mirror of
https://expo.survex.com/repositories/expoweb/.git/
synced 2024-11-22 23:31:56 +00:00
788 lines
41 KiB
HTML
788 lines
41 KiB
HTML
<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD HTML 4.0//EN">
|
|
<html>
|
|
<head>
|
|
<meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=iso-8859-1" />
|
|
<title>
|
|
1978: Logbook
|
|
</title>
|
|
<link rel="stylesheet" type="text/css" href="../../css/main2.css" />
|
|
</head>
|
|
<body>
|
|
29th July
|
|
|
|
<p>Got up at 7.30 (not Simon). We reached the café at about 12 and
|
|
then discovered how heavy the gear was and how hot the weather was. The snow
|
|
was out in force, but Simon, Andy and Doug found that 106 was possible. So
|
|
the rest of us split into two groups and started prospecting.
|
|
|
|
<p>Nicky went down a shaft that appeared to go off to one side, however this
|
|
only proved to be a tight and sharp (blood everywhere) way under the snow
|
|
plug. About 50' deep.
|
|
|
|
<p><a id="id1978-98-1">98</a> : A small shaft in a large clint (oops,
|
|
grike). Very sharp rocks at the top, after which the shaft bells out toward
|
|
a lightly boulder covered floor about 27m (85 feet to sensible people) from
|
|
surface, but as yet the ladder doesn't reach the floor. Mike.
|
|
|
|
<p><a href="#id1978-98-2">Next trip</a><hr />
|
|
<hr />
|
|
Ben and John ; Well we went down this hole somewhere near 106 but after c
|
|
30' it got tight so returned to brilliant sunshine. We continued sweating
|
|
around the plateau looking down things - the only one of interest was a huge
|
|
entrance c 200 yds from 106 which ended after 50-60' free climb in a small
|
|
snowfield with a beautiful 7' 6" ice stalagmite. On the way back to the
|
|
van I attempted the left hand variant of the superdirect route across the
|
|
plateau, but as I was laybacking up this flake, the whole thing fell off with
|
|
me on it - do they have helicopter hearses ? John.
|
|
<hr />
|
|
|
|
<a id="id1978-76-1">Team Bluewater</a> (minus Nick)
|
|
|
|
<p>Mega panic because of huge volumes of snow, noted 96 choked with snow and
|
|
lots of patches of snow between the snakes on the plateau. Navigation
|
|
eventually got us to 106 where a draught was still evident in 106 and 106A
|
|
but not in 106B. Simon went down and put bolts in - last year's anchors
|
|
were well preserved - but had to smash off ice-formations to get into 106A.
|
|
The Bluewater was fed in and belayed and Andy went down to the top of the
|
|
snow plug, which had a tiny gap round it. Tried a new hole which led down c
|
|
6m to a small chamber with a side aven whose walls were coated with a thick
|
|
( 6cm ) layer of hexagonal ice-crystals which were very loose, so the
|
|
explorer exitted to the top of the snow and started to DIG out the original
|
|
route past the plug. Hacking away with the hammer soon enlarged the 15cm
|
|
slot to 1m and got down to 5m deep where it got bigger and loose snow could
|
|
be kicked down. Here ice formations smashed off for safety and Andy could
|
|
see down to the 'snow platform' which was just a step in the steep
|
|
névé. However, he did not descend to it because of a nasty rub
|
|
above. Andy exitted and Simon descended to put a bolt in at the snow plug
|
|
level, which took slightly longer than expected. The pitch is obviously
|
|
going to be a right bastard to rig on SRT, even more than ladders - probably
|
|
3 more bolts needed. Andy.
|
|
|
|
<p><a href="../1977/andylg.htm#id1977-76-7">Previous trip</a>/
|
|
<a href="#id1978-76-2">Next trip</a><hr />
|
|
|
|
<a id="id1978-98-2">30th July</a>
|
|
|
|
<p>Mike, John, Ben, Nicky. We all walked up to the plateau in the heat
|
|
again, taking the rest of the tackle, and Simon, who was working off his
|
|
hangover. Once on the plateau, we took the remaining ladders and another
|
|
rope up to 98. After rigging the pitch as yesterday, Mike was the first to
|
|
descend 70' of ladder and reach the bottom of the fine entrance shaft. After
|
|
a brief exploration, I followed, lifelined down by Ben. Mike and myself
|
|
first explored the most obvious of the two passages, a small rift section
|
|
sloping downwards about 30 feet, but becoming too narrow and uncomfortable
|
|
to pursue (sharp rock). After failing to find a way on, we returned to the
|
|
bottom of the pitch to take a look at the short section of passage on the
|
|
opposite side of the shaft. This opens out into another large shaft, and
|
|
after chucking several rocks down, we called to John to come down to take a
|
|
look at the new shaft, which we estimate to be another superb shaft of about
|
|
70'. We returned to the surface to fetch more equipment and bolts for
|
|
rigging the next pitch. Owing to the ominous presence of thunder, lightning
|
|
and hailstones, we sheltered with the present Team Bluewater members before
|
|
giving up for the day and strolling back from the plateau in the rain.
|
|
Nicky.
|
|
|
|
<p><a href="#id1978-98-1">Previous trip</a>/
|
|
<a href="#id1978-98-3">Next trip</a><hr />
|
|
|
|
<a id="id1978-76-2">Eislufthöhle</a>. After delays for carbide,
|
|
and thunder, and laziness, Andy finally set off to put another bolt in. Lots
|
|
more snow landscaping before the bolt was finally started above last year's
|
|
snow platform - sitting on more snow. The bolt was nearly in when shouts from
|
|
above indicated lightning - and immediate evacuation. Between Simon's bolt
|
|
yesterday and the new bolt (c 20') the rope has a nasty snow rub which makes
|
|
prusiking horrible, and at least one ice/rock rub; the rigging needed here is
|
|
difficult to conceive - perhaps a 10m ladder would help (DEFEATIST!). The
|
|
next pitch will be very free, perhaps 20m ? then a walk off. This is proving
|
|
to be the world's most frustrating pothole ! Very impressive electric storm
|
|
on surface.
|
|
|
|
<p><a href="#id1978-76-1">Previous trip</a>/
|
|
<a href="#id1978-76-3">Next trip</a><hr />
|
|
|
|
<a id="id1978-98-3">31st July</a>
|
|
|
|
<p>98 : Ben, John, Mike. Ben and Mike went down first shaft and Mike
|
|
started down the next to put a bolt in. Through the thrutchy bit brings you
|
|
to the top of the next pitch, supposedly 60-80'. Mike was lined down a few
|
|
feet to a ledge where he put a bolt in. John has meanwhile rerigged the
|
|
entrance pitch and abseiled down and tossed a coin with Ben as to who should
|
|
go down the next pitch first. Ben won and then John went to rig the second
|
|
pitch. On the way through the thrutchy bit he dropped Mike's carbide down,
|
|
making a superb noise sounding like a very deep shaft. Ben went down only to
|
|
find that the bottom was the bottom of the pot. A small aven comes in next
|
|
to the shaft, leaving only muddy earth at the bottom. It does not so much
|
|
choke but the rift to either side narrows and the floor is flat. The second
|
|
pitch was only about 35' from the ledge. Quite a nice shaft, but coming to
|
|
nothing. John went up, then Mike came down. Then we derigged and went out.
|
|
|
|
<p><a href="#id1978-98-2">Previous trip</a>/
|
|
<a href="../../plateau/98.htm">Guidebook description</a><hr />
|
|
|
|
<a id="id1978-76-3">Andy and Doug</a> ( the obvious Höhle )
|
|
|
|
<p>Two descents made today. On the first, Andy finished off putting in the
|
|
bolt of the thunderstorm-interrupted trip of yesterday, whilst I sat on the
|
|
ice at the bottom of the first pitch in darkness having dropped my helmet at
|
|
Andy earlier. We returned to the surface to thaw out and I ate a tin of
|
|
sardines. Then after a brief policy discussion we redescended. Andy zipped
|
|
down to Yesterday's Terminus whilst I went down after him, adding another
|
|
ladder to the one on the snow plug and then stopping halfway down Plugged
|
|
Shaft to put a bolt in while Andy rumbled snow and ice down from Yesterday's
|
|
Terminus. After about 3/4 of the hole, my stinky went out, so I descended in
|
|
darkness to Yesterday's Terminus. At this point Andy's light went out as
|
|
well, so we tried to relight, Andy pouring his waste carbide down his wellie
|
|
and myself pouring it into my Hard Man's Handbag. We then decided it must be
|
|
fairly late and exitted. Plugged Shaft has some very beautiful but
|
|
potentially extremely dangerous. (Sorry, my brain stopped) Ice formations.
|
|
Doug. My God, is that ice dangerous enough or what ? Andy.
|
|
|
|
<p><a href="#id1978-76-2">Previous trip</a>/
|
|
<a href="#id1978-76-4">Next trip</a><hr />
|
|
|
|
<a id="id1978-76-4">1st August</a>
|
|
|
|
<p>Guess which hole. Simon abbed to YT. Doug put in a rebelay bolt while
|
|
Simon perused the situation at YT. The previously immovable ice boulders
|
|
were easily kicked down the pitch leaving only one reasonably jammed large
|
|
iceberg left. A bolt was placed well out in the passage giving a fine free
|
|
hang to the large chamber at the top of Saved Shaft. The Bluewater now
|
|
stretches all the way from the surface to the bottom of Plugged Shaft.
|
|
Dropped the Interalp at the bottom and left rapidly, my Gibbs breaking on
|
|
exit. Simon.
|
|
|
|
<p><a href="#id1978-76-3">Previous trip</a>/
|
|
<a href="#id1978-76-5">Next trip</a><hr />
|
|
|
|
The plateau, Nicky, Ben, John.
|
|
|
|
<p>We managed to run up to the col, and then collapsed under the weight of
|
|
sweat. The gallon water container was filled and we set off prospecting
|
|
again. And it was hot. We tried wearing just shorts, but the sunburn hurt
|
|
too much - a great incentive for going down holes. We went 40-60' down
|
|
several promising passages but all choked/were snow plugged. And it was
|
|
still hot. We wandered round in circles getting more demented in the heat.
|
|
Nicky wearing her shorts on her head, me sitting down a hole with just head
|
|
projecting and Ben screaming about boulders falling out of the sky. It was
|
|
hot. John.
|
|
<hr />
|
|
|
|
2nd August
|
|
|
|
<p>Generally low cloud and ominous weather ruined Ben, John and my own's
|
|
prospect of a nice peacefully energetic rest day by making everyone jack. We
|
|
proceeded to Bad Aussee where we caused chaos and many puzzled looks in one
|
|
car park and then parked in another. We took Bad Aussee, buying some bread
|
|
and really smelly garlic sausage. I lingered hopefully outside the museum
|
|
but nobody else followed which was a pity since we later discovered that it
|
|
had a speleological exhibition on. Back to Altaussee for a noon pub crawl
|
|
round the lake while me and Nicky went for a swim with a naked log. Back to
|
|
camp for sardines and mackeral and biscuits then, as per usual. Distributed
|
|
whiskey to Krauts next door. Doug.<br>
|
|
Plummers can't spell. Andy<br>
|
|
I washed my socks. John.
|
|
<hr />
|
|
|
|
<a id="id1978-76-5">3rd August</a>
|
|
|
|
<p>Eislufthöhle, Andy and Simon
|
|
|
|
<p>S changed his prusiking system radically, converting to a frog system. A
|
|
abbed first and we had a short discussion at the "loose" ice
|
|
boulder. A rather too short rope and a ladder were rigged on Saved Shaft and
|
|
we descended. After some confusion, we got the bolt kit down and rigged a
|
|
traverse line across the top of Keg series. Eventually S descended last
|
|
year's penultimate pitch, a fine free hang. It was decided that further
|
|
descent would cause a rub about halfway up the pitch, a bolt will have to be
|
|
placed tomorrow. Today was quite successful. S.
|
|
|
|
<p>PS. Tomorrow should see Team Bluewater breaking new ground.
|
|
|
|
<p><a href="#id1978-76-4">Previous trip</a>/
|
|
<a href="#id1978-76-6">Next trip</a><hr />
|
|
|
|
<a id="id1978-107-1">John, Ben, Nicky and Mike</a>.
|
|
|
|
<p>We decided to move on to a new area on the right of the plateau (going
|
|
up). Before moving we all had a shave (not Nicky) down a cave with a
|
|
flat-out crawl over razor blades wearing shorts and shirts. After which a
|
|
superb knife-blade pitch occurred (for keep-fit enthusiasts) ten pull-ups
|
|
required for exit. After moving to our new area, several caves were looked
|
|
at until Nicky found a superb drafting entrance (handline required to pull
|
|
against the gale). To date we are still attempting to remove some very nasty
|
|
boulders, keystones, from the head of the first pitch. Mike.
|
|
|
|
<p>Some plummers can spell even less than others. Andy.
|
|
|
|
<p><a href="#id1978-107-2">Next trip</a><hr />
|
|
|
|
<a id="id1978-76-6">4th August</a>
|
|
|
|
<p>Eislufthöhle, Doug and Andy
|
|
|
|
<p>Low motivation led to a slow start, Doug abseiled first and adjusted the
|
|
amount of slack in the rebelays, kicked the iceberg and continued. Andy
|
|
followed with lots of rope in a tockle bog. Rigged a new (club rope first)
|
|
rope on Saved Shaft before removing the old (shitty) rope to act as a
|
|
traverse line for above Keg series. The Interalp was removed from same and
|
|
put in the tockle bog.
|
|
|
|
<p>Moving forward (urgh !) we reached the takeoff for pitch 6 (gnuk, thrutch
|
|
!). Andy put in a bolt about 1m below the big ledge which gives a very good
|
|
changeover for the stand-off pitch below. This pitch gives the impression of
|
|
dropping into the side of a vadose canyon - confirmed by finding an inlet
|
|
10m up on the left (ie. upstream).
|
|
|
|
<p>Down the narrow passage into boulder land, Andy found a climb up on the
|
|
right which led to a short roomy passage to yet another shaft - no draught
|
|
[found by Nick, 1977]. Directly onward to the big chamber, less drip this
|
|
time, we found an OK freeclimb down c 5m under a colossal boulder. Straight
|
|
on, the rift proved to be very high but not too wide. Andy dropped down to
|
|
an impossibly narrow streamway, while Doug found a useful traverse level
|
|
leading about 50m to a small chamber into which we could not safely descend,
|
|
but observed a hole into which boulders were lobbed, 25m ? The rift
|
|
continues beyond, and we can't tell where the (much increased) draught comes
|
|
from, retreated.
|
|
|
|
<p>Back at the 'final' pitch, Andy set off and observed more question marks
|
|
halfway up the pitch. Doug had immense problems with his system, and the
|
|
exit, right to the surface, was accompanied by continuous swearing and
|
|
cursing, Doug surfacing 15 mins or so behind Andy. 5½ hours.
|
|
<br>Andy.
|
|
|
|
<p><a href="#id1978-76-5">Previous trip</a>/
|
|
<a href="#id1978-76-7">Next trip</a><hr />
|
|
|
|
<a id="id1978-107-2">Nicky, Mike, John</a>.
|
|
|
|
<p>This is getting silly. We went back to the same hole as yesterday and
|
|
started manoeuvering boulders. Stones fell for 2 secs plus before hitting
|
|
and bouncing, while the draught is massive. The cloud dropped once, covering
|
|
the plateau in fog, then you could see the mist swirling in the wind coming
|
|
from our hole. This encouraged us to get engrossed in some technical digging
|
|
using bolts in boulders and tied off knife blades as pulley points. Probably
|
|
the biggest waste of time so far. Just one more boulder to move now. The
|
|
main bolt is in place for the pitch, so we should see the bottom of the big
|
|
hole tomorrow. John.
|
|
|
|
<p><a href="#id1978-107-1">Discovery</a>/
|
|
<a href="#id1978-107-3">Next trip</a><hr />
|
|
|
|
<a id="id1978-76-7">5th August</a>
|
|
|
|
<p>Yes, a really "brown stains on the furry wonder suit" day
|
|
today. Simon and I zipped down uneventfully to the pitch with the big ledge
|
|
where Simon pulled up the rope and gardened the ledges. On to the climb down
|
|
where we rigged a handline, and then through the traverse to the boulder
|
|
floor before the chamber with THE PITCH. We chucked a few rocks down and
|
|
then started putting a bolt in, eventually finding some good rock to put it
|
|
in. Using this bolt as a belay, Simon climbed down into the chamber and then
|
|
came back out again very very fast as he noticed what he thought was a nice
|
|
solid wall above him was in fact a delicately poised bouder (THE BOULDER).
|
|
|
|
<p>I calmed Simon down, then had a look myself, trying underneath where we
|
|
were standing for a safeish looking pitch head. None was forthcoming. I came
|
|
back and Simon went down again, then Simon came back and I went down again.
|
|
The pitch has a very impressive echo and will be a naughty word to rig.
|
|
Refettled carbides at bottom of climb down and went out, Simon causing more
|
|
brown stains by rumouring that the ice boulder had moved.
|
|
|
|
<p><a href="#id1978-76-6">Previous trip</a>/
|
|
<a href="#id1978-76-8">Next trip</a><hr />
|
|
|
|
<a id="id1978-107-3">Ben, Mike</a>
|
|
|
|
<p>Admittedly our boulders were smaller, but they'd still kill you. We had
|
|
this large rock jammed in the hole we wanted to go down, so we used the
|
|
system rigged up yesterday and pulled and pulled but it didn't move much.
|
|
Then Mike had a good idea and eliminated the friction on the pulling rope.
|
|
With a quick pull we had it suspended above the hole, held only by a peg
|
|
pulling in the direction most likely to pull it out. Then it was chocked up
|
|
and the pulleys rearranged so as to pull it out. The rock was put on the
|
|
ledge by the pitch where it trembled a bit, but was held by the rope so we
|
|
felt we could go down the pitch. Unfortunately, we found a spreader, a long
|
|
enough rope and rigged the pitch. Ben was selected to go down. Going through
|
|
the hole, which is a bit small, it opens out into a superb enormous shaft,
|
|
about 20' in diameter, 55' deep. At the bottom, lots of different passages
|
|
lead off, one which is pretty big and horizontal. There's also a good rift
|
|
which still carries the draught. Its pretty fucking marvellous down there.
|
|
Mike came down after Ben had come back up. Ben.
|
|
|
|
<p><a href="#id1978-107-2">Previous dig</a>/
|
|
<a href="#id1978-107-4">Next trip</a><hr />
|
|
|
|
<a id="id1978-107-4">6th August</a>
|
|
|
|
<p>Ben, Mike, John, Nicky : 107
|
|
|
|
<p>After a couple of hours effort and sardines, all dangerous boulders were
|
|
removed from the entrance and the shaft abbed down by all four of us. After
|
|
gasping or something similar at the SIZE of it and the strong draught, we
|
|
split into two exploring parties (there is a lot to explore). Anyway, after
|
|
John had descended down 100 foot shaft in a rift section, and made enough
|
|
noise to attract attention to this fact, we all followed, finding one good
|
|
natural belay besides John's peg. At the foot of this impressive enlarged
|
|
canyon, we found another fine pitch (65') which offers several possible
|
|
forward routes. A short traverse to the left leads to another large soaring
|
|
shaft - which will be intensively explored tomorrow. Only a few loose
|
|
boulders were discovered, generally by their rapid descent towards those at
|
|
the foot of the pitch - but none of us were much worried, still being too
|
|
impressed with the size of the place. Generally the rock seems to be pretty
|
|
good and clean and we haven't encountered closely any kind of dubious
|
|
boulders. Nicky.
|
|
|
|
<p><a href="#id1978-107-3">Previous trip</a>/
|
|
<a href="#id1978-107-5">Next trip</a><hr />
|
|
|
|
6th August : Team Bluewater Fed, Festered and Farted.<hr />
|
|
|
|
<p><a id="id1978-76-8">7th August</a>
|
|
|
|
<p>Doug and Simon : Collected a crowbar from 107 and S transported it down
|
|
to Yesterday's Terminus, where to great surprise we discovered that the ice
|
|
boulder had disappeared and presumably broken up on the floor of the pitch.
|
|
Continued on down to the large boulder where Doug put in a bolt, backed up
|
|
by the handline. S abbed into a huge pitch meandering forwards and widening.
|
|
Protection needed on a flake near the top and at a constriction about 30' ?
|
|
down. At c 75', worry about the rubs became great, pitch widens out, may
|
|
well need rebelay. At least 30' to bottom of pitch, then a further pitch
|
|
down after that. It might be possible to have a decent rig from a buttress
|
|
further forward, but a floor was visible that. (??) Simon.
|
|
|
|
<p><a href="#id1978-76-7">Previous trip</a>/
|
|
<a href="#id1978-76-9">Next trip</a><hr />
|
|
|
|
<a id="id1978-107-5">Nicky, John, Mike, Ben</a>.
|
|
|
|
<p>After we had collected all the tackle from the dump, we went back to the
|
|
cave (via 106) where we met Ben who was trying to jack by blocking the
|
|
entrance pitch with loose boulders. Having removed the rock, we abbed down
|
|
to the bottom of the 65 and we started looking along the passage after the
|
|
traverse mentioned yesterday. We freeclimbed into the shaft and found a very
|
|
strongly draughting (inwards) canyon. This continued (partly choked) to a
|
|
pitch of 30 foot down to a false floor followed by another 20 foot to
|
|
another false floor followed by yet another yet undescended larger pitch.
|
|
There is another pitch on the first false floor down a continuation of the
|
|
canyon but this is 100 ft, ie. we don't want to do it. Several bolts are
|
|
needed on these pitches only one of which is placed so far, so this will
|
|
occupy most of the next trip. PS. while attempting to put a bolt in, Ben
|
|
requested and received a hit on the head with the peg hammer.
|
|
|
|
<p><a href="#id1978-107-4">Previous trip</a>/
|
|
<a href="#id1978-107-6">Next trip</a><hr />
|
|
|
|
Team Fiesta arrived in the previous evening, comprising Nick and Julian,
|
|
so a new saga starts here :
|
|
|
|
<p>7th August
|
|
|
|
<p>Messieurs Supercool and Supersmooth
|
|
|
|
<p>Helicopter up to the plateau and abseiled down. Found 110, see sketch.
|
|
Six teeth dropped off my anchor ! Huh ! substandard subb ... mumble.... Time
|
|
2 hrs. Oh, yes, I forgot, we had to do some digging to get in. Then :
|
|
|
|
<p>Found 111, 30m to narrow rift which got too tight/choked, shaft split 20m
|
|
down to shaft half full of snow.
|
|
<!-- I suspect that there is a sentence about 112 missing here-->
|
|
Both last two shafts are close to 98.
|
|
|
|
<p>Back at car by 7.15, helicopter never turned up. Nick.
|
|
<hr />
|
|
|
|
8th August.
|
|
|
|
<p>Mikeandysimonnickybendougjohn Fed/ Festered/ Farted
|
|
|
|
<p>Found Koppenbrüllerhöhle and investigated with matches.
|
|
<hr />
|
|
|
|
<a id="id1978-76-9">8-9th August</a> : Overnight trip by Supercool and
|
|
Supersmooth
|
|
|
|
<p>106 : Just found the entrance before dark, Phew ! Got underground by 8pm.
|
|
Blatted down to the Tap Room, then along traverse to pitch head amongst
|
|
boulders. Placed new bolt at head and descended about 15m to microledge and
|
|
placed a bolt rebelay. Next section was a "best pitch o'the pot"
|
|
so far. 35m to a large ledge with inlet. As the water fell away, we made a
|
|
bold step over to an opposite ledge. A couple of bolts later we descended
|
|
10m back to the streamway. Then we followed an obvious traverse line to the
|
|
next pitch. Plenty of black spaces about, so we rigged a traverse line from
|
|
bolt above a rocking boulder (really swinging, man). Pitch head ('nother
|
|
blot) was smallish but things got bigger further down. And bigger. And
|
|
bigger ..... A superb (Even better pitch o'the pot) free hanging 55m job.
|
|
Juniper Gulf eat shit ! This landed on blodders (good uns) and was followed
|
|
by a quick 5m to the floor. Downhill the stream flowed into a lowish
|
|
(wetsuitable) passage. Uphill quickly leads to balcony overlooking immense
|
|
chamber (15m x 15m x 80m high). Stream could be heard around corner, but
|
|
hadn't got enough rope to descend 12m pitch from balcony to reach it.
|
|
|
|
<p>Exit was slower than expected due to :<br>
|
|
1) Rope on 5m pitch vanishing upwards and coming back down through the
|
|
boulders..... Aaaaaarrrrrgh ! JG came back down to give me the rope having
|
|
prusiked the pitch once already. (A quick half litre for that man).<br>
|
|
2) Falling asleep while prusiking !
|
|
|
|
<p>Made the entrance again after 10.5 hour trip. Even Unox ham in a cold
|
|
drizzle tastes superb after this ! Total depth so far c 280m (Club record
|
|
depth) Nick
|
|
|
|
<p><a href="#id1978-76-8">Previous trip</a>/
|
|
<a href="#id1978-76-10">Next trip</a><hr />
|
|
|
|
9th August (daytime !?) F/F/F
|
|
|
|
<p><a id="id1978-107-6">9th-10th Ben and John overnight down 107</a>
|
|
|
|
<p>As the sun set below the clouds, we disappeared down the first pitch. A
|
|
quick grot around the rift of the 7th decided us that we could not easily
|
|
eliminate the ladders to the false boulder, so we looked around the bottom
|
|
of the 65' pitch. An awkward, loose climb leads to a short traverse across
|
|
this hole. You lob boulders down and 4 seconds plus there's a dull boom. 300
|
|
ft ?
|
|
|
|
<p>Beyond the hole is a 15' pitch rigged off the mankiest bolt in Austria
|
|
and a tied off peg and a natural thread. Then the big one. Bolting at 2
|
|
O'Clock in the morning in the wet icy draught is slow work. The water level
|
|
in the nearby pool rose quickly and what was a trickle turned into a
|
|
freezing stream. 180' of ladder and rope was fed down and I followed. There
|
|
are lots of ledges, easy ladder climb, but it was getting colder and wetter.
|
|
The whole cave was reverberating to the sound of massed choirs chanting
|
|
"Brown Girls". Time to go home. Total depth descended c 400'.
|
|
|
|
<p align=right>John.
|
|
|
|
<p><a href="#id1978-107-5">Previous trip</a>/
|
|
<a href="#id1978-107-7">Next trip</a><hr />
|
|
|
|
<a id="id1978-76-10">9th-10th August</a> Doug and Andy overnight in 106
|
|
|
|
<p>It had already got dark by the time we went underground, and various
|
|
amounts of rerigging delayed us somewhat. Eventually we got to the big pitch
|
|
which Andy descended first - it was COLOSSAL ! At the bottom, a couple of
|
|
ace natural belays got us down the next 10m pitch to the floor of Mega
|
|
boulders. At first it appeared to be a big choke, but descending down dip
|
|
and then climbing up vast piles of boulders, a roomy gallery - almost an
|
|
exhibition hall of all the varieties of unstable boulder bridges - was
|
|
found. The explorer started a descent of the far side of the boulders under
|
|
a boulder estimated at 5000 tons, but waited for support from DHF.
|
|
Eventually found the obvious free climb down, but found it overhanging - so
|
|
went off for the bolting gear and rigged a short pitch down into the new
|
|
chamber. From here a traverse and awkward climb down leads to a stream which
|
|
goes off to the left (not pushed very far). An additional tributary comes
|
|
from a rift about 20' up and flows the same way. Between the two is an OFD
|
|
type passage ending in a drop into a rift and a possible (but not without a
|
|
lifeline) continuation beyond. We rigged a natural belay for the start of
|
|
the rift (in a side rift to the left) and placed a bolt rebelay, but did not
|
|
descend further due to lack of time. Set off upward and soon got somewhat
|
|
warmer (despite the heavy water at the bottom of the 180') on the way up.
|
|
Eventually surfaced at a late hour (8.30 am !) after a 12 hour plus trip.
|
|
Andy. Deeper than OFD now !
|
|
|
|
<p><a href="#id1978-76-9">Previous trip</a>/
|
|
<a href="#id1978-76-11">Next trip</a><hr />
|
|
|
|
<a id="id1978-107-7">10th August</a>
|
|
|
|
<p>Mike, Nicky, 107
|
|
|
|
<p>Having struggled into our several layers of wet clothing and watched the
|
|
plateau disappear in the layers of mist, we started off down the cave. Having
|
|
got thoroughly resoaked by the bottom of the 65' pitch, we carried on to the
|
|
head of the "big" pitch, pausing to drop stones down John's
|
|
"Big 'ole". Mike then proceeded without hesitation or thought to
|
|
the bottom of the first section of the pitch - whilst I sat cheerfully at the
|
|
top contemplating the rock wall opposite. After half an hour, the merry
|
|
strains of "Brown Girls" stopped floating up the pitch and bolting
|
|
sounds carried on intermittently. After another half an hour of my own
|
|
personal attempts at singing (quietly) and warming up exercises, two whistle
|
|
blasts were heard. After yet another half hour, Mike reappeared at the top of
|
|
the pitch. Damp, cold and wetness ensured that our early (but not hasty)
|
|
retreat from the cave was the wisest decision, so we left with only one bolt
|
|
as progress. Nicky.
|
|
|
|
<p><a href="#id1978-107-6">Previous trip</a>/
|
|
<a href="#id1978-107-8">Next trip</a><hr />
|
|
|
|
<a id="id1978-41-1">12th August</a>
|
|
|
|
<p>Karl, Doug, Andy
|
|
|
|
<p>Karl arrived at 10am and we drove up to the plateau café. Walked to
|
|
1623/41a (Stellerweghöhle) which is very well concealed in Bunde. The
|
|
phreatic-looking horizontal entrance led on into a hading rift and then to a
|
|
huge snowpile below another entrance. Below the snow, the rift is very
|
|
extensive, and at about 45 degrees, but further on it gets a bit more
|
|
vertical. The big pitch at the end is beyond a very nasty traverse through a
|
|
window, so we couldn't see much, having brought no rope. On the way through
|
|
and back, Karl kept looking under boulders and at one stage showed us a pile
|
|
of bat bones, so we thought he was looking for bat remains, but when he
|
|
found what he was looking for it proved to be a small creature - little
|
|
worms c ½ cm long which he collected with forceps. Eventually, we had
|
|
four, and left.
|
|
|
|
<p>On the way back, we passed various entrances, and did a short trip in
|
|
Elchhöhle (1623/31) which is a large phreatic tube in horizontally
|
|
bedded rock, with lots of boulders. Karl again kept looking for bugs, despite
|
|
having left his collecting gear at the entrance. Then he found a small beetle
|
|
under a rock at which he seemed most upset not to have his gear, so Doug
|
|
rushed off to get it. When he returned, the beetle had escaped, so Karl was
|
|
dismantling the cave to find it. Large rocks crunched and eventually the
|
|
terrified beetle was collected - Karl was very pleased as it is only the
|
|
second specimen of that species found in Austria. We exitted and had lunch at
|
|
the Loser Hütte before returning to camp and drowning the beetle in
|
|
Vodka. Andy.
|
|
|
|
<a href="../1980/log.htm#id1980-41-1">Next trip</a> (start of CUCC exploration)
|
|
<hr />
|
|
|
|
12th-13th August. Nick, Julian, Simon. <a id="id1978-76-11">Eislufthohle</a>
|
|
|
|
<p>'nother overnighter. Couple of hours to get down to previous terminus.
|
|
Then : descended 30' to bolt rebelay and 40' to floor. Traversed forward in
|
|
large meandering vadose canyon (100' high, traverse level 30-40' off floor).
|
|
After jammed boulders, descended the yetchiest, muddiest 15m (sorry change of
|
|
units) pitch in the entire known universe. Traverse, traverse, traverse and
|
|
we rigged another pitch but didn't descend. Further pitch seen below, all in
|
|
same canyon. Total depth to this point estimated at 350-360m. The cave mud
|
|
mentioned above was examined by Karl and he confirmed that it was not the
|
|
sort of mud expected from a sump backing up. I therefore declare, forthwith
|
|
and hereby, that Eislufthöhle is very significant, horizontally
|
|
significant and likely to go a lot deeper. I forgot to mention in the above
|
|
description that we made one thrutchy freeclimb down at one point, but I'm
|
|
not sure exactly where.
|
|
|
|
<p><a href="#id1978-76-10">Previous trip</a>/
|
|
<a href="#id1978-76-12">Next trip</a><hr />
|
|
|
|
<a name="driveroty">Brain</a> aberrations during the above trip write-up were
|
|
caused by the distraction of our second trip of the night :
|
|
|
|
<p>Explored the river by the side of the road below the toll road. Tackle :
|
|
one Ford Fiesta. Descended 30' pitch into streamway, with a couple of
|
|
mid-air turns too. time c 5 seconds, tackle written off.
|
|
|
|
<p>The above trip led to a series of extraneous trips to Bad Aussee and
|
|
Salzburg hospitals where Simon and Julian were swindling the insurance with
|
|
their minor injuries (broken neck, broken sternum). It put an end to pushing
|
|
106 for the year, and we were naturally reluctant to indulge in any more
|
|
overnight trips.
|
|
<hr />
|
|
|
|
<a id="id1978-107-8">14th August</a>
|
|
|
|
<p>John and Ben, 107
|
|
|
|
<p>At last, decent weather allowed a reasonably early start taking Vic, Rod
|
|
and Dave for them to add some depth down the shaft with the boulder floor.
|
|
John and Ben meanwhile rerigged the rift pitch with the 100m rope. Pretty
|
|
awkward abseil, even worse ladder climb back up. Got to Mike's
|
|
"desperate loose ledge", pushed a bolt in the wall and laddered the
|
|
rest of the shaft. Fed the rest of the 100m rope down and John started off
|
|
down. At -70' he found an enormous mess in the rope and after trying for a
|
|
long while to undo it, came back up pulling the rope behind him. We undid the
|
|
knots on the ledge after half an hour, and then both descended 110' pitch.
|
|
Not bad shaft with big boulder at bottom. Stream continues under rift.
|
|
Descended 20' in scramble and bolted another 20' pitch. Continued along above
|
|
stream to pitch c 30-50'. Depth so far this way 570'. Ben. Time 7 hrs.
|
|
|
|
<hr />
|
|
|
|
Team Geriatric (Vic, Rod, Dave) crawled up the hillside half a mile
|
|
behind the fast moving dust cloud that showed where team youth was burning
|
|
up the miles. At the cave entrance, when they eventually got there, the
|
|
pensionaers were heard to be talking about family responsibilities,
|
|
arthritis and other ploys for not going underground (one of them even had to
|
|
be lent a descender, having conveniently forgotten his own). Marshalled
|
|
between members of the Youth Team, the ancients were carefully fed down the
|
|
entrance of the cave. A curious transformation came over them, a glazed
|
|
expression in their old eyes as though recalling distant memories of when
|
|
they too had discovered new glories. Down the first pitch, then the second,
|
|
and the third, then along the traverse ; so far so good, their aged limbs
|
|
had stood up well to the strain. Now at the head of the next pitch they were
|
|
sat down and told of hitherto undescended holes ahead of them. Then Team
|
|
Youth vanished into the darkness to push into discoveries elsewhere.
|
|
|
|
<p>Left alone at last, the crones shook off their disguise of weariness.
|
|
Swiftly they fixed a rope down the thirty foot pitch to a large flor of
|
|
unstable boulders. One of them carried on to the bottom of the boulder choke
|
|
while another was fixing a bolt at the top of the rift. Soon Rod was going
|
|
down the rift till he ran out of rope at about 70'. He called for another
|
|
rope, tied it onto the end of the previous one and carried on down to the
|
|
end of that one too. He ascended to a safe spot (The Sentry Box) and called
|
|
the others down. Dave, the last man down, took another 200' of rope with him
|
|
to the bottom of the second rope. Here he placed another bolt, belayed the
|
|
rope, and vanished off into a vast, dark hole. At one stage he was abseiling
|
|
down between the wall and a huge pinnacle, 30' high. The rope just reached
|
|
the floor. Here a stream appeared. He followed it down a descending rift
|
|
until, after about 50' of descent, he came to a small pitch with possibly
|
|
another one beyond that.
|
|
|
|
<p>Dave prusiked back to where Rod and Vic had been waiting in the Sentry
|
|
Box sharing both ends of a bar of Kendal Mint Cake at the same time since it
|
|
was too hard to break. From here the operation of getting out was a smooth
|
|
well-rehearsed exercise that they had done many times before. It took only
|
|
just over the hour to get out onto the plateau where they were in time to
|
|
enjoy the last few hours of sunshine.
|
|
|
|
<p>And Team Youth ? They came eventually, weary, dirty and dishevelled as
|
|
usual. They had missed the sunshine. It was dark by the time they got got
|
|
down. Team Geriatric had wined and dined and already gone to the pub.
|
|
|
|
<p><a href="#id1978-107-7">Previous trip</a>/
|
|
<a href="#id1978-107-9">Next trip</a><hr />
|
|
|
|
14th August : <a id="id1978-76-12">106</a> Piccying and surveying trip
|
|
|
|
<p>Mike, Andy and I went down 106, surveyed down to the bottom of the 100'
|
|
pitch. Mucho Chillo. Down to the bottom of the Taproom, Andy spent hours
|
|
trying to get his member out of his sitsling for a piss. A few piccies on
|
|
the way out. Fairly late out to the surface, dark by the time we reached the
|
|
van.
|
|
|
|
<p>Mike was not the catastrophe I expected. Doug.
|
|
|
|
<p><a href="#id1978-76-11">Previous trip</a>/
|
|
<a href="#id1978-76-13">Next trip</a><hr />
|
|
|
|
15th August : 107 pushing
|
|
|
|
<p>Nicky and I went down a bit late (12.30) due to hanggliding. We rigged
|
|
the 30' John and Ben had found using 3 bolts (all manky). About 100' of
|
|
freeclibing ensued down to the Geriatric's previous far point. Due to lack
|
|
of time, we then had to leave. Mike.
|
|
<hr />
|
|
|
|
<p>16th August : <a id="id1978-76-13">Eislufthöhle</a>, derigging the
|
|
bottom, Doug, Andy.
|
|
|
|
<p>We initially thought that getting up was the worst bit - at 4.30 am, but
|
|
we were to learn otherwise later. Underground by 7.40 am, a literal alpine
|
|
start. The familiar abseil descent took just over one hour to Hall of the
|
|
Greene King, and then we slowed down, carrying gear from the overhanging
|
|
boulder pitch to rig the freeclimb that was alleged to follow. Abseiling the
|
|
next pitch left large clods of mud on the descendeur and below, traversing
|
|
started immediately, but ended at an inlet on the left. Andy tried for a
|
|
long way at stream level, but eventually jacked and climbed up to a ledge
|
|
where Doug had a stinky gonk. Soon arrived at the really shitty pitch which
|
|
made a horrible mess on a rack. Not far to go now chaps - a final
|
|
undescended pitch was reached and Andy went down to a ledge with almost no
|
|
rope left. Lobbed rocks down the pitch - sounded like 10-15m to a muddy
|
|
ledge, but further out seemed a lot deeper; 30-50m ? Doug repeated the
|
|
exercise and then we set off out, derigging.
|
|
|
|
<p>Carrying vast piles of muddy rope over the traversing section takes quite
|
|
a while and derigging each pitch was a serious delay. Doug's ascenders were
|
|
slipping (nasty Petzls !) but we were soon back up the rift and got the
|
|
rope, including the spare 75m length, into tackle bags and up to Hall of the
|
|
Greene King. From here it was just an incredible slog out. Prusiking with a
|
|
large tackle bag is really strenuous and Doug tackle-hauled his gear up the
|
|
big pitch.
|
|
|
|
<p>Andy reached the Taproom well ahead of Doug and waited halfway up the
|
|
next pitch, which, if we don't find a name for it soon will cause write-ups
|
|
to be far too long, until Doug appeared below. As time was getting late,
|
|
Doug dropped his gear and the pace increased, and so we reached the entrance
|
|
by about 6.25 pm - Much relief. We were acutely aware of the effort of
|
|
raising a Mega-bag 300m against its will : ie. knackered. Doug brought the
|
|
remaining bag down to the car park.
|
|
|
|
<p>10¾ hours. Andy.
|
|
|
|
<p><a href="#id1978-76-12">Previous trip</a>/
|
|
<a href="#id1978-76-14">Next trip</a><hr />
|
|
|
|
August 16th : <a id="id1978-107-9">107 bottoming trip</a>.
|
|
Rod, Jont, Dave, Vic.
|
|
|
|
<p>Well, we got off to our usual crack of dawn start (9 am) and wandered up.
|
|
Dave and Jont went off to do a surface survey to 82, then surveyed down to
|
|
the head of "our" pitch. The Meisterplan failed and they had an
|
|
hour's wait here due to gross slowness in prusiking with heavy tackle
|
|
bags....however, I run ahead...
|
|
|
|
<p>Rod and I went down to the previous end. I surveyed the bottom passage
|
|
while Rod put a bolt in, then I abseiled down. Not a pleasant abseil as I
|
|
had to stop, hang on the rope 100' down, tie the other rope on, pass the
|
|
knot and carry on, hoping that the second rope reached the bottom. Due to
|
|
our incredible efficiency in calculating the tackle needed, it did. Ice cold
|
|
water all down the pitch did not help either - nor the failure of both
|
|
electric and stinkie.
|
|
|
|
<p>Chap. II "The End". Well, there is a big wide rift that ends in
|
|
a fairly conclusive choke sans draught. The water disappears down a rapidly
|
|
lowering tight passage of the more sordid Yorkshire variety, which I followed
|
|
to the limit of my patience (it got even smaller). Much relieved, I exitted,
|
|
collecting a chilly Rod on the way out, who did a hero's job with 60m of wet
|
|
12mm Marlow up the 95m pitch.
|
|
|
|
<p>And all in 7 hours. Geriatrics rule OK ? Vic.
|
|
|
|
<p><a href="#id1978-107-8">Previous trip</a>/
|
|
<a href="#id1978-107-10">Final trip</a><hr />
|
|
|
|
August 19th : <a id="id1978-107-10">107 derigging trip</a>. Andy, Ben, John, Mike, Nicky.
|
|
|
|
<p>Leaving Andy and Mike to come down on a piccying trip in their own sweet
|
|
time, the deriggers of the party descended intrepidly down the cave to the
|
|
bottom of the big shaft. Leaving Ben to disappear and pollute yet another
|
|
recess with his yards of bog paper and other matter, John and myself
|
|
continued resolutely down the narrow rift to derig the bottom ladders. This
|
|
was just about completed, and we were beginning to remark on the sheer
|
|
efficiency of the operation when a small doubt began tp filter through
|
|
John's cold-benumbed brain. Where was the hammer ? The pitch was hastily
|
|
rerigged, hammer was retrieved, and derigging continued. Andy and Mike made
|
|
an appearance on the ledge at the top of the 110' pitch and tackle hauling
|
|
up the shaft was done, passing tackle on to Andy and Mike, to ferry up the
|
|
rift. Most of the tackle was up the rift by the time that the whole cave was
|
|
resounding with John's frustrated Yells and Screams, as he swore at carbide
|
|
and tackle, stuck halfway up the rift with no lights. Tackle hauling
|
|
continued apace, with Andy ferrying several times up the ninety foot,
|
|
oblivious of the horrendous and daunting wear in the middle of the rope,
|
|
noticed later by Ben. John, Andy and myself sneaked up out of the pot before
|
|
Ben and Mike had even realised that they had been left to deal with the
|
|
remaining tackle at the bottom of the entrance pitch. While we enjoyed the
|
|
warm sunshine, Ben sweated and swore, emerging some hours later as the sun
|
|
was sinking. Nicky.
|
|
|
|
<p><a href="#id1978-107-9">Previous trip</a>/
|
|
<a href="../../plateau/107.htm">Guidebook description</a><hr />
|
|
|
|
<a id="id1978-76-14">Eislufthöhle</a> 19th August 1978 - derigging.
|
|
Nick, Dave, Jont, Vic, Rod, Doug.
|
|
|
|
<p>An alpine start by Dave and self meant we got underground before the sun
|
|
got a bit too warm. Went down to top of big pitch where we split up; Dave
|
|
waiting at the pitch head and with me descending to derig the next couple of
|
|
pitches. Started out, derigging, bolt-greasing etc. as we went, and met Jont
|
|
just below the Taproom. Started to stagger out now and met Vic and Rod on
|
|
the last pitch of last year (we ought to have a name for it, and if we
|
|
haven't already, then we'd better get thinking). Meanwhile, Doug had been in
|
|
to the Taproom and exitted with a tockle bog (Full too !) A slow exit up
|
|
Plugged Shaft with antics from Jont, his ascenders and his carbide lamp, and
|
|
with the Bluewater being as awkward as ever. Had to abandon the crowbar.
|
|
|
|
<p>Out after a trip of 7½ hours (for me) and its really nice doing all
|
|
those pitches whilst being wide awake !
|
|
|
|
<p><a href="#id1978-76-13">Previous trip</a>/
|
|
<a href="../1979/log.htm#id1979-76-1">Next trip</a><hr />
|
|
|
|
<!-- LINKS -->
|
|
<ul id="links">
|
|
<li>1978 Expedition info:
|
|
<ul>
|
|
<li><a href="report.htm">Expo report, Cambridge Underground 1979</a></li>
|
|
<li><a href="bcracc.htm">BCRA Caves & Caving Report</a></li>
|
|
<li>Eislufthöhle - <a href="descnt.htm">from Descent 40</a></li>
|
|
<li>Nick Thorne's write-up in <a href="782034.htm">Belfry Bulletin 366</a></li>
|
|
<li>1977/78 report from <a href="npc79.htm">NPC Journal</a></li>
|
|
<li><a href="sponsr.htm">Sponsors</a></li>
|
|
</ul></li>
|
|
<li><a href="../../pubs.htm#pubs1978">Index</a> to all publications</li>
|
|
<li><a href="../../index.htm">Back to Expeditions intro page</a></li>
|
|
<li><a href="../../../index.htm">CUCC Home Page</a></li>
|
|
</ul>
|
|
</body>
|
|
</html>
|