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<meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=iso-8859-1" />
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<title>1996: Logbook</title>
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<link rel="stylesheet" type="text/css" href="../../css/main2.css" />
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<body bgcolor="#FFFFFF">
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<table><tr><td width=44></td><td width="*">
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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="#start">to the
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caving</a>!
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<p>28/6/96</a> | Steve and Anthony's journey | Steve and Anthony </p>
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<p>Steve & <u>Anthony</u> go to expo with an angular vehicle full of shit
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and Wookey's latest addition to the expo trailer dynasty, which proved to be
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much more effective than its predecessor. Apart from nearly running out of
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petrol at 7am in France and a couple of overheating errors, journey was
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thankfully uneventful. All the sitting around waiting for the car to cool
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down cost us a beer however...
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<hr />
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<p>1/7/96 | Looking for 161d | <a name="start">Steve</a> and <u>Anthony</u> </p>
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<p>After sitting around at Top Camp for a bit waiting for the weather to
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clear up, it became clear it wasn't going to so we went entrance hunting.
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Walked back along the path to the Toll Road and picked up the 201 by the
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shepherd's huts and followed this to the Hochklapf Sattel.
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<p>First of all we found a cave below the ridge at the low point on the top
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camp path shortly before we picked up the 201. It doesn't go anywhere -
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just 15m or so of 4m wide stooping passage which closes down.
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<p>Walked on the 201 past 32 and arrows indicating a route to 41 and 115.
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Also found a cave numbered 88 immediately adjacent to the path. It looks
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like an obvious no goer so is clearly the cave in need of denumbering
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rather than Lärchenschacht. Slightly further along the 201 is an arrow
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indicating the route to 87 opposite a marking [Triangle with dot in
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centre] 5 in the path - presumably a fixed survey station.
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<p>Beyond Hochklapf after the path from Alt Aussee joins, Scarface is clearly
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visible. There is a white band running down the cliff face with a prominent
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boulder pile half way up - this is the level of the entrance. We tried back
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tracking down the 201 to a little way before the path from Alt Aussee joins
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and attempted to climb over the spur between us and 161d - not a good idea,
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much Bunde bashing. A better route would be to walk to the southern end of
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the Augstwies see, then walk round the spur and up a prominent SW trending
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gully (big enough to be marked on the map). From the top of this gully it is
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possible to zig zag up the hill to the right level by means of some Bunde
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bashing and a few climbs, none of which are too desperate, and walk along to
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the entrance. This is the best route found so far but it is a <u>long</u>
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way. It took us 2½ hours from top camp. Even allowing for a certain
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amount of pratting around it's not going to be much less than 2 hours, and
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that on a cool day with very little gear.
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<p>Heading back we first tried to make for a gully to the north which looks
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like it would provide an easy descent route if we could find a way into it
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(we didn't). Next we tried scaling the cliffs but quickly gave up when it
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became obvious that an easy route was not going to present itself. Finally
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we started off traversing along the same level as the entrance heading
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south. It doesn't look too far up to the col near 161c here, so a better
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approach may be to attack it from the top with a bolting kit and some
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ladders.
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<p>There is a very obvious traverse level just below the cliff face which
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continues until you are approximately west of the junction of the 201 and
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the Alt Aussee path but considerably higher up. There is a possible site
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for a couple of tents here - no water supply but completely invisible from
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more than 10 yards away. At this point we decided to try and head up and
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over the shoulder of the VSK rather than go down and join the 201. This
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was a mistake - 2½ hours of Bunde bashing with intermittent showers
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followed. It was rubbish. Sheltered in an enormous train tunnel entrance,
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though the plaque labelled "Schwarzmooskogel Eishöhle" gave us a clue
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that someone had been there before us. We couldn't find the path back
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immediately, but after a bit more thrashing around we found it and went
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home.
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<p>Incidentally, there's a big hole in the middle of the Eishöhle path
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which is obviously >10m deep with no markings or bolts evident. I can't
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believe that something that size in the middle of the path to Eishöhle
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hasn't been checked out - so what the hell is it??
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<hr />
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<p>1/7/96 | Nick, Helen, Gunilla and Matthew go to Expo | <u>Nick</u>, Helen, Gunilla and Matthew </p>
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<p>"<i>Buy a car Nick, it'll be lovely</i>" said Steve.<br>
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"<i>Buy a car Nick, it'll be really useful and there are this many reasons
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why it'll be a GOOD THING for you and not just Expo</i>" said Anthony.<br>
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"<i>Buy a car you miserable git, it's your turn</i>" said Julian.<br>
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"<b><i>No</i></b>" said Nick<br>
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Nick bought a car.
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<p>Three weeks later, having filled the car with flapjack and 2½
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people we set off from Cambridge at 4.00am to pick Matthew up from the
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services at Junction 2 on the M20, or rather, Matthew and his "2 bags and a
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very small tent". Matthew turns up with his mum and a large estate car full
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of gear to put into my already full car (just the gear, not his mum). I'm
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told it was a little cramped in the back seats....
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<p>Largely uneventful journey - got an early ferry, appreciated the centre of
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Luxembourg (twice) and failed to find any cheese in France. Arrived in
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Austria and Hilda's for 1.00am to find Steve & Anthony supping
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Gösser, so had to join them.
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<p>Cars are ace!
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<p align=right>...Sometimes....</p>
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<hr />
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<p><a id="id1996-161-0">3/7/96</a> | Looking for a route to 161d from above | Anthony, Gunilla, Matthew and <u>Steve</u></p>
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<p>After faffing about in the morning whilst Helen tried to sort out the rest
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of her life via Hilde's phone, we set off to top camp about one o'clock. Then
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we realised we didn't have any hangars, so Anthony went back. A brief(ish)
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fester at top camp meant we didn't set off for the col until 3.45.
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<p>However, even with limited time we managed to strike gold and find a
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reasonable route. From the spot where the 161a & 161c paths split, a
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gully can be seen heading down the back of the Vord in the vague direction of
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161d. Follow this easily until it peters out.
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<p>We then basically followed our noses until it got too hard. Pretty soon we
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could see the 'scar' in scarface, but it seemed that there was impossible
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bunde grief between us and prussik-free access to the pushing front.
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<p>I dived into the bunde anyway, as I had seen the area from above earlier
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on and it really didn't look that far.
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<p>After about 200yds of pretty serious bunde bashing I popped out somewhere
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I recognised from our previous route finding effort. A tricky climb and
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some easy walking led to the entrance.
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<p>So basically its a result. Some tedious bunde hacking needs to be done and
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a couple of handlines should be put on, but a decent path will soon exist.
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I reckon its about 1¼ from top camp to scarface, walking at a
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reasonable pace.
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<hr />
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<p> 3/7/96 | Looking for a way back to England...| <u>Helen</u> + Nick</p>
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<p>BECKA: I guessed the 3/7 date for this entry </P>
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<p>As we're nearly ready for going to Top Camp to carry stuff Hilda calls me
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and I get a phonecall from Dad "-you have an interview next week". After
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much phoning he finds out about another interview, and that he couldn't
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change my flight home for me. I had to do it myself, in person... nearest
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office in Vienna. Found a place in Stralzburg. Salzburg actually, I drove
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(N)
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<p>Nick gallently (?) offered to drive me as I was still suffering from a
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hangover. Drove to Statzburg, parked, wandered around a bit. Found a stall
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offering guided tours... in English! Hurrah! Nice man said he was also
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going there, he'd take us... Found the tiny shop in a tiny street. Was
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told that they could change my flight for 350 AU.s, but no flights on the
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9th, only on the 6th July. Sigh! I change my ticket, it gives me an entire
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4 days doing things here. 15 hours driving (ish, very-ish) for 4 days on
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Expo. Ho Hum.
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<p>Drove back, found team London at Hilda's. Took them straight up to Top
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Camp (keeness or what !?!) and did 2 carry-ins. If I'm lucky I'll get 1
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caving trip!
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<hr />
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<p><a id="id1996-161-3">5/7/96</a> | Caving in 161d | <u>Helen</u> + Nick </p>
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<p>I get a caving trip! Some faffing and a walk with stupidly heavy
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rucksacs. All apart from Antony and Nick who obviously carried rucksacs
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lightly filled with feathers, weighing nothing at all. Or maybe not.
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Still, it slowed the buggers down and got them out of breath.
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<p>Obvious problem with 161d (apart from getting there) is the lack of shade
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while changing. Luckily there is a howling gale of cold air coming out of
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the less-than-generous entrance.
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<p>Pottered in to Trifurcation to (95/55A) lead which was labled as a pitch,
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depth not noted. It had a good drop on it (~30m). Rigged off the stunning
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natural (a large boulder) for the muddy scrabble, then a rebelay, another
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re -belay, and a nice free-hang. Nick did all that while I stood around
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getting cold. Then I went down, replaced one rope-protector, added another
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one on the next rub, but I'd run out by the 3rd rub. Nick's comment "I
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noticed that but it's ok if you keep left and prussic carefully". Got to
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the bottom, discovered it was time to go back out. Not very exciting but
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it is a stonking lead - another pitch going on with a good drop. Rumour
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has it it may get called 'Interview Blues' or something similar.
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<p align=right>TU 5hrs</p>
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<p><a href="../1995/log.htm#id1995-161-30">Previous trip</a>
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(finding Trifurcation, 1995) /
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<a href="#id1996-161-13">Next Interview Blues trip</a> /
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Trips same day finding: <a href="#id1996-161-1">Puerile Humour</a> &
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<a href="#id1996-161-2">Bottomless Pit of Eternal Chaos</a> /
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<a href="#id1996-161-51">Dave & Becka's route traversing over IVB</a>
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<hr />
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<p>4/7 |Top Camp carry | <u>Nick</u>, Matthew, Brian, Phil </p<
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>
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Carried lots of shit up to Top Camp in the heat, whilst Steve and Anthony
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massacred some bunde with Anthony's Junior Hacksaw. Saw a little adder
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(the Expo Treasurer?) and a lizard (the Expo Leader?)
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<hr />
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<p>2/7 | Journey to Expo | Brian & <u>PhilU</u> </p>
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<p>Set of from London 3:30am. Folkestone. Chunnel. France. Belgium. Germany.
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Fly-camp. More Germany. Austria. Base Camp. Top Camp. 50mph. 'Nuff said.
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<p>* SPACE LEFT FOR BRIAN & PHIL'S EXCITING 50 MPH TRANS-EUROPEAN
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ADVENTURE
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<hr />
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<p><a id="id1996-161-1">5/7</a> |161d | Matthew, <u>PhilU</u>, Steve </p>
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<p>We walked from Top Camp to Scarface. It was a bastard. Got changed and
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sweated whilst waiting for everyone else. Entered cave and trundled along to
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Bugger. Tried to climb it. Steve got ¾ way up, left a good sling on a
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natural thread, and fell off. Swore. Gave up on Bugger, and wandered back to
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Ring-Piece Junction, and followed a good lead for 150m, which continues after
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15m pitch. A few promising leads.
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<p align=right>TU 7 ½ hrs</p>
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<p><a href="../1995/log.htm#id1995-161-30">Previous trip</a>
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(finding Bugger, 1995) /
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Next trips: <a href="#id1996-161-7">Bugger (successful climb)</a> &
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<a href="#id1996-161-6">150m lead (Puerile Humour Series)</a> /
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Trips same day finding: <a href="#id1996-161-3">Interview Blues</a> &
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<a href="#id1996-161-2">Bottomless Pit of Eternal Chaos</a>
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<hr />
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<p><a id="id1996-161-4">6/7</a> | Pushing Leads off Trifurcation | <u>Nick</u>, Anthony, Brian </p>
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<p>(or Silly Bastards go caving in the rain) The caving was lovely, the walk
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in (55mins) and the walk out (45mins) were done in the pissing rain. Had we
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set of ½hr later it would have started raining before we left Top Camp
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and we could have happily jacked. Having slogged up to the col, however, we
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could only go onwards and upwards.
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<p>Nick's caving bit: Continued down 95-55. Added another rope protector
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(making 3!) to the first pitch, bolted the 6m pitch (lovely Y-hang). A
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further 10m pitch through the floor (getting narrower - I love rift pitch
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series!) required another Y-hang and a deviation (no decent naturals when
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required hence my fifth bolt of the day). At the bottom of this pitch is
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yet another one, of about 20m, in a much wider shaft, with the sound of
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water coming from it. More to follow...
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<p>There is a continuation of the rift at the top of this pitch series, which
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is responsible for the draught (there is no draught down the pitches).
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This can only be reached by a very airy traverse - a job for the drill.
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<p align=right>TU 5 ½ hrs</p>
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<p><a href="#id1996-161-2">Previous trip</a> /
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<a href="#id1996-161-4a">More of this trip</a> /
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<a href="#id1996-161-5">Next trip</a>
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<hr />
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<p><a id="id1996-161-2"></a> 5/7| Pushing 95-54| <u>Brian</u> & Anthony </p>
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<p>Anthony's caving bit:
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Pushing 95-54 near MINOAN surprise. Placed back up bolt to left of
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pitch head. Found Stubai Al. crab - last years ? Placed another bolt at pitch
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head, descended 10m placed rebelay bolt went down to next ledge 7m down
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couldn't see bottom so tied off rope bag & exited cave<br>
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TU 5 ½ hrs
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<p><a href="../1995/log.htm#id1995-161-30">Previous trip</a>
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(finding Minoan Surprise, 1995) /
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<a href="#id1996-161-4">Next Bottomless Pit trip</a> /
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Trips same day finding: <a href="#id1996-161-1">Puerile Humour</a> &
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<a href="#id1996-161-3">Interview Blues</a>
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<hr />
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<p><a id="id1996-161-4a">6/7</a> | Pushing 95-54| <u>Brian</u> & Anthony </p>
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<p> BECKA - I added title and people here as unclear what write-up below refers to </p>
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Got down to 10m rebelay descended 7m placed
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another rebelay just below ledge then 60m freehang with deviation off sharp
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flake on right about 35m down giving nice freehang descent to land on boulder
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slope at bottom to left is ascending rift up small streamway - not pushed -
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to right up very loose boulder slope to small col. To left upslope is
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twisting ascending rift probably part of main shaft so not pushed. Downslope
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is 3m chimney climb down into rift with loose boulders chocked in rift down
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looks a bit tight so climb up onto chocks and move along rift. Rift opens out
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into pitch &plusm; 20m with sound of stream at bottom no gear so exit
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cave.<br>
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TU 5 ½ hrs
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<p><a href="#id1996-161-2">Previous trip</a> /
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<a href="#id1996-161-4">More of this trip</a> /
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<a href="#id1996-161-5">Next trip</a>
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<hr />
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<p> 7/7/96 |PhilB & Ralph's amazing journey! | PhilB, Ralph </p>
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<p> BECKA - I guessed the 7/7 date </p>
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<p>Planning? Who needs it! I 'phoned Ralph on Wednesday to make arrangements
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i.e. to meet at Julian's house on Saturday afternoon; Midday Saturday, I
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arose, packed, and left for Cambridge... 17.30 I arrived, packed the car with
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Ralph and a load of other shit (sic), and we left for Dover Eastern Docks,
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stopping only to buy a ferry ticket from the nice man at the P&O booking
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office. An hour later, we sailed for France, and then decided to look at the
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map ("Where exactly <u>is</u> Bad Aussee?"). At Calais, we drove until my
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eyes hurt too much, and then slept for a bit. Then we drove some more, and
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eventually arrived @ the Potato Hut. So what's the big deal? All credit to
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Ralph for flawless navigation (just don't mention Luxembourg...), and even
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more credit to the car for never faltering (thanks, Pete!)
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<p>TTT = 27.4 (Cambridge -> Potato Hut).
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<p align=right><u>PhilB</u>
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<p>PS: 45mpg all the way!
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<p align=right><u>Ralph</u></p>
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<hr />
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<p> 9/7/96 | Attempt to go caving | Nick, Brian, PhilU & <u>Anthony</u></p>
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<p>After two day's festering with 11 belching farting cavers in the potato
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hut, team keen decided to earn some super hero points by going caving in
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the snow. It had stopped raining for a full hour and a half when we left
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base camp, but the suspiciously white hills suggested we were in for some
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Wintery fun. The 4" of snow which greeted us at the top of the toll road
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||
confirmed this, but the intrepid (stupid?) four slithered onwards to top
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camp, Phil having a particularly fun time in his denim jeans. The weather
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||
at top camp made that elsewhere on our journey look tropical - mist, a
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biting wind with occasional hail showers and more snow. This had contrived
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||
to make Steve's and Brian's tents a bit of a funny shape, but an hour's
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||
excavation of them and the other tents amazingly revealed no damage to
|
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them or their contents. The food bags were similarly unscathed. Then spent
|
||
an hour and a half sitting around supping tea, eating Tunnocks bars and
|
||
being glum. Since we managed to get cold in this time, despite there being
|
||
four people and their cheesy feet sitting in one tent in coats and hats,
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||
we decided that staying the night at Top Camp would be crap and cold,
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especially as the weather forecast on Hurdy Gurdy FM was unpromising. So
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we went back to base camp and sulked. It was rubbish. Why have I driven
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||
900 miles for weather like Leck Fell in December?
|
||
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<p>TU Nil. [Some time this expo I'm going to get to write up an actual caving
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||
trip (I hope)]
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||
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||
<hr />
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||
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<p> 5/7/96 | Drive across Europe (<u>not</u> via Frankfurt) | <u>Dunks</u>, Paul & Jen </p>
|
||
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||
<p>Quite a straightforward journey really, except for there seems to have
|
||
been some sort of communication fuck-up concerning the route.
|
||
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<p>Jen (Paul's woman, not a caver) thought we had agreed to do an overnight
|
||
stop at her mate's house near Frankfurt. Me & Paul thought we had decided
|
||
to slog straight to expo.
|
||
|
||
<p>We had got as far as Luxembourg (after a slight lostness-fuck up in
|
||
Lille), it was ~5:30am, before we discovered our differing plans. After a
|
||
rather circular discussion of the matter, we came direct to expo, but had
|
||
to stop a few times to try and phone Frankfurt to say we weren't coming.
|
||
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||
<p>Front left-hand indicator stopped working near Stuttgart. Paul had got a
|
||
spare bulb so we thought we might as well stop and do the trivial fettle.
|
||
|
||
<p>Of course, to get to the screws holding the indicator unit in place, you
|
||
have to remove the headlights. In turn, to get to the clips holding the
|
||
headlight in place, you have to remove the radiator grille...
|
||
|
||
<p>Things weren't helped by someone having done a bodge at some stage with
|
||
one of the retaining clips for the headlight making the *#<23>!!ng thing damn
|
||
near impossible to put back in place.
|
||
|
||
<p>Eventually fettled it all. Checked everything was working and set off.
|
||
About an hour later, the front left-hand indicator stopped working. Bugger
|
||
that then...
|
||
|
||
<hr />
|
||
|
||
<p><a id="id1996-161-5">11/7/96</a> | Surveying
|
||
big pitch off Minoan Surprise (QM 95-54) | Brian, Nick and <u>Anthony</u></p>
|
||
|
||
<p>Finally went caving after 4 days of inaction. First laid some string along
|
||
the route through Triassic Park - v tedious. Someone else can do the rest.
|
||
Then bombed off to do a survey of the big pitch - since named "Bottomless
|
||
Pit of Eternal Chaos" (p81) - and the grotty 50cm wide rift at the bottom
|
||
- "Hell's Teeth," while Brian put in some spits at the top of the
|
||
following pitch - "Redemption" (p27). This drops into a ~40m high rift
|
||
with a stream in the bottom. There are two waterfalls entering - more
|
||
possible routes entering from above? Continuing downstream (unsurveyed)
|
||
the canyon narrows to ~1m wide with many jammed boulders. The water then
|
||
disappears off to the right, but a short squeeze further on regains the
|
||
stream, which promptly disappears down the rift (~15m, may be two tight to
|
||
follow). It looks as though the rift can be followed at a higher level,
|
||
but needs a traverse line.
|
||
|
||
<p>By now we were all freezing our tits off, so we exited. The big pitch is
|
||
excellent: A fine pitch, a prince among pitches. Brian certainly thinks so.
|
||
He carefully got the bottom of the rope caught in his dangly bag, not
|
||
noticing until he got to the rebelay, 60m off the ground. The cause of his
|
||
slow prussiking then became apparent, so he went back down to the deviation
|
||
(35m) replaced it and carried on out, thus doing the pitch 1 ½ times.
|
||
Those waiting at the bottom were most relieved to see the return of the rope.
|
||
|
||
<p>Nobody could be bothered to do anything else, so we left.
|
||
|
||
<p align=right>TU 8 ½ hours</p>
|
||
|
||
<p><a href="#id1996-161-4">Previous trip</a> /
|
||
<a href="#id1996-161-8">Next trip (derig)</a> /
|
||
<a href="#id1996-161-6">Puerile Humour trip</a> (same day)
|
||
|
||
<hr />
|
||
|
||
<p> 12/7/96 | Driving to Austria | Andrew, Andrew, Juliette + <u>Dave</u></p>
|
||
|
||
<p>It was awful. Austria was too near so we thought we (A+D) would empty
|
||
Andrew's house to Southampton to make it take longer. So, we bought a tow
|
||
bar, fitted it went to rent a trailer, not the sort of squiffy half baked
|
||
thing that comes Austria but a BIG trailer. I left my keys at the trailer
|
||
'park'. Took hours to find that out. Got to S'ton eventually. 40 mph on
|
||
the hills on the M4, the trailer was that big. After getting the trailer
|
||
unloaded, not helped by it not opening - a bit of wood had slipped onto
|
||
the roller shutter (I forced Andrew to go caving in it), we turned back
|
||
to collect wallet on front lawn. Eventually, back to Bristol at 3.00am bed
|
||
by 3.40 up to make sandwiches at 5.40am. Packing again. We found another
|
||
Andy in Bristol so we put him in too, with gear on top. S'ton again, then
|
||
7oaks then finally Austria after reversing into a french car, reversing on
|
||
a German motorway and having the greatest time of my life with Andy Cooke
|
||
& some polystyrene ceiling tiles for friends. I was left wondering one
|
||
thing do they have a repeating pattern or not.
|
||
|
||
<p>Diagramatic summary.
|
||
|
||
<p>[Picture follows]
|
||
|
||
<p>13/7/96 | Driving to Austria | Tina & MikeTA & Corrosion the Metro </p>
|
||
|
||
York is too far down Britain by half. Took ages just driving to
|
||
the channel. Seacat was fun. Thought I'd been clever, thought I'd raided
|
||
the money tin for all the loose coppers just right + sorted it into a few
|
||
French + a few German. However, on ordering deux fricondelle, the man at
|
||
the frite stall shrugged gallickly (?can spell) at my dosh. It was out of
|
||
date. He asked what other spondulies I had in my possession - Belgium,
|
||
Luxembourg. I answered him nay + he didn't want German or Austrian or
|
||
English. Roll on EU's that's what I say. He shrugged, I shrugged, we both
|
||
shrugged. He gave me the butties. Very nice too. very embarassing.
|
||
|
||
<p>Getting on fine after that. Stopped for some kip in a nice layby. Even
|
||
thought of getting the shiny new [Warning Triangle] sign out + putting it
|
||
behind us. Got woke up by a "helpfull" German or Luxemburgois or foreign
|
||
bugger with unfortunately good English who kept explaining repeatedly at
|
||
great length why it was dangerous to kip where we were. We moved. Got
|
||
worried the car might roll onto us. We know our car. Moved again. Woke up
|
||
to find a woodlouse crawling on my neck.
|
||
|
||
<p>Set off again. Last leg. Soon be at Hilda's. Temp gauge a bit dicky. Later
|
||
on water leaking + steam coming out. Lots of helpful Germans pointing at
|
||
our car + saying "ganz Wasser" + similar. We had noticed in Pforzheim
|
||
tankstelle thing. Big brown puddle all over their clean German forecourt.
|
||
Cooling system sans wasser (sorry, dunno G. for 'without'). Never fear,
|
||
out with the gaffer tape, clean the rest of the end of the pipe where the
|
||
leak is, reattach the rubber hose and hey presto, of we go... It was nice
|
||
to note some Germans smiling that we'd got it going. They'd all been
|
||
pointing and smirking at our rust before.
|
||
(TTR 20mins)
|
||
|
||
<p>...into Austria. Turn off autobahn & temp gauge needle hits the end.
|
||
Stop pronto, open bonnet - ahha - fixing leak has produced hole in the pipe
|
||
at the other end. Two attempts to bodge it with (a) gaffer tape (b) cloth
|
||
& (c) hose clip fail. Out came spare hose (a bit too big 'cos its for
|
||
Rover*), hacksaw and so forth. Patch it up and off we go... (TTR 1hour) temp
|
||
gauge hits roof again - into garage forecourt to find original fix has now
|
||
worked loose.
|
||
|
||
<p>Steal all the water (??? garage is shut) - even the thermos flask was
|
||
pressed into action - tighten up leak, nick all the water - yeh - get to
|
||
Staud'n'wirt and YOU'VE ALL SODDED OFF!
|
||
|
||
<p><center>Aaaarghhh!!</center>
|
||
|
||
<p>* If necessary, ask an old lag
|
||
|
||
|
||
<hr />
|
||
|
||
<p>13/7/96 |Trouble free motoring in the badvan | J.Todd & Wookey </p>
|
||
|
||
<p> BECKA - guessed date as 13/7 </p>
|
||
|
||
<p>The bad van struck again. I negotiated a subsidy from NC Graphics UK Ltd.
|
||
to carry a Pentium Pro to NC Graphics Deutschland near Munich instead of
|
||
sending it by courier. NCGD's boss is Dieter Trinkner who was happily
|
||
painting and decorating the top floor of his parent's-in law's house with
|
||
his wife ready to move in (NCGD head quarters is in the basement) when
|
||
team expo arrive with a steaming car, smelling a bit because we've not had
|
||
a bath in a week in preparation and boot and roof full of shit. You could
|
||
hear the tone of the neighbourhood drop several octaves. This used to be a
|
||
nice place with twee little window boxes and BMW's in every driveway, and
|
||
people who never forgot to pray before their din-dins. It took them ten
|
||
hours to get rid of us. First they called the German AA because they
|
||
thought that Nat. Breakdown was an insurance company willing to pay for
|
||
any old unauthorised car fettling activity, and we persuaded them to
|
||
cancel that after a bit of hassle as we went through the regular
|
||
channels. Nat. Breakdown wanted to know which day and what time our ferry
|
||
back to England was for some reason. Then they began to make contacts
|
||
with the local garages and give them the wrong phone number. We were
|
||
always phoning back and getting told no one could find us. The exact
|
||
problem with the car was that a hole had been worn into the middle of the
|
||
radiator. It pissed out steam and water pretty quickly. We kept our hosts
|
||
entertained for hours by telling them tales of all our other car disaster
|
||
epics across Europe. And after seventeen million phone calls to various
|
||
Germans, farmers, grandfather blacksmiths, we gave up and told Nat B. to
|
||
get us towed out. We still hadn't run out of stories. The entire family
|
||
waved us off and 4 hours later the pissed off young man who had to tow it
|
||
up the perch pass in 1st gear got us to an empty campsite.
|
||
|
||
<hr />
|
||
|
||
<p><a id="id1996-161-6">11/7/96</a> | Pushing Puerile Humour | Ralph, Steve, <u>Matthew</u></p>
|
||
|
||
<p>The finds extending N from nr. Ringpiece Junction, having fallen victim to
|
||
a Gössered-up naming session by Steve, have become the Puerile Humour
|
||
series. We linked the previous survey into a point in TP, then put a
|
||
handline round the 2nd pit, 'Amyl Nitrate' named because its discoverers
|
||
had just been repulsed at Bugger.
|
||
|
||
<p>Have now found ways up into 2 chambers looking down onto 'Between the
|
||
Thighs'. Continued under boulders to find 3 QM's at top of 2 steep
|
||
scrambles on left. Forward is a climb down (good naturals) to a pitch
|
||
(20m?). A passage continuing over the climb turns right into a big
|
||
chamber, couldn't see floor, heard running water. Not having enough rope
|
||
for pitch, we pottered out via Shortage of Walls and Golgotha, but no more
|
||
pushing got done - Raining outside.
|
||
|
||
<p><center>TU 6</center>
|
||
|
||
<p><a href="#id1996-161-1">Previous (discovery) trip</a> /
|
||
<a href="#id1996-161-5">Bottomless Pit trip</a> (same day) /
|
||
<a href="#id1996-161-12">Next trip deeper into Puerile</a> /
|
||
<a href="#id1996-161-26">Next trip clearing up QMs near start</a>
|
||
|
||
<hr />
|
||
|
||
<p><a id="id1996-161-12">14/7/96</a> | Puerile Humour | <u>Lumatt</u> + Ralph </p>
|
||
|
||
<p>Excellent stroll to this series. Pitch '(20m?)' descended 7m on 2 naturals
|
||
across traverse (<u>N</u>ATURALS <u>C</u>ITY 1) 3m to top of NC2. On left at
|
||
top of pitch step up into ascending passage leads to oxbow into NC1 on left
|
||
and crawl to small chamber on right. NC2 is 7m free climbable descent on
|
||
naturals. Underneath is short ascending tube leading to black blockage. 5m
|
||
walk to top of NC3. 7m descent off naturals (would be free climbable xcept
|
||
hand holds keep falling off). At north end of joint climb leads to bottom of
|
||
dry inlet - no way up (no QM). Traverse onto ledge above choked pit leads to
|
||
small entrenched chamber. Mud filled passage ahead (Dig no. 90).
|
||
|
||
<p>From bottom of NC1 climb down sharp nobby rift leads to top of undescended
|
||
pitch. Surveyed out.
|
||
|
||
<p align=right>7 hrs
|
||
|
||
<p><a href="#id1996-161-6">Previous trip</a> /
|
||
<a href="#id1996-161-16">Next trip</a>
|
||
|
||
<hr />
|
||
|
||
<p><a id="id1996-161-16">15/7/96</a> | Puerile Humour cont. | <u>Lumatt</u> + Sam </p>
|
||
|
||
<p>From the bottom of 'Natural City 3' spent 90 minutes removing pivoting
|
||
chock stone from the head of the rift. Sam squeezed through the tight bit.
|
||
The rift bells out to land after 17m on choked floor with 2 choked pits
|
||
(one 3m deep). <Sam's Folly> surveyed to Gd 3 and derigged out.
|
||
|
||
<p>Traverse across top of 'NC1' leads to high passage to T-junction after 5m.
|
||
To left leads to ascending mud floored inlet. No way on.
|
||
|
||
<p>To right leads through cyclopentyl arch to wall overlooking large pitch
|
||
with sound of water (QM). Following wall to right a boltable climb (~3m)
|
||
[Comment "->up to roof tube" inserted by Sam] immediately on right leads
|
||
to wide stooping passage (QM). Continuing, a gently descending passage
|
||
leads to a pitch. This does not appear to join the larger one (QM).
|
||
|
||
<p>From the T-junction, turn right + immediately on the left a 4m diameter
|
||
abandoned phreatic tube ascends steeply. Immediately entering this a tight
|
||
pitch descends (QM). Continuing up enters <Lumatts Folly>, a large
|
||
aven. Climbing up the left hand side leads to a short narrow vertical tube
|
||
avoiding a bold climb. On the opposite side of a slope an opening can be seen
|
||
(QM). Continuing upwards leads to an opening in the left hand corner shortly
|
||
to close down to a flat out gently ascending crawl over mud. This breaks out
|
||
at a T-junction into standing passage. To the left the passage opens into a
|
||
shaft (QM). On the opposite side of the shaft the passage continues (QM - but
|
||
not easily accessible).
|
||
|
||
<p>To the left at the T junction a too narrow rift drops down to the entrance
|
||
to the crawl. Continuing up a mud slope leads to a small chamber in the roof
|
||
at the apex. The mud slopes steeply down to a pitch (?) maybe back into the
|
||
aven (?) (QM).
|
||
|
||
<p>Surveyed out.
|
||
|
||
<p align=right>TU 6 hrs</p>
|
||
|
||
<p><a href="#id1996-161-12">Previous trip</a> /
|
||
<a href="#id1996-161-20">Next trip</a>
|
||
|
||
<hr />
|
||
|
||
<p><a id="id1996-161-8">13/7/96</a> | BPEC | <u>Nick</u>, Matthew, Brian </p>
|
||
|
||
<p>Having conned Matthew into coming down the "Bottomless Pit of Eternal
|
||
Chaos" ('But I didn't want to do a big pitch !') we rerigged "Redemption"
|
||
with a longer rope to avoid the tedium of the knot pass 2m off the floor.
|
||
Pottered along the rift and streamway (Corinth Canal), across an airy
|
||
traverse and into more rift (Yorkshire Holiday) which was suitably narrow
|
||
and scrotty. Then it ended in a boulder choke so we surveyed out and
|
||
derigged, with the rope getting caught on BPEC, causing lots of swearing,
|
||
ranting and down-prussiking. Exited in the dark, but at least it wasn't
|
||
raining.
|
||
|
||
<p align=right>TU 8 ½ hrs</p>
|
||
|
||
<p><a href="#id1996-161-5">Previous trip</a> /
|
||
<a href="#id1996-161-7">Ascent of Bugger</a> (same day)
|
||
|
||
<hr />
|
||
|
||
<p><a id="id1996-161-13">14/7/96</a> | 'Interview Blues' | <u>Nick</u>, Brian, Anthony </p>
|
||
|
||
<p>Returned to 95-55 (the 4th way on at Trifurcation) to continue down the
|
||
rift pitch series. Brian went on ahead to bolt the fourth pitch, whilst me
|
||
& Anthony surveyed in. The 3 rope 'tectors and scrotty top of the 1st
|
||
pitch ('Gizza Job') were not appreciated by all. The second ('Degree of
|
||
Talent') and third ('The Doledrums') were in the usual tight rift so
|
||
beloved of all KH cavers. The 4th pitch gave onto some horizontal cave
|
||
(shock, horror). A couple of largish chambers lead to more rift, with a
|
||
pitch (2 secs) at one end and a climb up to the right to an aven and pitch
|
||
(1 - 1 1/2 secs). By this time we were cold, so pottered out.
|
||
|
||
<p align=right>TU 6hrs</p>
|
||
|
||
<p><a href="#id1996-161-3">Previous trip</a> /
|
||
<a href="#id1996-161-25">Next trip</a> /
|
||
|
||
<hr />
|
||
|
||
<p><a id="id1996-161-18">15/7/96</a> | Question mark extermination trip | JulianH, <u>MikeTA</u> </p>
|
||
|
||
<dl>
|
||
<dt>(a)<dd>
|
||
A pitch somewhere or other - took about two hours rigging pitch, squeezing
|
||
in, wittering, squeezing out again, wittering again, hammering, squeezing
|
||
back in etc etc you get the general drift. So decide its a bit tightish, so
|
||
leave it to Wookey or some other nutter and head off to another ?
|
||
|
||
<dt>(a) (cont.)<dd>about three minutes later Julian sees a rope hanging out
|
||
of slot in ceiling "What's this" (or words to that effect)... "oh shit" (or
|
||
words to that effect) OK you've guessed it so
|
||
|
||
<dt>(b)<dd>bolted traverse at Ginger Crunch. Julian went round to obvious
|
||
passage which was full of obvious mud. Bollocks.
|
||
</dl>
|
||
Derigged & came out.
|
||
|
||
<p align=right>T/U 6hrs</p>
|
||
|
||
<hr />
|
||
|
||
<p><a id="id1996-161-7">13/7/96</a> | Trip to climb pitch in bugger | Juliet, Andy, Andy, <u>Dave</u> </p>
|
||
|
||
<p>BECKA - logbook said "(actually 13th, Ed.)" so have changed date from 11/7 to 13/7 </p>
|
||
|
||
<p>Trip to climb pitch in bugger. Took Juliette & Andy on their first
|
||
trip in K.H. Our first trip in 161d. AndrewA told me I was climbing up
|
||
bugger, so, off we went. Trundle, trundle, crappy walking route, nice cave,
|
||
but not very much. Pitch was quite shit. I threw rocks on Andy A as hard as I
|
||
could, with very little success. Although there were still rocks left by the
|
||
top I had run out of excuses to throw rocks, so I put in some bolts instead.
|
||
Somewhat disappointing passage at the top; no extensive phreatic development
|
||
horizontally. A nice pitch though, with excellent boom. Wobbling death rock
|
||
near top. Smaller pitches & some crap leads.
|
||
|
||
<p><center>T/U 6 hours</center>
|
||
|
||
<p><a href="#id1996-161-1">Previous trip</a> (failing to climb up at Bugger) /
|
||
<a href="#id1996-161-11">Next trip</a> (surveying) /
|
||
<a href="#id1996-161-8">Final trip in BPoEC</a> (same day)
|
||
|
||
<hr />
|
||
|
||
<p><a id="id1996-161-11">14/7/96</a>| Surveying in bugger | Juliet, AndrewA, Dave </p>
|
||
|
||
<p>Trip to survey the bit that we went to find yesterday. I got to go up the
|
||
nasty climbing bit (except I had the advantage of a rope and stuff). Isn't
|
||
surveying fun! I sat around with a tape measure doing whatever it is that
|
||
you do for a few hours. Can't really remember what it was like except
|
||
there was a big hole that kept cropping up. Had a look down a bit of
|
||
passage that seemed to join the big hole. Side bits that had lots of other
|
||
side bits that we couldn't see if they went anywhere. Got cold, went out.
|
||
|
||
<p><center>T.U. 6 ½ hours</center>
|
||
|
||
<p><a href="#id1996-161-7">Previous trip</a> (climbing Fine Clean Rock) /
|
||
<a href="#id1996-161-17">Next trip</a> (down big hole)
|
||
|
||
<hr />
|
||
|
||
<p><a id="id1996-161-17">15/7/96</a> | In bugger again | <u>Dave</u> Andy C. </p>
|
||
|
||
<p>Went same place as above threw another 86m rope down. AndyCs bollocks
|
||
froze off came out
|
||
|
||
<p> TU 6hours </p>
|
||
|
||
<p><a href="#id1996-161-11">Previous trip</a> /
|
||
<a href="#id1996-161-23">Next trip</a>
|
||
|
||
<hr />
|
||
|
||
<p>15/7/96 | Prospecting | <u>Nick</u>, Brian, Tina </p>
|
||
|
||
<p>Pottered to 161d so Tina could dump her gear and to admire (?) the
|
||
expanses of naked flesh getting changed at the entrance. Then pottered
|
||
back, having a look in various holes and chopping some more bunde.
|
||
|
||
<p>Found Ski-Pole Höhle (see survey book) but nothing much more. Holes
|
||
that have been looked at and don't go but aren't worthy of a number have been
|
||
marked with a X of stones, at the entrance or in an obvious place.
|
||
|
||
<p>On your way back from 161d: just after the 10m stretch of 'gardened bunde'
|
||
there is a cliff face. 3m up this is a hole which chokes rapidly.
|
||
|
||
<p>: just before the narrow gorge is a rift running along 031/211 - this has
|
||
many holes - mostly too tight or choked, and includes Ski Pole Hohle at
|
||
its top end (this has been marked and given no 96/01)
|
||
|
||
<p>: before the 1st climb/traverse is a large depression on R of path. This
|
||
has 2 large boulders + snow plug. Under the boulders is ~10m crawl on
|
||
bearing 242. This draughts but gets too tight. The rift/fault leading off
|
||
from this point on both sides of the path (242deg & 50deg) was
|
||
investigated. Lots of holes - mostly too tight or choked or snowplugged.
|
||
|
||
<hr />
|
||
|
||
<p align=right><a id="id1996-161-20">16/7/96</a> | More along the Purile Series. | Sam, Brian </p>
|
||
|
||
<p>Started by rigging pitch on other side of 'wall' noted by lummat & Sam
|
||
on 15/7/96. Sling from top of wall to multi sling deviation in opposite wall
|
||
- pitch ~=10m lands on side of chamber (Dead bats chamber) Climb down mud
|
||
slope to climb 1m (dead bat found on mud slope) bottom of chamber funnels
|
||
into pitch ~=12m 'The JOKER' which was rigged at the end of the trip and led
|
||
to an impassable (5") descending rift. To the right (facing out from initial
|
||
pitch was an ascending rift probably linking to the rift seen from the tube
|
||
on right at the top of the pitch. Opposite side of the chamber from the pitch
|
||
in was another ascending rift up cleanwashed rock - leading to an aven.
|
||
Heading upslope to the left is a white mud floored tube 3m wide 1.5m high
|
||
(many bat droppings evident). This soon leads to a semi funnel shaped mud
|
||
slope above a round shaft ~=8m to floor - large aven above (may be bottom of
|
||
shaft noted by Sam/Lummat - left at T-junction at top of Lumatt folly ?)
|
||
Traversing carefully to right leads to a blind pocket in the wall. Traversing
|
||
straignt on leads to a continuation of horizontal tube - continuing traverse
|
||
round the aven leads to a mud col where a second aven ascends.
|
||
|
||
<p>[Sketch of stuff found on this trip inserted here]
|
||
|
||
<p>Main passage continues to junction - straight on leads to drippy aven on
|
||
right then to end where aven comes in to right and squeeze left (no
|
||
utility belt required) opens out to two pitches down ~=10m may continue
|
||
(?). Turning right at main junction, through passage with fine (for
|
||
K'Hole) stal in roof -> passage bears left with wall traverse LHS avoiding
|
||
mud river cross 'river' at limestone outcrop 'penguin falls' to RHS -
|
||
comes out in chamber 'Fiveways Chamber' left leads to climb up mud slope
|
||
to window over pitch and traverse to 2nd pitch. both (??'s). 2nd left
|
||
(english roundabout style) leads to successively smaller passages (not all
|
||
pushed), 3rd left appears to go upslope and close down, 4th is the other
|
||
end of the penguin slides avoidance route, down a mud slope to 1.5x1.5m
|
||
passage - pops out down climb (1.5m) to passage below penguin slides.
|
||
Against RH wall (going in) at the junction is a small slot in the floor -
|
||
rock drobbed accidentally down it - went a long way (2s +) - call it
|
||
'Sylvester Cobble Pot' (?).
|
||
|
||
<p align=right>TU 6 ½ hrs</p>
|
||
|
||
<p><a href="#id1996-161-16">Previous trip</a> /
|
||
<a href="#id1996-161-22">Next trip</a>
|
||
|
||
<hr />
|
||
|
||
<p> 15/7/96 | Surface wanderings looking for lost caves | <u>Wook</u> + Steve </p>
|
||
|
||
<p>Set off to find 159 near Topcamp. (Higher) = TC95 A few hours wandering
|
||
about produced an apparently new cave (see below :-), 2 '+'-marked caves
|
||
& 90, marked as 'last seen 1977' in the prospecting guide (although Gill
|
||
found it in '91 or '92).
|
||
|
||
<p>Drew 'new' cave, & did area map, + bearings & GPS, same for '+'
|
||
caves & 90. Went back to Topcamp (Lower) = TC96 for a cuppa &
|
||
collected Steve = ladders.
|
||
|
||
<p>Surveyed the '+' caves & 90 to TC95 & descended 90 to check it out
|
||
(others were climbable). Finally went to new cave to descend it & found
|
||
it to have obvious '91' painted on wall. (I had spent 1hr there drawing it in
|
||
loving detail & failed entirely to spot number.)
|
||
|
||
<p>It now has an empty bolt ready for tag, as does 90, & lower '+' cave.
|
||
|
||
<p>On return to TC we finally found the unmarked 158, but I recognise it from
|
||
1988 so I'm pretty sure it is the right one. Bolt hole placed, GPS +
|
||
bearings + sketch.
|
||
|
||
<p>Summary: located 90, 91, 158 + two '+' caves.
|
||
<br>All have bearings & GPS fix. 90 & '+' caves have surface survey.
|
||
90, 91, 158 & '+' caves have spit.
|
||
<br>90 & '+' caves were descended.
|
||
<br>90, 91 & + caves
|
||
|
||
<hr />
|
||
|
||
<p> 15/7/96 | Surveyed the connection from Shortage of Walls to Rich Tea | <a id="id1996-161-19">Gill</a> & <u>Anthony</u></p>
|
||
|
||
<p>Surveyed the connection from Shortage of Walls to Rich Tea found by Julian
|
||
H & Gill the previous day. This proceeds via a rubble slope in the SW
|
||
corner of SOW to a short muddy crawl and a chossy climb into a largish
|
||
chamber (35x15m, 10m high) which it is believed is also visible from Salt
|
||
Lake City. A 10m pitch and a 25m pitch [Insert: "(Tea Pot) or Off the
|
||
Mark"] shortly follow which drops into the corner of Rich Tea. None of
|
||
this is yet named. All pretty efficient, except for Mr Cocky Bastard who
|
||
claimed he knew where the survey station in Rich Tea was completely
|
||
failing to find it. Exited and derigged to the sound of Mike and Julian
|
||
cobbing lots of crap into Rich Tea from 20m above our heads.
|
||
|
||
<p><center>TU 6 hours</center>
|
||
|
||
<p><a href="#id1996-161-14">Previous (connection discovery) trip</a> /
|
||
<a href="#id1996-161-18">Mike & Julian's Trip</a>
|
||
|
||
<hr />
|
||
|
||
<p> 14/7/96 | Get Bored On The Surface | Matthew, Sam + <u>Steve</u> </p>
|
||
|
||
<p>Me & Matthew surveyed Vd1 -> 161d. It was boring, the clino was foggy
|
||
even though it was sunny, and the tape broke & had to be fettled. But it
|
||
needed doing and we did it. Sam carryed his gear and scrotted down some small
|
||
holes, and also found himself a draughty dig. Silly sod.
|
||
|
||
<p><center>TU 0hrs</center>
|
||
|
||
<hr />
|
||
|
||
<p> 13/7/96 | Pushing 95/31a | <a id="id1996-161-10"><u>Dunk</u></a>, Phil, Phil, Gunilla </p>
|
||
|
||
|
||
<p>Easy traverse round small drop leads to chamber with an obvious route off
|
||
up a mud slope. This leads to a reasonably large space with a slope down
|
||
to a small pitch. Backed up from crumbly boulder then put in a star spit.
|
||
Attempts to put in spit for rebelay fucked up due to utter choss. Got
|
||
pissed off. Pissed off.
|
||
|
||
<p align=right>TU 6 HOURS</p>
|
||
|
||
<p><a href="#id1996-161-21">Next trip</a> (surveying)
|
||
|
||
<hr />
|
||
|
||
<p> 16/7/96 | Surveying 95/31 (or "Anthony's attempt on the title fuckwit of the week") | <a id="id1996-161-21">Duncan</a>, Godzilla & <u>Anthony</u></p>
|
||
|
||
<p>It all started so well when I refound my missing penknife which had been
|
||
sitting in my cag. pocket for 2 months. I then only narrowly avoided
|
||
failing to take the tape measure underground, but made up for this by
|
||
leaving my stop on the surface, so had to pinch one from the guillotine.
|
||
An efficient survey followed which added 150m to the length of the cave,
|
||
as yet unnamed (idle gits). Derigged and went to look at a QM at Ring
|
||
Piece junction accompanied by lots of slogging up and down Triassic Park
|
||
to fetch/return misplaced bolting kits and ropes. The rumoured horizontal
|
||
passage failed to materialise and became a ~30m pitch instead. By the time
|
||
I returned with the rope this had become anything up to a 90m pitch with a
|
||
big booming sound at the bottom. I think it's more likely that there is an
|
||
initial pitch of ~30m with maybe another one beyond. Duncan placed a fine
|
||
spit in Camembert like rock, by which time I'd had enough so exited. Left
|
||
my penknife at entrance.
|
||
|
||
<p><center>TU 6 ½ hours.</center>
|
||
|
||
<p><a href="#id1996-161-10">Previous trip to 95/31</a> /
|
||
<a href="#id1996-161-31">Next trip to the pitch</a> /
|
||
<a href="#id1996-161-55">Next trip to Dr. Snuggles</a>
|
||
|
||
<hr />
|
||
|
||
<p><a id="id1996-161-24">17/7/96</a> | Qmark extermination trip | Tina, <u>MikeTA</u> </p>
|
||
|
||
<p>Went to Regurgitation without getting lost! Rigged pitch at back off huge
|
||
ish boulder. Went down. Rift goes for a few metres each way and blocks.
|
||
Lots of hanging death, called it "Billeous Attack". Out and had a poke at
|
||
possible lead in Staud'n'wirt Palace. Lots of hanging death (again)!
|
||
|
||
<p align=right>T/U 6hours</p>
|
||
|
||
<p><a href="../1995/log.htm#id1995-161-23">Previous Regurgitation trip</a>
|
||
(1995) / <a href="#id1996-161-30">Next Staud'nwirt Palace trip</a>
|
||
|
||
<hr />
|
||
|
||
<p><a id="id1996-161-33">18/7/96</a> | Touristing + picking up gear | <u>Gill</u>, PhilB </p>
|
||
|
||
<p>Cold morning, didn't feel like going caving at all, but SRT gear is at
|
||
Shortage of Walls and I have to go get it... Phil tries to enthuse me...
|
||
tea is drunk... Finally at 11.30 we set off for cave. At cave meet AndyA +
|
||
JulianH + ChrisD fully clothed (they set off 1 hour before...) Anyway,
|
||
getting keener now. Get kitted up. Phil now less than keen. Breeze down
|
||
looking at sundry holes. Hole on left in Critters End before Salt Lake
|
||
City ends in huge aven. Has pitch (undescended) + climb up to eyehole
|
||
which leads to Salt Lake City. Touristed to Staudn'wirt Palace - looked at
|
||
some holes in floor which had chossy ceilings held together with mud.
|
||
Crawled up some blind crawls. Bombed back to Guillotine - me all
|
||
enthusiastic by now, Phil wants out. Met Anthony + Steve -> loads of light
|
||
-> ooh, what's over there? I looked at some holes on left after
|
||
Guillotine. One small pitch. Bit further on, on left is wide high (~2m)
|
||
rocky slopey inlet (~5m from blue string) to chamber with 2 entrances to
|
||
big pitch 3s drop (~40m) Didn't rig it. Someone should look - shaft is ~4m
|
||
across - leads on other side, could be traversed.
|
||
|
||
<p>Anyway, we only came to collect our gear so its out. We love 161d - thanks
|
||
to whoever found it.
|
||
|
||
<p align=right>T.U. 1 ½ hrs.</p>
|
||
|
||
<hr />
|
||
|
||
<p><a id="id1996-161-22">17/6/96</a> | Puerile Humour | Lummat, PhilB, Juliette, ChrisD, <u>Gill</u> </p>
|
||
|
||
<p>Sam + Brians tales of storming horizontal passage with 5 ways on + 2
|
||
pitches... 5 go in to survey what they found + explore more. Re-rigged 2
|
||
traverse lines on the way to economise rope lengths, de-rigged The Joker;
|
||
derigged pitch into "dead bat chamber" and replaced with a handline in
|
||
bypass to the right.
|
||
|
||
<p>Phil, Juliet + Lummat surveyed on from here while Gill + Chris explored
|
||
left + right from main junction, mostly R to 5 way chamber. Then swapped
|
||
surveying: Gill, Chris, Lummat.
|
||
|
||
<p>Total 44 legs! Surveyed a loop. Many QMs in the loop. Chris also rigged
|
||
the 2nd pitch at the end of the main way on. Still going.
|
||
|
||
<p>Cold + near call out time so exited.
|
||
|
||
<p>T.U. ~8hrs
|
||
|
||
<p>[Sketch of 5 ways area included]
|
||
|
||
<p><a href="#id1996-161-20">Previous trip</a> /
|
||
<a href="#id1996-161-28">Next trip</a>
|
||
|
||
<hr />
|
||
|
||
<p><a id="id1996-161-23">17/7/96</a> | Surveying in Henri's Cat - 161d | AndyA, DaveF, Becka, <u>JulianT</u> </p>
|
||
|
||
<p>I avoided other trip to avoid some surveying. And I don't like heights.
|
||
Walked down with ten other people. In the cave my stinky gave the feeblest
|
||
of flames and caught fire around the base whenever I lit it off someone
|
||
elses light. The drill battery short circuited and smoked. Dave hand
|
||
bolted and rigged loose chossy pitch into Knossos. The ceiling + wall
|
||
there looked no different to the floor in large boulders at odd angles
|
||
defying gravity. We wandered around, went up and then to Bugger (?) for
|
||
Dave's big pitch. The lights at the bottom were <u>really</u> small when I
|
||
swung out onto the rope. It was horrible. I got sore hips from my harness
|
||
just from the abseil. Then a bastard deviation you had to prussik your way
|
||
towards. Meanwhile they (D&A) rigged another 60m pitch with full
|
||
complement of rub points (one for every hang) and down a last drop onto a
|
||
white shelf above a 3.5 second drop. It was attractive, but a bit too
|
||
deep. Oh dear I had the survey book and Becca was surveying. D&A cleared
|
||
off to reset our callout date. And Becca sweet-talked (more like
|
||
kick-in-the-kneecaps-talked) me into continuing to survey when I was cold,
|
||
wet and petrified by the immensity of the shaft down which I had to look
|
||
while writing with a pencil and note pad neither of which had a string
|
||
attached. I can't rememeber anything of the next hour or so. Then we got
|
||
back. The notes are a ball of mud with some paper in it. Why do I always
|
||
do what Becca tells me to?
|
||
|
||
<p align=right><table><tr><td>TU</td><td>8</td><td>A&D</td></tr>
|
||
<tr><td>TU</td><td>12hrs</td><td>J&B</td></tr></table></p>
|
||
|
||
<p><a href="#id1996-161-17">Previous trip</a> /
|
||
<a href="#id1996-161-29">Next trip</a> (bottom pitch and survey)
|
||
|
||
<hr />
|
||
|
||
<p><a id="id1996-161-28">18/7/96</a>| BEYOND 'DEAD BAT CHAMBER' | SAM + <u>LUMATT</u></p>
|
||
|
||
<p>Started by surveying by-pass to <Penguin Falls>. From <5-Ways>
|
||
climbed up mud slope to left. At large pitch traversed to passage on the
|
||
right and started surveying along <Shaft Mine Passage> (<Pothole
|
||
Passage> bears left at start). Surveyed passed pitch on left to end of
|
||
passage where left hand bend leads to 6m pitch dropping into choss filled
|
||
shaft. Across shaft on same level wide phreatic continues. At bottom of shaft
|
||
in far right corner a narrow winding fissure continues.
|
||
|
||
<p>We returned to the earlier shaft in <Shaft Mine Passage> descending
|
||
from the left hand side (looking from the passage) on naturals. From the 1st
|
||
ledge a thread in the window to the far right gains a free hang passed the
|
||
second ledge to the shaft floor. A too tight fissure meanders from the base.
|
||
Climbing up a 2m drop leads to a too tight mud inlet on the left and a
|
||
descending hading rift forward. This can be descended for 5m to where rift
|
||
closes down and is partially blocked with mud. Rocks rattle downwards for 5
|
||
seconds. Descent may be possible, but would be tight + horrible.
|
||
|
||
<p>From the top of <Pot Hole Passage> continuing forward leads to a
|
||
hole which leads back to the far left hand passage in <5-ways> via
|
||
annoyingly low passages. To the right of this hole a vadose passage leads
|
||
upstream to branched inlets.
|
||
|
||
<p>Bearing right at the top of <Pot Hole Passage> leads immediately to
|
||
a blind pit. To the left of this is a hading phreatic passage, closing
|
||
rapidly down to a small roof passage (QM).
|
||
|
||
<p>Surveying continued into <Completely Loopy> which eventually comes
|
||
out at the '3rd' exit from <5-ways>. This starts as a traverse across
|
||
the 'blind pit' to the lower level passage. This breaks into two levels. The
|
||
upper one is a calcited passage; the lower a mud floored passage. At the
|
||
bottom a wide, low, mud-floored inlet enters with a draught. This is too low
|
||
but mud could be removed (!) to gain access to higher passage seen beyond.
|
||
This inlet drops down a tight pitch with a long rattle. Sam says he can get
|
||
down (QM). Surveying ended here. The way to <5-ways> is back in the
|
||
main passage at high level over mud.
|
||
|
||
<p align=right>8 hrs.</p>
|
||
|
||
<p><a href="#id1996-161-22">Previous trip</a> /
|
||
<a href="#id1996-161-36">Next trip</a>
|
||
|
||
<hr />
|
||
|
||
<p><a id="id1996-161-25">17/7</a> | Interview Blues | <u>Nick</u> & Paul </p>
|
||
|
||
<p>Took Paul on his first trip down a typical KH scrotty rift pitch series.
|
||
Started surveying from where Anthony, Brian & myself had got bored/cold
|
||
last time, at the top of the 4th pitch "Outright Rejection". Crawled
|
||
around "State of Independence?" at the bottom and then pushed one of the
|
||
two holes found previously. Brian had chucked rocks down this & Anthony
|
||
had sagely pronounced it to be a 25m pitch. Three bolts and two 28m ropes
|
||
later I was 40m lower and still 5m off the floor with no rope left. Sigh!
|
||
So we turned round and prussiked out. Dumped string gear, admired the
|
||
howling gale coming across the top of the 1st pitch (when Interview Blues
|
||
has finished I'll... !) and then pottered out. Thanks to whoever finished
|
||
putting the string out. Tedious job isn't it?
|
||
|
||
<p align=right>TU 7 ½ hrs</p>
|
||
|
||
<p><a href="#id1996-161-13">Previous trip</a> /
|
||
<a href="#id1996-161-27">Next trip</a>
|
||
|
||
<hr />
|
||
|
||
<p> <a id="id1996-161-27">18/7</a> | Interview Blues | <u>Nick</u> & Brian </p>
|
||
|
||
<p>2/3 of team Silly Bastards returned, and this time with a longer rope.
|
||
Bottomed the pitch and found my 'piece de resistance' - scrotty, narrow rift
|
||
(of course) but covered in gloop - gloop on the floor, on the boulder, gloop
|
||
running down the walls. Luvverly. So we thrutched through 30m of this before
|
||
we found the next pitch - another narrow rift pitch (has anyone spotted the
|
||
common theme yet?) Started bolting a Y-hang, then remembered that the hangars
|
||
were at the top of the last pitch. Instead of calling me all the names under
|
||
the sun, Brian cheerfully went back for them (all 5 of them!) whilst I
|
||
finished putting the spits in. Brian returned, and I promptly threw a hangar
|
||
down the pitch, before rigging it and descending the standard 3m before
|
||
deciding that a rebelay was necessary. Surprisingly, this gave a ~12m hang to
|
||
the floor, where we could walk 2m to the next pitch head. Started putting a
|
||
spit in the wall, which promptly shattered, so we put one in the floor
|
||
instead. We had now run out of hangars and warmth so prussiked out. Decided
|
||
to rerig the 1st pitch (Gizza Job), so Brian put a spit in whilst hanging in
|
||
mid air, thus eliminating a scrofulous get-off and the need for 3 rope
|
||
tectors. (My excuse is that the pitch head is wider than 1m, therefore I just
|
||
can't cope with it)
|
||
|
||
<p>Nick The Rift God </p>
|
||
<p align=right>TU 7 ½ hrs</p>
|
||
|
||
<p><a href="#id1996-161-25">Previous trip</a> /
|
||
<a href="#id1996-161-39">Next trip</a>
|
||
|
||
<hr />
|
||
|
||
<p><a id="id1996-161-29">18/7/96</a><br> | Finishing Henri's Cat | <u>Dave F</u> Becka </p>
|
||
|
||
<p>Took 200m of rope to finish Henri's Cat which predestined the trip to an
|
||
early finish. So down we went, I dropped a bolt driver down the pitch, so
|
||
dodgy fat deviation was the order of the day. Got to the bottom no way out.
|
||
|
||
<p>[Sketch rigging guide follows]
|
||
|
||
<p align=right>T/U 8 hours</p>
|
||
|
||
<p>'Dave & Becka went fishing - they caught 4 fish 7 blobs and 3
|
||
triangles'<br>
|
||
SAM WOZ ERE
|
||
|
||
<p><a href="#id1996-161-23">Previous trip</a> (halfway down Henri's Cat)
|
||
[ this trip surveyed and derigged, so no next trip ]
|
||
|
||
<hr />
|
||
|
||
<p><a id="id1996-161-26">17/7/96</a> | 161d | <u>PhilU</u>, Matthew, AndyC </p>
|
||
|
||
<p>Matthew & Andy went to Bugger in a failed attempt to retrieve
|
||
Matthew's crab. I marked out a path to Trifurcation with low-level-tripping-
|
||
people-over-string (TM), continuing the work done up to just past ring-piece
|
||
junction. We went to Genital Wart in the Puerile Humour series - it is free
|
||
climbable, and has two rifts at the bottom; the first rapidly becomes too
|
||
tight, and the other leads to a 4s pitch. The continuation over Genital Wart
|
||
does not go. Next we went to the new stuff beyond Between the Thighs, got
|
||
bored, and came out.
|
||
|
||
<p align=right>TU 6hrs</p>
|
||
|
||
<p><a href="#id1996-161-6">Previous trip (when Genital Wart found)</a> /
|
||
<a href="#id1996-161-32">Next trip</a>
|
||
|
||
<hr />
|
||
|
||
<p><a id="id1996-161-31">18/7/96</a> | Push/Survey QM 95-34 (rift by Ring Piece Junction) | <p>Duncan, Gunilla, Steve and <u>Anthony</u> </p>
|
||
|
||
<p>Returned to the pitch that Duncan started bolting 2 days earlier. Steve
|
||
and Anthony surveyed in whilst Duncan put more bolts in. There are 3
|
||
parallel rift passages leading from Ring Piece Junction with a
|
||
perpendicular rift at the end which the pitch drops down. Duncan put in a
|
||
lovely Y-hang and we bombed on down what turned out to be a p27. Whilst
|
||
trying to survey it the tape measure snapped. This incident, plus the
|
||
proximity to Ring Piece Junction, led to it being named "Tapeworm." The
|
||
landing is on a rock bridge with a small chamber and a further pitch,
|
||
probably of similar length. However, the first descent of this pitch was
|
||
made by the head of the bolting hammer Duncan was using to dress the rock,
|
||
so "Hammeroids" will have to wait for another day....
|
||
|
||
<center><p>TU 6hrs</center>
|
||
|
||
<p><a href="#id1996-161-21">Previous trip</a> /
|
||
<a href="#id1996-161-35">Next trip</a>
|
||
|
||
<hr />
|
||
|
||
<p><a id="id1996-161-32"><u>18/7/96</u></a>| Pitch in Genital wart | Phil U <u>Andy C</u> </p>
|
||
|
||
<p>Trip to investigate "4s" pitch in genital wart. Rift to be called "a bad
|
||
case of herpes" due to the walls being covered in brown spots everywhere
|
||
(mud). Went down first few m of pitch - very awkward pitch head, to large
|
||
ledge. Put in two bolts for Y-hang, Phil descended pitch ~30m to
|
||
rub-point. Andy put in rebelay bolt & bottomed pitch ~50m. Floor is
|
||
covered in sharp & fragile crystals. A large rift continues horizontally
|
||
~15m, and a smaller tube goes down ~10m with a further 1-2s rattle, out of
|
||
sight. Got tired, cold & hung-up passing y-hang re-belay. Further delays
|
||
due to failing lights meant that we didn't leave the cave until ~11pm (1
|
||
hour past callout time). Staggered back, half in darkness, to be met by
|
||
Anthony & Sam, the rescue advance party, about 15mins walk from top camp.
|
||
Arrived back, very knackered, 12.30 (30 mins after callout deadline).
|
||
|
||
<center><p>TU 8 ½ hours.</center>
|
||
|
||
<p>PS IN VERY SMALL WRITING: The hole below the handline in Amyl Nitrate
|
||
doesn't go. We know 'cos Andy C dropped a tackle sack down it. He went
|
||
down to retrieve it, and it doesn't go anywhere. Luv <u>PhilU</u>
|
||
|
||
<p><a href="#id1996-161-26">Previous trip</a> /
|
||
<a href="#id1996-161-28">Back to main Puerile Humour thread</a> (same day) /
|
||
<a href="#id1996-161-57">Next trip</a>
|
||
|
||
<hr />
|
||
|
||
<p><a id="id1996-161-37">19-JULY-1996</a><br> | Alternative Universe | <u>MIKE</u>'N' TINA </p>
|
||
|
||
IN WHICH MIKE 'N' TINA (CUNNING OLD CRUSTIES) DISCOVER LOADSA
|
||
PASSAGEWAY, AND BEAT WOOKEY (ANOTHER OLD CRUSTIE) TO IT BY ABOUT 90 MINUTES
|
||
|
||
<center><p>-OR-</center>
|
||
|
||
<p>What an unobservant group of w*****s. Right next to the gear dump, under
|
||
an arch, round a hole, under another arch and - hey presto, with a wave of
|
||
our Magic Jumars - at a conservative estimate, 100m of sod-off large
|
||
passageway (ALTERNATIVE UNIVERSE) leading to a 7m pit (Bulemic's pit) and
|
||
a 7m deep rift (Anorexic's Rift). Unfortunately this closes down to about
|
||
4" before opening into about 15m more drop. Well, we didn't claim the
|
||
Earth for it, did we? Oh, and about 50m of side passages, one leading (we
|
||
think) to Gills hole*
|
||
|
||
<p>[Survey sketch]
|
||
|
||
<p>Not surveyed 'cos we hadn't got all the bits & by the time Wookey (who
|
||
arrived pissed of 'cos of finding footprints in a "new" passage) gave us
|
||
some it was too late and bier beckoned
|
||
|
||
<p align=right>T/U 5 hours
|
||
|
||
<p>*bunch of adolescents as well, eh?
|
||
|
||
<p>Wookey's trip<a href="#id1996-161-49">Next trip</a>
|
||
|
||
<hr />
|
||
|
||
<p>19/7/96 <a id="id1996-161-36"> | More in Purile Humour - BATMAN SERIES</a> | <u>SAM</u> & BECKA </p>
|
||
|
||
<p>Trip to survey left from 'Gotham City junction.' walking/Stooping passage
|
||
for 30m leads to a bouldery section with aven on left and narrow gully
|
||
under the boulders which drops down a short pitch on the right, with
|
||
another aven above. 40m on the passage appears to end with aven on the
|
||
right which can be partially climbed to give a view to a higher passage.
|
||
The way on is to the left through a short squeezy rift 'No utility belt
|
||
required' (Sam took his gear off to go through the first time (16/7/96).)
|
||
where two shafts lead off on the left. Becka went down the 1st 1 which
|
||
closed down to an impassable rift. The 2nd is undescended. Looking up,
|
||
Becka spotted a mud run in, up a 3m climb. Using Becka as a foothold I
|
||
managed to get to the top where a quick climb up the mud pile led to yet
|
||
more passage 'WHERE THE WIND BLOWS' - Hooray!! I had a quick ferret round
|
||
whilst Becka went back to Fiveways to fetch some rope for a handline. This
|
||
being rigged we rocketed off down the passage which continued almost dead
|
||
straight past shafts and avens to a large (50m x 15m) chamber with two big
|
||
shafts off it. The passage at the other end was a very fine phreatic tube
|
||
- well decorated with a mud floor - trending almost North, except for a
|
||
small 'kink'. At one point careful crawling was required round a small
|
||
calcite flower in the floor. Passage ends at a 4m climb which is
|
||
completely choked but with a draught coming down. The whole of this left
|
||
hand branch has a draught heading out ie. towards Triassic Park.
|
||
|
||
<p>Went back to handline climb and surveyed to start of large chamber.
|
||
|
||
<p align=right>TU 5 ½ hrs</p>
|
||
|
||
<p><a href="#id1996-161-28">Previous trip</a> /
|
||
Next trips: <a href="#id1996-161-43">Bounce Rift and 161e</a> -
|
||
<a href="#id1996-161-42">Completely Loopy and 161f</a> and
|
||
<a href="#id1996-161-47">Where The Wind Blows</a> continuation
|
||
|
||
<hr />
|
||
|
||
<p><a id="id1996-161-39">20/7/96</a> | Interview Blues | <u>Nick</u>, Becka, Anthony and Becka's Banana go down </p>
|
||
|
||
<p>Bolted the seventh and eighth pitches of IB and put in a back-up bolt for
|
||
the ninth, whilst Anthony and Becka invented a survey from the top of the
|
||
fifth to the bottom of the seventh pitch. Anthony and Becka did not appear
|
||
to appreciate the finer elements of my rift and complained about the mud.
|
||
Becka has a very heavy banana, and I was left needing more volunteers for
|
||
Interview Blues.
|
||
|
||
<p align=right>TU 8hrs</p>
|
||
|
||
<p><a href="#id1996-161-27">Previous trip</a> /
|
||
<a href="#id1996-161-41">Next trip</a>
|
||
|
||
<hr />
|
||
|
||
<p><a id="id1996-161-41">21/7/96</a> | IB, where else? | <u>Nick</u>, Brian & Paul </p>
|
||
|
||
<p>Pottered down, surveyed a leg left over from the day before, which was
|
||
longer than 16m, which was all Anthony had left after he broke yet another
|
||
tape measure. Put in a bolt, then got cold and fed up and tired (going
|
||
with Becka the day before had been too much (and her banana)) so I left,
|
||
leaving Brian & Paul to put in another bolt before following me out.
|
||
|
||
<p align=right>TU Nick 6, Paul 8, Brian 9hrs</p>
|
||
|
||
<p><a href="#id1996-161-39">Previous trip</a> /
|
||
<a href="#id1996-161-52">Next trip</a> in Interview Blues /
|
||
<a href="#id1996-161-51">Dave & Becka's route over Gizza Job</a>
|
||
|
||
<hr />
|
||
|
||
<p>23/7/96 | Blank | JulianH, Pete, Fran </p>
|
||
|
||
<p>Went for a bit
|
||
|
||
<hr />
|
||
|
||
<p><a id="id1996-161-42">21/7/96</a> | 5-Ways area | Sam, <u>Lumatt</u> + Craig </p>
|
||
|
||
<p>Surveyed bits and pieces in the loop between the top of Pot-hole Passage
|
||
and 5-ways and finished surveying Completely Loopy. Had lunch.
|
||
|
||
<p>Looked at the passage above Completely Loopy, <Crystal Clear
|
||
Passage>. This turned out to take an enormous draught, with various
|
||
parallel interconnecting passages. Ascending passage soon leads to ice
|
||
formations. A 2m climb up with a deep? pitch below (QM) leads after a short
|
||
passage to <Spider Man Chamber> with 8 radiating passages. Ascending
|
||
the main draughting passage leads to a left hand turn, with a tight crawl to
|
||
the right straight on (QM). The way on to the left is piled with flakes of
|
||
roof material: passing through here brings down further material <Flaky
|
||
Passage>. Crossing to the right under a very low arch takes you in sight
|
||
of day-light, into passage where standing room is possible. This is brief,
|
||
and a crawl over rocks leads to a squeeze and then a crawl over ice to the
|
||
entrance <Bat entrance> 161f. Outside we bumped into Anthony + Becka
|
||
who had just found 161e. After surveying between 161e + 161f we surveyed
|
||
along the main passage to Completely Loopy.
|
||
|
||
<p align=right>TU = 8 ½ hrs</p>
|
||
|
||
<p><a href="#id1996-161-36">Previous trip</a> /
|
||
<a href="#id1996-161-43">Bounce Rift and 161e discovery</a> (same time) /
|
||
Next trips: <a href="#id1996-161-45">More Completely Loopy</a> &
|
||
<a href="#id1996-161-47">Where the Wind Blows</a>
|
||
|
||
<hr />
|
||
|
||
<p><a id="id1996-161-45">22/7/96</a> | 5-Ways area | <u>Lummat</u>, Craig, Paul, Ralph + Brian </p>
|
||
|
||
<p>Surveyed loops at the top of Completely Loopy, and in the lower section of
|
||
Crystal Clear Passage. Also surveyed the vadose canyon from the top of
|
||
Pot-hole Passage. Looked at other leads in Crystal Clear Passage. These
|
||
horizontal leads all close down after 5-10m. A passage at the bottom of
|
||
the 2m climb to the left leads constrictedly to the top of some shafts -
|
||
possibly the same ones found at the top of the vadose canyon.
|
||
|
||
<p>Brian meanwhile looked at the aven prior to Penguin Falls. Easy climbing
|
||
for 20m without accessible side passages. He then rigged the wide shaft
|
||
just above + to the left of 5-Ways. There is a further blind pitch at the
|
||
bottom.
|
||
|
||
<p align=right>TU 6 ½ hrs</p>
|
||
|
||
<p><a href="#id1996-161-42">Previous trip</a> /
|
||
<a href="#id1996-161-47">Sam & Becka's trip</a> (same day) /
|
||
<a href="#id1996-161-56">Next trip</a>
|
||
|
||
<hr />
|
||
|
||
<p><a id="id1996-161-49">22-7-96</a> | Alternative Universe | <u>Penny</u>, Mike, Tina </p>
|
||
|
||
<p>Trip to survey Alternative Universe and look down hole at the end. Another
|
||
250m surveyed. Hole at the end (on the left) goes down about 4m through
|
||
boulders, then pops out into side of shaft c.20m deep. Round corner at
|
||
bottom of shaft (seen by swinging round the corner trying not to think of
|
||
the single bolt at the top!) is another shaft about the same depth.
|
||
|
||
<p>[Rough Plan of Alt Universe]
|
||
|
||
<p>Back near to junction with Triassic Park passage, another hole down in a
|
||
short side passage rumbles a very long way when you kick a big rock down
|
||
it - far enough to be worth a look.
|
||
|
||
<p align=right>TU 6 ½ hrs</p>
|
||
|
||
<p><a href="#id1996-161-37">Previous trip</a> /
|
||
<a href="#id1996-161-55">Next trip</a>
|
||
|
||
<hr />
|
||
|
||
<p><a id="id1996-161-52">23/7/96</a> | Interview Blues | <u>Nick</u>, Helen, Brian </p>
|
||
|
||
<p>Decided to look at the other lead in Interview Blues (after the fourth
|
||
pitch) since it would be much nicer than the other lead, would be a
|
||
shorter trip, and was garaunteed not to have any trees in it. Pottered
|
||
down, dodging rocks thrown down by Becka & Dave on the traverse across
|
||
the 1st pitch, whilst Brian returned to the surface to collect the survey
|
||
book. Helen bolted whilst Brian and myself surveyed along. I was putting in
|
||
the pitch head bolt when a voice said hello. This was Sam, some 40m above.
|
||
"Where are you?" "Minoan Surprise" came the reply. We had popped out about
|
||
2/3 of the way down the big hole (the one just before Anthony's BPEC, and the
|
||
connection to knossus).
|
||
|
||
<p>A 10m pitch, with a rub, of course, leads to a ledge. There is another 25m
|
||
to the floor (I think its a blind shaft though) but a traverse around the
|
||
side leads to another large shaft of similar dimensions (probably 6x6m).
|
||
We (Brian & me) are fairly certain this isn't BPEC, but it must be fairly
|
||
close (3 parallel shafts?)
|
||
|
||
<p>Pottered out, shouting at Sam & Dave, who had gone down a pitch after
|
||
their traverse and were about to go into the fifth pitch of IB. Lots of
|
||
Brownie Points to Sam for the red & white tape.
|
||
|
||
<p align=right>TU N+H 8 ½ hrs<br>
|
||
Brian ? hrs</p>
|
||
|
||
<p><a href="#id1996-161-41">Previous trip</a> /
|
||
<a href="#id1996-161-51">Sam, Dave (& Becka)'s trip</a>
|
||
<a href="#id1996-161-62">Next trip</a>
|
||
|
||
<hr />
|
||
|
||
<p><a id="id1996-161-43">21/7/96</a> | Bounce Rift - 161d | Anthony + <u>Becka</u> </p>
|
||
|
||
<p>Begged Sam for a nice easy lead, and he obliged! Off down Puerile Humour,
|
||
past Five Ways, along Shaft Mine. Got to a 3/5m climb down that Sam +
|
||
Lummatt had clambered (+ surveyed down). We rigged down it on a single
|
||
boulder.
|
||
|
||
<p>[Highly schematic depiction of Bounce Rift in here]
|
||
|
||
<p>An obvious passage continued across the other side of the climb down. We
|
||
looked at it, some. After a preliminary slither decided to loop the rope over
|
||
a lump on the climb up. I whimpered my way to the top - easy climb, but the
|
||
top was a load of chossy rock + mud + the "protection" (loop of rope) was
|
||
below me, so sod all use. Rigged tail end of rope to another dodgy natural.
|
||
Off we trundled, whee! Short passage to big section of hading rift. Anthony
|
||
wanted to do that rather than the lovely walking size phreatic tube, so we
|
||
trundled up. Rather airy + loose in bits. Poked around at the top - some
|
||
holes up there, but all seem to close down. Then up the phreatic tube, stomp,
|
||
stomp. Ended when it choked with cobbles + boulders. Anthony ready to start
|
||
surveying, but I wanted to have a quick dig. Scrabbled a bit & got a
|
||
couple of metres pretty easily & a strong draft. Anthony then had a go
|
||
for a bit, choke now heading uphill quite steeply. I had another go &
|
||
squeezed into a little chamber - & "DAYLIGHT - WE'VE GOT AN ENTRANCE!!!"
|
||
Squawk, squawk for another minute or two. Anthony thrashed his way up too
|
||
& we set off digging the final four metres. Got it quite big &
|
||
Anthony went for the glory push.... & backed out. Dug some more. "If you
|
||
can't get through that, Anthony, you're a fat bastard." Anthony backs out
|
||
again. I slithered up - quite tight then. Wriggled shoulders pushed, then
|
||
squeezed through & then through another 8" slot in mus - & screamed.
|
||
Out in the sunlight looking at the shepherd's huts! Spent ten more minutes
|
||
trying to extract Anthony, finally got him out - hence the Yorkshire Pudding
|
||
entrance (161E). Then heard a noise - "Hello." Ye Gods! Sam, Lummatt &
|
||
Craig appear just round the corner - they've got an entrance too! We squabble
|
||
about who got out first then wander over to a big boulder to try to decide
|
||
where we are. Then, because we're good little boys + girls, we all survey
|
||
out. Bloody cold surveying the entrance squeeze with the draft from hell
|
||
& of course the compass has decided to mist up. Try a carbide assist on
|
||
it - no go. Have to cuddle it inside my furry instead. Survey goes OK until
|
||
the final sodding leg back over the climb up + down. Compass
|
||
<u>completely</u> fogged. Anthony's light has wilted to a dismal orange glow.
|
||
Takes ten minutes to get one compass reading - I take five on top, so we can
|
||
average it then, just as I'm about to give up it defogs & I get a decent
|
||
reading. Bog off out at last - Anthony has no carbide or electric. Good trip!
|
||
|
||
<p>T/U 9 hours.
|
||
|
||
<p><a href="#id1996-161-36">Previous trip</a> /
|
||
<a href="#id1996-161-42">Completely Loopy and 161f discovery</a> (same time) /
|
||
Next trips: <a href="#id1996-161-45">More Completely Loopy</a> &
|
||
<a href="#id1996-161-47">Where the Wind Blows</a>
|
||
|
||
<hr />
|
||
|
||
<p><a id="id1996-161-47">22/7/96</a> | Where the wind blows - 161d | Sam + <u>Becka</u> </p>
|
||
|
||
<p>Decide to go on a bumbly trip as out late yesterday. Off down Puerile
|
||
Humour, Batman Series, left at Gotham City Junction, & surveyed "Where
|
||
the Wind Blows" from where we left off on our last trip (19/7). Got cold
|
||
surveying in the draft, but at least got some long legs in the phreatic. I
|
||
had another look at the boulder choke at the end. Drafting well. Choked &
|
||
loose looking straight up, possibly could dig into horizontal tube, but all
|
||
pretty chossy & we were COLD. We had been intending dropping the pit in
|
||
the large chamber, but too chilly so stomped off down Puerile Humour to warm
|
||
up. Found Brian bolting around Shaft Mine (it didn't go) & then met
|
||
Lummatt et al having great fun in Completely Loopy. The et al was having such
|
||
fun that Ralph decided to head out to 161F entrance & find his way to
|
||
161D on the surface. Sam + I escorted him out - entrance is squirmier than
|
||
161E, though no squalid entrance squeeze. Sam + I back in & did more red
|
||
+ white taping of Triassic Park until the roll of tape thankfully ran out.
|
||
|
||
<p>T/U 8 hours
|
||
|
||
<p>Note: Sam brought his camera in with the intention of taking some photos,
|
||
but film ran out at picture 9 of 24 because the camera is crap and forgets
|
||
how many photos it's taken if the batteries fall out. AARGH!
|
||
|
||
<p><a href="#id1996-161-36">Previous trip</a> /
|
||
Other trip (same day): <a href="#id1996-161-45">Brian, Lummat & Co.</a> /
|
||
<a href="#id1996-161-56">Next Puerile Humour trip</a>
|
||
|
||
<hr />
|
||
|
||
<p><a id="id1996-161-51">23/7/96</a> | Traverse over Gizza Job pitch | DaveF + <u>Becka</u> </p>
|
||
|
||
<p>To top of Interview Blues series to do a traverse over the first, Gizza
|
||
Job pitch. I belayed Dave as he rigged a nice natural then put in 2 bolts
|
||
& did a bold step or two to get to a rock bridge the far side of the
|
||
pitch. Dave put in another bolt at the rock bridge. Nick, Helen + Brian
|
||
headed down the first 4 pitches of Interview Blues. Dave then headed off
|
||
right into a chamber with a deep rift in the floor. I tootled along the
|
||
traverse tying knots in it & only wittering a little. Dave is a nutter.
|
||
To far side of chamber to the head of a beautifully spacious chamber, the
|
||
antithesis of Nick's scrofulous series. Three incredibly tempting boulders
|
||
perched at the pitch head, but we'd heard Nick below, so we restrained
|
||
ourselves. I put in a bolt, Dave put in a <u>very</u> airy pitch head bolt
|
||
& whizzed down... not very far - in fact to the end of the 23m rope. I
|
||
went back to the Guillotine to fetch an 88m rope. On the way back, found
|
||
Craig & Mark McLean so I told them to tag along. Mark slobbered all over
|
||
the pitch 'cos he'd just rigged down Bugger which was chossy an' 'orrible
|
||
& didn't go anywhere. Mark was very tempted to rig our pitch but decided
|
||
he had to go, but we had Sam with us by now, so Sam, Dave + I (Becka) went
|
||
down. Very free-hanging pitch head rebelay, lovely shaft - 'The meeting
|
||
room'. Tight rift at bottom. Very squeezy if you headed down, but I then
|
||
climbed up the other direction & ended up in rift above the lower section
|
||
which was pretty easy going until... pitch, rift belled out obviously. "Can I
|
||
throw a rock?" "No" sez Sam. "Yes" sez Dave. "<u>Please</u> can I throw a
|
||
<u>little</u> rock" "Yes" sez Dave, "Oh, alright then" sez Sam. I throw a
|
||
little rock. It goes down a satisfyingly long way with lots of bounces. Yelp
|
||
excitedly. Dave + Sam then take turns throwing rocks. I start heading out,
|
||
Sam starts to bolt to put a traverse line down the rift - & there are
|
||
voices. "Who's up at the top?" asks Dave. "No one" I say. Then Helen is
|
||
spotted above Sam & Dave in rift - & as Sam prussiks up he spots
|
||
someone else through a window in the shaft. We decide not to derig in case
|
||
someone wants to survey it (tee-hee!) & exit. Fine sociable caving &
|
||
we even managed to avoid killing anyone with randomly lobbed boulders.
|
||
|
||
<p>T/U 7 ½ hours
|
||
|
||
<p><a href="#id1996-161-3">Interview Blues discovery trip</a> (Gizza Job
|
||
descent) / Two trips set out to derig: <a href="#id1996-161-67">First</a> and
|
||
<a href="#id1996-161-74">Second</a> (both failed to do so)
|
||
|
||
<hr />
|
||
|
||
<p><a id="id1996-161-57">24/7/96</a> | Surveying = 161d | Anthony, Phil U + <u>Becka</u>
|
||
|
||
Becka: 8th day caving on the run for me! (ie. only 1 night at Base Camp = vitamin
|
||
deprivation!)
|
||
|
||
<p>NB - pitch a princely 30m - see <a href="#id1996-161-32">write up of
|
||
18/7</a>
|
||
|
||
<p>I went with Clive + Pete to look at ladder at top of France first. Down
|
||
Puerile Humour to survey the pitch PhilU + Andy Cook had rigged last week,
|
||
called Syphilis, just after the first handline up a mud slope from Greenpeace
|
||
[Ring Piece? AJD] Junction. Anthony + PhilU surveyed, I went down the pitch -
|
||
pretty, quite large - (<u>nice</u> Y-hang on it, long enough to have to
|
||
abseil down one arm!). I put a bolt in to keep warm, for the last bit of the
|
||
pitch. I'd just finished by the time Anthony + Phil got down. General
|
||
decision that my bolt wasn't quite as good as a really crappy natural nearby,
|
||
so I rigged off that instead. I went down another 14m. It finished - there
|
||
was an eyehole which could be a tightish (or hammered) squeeze into a small
|
||
chamber another 2m or so down, & what looked like a very tight rift
|
||
heading off from it. Back up again & derigged it + out. It had pissed
|
||
down on us as we went in - & then it <u>seriously</u> donnered +
|
||
blitzened for the change & walk out. Got drenched - mood not helped by
|
||
seeing Steve & Duncan smugly sheltering in a dry overhang. However
|
||
everyone got piss wet through running down to the car park, so they only
|
||
prolonged the time miserably spent trying to avoid getting wet.
|
||
|
||
<p align=right>T/U 6 hours.</p>
|
||
|
||
<p><a href="#id1996-161-32">Previous trip</a> /
|
||
<a href="#id1996-161-59">Clive & Pete's trip</a> (same day) /
|
||
<a href="#id1996-161-61">Next Puerile Humour trip</a>
|
||
|
||
<hr />
|
||
|
||
<p><a id="id1996-161-54">23/7/96</a> | "Fogies Folly" | ChrisD, Tony, Jeremy and <u>DaveH</u> </p>
|
||
|
||
<p>Walked up from base and over to the cave, plan was to push some pitches
|
||
somewhere in Puerile Humour that Chris reckoned hadn't been done. At the
|
||
guilotine Tony went up the slope to the left and dropped the boulder slope
|
||
to the right but there was no way on. Me and Jeremy had a look at a
|
||
passage to the left of the main passage before the guilotine. This ended
|
||
in a clean washed aven below which was a climb down for about 5m to a
|
||
further climb reducing in size and infilling with small rocks.
|
||
|
||
<p>On the way to where Chris wanted to push, just before Puerile Humour we
|
||
found an interesting looking climb. On later discussion this turns out to
|
||
be Moth Chamber. From here we dropped a short pitch/handline climb of 6m.
|
||
From here a draughting crawl led of the top of a pitch. This we rigged
|
||
using the 58m rope we'd planned to use on Chris's pitch. Jeremy rigged this
|
||
from a single large pillar, with a deviation to an eyehole. The take off
|
||
was horribly tight and not helped by the fact that Jeremy had forgotten
|
||
about gardening the rubble off the top of the pitch.
|
||
|
||
<p>The pitch bell'd out to a reasonable size just below the pitch head and in
|
||
total was about 7m deep. The route off from the bottom was a tight hading
|
||
rift ending in a small blind 4m pitch. Whilst Chris and Jeremy started
|
||
surveying out of the blind pitch I pointed out to Tony that we'd lost the
|
||
draught. So whilst I fetched Chris the tape he'd left behind Tony had a look
|
||
up the unfeasably small tube heading off directly above the pitch.
|
||
Surprisingly this didn't end in 3 closing down tubes as expected, but was
|
||
strongly draughting with a roof tube going off. This popped out into a large
|
||
passage ending in a 45° descending ramp "Wheelchair Access". The chamber
|
||
at the bottom ended in a 5m pitch, which was bypassed by a climb down and
|
||
crawl to the left. To the right a crawl emerged at the bottom of the pitch.
|
||
To the left the crawl emerged into a larger rift. Straight ahead an aven
|
||
entered from above. The rift continued too small straight ahead, but could be
|
||
passable after brief use of a lump hammer. A hole in the floor gives access
|
||
to an <u>undescended</u> pitch of ~20m. Prior to this a crawl under the wall
|
||
to the left gives access to a parallel rift. The floor (which is false and
|
||
looks rather unstable) quickly falls away to reveal a clean washed pitch of
|
||
about 15m (<u>undescended</u>). At this point me and Tony returned for Chris
|
||
+ Jeremy who had finished the first bit of surveying. Chris had a look at top
|
||
of the clean washed pitch off to the left, decided it was not free climbable.
|
||
He traversed over the pitch and a second pitch beyond this. The rift ended in
|
||
a small strongly draughting squeeze requiring the use of a hammer to reach
|
||
enlarging passage beyond.
|
||
|
||
<p>Survey from the bottom of the bypassed pitch to the main passage at Moth
|
||
Chamber. Couldn't find a survey station, so left our own last survey
|
||
station obviously labelled.
|
||
|
||
<p>TU 6hrs
|
||
|
||
<p><a href="../1995/log.htm#id1995-161-26">Previous trip - finding QM 95-30</a>
|
||
/ <a href="#id1996-161-63">Next trip</a>
|
||
|
||
<hr />
|
||
|
||
<p><a id="id1996-161-53">23/7/96</a> | Cave Conservation officer | <u>Sam</u> </p>
|
||
|
||
<p>Since no-one else was going to do it, I set off down Triassic Park with a
|
||
view to laying the remaining stretch of red & white stripy tape. This is
|
||
a bit tedious as a solo job and involved laying tape out from Ringpiece Jct.
|
||
to Trifurcation walking back whilst collecting the Blue garotte wire and then
|
||
hours of tedious tying tape to boulders, rocks, calcite nobbles and the like.
|
||
I found out later that I'd cocked up around Locophobia a) because the string
|
||
had fallen off b) I'd never been there before c) there were lots of
|
||
footprints on the bit I ended up marking. Brian dashed by at one point,
|
||
having left his surveying book on the surface, Juliette dashed by complaining
|
||
of a 'dribbly period'. Once done I'd planned on meeting up with Dave &
|
||
Becka who were hammering a traverse above Nick's scrotty rift (Interview
|
||
Blues). Following the sounds of hammering I walked down Minoan Surprise where
|
||
I came upon the Knossus rope - so I had a quick wander round Knossus. Whilst
|
||
coming back I hear voices from a large hole in Minoan Surprise - it's Nick
|
||
& Helen who'd started at a lead in the 4th pitch of Interview Blues and
|
||
ended up halfway down this shaft. Moving on I joined Dave (Becka had run back
|
||
for some more rope) and we continued on as Becka's write up.
|
||
|
||
<p align=right>TU 7 ½ hrs</p>
|
||
|
||
<p><a href="#id1996-161-47">Previous trip</a> (start of tape-laying) /
|
||
<a href="#id1996-161-51">Becka's write up</a>
|
||
|
||
<hr />
|
||
|
||
<p><a id="id1996-161-58">24/7/96</a> | Photo trip - 161d | <u>SAM</u>, WOOKS, ANDY A, ANDY W, JULIETTE M </p>
|
||
|
||
<dl>
|
||
<dt>OBJECTIVES:<dd>Freeze our bollocks off (Juliette excepted)<br>
|
||
Swear profusely at expensive gear that doesn't work.<br>
|
||
Get rained on, and again - oh and again.
|
||
</dl>
|
||
|
||
<p>That's right it was a photo trip. Waddington was struggling to get to the
|
||
cave - not because he's a crusty old lag, or because he was carrying a
|
||
tripod the size of a small planet but because his oversuit didn't bend at
|
||
the knees. We'd avoided the morning rainstorm waiting for AndyW and Wooks
|
||
to walk up from Base Camp, (they arrived a bit soggy though) just after we
|
||
set off several jackers arrived back at top camp with a view to sodding off
|
||
down the hill out of the rain. Just as we got down to the bottom of the
|
||
Gully it started raining. This cleared up just long enough to get changed.
|
||
Off we trundled to take a picture at Bugger. - Wooks dangled around on the
|
||
rope whilst I tried to look scenic - for a full Hour whilst Andy tried to
|
||
take 1 picture with 3 cameras 2 flash bulbs 3 electronic flashes and a
|
||
handful of slave units. Nothing worked.
|
||
|
||
<p>Moving on to the traverse above Nick's scrotty rift series (ie not far
|
||
enough to get even remotely warm) we had some slightly more successful
|
||
shots of Wooks dangling from the traverse line and then moved on to take
|
||
some pictures down the pitch at the end of the traverse. Wooks abseiled
|
||
down with a big flash and dangled ½ way down the pitch, Andy & I
|
||
leant out precariously at the top and - guess what, Wookey's flash didn't go
|
||
off - so we might have a picture of the top half of the pitch.(*) Heading
|
||
back with the intention of taking piccies in Purile Humour. We stopped just
|
||
above Locophobia to take a shot of the good work being done by the cave
|
||
conservation officer - but once again flash failure thwarted our efforts.
|
||
AndyA at this point decided it was all too awful and we exited the cave.
|
||
|
||
<p align=right>TU 5 hrs.</p>
|
||
|
||
<p>(*) Oh, I've just remembered. Just as Wookey reached the top of the pitch
|
||
an increase in the dripping on the opposite side of the shaft made itself
|
||
heard. Mmmm it must be raining on the surface. Almost instantly a loud
|
||
rumbling started above, closely followed by gallons of water. Mmmmmmm it
|
||
must be raining LOTS on the surface. Please continue reading from the
|
||
asterisk above, that is, the 1st asterisk above.
|
||
|
||
<hr />
|
||
|
||
<p>17/7/1996 | Wooks goes to <a id="id1996-142-1">Stellerweg</a> | <u>Wookey</u> </p>
|
||
|
||
<p>Arge Grabstatten are doing Schwabenschacht, and connected it to some bit
|
||
of Stellerweg during their previous jolly in April. So I thought I'd have a
|
||
look & see what it was like, not having been in Schwab or '132' the cave
|
||
it came out at. A look at the web pages showed that '132' was almost
|
||
certainly 142 so I printed out some description so we knew where to go.
|
||
|
||
<p>Staggered up with all my gear after the krauts. Changed under handy
|
||
tarpaulin, avoiding rain - we should have one of these!
|
||
|
||
<p>Went down entrance shaft (after remembering how to put on SRT gear - 1st
|
||
use since last expo.) Then immediately off main route for only about 200m to
|
||
top of genuine p100, then on to survey small passageway for about 100m. The
|
||
cairn at the end was assumed to be 1983 vintage, placed by CUCC. Surveying
|
||
auf Deutsch was fun!
|
||
|
||
<p>Went out in 142, pausing to go down into the 'Big Chamber.' Ace 30m pitch
|
||
into huge space. Then miles of squiggly passage led out through 142. Changed
|
||
numbers at entrance to 142.
|
||
|
||
<p align=right>T/U 5 hrs</p>
|
||
|
||
<hr />
|
||
|
||
<p>18/7/96 | Surface findings | <u>Wookey</u>, Wadders, JulianT, Ralph </p>
|
||
|
||
<p> BECKA - Date given as 07/1996 in original version so I have guess date as 18/7 - possibly just an omission from typing in logbook - check? </p>
|
||
|
||
<p>Went looking for some '+' marked caves that Wook, JulianT & Spencer
|
||
found in 1994 near summit of Hinter. Found someone elses '+' on the way. Drew
|
||
it up. Eventually re-found the 2 caves we were looking for & 1 other we
|
||
had forgotten about. All GPS'd.
|
||
|
||
<p>Then over the top of the hinter & down on the plateau side. Found 195
|
||
& 194 as well as a couple of un-numbered holes.
|
||
|
||
<p>Passed 76a & connected it to survey station. Surveyed between 164
|
||
& 189 using Wadders's cag for tape measure, also checked out position of
|
||
B11, B8 & 80.
|
||
|
||
<hr />
|
||
|
||
<p><a id="id1996-161-55">24/07/96</a> | Dunks and Steve take it in turns to break a hymen | Dunks and <u>Steve</u> </p>
|
||
|
||
<p>Went to climb in snug. Possible but requires nutter. Me and Dunks decided
|
||
we had more talent at hitting things with a hammer so we took our ACME
|
||
"make your own?" kit (i.e. a big hammer) and made a Steve-sized hole in
|
||
the passage and sent a Steve thru it, whilst Dunk continued hammering to
|
||
make a Dunk+belt+FX3 sized hole and followed me. Over 100m of fun crawling
|
||
and we pop out in fresh virgin mud near huge space. Unfortunately find red
|
||
+ white tape and realise we are in fact in MTA's alt. universe. I went
|
||
back in the hope that Dunks was still hammering (and could therefore
|
||
rescue our SRT kit) but he was already crawling.
|
||
|
||
<p>Went for tourist down alternative universe and we thought that a climb up
|
||
on the right at the end (short + easy but you would fall down the pitch if
|
||
you fell) would go if you were a nutter.
|
||
|
||
<p>We then went to look for more non-existant cave which I thought existed
|
||
because I got confused after I came out of the crawl.
|
||
|
||
<p>Then we came out.
|
||
|
||
<p align=right>TU 5 ½ hrs</p>
|
||
|
||
<p>PS Changing in Mothshag is OK<br>
|
||
(only if it's raining. If you leave gear there it gets cold + shite.)
|
||
|
||
<p>PSS We missed the rain in both dirns due to hiding nr Sam's dig
|
||
|
||
<p>PSSS Hammering your own passage is the dogs bollocks
|
||
|
||
<p><a href="#id1996-161-21">Previous Dr. Snuggles trip</a> /
|
||
<a href="#id1996-161-49">Previous Alternative Universe trip</a> /
|
||
<a href="#id1996-161-65">Next AltUni trip</a> /
|
||
<a href="#id1996-161-68">Next Hymen (surveying) trip</a>
|
||
|
||
<hr />
|
||
|
||
<p><a id="id1996-161-35">19/7/96</a> | HAMMEROIDS | <u>DUNK</u>, PAUL + GUNILLA</p>
|
||
|
||
<p>BECKA - logbook said "(actually 19th, Ed.)" so have changed date from 20/7 to 19/7 </p>
|
||
|
||
<p>This time I managed not to break the hammer. Bashed in spits for Y-hang.
|
||
Got rope to hang free for as far as we could see. Got Paul to heroically
|
||
volunteer to test my bolting & rigging by making the second ever descent
|
||
of this pitch (see write up of 18/7 for QM 95-34), which turns out to be
|
||
jolly big (~45m). Found hammer head at foot of rope. Paul scrotted up a rift
|
||
to the left for not very far before it became impossible. I weasled
|
||
through a hole in a mud-bank into a rift to the right, which didn't go
|
||
either. Couldn't reverse-slither up mud in rift to get out through hole, so I
|
||
had to dig a slot I could thrutch out through.
|
||
|
||
<p align=right>TU 7 hours</p>
|
||
|
||
<p><a href="#id1996-161-31">Previous trip</a>
|
||
|
||
<hr />
|
||
|
||
<p><a id="id1996-161-56">24/7/96</a> | Batman Series | <u>Lummat</u> + Chris </p>
|
||
|
||
<p>Surveyed the large hole just above 5-Ways (2 pitches) and derigged.
|
||
|
||
<p>We then went round the corner to the left (opposite <Mine Shaft
|
||
Passage>) and descended Chris's pitch. This descends to a ledge, 6 metres
|
||
above the blind base of the pitch. Following this 'ledge' back leads to a
|
||
bold step to a window and then a bold traverse to an ascending phreatic.
|
||
These bold moves can be avoided by going underneath.
|
||
|
||
<p>From the top of the short ascending passage a 5m free-climb down leads to
|
||
too tight hole (even tighter with the large boulder rolled down). Across this
|
||
a strongly draughting (towards you) passage continues as a crawl over dusty
|
||
mud. After a z-bend, further crawling leads to a T-junction.
|
||
|
||
<p>To the right, after a few feet a rift is reached. This was descended (37m
|
||
rope) off naturals, via a deviation to a ledge and then to the base, from
|
||
where a very tiny hole leads off. Surveyed up. To the right at the pitch the
|
||
ascending passage closes down immediately.
|
||
|
||
<p>Straight across, a short crawl lead to a left hand turn and further
|
||
crawling to a blind aven. At the turn, to right a passage half filled with
|
||
mud enters a small chamber. Lummat removed half the mud and gave the pleasure
|
||
of removing the rest to Chris who first entered this bit (the mud also dammed
|
||
up a pool of water.) The exit from the chamber was too small.
|
||
|
||
<p>Back at the T-junction a body sized tube descended gently to the left.
|
||
This required removal of SRT gear and (so it turned out), a rope attached to
|
||
the obvious thread at the T-junction so that you can inch your way back out.
|
||
The short crawl ends at a shallow pit. The passage continues as a vertical
|
||
squeeze. Going back upon yourself and upwards leads to a blind 7m aven.
|
||
Continuing, a short drop leads to an awkward squeeze to a pitch. Rigging off
|
||
naturals and crawling head first out the pitch gives a 7m drop to the base of
|
||
a typically Picos pitch-ramp. A further 5m drop leads to a second pitch-ramp
|
||
but the ramp rift is too tight to pass (4 inches thick - could be removed
|
||
with a lump hammer?) Below an alluring chamber awaits (5m pitch). There is a
|
||
draught round here somewhere - but do Austrian pitch-ramps go anywhere?!
|
||
|
||
<p>After carrying out a Grade I survey I detackled the pitch and made my way
|
||
out of the body sized tube to where Chris was waiting to start the Grade 5
|
||
survey back to the Batman Series. We've called this area 'Tipico Asturias.'
|
||
|
||
<p align=right>TU 9hrs</p>
|
||
|
||
<p><a href="#id1996-161-45">Previous Puerile Humour trip</a> /
|
||
<a href="#id1996-161-61">Next Trip</a>
|
||
|
||
<hr />
|
||
|
||
<p><a id="id1996-161-59">24.7.96</a> | Touristing | Petel & <u>Clive</u> </p>
|
||
|
||
<p>Clive's birthday trip was a lovely tourist looking at all the big bits of
|
||
cave which are very nice thank you. Anyway it got rid of the need to go
|
||
underground for another year.
|
||
|
||
<p>Oh yes we nearly went off down a pitch but halfway down a bolt we
|
||
remembered we had no spits so we went home. The end. Love Clive
|
||
|
||
<p align=right>TU 2.5hrs</p>
|
||
|
||
<hr />
|
||
|
||
<p><a id="id1996-161-30">18-7-96</a> | Trying to avoid 'Stairway to Hell' Part 1 | <u>ChrisD</u>, Andrew, JulianH<br> </p>
|
||
|
||
<p>Chased up the ramp at Staud'n Wirt Palace. Loose chossy climb 1 didn't go.
|
||
15m pitch down ended in narrow drafting stream rift (could easily be made to
|
||
go). Loose chossy climb 2 didn't go either, except for some steeply ascending
|
||
rifts that ended in choke.
|
||
|
||
<p><a href="../1995/log.htm#id1995-161-22">Discovery trip</a> (1995)
|
||
/ <a href="#id1996-161-24">Previous trip</a> /
|
||
<a href="#id1996-161-40">Next trip</a>
|
||
|
||
<hr />
|
||
|
||
<p><a id="id1996-161-34">19-7-96</a> | 161d | Wookey & <u>Chris</u> </p>
|
||
|
||
<p>Connected up survey at Knossos. Came back & stuck our noses in a big
|
||
passage off Triassic - to find it had been discovered an hour before by Mike
|
||
& Tina. Boo.
|
||
|
||
<p>Furtled around Zombie Slime (<Trying to avoid Stairway to Hell Pt2>)
|
||
to no effect. Half climbed aven at drop into Zombie Slime - but had to leave.
|
||
|
||
<p><a href="#id1996-161-37">Mike'n'Tina's trip</a>
|
||
|
||
<hr />
|
||
|
||
<p>20-7-96 | Avoiding Stairway to Hell Pt3. | JulianH, <u>ChrisD</u> </p>
|
||
|
||
<p>Really did it this time. Pulled a big rock out of Sam's dig - just lots of
|
||
loose bits to dig out of strongly drafting rift. Looked around the
|
||
environs - various choked shafts & sections of small phreas on the Vd
|
||
Schwarzmooskogel side of the surface chasm on the was to 161d. T/U 15mins
|
||
|
||
<hr />
|
||
|
||
<p><a id="id1996-161-40">21-7-96</a> | Stairway to Hell | JulianH, <u>ChrisD</u> </p>
|
||
|
||
<p>Delaying tactics having failed, we set off for Stairway to Hell. Surveyed
|
||
to it, took a long look at it, then turned & fled in horror. CJD finished
|
||
off aven at drop into Zombie Slime - a downward sloping tube briefly
|
||
raised hopes but rapidly degenerated. Other route went up for a
|
||
surprisingly long way without reaching daylight.
|
||
|
||
<p><a href="#id1996-161-30">Previous trip</a> /
|
||
<a href="#id1996-161-48">Next trip</a>
|
||
|
||
<hr />
|
||
|
||
<p><a id="id1996-161-60">25-7-96</a> | Forbidden Land | Andrew, Lummat, <u>ChrisD</u> </p>
|
||
|
||
<p>Better sense having been cast to one side, we passed Stairway to Hell to
|
||
reach Forbidden Land. The hanging death was the worst I have seen, & the
|
||
route has nothing to to recommend it. The redeeming feature is the direction
|
||
of travel & strongly drafting <u>big</u> passage. Turned left at the big
|
||
chossy junction whereupon the quality suddenly improved. Rigged a ladder
|
||
barely off a thread, then surveyed off right* in the big passage. Double back
|
||
right, down the poxy hole, or up to climb an aven? 3 peple, 3 routes. The
|
||
poxy hole went - soon to a big chamber. Down right, following the stream, or
|
||
straight ahead? Both ways went - straight ahead was big, ending in the side
|
||
of a huge rift pitch. Could this be a connection to 136? Following the stream
|
||
also went, soon to leave it, some occasional crawling along an otherwise
|
||
sizeable rift heading SW. Ended at a traverse needing rope. Returned to the
|
||
ladder (previously free climb by A + Wookey) & popped in a bolt to get
|
||
into the chamber left at the jct* above. Down was choss to a small pitch. But
|
||
past some lovely conglomerate stals (formed by erosion) was a climb some
|
||
draughting phreas popping out surprisingly at the head of a 6-7 second
|
||
rattle. Even more surprisingly we survived the return through Stairway to
|
||
Hell.
|
||
|
||
<p><a href="#id1996-161-48">Previous trip</a> /
|
||
<a href="#id1996-161-69">Next trip</a>
|
||
|
||
<hr />
|
||
|
||
<p><a id="id1996-161-61">26/7/96</a> | Puerile Humour - 161d | <u>Becka</u>, Sam + Craig </p>
|
||
|
||
<p>Took 200m rope out from the Guillotine for DaveF then turn off to Where
|
||
the Wind Blows, off from Cat Woman, L at Gotham Junction in Puerile Humour.
|
||
Down 3 shafts, 2 rigged on naturals then Sam put a pitch head bolt on Pencil
|
||
Shaft. None of them went anywhere, all blind! Surveyed them anyway. Sam put
|
||
some tape on, we had a look for Julian's sling in Staud'n'wirt Palace (but in
|
||
the wrong spot!) & out in time for the dinner.
|
||
|
||
<p align=right>T/U 6 hours</p>
|
||
|
||
<p><a href="#id1996-161-56">Previous Puerile Humour trip</a> /
|
||
<a href="#id1996-161-70">Next Trip (Iceland)</a>
|
||
|
||
<hr />
|
||
|
||
<p><a id="id1996-161-62">26/7/96</a> | Interview Blues - 161d | <u>Nick</u>, Brian, Paul, Helen </p>
|
||
|
||
<p>We went down, we faffed, we bolted an amazing choss pile, we decided the
|
||
other pitch would be better! We came out.
|
||
|
||
<p align=right>TU 5 ½ hrs</p>
|
||
|
||
<p><a href="#id1996-161-52">Previous trip</a> /
|
||
<a href="#id1996-161-67">Next trip</a>
|
||
|
||
<hr />
|
||
|
||
<p><a id="id1996-161-66">26/7/96</a> | Tourist - 161d | Mark M, Juliette K, <u>Julian T</u>, Ally G </p>
|
||
|
||
<p>We hate caving, especially Ally. We nicked enough gear and went in. Ally's
|
||
peril sensitive light & cave detecting glasses now smeared with mud
|
||
stayed dark and got her a little spooked. We went down the main route till we
|
||
met MarkF and Ally cleared out sharpish. The remainder went looking for Salt
|
||
Lake City and overshot it because it was so under-whelming. We returned to
|
||
junction and met ancient Becca caver. Then I walked
|
||
down from entrance to 201 passage and the walk back was awful.
|
||
|
||
<p align=right>T/U 1 hour</p>
|
||
|
||
<hr />
|
||
|
||
<p><a id="id1996-161-46">22/7/96</a> | Bugger - 161d | Juliette Kelly, <u>Mark M</u> </p>
|
||
|
||
<p>Trundled along to Bugger admiring Triassic en route. Rigged the pitch and
|
||
bimbled down, trying to avoid killing each other with falling boulders.
|
||
Went down thru a boulder choke at the foot of the pitch and found another
|
||
short pitch.
|
||
|
||
<p>T/U 7 hours
|
||
|
||
<p><a href="#id1996-161-50">Next trip</a>
|
||
|
||
<hr />
|
||
|
||
<p><a id="id1996-161-50">23/7/96</a> | Choss Pot - 161d | Ju K, Craig, <u>Mark M</u> </p>
|
||
|
||
<p>Surveyed our finds in Choss Pot while Ju bolted the last pitch. Didn't go
|
||
anywhere. Surveyed that too and pissed off out.
|
||
|
||
<p>T/U 7 hours
|
||
|
||
<p><a href="#id1996-161-46">Previous trip</a>
|
||
|
||
<hr />
|
||
|
||
<p>22/7/96<a id="id1996-161-48"> | Go to the Forbidden Land | <u>Wook</u></a> & AndyA </p>
|
||
|
||
<p>After Julian H & Chris D wimped at Stairway to Hell, that left it for
|
||
me & Andy.
|
||
|
||
<p>Boogied down in optimistic mood, decided that it probably wouldn't fall
|
||
down, and Julian & Chris were wimps. Surveyed (carefully) through the
|
||
choke & then out along the 'rift' above. It soon turned out that this was
|
||
not a rift at all, but a huge chamber & we were wandering about below the
|
||
boulders making up the floor.
|
||
|
||
<p>The chamber (Hall of the Mounting Choss) was huge, almost 90m x 30m with a
|
||
couple of pitches at the top of the slope. A bit more wandering about found a
|
||
big passage taking a gale & leading to another big passage we were unable
|
||
to climb down into.
|
||
|
||
<p>Surveyed it all (300m) anf then found a way down into big cross passage.
|
||
Wind here was going towards 050 ie back towards KH. Passage this way reaches
|
||
a choss slope where we stopped, having done enough dodgy stuff to get this
|
||
far. The other way (210deg) is a long rift. We followed it for about 50m - it
|
||
was still going. There are also a couple of pitches & avens.
|
||
|
||
<p align=right>T/U 8hrs</p>
|
||
|
||
<p><a href="#id1996-161-40">Previous trip</a> /
|
||
<a href="#id1996-161-60">Next trip</a>
|
||
|
||
<hr />
|
||
|
||
<dl>
|
||
<dt>Extra verse as sung in Hilda's or approx:
|
||
<dd>The pitches in Austria, they're deep and they're big<br>
|
||
To get to the bottom, you frig up the rig.<br>
|
||
The bolts are in calcite, you know they won't hold<br>
|
||
In Hilda's bar, many stories are told (most total bullshit!)
|
||
</dl>
|
||
|
||
best as I can do - Tina
|
||
|
||
<hr />
|
||
|
||
<p><a id="id1996-161-65">26.07.96</a> | Alternative Universe | TINA & <u>MIKE</u> & PENNY </p>
|
||
|
||
<p>Went to look at holes in Alternative Universe. Penny & Tina looked at
|
||
first one which didn't go so Penny went out. Mike bolted second (from low
|
||
point near end of passage - survey pt 6 is on thread belay). Two pitches
|
||
c26m & c34m to rift which can be entered at bottom and traversed to climb
|
||
down - wasn't sure I could climb back up but could see water going over
|
||
further drop (must be about 75m below low point in Altuni.)
|
||
|
||
<dl>
|
||
<dt>T/U<dd>Mike 3 ½<br>
|
||
Tina 3<br>
|
||
Penny 2
|
||
</dl>
|
||
|
||
<p>[Rough sketch of Alt Uni showing position of pitches]
|
||
|
||
<p><a href="#id1996-161-49">Previous trip</a> /
|
||
<a href="../1997/log.htm#id1997-161-5">Next AltUni trip</a> (Magic Jumars,
|
||
1997)
|
||
|
||
<hr />
|
||
|
||
<p>28/7/96 | Top Camp carry | <u>DaveH</u> & JulianT </p>
|
||
|
||
<p>Walked up to top camp to check out my knees. Seemed OK on way up. Was
|
||
starting to thunder & lightning just as we set off and was looking very
|
||
dark. Just made it to top camp as it started to rain. There followed a
|
||
very heavy storm - absolutely tipped it down for ~1hr, including hail
|
||
stones. After that sun came out and was very nice. Walked down with large
|
||
amounts of rubbish & spent carbide.
|
||
|
||
<hr />
|
||
|
||
<p><a id="id1996-161-69">1996.07.28</a> | To the Forbidden Land again | <u>Wook</u> & AndyA </p>
|
||
|
||
<p>Andy showed Wook new bits, then put in a bolt for a ladder. Continued only
|
||
30m along rift before it degenerated. Scrotty bit continued to a choke - no
|
||
obvious way on. We climbed up a bitbut it carried on for miles. There seemed
|
||
to be a parallel rift full of water, esp when it rains. Went down a pitch in
|
||
floor for 20m then close[?] to streamway through boulders. Big (40 l/s)
|
||
stream followed until too small squeeze. Surveyed to head of pitch.
|
||
|
||
<p align=right>T/U = 7.5hrs</p>
|
||
|
||
<p><a href="#id1996-161-60">Previous trip</a> /
|
||
<a href="../1997/log.htm#id1997-136-5">Next trip (from 136 after
|
||
connection)</a>
|
||
|
||
<hr />
|
||
|
||
<p><a id="id1996-161-68">28/7/96</a> | Surveying down the tight bit beyond the hymen | Steve & <u>Dunks</u> </p>
|
||
|
||
<p>Having hammered out our own bit of cave, we thought we'd best go survey
|
||
it.
|
||
|
||
<p>Started at Alt. Uni. end of things. Did a couple of connecting legs, all
|
||
went well up until beginning of actual crawl. Problem was, it was too narrow
|
||
to easily pass each other or turn round in, so I set of crawling backwards
|
||
with compass + clino while Steve followed with tape. There is a ~6 inch wide
|
||
gap in the floor, where things dropped down it go rattle rattle
|
||
rattle........ boom bang rattle. This is disconcerting.
|
||
|
||
<p>Cunningly got eyepiece of clino bunged up with mud after a few legs, and
|
||
spent half an hour licking it out. Then the compass fogged up. Then my
|
||
carbide fucked up and the crawl went uphill. Then we said 'FUCK THIS' and
|
||
went to retrieve our string gear from the other end of the crawl. Then we had
|
||
the choice between going back through the crawl and going up a pitch (~5m).
|
||
Couldn't immediately be arsed to do either, so we sat and ate loads of toffee
|
||
& fudge, and pissed around looking at some holes we hadn't noticed
|
||
before. None of these went very far so we came back to the bottom of the big
|
||
aven (Zebedee) in Dr Snuggles. Water was pissing down this so we guessed it
|
||
must be raining on the surface and therefore not time to come out of the
|
||
cave, so we bashed a bolt in above a small pitch in our crawl which went
|
||
nowhere. Then we were bored, cold and pissed off, so we came back out,
|
||
retrieved our clothes from Mothshag, where we had got changed (it was shit)
|
||
and fucked off.
|
||
|
||
<p align=right>TU 8 ½ hours</p>
|
||
|
||
<p><a href="#id1996-161-55">Previous trip</a> /
|
||
<a href="../1997/log.htm#id1997-161-18">Next trip to Zebedee</a> (1997)
|
||
|
||
<hr />
|
||
|
||
<p><a id="id1996-161-70">28/7/96</a> | 161d | Anthony, <u>Paul</u>, Ralph </p>
|
||
|
||
<p>Festered at both top-camp and the entrance for a good 2hrs, then
|
||
reluctantly went underground hoping Anthony's "good" lead would close down
|
||
after 10 yards. We met Ralph (who came in 161e) the wrong side of a rift
|
||
without his string gear and then went to Roast Beef, a sub-district of
|
||
Puerile Humour. After a short crawl we came out in a rift. Ralph climbed
|
||
up 25m and found some leads which need rigging, Anthony found an
|
||
impressive ice stal and climbed up the large aven above it which I
|
||
followed a scrotty looking lead. Fortunately I emerged in a large rift
|
||
running right-left, one end was nearly blocked by a large ice formation
|
||
with a large chamber the other side of it. Both passages from there
|
||
eventually choke but there are good ice pretties. It'd near the surface
|
||
but we couldn't find another entrance.
|
||
|
||
<p>"Oh dear" we said "We appear to have found some cave - that'll need
|
||
surveying!" After 150m however we were freezing and pissed off out of
|
||
161e.
|
||
|
||
<p align=right>TU 6hrs</p>
|
||
|
||
<p><a href="#id1996-161-61">Previous Puerile Humour trip</a> /
|
||
<a href="#id1996-161-73">Next Trip</a>
|
||
|
||
<hr />
|
||
|
||
<p><a id="id1996-161-67">28/7/96</a> | Interview Blues | <u>Nick</u>, Brian, Craig </p>
|
||
|
||
<p>Looking at the second lead down IB, under Minoan Surprise. Having decided
|
||
that the 1st hole (the one directly under MS) was too chossy, we were bolting
|
||
the 2nd hole, which involved a loose traverse. Brian & Craig went down,
|
||
whilst I rigged off some boulders so I could dangle over the edge of the big
|
||
hole in MS and produce a 'plumb' for the survey. This was connected into the
|
||
Triassic Park survey by a leg 'from the end of Nick's hand.' By the time I
|
||
joined Craig and Brian, Brian had reached the bottom of the pitch, which
|
||
turned out to be Bottomless Pit of Eternal Chaos (of course). So we surveyed
|
||
and derigged out. As we got to the bottom of pitch 4, everything went ROAR!
|
||
It was raining upstairs and all the water was going down Dave & Becka's
|
||
pitch next door. We had intended to survey and derig this as well, but
|
||
thought it a bit wet. Brian played cowboy and lassooed a spike to get through
|
||
the eyehole into D&B's pitch and confirmed that their rope would be a
|
||
little damp to ascend, hence we went back up IB and left.
|
||
|
||
<p align=right>TU 8 ½ hrs</p>
|
||
|
||
<p><a href="#id1996-161-62">Previous trip</a> /
|
||
<a href="#id1996-161-71">Next trip</a>
|
||
|
||
<hr />
|
||
|
||
<p><a id="id1996-161-71">29/7/96</a> | IB, where else? | <u>Nick</u> Brian & Craig </p>
|
||
|
||
<p>Having eliminated the nicer lead, it was time to go deep again, and we
|
||
managed to convince Craig to come with us. Brian went ahead to rig the 9th
|
||
pitch, whilst Craig & I surveyed from the bottom of the 7th. At the
|
||
crossroads, I decided to have another look at the lead pronounced
|
||
'probably too tight' by myself and Becka. A bit of thrutching and I was
|
||
through into more scrotty rift, a chamber with a very brave (and very
|
||
dead) bat and another pitch. Hence 'Early Retirement' was named. So we
|
||
surveyed back to the crossroads, then through the abysmal rift, down the
|
||
8th and through more shite rift (1 ½ metre survey legs) to the top of
|
||
the 9th. Here we met Brian, who had rigged the 9th with a knot pass,
|
||
bolted the 10th pitch and then discovered it was deep and no way was the
|
||
20m rope going to reach. So rather than face another knot pass he came
|
||
out. Team survey were cold by this time, so we left.
|
||
|
||
<p align=right>TU Nick 9hrs<br>
|
||
Brian & Craig 9 ½ hrs</p>
|
||
|
||
<p><a href="#id1996-161-67">Previous trip</a> /
|
||
<a href="#id1996-161-72">Next trip</a>
|
||
|
||
<hr />
|
||
|
||
<p><a id="id1996-161-72">30/7/96</a> | You know where | <u>Nick</u> and Brian </p>
|
||
|
||
<p>Having run out of friends (mugs, idiots, people open to bribery,
|
||
blackmail, corruption etc) and team 136 having jacked horrendously, the
|
||
penultimate, do or die, this is it, take it or leave it, everything must go
|
||
trip down Interview Blues had a cast of 2. The plan was to push, find the
|
||
bottom, survey out and then derig until the number of tackle sacks got too
|
||
silly. So we knew we were in for a shit time. We were not wrong.
|
||
|
||
<p>We took down a long rope for the 10th, an extra rope for when we found the
|
||
11th pitch, and another bit of rope, just in case. After having an attack of
|
||
conjunctivitis (sore eyes!) the last trip, I was caving in glasses rather
|
||
than contact lenses. This was grim, as vision hampered by a shit carbide was
|
||
further shafter by gloop-coated glasses. To add to the fun, my carbide had
|
||
developed a fine extra peril-sensitive feature. Whenever I looked down, the
|
||
clicker fell onto the jet, thus extinguishing the flame and preventing me
|
||
from seeing any possible danger beneath me.
|
||
|
||
<p>Off we set, merrily abseiling and scrotting in turns (Quick description of
|
||
Interview Blues: Abseil, abseil, abseil, abseil, scrot, abseil, scrot,
|
||
abseil, abseil, scrot, abseil, scrot, abseil) which took us to the bottom of
|
||
the ninth, or rather Brian to the top of the tenth, and me 15m from the
|
||
bottom of the ninth, where I thrashed around trying to do a knot pass, which
|
||
was conveniently situated in the damp bit of the pitch. As my lumps of mud
|
||
which passed for gear turned to slime, my glasses clouded over, the tackle
|
||
sack became 5 times heavier and my jammers completely refused to
|
||
down-prussik, it could be said I was not having fun. Indeed, the odd swear
|
||
word may have passed my lips. Eventually enough mud had been washed off, so I
|
||
could complete the change-over and get to the bottom. Brian was merrily
|
||
rigging the 10th pitch. I followed him down. Suddenly it was all large - big
|
||
shaft, big chamber at the bottom. Help! Where's the rift? Got to the bottom
|
||
and dashed down the first scrotty rift I could find, and sure enough found
|
||
Brian coming back saying it got too tight. So we surveyed back to the
|
||
chamber, finding a really awful way down, under a boulder pile, with lots of
|
||
water and a 5m drop, on the way, and then finding the two stomping leads we
|
||
had ignored completely on the way in. The first quickly became a rift
|
||
traverse with water in the bottom. After some exciting thrutching we got down
|
||
to the water. Upstream is a 3m climb with a waterfall. Downstream is another
|
||
waterfall in a tight bit of rift - to rig it would require crawling in the
|
||
water. Back to the chamber, and the next lead - another large passageway
|
||
which soon becomes scrotty rift, but definitely still goes. Another corner of
|
||
the chamber produced another lead, a rising rift with the sound of water down
|
||
it, and yet another corner had a muddy crawl going off it. With all this
|
||
cave, we just didn't know what to do, so we ran away.
|
||
|
||
<p>We surveyed out to the top of the ninth, gaining tackle sacks and being
|
||
good boys and greasing the bolts (so we can go back next year.) After that it
|
||
becomes hazy - tacklesacks, prussiking very slowly, sore balls, scrotty rift
|
||
- the usual. We got to the bottom of the fifth with two tacklesacks each and
|
||
gave up, since the fifth pitch is ~50m. So we dumped a tackle sack each and
|
||
pottered up some more pitches. Brian abandoned his friend at the top of the
|
||
fourth. I managed to get mine back to Trifurcation. Staggered out very
|
||
slowly. It was 2-30am and it was misty and raining. Lovely trip.
|
||
|
||
<p align=right>TU 13 ½ hrs
|
||
|
||
<p>Brian - "Memorable"
|
||
|
||
<p><a href="#id1996-161-71">Previous trip</a> /
|
||
<a href="#id1996-161-74">Final derigging trip</a>
|
||
|
||
<hr />
|
||
|
||
<p><a id="id1996-161-74">31/7/96</a> | No prizes for guessing where | <u>Nick</u>, Brian, Dunk </p>
|
||
|
||
<p>Dunk decided to earn superhero points and helped us derig the remaining
|
||
rope in IB. Dunk hauled, I derigged, Brian ferried tacklesacks. Prussiking
|
||
with two tacklesacks is shit. Fucked up derigging the top of the 1st pitch,
|
||
slipped and slammed into the wall. Shaken, but not stirred.
|
||
|
||
<p>We were going to derig Dave & Becka's pitch, leaving the traverse line
|
||
in place, but Dunk didn't like the traverse, with its virtual footholds, and
|
||
I'd had enough so the rope is still there.
|
||
|
||
<p>Derigged the lovely Knossos pitch and wandered out very slowly.
|
||
|
||
<p>See you next year!
|
||
|
||
<p align=right>T/U 6hrs</p>
|
||
|
||
<p><a href="#id1996-161-71">Previous trip</a> /
|
||
Next trip - not next year, in fact, 1999 ?
|
||
|
||
<hr />
|
||
|
||
<p> 29/7 | Rig/survey/Derig 136 | Wookey & <u>Anthony</u> </p>
|
||
|
||
<p>Despite slightly shoddy weather and the fact that 136 sounds distinctly
|
||
crap, we rigged in, made the connection to Forbidden Land, and surveyed out
|
||
derigging as we went arriving back at base camp before breakfast. A casual
|
||
observer would have thought we'd never left. Unfortunately, we lost the
|
||
survey notes so it will all have to be done again next year....
|
||
|
||
<hr />
|
||
|
||
<p><a id="id1996-161-73">31/7/96</a> | Iceland Survey | Wookey, JulianT, Paul & <u>Anthony</u></p>
|
||
|
||
<p>After returning with tales of lots of pretty ice near 161e, there was a
|
||
queue of people clammering to survey it (not surprising when the other
|
||
available options were derigging Interview Blues or carrying spent carbide
|
||
down the hill.) Found 161e at the first attempt (Craig and Paul spent 4
|
||
hours wandering round the hill in caving gear the day before without
|
||
finding it.) Wooks climbed up the aven in Crystal Maze getting about as
|
||
far as me before deciding it was a bit vertical and giving up. It may be
|
||
free climbable (though exposed) but definitely needs a rope to get down -
|
||
worth a look next year as there's a big space at the top and lots of wind
|
||
going up it. Paul and Anthony then surveyed out from the end of the
|
||
phreatic which leads out of Iceland chamber whilst Wookey & Julian
|
||
surveyed in through the bit that's full of ice and blowing a gale (ie
|
||
fucking freezing.) The wind appears to disappear up the aven at Iceland as
|
||
well as the aven in Crystal Maze. Hopefully we'll get some pictures of the
|
||
ice. Also took a picture of surveyors in action (thrilling stuff) before
|
||
exiting KH for the last time in '96. 12 trips, 10 surveys (7 as picture
|
||
drawer), 1 bolt pretty much sums up my expo. Obviously I'll have to find
|
||
somewhere nicer to go next Summer. You'll not catch me down that miserable
|
||
hole in the ground ever again. And pigs will fly....
|
||
|
||
<p align=right>TU 6 hrs</p>
|
||
|
||
<p><a href="#id1996-161-70">Previous trip</a> /
|
||
<a href="#id1996-161-75">Puerile Humour derig</a> (1996 last trip)
|
||
|
||
<hr />
|
||
|
||
<p> 31/7/96 | There 'n' back | <u>Clive</u> 'n' DaveK/Craig or DaveF/Sam </p>
|
||
|
||
<p> BECKA - no date given in entry so I've inserted 31/7 </p>
|
||
|
||
<p>I love driving. Craig left the road a couple of times on the way there due
|
||
to mistaking slip roads for motorway lanes. Dave F did the same on the way
|
||
back but it was road works and Jeremy tried to crash in the same spot so he
|
||
was probably allowed.
|
||
|
||
<p>Bloody customs at the england end. "Nice dent!" Pulled us over. NO WE HAVE
|
||
NO DRUGS OR BOMBS NOW CAN WE PLEASE GO TO AUSTRIA IT'S FAR TOO FAR AWAY.
|
||
"You're indicator's smashed." Fail to tell her it's been that way for over a
|
||
year now - a bit too much like needling her.
|
||
|
||
<p>On the way back one of my part worn remoulds gave up. Only had to move two
|
||
rucksacks to get at the spare! Hoorah.
|
||
|
||
<p>London was really shit and tedious. Don't ever go there.
|
||
|
||
<p>The end. Love Clive
|
||
<dl>
|
||
<dt>T/U<dd>Clive 1h20<br>
|
||
DaveK Craig) 40m<br>
|
||
DaveF Sam )
|
||
</dl>
|
||
|
||
<hr />
|
||
|
||
<center><h3>MISSING TRIPS</h3></center>
|
||
|
||
<p><a id="id1996-161-14">14/7/96</a> | Pushing trip connected Shortage of Walls to Rich Tea via the Teapot | JulianH & Gill </p>
|
||
|
||
<p align=right>TU 7 hours</p>
|
||
|
||
<p><a href="#id1996-161-19">Next trip</a>
|
||
|
||
<hr />
|
||
|
||
<p><a id="id1996-161-15">14/7/96</a> | Pushing trip which found Dr Snuggles etc. | Duncan, PhilB, Gunilla </p>
|
||
|
||
<p align=right>TU 5 ½</p>
|
||
|
||
<hr />
|
||
|
||
<p><a id="id1996-161-44">22/7/96</a> | Pushing leads off Shortage of Walls | Julian H, Fran, PeteL </p>
|
||
|
||
<p>"Not much happened. Threw a few rocks around, got blisters handbolting
|
||
and went home. (email from Pete 97/02/13)" TU 2½
|
||
|
||
<hr />
|
||
|
||
<p><a id="id1996-161-63">26/7/96</a> | Push/survey pitch at end Fogie's Folly/Wheelchair Access | Jeremy, MarkF (and Tony, DaveH in call-out book) </p>
|
||
|
||
<p>(DaveH's knees gave out on walk over, so did not go u/g. Tony
|
||
had to jack when hit on head by rock in Slidy Caver - TU presumably
|
||
minimal. ref. email from Dave 97/02/13)
|
||
|
||
<p><a href="#id1996-161-54">Previous trip</a> /
|
||
<a href="../1997/log.htm#id1997-161-1">Next trip</a>
|
||
|
||
<hr />
|
||
|
||
<p><a id="id1996-161-75">31/7/96</a> | Derig Alt Uni & Puerile Humour. Connected Fogie's Folly survey to TP | Steve, DaveH </p>
|
||
|
||
<p align=right>TU Dave 3½-4 hrs, Steve 'a bit longer' (email from Dave 97/02/13)
|
||
|
||
|
||
</p><!-- this should stop the links being right flushed -->
|
||
<hr />
|
||
<!-- LINKS -->
|
||
<ul>
|
||
<li>1996 Expedition info:
|
||
<ul>
|
||
<li><a href="index.htm">Index</a> (more detail than in this list)</li>
|
||
<li><a href="excsrp.htm">Preliminary report</a> (exCS newsletter)</li>
|
||
<li><a href="report.htm">Cambridge Underground report</a></li>
|
||
<li><a href="bcracc.htm">BCRA Caves and Caving</a> Report</li>
|
||
<li>Wookey's Compass Points <a href="gps.htm">article on GPS usage</a></li>
|
||
<li>This year's <a href="sponsr.htm">Sponsors</a></li>
|
||
</ul></li>
|
||
<li><a href="../../pubs.htm#pubs1996">Published accounts</a></li>
|
||
<li><a href="../../index.htm">Back to Expedition intro page</a></li>
|
||
<li><A href="../../../index.htm">CUCC Home page</a>
|
||
|
||
</td></tr></table>
|
||
</ul>
|
||
</body>
|
||
</html>
|