expoweb/years/2023/ashtripreports.txt

<div class="tripdate" id="t2023-07-07a">2023-07-07</div>
<div class="trippeople"><u>Ash</u>, Mealy, Will Kay, Alice Kirby</div>
<div class="triptitle">Fishface – Surveying Stalagtite Loop to the top of Liquid Luck</div>
<p>Following our previous shallow trip into Fishface we set out to continue the previous combined 
leads from the day before. The journey across the plateau and into the cave was uneventful, aside from 
the other group catching up with us. Dropping down into Blitzen Boulevard we continued along the rift 
and dropped Mike and teams previously rigged pitch (as we had de-rigged fivemoose), getting to the pushing 
front.</p>
<p>Since the PDA had officially died, it was on to sexytopo on phone, with Mealy keen to do more on 
notes. Alice and Will were both (unusually) keen to survey which allowed me, as the most experienced, 
to take on the role of chief scooper / co-ordinator.</p>
<p>The rift continued, bending slightly to the right as we surveyed along, soon becoming a sandy crawl. 
Passing a tight deep hole (likely connecting into Liquid Luck) we reached a junction. Right quickly 
crapped out at a puddle below a blind aven. Left, crawling continued with stalagtites and popcorn/coral 
formations. In hindsight we should have taken photos. The passage became more rifty again with a few more
formations.</p>
<p>We could hear voices seemingly ahead, which did not bode well. I scooted ahead to find the rift 
connected with the far side of the top of the Liquid Luck Pitch. Unfortunately, this was Jonty and 
teams lead for the day so they were quite annoyed, although hadn’t started bolting their way across 
yet.</p>
<p>We finished off surveying and I went round the long way to the far side of the pitch to ensure we 
could close the loop. Done for the day, there was now a clusterfuck of people all trying to leave fish
at the same time. One by one people left the bothy and headed up Blitzen to the surface. Back to top 
camp for curry.</p>


<div class="tripdate" id="t2023-07-12a">2023-07-12</div>
<div class="trippeople"><u>Ash</u>, Janis</div>
<div class="triptitle">Amphitheatre – Surveying Frozen Unknown</div>
<p>We went back to continue exploring Amphitheatre. Since we were now pushing decently underground, we kitted 
up and then headed in. Adjusted the initial traverse line rigging slightly.</p>
<p>I started bolting the second pitch, hugging the left-hand wall to avoid the steadily dripping water 
at the near end of the pitch. Unfortunately the slope of the wall was not ideal and a couple of re-belays 
were required to avoid rope rub. This was about as good as we would get so dropped down the remaining 25m 
or so onto a large snow and ice pile. To one side this dropped steeply down to a wet puddle, joined by the 
drips from the near end of the pitch, with no continuation. Travelling along the chamber down the snow 
slope became increasingly treacherous, climbing down large appliance-sized ice boulders. Carefully 
tip-toeing under an iceberg wedged 10m up in the ceiling the continuation became more like a boulder choke, 
but made of ice. This became steep enough that rope would be required, but with the treacherous conditions, 
and nothing to rig off other than ice anyway, I retreated. </p>
<p>We both then surveyed the extent of the cave and de-rigged on the way out. Janis de-rigging for the 
‘learning experience’. Unfortunately, cave killed until a future year with very low snow perhaps. There 
was no evidence of a draft at the bottom so not particularly promising.</p>


<div class="tripdate" id="t2023-07-15a">2023-07-15</div>
<div class="trippeople"><u>Ash</u>, Ely, Janis</div>
<div class="triptitle">Prospecting - Up to Homecoming from the Col</div>
<p>Deciding I needed to get into this prospecting lark and find some new caves we kept an eye out for 
undocumented potential on our walk up to top camp. The intention was to walk up from the Col to Homecoming 
and then Garlic cave (also dropping off supplies). Janis GPS trailed the route (being vaguely sure of it 
having done it the other day). There were several confusing bits and many cairns which were mostly 
helpful.</p>
<p>The following caves were found on the way up:</p>
<ul>
<li>2023-ASH-01 47.68168N 13.80678E 1695m. Approx 8m shaft with snow at bottom.</li>
<li>2023-ASH-02 47.68692N 13.80660E 1722m. Rift dropping approx. 8m to boulder floor.</li>
<li>2023-ASH-03 47.69010N 13.80547E 1728m. Large rift of approx. 15m depth. Snow at bottom.</li>
<li>2023-ASH-04 47.69176N 13.80512E (UTM33 5282733, 410338), 1721m. Small hole surrounded by bunder, 
drops approx. 5m with snow at bottom, can't clearly see bottom from top.</li>
</ul>
<p>Entrance photos were also taken. (Note: These caves are all entered on website).</p>


<div class="tripdate" id="t2023-07-15b">2023-07-15</div>
<div class="trippeople"><u>Ash</u>, Ely, Philip B</div>
<div class="triptitle">2018-DM-04 – Prospecting, exploring, surveying</div>
<p>The plan was to do some prospecting in the relatively uncovered area around Garlic cave. 
We met up with Philip at Garlic cave and had some noodles for lunch. Philip had already done some 
looking around the area and suggested we go look at 2018-DM-04 and 2018-DM-05.</p>
<p>We had one caving helmet between us (the rest of my kit was at top camp). We only got round to 
looking at 2018-DM-04, following a slightly up and down plateau route to get there. The tag was found 
underneath a rock. Got Ely to practice bolting and place the first back up bolt. Then I started down 
the cave -an open shaft approx. 4x5m. A big flake made a suitable hang point, with with a further 
deviation put in allowed a good hang down to a large snow plug. This mountain of snow could be 
carefully passed down one side between the cave wall. A re-belay was necessary with the cave dropping 
down and to the side. A further re-belay and past the snow now led down to a rocky floor. Unfortunately, 
there was no further continuation.</p>
<p>Headed back out and then we surveyed before derigging. Named cave Bunderstruck, and is approx. 50m, 
mostly vertical. Then back to garlic cave to drop off rope (and Philip) before walking across to 
Top Camp.</p>


<div class="tripdate" id="t2023-07-16a">2023-07-16</div>
<div class="trippeople"><u>Ash</u>, Evelyn</div>
<div class="triptitle">Prospecting - Much prospecting near Balcony</div>
<p>Deciding I wanted to go prospecting but didn’t particularly want to walk back over to garlic cave, 
so recruited Evelyn, our resident non-caver to go wander around near balcony. Armed with known cave 
entrances on OSMand plus the cave/plateau overlay developed by Martin, we set off. The path to Balcony 
is more pleasant than the one to Fish with plenty of cairns meaning we were soon there.</p>
<p>We ambled around on the plateau finding several caves of interest and recording photos and gps points. 
We generally followed a loop, heading East then North, then West, then South, then East again ending up 
back near Balcony. Recorded 10 new caves. When heading back to Top camp we detoured through the bunder 
up to the top of Niederes Augst-Eck, bushwhacking around and eventually making our way back. This did not 
yield any new caves.</p>
<p>The following caves were found. All entrance details (description and photos) are now on website:</p>
<ul>
<li>2023-ASH-05a 47.69577N 13.82630E 1916m</li>
<li>2023-ASH-05b 47.69571N 13.82636E 1916m</li>
<li>2023-ASH-06 47.69582N 13.82640E 1916m</li>
<li>2023-ASH-07 47.69649N 13.82678E 1926m</li>
<li>2023-ASH-08a 47.69671N 13.82719E 1935m</li>
<li>2023-ASH-08b 47.69673N 13.82723E 1935m</li>
<li>2023-ASH-09 47.69699N 13.82776E 1938m</li>
<li>2023-ASH-10 47.69845N 13.82528E 1941m</li>
<li>2023-ASH-11 47.69863N 13.82550E 1941m</li>
<li>2023-ASH-12 47.69773N 13.82347E 1916m</li>
<li>2023-ASH-13 47.69733N 13.82426E 1910m</li>
<li>2023-ASH-14 47.69734N 13.82444E 1910m</li>
</ul>


<div class="tripdate" id="t2023-07-17a">2023-07-17</div>
<div class="trippeople"><u>Ash</u>, Emma, Oakem</div>
<div class="triptitle">Fishface – Kresh connection confusion</div>
<p>Joel had discovered an exciting new cave, unfortunately this left us with rope and a lead down in 
the Fish face – happy butterfly connection which no-one was going to. I was naively convinced to go and 
look at this lead which needed another y-hang to drop into potential new stuff. Looking at the survey 
didn’t reveal much information, and none of our group had been here before which wasn’t ideal.</p>
<p>We set off and made our way down the cave, through the rifts until reaching the end of the previous 
rigging without much difficulty. I rigged the last y-hang and this dropped down to traverse rigged with 
a mixture of hilti’s and through-bolts above a large hole, with a boulder wedged across the middle. 
(We later found out this is the ff-hb connection). Ill prepared and confused by the mixture of different 
paint/survey stations and assortment of rigging options, we decided to traverse up into some side 
passages and explore round. Half this had been surveyed, but it was unclear what hadn’t so we re-surveyed 
a large loop – kreshconnectionconfusion. It turned out half of this hadn’t been surveyed so was somewhat 
worthwhile on an otherwise pointless trip.</p>


<div class="tripdate" id="t2023-07-18a">2023-07-18</div>
<div class="trippeople"><u>Ash</u>, Zac Woodford, Merryn Matthews</div>
<div class="triptitle">Tempest – Touch of Death</div>
<p>Excited to go and see (and kill) this new cave, two groups set off to push the two ‘A’ leads at the 
extent of Tempest. Arriving at the cave we prepared the bags and realised we’d forgotten a hammer, so 
I went over to Fishface to fetch one that would hopefully still be there, allowing the other team some 
time to get down the cave.</p>
<p>We all convened at the bottom of the entrance series, after descending on rope down the two snowy 
slopes. The final pitch was narrow and loose, dropping shortly down into a passage heading both left and 
right. After some discussions Joel/Lizzie’s team decided to head right down an icy slope to what would 
be another pitch. Zac and I headed left.</p>
<p>Job done we headed back to the junction where we met up with the others. Despite being gone probably 
 hour they were still yet to do anything? Snacks were eaten in a bothy and then Zac and I headed out 
 where we met Merryn and Ely on the surface, who had walked up the plateau.</p>
<p>Merryn joined Zac and I to scope out a couple of side passages just as you start going down Tempest. 
One of these a snow slope heads off into a side rift which can be squeezed up through boulders, but then 
loops back around to the same (Tempest) pitch at a higher level. Surveyed as Fartichoke. The other was 
a very short arch in the ceiling joining immediately back in, and not going anywhere further, 
as this was just the ceiling of the main passage below.</p>
<p>It had rained whilst we were in the cave and Ely had conveniently covered over most of our stuff 
which we’d left lying around. Once out we packed up and headed back to Top Camp.</p>


<div class="tripdate" id="t2023-07-19a">2023-07-19</div>
<div class="trippeople"><u>Ash</u>, Zac Woodford, Will Kay</div>
<div class="triptitle">Prospecting – dropping Boring Hole and Dead on Arrival</div>
<p>Took Zac to bolt a cave he had previously found not too far of the path to Fishface. Slight delay as 
we’d forgotten something important (bolts maybe?), which Will went back to get.</p>
<p>One bolt wonder dropped over a tackle-sack rope protector 5m to a snow slope. Cave then crapped out. 
Zac named it Boring hole (2023-ASH-16). Surveyd and then de-rigged.</p>
<p>Found another cave just over an escarpment, a large rift in the ground. Excellent opportunity for 
Will to learn/practice bolting so he set to gardening, before installing a y-hang. At the bottom of the 
rift the were no continuations. Will named it Dead on Arrival (2023-ASH-15). Surveyed and then de-rigged.</p>
<p>Headed back to Top camp for noodles.</p>


<div class="tripdate" id="t2023-07-19b">2023-07-19</div>
<div class="trippeople"><u>Ash</u>, Will Kay</div>
<div class="triptitle">Plateau - Surveying Little Tent and Gollum Grotto</div>
<p>Deciding we weren’t done for the day yet an afternoon evening trip was decided upon to survey some 
of the caves Evelyn and I had found a few days ago. Will and I gathered the necessary gear and set off 
towards Balcony.</p>
<p>Upon trying to re-find the triangular rock arch from a cave before, I led us slightly too far to the 
south to find another arch -this was only a metre long so not a cave. However we then found a new cave. 
20 or so metres of horizontal development with a crawl also linking in the side. We explored and 
surveyed this cave (2023-ASH-17) which Will named Gollum Grotto.</p>
<p>We then found the triangular arch I had been looking for originally. Surveyed this short cave 
(2023-ASH-07) and named it Little Tent. The cave is very short with the addition of a climb down through 
boulders, but this doesn’t go anywhere.</p>
<p>With the threat of thunderstorms, we headed back, making it back in time to then watch some lightning 
off on the edges of the plateau. Plus curry for dinner.</p>


<div class="tripdate" id="t2023-07-20a">2023-07-20</div>
<div class="trippeople"><u>Ash</u>, Tom Phillips</div>
<div class="triptitle">Plateau - Surveying Top Camp Band and Bat versus Rat</div>
<p>Decided to go and survey/kill a couple more caves before heading down off the plateau for the year. 
Aware that I would have a lot of data to sort out and vague plans to go canyoning Friday before the 
dinner, this needed to be an efficient trip. Las as is always the case with caving we didn’t get down 
to the car park until around 5pm.</p>
<p>The caves we surveyed near Balcony, Evelyn and I had previously found a couple days ago, 2023-ASH-08 
and 2023-ASH-09 now correspondingly named Top Camp Band and Bat versus Rat by Tom. They are both quite 
short with horizontal routes in. Top Camp Band was the more extensive of the two, with a second entrance 
consisting of a tight 10m high aven down to the main chamber, which a crawl leads back to the first 
entrance. Good opportunity for Tom to have more practice on book (paperless).</p>
<p>It was then back to top camp to pack up everything to then walk down.</p>