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GSAB: CTS ref. 78.2012 (in English translation)
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<LINK rel="alternate" lang="fr" href="../fr/782012.htm"
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title="Description des principaux gouffres de la zone ouest du massif">
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<center><font size=-1 lang="fr">(<acronym>GSAB</acronym>) Spéalp 1
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(Juin 1977) pp 33-49</font>
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<h1 lang="de">TOTES GEBIRGE</h1>
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<h2>Description of the principal caves in the West of the massif.</h2></center>
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<p><b>Introduction</b> : The choice of this area was quite arbitrary. Indeed,
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there is very little chance that the area is all drained by the same
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hydrological system. While for some caves, the presumed resurgence is almost
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certain, the same is not true of others which may drain in totally the
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opposite direction ! Our choice was governed by means of access: roads, gear
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lift, paths, a refuge etc.. The <span lang="de">Totes Gebirge</span>, which
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is one of the biggest karst ranges in Austria, is only easily accessible in
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certain areas, such as the one we discuss in this article. In this area are
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many kilometres of totally virgin lapiaz. Many hours walking are needed to
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reach it. Moreover, in this area, only a tiny part is more-or-less
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prospected. It includes the valleys of <span lang="de">Raucherkar</span> and
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<span lang="de">Feuertal</span>, and the areas adjoining the path which goes
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to them as well as the north face of <span lang="de">Hagender Kogel</span>,
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in which lies the <span lang="de">Tropfsteinhöhle</span>, which had
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extraordinary formations but which is today completely trashed out.
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<p><b>Cave Research</b> : has been mainly carried out by our friends of
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Upper Austria, an English group, two French groups, and ourselves. For our
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part we did almost no prospecting, except in 1976. We contented ourselves
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with the descent of certain known caves - again, not all of them (We
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bitterly regret this today because others have made discoveries in our
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place). Our effort was particularly carried out in
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<span lang="de">Ahnenschacht</span>, but a chronic deficiency of able cavers
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and relevant experience (in 1975 we were only 4) has prevented us from
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getting as far as we would have liked.
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<p><b>Geology/Hydrology</b> : Not having a geologist in the group, we could
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only sketch out the major outlines. The great majority of the area is <span
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lang="de">Dachsteinkalk</span>, also with some pockets of Dolomite, well seen
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in certain places - notably north of the <span lang="de">Ahnenschacht</span>.
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Another problem, the presence of a nappe (overfold) between -400 and -500m
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which could cause problems in <span lang="de">Ahnenschacht</span>. For the
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<span lang="de">Raucherkar</span>, the drainage is practically certain: the
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flood resurgence is in <span lang="de">Nagelsteghöhle</span> to the
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south of <span lang="de">Raucherkar</span>, and north of
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<span lang="de">Altaussee</span>. It should be possible to connect the two
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either directly, or by diving. <span lang="fr">QUELLI</span> should also go
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in the same direction, at least if one believes its trend.
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Nevertheless, with <span lang="fr">Quelli</span> opening up 2km NE of
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<span lang="de">Raucherkar</span>, we need to be very careful in drawing
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conclusions.
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<p><b lang="de">AHNENSCHACHT</b> lies in an area with very complex
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boundaries, and could very well go off in several totally different
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directions. It is very possible that several directions can be followed. The
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explorations have not proceeded far enough in plan to be able to decide.
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<p><b lang="de">TRUNKEMBOLDSCHACHT</b> and <b lang="de">UFO SCHACHT</b>
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should be expected to head off to the north where many resurgences can be
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seen. The other directions should nevertheless not be ignored. At any rate,
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the explorations will be pushed a lot further this year and perhaps it will
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become clearer to us.
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<p>From the hydrological point of view, it is very regrettable that no dye
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tests have been carried out, and this through lack of authorisation,
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collaboration and interest !!!
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<h2 lang="de"><a name="55">RAUCHERKARHÖHLENSYSTEM</a></h2>
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<p><span lang="de">Steiermark - Totes Gebirge</span> - 1632m<br>
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Depth 723m Length so far, about 20km<br>
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Deepest point is a sump
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<p><b>Location</b>: In the Western <span lang="de">Totes Gebirge</span>,
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south of the <span lang="de">Schönberg</span>, 2km SE of <span
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lang="de">Ahnenschacht</span>.
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<p><b>History</b>: Exploration started in 1961. In 1965, the cave was 6km
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long and 246m deep. The National Austrian expedition of 1965 reached -530m.
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In 1973, <span lang="de"><acronym>LVfHK</acronym> Oberösterreich &
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Steiermark</span> reached a sump at -723m, at which time the length had
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reached 18km.
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<p><b>Description</b>: The system has no less than 13 entrances ranged
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between 1500 and 1623m altitude. The labyrinthine system contains several
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levels of development mostly southwards towards
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<span lang="de">Nagelsteghöhle</span> (the probable resurgence at an
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altitude of 850m). It is interesting to note that the final sump has been
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reached by systematically traversing round pitches in excess of 90-40m.
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<p>Author of this summary : <span lang="fr">Etienne Degrave</span>.
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<h2><a name="120" lang="fr">QUELLI</a> or
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<span lang="de">KACHERLSCHACHT</span></h2>
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<p>Western <span lang="de">Totes Gebirge - Feuertal -
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Schönberg</span><br>
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Depth -708m Altitude about 1950m
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<p><b>History</b>: Discovered in 1973 by the <acronym>GSAB</acronym> under
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the name T3. Rediscovered in July 1976 by <span lang="fr">J.M.Piron</span>
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and explored from 12th to 23rd of July by <span lang="fr">A.C.Toulon,
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S.C.Toulon, Lou Darbon</span> and <span lang="fr">Spéléo
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Ragaie</span>.
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<p><b>Description</b>: P8, p19, p83, p33, p24, p17, p5, p33, p24, p9, p33,
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p27, p103. At -400m one reaches a vast passage going up and downhill. The
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downstream passage emerges at the top of an 84m pitch. Below this a winding
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canyon interspersed with small pitches gives onto a 15m pitch and the end of
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exploration at -708m.
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<p lang="fr">Etienne Degrave
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<h2><a name="117" lang="fr">EMPAGADURE</a> or
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<span lang="de">TRUNKEMBOLDSCHACHT</span></h2>
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<p>Western <span lang="de">Totes Gebirge - Hintergras</span><br>
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Depth -587m Altitude 1610m
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<p><b>History</b>: Discovered in July 1976 by
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<span lang="fr">F.Vergier</span>. Explored between 12th and 23rd July 1976 by
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<span lang="fr">A.C.Toulon, S.C.Toulon, Lou Darbon</span> and
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<span lang="fr">Spéléo Ragaie</span>.
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<p><b>Description</b>: Down to -287m the cave is made up of shortish pitches
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interspersed with tight meandering passage : p8, p12, p17, p9, p20, p3, p12,
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p30, p7, p6, p9, p8, p7, p5, p34, p6, p8, p5, p9. At -287m, a 21m pitch
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drops into a large chamber. The water disappears in the boulders to reappear
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in a whole series of wet pitches of which the longest is 30m. Floods impeded
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exploration at the bottom of this branch: at -456m a pitch of about 20m was
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definitely too wet to be descended. At -488m a low passage was also too wet.
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Moreover, the draught there was weak or absent.
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<p>In the chamber at -308m, a reascent of about 15m gave access to a fairly
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wide fossil canyon which blew a detectable draught. After 30m, this passage
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opened onto the enormous "<span lang="fr">Puits de Naufragés</span>"
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(The Castaway's pitch), with a cross section of 15 by 25 metres. On this
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pitch, several inlets appeared to come from the first branch explored. The
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bottom of the pitch contracted to a joint-guided rift, exploration ending at
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the head of a pitch estimated at 40m.
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<p lang="fr">Etienne Degrave
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<h2 lang="de"><a name="50">AHNENSCHACHT</a></h2>
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<p>Location: Western <span lang="de">Totes Gebirge - Feuertal</span><br>
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Depth: -612m Length so far: > 5km<br>
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<b>Altitude</b>: 1890m
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<p><b>History</b>: Discovered by our Upper Austrian colleagues in 1856. The
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point -320m was reached by them in 1958. In 1967 and 1968 the
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<a href="../../bec/index.htm">Bristol Exploration Club</a> reached -400m, the
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Horizontal network, with a length of 1 km, was discovered. In 1972, 73, 74
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and 75, the <acronym>GSAB</acronym> "<span lang="fr">Les Gours</span>"
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explored and discovered over 5km of passage and about 1500m of pitches. This
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got them to -612m. We note also the participation, in 1974, of three French
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clubs from Eastern France: <span lang="fr">S.C.Vesoul, G.S.Clerval</span> and
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<span lang="fr">S.S.Daules</span>. In 1975 <acronym>CARSS</acronym> joined a
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mini-expedition in July and likewise, <acronym>CASEO</acronym> in August.
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<h3>Description: Entrance series</h3>
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<p>The entrance is in a small doline situated on the ridge separating
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<span lang="de">Feuertal</span> and <span lang="de">Hintergras</span>. The
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cave starts with four pitches (p14, p11, p5 and p11) which drop onto a slope
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formed of big boulders (rope desirable). After this, another series of small
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pitches (p9, p7, p6, p4, p10, p18, p11) from which is reached the "<span
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lang="de">Sinterterrasse</span>" at -141m.
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<p>From this point, one has left the zone of small pitches and started a
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series of pitches which in reality are part of a single shaft down to -400m.
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<p>Indeed, if you had an unfortunate accident on the
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"<span lang="de">Sinterterrasse</span>", you would fall all the way to -400m.
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These pitches are usually wet, especially after rain... Here is the list of
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pitches: p25, <span lang="de">Schuppenstufe</span> 30, p10,
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<span lang="de">Sicherungsstufe</span> 32,
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<span lang="de">Schachtgabel</span> 48, a 10m ramp, <span lang="de">Josef
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Schacht</span> 100m. On the <span lang="de">Josef Schacht</span>, a pendulum
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6m from the top enables one to reach the entry to the "Horizontal network".
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Descending the <span lang="de">Josef Schacht</span> a little further, after a
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6.5m and a 10m pitch, access can be gained to a wide canyon, active in the
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bottom, and which ends in a fissure. This canyon is fossil in the upper level
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and certainly presents possibilities for continuation.
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<h4>Lateral development from <span lang="de">Josef Schacht</span></h4>
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<p>After one has crossed the "doorway" and a short squeeze, one enters the
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network proper. At this point is a passage covered in rather special
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formations. The first junction gives access to a network
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[ lines missing from original photocopy - sorry :-(]
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<h4>The Vegetable Garden</h4>
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<p>This fossil system, which has not been fully travelled through, contains
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numerous possibilities. It is reached by three principal access routes: the
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pitch already mentioned; a descending fissure a little before the "Belgica";
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and a sloping passage with formations in the "Mammoth pitch" chamber. The
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system is composed of a big chamber with numerous passages and junctions; it
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is very poorly known and no doubt houses many surprises. Continuing along the
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passage, one passes a step of 4m to find a junction, to the left at which
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lies the bivouac.
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<h4>"Belgica" system</h4>
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<p>Directly after the bivouac, there is a 10m pitch, and at the bottom, a new
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junction: downhill the "Belgica" passage, of fairly small dimensions, which
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leads, after traversing past three holes, to a descent of an 8m and a 17m
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pitch and to the squeezes passed by our French colleagues.
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[<span lang="fr">A revoir</span>]
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<p>Uphill, discovered by <span lang="fr">D.Motte</span> and
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<acronym>PIE</acronym>, in the course of the expedition in 1974, is the
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"<span lang="fr">Galerie de Francs comtois</span>". This is a large ascending
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fossil passage interspersed with traverses, dips and pitches. It reascends to
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-90m. At -150m, a 20m pitch reaches the "<span lang="fr">Resomega</span>".
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<p>A little before the 20m pitch, a short descending canyon passage avoids
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the 20m pitch and the series of squeezes following it.
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The "<span lang="fr">Resomega</span>" is an alternately ascending and
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descending passage, very chaotic, interspersed with several junctions and
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pitches which leads to the "Balcon du Visionnaire", offering several
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possibilities. A 60m pitch gives onto another 60m pitch which is undescended.
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There is another big pitch in excess of 100m and an unfinished ascending
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passage. A little before, a 10m pitch allows one to reach a passage
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interspersed with 3 junctions and 7 exits !!!! This shows the level of
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complexity which we ran into.
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<p>It was also at the "<span lang="fr">Balcon du Visionnaire</span>" that an
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accident occurred in 1975, which terminated exploration in that year.
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<p>Back in the Horizontal network, and after passing a little bouldery climb
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an inlet is encountered, named "The Bath". The passage continues a little
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longer, to end in a pitch. [To be completed]
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<p>The following junction has been named "Mammoth Junction" because the
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passage to the right leads onto the pitch of the same name. It is necessary
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to exercise great care and attention not to slip hereabouts, because a fall
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would drop you into same.
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<p>The Mammoth Pitch, Para-pitch and probably the "Negus" pitch, form part of
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the same system ( see survey ) which is composed of a 146m pitch, a 10m pitch
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and a narrow canyon interspersed with several cascades leading finally to a
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35m pitch giving onto the sump at -612m. The Para-pitch, p106, is followed by
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pitches of 5, 10 and 50m and drops via the latter into the "Mammoth Canyon"
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<p>The "Negus" pitch, which is undescended, should also drop into the same
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canyon. Several other small pitches and active streamways should also rejoin
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this system.
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<p>The depth of 612m should be treated cautiously because the method of
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survey used (height of a man) is fairly imprecise. The bottom could be
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anywhere between -580m and -630m. The shortage of time prevented us from
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redoing our survey. Maybe this year ????
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<p>Turning left, the "Zipfer" passage is followed for 150m before reaching an
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important junction: to the left "Chimneys passage", to the right "Draughting
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passage".
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<h4>Chimneys Passage</h4>
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<p>This is very large with a constant slope, interrupted in the middle by a
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squeeze and a couple of drops. The "Schnaps pitch" (40m with an unexplored,
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narrow canyon) is avoided by traversing to reach a 25m pitch in which you
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must pendulum 5m from the bottom in order to reach a chamber in which is met
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a small stream. Climbing up a little opposite, a short upper passage rejoins
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the stream by a 20m pitch. In the chamber, the descent of a 10m pitch allows
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the stream to be followed to a squeeze beyond which one can hear the grumble
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of a large river ? A place to go back to.
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<h4>Draughting passage</h4>
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<p>This is fossil, and tight in places, and allows exploration of a very
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complex network which intersects itself in various places and which could
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hold very great surprises, since its exploration has only been sketchily
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outlined. The exit from this passage is in an area of boulders where two
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possibilities exist:
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<p><b>To the left</b>: a tight passage has been forced on a slope to
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"<span lang="de">Kitschacht</span>" (Tackle Bag Shaft) a magnificent 50m
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drop, very wide and completely free hanging. At its base, several
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possibilities. A tight active canyon which can be bypassed by a fossil
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passage, broken by an earthy drop of 3m to a huge 15m pitch leading to a sump
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at -360m.
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<p>A drop of a few metres gives access to a huge fossil passage ( 10 x 5m ).
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The floor of this is cut by a deep canyon which has not been explored. After
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a hundred metres or so the passage ends at a vast wet pitch. Climbing over a
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big boulder on the right gives access to another pitch upwards.
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<p>Just after the base of <span lang="de">Kitschacht</span>, a passage of 80m
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makes a connection with the system of the "<span
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lang="fr">Décollement</span>" pitch at the bottom of the 40m shaft. A
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canyon leaving the junction passage can be followed for more than 300m, and
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exits, in several places, into the side of the big fossil passage, just
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before the pitch upwards.
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<p><b>To the right</b>: The "<span lang="fr">Décollement</span>"
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pitch, with, at its base, a sloping chamber full of boulders. To the left a
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very deep ascending canyon is unexplored. In the bottom is the
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"<span lang="fr">Méandre Emeri</span>", so called because the
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formations are orientated in the direction of progress and of the draught.
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This rejoins a wide pitch with an inlet. After this 15m pitch is a short
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canyon and a damp 40m pitch. At the bottom, a huge descending passage
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suddenly turns almost vertical. This is the "Toboggan", needing 20m of rope
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(a very spectacular passage). At this level one again cuts a new streamway.
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The passage continues, then contracts, and chokes at -385m.
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<p><b>Conclusion</b>: An enormous amount to see and to go back and finish.
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The more we explore, the more we find ! With more support we could do some
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extraordinary speleological work.
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<p align=right lang="fr">J.C.Hans
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<h2><a name="122" lang="de">UFO SCHACHT</a> or <span lang="fr">GOUFFRE OVNI</span></h2>
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<p><b>Location</b>: Western <span lang="de">Totes Gebirge - Hintergras</span><br>
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<b>Depth</b>: -201m <b>Altitude</b>: about 1500m
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<p><b>History</b>: Discovered in August 1974 by
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<span lang="fr">D.Motte</span>. Entrance unblocked by <acronym>GSAB</acronym>
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in 1975 and 76. Explored in August 1976 by <span lang="fr">F.Dechany</span>
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and <span lang="fr">J.C.Hans</span>.
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<p><b>Description</b>: The entrance consists of a crack about 20cm high,
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which was at first cleared as far as a chamber with no way on. The draught
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which had enabled us to find the entrance now showed us the way on. After
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having unblocked a fissure dubbed "Sas" we arrived at a pitch. This is
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broken in five places. A second pitch broken into three leads to a short
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canyon, then to several drops and pitches interspersed with short squeezes.
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The following pitches can be seen as forming a single 80m shaft, divided
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into five and becoming bigger and bigger in depth as well as width. The cave
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continues by a fault rift two or three metres wide and penetrating by
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successive notches. The exploration will continue in August 1977.
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<p align=right lang="fr">J.C.Hans
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<hr>
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<!-- LINKS -->
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<img alt=">" src="../../../../icons/lists/0.gif">
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<a href="../index.htm"><acronym>GSAB</acronym> articles list</a><br>
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<img alt=">" src="../../../../icons/lists/0.gif">
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<b>Cave descriptions</b> (in English translation):<br>
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<img alt="--->" src="../../../../icons/lists/1.gif">
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<a href="../../../noinfo/1626/50.htm"><span lang="de">Ahnenschacht</span></a><br>
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<img alt="--->" src="../../../../icons/lists/1.gif">
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<a href="../../../noinfo/1626/117.htm"><span lang="de">Trunkemboldschacht</span></a><br>
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<img alt="--->" src="../../../../icons/lists/1.gif">
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<a href="../../../noinfo/1626/120.htm"><span lang="de">Feuertalsystem</span></a><br>
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<img alt="--->" src="../../../../icons/lists/1.gif">
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<a href="../../../noinfo/1626/122.htm"><span lang="fr">Gouffre Ovni</span></a><br>
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<img alt=">" src="../../../../icons/lists/0.gif">
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