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<title>1997: Logbook</title>
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<h1 style="color:lightgrey"">Austria 1997</h1>
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<p>The first part of the log is traditionally taken up by the journey
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out.<br>If this is of no interest, here is a link <a href="#id1997-161-1">to
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the caving</a>!
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<h1>IN REQUIEM</h1>
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It was pissing down all over Europe...
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<h2>MEANWHILE, BACK AT CAMBRIDGE:-</h2>
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<hr />
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<p>1997-07-18 | Journey - TEAM MOMENTUM II | <u>Mike TA</u>, Sam , Dave H</p>
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<p>Started from York with Tina'n'Mike and quite a lot of not-very well packed
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gear, and drove to pick up Dave, thence to Sam's with even more even more
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crapply packed gear. Sam was out but a quick look through his bedroom window
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showed a huge pile of even more gear. General opinion was that it wouldn't
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all fit but Tina started from the position that it would so it did
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<p>[pic of estate car with stuff on roof with 15 degree elevation to
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road]
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<p>with Tina and Sam on ½ back seat.
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<p>Uneventful journey to chunnel except for fuzz in car who were heard to say
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'bloody hell'.
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<p>Unloaded Tina and quite a lot on Clive who was going to France to go gorge
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bashing.
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<p>On the shuttle Mike'n'Dave went to see Tony'n'Becka who were there as
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well; on the way back met Sam who asked if Mike had the keys 'cos he'd locked
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the Astra. Say no more so Dave kicked a rear quarter light in. Sam is now
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candidate for expo fuckwit of the year. Apart from that and the fact that it
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pissed down almost continuously ( and we saw two standard & one very
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mangled crash) the journey was pretty eneventful. T/T 14½ hours
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<hr />
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<p>1997-07-18 | Team Raspberry Ripple | Tony R + <u>Becka</u> </p>
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<p>All v. civilised, even tho' I had shitloads of gear there was only the two
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of us, so it all fitted. Saw Clive et al at Dover, & Mike et al (who
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ignored us) & apparently Jeremy was hanging around in the melee, but we
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didn't see him. Did the chunnel, & Mike + Dave came along to say hi + I
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splashed raspberry juice all over Tony's car. Oh, and we'd all brought a
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litre of single malt so we were OK. We drove & swapped & drove +
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swapped + drove... It was horrible & v._v_ wet. At about 4am it got
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light, but it was still wet. We did the scenic tour north of Salzburg -
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Tharau, Mondsee,??, Mendre & finally [scribble] Wolfgangzee. That took an
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hour in the rain. So are we going to be 1st, 2nd or 3rd (asked Tony?) 2nd if
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we're lucky, MikeTA will have floored it + Adam's probably beat us too. We
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were first. Said hi to Karin, shopped in Bad Aussee & MikeTA arrived.
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Beers in Hildes. I crashed, but the single malt was cracked open.
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<p>two trips from all five of us to 19/9 Top Camp with our caving gear +
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Shit. Even managed to be dry on the 2nd.
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<p>PM - Germans dropped by for a couple of hours & a couple of beers.
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They've re-surveyed our original Stellerweg stuff. Gave them a whisky taster
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sesh then they went + we finished the 2nd crate of beer, dried our boots +
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sang (no ghetto blaster).
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<hr />
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<p>1997-07-18 | Journey - DRIVE-IN - Jon Barker, Adam Cooper + Gear in a dodgy van | Jon, Adam </p>
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<p> BECKA - No date given for this entry, guessed at 18th
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<p>Hull- Rotterdam crossing -> pleasant drive 'cos you can get some real
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sleep. Relatively uneventful drive taking ~15hrs, except 1) the Dutch are
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crap at signing anywhere outside Holland which makes getting into Germany
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tricky. 2) Coffee beans work at keeping a driver lively.
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<hr />
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<a id="id1997-161-1">1997-07-21</a> | 161 - Wheelchair Access |<u>Sam</u>, Dave, Mike TA, Becka, Tony </p>
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<br>Team 1: <u>Sam</u>, Dave, Mike TA
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<br>Team 2: Becka, Tony, Mike TA (again)
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<br>T/U 5 hours
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<p>With a hoard of going leads there was lots for all to do (all five of
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us). After a certain amount of whinging about the scrofulous route in we
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were at the pushing ...{Dave gave me a beer at this point} ... front.
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Through a squeeze to the left there was a pitch with a traverse over the
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top (apparently pushed by CJD last year), I traversed over the pitch, up
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a climb, over another pitch and errr... ummm... it all got a bit
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difficult, but carried on.
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<p>[ sketch plan showing location of survey point marked with "M" ]
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<p>Having given up the traverse I then proceeded to hammer a spit in, 1/3
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of the way in - ping, the rock fell to pieces. The second hole worked
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and I derigged the traverse and rigged the pitch (1st one), This dropped
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7m and ended in a blind, choked rift.
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<p>Meanwhile the other team (team 2) were rigging down the right-hand pitch
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series, a steeply descending ramp, This was rigged to an awkward squeeze
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constriction ~20m whereupon they ran out of rope, Mike, having carefully
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forgotten his harness earlier on in the trip, then proceeded to leave
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his jammers at the top of the ramp series (chalk one up for the Fuckwit
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Tally).
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<p>Soon it was deemed to be 'Time to Go' and we exited the cave. Most
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people walked back to top camp - however, Dave and I decided to go 'off
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piste' and had an entertaining time on the Ht. Schwartzmoos Kgl. (see
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separate write-up when I get round to it).
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<p><a href="../1996/log.htm#id1996-161-63">Previous trip (1996)</a> /
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<a href="#id1997-161-3">Next trip</a>
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<hr />
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<a id="id1997-161-2">1997-07-23</a> | 161 - Where the Wind Blows | Tony, Sam, <u>Becka</u></p>
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<br>T/U 5 hours
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<p>Pootled along to Where the Wind Blows, <u>swearing</u> loudly at last
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years deriggers, who had removed all the sodding handlines (but hadn't
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detackled things like the big wet loose pitch down Alternative
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Universe). We skipped one handline, cut our rope for the next two, then
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spent <u>ages</u> faffing at the little up-climb before No Utility Belt
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Required, 'cos the bastards had taken the rope off that <u>too</u>, for
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no good reason, and our rope wasn't long enough. We had now used all our
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rope, and I'd misheard how many bits we'd have to bring and we hadn't
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expected <u>all</u> the handlines to be derigged. To the question marks
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at the end of Where the Wind Blows, I wriggled down the slot on the
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left, 5m before the choked end.
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<p>[ sketch plan with much annotation ]
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<p>I went left, up a vertical squeeze to a small chamber then up another
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vertical squeeze (Sam first) and a step up and Sam went up a 4m climb to
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look into a <u>big</u> echoey vertical aven. He couldn't see anything
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obvious off it.
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<p>Tony + Sam rigged the little pitch down the rift on the R after
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going through the slot on the L (by dint of sending Sam <u>back</u>
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to derig the bloody up-climb to fetch the rope), Pitch to small chamber,
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~3m down, then in one corner a tight rift going off (needs
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<u>hammering</u>) widens out below to ?20m pitch. A <u>small</u>
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question mark!
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<p>Meanwhile I started digging the final boulder choke. Thought the weak
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draft got a <u>bit</u> stronger. Slow going - a medium sized QM?.
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<p><center>BKA</center>
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<p><a href="../1996/log.htm#id1996-161-47">Previous trip (1996)</a> /
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<a href="#id1997-161-14a">Next trip</a> /
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<a href="#id1997-161-3">Wheelchair Access trip</a> (same day)
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<hr />
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<a id="id1997-161-5">1997-07-24</a> | 161 - Alternative Universe | Dave H, Jon Barber, <u>Becka</u></p>
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<p align=right>T/U 5½ hours
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<p>Mike gave us the briefing as he'd been the only one down last year.
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Gave Jon a brief lesson in surveying. Found a random carbide mark half-
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way down the boulder slope ~100m before Bulemic Pit. At the bottom of
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the boulder slope, you drop down a hole in the boulders (q. loose) and
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follow a tightish rift steeply down for ~5m to a Y-hand (2 bolts) which
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Mike had put in. Took out the rope which had been put in last year and
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rigged out <u>nice</u> skinny 9mm. Q. drippy down the pitch. 28m down to
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a big ledge. Found Mike's single dodgy bolt on the balcony to the bridge
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+ Jon put in a second bolt for a <u>nearly</u> rub-free Y-hang. At the
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ledge, I dropped the 5m pitch off 2 naturals - 2 well preserved
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<u>bat skeletons</u>
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<p>[ sketch showing locations of bat skeletons ]
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<p>(as plan) and an eye-hole through to the main pitch
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Jon was bolting. No other way on.
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<p>Jon + I down the next pitch, Y-hang <u>just about</u> OK with a rope
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protector and tacklesack on each arm of the Y-hang, but bad rubbing on
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the lower part of the pitch. Estimate 30-40m. Mike hadn't bottomed this
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last year [Oh yes I had - Mike TA] - not enough rope. Even drippier at
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the bottom of this pitch. Person-width rift led off. We thrutched
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<p>[ sketch plan of chamber ]
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<p>down as far as a short drop (15ft or less) where the rift opened up and
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continued around the corner - couldn't see how it ended,
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<p>Requires surveying from bolt at the head of 2nd pitch and probably a
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rebelay and deviation (at least!) on the 2nd pitch, plus a bolt for the
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short climb down the rift.
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<p><center>BKA</center>
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<p><a href="../1996/log.htm#id1996-161-65">Previous trip (1996)</a> /
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<a href="#id1997-161-14">Next trip</a> /
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<a href="#id1997-161-4">Wheelchair Access trip</a> (same day)
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<hr />
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<a id="id1997-161-3">1997-07-23</a> | 161 - Wheelchair Access | <u>Jon</u>, Adam, Mike TA</p>
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<p>T/U 5 hours
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<p>This was my first down Kaninchenhöhle. I was hot and tired by the
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time we had walked there in the midday sun. The cave was very cold in
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contrast.
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<p>We set off into Wheelchair Access. It was odd route with small bits and
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lots of climbs. The ways were very sharp and I do not see my over suit
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lasting very long.
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<p>We then started on the shit ramp. Adam sat and put a spit in part way
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down while Mike continued down and bolted lower down. I just sat down
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and went to sleep while they worked.
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<p>The pitch was descended and another climb was found into a big passage.
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This could not be entered as there were no more ropes. See later to find
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out how much more there is ....
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<p><a href="#id1997-161-1">Previous trip</a> /
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<a href="#id1997-161-4">Next trip</a> /
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<a href="#id1997-161-2">Where the Wind Blows trip</a> (same day)
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<hr />
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<a id="id1997-161-4">1997-07-24</a> | 161 - Wheelchair Access and Kein Zimmer Rift | Tony, <u>Mike TA</u>, Sam, <u>Adam</u></p>
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<p>Tony, Mike pushing Time U/G
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<p>Sam, <u>Adam</u>surveying TU 6 hours
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<p>(1) <u>Surveying Trip</u> - Mike
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<p>Proceeded to passage referred to in the last write-up. The dirty ramp in
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Wheelchair Access has been renamed Kein Zimmer Rift on account of the
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lack of space. Surveyed from the 'M' carbide mark at -225m below 161a.
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Survey station 20 is the bottom of a plumb from the obvious nose
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containing a spit for the pitch into the big stuff. Tony whinged like a
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tosser spitting this. Spent ~¼hour running upstream in enormnous
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passage, before leaving.
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<p>See survey book for Sam's sketch of (mainly) the upstream passage - Tony
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and Mike had investigated down stream ... (next page)
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<p>(2) <u>Pushing Trip</u> - Adam
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<p>Trundled quickly down to the bottom of Kein Zimmer, pausing only
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occasionally to kick shit out of a tackle bag to get it down the rift. A
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few minutes knitting saw the drop into the passage rigged, and we
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dropped into a huge (well, very large) passage. Hmmm :- upstream or
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downstream? We agreed on downstream - followed passage for 250m with a
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few climbs through boulders but always large passage (phreatic tube at
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the pitch but becoming more canyon-like later). Eventually reached big
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ledge at side of a massive rift chamber. Tony bolted and descended to a
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ledge below which the pitch continued, but from there we climbed into
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the chamber. This is a huge (yes, <u>huge</u>) rift chamber with a
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steeply sloping floor, maybe 40m end-to-end. The bottom end narrows to a
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wall of mud. Unfortunately we couldn't find any way out.
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<p>Returned back up and met Sam & Adam who had just reached the kitted
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pitch. Tony bolted properly, then we ran upstream for a bit; this leads
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over a choss bank to another large chamber with a soil bank; up this and
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left leads back to the main passage, right goes to a climb down into a
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chamber, with a crawling tube back to the aforementioned chamber.
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<p>Now that's what makes expo caving worthwhile. Went out and got back to
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the Löserhutte before it started raining.
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<p><a href="#id1997-161-3">Previous trip</a> /
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<a href="#id1997-161-6">Next trip</a> /
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<a href="#id1997-161-5">Alternative Universe trip</a> (same day)
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<hr />
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1997-07-23 | Loser Plateau - Cairning | <u>Dave H</u></p>
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<p>Whilst the rest were caving I walked from Top Camp to the cave re-cairning
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the route so I won't get lost again. I also explored three possible digs in
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the valley/gulley we walk down. Starting from the bottom, on the left as you
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walk down, just before you get to the bunde highway, you step over it on the
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walk to the cave. A tight rift with a good cold draft. May go, but needed
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more in the way of protective clothing than shorts and T-shirt.
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<p>In the right hand wall of the valley:
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<p>(1) Sam's dig:
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<br>Flat out crawl on pebbles with more run in from the
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right. Way on is a tight rift in the floor at the end. I removed some
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rocks but rift looks too tight at 5-6 inches wide. But does emit a
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strong cold draft.
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<p>(2) Further up on the right as you walk down the valley/gulley. A
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circular entrance with mud floor, leads to a 3m deep pot which is blind.
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The way on over the top of the pot soon chokes - no draft.
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<hr />
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1997-07-24 | 161 - SAM & DAVE GO WALKABOUT | Dave, <u>Sam</u></p>
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<p>BECKA - no date given for this trip - but I was on the 161 trip that
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Sam and Dave were part of so looking at other dates I think this was the 24th.
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This makes sense as no caving happened on the 25th as we'd all been up half the night before.
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<p>Having had a successful first trip in the cave (well, noone died anyway)
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we exited into blinding sun, er, clag, mist and light rain. We all left
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together, Dave and I bringing up the rear and all was well trolling up
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the gulley back to top camp. Twilight had set in so now we had clag,
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mist, heavier rain and failing visibility - what could possibly go wrong
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- well....
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<center><h3>WE GOT LOST</h3></center>
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<p>At one point we traversed round a bit both of us recognised as being an
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alternative route instead of going up a climb on the 'Authorised' route.
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Sorry this pen's a bit crap - switching to a new one .... This one's
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better ... Rather than do the sensible intelligent thing and turn back
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we persevered on our present course assuming we'd meet the path again. I
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mistakenly headed rightish (North as it turned out) up a different gully
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and then carefully kept a vague dark blob of a hill to our left. The
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vague dark blob of a hill was in fact the Hinter Schwartzmoos Kogel.
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More dark and more rain. We were now thoroughly lost. Dave had a compass
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and I had a vague notion of which way we should go - East and maybe a bit
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North and downhill 'cos we were definitely too high. Ten minutes later
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it was completely dark and tipping down (still misty and claggy) and it
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was decided that more walking in which ever direction would get us more
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lost so we found a rock shelter (dripping, misty, claggy and a pleasant
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breeze blowing through). We donned every bit of available gear including
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rucksacks - every bit of available gear was wet of course, and layed in
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a slight depression in the rocks. It was now 9:15pm, Dave fettled his
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carbide up and we huddled round it breathing warm carbide soot, and very
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warming it was too. The rest of the night was sleepless, very cold,
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always quarter to something and raining, dark, misty, claggy and windy.
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We waited for a reasonable amount of light and I decided if we headed
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South and East depending on terrain we would arrive back somewhere
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useful no matter where we were. 5:30am we set off (in the mist and clag
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but no rain hooray!!) - the walking around warmed us up and as we got
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lower the clag cleared marginally. A cliff face covered in Bunda ...
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mmmmm ... we found what looked a bit like a path and followed it - a bit
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of dithering around in the Bunda and we found a gulley - no way out at
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the bottom. <b>BUT</b> a little way up we found a definite path - sawn
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off branches and all and .... oh, we were at the Bunda traverse leading
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to 161d. Turn around and 15 minutes later we were back where we had gone
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wrong 10 hours earlier, still alive mostly thanks to having a carbide
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and a compass. 10 minutes further on we found Becka bellowing sweetly
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through the mist - rescued at last. After a brew and a bowl of Tom Yan
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Noodle soup we all went back down to base camp and what turned out to be a
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nice sunny day.
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<p>Many thanks to the people who had to get out of their just warm pits,
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put on their boots (after they'd tipped the water out) to come and look
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for us (twice) - next time it's your turn to hide.
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<p>Sam (only seven lives left now).
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<hr />
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1997-07-27 | Loser Plateau - Loser Plateau | <u>William</u> and Julian </p>
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<p>William and Julian walked over in direction of C136, left gear for
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tomorrow's trip at highest point of Kaninchenhöhle path above col, and
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carried on round and slightly up. Noticed small hole under boulders and
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went down with a head-torch. Goes down for c. 20m to a tightish looking
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way on (worth trying in proper gear). At this point I could see daylight
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and crawled up a slope and out.
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<p>[drawing of entrance locations]
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<hr />
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<a id="id1997-161-9">1997-07-28</a> | 161 Surveying and Photographing Lost World | <u>Dave H</u>, Mike TA, Sam and William </p>
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<p>Dave H and Mike - Photographing Lost World
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<p>Sam and William - Surveying Lost World
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<p>We went to Lost World, Sam carried my camera gear down Kein Zimmer rift.
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I took lots of photos in upstream Lost World which I hope come out.
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Tried photographing one of the many bat skeletons in the large chamber
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upstream Lost World, which almost certainly won't come out. I'm not sure
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I had enough light to do the large chamber justice - may be worth going
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back with some bulbs instead. Took more photos on the way out, including
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of Kein Zimmer rift, up which Mike carried my ammo can.
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<p>Because I kept taking more photos on the way out we didn't get out 'till
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close to our call-out time of 8pm.
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<p>T/U 7 ¾ hours
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<p><a href="#id1997-161-8">Previous trip</a> /
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<a href="#id1997-161-10">The surveying trip</a>
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<a href="#id1997-161-12">Next trip</a> /
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<a href="#id1997-136-1">136 trip</a>
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<a href="#id1997-161-11">Siberia trip</a> (same day)
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|
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<hr />
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<p><a id="id1997-161-10">1997-07-28</a> | 161 - Surveying Lost World Upstream | Sam, <u>William</u></p>
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|
|
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<p>Sam (notes) and <u>William</u> (instruments)
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<p>My reintroduction to KH after 1990 expo - don't like climb to new
|
|
entrance. Arrived just in time to hear a winging sound and see Becka
|
|
disappearing underground. Passed grottyishly rigged surprise of Wheelchair
|
|
Access - could do with extra bolt to remove need for rope protector. Down to
|
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Lost World via Kein Zimmer (Kein Raum/Platz?) rift which proved much easier
|
|
than we'd been told. Sam and I started surveying while Dave and Mike took
|
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piccies. Got up to survey st'n 4 where Sam suggested we go up a side rift
|
|
towards sound of running water. This we did and found huge area with small
|
|
stream running down wall, disappearing under boulder blocking exit and
|
|
simultaneously holding back a large pile of mud and gravel. Might just get
|
|
down but probably not worth trying unless you fancy getting buried alive.
|
|
Decided to survey it and ripped my suit. Continued surveying to station 10 in
|
|
the chamber full of dead bats (Ptearamack Suit Chamber?) - well 2 or 3
|
|
anyway. Continued through the crawl to the black floored passage (Bournville
|
|
Lakes) and connected up a few more legs here and there. By this time I was
|
|
freezing so we started out. Mike and Dave went on up the rift while I put a
|
|
bolt in the bottom pitch to improve the take off and still caught them up
|
|
before the top of the rift pitch. Out ca 7.30pm, back to camp where we waited
|
|
for Julian and Anthony to come out of 136 before going down to base camp in
|
|
the dark.
|
|
|
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<p>Time Underground 7½ hrs, William
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|
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<p>P.S. Pause for a rant. When joining ropes at a rebelay, join the rope
|
|
<u>loops</u> not just the maillon. That way you won't die if the maillon
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unscrews.
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|
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<p>[drawing of correct method with large tick]<br>
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[drawing of wrong method with large cross]
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|
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<p>PPS I like the rigging generally really!
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|
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<p>[Insert: page torn from magazine - advertisement "Now there's a new way to
|
|
avoid the wet patch.", captioned "Open, for a new exciting product - useful
|
|
for Sump clearance, wild nights out and rising damp."]
|
|
|
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<p><a href="#id1997-161-8">Previous trip</a> /
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<a href="#id1997-161-9">The photography trip</a>
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<a href="#id1997-161-12">Next trip</a> /
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|
<a href="#id1997-136-1">136 trip</a> &
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<a href="#id1997-161-11">Siberia trip</a> (same day)
|
|
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<hr />
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|
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<a id="id1997-161-11">1997-07-28</a> | 161 - Rigging towards Siberia | <u>Phil U</u>, Dunks, Becka </p>
|
|
|
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<p>T/U 7 hrs
|
|
|
|
<p align=right>{xxxx} = corrections from Becka
|
|
|
|
<p>Dunk had an Idea: "Let's push that lead in Siberia!"
|
|
<br>Phil: "Sounds like fun. Where's Siberia?"
|
|
<br>Becka: "Can I come too?"
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|
|
|
<p>So we arrived at 161d, and worked out what we had forgotten.
|
|
Unfortunately, I managed to fettle up a replacement for my lamp belt, so I
|
|
had to go caving. We arrived at the guillotine to find several 9-10m lengths
|
|
of rope, and three ropes >=56m. Mutter. General rope cutting and fettling,
|
|
(the 60-odd m rope), and then we were off. Rigged into Knossus via an airy
|
|
rebelay {Found tacklesack which had been left from last year}. General
|
|
wandering around trying to find YAPATE inlet. Found it. Stomp. Replaced the
|
|
traverse line {No, we didn't, we replaced the maillon on the pitch head and
|
|
left all the rope (circa 1990 or so)} below staircase 36, and prussiked up.
|
|
Becka replaced a dodgy looking <strike>hanger</strike> {maillon}, and we
|
|
trundled up Chicken Flied Nice, with a short diversion to look at Hyper Gamma
|
|
Spaces.
|
|
|
|
<p>Next:
|
|
lugging the tackle-bastards up Burble crawl. Not as nasty as it could have
|
|
been, but still pretty miserable. Popped out at the head of Vom pitch, which
|
|
Becka rigged half-way <strike>before running out of things to</strike>, and
|
|
then couldn't find the right way down. Dunks then had a go with equal lack of
|
|
success. {Later we found out it had been rigged off a deviation which had
|
|
later fallen off as someone prussiked up it.} Phil didn't try. We came out,
|
|
happy that we didn't have to lug all the tackle back through Burble, and
|
|
exited to warm sunshine at 7.00pm.
|
|
|
|
<p><a href="../1994/log.htm#id1994-161-11">Previous trip (1994)</a> /
|
|
<a href="#id1997-161-13">Next trip</a> /
|
|
<a href="#id1997-136-1">136 trip</a> &
|
|
<a href="#id1997-161-9">Wheelchair Access trips</a> (same day)
|
|
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|
<hr />
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|
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<a id="id1997-161-6">1997-07-26</a> | 161 - Wheelchair Access | <u>Becka</u>, Jon</p>
|
|
|
|
<p>TU 6 hrs
|
|
|
|
<p>Raining so noone else wanted to go caving. I dragged Jon down Wheelchair
|
|
Access. Jon did some re-rigging on Kein Zimmer and I ran downsteam to the
|
|
pitch. Jon came along and we ran upstream for a look around and then started
|
|
surveying downstream for some time. Then we came out.
|
|
|
|
<p><a href="#id1997-161-4">Previous trip</a> /
|
|
<a href="#id1997-161-7">Next trip</a>
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|
|
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<hr />
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|
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<p><a id="id1997-161-7">1997-07-27</a> | 161 - Tourist + Wheelchair Access with German cavers from Stuttgart club | <u>Becka</u>, Robert and Robert </p>
|
|
|
|
<p>T/U 7 hrs<br>
|
|
|
|
<p>Germans walked all the way over to Scarface with their gear from the car
|
|
park (with some subtle grumbles over the climbs!) and I took them on a
|
|
tourist to the end of Triassic Park and showed them the Fear-On Traverse and
|
|
the start of Interview Blues. Back to go down Wheelchair Access. More mild
|
|
grumbles over oversuit-shredding Kein Zimmer. Robert and Robert surveyed
|
|
downstream from where Jon and I had left off yesterday to the bottom of the
|
|
pitch downstream. I furtled around in the chamber below the pitch but
|
|
couldn't find a way on - unless there is a way the other side of the pool
|
|
where the pitch comes in.....but that is over welly height. I went back to
|
|
fetch a rope and rigged a pitch (?5m) off 2 naturals and kicked the accrued
|
|
stones down for a bit. Lobbed down and Robert (the elder) followed.
|
|
|
|
<p>[detailed sketch of cave]
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|
|
|
<p>To small chamber with skinny rift upstream + rift (fine to go down)
|
|
downstream. Down ~10m to small chamber, then along ~another 10m to top of
|
|
small pitch in rift - I think this is quite likely to join up to the pool at
|
|
the bottom of the downstream pitch into the big rift chamber, but should be
|
|
checked. Robert could see light from young Robert when he was in the 2nd rift
|
|
after the chamber + young Robert was in the main passage above the pitch.
|
|
[arrow pointing to a section at the bottom of the next page]
|
|
Showed the Germans Salt Lake City at the end of the trip and then they walked
|
|
all the way back to the car park with their gear!
|
|
|
|
<p><a href="#id1997-161-6">Previous trip</a> /
|
|
<a href="#id1997-161-8">Next trip</a>
|
|
|
|
<hr />
|
|
|
|
<p><a id="id1997-136-2">1997-07-29</a> | 136 - Steinschlagschacht | <u>Becka</u>, Julian H, Anthony</p>
|
|
|
|
<p>T/U 6½ hrs
|
|
|
|
<p>Faff, faff. Then Becka realised she had forgotten her oversuit at 161 so
|
|
had to go back down the bloody hill to get it (see Fuckwit count). Finally
|
|
got underground about 2pm. Anthony and Julian started the survey (Anthony had
|
|
done the surface survey to 136 earlier). After the first pitch, I took over
|
|
the surveying with Anthony and Julian went down to continue the rigging. We
|
|
did lots of dodgy plumbs and ambled on down nice airy rigging with hardly any
|
|
choss at all (<u>what were</u> they griping about?) Surveyed down to where A
|
|
& J had got yesterday, then Julian had rigged a traverse line over a
|
|
wettish rift into an eyehole. We reckoned the original CUCC route had gone
|
|
straight down the wet route. We did another 54m rope worth down the eye-hole
|
|
route, over a sloping hole and down 2 or 3 ledges until Julian got bored of
|
|
rigging and our survey had caught up with him (189m depth surveyed, with 40m
|
|
plan extent, fun, fun, fun!) Then we turned round and prussiked back out
|
|
again to a fantastic sunset.
|
|
|
|
<p><a href="#id1997-136-1">Previous trip</a> /
|
|
<a href="#id1997-136-3">Next trip</a> /
|
|
<a href="#id1997-161-12">161 trip</a> (same day)
|
|
|
|
<hr />
|
|
|
|
<p><a id="id1997-136-1">1997-07-28</a> | 136 - Steinschlagschacht | <u>Julian H</u>, Anthony </p>
|
|
|
|
<p>T/U 7½ hrs
|
|
|
|
<p>Walked to 136 the hard way, up, down, up, down over choss etc. Walked back
|
|
to get my gear. Sat around a bit fettling things, untangling 200m of rope and
|
|
remembering how to put on SRT kit. Eventually got underground about 2
|
|
o'clock. Completely rerigged the first pitch to avoid as much of the loose
|
|
rubble as possible - now a 45° bolt traverse to the head of the pitch.
|
|
Pitch head has moved from the original '83 position - now out of the line of
|
|
fire from the boulder slope. Fine pitch (c.35m) with mostly free hang (and a
|
|
lot of bounce) - one deviation.
|
|
|
|
<p>Continued on from foot of 1st pitch into large chamber sloping downhill
|
|
from entry point. There appeared to be 2 or 3 ways on from here but only one
|
|
spit in evidence from the original '83 exploration. We rigged down the most
|
|
promising hole (not where the original spit was) on the opposite side of the
|
|
chamber about half way down the slope. After about 15m descent found spits
|
|
from '83 exploration and followed these for around 100m descent. Eventually
|
|
arrived at a ledge next to a waterfall with the water disappearing down a
|
|
rift in the floor. This route looks a bit damp and unpleasant.
|
|
|
|
<p><u>Note:</u> The pitch head at the 2nd pitch is both loose and awkward.
|
|
Typically people kick rocks from this which fall around 70/80m down the pitch
|
|
to the obvious ledge. It's advisable not to call "pitch free" until OFF the
|
|
2nd pitch and for the following people to wait under this obvious ledge.
|
|
|
|
<p><a href="../1984/log.htm#id1984-136-5">Previous trip</a> (1984) /
|
|
<a href="#id1997-136-2">Next trip</a> /
|
|
<a href="#id1997-161-11">Siberia trip</a> &
|
|
<a href="#id1997-161-9">Wheelchair Access trips</a> (same day)
|
|
|
|
<hr />
|
|
|
|
<p><a id="id1997-161-15">1997-07-31</a> | 161 - KHöhle - Puerile Humour | <u>Dave H</u>, Andrew A, Mike TA</p>
|
|
|
|
<p>TU 5½ hrs
|
|
|
|
<p>Photographic trip up Puerile Humour. Went in with Sam and Adam to show us
|
|
the way. Took a couple of photos of Slidy Caver on the way in while waiting
|
|
for Andrew to change. I started photographing at Penguin Falls, and took one
|
|
and a bit films in Puerile. Took no piccies in Triassic cos I was told there
|
|
already are plenty. Finished off with some pictures in Critters' End,
|
|
Perseverance and Slidy Caver again. Got out with weather still OK, but heavy
|
|
cloud building. Back to camp OK, but it started thundering, lightening and
|
|
pissing down on the way down.
|
|
|
|
<p><a href="#id1997-161-14a">Previous trip</a> (Where The Wind Blows) /
|
|
Next trip - 1999 ?
|
|
|
|
<hr />
|
|
|
|
<a id="id1997-161-16">1997-07-31</a> | 161 - Siberia | <u>Dunks</u>, William, Phil U </p>
|
|
|
|
<p>TU 11 hrs</p>
|
|
|
|
<p>Finally got to the pushing front in Siberia. Someone Else's Problem is
|
|
fucking big. Whacked in some bolts and threw William down on a bit of rope.
|
|
No sign of the bottom - estimate about 50m. Came back out to darkness and
|
|
pissing rain. Siberia is in fact dead nice. A bit blowy, but dead nice - lots
|
|
of sculpted flakes of rock, and quite a lot of ?s all over the place.
|
|
|
|
<p><a href="#id1997-161-13">Previous trip</a> /
|
|
<a href="#id1997-161-17">Next trip</a>
|
|
|
|
<hr />
|
|
|
|
<p><a id="id1997-136-3">1997-07-31</a> | 136 - Steinschlagschact | Tony, <u>Becka</u> </p>
|
|
|
|
<p>TU Tony 7 hrs, Becka 8 hrs
|
|
|
|
<p>We went down ~same time as Julian + Anthony, we'd split a 200m rope
|
|
between us to rig each of our 2 routes. J & A bombed off with the drill
|
|
through the Eyehole route whilst Tony put another bolt on the opposite wall
|
|
to the end of the traverse. We went down the damper route, though the Y-hang
|
|
was well away from the water. Down to ledge in the rift, walked along it
|
|
~10m, found an 83/84 bolt. Tony down that, put a rebelay bolt over the lip,
|
|
moaned quite a bit about dead legs and down another short pitch. Along a
|
|
ledge R ~10m again, still stringing along our 100m rope and .....
|
|
der-der-der-duurh, we think we found the "Phreatic Phantasy" level. A few
|
|
widgy 1 metre (max) diameter tubes going off at quite steep (?60° or so)
|
|
angles which intersected with the main shaft. I furtled around for quite a
|
|
time rigged off various so-so naturals, to see if anything promising went
|
|
off. Nothing really seemed to be drafting they were quite mud-filled. I
|
|
rigged the next little pitch off 3 naturals and swung around and around some
|
|
more to various odd holes. Snapped off a v. fine white stal. squeezing into
|
|
an unpromising rifty-hole, sadly.
|
|
|
|
<p>[detailed sketch of cave entitled: Fantasy Frigging Freatic Level]
|
|
|
|
<p>Oh dear. Out to the traverse line, met the other 2 who'd bombed down and
|
|
bombed out, surveying. Tony went out. Julian, Anthony and I went back down
|
|
our route to survey it as far as a knobble (CM) above and on the wall by the
|
|
2nd natural (see plan over). Oh, except Anthony ballsed up and didn't get a
|
|
compass for that leg. Everyone turned their noses up at my phreatics then we
|
|
prussiked out with loads of drill gear which was bloody heavy. I ended up
|
|
with 2 tacklesacks on the entrance pitch with the usual CUCC 2m donkey dicks
|
|
on which meant they swung nicely into all the ungardened choss on the
|
|
traverse line at the top. Crash, rumble, crash. "You still there Anthony?"
|
|
Dour grumbles from the farthest corner of the cave. Out to thunder,
|
|
lightning and downpour. Walked down in caving gear. Yum,yum.
|
|
|
|
<p><a href="#id1997-136-2">Previous trip</a> -
|
|
<a href="#id1997-136-4">Dry route trip</a> (same day) -
|
|
<a href="#id1997-136-5">Next (connection) trip</a>
|
|
|
|
<hr />
|
|
|
|
<p><a id="id1997-161-8">1997-07-27</a> | 161 - Surveying upstream in Lost World |<u>Sam</u>, Adam</p>
|
|
|
|
<p>Discovered a section of <u>large</u> passage containing many mud
|
|
formations and showing evidence of backing up. Very sump-like. Much of
|
|
passage (named Bournville Lakes?) was ~5m wide, highly linear and v. tall,
|
|
hading slightly. Dived off down, even more sump-like, entering a tube before
|
|
leading ultimately to a small mud-choked bit. The water had cut deep trenches
|
|
in mud banks but seemed to seep into choss in the floor. Surveyed this lot so
|
|
didn't have time to complete the whole upstream survey.
|
|
|
|
<p>(Survey continued William & Sam)
|
|
Adam<br>
|
|
(28/7 - <a href="#id1997-161-10">written up earlier</a>)
|
|
T/U 7 hrs
|
|
|
|
<p><a href="#id1997-161-7">Previous trip</a> /
|
|
<a href="#id1997-161-9">Next trips</a>
|
|
|
|
<hr />
|
|
|
|
<p><a id="id1997-161-12">1997-07-29</a> | 161 - Sam's rift at top of K(l?)ein Zimmer | Tony, Jon, <u>Adam</u></p>
|
|
|
|
<p>Went with drill to push over the 1st pit (Sam did before, blind pit).
|
|
Bolted down 2nd pit, clearing choss on the way. Approx 20m deep before
|
|
choked. Adam bolted up to the last bolt before suggesting Jon continued. He
|
|
did - it went about 10 feet! Went out - Tony frozen. Needs further push for
|
|
3rd pit!
|
|
|
|
<p>T/UG 5 hrs Adam
|
|
|
|
<p><a href="#id1997-161-10">Previous trip</a> /
|
|
<a href="#id1997-136-2">136 trip</a> (same day) /
|
|
<a href="#id1997-161-19">Next trip</a>
|
|
|
|
<hr />
|
|
|
|
<p>1997-07-30 | Surface - Surface ramblings | Tony, <u>Adam</u></p>
|
|
|
|
<p>Went round the Augstwies side for a look around, starting at 201 level.
|
|
Lots of bunde bashing and following Bambi tracks up ridiculous slopes.
|
|
Located (1) a tube<br>
|
|
(2) a cave CUCC 1997 # 1 ... (see KH survey book, sorry)
|
|
|
|
<p>Both are in the cliff which 161d sits in. The tube was too high - need to ab in. The cave is 30m long and may draught slightly. Worth a dig as it is
|
|
~30m lower & 20m S of 161d. It is phreatic.
|
|
|
|
<p>Sketched some surface features to the limit of my ability. See non-KH
|
|
survey book.
|
|
|
|
<p align=right>Adam<br>
|
|
T/U 30 mins
|
|
|
|
<p>
|
|
|
|
<hr />
|
|
|
|
<p><a id="id1997-136-4">1997-07-31</a> | 136 - Steinschlagschacht (136) | Julian H + Anthony</p>
|
|
|
|
TU 8 hours
|
|
|
|
<p>Bombed down the "Eyehole Route" as far as the limit of the trip on 29/7/97
|
|
to find Julian putting in more bolts at the head of the next pitch Some time
|
|
and 3 bolts later, a distant "pitch free" was heard & I followed. Pitch
|
|
is approx. 60m with deviation & 2 rebelays. The last 45m is down the wall
|
|
of a jolly large chamber. (roof not visible from top rebelay (at least 65m
|
|
high) chamber appears to be part of an enormous rift, ~10m wide and 20m long,
|
|
choked at either end. At the southern end, a hole is visible ~10m off the
|
|
ground, possibly accessible by a chossy climb which neither of us fancied our
|
|
chances of getting back down again without a rope. A hole under the far wall
|
|
of the chamber from where the rope lands leads to the foot of a drippy aven
|
|
with no other visible leads. Survey data puts this lot at -257m from 136
|
|
entrance and ~30m below the level of Forbidden Land. No obvious draught,
|
|
though the big pitch is quite breezy. Undid the last 2 rebelays on the way
|
|
out with a view to hauling the rope out from the top later.
|
|
|
|
<p><a href="#id1997-136-2">Previous trip</a> /
|
|
<a href="#id1997-136-3">Wet route trip</a> (same day) /
|
|
<a href="#id1997-136-5">Next (connection) trip</a>
|
|
|
|
<hr />
|
|
|
|
<p><a id="id1997-161-13">30/7/97</a> | 161 - Siberia | <u>Jon</u>, Duncan</p>
|
|
|
|
<p>TU 7½ hrs
|
|
|
|
<p>I was talked into going to Siberia with Duncan. There were plenty of
|
|
comments like "Its not that cold", "Burble Crawl is not too bad" and the
|
|
like. It was in fact one of my best trips and I was warm. This was the first
|
|
time I did not need a hat and gloves. We went in through Triassic Park and
|
|
into Knossos. All nice and big. Then Burble Crawl. Not too small but .. its
|
|
uphill for 100m. Vom Pitch followed. We were glad to get out of this place at
|
|
the bottom, lots of bits fell off including what we rigged off. Duncan found
|
|
the way on and off we went. (There is also a hole at the bottom of the pitch.
|
|
Possible lead!) Found a windy passage. I got cold while Duncan rigged then we
|
|
went out to meet our call out.
|
|
|
|
<p><a href="#id1997-161-11">Previous trip</a> /
|
|
<a href="#id1997-161-16">Next trip</a>
|
|
|
|
<hr />
|
|
|
|
<p>26/7/97 | Journey - Team Lardis Time Travel to Expo | Dunks, Anthony</p>
|
|
|
|
<p>Smaller than it looks on the inside. Travels along right angles in space
|
|
time. Got to Dover so fast we reckoned we'd catch the earlier ferry.
|
|
Unfortunately the last 2 miles to the docks took 1½ hours therefore
|
|
caught ¼ to 3 ferry.
|
|
|
|
<p>Once in France Anthrax, Megadeth and Halloween kept us awake for a while.
|
|
<p>Incidental note!<br>
|
|
Fuel consumption against speed for Lada Riva 1.3 !
|
|
|
|
<p>[funny graph follows]
|
|
|
|
<p>Some fat Kraut tried to shove us off the Autobahn, but we arrived OK.
|
|
|
|
<hr />
|
|
|
|
<p><a id="id1997-161-14">30/7/97</a> | 161 - Last and final bit of Magic Jumars | Sam Lieberman and Mike Richardson</p>
|
|
|
|
<p>First trip down Magic Jumars (in fact first trip down Alternative
|
|
Universe) before we'd even got to the pitch series we spotted a V. V. good
|
|
lead requiring a bolt traverse (Anthony, Dave shits muesli, there was an
|
|
awful lot of Dave knowledgeable bullshit going on not to mention a "pendule")
|
|
spot the pissed ramblings in log book). Meanwhile back in the cave....
|
|
|
|
<p>[map drawn here]
|
|
|
|
<p>Having descended the pitches Sam took off his SRT gear and squeezed
|
|
through the rift at the end. There was a gorgeous echo (worthy of a Welsh
|
|
choir) but the rift got too tight errrrrrr................ well a team of
|
|
dehydrated midgets might get through - derigged in the well dripping pitches.
|
|
|
|
<p>TU for Mike 6 hours
|
|
|
|
<p><a href="#id1997-161-5">Previous Alternative Universe trip</a>
|
|
|
|
<hr />
|
|
|
|
<p><a id="id1997-161-14a">30/7/97</a> | 161 - Re-rigging Where the Wind Blows | <u>Sam</u></p>
|
|
|
|
<p>After de-rigging Alternative Universe, Mike headed out from the
|
|
Guillotine, with some time in hand I decided to go and recover my tape slings
|
|
and re-rig the traverses and hand-lines in Puerile Humour - boring stuff
|
|
really. Ran down Triassic/Puerile Humour did the re-rigging/collected the
|
|
spare ropes and ran back down Triassic.
|
|
|
|
<p>TU including Alt.Uni trip 7 ½ hours.
|
|
|
|
<p><a href="#id1997-161-2">Previous WTWB trip</a> /
|
|
<a href="#id1997-161-15">Next trip</a>
|
|
|
|
<hr />
|
|
|
|
<p>3/8/97 | Journey - Swiss Alpinists arrive... | Chris Densham, Mary Lane, Mike Baslington
|
|
|
|
<p>Mike Baslington - (Juliette Kelly's 4C's buddy)
|
|
<p>Mary Lane (Fran's sister)
|
|
|
|
<p>Just left the Swiss Alps after 2 weeks very pleasant climbing. Just
|
|
trogging up the hill to see about doing some caving. Chris
|
|
|
|
<hr />
|
|
|
|
<p>2/8/97 | Surface - some rambling/digging/surface rigging | <u>Adam</u></p>
|
|
|
|
<p>Claggy weather so went to<br>
|
|
|
|
(1) rig/insert spits for an ab off from Scar Face to below the cliff for<br>
|
|
a) surveying down lower<br>
|
|
b) rescue evacuation to a helicopter landing<br>
|
|
(2) dig the back of 1997/01
|
|
|
|
<p>Results<br>
|
|
(1) rescue rig not completed. Ran out of rope and cones (dropped one :-( ).
|
|
So far one spit + 4m and 3m north of 161d for traverse round + 2 spits ~ 15m
|
|
N & below at top of grassy swathe. 40m rope from these takes you through
|
|
relatively choss free and bunder free region ending on a steep cliff face
|
|
where 2 more spits are needed for a ~ 30m? drop down to walking terrain.
|
|
|
|
<p>(2) Dig 4m gained but needs more effort to continue to shift sandy floor
|
|
& more cobbles back in passage. No draft perceived.
|
|
|
|
<p><u>A walking route to the bottom of the Scarface cliff.</u>
|
|
|
|
<p>Climb approx 15ft above the entrance to 161d, on the path, contour left
|
|
(southish), aiming at a grassy band below a cliff. Drop diagonally down this
|
|
grassy band, until an incised gully* (quite narrow) is reached which affords
|
|
a scramble downwards to a more level patch of broken ground. Contour round
|
|
& up slightly to the bottom of the cliff.
|
|
|
|
<p>*Just after entering the gully, a cave entrance behind and to your right
|
|
(facing down) is seen (entered - no way on ~ 12m of passage & fractured
|
|
rock floor. Not tagged.) Lower down on the R, right in the gully is another
|
|
(undescended) cave.
|
|
|
|
<p><u>Another small cave at the cliff base</u>
|
|
|
|
<p>Another cave of water worn origin was investigated, (very) approx 150m S
|
|
of 161d at the base of the cliff. It is dead straight on a bearing ~ 290°
|
|
and dips at -30° from the entrance. Dimensions approx 0m5 wide, varying
|
|
in height from ~1m50 to 0m5. Cobble floored. Length approx 16m. Ends in
|
|
rubble at floor level & 2 impassable slots above. Seems to draft
|
|
slightly. Marked "+" and '97/2" in carbide, <u>not tagged</u>.
|
|
|
|
<p>Time U/G ~ 1hr
|
|
|
|
<hr />
|
|
|
|
<a id="id1997-136-5">2/8/97</a> | 136 - Steinschlagschacht CONNECTION Trip!| Julian H, Becka</p>
|
|
|
|
T/U 7 hours
|
|
|
|
<p>Everyone was nursing non-existent post-dinner hangovers in the rain, but
|
|
Julian + I + Adam, being mugs, headed up the hill. Clag + drizzle. Oh well,
|
|
we'll walk to top camp, brew up, and psyche ourselves up. I climb into my
|
|
soaking Alpinex, after my last 136 trip, I was trying to dry it, ended up
|
|
just making myself miserable, but a good dose of Tom Yam noodles soon sorted
|
|
us out. Tootled up to 136, bombed on down - gone 2pm! round the Eyehole route
|
|
to the top of the pitch series into the big chamber. Julian gets the drill
|
|
out + sweats + strains over a nightmare traverse over a great slab of chossy
|
|
80( rock, 50m above the deck. I get cold. Occasionally I make helpful
|
|
comments like "Do you really need another bolt? Can't you just swing over
|
|
from there?" and rack my brain for conciliatory phrases after the traverse
|
|
goes nowhere, "Well at least we know how many bolts the drill does now," "It
|
|
was a fine view anyway", "Good practice for the real thing" etc. etc.
|
|
|
|
<p>Eventually Julian disappears over the edge, swings over to another rock
|
|
bridge, and I can footle over. I'm frozen + Julian is shagged so I get to do
|
|
a loose 6m hang off a dodgy natural down to a chossy mud slope. Julian is
|
|
enthusiastic about a vague shadow on the far wall. I try not to get too
|
|
pessimistic. I get down, the 'way on' looks like a loosely bouldered alcove.
|
|
I start screeching, at Julian, "Look, look!" "What?" "Look!" I've spotted a
|
|
<u>huge</u> CM13, we've made the 161 connection to the Forbidden land, yelp.
|
|
I go hollering off down the next chamber whilst Julian whacked in a couple
|
|
more bolts for the final pitch, then we both went off for a tourist.
|
|
We headed towards Elin Algor, but it got v. loose boulder choke. Then we
|
|
played around down Tirolia Werke as far as the pitch + poked around some
|
|
QMs. Then we surveyed from the QM13 to Anthony's last point, as we were
|
|
good bods! Then we went home, prussik, prussik, prussik. Thought there
|
|
wouldn't be anyone at Top Camp to brag to, but no, every tent was stuffed to
|
|
the gills so we kept up all the Off-To-The-Far-End-At-6.30AM-Tomorrow-Morning
|
|
Team up as we pigged out on tortellini again. A fine trip on a dreary day -
|
|
KH over 500m + a new entrance!!!
|
|
|
|
<p><a href="#id1997-136-4">Previous trip</a> /
|
|
<a href="#id1997-136-6">Forbidden Land</a> &
|
|
<a href="#id1997-136-7">Gravel Pit</a> /
|
|
<a href="#id1997-136-8">Next 136 push</a>
|
|
|
|
<hr />
|
|
|
|
<p><a id="id1997-136-6">3/8/97</a> | 136 - Steinschlagschacht | Julian, Anthony, <u>Becka</u></p>
|
|
|
|
T/U 8
|
|
|
|
<p>Team keen up at 6.30 which meant all of Top Camp was up & around
|
|
by 7.30 & I was the last to leave Top Camp at 9.30 or so.
|
|
|
|
<p>What is CUCC coming to ? We three beat William + Andrew down 136 + headed
|
|
off down the wet (Original) Route [ to be called Wet Dreams, and passing
|
|
through Fhantasy Phreatics level ?] to continue the survey down. I rigged
|
|
until I'd finished the 100m rope (which had started at the Y-hang of the
|
|
traverse, where the Eyehole Route splits off). This is 2 pitches off bolts,
|
|
one off naturals & then 3 more rebelays off increasingly dodgy bolts.
|
|
No shortage of 83/84 bolts - often two within a metre of each other, but
|
|
some impressively lousy placements, bolts sticking out miles, wet hangs,
|
|
etc. etc. Still, it must have been miserable rigging it in the first
|
|
place. The Wet Route is smaller than the shaft series above the traverse,
|
|
& apart from the piddly phreatics, it is down, down, with spray + a
|
|
series of ledges ~10m apart. Finished the survey (a resurvey from the Y-hang
|
|
would be worth it, if the wet route ever goes anywhere!) & then we
|
|
derigged the 100m (which was the point of all the above) & went down the
|
|
Eye-Hole route & rigged the 100m into the Big Chamber. I did the traverse
|
|
& had a look at the drop.
|
|
|
|
<p>[ sketch showing location of a QM near connection point ]
|
|
|
|
<p>QM SHOULD BE DONE, GOOD POTENTIAL + drop of ?20m into rifty passage from
|
|
the bridge before the final ~6m pitch to the Forbidden World connection.
|
|
|
|
<p>However, I didn't have a bolting kit + the rock was really chossy so I
|
|
went back. People in the chamber look <u>really</u> tiny from 45m up on the
|
|
traverse. Down to the Big Chamber to meet the others, a jolly free hang.
|
|
Julian had drilled his way up the mud/rock to get to a hole at the south
|
|
end of the chamber, but it went nowhere. He left the rope on it.
|
|
|
|
<p>[sketch plan ]
|
|
|
|
<p>I looked around the chamber q. carefully. The only lead I could find
|
|
was through (down) the boulder climb (q. stable, big rocks) q. a long way
|
|
(10-20m) to a q. strongly drafting rift/pitch which would need a bit of
|
|
hammering to go (or maybe you could get into it from another spot through
|
|
the boulders). Back out, de-rigged the 100m (again!) + left it on the top
|
|
of the traverse (well, it might be useful there!) + the drill (see previous
|
|
excuse) & ambled on out. My last trip! Anthony's knee now thoroughly
|
|
knackered.
|
|
|
|
<p><a href="#id1997-136-5">Previous trip</a> /
|
|
<a href="#id1997-136-7">Gravel Pit trip (same day)</a> /
|
|
<a href="#id1997-136-8">Next 136 push</a>
|
|
|
|
<hr />
|
|
|
|
<p><a id="id1997-136-7">3/8/97</a> | 161 - Push/Survey Wookey's 1996 lead in Forbidden Land "The Gravel Pit" | <u>William Stead</u>, Andrew Atkinson</p>
|
|
|
|
<p>The original plan had been for Mike (Animal) to go with Andrew via
|
|
Stairway to Hell, special permission having been sought from Tina.
|
|
However, new way through from 136 means lots of prussiking, so I was
|
|
drafted in instead. Went via Kaninchenhöhle to pick up SRT kit to
|
|
find team Keen <u>still</u> not fully underground & returned to 136
|
|
entrance to find Julian & Anthony taking the piss over a half-changed
|
|
Becka (or vice-versa). Followed Julian, Anthony & Becka underground
|
|
ca 11.30 am & did <u>lots</u> of abseiling down to the bolt traverse
|
|
followed by a lot more abseiling & a 100% wacky, way-out traverse
|
|
miles up in the ceiling to reach ... The Forbidden Land. Headed <u>South</u>
|
|
towards Wookey's lead via a 5m pitch Andy had forgotten about. At this
|
|
point my penknife came in handy to cut the rope we'd brought. Continued
|
|
down Wookey's lead to find ourselves in a medium size chamber where the
|
|
floor + walls comprised entirely gravel or choss (The Gravel Pit).
|
|
Looked down a pit in the floor where the take off was also 100% choss,
|
|
no chance of rigging it + too steep to climb. So we went round to the left
|
|
between <u>more</u> gravel banks to find a pitch with a stream coming in.
|
|
Andy used the bolt kit I'd picked up from KH entrance to rig it + kicked
|
|
loads of choss down. At the base of the pitch is a small chamber + a
|
|
climb down with the water. Passage continues in walking vadose trench to
|
|
where the water disappears under the stones. Passage continues to an aven
|
|
+ a small chamber with lots of mud + a choked mud sump. Pity. Surveyed out,
|
|
with me on instruments until my glasses misted up, so swapped. Surveyed
|
|
back to original lower bolt. <u>NB</u> took a look at an alternative way
|
|
to the choss hole in the floor where there is a solid boulder in the
|
|
roof to rig off. This seems to go somewhere else + should be pushed (A).
|
|
Out at sundown via <u>lots</u> of prussiking + getting v.hot.
|
|
|
|
<p><center>T.U. 9 hrs</center>
|
|
|
|
<p><a href="#id1997-136-5">Previous trip</a> /
|
|
<a href="#id1997-136-6">Forbidden Land trip (same day)</a>
|
|
<a href="#id1997-136-8">Next 136 push</a>
|
|
|
|
<hr />
|
|
|
|
<p><a id="id1997-161-17">3/8/97</a> | 161 - Someone Else's Problem | Duncan, Jon, Andrew K, Phil U</p>
|
|
|
|
TU 14
|
|
|
|
<p>Picked up 75m of 9 mil at the Guillotine. Then went to retrieve Andrew
|
|
from the far end of Salt Lake, while Jon + Phil set off to survey to SEP.
|
|
|
|
<p>Faff, Faff, Faff. Eventually the survey to the pitchhead was complete
|
|
and descents had begun. Wibble, Wibble went the cavers. Twang, Twang, went
|
|
the 9 mil. F***ING BIG SHAFT. Only rubs a little bit half way up. (Fettled
|
|
with a loopless rebelay off of a spike on the way out.) The rope was just
|
|
reachable after unloading it.
|
|
|
|
<p>LEADS: (1) Down short climb, traverse across head of another climb into
|
|
a draughting crawl.<br>
|
|
(2) Down same climb, climb down again, then down 5m pitch. Undescended ~15m
|
|
pitch with wind farting up it.
|
|
|
|
<p><a href="#id1997-161-16">Previous trip</a> /
|
|
<a href="#id1997-161-22">Next SEP trip</a> /
|
|
<a href="#id1997-161-20">Next Siberia trip</a>
|
|
|
|
<hr />
|
|
|
|
<p><a id="id1997-161-18">3/8/97</a> | 161 - Moomintroll | Dave H & Mike R</p>
|
|
|
|
TU 5½ hrs
|
|
|
|
<p>Aim:- to bolt up at Moomintroll
|
|
|
|
<p>No problems getting to Moomintroll but the traverse around the right
|
|
hand side of Zebedee is a bit hairy in that it is horribly loose and all
|
|
the holds come off in your hand. The climb up is pretty impressive, a
|
|
good big black space waiting to be explored, but it is not clear whether
|
|
it just goes up and up.
|
|
|
|
<p>At any rate we looked at the climb, reckoned that with a bit of bottle
|
|
and a climbing rope it would be no problem to get up it, but as we had
|
|
neither we had to start bolting. Put the first bolt in, about 5 ft up.
|
|
Unfortunately, at this point I dropped the driver down a small crack.
|
|
Should be able to get it back with a coat hanger.
|
|
|
|
<p>At this point we decided that it would be much easier with a drill and
|
|
that it might be a good idea to jack. I made sure the jack was certain by
|
|
hitting the entry to Hymen Crawl with the hammer & snapping the head
|
|
off.
|
|
|
|
<p>As we had only been down the cave 2½ hrs we needed something else
|
|
to do. So on the way back we climbed up to the left just after the two holes
|
|
in the floor near the start of Wheelchair Access. There looks to be a roof
|
|
tube going off at this point but we failed to climb into it. Mike had a look
|
|
at some other small tubes going off and found some surface debris & bits
|
|
of skeleton, but it closed down after about 6 ft.
|
|
|
|
<p>We still had more time to kill so looked down the two holes that you
|
|
traverse across just before you reach Moth Chamber and the short climb up
|
|
in Triassic. The two holes connect, lead to a 1.5m climb down to the
|
|
head of a pitch. Unfortunately, this just drops into Wheelchair Access,
|
|
and needs surveying.
|
|
|
|
|
|
<p><a href="#id1997-161-25">Next Moomintroll trip</a> /
|
|
<a href="#id1997-136-6">136 Forbidden Land</a> /
|
|
<a href="#id1997-136-7">136 Gravel Pit</a> / <a href="#id1997-161-17">Siberia</a>
|
|
|
|
<hr />
|
|
|
|
<p><a id="id1997-161-19">4/8/97</a> | 161 - Lost World | <u>Dave H</u>, Mike B, Chris D, Mary, Juliette</p>
|
|
|
|
<p>Wheelchair Access -> Lost World to survey the downstream end
|
|
|
|
<p><u>TU</u> Dave H, Mike & Juliette 9 hrs<br>
|
|
<u>TU</u> Chris D, Mary 7 hrs
|
|
|
|
<p>Rather a slow trip, didn't get underground until 1 pm. Even then
|
|
everything went really slowly, taking almost an hour to get from the
|
|
entrance to the start of Wheelchair Access. The new route into Wheelchair
|
|
Access needs surveying, but me and Mike, who'd got bored and gone on
|
|
ahead didn't have the gear.
|
|
|
|
<p>We headed on down to Lost World as a group of five, once we got to
|
|
the big stuff, as it seemed to be taking ages for everyone to get down
|
|
the last 5m pitch I took Mike for a quick tour of the upstream stuff.
|
|
On returning, the others had disappeared downstream so we buggered off
|
|
after them, to catch up in he boulder choke.
|
|
|
|
<p>At this point Mary and Chris decided to go out as it was getting late
|
|
& Mary thought she would be slow. This left me , Mike and Juliette to do
|
|
the survey, and me to have my third ever go at doing book.
|
|
|
|
<p>We pushed through the boulders, down a climb and eventually found the
|
|
pitch into the chamber. Got off the pitch part way as soon as we could step
|
|
into the big chamber, but the pitch continues below. Found the Germans' G
|
|
find survey mark and survey left as you look into the chamber. This ends at
|
|
an aven, with water coming in. I then surveyed back underneath what I'd just
|
|
done, but at stream level ending up roughly back close to the pitch. From
|
|
here two possible ways go off. To the left a long straight rift taking the
|
|
small stream. The boulder floor drops and the stream disappears under the
|
|
right hand wall and the passage is not enterable. The rift continues, but you
|
|
are now ascending boulders, and soon the roof is seen which descends to meet
|
|
the floor.
|
|
|
|
<p>To the right a short piece of rift with water entering down one wall, soon
|
|
ends in a deep pool (marked a survey station with a cross on the wall at this
|
|
point - no. 16 on the left hand wall as you face the pool).
|
|
|
|
<p>Mike waded across the pool, shallowest along the left wall to find an
|
|
inlet stream. Looking at our survey and Becka's description of her trip with
|
|
the Germans, I think this inlet is the continuation of the pitch into the
|
|
chamber - but this needs checking.
|
|
|
|
<p>There are no other obvious leads except this inlet in the chamber.
|
|
|
|
<p>As it was now getting rather late we couldn't:
|
|
|
|
<p>(1) Do some tie up legs I wanted to do
|
|
|
|
<p>(2) check the continuation of the pitch into the chamber.
|
|
|
|
<p>(3) Derig.
|
|
|
|
<p>So we headed out. As we'd bombed down through the boulders really quickly
|
|
we'd not taken much notice of the way out. At one point, there is an
|
|
unobvious climb up t the right - which is the way out - however it is much
|
|
more obvious to climb up through the large spaces in the boulders to the left
|
|
- this ended in a large rift pitch, which, looking at our survey, may or may
|
|
not connect back into the left hand rift continuation of the large chamber.
|
|
|
|
<p>We soon found the real way out and 'cos I'm getting lots of hassle about
|
|
writing too much I'll just say it took ages to get out.
|
|
|
|
<p>Things to note when derigging:<br>
|
|
There is tackle up a climb on the left, as you go downstream near a rock
|
|
bridge marked with a tackle bag. This may be interesting as it seems to
|
|
be heading away from the large chamber.<br>
|
|
It also needs surveying.
|
|
|
|
<p><a href="#id1997-161-12">Previous trip</a> /
|
|
<a href="#id1997-161-23">Next (derigging) trip</a>
|
|
|
|
<hr />
|
|
|
|
<p><a id="id1997-161-20">5/8/97</a> | 161 - Surveying Siberia Left hand branch | Phil U, Phil B, Brian, <u>Andrew K</u></p>
|
|
|
|
TU 11½
|
|
|
|
<p>Fairly swift journey in. Tried to fix previous Siberia survey up to
|
|
genuine survey station, but couldn't find CM labelled 'end', so settled
|
|
for CM <u>not</u> labelled 'not this ...' (point 2 of last Siberia
|
|
survey a few years back).
|
|
|
|
<p>Set off up LH route - lots of mazy phreatic passage connecting at
|
|
insane angles with a loop or two. Now X-ened 'Fuzzy Logic'.
|
|
|
|
<p>Rough description: LH branch off Not This Junction turn sharp left.
|
|
Passage follows rift for a few metres before turning left again. Rift
|
|
continues straight ahead, but looks too narrow to push. Small opening
|
|
on right before left hand turn quickly chokes with mud. Left hand turn
|
|
leads into Y-junction with swirlpool at intersection. Left leads to
|
|
steep phreatic tube; this connects back into right hand turn. Right turn
|
|
leads to connection with left hand turn, then into complicated rift
|
|
junction. Rift pitches up to left and down to left probably connect up;
|
|
this is a going lead. Right hand small hole leads into left hand rift and
|
|
small passages connecting back up the passage, but it is v. tight.
|
|
|
|
<p>Not having a rope to hand, we went back to poke around in some
|
|
Siberia leads, brief sketch of crossroads on the way to SEP follows:
|
|
|
|
<p>[ sketch of Greengables ]
|
|
|
|
<p>RH passage leads into small chamber with easily climbable (at least
|
|
for a while) rift off to left and small passage to right.
|
|
|
|
<p>Middle passage leads into rift junction. High LH passage connects back
|
|
into route to SEP, straight on in a loop also connecting back to SEP route.
|
|
Right leads into oval shaped rift with ~6m aven at far end. Small passages
|
|
off to left of SEP route connect up in easy crawl in muddy phreatic
|
|
passage which does not appear to close down - 'Burble II - the Mud strikes
|
|
back'.
|
|
|
|
<p>At this point it was 1800, so we chugged on out in order to get back
|
|
at a sensible time.
|
|
|
|
<p><a href="#id1997-161-17">Previous trip</a> /
|
|
<a href="#id1997-161-22">Next SEP trip</a> /
|
|
<a href="#id1997-161-24">1997 derig trip</a> /
|
|
<a href="../1998/log.htm#id1998-161-10">Next pushing trip in Fuzzy Logic</a>
|
|
(1998)
|
|
|
|
<hr />
|
|
|
|
<p><a id="id1997-136-8">5/8/97</a> | 136 - Steinschlagschacht | <u>Chris D</u>, Andy A</p>
|
|
|
|
<p>First trip in this hole for me - far less chossy than feared, due to
|
|
latest bolting techniques no doubt. Down to pit at connection between 136 +
|
|
KH - bolted down 'Distraction' - swing across to a window, down to drippy
|
|
drafty chamber - with footprints. We'd reached the Orchestra Pit. Surveyed
|
|
& derigged (50m vert.) then went off to the Gravel Pit. Bizzare place,
|
|
walls of eroded stuck together gravel. Dried up stream sported a STONKING
|
|
DRAFT - all it needs is a crowbar to open it up a bit. This must be done
|
|
soon ! Alas we had no crowbar. So we put in our penultimate bolt in the
|
|
only solid wall in the area & dropped down to a squitty streamway. "Have
|
|
a look at it if you want, I'm too fat" said AA. So I grovelled in until
|
|
enthusiasm waned after 30 mins or so. Then AA continued the flat out crawl in
|
|
water until that choked too. A Grand Canyon it was not. Saved the seventh
|
|
& final bolt to take out the rub to the core I'd noticed on the 2nd
|
|
pitch. Good trip, shame nothing went.
|
|
|
|
<p><a href="#id1997-136-7">Previous trip</a> /
|
|
<a href="#id1997-136-9">Next trip</a>
|
|
|
|
<hr />
|
|
|
|
<p><a id="id1997-161-21">6/8/97</a> | 161 - Staudnwirt Palace</a> | Chris & <u>Mary</u></p>
|
|
|
|
<p>Went to Staudnwirt Palace, climbed up miserable climb, bits of it fell
|
|
off at embarassing moments, de-rigged two ropes and retrieved Julian's gear
|
|
for price of two beers.
|
|
|
|
<p align=right>TU 4 hrs
|
|
|
|
<hr />
|
|
|
|
<p><a id="id1997-136-10">7/8/97</a> | 136 - Steinschlagschacht | Julian, <u>Chris</u></p>
|
|
|
|
<p>Tripped our way down to the 'Y' hang above 'Traverse of the Gods'. Set
|
|
about bolting over the top - straight over ? No - left horrible climb up
|
|
carrying drill, tacklesack etc., over the top to a high level chamber over
|
|
the pitch. Through a window, down pitch to 'The Box' - superb view across to
|
|
'Traverse of the Gods', and tried to bolt the 'Footlights' traverse across
|
|
the 'Theatre'. Got half way across - an imposing situation that ended in
|
|
overhanging choss. Oh dear. Need some magical method of getting across the
|
|
choss to the mythical window that heads south to Stellerweg.
|
|
|
|
<p align=right>TU 8 hrs
|
|
|
|
<p><a href="#id1997-136-9">Previous trip</a> /
|
|
<a href="#id1997-136-11">Next trip</a>
|
|
|
|
<hr />
|
|
|
|
<p>7/8/97 | Surface 136 | <u>Dave H</u>, Anthony, Andy A, Juliette</p>
|
|
|
|
<p>walking around the area of 136, putting tags on stuff [Tagged 136, 138,
|
|
139, 97-07 (formerly WK7), 97-08 (formerly WK8,9,10)], taking photos of
|
|
entrances and finding new cave. Near 163, which has some nice ice
|
|
formations, we found a couple of interesting things. A going hole
|
|
numbered<br>
|
|
<center>1623/<br>
|
|
H88</center><br>
|
|
which we think is one found by the French or more likely the Germans.
|
|
As we came traversing back we found<br>
|
|
1623/<br>
|
|
88 F -<br>
|
|
This looks very promising, it looked undescended, is a hole in the cliff
|
|
face immediately turning into a rift pitch. Its only about 50m higher
|
|
than 161d entrance in height terms, but located above the forbidden
|
|
land.
|
|
|
|
<p>H88 was explored by AndyA, who eventually got bored with crawling.
|
|
It is further south than the current southern extremity of 136 and is
|
|
~50m above level of Forbidden Land - should at least be surveyed to. AJD.
|
|
|
|
<hr />
|
|
|
|
<p><a id="id1997-161-23">8/8/97</a> | 161 - Derig of Wheelchair Access | <u>Dave H</u>, Brian, Mike B</p>
|
|
|
|
TU 6 hrs
|
|
|
|
<p>Initial aims were to go down, look for leads and survey some
|
|
bits + pieces. But we also had to be out quite early so we could
|
|
have a meal at Hilde's. Unfortunately, on the way in, I thought
|
|
to check the traverse and pitches off under the wall to the left
|
|
to see if any gear had been left. Yes, the traverse was still
|
|
rigged, so Mike went across to derig & found that the pitch at
|
|
the end was rigged via two rebelays and was at least 20-30m deep.
|
|
When we got this rope out, found we had an extra 83m rope to get
|
|
out. Headed on down to the Lost World & headed downstream.
|
|
Checked out the 'big rift' that we had seen last trip down, to
|
|
the right just after the climb down. All this was was a climb up
|
|
in boulders and then looking back down on the main passage from a
|
|
great height.
|
|
|
|
<p>Onward to the final chamber to check out a couple more leads.
|
|
|
|
<p>(1) Continuation of the pitch - lands at the deep pool (which
|
|
was fairly empty) just beyond survey station 16.
|
|
|
|
<p>(2) Mike climbed the inlet and I could hear him from the top of
|
|
the pitch. I made a visual connection from where the water sinks at
|
|
the passage just back from the top of the pitch with this inlet, via
|
|
a rather large wide pitch, narrow at the top and covered in chocked
|
|
boulders - one of which I was standing on.
|
|
|
|
<p>Did a couple of grade 2 drawings - couldn't survey as we'd left the
|
|
tape behind.
|
|
|
|
<p>This left Becka's climb up to the left (as you go downstream) by
|
|
the rock bridge. This looks quite good. 2m climb up to a 15m pitch
|
|
down with two ways on, again I took some grade 2 drawings.
|
|
|
|
<p>Detackled this and started on out. Detackling was OK, even of
|
|
Kein Zimmer Rift. We each prussiked up it with a tackle bag, Mike
|
|
filling his with the rope from the pitch as we went - no problems.
|
|
|
|
<p>Left gear at the guillotine, continued out with a tackle bag
|
|
each, which we left at Mothshag.
|
|
|
|
<p><a href="#id1997-161-19">Previous trip</a>
|
|
|
|
<hr />
|
|
|
|
<p><a id="id1997-136-9">6/8/97</a> | 136 - Steinschlagchact | <u>Julian H</u>, Andy A, Mike B</p>
|
|
|
|
T/U 8hrs
|
|
|
|
<p>Went down with the intention of taking a few photos and then
|
|
pushing some leads in Forbidden. My first (+ last?) underground
|
|
photo trip with mostly overground photo gear. Took pictures of
|
|
people on most of the pitches, traverse of the gods and eyehole
|
|
traverse. Had an attempt at taking picture of chamber at the end
|
|
of Elin Algor, but this proved tedious trying to use "B" setting
|
|
on camera. I doubt I'll bother with that again !
|
|
|
|
<p>Once in the Forbidden land, we systematically reviewed all
|
|
known leads and possibly found one or two others. Went down
|
|
Tirolia Werke first. Andy climbed up the roof tubes on the right
|
|
hand side (walking W) and found most either closed down or turned
|
|
into avens. About ½ along Tirolia Werke on RH side, small
|
|
climb up (c.3) leads to large(ish) chamber at foot of aven. Grade
|
|
C tight, wet lead in here. Looked at Gravel Pit. Big draft but not
|
|
very inspiring. Opposite(ish) Gravel Pit is a big fallen boulder
|
|
with a pitch behind. It's possible to climb around the boulder to
|
|
pitchhead, probably about 10m hang, possibly a way on at the bottom.
|
|
|
|
<p>Next we went back up Tirolia Werke, into Elin Algor and up to the
|
|
large chamber near the Pump House turn. Look/threw rocks down all
|
|
the holes. Big Holes in the chamber sound dead and look very likely
|
|
to be choked - probably not good leads. Went down choss back and
|
|
around the RH wall to small adjoining chamber. Climbed up another
|
|
choss bank towards Chris D's lead - <u>BIG</u> pitch with good boom at the
|
|
bottom. V. good lead but for the small scrotty connecting tube.
|
|
|
|
<p>Exitted chamber, climbed up into Pump House and thence to Hall
|
|
of the Mounting Choss. Pump House passage has same feel about it as
|
|
Mississipi/Mississipi Mud Pie - the other side of Stairway to Hell.
|
|
HoTMC is huge and loose as the name suggests. Pitches in the top
|
|
left corner (looking from the bottom of the slope) look quite good
|
|
leads - may eventually go to Regurgitation ?
|
|
|
|
<p>Exitted, stopping en route only to dismiss a couple of scrotty
|
|
leads off the side of Elin Algor.
|
|
|
|
<p><a href="#id1997-136-8">Previous trip</a> /
|
|
<a href="#id1997-136-10">Next trip</a>
|
|
|
|
<hr />
|
|
|
|
<p><a id="id1997-161-22">6/8/97</a> | 161 - Pushing below SEP | <u>Dunks</u>, William, Jon</p>
|
|
|
|
TU 17hr
|
|
|
|
<p>Pushed below <u>S.E.P.</u><br>
|
|
Whacked in loads of <u>Bolts</u><br>
|
|
Abbed down some <u>Pitches</u><br>
|
|
Found a short <u>phreatic passage</u> "Auspuff"<br>
|
|
with <u>undescended climb</u>at the end<br>
|
|
BLOWS LIKE A BASTARD !
|
|
|
|
<p><a href="#id1997-161-17">Previous SEP trip</a> /
|
|
Previous day's <a href="#id1997-161-20">Siberia trip (Fuzzy Logic)</a> /
|
|
<a href="#id1997-161-24">Next trip (derig)</a>
|
|
|
|
<hr />
|
|
|
|
<p><a id="id1997-161-24">8/7/97</a> | 161 - Derigging SEP | <u>Dunks</u>, William, Jon, Phil U</p>
|
|
|
|
Dunks</u>, William -- TU 11 hour
|
|
Jon, Phil U --> TU 6½ hour
|
|
|
|
<p>Derigged.
|
|
|
|
<p>Previous trips: <a href="#id1997-161-20">Fuzzy Logic</a> /
|
|
<a href="#id1997-161-22">SEP</a> /
|
|
<a href="../1998/log.htm#id1998-161-5">Next Siberia trip</a> (rig-in 1998)
|
|
|
|
<hr />
|
|
|
|
<p><a id="id1997-136-11">10/8/97</a> | 136 - Footlights Traverse | Chris & <u>Anthony</u></p>
|
|
|
|
<p align=right>TU ~9 hrs
|
|
|
|
<p>Finally got underground after a week nursing an injured knee
|
|
(more through boredom than any improvement to the injury).
|
|
Attempted to replace my main beam bulb with the Julian Haines
|
|
lighthouse bulb and in doing so snapped the connector to the
|
|
main beam - mutter. So rather than take an FX5 down just for
|
|
the pilot, I caved with my zoom and its dodgy connector as
|
|
back up for my Austrian sand grade carbide - not an auspicious
|
|
start.
|
|
|
|
<p>Bumbled down to the theatre box and Chris continued on the
|
|
Footlights Traverse complete with homemade grappling hook - a
|
|
crowbar lashed to a 1½m yellow pole. Unfortunately, since
|
|
being taken underground, the string by which the crowbar was
|
|
attached had got wet, stretched and was thus no use. So the
|
|
yellow pole was abandoned, and I watched as Chris teetered across
|
|
a chossy and airy traverse, banged in a couple of bolts and found
|
|
... no cave whatever. So Chris continued down the wall and found
|
|
an eyehole into a chossy little passage, banged another bolt into
|
|
its camembert-like walls, and I followed him, only shitting myself
|
|
once on the traverse. The passage leads to a loose, uninspiring
|
|
looking pitch head, which opens out into a decent shaft with aven
|
|
above, which lands on a rock bridge (ie. a jammed boulder) with more
|
|
pitch beyond. This whole area is gloop coated and falling apart -
|
|
very KH like - and there is a significant draught coming <u>up</u>
|
|
the continuing pitch. This is quite a good lead, but we had run out
|
|
of rope.
|
|
|
|
<p>Rather than survey out, I pootled out at this point whilst Chris
|
|
drilled some more bolts to improve the rig. Not surveying was probably
|
|
a good thing since it took an astonishingly long time to get out, not
|
|
helped by an ailing leg and too much beer at basecamp the week before.
|
|
Also, the big loose flake at the top of the big pitch is no longer a
|
|
problem as Phil kicked most of it off. The remnants of it came whistling
|
|
past my ear as I hung on the rebelay below the ledge we wait on before
|
|
ascending the big pitch, causing me to gibber quite a lot, especially
|
|
as I could smell freshly fractured rock on the ledge. Phil also
|
|
neglected to call pitch free, so I spent quite a while at the bottom
|
|
before making a cautious ascent (the rope looks OK). I then gardened
|
|
the rest of the rubbish at the pitchhead in the general direction of
|
|
Brian's head to ensure no repeat performance.
|
|
|
|
<p><a href="#id1997-136-10">Previous trip</a> /
|
|
<a href="#id1997-136-12">Next trip</a>
|
|
|
|
|
|
<p><u>Haines Miracle Carbide Cure</u>
|
|
|
|
<p>As the glorious expo leader departed, he bequeathed me a few
|
|
of his precious items, namely 3 lumps of large carbide (all the
|
|
expo stuff from the Austrians is tiny bitty stuff). This was
|
|
gratefully (and gullibly) received, and used on the above 136 trip.
|
|
|
|
<p>And so it was, Footlights Traverse now being bolted, Anthony
|
|
headed out with the spare carbide & I started out lugging
|
|
the drill + battery. That's strange, I thought, my light's going
|
|
a bit dim. Fettle. The bitty stuff all gone, but Haines lump was
|
|
sat there just as it went in. Magic - everlasting carbide !
|
|
Complete with calcite veins ... hmmm, chortle, most amusing.
|
|
Dark thoughts cast in the Haines direction on the dim prusik out.
|
|
|
|
<p align=right>C D
|
|
|
|
<hr />
|
|
|
|
<p><a id="id1997-136-12">10/8/97</a> | 136 - Tirolia via Elin Algor | Brian & Phil B</p>
|
|
|
|
<p align=right>TU 9 hrs</a>
|
|
|
|
<p>Trogged off down the pitches & across the traverse to the
|
|
slot and waited for Phil. We both walked along Elin Algor (lead
|
|
off to right up climbable rift with stream descending &
|
|
little mud volcanoes - did not push as did not fancy climb due
|
|
to state of my shoulder). Came back to climb up through boulders
|
|
just after 1st main chamber past junction in Tirolia and
|
|
investigated climb up into roof on left with pitch: whacked
|
|
in bolt & sling around natural & lo & behold
|
|
I ended back in main passage - got pissed off & went out.
|
|
|
|
<p><a href="#id1997-136-11">Previous trip</a> /
|
|
<a href="#id1997-136-13">Next trip</a>
|
|
|
|
<hr />
|
|
|
|
<p>12/8/97 | Surface - Pissing about on the surface | <u>Anthony</u></p>
|
|
|
|
<p>Plan was to put tags on the unmarked 161e and 161f entrances,
|
|
except I left the tags at top camp. Bunged in a spit at 161f
|
|
anyway and tried to do likewise at 161e except a large chunk of
|
|
wall fell off when I tried to set it. Got bored and went to
|
|
retrieve gear from 161d. Whilst failing to find 161f I came
|
|
across lots of holes - this is prime prospecting territory for
|
|
anyone wanting to find a more northerly entrance to 161 with
|
|
an even more atrocious approach.
|
|
|
|
<hr />
|
|
|
|
<p>13/8/97 | Surface - Pissing about on the surface again | Phil U & <u>Anthony</u> </p>
|
|
|
|
<p>Planned to surface survey 191->161c, and look for the elusive
|
|
192, which is allegedly marked and in the same area. Took a while to
|
|
find 191 and in the process we found 180, which I thought was miles
|
|
away. Didn't have a tag for 180, but put in a spit for one and surface
|
|
surveyed from there to 191 and back to 161c. Failed to find 192. Took
|
|
photos of 180 and 191, the latter now sports a CUCC tag. Retrieved
|
|
gear from 161d and derigged climbs on surface route and trundled back
|
|
to topcamp for a brew, then on to 186 ("Rosenkavalierhöhle").
|
|
This is the hole erroneously numbered 185 on the side of the Vord
|
|
which Olly & I refound in 1994 and which William had confirmed
|
|
as being 186 earlier this expo. The paint has all but disappeared,
|
|
but we banged in a CUCC tag and surveyed back to top camp - another
|
|
gets ticked. No photo because I'd run out of film.
|
|
|
|
<p>Incidentally - The marking at 161c entrance is<br>
|
|
<center><table border=0><tr><td>VSS 2</td><td></td></tr>
|
|
<tr><td><u>88AF</u></td><td></td></tr>
|
|
<tr><td>1623/<u>161c</u></td><td>< added later by CUCC</td></tr></table>
|
|
</center>
|
|
|
|
<p>This is similar to the markings on caves H88 and 88F found on
|
|
7/8/97 making me suggest that latter caves are also French.
|
|
|
|
<hr />
|
|
|
|
<p><a id="id1997-136-14">14/8/97</a> | 136 - Derig 136 |Phil U & <u>Anthony</u></p>
|
|
|
|
<p>TU 5 hrs (AD) 2½ hrs (PU)
|
|
|
|
<p>Team hero having done the hard bit the day before, team
|
|
knackered knees went down and derigged from the traverse to
|
|
the eyehole. All the spits are greased, though I couldn't get
|
|
the syringe to fill so used my finger. All spits above eyehole
|
|
traverse have a matchstick in too. Circlips are shit gear - at
|
|
least half the bolts fell out when I unscrewed, but I think I've
|
|
rescued most of them.
|
|
|
|
<p><a href="#id1997-136-13">Previous trip</a> /
|
|
<a href="../1999/log.htm#id1999-136-1">Next trip - 1999</a>
|
|
|
|
<hr />
|
|
|
|
<p><a id="id1997-136-13">12/8/97</a> | 136 - Footlights cont. | <u>Chris</u>, Brian, Jon</p>
|
|
|
|
<p>Brian & I trolled around Forbidden Land derigging various
|
|
bits & pieces to generate enough rope to drop the pitch at
|
|
the end of Footlights. Having decided this would become a through
|
|
route, I tarted up the traverse on the way over to make it more
|
|
comfortable, ie.
|
|
|
|
<p>[rigging sketch]
|
|
|
|
<p>rather than the precarious rebelays that were used to rig it.
|
|
Jon & I surveyed in, Brian arrived with rope & went off
|
|
down the first pitch. 30m later he touched the floor: "It's big".
|
|
Oh good. "There's a rope here". Oh bother. Been Hainesed again -
|
|
his climb up from the Orchestra Pit finished here. Brian & I
|
|
checked out the rift chamber pretty carefully - the draft appears
|
|
to drop in somewhere at the southern end, then heads up the pitch
|
|
we'd dropped. One drippy chamber could be seen through a tiny
|
|
window - almost certainly the same as the Orchestra Pit. Otherwise
|
|
- the entire S end chokes.
|
|
|
|
<p>At least it gave us a chance to start the derigging early. Out at
|
|
4 am, back to camp just before dawn, in time for some carries down the
|
|
hill.
|
|
|
|
<p align=right>TU Brian, Chris 13<br>John 11
|
|
|
|
<p><a href="#id1997-136-12">Previous trip</a> /
|
|
<a href="#id1997-136-14">Next trip (final derig)</a>
|
|
|
|
<hr />
|
|
|
|
<p><a id="id1997-161-25">11/8/97</a> | 161 - Moomintroll</a> | <u>Jon</u>, Phil B</p>
|
|
|
|
<p>[Marked only as Phil, so had to guess U or B -- JGT]
|
|
|
|
<p>We went down to have a look at the climb up beyond
|
|
Moomintroll. Having taken a drill battery with us we
|
|
then found that the drill did not work. There were no
|
|
bolting kits either so we went to look anyway.
|
|
|
|
<p>We traversed around the terrifying pit (8 ft deep)
|
|
and found the climb. Looked at it for a bit and then
|
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I climbed up it. There were only a few loose hand
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holds. I rigged a rope for Phil and up he came.
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|
|
|
<p>As expected, there was a large aven. However, there
|
|
was no obvious way on. We sat down for a bit while we
|
|
decided what to do next. At this point, some water was
|
|
heard dripping. I went to investigate a tiny tube
|
|
where the noise was coming from. After removing a few
|
|
rocks the floor dropped away to reveal a 30 ft drop
|
|
into a large space. With a little enlargement someone
|
|
will be able to fit through and see where the draft is
|
|
coming from.
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|
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<p align=right>TU 3 hours
|
|
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<p><a href="#id1997-161-18">Last Moomintroll trip</a> /
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<a href="../1998/log.htm#id1998-161-2">Next Moomintroll trip (1998)</a>
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<p><hr />
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<!-- LINKS -->
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<ul id="links">
|
|
<li>1997 Expedition info:
|
|
<ul>
|
|
<li><a href="index.htm">Index</a> (more detail than in this list)</li>
|
|
<li>Expedition <a href="sprep.htm">Sponsors' Report</a> 1997</li>
|
|
<li>Pre-expo <a href="goals.htm">mission statement</a></li>
|
|
<li>Index to <a href="161.htm">Kaninchenhöhle trips</a> in the log</li>
|
|
<li><a href="../../pubs.htm#pubs1997">Published accounts</a></li>
|
|
</ul></li>
|
|
<li><a href="../../pubs.htm">Index</a> to all publications</li>
|
|
<li><a href="../../sponsr.htm">Current year's</a> sponsors</li>
|
|
<li><a href="../../index.htm">Back to Expeditions intro page</a></li>
|
|
<li><a href="../../../index.htm">CUCC Home Page</a>
|
|
|
|
</td></tr></table>
|
|
</ul>
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</body>
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</html>
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