mirror of
https://expo.survex.com/repositories/expoweb/.git/
synced 2024-11-30 13:51:58 +00:00
157 lines
9.4 KiB
Plaintext
157 lines
9.4 KiB
Plaintext
<HTML lang=en><HEAD><TITLE>1623:204 -- Deep routes</TITLE>
|
|
<!--#include virtual="../../css/main.css"-->
|
|
</head>
|
|
<BODY>
|
|
<DIV align=center>
|
|
<CENTER>
|
|
<TABLE border=0 width="100%">
|
|
<TR>
|
|
<TH align=left width="30%"><FONT size=+2>204</font><br><font size=+1>(CUCC 1999/03)</FONT></TH>
|
|
<TH lang=de><h1>Steinbrückenhöhle</h1></TH>
|
|
<TH align=right width="30%"><FONT size=+2>4/S x</FONT></TH></TR>
|
|
<TR>
|
|
</TABLE></CENTER></DIV>
|
|
<h2>Deep routes via the Ariston Series</h2>
|
|
|
|
<H3><A name=ariston>Ariston Series</A></H3>
|
|
<P>The Ariston Series is the route to the current deepest point in the cave. The
|
|
pitch series begins with a short pitch of 5m rigged from a large thread in the
|
|
roof a few metres back, with a single spit for the vertical part, which is
|
|
almost a scramble. This lands on a large ledge formed of boulders wedged across
|
|
a narrow point; there are two choices of descent here, one to the north,
|
|
<B>You're So Veined</B> (15m), which was used in 1999, and an as yet undescended
|
|
pitch to the south, which will land further down the Ariston Series, which
|
|
should probably be used in 2000. One rebelay provides a good hang against the
|
|
wall of You're so Veined to reach the foot of the pitch, which is in a spacious
|
|
shaft, with an impressive aven above. From here, there are two ways on: to the
|
|
left, facing away from the pitch just descended, is a gully, which in 1999
|
|
contained a thick layer of ice. Carefully traversing this rather slippery
|
|
section leads to the head of a small pitch of 6m, which was rigged with a
|
|
Y-hang. From here a walking size phreatic passage leads off, carrying a
|
|
substantial breeze. The passage initially descends, but then develops a narrow
|
|
floor trench; as the trench deepens, the phreatic part of the passage rises, and
|
|
then ends abruptly where the floor trench turns right and leads off as a
|
|
too-tight rift while ahead the phreas pinches out.
|
|
<P>Back at the foot of <B>You're So Veined</B>, a way on to the right leads into
|
|
a small, very crumbly chamber, from which a short section of awkward rift leads
|
|
to a fine crow's nest in the wall of a large rift. A very short pitch (5m) lands
|
|
on a large ledge, from which a roped traverse along the left-hand wall gains the
|
|
head of the next pitch of 12m, which avoids a large ledge which would have been
|
|
in the way but for the traverse. This pitch currently requires a rope protector
|
|
just below the Y-hang at the top. The landing is on another large ledge, where a
|
|
pool can be used to refill water containers. It is thought that the alternative
|
|
pitch to You're so Veined will land here, if rigged.
|
|
<P>The next pitch of 14m consists of a backup bolt followed by a Y-hang, which
|
|
utilises one very cratered spit, which can only be used with a bollard type
|
|
hanger. This pitch requires a deviation from the opposite wall or a rebelay to
|
|
be installed as there is currently a rub point just below the Y-hang. The ledge
|
|
that this pitch lands on consists of boulders wedged across the shaft, although
|
|
it seems sound. A backup bolt protects the approach to the Y-hang at the head of
|
|
the next pitch (35m). Unfortunately, it seems to be impossible to get a clean
|
|
hang from here, and a rub-point 3m down will require the installation of a
|
|
rebelay or deviation in future. Immediately after this point, the walls of the
|
|
shaft bell out, and the rope hangs in stimulating isolation. About 5m from the
|
|
floor a ledge is passed, which could be gained by a swing across, where there
|
|
may possibly be a passage leading off [<A
|
|
href="qm.shtml#C1999-204-20"
|
|
name=qC1999-204-20>C1999-204-20 B</A>].
|
|
<P>At the foot of the pitch, the way on is a very chossy, sloping descent which
|
|
will require either re-rigging or bypassing (which may be possible by a climb up
|
|
and over) in future. This leads to a further short pitch (10m), which lands in
|
|
an aven chamber of ample proportions. From here drops an 8m pitch,
|
|
landing on a rubble floor. The only way on is a tight rift
|
|
[<a href="qm.shtml#C2000-204-60" name="qC2000-204-60">C2000-204-60 C</a>],
|
|
which was penetrated for only a short distance.
|
|
More progress might be possible by someone small and imaginative. Not surveyed in 2000.
|
|
Back at the head of the 8m pitch. a crawl leading off from the foot of the
|
|
pitch just descended, and a descending rubble slope. The rubble slope curves
|
|
round to the right, passing a tight rift on the left [<A
|
|
href="qm.shtml#C1999-204-22"
|
|
name=qC1999-204-22>C1999-204-22 C</A>], to reach the bottom of a short climb up
|
|
of 3m on the right, which is followed by a scramble down on the other side. From
|
|
here, straight ahead is a climb up into the foot of an aven, half-right is a
|
|
short ascending passage leading to a chamber where a traverse around the right
|
|
hand wall leads to a slope down to <b><a href="#fled">Fledermausschacht</a></b>.
|
|
Full right is a stooping/crawling
|
|
height phreatic passage with a mud floor. This passes on the right the other end
|
|
of the crawl which led off from the foot of the previous pitch.
|
|
<P>Some 50m of alternate crawling and stooping, including a single point where
|
|
the roof dips and the crawl is flat-out, leads to a small chamber. Here there
|
|
are two holes in the floor. One leads to
|
|
<a href="#kiwisuit"><b>Kiwi Suit</b></a>; the other drop is much shorter, and is
|
|
split into two sections by ledges on each wall part way down. The first section
|
|
of 8m reaches these small ledges, where a stream enters from the foot of a very
|
|
large aven. The next section of 11m is wet, and lands on a small ledge
|
|
overlooking a massive shaft. Stones thrown out from here fall for 3s. This is
|
|
believed to be the same pitch as the first pitch of <b>Kiwi Suit</b>.
|
|
|
|
<h3><a name="kiwisuit">Kiwi Suit</a></h3>
|
|
<p>The first pitch begins with a funnel-shaped opening. The initial approach is rigged
|
|
from a large pillar at the edge of the funnel (the approach to this could be further
|
|
protected by a traverse line tied round an even larger pillar a couple of metres back).
|
|
Suddenly, at the base of the funnel, there is an impressive black space. In 2000 the
|
|
descent was rigged New-Zealand style, entirely from naturals, which seemed sound, but
|
|
worrisome for us bolt-junkies, especially given the record of 'Bomb-Proof' naturals in
|
|
KH visiting the bottoms of pitches. Two deviations keep the descent clear of walls and
|
|
the small trickle of water which falls down the shaft (probably becomes a much bigger
|
|
trickle after rain). The floor is reached after 54 metres of descent. The way on is a
|
|
short traverse, an 8 metre pich, another short traverse, and then a 20 metre pitch to a
|
|
ledge. The final pitch from this ledge is an impressive rift of 47 metres depth, rigged
|
|
in 2000 from a natural, one bolt, and the rope from the pitch above.</p>
|
|
|
|
<p>At the bottom, a
|
|
merry little stream is reached (similar volume of water to the Top Camp waterhole in
|
|
spate). Upstream was not pushed, but reportedly leads quickly to the foot of a
|
|
waterfall
|
|
[<a href="qm.shtml#C2000-204-63" name="qC2000-204-63">C2000-204-63 B</a>].
|
|
Downstream quickly narrows to about 50cm wide, and
|
|
progress is made by constantly changing level to stay where the passage is wide enough.
|
|
After about 40m a small cascade of about 4m is reached, which could probably be
|
|
free-climbed, but a handline here helps avoid getting soaked. The passage is
|
|
considerably wider for a few metres below the cascade, but soon resumes in its previous
|
|
manner. Suddenly, the head of a pitch
|
|
[<a href="qm.shtml#C2000-204-64" name="qC2000-204-64">C2000-204-64 A</a>],
|
|
estimated at about 10 metres,
|
|
is reached. This was the limit of exploration in 2000. The streamway can be seen to
|
|
continue below the pitch, and perhaps becomes a bit wider.</p>
|
|
|
|
<h3><a name="fled">Fledermausschacht</a></h3>
|
|
|
|
<p>The traverse round to the pitch head
|
|
is protected by a thread belay at the start of the traverse. A substantial thread
|
|
(requiring 2 slings due to its girth) at the pitch head enables the first, sloping
|
|
section of the pitch to be descended. Soon the pitch becomes vertical, and a
|
|
rebelay on the far wall (at -5m) allows the next few metres to be descended.
|
|
Unfortunately the shaft still hades slightly, and a further two rebelays (at -15m
|
|
and -28m) are required before the magnitude of this 112m shaft starts to become
|
|
apparent. A 40m freehanging section leads to a sloping ledge, where the shaft
|
|
doglegs again and a scrappy descent down a gulley, and a further two rebelays (at
|
|
-68m and -80m), reaches a sloping ledge overlooking the final section of the
|
|
pitch. A chossy traverse across the left hand wall appears to head into a parallel
|
|
shaft [<a href="qm.shtml#C2000-204-61" name="qC2000-204-61">C2000-204-61 C</a>].
|
|
A bolt round the corner to the right allows a descent of
|
|
the final 22m to the floor to be made, where a boulder choke is met, with no way
|
|
on. The whole pitch, particularly the far wall, is rather loose and due care must
|
|
be taken. A large chockstone near the second rebelay could not be shifted, but
|
|
should be treated with suspicion.</p>
|
|
|
|
<p>Nature Note: A bat was observed flitting around
|
|
in here on two occasions.</p>
|
|
|
|
<p>At the start of the traverse to the head of Fledermausschacht is a small crawl
|
|
leading off to the right. This is initially flat-out over crumbly mud, but enlarges
|
|
after a short distance to enter a series of small mud-filled chambers. There is no
|
|
obvious way on, other than to start excavations in the mud banks
|
|
[<a href="qm.shtml#C2000-204-62" name="qC2000-204-62">C2000-204-62 Dig</a>].
|
|
Not surveyed in 2000.</p>
|
|
|
|
|
|
<p><HR>
|
|
<!-- LINKS -->
|
|
<p><ul>
|
|
<li><a href="204.shtml">Back to 204 index page</a>
|
|
</ul>
|
|
</BODY>
|
|
</HTML>
|
|
|