate
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on 41 whilst CUCC renewed the attack on 115. This decision was based purely
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on the fact that Steve Perry knew where 41 was and Simon Kellet purported to
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know the whereabouts of 115. In fact everyone who wished got a trip in both
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caves; which produced some constructive criticism of the rigging in 115! The
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exploration of 41 was perhaps carried out by too few and as a result very
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long tackling trips were undertaken, worth many hero points but leaving
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several days when no-one entered the cave. The rigging was a superb piece of
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engineering and the cave was a real pleasure to descend. In contrast 115 was
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overmanned, largely because the prospect of breaking new ground was present
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from the first trip, and some pretty unimaginative rigging was done. It is
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fair to say that the entrance series of 115 to the streamway, does not lend
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itself to long free-hanging pitches, much of the depth being gained in hading
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rifts; any exploration next year ought to start by rigging a more enticing
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route in.
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<p>Once the streamway and high-level dry phreatic maze had been reached in
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115, and a similar situation revealed in 41, the chance of a connection
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became more than a dream. A 115 trip to find a bypass to the first arduous
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500m of streamway discovered a considerable amount of phreatic passage, some
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with seemingly anomalous draughts. Finding no obvious right way on, a cairn
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was built at the furthest point of exploration and a decision to push on down
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the streamway made. Three days later a pushing trip in 41 found the cairn and
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the connection was made. Unfortunately it now became easier to get into the
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system so that the more spectacular and better-rigged entrance was used only
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for tourist through-trips and may not be rigged next year.
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<p>The exploration of the streamway was dogged by illness, badly coordinated
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trips in which teams reached the bottom to find that there was insufficient
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rope or the bolt kit had been taken out, and by the arduous nature of the
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first tight 500m of streamway. It will be necessary to find a high level
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route if the exploration is not to involve twenty hour trips and a lot of
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enthusiasm.
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<p>Very little prospecting was done this year, and most of it concentrated on
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finding a third entrance to the 41/115 system. 32 is a promising hole but
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requires either a lot of hammer wielding or an application of Dr. Nobel's
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Linctus. The region to the north of 113 has yet to be investigated, largely
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because it is a long walk to lug tackle!
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<p>CUCC is not in the habit of mounting serious scientific expeditions and
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this was no exception. Surveying was the usual pain in the posterior and the
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club lacks a committed cartographer to sit around in the cold distasteful
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bits of 115. The club does have a surfeit of geologists, but they showed very
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little interest in applying their brains to the hydrology and geology of the
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system, though they did find some "pretty fossils - **** knows what they
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are".
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<p>CUCC may be criticised for not moving to pastures new, but the fact
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remains that the Loser Plateau continues to provide good caving, considerable
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depth potential - the current bottom of 41/115 is around 800m below the
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entrance to Eislufthöhle - and is a very accessible area. This latter
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part has to be the greatest advantage, after all, for most participants, the
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expedition is a holiday and so there should be a minimum amount of donkey
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work, trekking and roughing it involved, and easy access to beer,
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Apfelstrudel and Pfeffersteaks.
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<p>Finally thanks to campsite owner Fritz Madlmeier and to our local contacts
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Gunther Graf and Karl Gaisberger.
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<p align=right>Phil Townsend
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<p><ul>
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<li><a href="loser.htm">Link to area map</a> accompanying this article.
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<hr />
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<h2><a id="id115">115</a> - Schnellzughöhle</h2>
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<p>Schnellzughöhle was discovered in 1980, a draughting, horizontal
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passage which ended in a choke (with some survey cotton found). This was dug
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and a complex abandoned system reached via a bolted climb. The limit of
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exploration was a ramp which led both up and down to undescended avens at
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-80m. The size of the passage and strength of breeze made a return very
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attractive.
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<p>The initial rigging in and pushing trips did not follow the
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marathon-from-the-word-go pattern of the Stellerweg heroes; usually two
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2-man teams would descend in relay each day. This avoided the withdrawal
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symptoms and 'driver of the year' risks associated with all night trips.
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<p>Rigging in to the 1980 limit took one trip, the old bolts were reused. An
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inlet above the ramp was also explored; a series of 8 cascades led up 30m to
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a choke. At the aven a decision was made not to descend via the main shaft
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but to a rift to one side. This was primarily because a pile of loose
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boulders threatened to mangle anyone dangling below. Also, a peer into the
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depths showed that rebelaying would be necessary, giving no advantage over
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the rift. The rope dropped via a series of muddy ledges (although there were
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no severe cam-slipping problems) into a small active streamway, just a tiny
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dribble when it wasn't raining. Two fine, clean-washed pitches of 19m and
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14m followed, which were the scene of an exciting trip when it did rain
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once. A tremendous whooshing noise announced the arrival of quite a small
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flood pulse, which would have made the pitches miserable rather than
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impassable; the intrepid explorers were exiting too rapidly to actually
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prove this. The second wet pitch was followed by a damp 9m ladder climb to a
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15m by 5m ledge. Here the water disappeared into boulders, and then a 34m
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freehang dropped into a chamber.
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<p>This was big, 30m by 30m with the roof beyond stinky range. A food dump
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was established here, complete with stove in case the pitches ever did become
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impassable. A stream vanished into an uninviting slot in the floor. Upstream,
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60m of big phreatic tube connected with another aven. Downstream, a similar
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5m diameter tube was reached by traversing up through boulders from the
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stream bed. It proved too difficult to follow the stream at high level (this
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had also been found out by a rather forlorn, green bat here found entombed).
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However, 50m from the chamber the tube branched off into a phreatic maze. The
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draught was pursued to a second stream, and a small cairn built. This was
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later to be found by the Stellerweg team.
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<p>Meanwhile the streamway was pushed. It meandered on and on for 800m, and
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required much shuffling and a couple of awkward traverses. An hour of this
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led to a more comfortable sized streamway (probably the Stellerweg water).
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This proceeded with a 7m lined climb to a sump.
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<p>This was easily bypassed via a 3m diameter phreatic tube which emerged
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above the stream again. The discovery was celebrated by a severe attack of
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the Lurgi and an epic 11 hour exit, after which the narrow streamway was
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christened Pete's Purgatory. A ladder was rigged back to the stream, and the
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descent continued with increasing enthusiasm. The canyon was 1.5-2m wide, too
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high to see the roof and getting bigger all the time. Fifty metres and a 5m
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ladder climb led to 500m of fine stream, which descended quite rapidly by
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numerous sporting cascades.
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<p>A 5m pitch (the 'twelve foot climb') was reached and bolted when play was
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stopped again by Lurgi. The victim escaped this time, but his partner got
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lost near the entrance and had to be rescued the following morning. 500m
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after the short pitch came a 10m wet pitch and then 300m more passage. In two
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places here, classic vadose canyon gave way to low, wet ramps with some
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grotting in boulders. A fine, free-hanging pitch of 10m then dropped into a
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dark pool. 150m more stream, and a 15m pitch, broken by a ledge, was followed
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by a 4m roped climb. 70m of horizontal passage followed, with dismal pools
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leading to hopes of a sump; these were dashed by another pitch, a dry 15m
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free-hang. The streamway continued inexorably to yet another 10m pitch, but a
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realistic decision / miserable witter was made and the derig commenced to the
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sump bypass. This was completed in a mammoth 3-wave session, remarkable for
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feats of gluttony and nicotine consumption, and an attempt to wall in the
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consultant geologist and catering manager.
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<p>Trips into the lower streamway were becoming quite serious, with
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hitch-free trips taking from 12-14 hours, typically adding just a couple of
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bolts. Flooding could be an extremely dangerous proposition: there is nowhere
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warm and dry to hide. However, it needs a good survey and the combined system
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is getting close enough to the 700m mark to put a return next year very much
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on the cards.
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<p align=right>Simon Kellet.
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<p><li><a href="115.htm">Link to 115 survey</a> and accompanying notes to go with
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this article.
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<p><li><a href="41germ.htm">Link to 41 German route survey</a> and accompanying
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notes.
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<hr />
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<h2><a name="ubss">UBSS in Austria</a> - Stellerweghöhle and the
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connection</h2>
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<p>Stories of pitches, classic continental rigging and depth, honour and
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glory attracted the UBSS to join CUCC in Austria. With them came the state of
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art tackle they had bought to the keen specifications of their more
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experienced members. The latter came too, though not all of their experience
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had been of caving over the previous few years. One, a Doctor noted for his
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energy, sent out to buy an escort for transport, misinterpreted his brief and
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provided a racy little sportster. The others showed good humour by providing
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the real transport; an Escort advertising longevity and the redundancy of
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prissy bodywork, and an Imp with a trailer its own size. The trailer was in
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quite reasonable repair. Your correspondent provided a tent suitable for the
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bridge parties and a cook to double as decoration and baggage for the
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sportster.
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<p>The walk to Stellerweghöhle (41a) takes a contoured path from the
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restaurant overlooking the campsite. In the sun it is an enjoyable stroll
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made serious only by the thoughts of caving ahead. Memories of the long slog
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across the plateau on previous trips are recounted with expansive gestures
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over the skyline, and just a hint of 'hard days remembered' in the eyes. The
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easy efficiency of our path soon leads to an orange paint blob marking the
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start of the winding climb up through thick bush and stone gullies to the 41a
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entrance. Below, a more serious slither leads down to 115. The entrance
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belches cold air, welcome relief to sweat for just a moment before the
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various chills of present, past and future cool the mind.
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<p>The route to the big pitch follows phreatic passages developed along
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inclined bedding planes. It is crossed by 45 degree ramps which are
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traversed, several with the aid of fixed lines. The first pitch bypass takes
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one of these ramps down, then along the strike to join the bottom of the
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pitch chamber. The final ramp is descended, dropping down the base of its
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'T' section, then over large boulders to the division of the rift. To the
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right last year's route gains an airy take-off made horrid by mud and spoilt
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further by rebelays at several contact points. To the left, a couple of 10m
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abseils lead to a fine free hang for the big pitch: a splendid 100m drop,
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hanging at times at least 10m from the nearest wall, broken only by a free
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rebelay in slings.
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<p>At the foot of the pitch a stream runs down the rift, then below an
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awkward traverse section which is followed by a series of progressivly wetter
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and tighter pitches. We remember the sound of flood pulses, a feature not to
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be taken lightly in a place with the promise of this cave. A hammered squeeze
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on a 6m pitch adds interest as a marker of better to come - not the least
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interest is the thought of others negotiating it. Strange Comfort. An awkward
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7m pitch then a thrutchy climb (up over large boulders and losing the water)
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folows the rift into a magnificent cleft some 3m wide and over 100m high.
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Oddly it was at this spot last year that we directed attention to an
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alternative route (the 'German Route') for 3 days, pushing to -140m in
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increasingly nasty sharp, tight passage. Odd how that narrow rift quietened
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enthusiasm with such a superb way lying ahead.
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<p>The route on follows the now dry rift and includes numerous small pitches
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and traverse rebelays. The water is rejoined and the passage roof closes to
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within 10m in places. The final pitches are in clean washed round pots with
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a stream lip and more spray from above. The walls are decorated with the
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fossils of large bivalve molluscs about 30cm across. The rift must surely
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plunge on down, grey and businesslike, and deep.
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<p>Here, on our third major rigging-in day, we placed a final bolt ahead of
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last year's progress. We had consolidated the route with fine rigging in
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preparation for the pushing trips beyond. Each trip had been tiring to the
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experienced members, now we were damp as well and still the return to make.
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During the ascent one wondered what one was doing here; building character
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or the foundation of more good stories ? Certainly we had provided the basis
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for a memorable through trip as the next visit revealed. We even lured the
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115 contingent down to this spectacle of fine cave and tasteful rigging and
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the through trip gave us the opportunity to curl a lip over the 115 entrance
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series.
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<p>The last pitch drops into Junction Chamber. Turning right one follows a
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gently descending stream. Soon the way traverses the rift above the stream.
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Above (after 40m) a hole in the roof leads to a series of small and dusty
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tubes. We are in a phreatic zone. After a few bends the passage on closes
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down to a short flat out crawl regaining the stream. More traversing on
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dusty loose mud ledges in the passage roof gains a hole in the roof and a
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series of phreatic tubes of railway tunnel proportions. These tubes can be
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followed back to Junction Chamber entering about 10m above the floor. Ahead
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they take a series of swooping inclines punctuated by dramatic bends. This
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area was much appreciated by the surveying party. A final incline to a sharp
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left bend regains the stream in its rift and reveals the sight, surprising
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to the first explorers, of a cairn.
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<p>From this lowest point of the connection there are two routes on - one a
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traverse over the stream then a climb over large boulders into a passage
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entering from the left; the other a 0.75m hole at floor level to the left of
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the start of the final incline. The two ways join in an uphill sandy passage
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(1.5m high by 3m wide).
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<p>At some stage one should appreciate the significance of the cairn -
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marking the limit of exploration of a side line in 115. The eagerness to get
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out through 115 may have reduced interest in 41a, a shame as it was only
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later that we looked at another exit from Junction Chamber. Anyway, following
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the uphill passage one can reflect on the peace of this area, the comfort and
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ease of progess. A nice site for a bivvy if necessary.
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<p>Next a flat out crawl hardly slows progress into the teeth of a healthy
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draught. Enthusiasm is rewarded by a motorway (almost) sized passage (all
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things, the educated mind realises, are relative. John Parker once described
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a passage: "It's huge in places, one can stand up even." This
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passage really is big). Now turning right - who knows what lay to the left -
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a further 90m of phreatic tube led to the 115 main passage.
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<p>Our next interest in 41a lay in derigging it. This came after a suitable
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period for through trips of both a caving and an enteric nature - which some
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of our party combined.
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<p>At Junction Chamber we noticed the obvious and hitherto ignored 15m climb
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leading left into a choice of phreatic passages with further avens gaping
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above - a really large junctional complex. To the right after 50m the
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passage led to a rift above a stream. The other choice was a large phreatic
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tube (10m by 10m) in which easy progress down a 30 degree slope gained 50m
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of depth. This scramble down boulders leads to a cross-rift after about
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150m. To the right a stream, to the left a traverse after a short distance.
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It is galling to find such a passage on your derigging trip, but that's why
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the description stops here.
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<p align=right>Steve Perry
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<p><center><img alt="Connection survey - 8k gif" width=520 height=490
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src="115con.png"></center>
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<hr />
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<!-- LINKS -->
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<li>Cambridge Underground 1982
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<a href="http://cucc.survex.com/jnl/1982/index.htm">Table of Contents</a></li>
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<li>1981 Expedition info:
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<ul>
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<li><a href="log.htm">Logbook</a></li>
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<li><a href="bcracc.htm">BCRA Caves & Caving Report</a></li>
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<li><a href="cavdev.htm">Cave Development in the Totes Gebirge</a>
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(from CU Report)</li>
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</ul></li>
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