expoweb/smkridge/204/midlevel.shtml
2002-07-15 00:28:31 +02:00

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<HTML lang=en><HEAD><TITLE>1623:204 -- Mid-level passages</TITLE>
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<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>
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<h2>Mid-level passages (including Wolpertinger Way)</h2>
<H3><A name=survey>Survey</A></H3>
<center><img src="midlevel.png" width=512 height=595 alt="Survey"></center>
<H3><A name=wolp>Wolpertinger Way</A></H3>
<img class=onright src="t/11cei.jpg" alt="Wolpertinger Way">
<P><B>Thread Pitch</B> and <b>Stitch This</b> from <A
href="entrance.shtml#nearend">The Near
End</A> land at the top of a large 6-8m diameter phreatic passage,
<B>Wolpertinger Way</B>. This heads downhill past some ice formations on the
left hand side, for 35m to a junction. Straight ahead is a steep gully leading
to a 6.5m diameter circular shaft with aven above - <B>You're So Veined</B>.
There is a traverse round the right hand side of the gully on an increasingly
narrow ledge.
<P><B>You're So Veined</B> is rigged at its southern end, and this is reached
via a sandy crawl off to the right from the top of the steep gully, which passes
over a hole in the floor through dangerous boulders [<A
href="qm.shtml#C1999-204-09"
name=qC1999-204-09>C1999-204-09 C</A>] to reach a junction. Right is a
passage, which quickly chokes, straight ahead leads into <A
href="#110aday">110 A Day</A>,
whilst left is the main route.
<P>More sandy crawling leads to a crossroads, where left leads to the ledge
overlooking the pitch, and right is a short crawl leading to the main passage
part of the way down <A
href="#pendulum">Pendulum
Pitch</A>, the easiest route to the <A
href="pleasuredome.shtml#elephant">White
Elephant Series</A>. Straight ahead leads to a further junction. Right is a
short passage to a traverse round a blind pit, an alternative route to <A
href="#pendulum">Pendulum
Pitch</A>. Left is the head of <B>You're So Veined</B>, the start of the <A
href="ariston.shtml#ariston">Ariston
Series</A>. </P>
<H3><A name=110aday>110 A Day</A></H3>
<P><B>110 A Day</B> is a long, dusty passage which varies between stooping and
crawling for 110m. Immediately after the start is a sharp right hand bend with
a crawl straight ahead to <B>110 Bidet</B>. About halfway along is a crossroads,
where low passages lead off to the left to <B>110 Bidet</B> and to the right [<A
href="qm.shtml#C1999-204-13"
name=qC1999-204-13>C1999-204-13 C</A>]. At the terminus reached in 1999, the
passage splits into two. Each branch immediately becomes tight, but could be
pushed further with a little determination and effort [<A
href="qm.shtml#C1999-204-14"
name=qC1999-204-14>C1999-204-14 C</A> and <A
href="qm.shtml#C1999-204-15"
name=qC1999-204-15>C1999-204-15 C</A>]. In the left hand branch, just before the
passage becomes tighter, is an undescended pitch [<A
href="qm.shtml#C1999-204-16"
name=qC1999-204-16>C1999-204-16 A</A>] of perhaps 20m.
<H3><A name=110bidet>110 Bidet</A></H3>
<P><B>110 Bidet</B> is a stooping size passage which runs parallel to <B>110 A Day</B>.
It can be accessed via a crawl about 1m up that carries straight on from where
<B>110 A Day</B> starts with a sharp right hand turn. The crawl emerges into
larger passage; to the left after 5m is <B>Pendulum Pitch</B>. Going right leads
to a hole in the floor among boulders, <B>Marble Run</B>. To the left here
is a low passage leading to <B>No Pain No Gain</B>, whilst <B>110 Bidet</B> carries straight on.
Continuing on, the passage turns right, followed shortly by a crossroads with a crawly passage.
To the right is a dead end; to the left is [<A
href="qm.shtml#C2000-204-54"
name=qC2000-204-54>C2000-204-54 B</A>]. Straight on emerges into <B>110 A Day</B>
about half way along its length.
<H3><A name=marblerun>Marble Run</A></H3>
<P><B>Marble Run</B> runs along a fault line that created a small passable phreatic
tube, which has subsequently been intersected by a tight rifty stream way. 20m along
the rift bears to the right and is too tight to pass, whilst the phreatic passage continues on to a small
chamber. Here the passage doubles back over itself to continue above the original
passage. The passage does this once more to end in an earth blockage.
<H3><A name=pendulum>Pendulum Pitch Route</A></H3>
<P><B>Pendulum Pitch</B> is in a large rift. The first section is a loose
boulder slope (care required) to a rebelay, then a descent of 23m via a
deviation off the far wall below a large wedged boulder. There may be a passage
on the far side of the rift accessible with difficulty from this boulder [<A
href="qm.shtml#C1999-204-17"
name=qC1999-204-17>C1999-204-17 C</A>]. From the base of the pitch, two rift
passages lead off which very quickly become too tight.
<P>The main route on is reached by swinging off after 16m into a 6m wide
passage. Two passages in the left hand wall are quickly encountered. The first
quickly becomes too tight, the second is a short crawl leading into the network
of sandy crawls at the bottom of <A
href="#wolp">Wolpertinger
Way</A>, and is the best route from here to the <A
href="ariston.shtml#ariston">Ariston
Series</A>. Continuing down the main passage, passing either side of a huge
boulder, reaches a blind pit in the floor, with two ways on.
<P>A loose and slightly precarious traverse round the blind pit leads to a short
passage on the left, emerging at the head of <B>You're So Veined</B> at the
start of the <A
href="ariston.shtml#ariston">Ariston
Series</A>. A rift visible at the opposite side of the pit has an audible
connection to <B>You're so Veined</B>.
<P>To the right at the blind pit is a draughting phreatic tube which heads
downhill at a comfortable walking size past a tight passage on the left [<A
href="qm.shtml#C1999-204-18"
name=qC1999-204-18>C1999-204-18 C</A>]. After 20m, a 3m climb up into a roof
tube on the right hand side is the way into the <A
href="pleasuredome.shtml#elephant">White
Elephant Series</A>. The phreatic passage continues for a further 15m past a too
tight inlet on the right and a traverse over a blind pit to a 3m deep hole in
the floor, which is blind. Traversing over the hole and up a loose climb with a
too tight rift in the right hand wall leads into an uphill passage, which is
choked with mud after 5m. A sandy crawl on the right just before the choke leads
via a left hand bend with a too tight rift on the right (probably connecting to
that at the loose climb) ending at a 2m climb down. There is a possible way on
at the bottom of this, but it is very small and tall people at least would have
to enter feet first [<A
href="qm.shtml#C1999-204-19"
name=qC1999-204-19>C1999-204-19 C</A>]. There is a noticeable draught here
blowing downhill (into the cave).
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