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<title>GSAB: CTS ref. 78.2012 (in English translation)</title>
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<link rel="alternate" lang="fr" href="../fr/782012.htm" title="Description des principaux gouffres de la zone ouest du massif" xml:lang="fr" />
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<p style="text-align: center; font-size: 65%" lang="fr" xml:lang= "fr">(<acronym>GSAB</acronym>) Spéalp 1 (Juin 1977) pp 33-49</p>
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<h1 lang="de" xml:lang="de">TOTES GEBIRGE</h1>
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<h2 style="text-align: center">Description of the principal caves in the West of the massif.</h2>
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<p><b>Introduction</b> : The choice of this area was quite
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arbitrary. Indeed, there is very little chance that the area is all
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drained by the same hydrological system. While for some caves, the
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presumed resurgence is almost certain, the same is not true of
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others which may drain in totally the opposite direction ! Our
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choice was governed by means of access: roads, gear lift, paths, a
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refuge etc.. The <span lang="de" xml:lang="de">Totes
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Gebirge</span>, which is one of the biggest karst ranges in
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Austria, is only easily accessible in certain areas, such as the
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one we discuss in this article. In this area are many kilometres of
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totally virgin lapiaz. Many hours walking are needed to reach it.
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Moreover, in this area, only a tiny part is more-or-less
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prospected. It includes the valleys of <span lang="de" xml:lang=
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"de">Raucherkar</span> and <span lang="de" xml:lang=
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"de">Feuertal</span>, and the areas adjoining the path which goes
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to them as well as the north face of <span lang="de" xml:lang=
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"de">Hagender Kogel</span>, in which lies the <span lang="de"
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xml:lang="de">Tropfsteinhöhle</span>, which had extraordinary
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formations but which is today completely trashed out.</p>
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<p><b>Cave Research</b> : has been mainly carried out by our
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friends of Upper Austria, an English group, two French groups, and
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ourselves. For our part we did almost no prospecting, except in
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1976. We contented ourselves with the descent of certain known
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caves - again, not all of them (We bitterly regret this today
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because others have made discoveries in our place). Our effort was
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particularly carried out in <span lang="de" xml:lang=
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"de">Ahnenschacht</span>, but a chronic deficiency of able cavers
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and relevant experience (in 1975 we were only 4) has prevented us
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from getting as far as we would have liked.</p>
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<p><b>Geology/Hydrology</b> : Not having a geologist in the group,
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we could only sketch out the major outlines. The great majority of
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the area is <span lang="de" xml:lang="de">Dachsteinkalk</span>,
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also with some pockets of Dolomite, well seen in certain places -
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notably north of the <span lang="de" xml:lang=
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"de">Ahnenschacht</span>. Another problem, the presence of a nappe
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(overfold) between -400 and -500m which could cause problems in
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<span lang="de" xml:lang="de">Ahnenschacht</span>. For the
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<span lang="de" xml:lang="de">Raucherkar</span>, the drainage is
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practically certain: the flood resurgence is in <span lang="de"
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xml:lang="de">Nagelsteghöhle</span> to the south of
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<span lang="de" xml:lang="de">Raucherkar</span>, and north of
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<span lang="de" xml:lang="de">Altaussee</span>. It should be
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possible to connect the two either directly, or by diving.
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<span lang="fr" xml:lang="fr">QUELLI</span> should also go in the
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same direction, at least if one believes its trend. Nevertheless,
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with <span lang="fr" xml:lang="fr">Quelli</span> opening up 2km NE
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of <span lang="de" xml:lang="de">Raucherkar</span>, we need to be
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very careful in drawing conclusions.</p>
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<p><b lang="de" xml:lang="de">AHNENSCHACHT</b> lies in an area with
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very complex boundaries, and could very well go off in several
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totally different directions. It is very possible that several
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directions can be followed. The explorations have not proceeded far
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enough in plan to be able to decide.</p>
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<p><b lang="de" xml:lang="de">TRUNKEMBOLDSCHACHT</b> and <b lang=
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"de" xml:lang="de">UFO SCHACHT</b> should be expected to head off
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to the north where many resurgences can be seen. The other
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directions should nevertheless not be ignored. At any rate, the
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explorations will be pushed a lot further this year and perhaps it
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will become clearer to us.</p>
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<p>From the hydrological point of view, it is very regrettable that
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no dye tests have been carried out, and this through lack of
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authorisation, collaboration and interest !!!</p>
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<h2 lang="de" xml:lang="de"><a id="id55" name=
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"id55">RAUCHERKARHÖHLENSYSTEM</a></h2>
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<p><span lang="de" xml:lang="de">Steiermark - Totes Gebirge</span>
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- 1632m<br />
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Depth 723m Length so far, about 20km<br />
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Deepest point is a sump</p>
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<p><b>Location</b>: In the Western <span lang="de" xml:lang=
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"de">Totes Gebirge</span>, south of the <span lang="de" xml:lang=
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"de">Schönberg</span>, 2km SE of <span lang="de" xml:lang=
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"de">Ahnenschacht</span>.</p>
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<p><b>History</b>: Exploration started in 1961. In 1965, the cave
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was 6km long and 246m deep. The National Austrian expedition of
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1965 reached -530m. In 1973, <span lang="de" xml:lang=
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"de"><acronym>LVfHK</acronym> Oberösterreich &
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Steiermark</span> reached a sump at -723m, at which time the length
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had reached 18km.</p>
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<p><b>Description</b>: The system has no less than 13 entrances
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ranged between 1500 and 1623m altitude. The labyrinthine system
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contains several levels of development mostly southwards towards
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<span lang="de" xml:lang="de">Nagelsteghöhle</span> (the
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probable resurgence at an altitude of 850m). It is interesting to
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note that the final sump has been reached by systematically
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traversing round pitches in excess of 90-40m.</p>
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<p>Author of this summary : <span lang="fr" xml:lang="fr">Etienne
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Degrave</span>.</p>
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<h2><a id="id120" lang="fr" name="id120" xml:lang="fr">QUELLI</a>
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or <span lang="de" xml:lang="de">KACHERLSCHACHT</span></h2>
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<p>Western <span lang="de" xml:lang="de">Totes Gebirge - Feuertal -
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Schönberg</span><br />
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Depth -708m Altitude about 1950m</p>
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<p><b>History</b>: Discovered in 1973 by the
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<acronym>GSAB</acronym> under the name T3. Rediscovered in July
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1976 by <span lang="fr" xml:lang="fr">J.M.Piron</span> and explored
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from 12th to 23rd of July by <span lang="fr" xml:lang=
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"fr">A.C.Toulon, S.C.Toulon, Lou Darbon</span> and <span lang="fr"
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xml:lang="fr">Spéléo Ragaie</span>.</p>
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<p><b>Description</b>: P8, p19, p83, p33, p24, p17, p5, p33, p24,
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p9, p33, p27, p103. At -400m one reaches a vast passage going up
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and downhill. The downstream passage emerges at the top of an 84m
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pitch. Below this a winding canyon interspersed with small pitches
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gives onto a 15m pitch and the end of exploration at -708m.</p>
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<p lang="fr" xml:lang="fr">Etienne Degrave</p>
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<h2><a id="id117" lang="fr" name="id117" xml:lang=
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"fr">EMPAGADURE</a> or <span lang="de" xml:lang=
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"de">TRUNKEMBOLDSCHACHT</span></h2>
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<p>Western <span lang="de" xml:lang="de">Totes Gebirge -
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Hintergras</span><br />
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Depth -587m Altitude 1610m</p>
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<p><b>History</b>: Discovered in July 1976 by <span lang="fr"
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xml:lang="fr">F.Vergier</span>. Explored between 12th and 23rd July
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1976 by <span lang="fr" xml:lang="fr">A.C.Toulon, S.C.Toulon, Lou
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Darbon</span> and <span lang="fr" xml:lang=
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"fr">Spéléo Ragaie</span>.</p>
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<p><b>Description</b>: Down to -287m the cave is made up of
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shortish pitches interspersed with tight meandering passage : p8,
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p12, p17, p9, p20, p3, p12, p30, p7, p6, p9, p8, p7, p5, p34, p6,
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p8, p5, p9. At -287m, a 21m pitch drops into a large chamber. The
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water disappears in the boulders to reappear in a whole series of
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wet pitches of which the longest is 30m. Floods impeded exploration
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at the bottom of this branch: at -456m a pitch of about 20m was
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definitely too wet to be descended. At -488m a low passage was also
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too wet. Moreover, the draught there was weak or absent.</p>
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<p>In the chamber at -308m, a reascent of about 15m gave access to
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a fairly wide fossil canyon which blew a detectable draught. After
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30m, this passage opened onto the enormous "<span lang="fr"
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xml:lang="fr">Puits de Naufragés</span>" (The Castaway's
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pitch), with a cross section of 15 by 25 metres. On this pitch,
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several inlets appeared to come from the first branch explored. The
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bottom of the pitch contracted to a joint-guided rift, exploration
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ending at the head of a pitch estimated at 40m.</p>
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<p lang="fr" xml:lang="fr">Etienne Degrave</p>
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<h2 lang="de" xml:lang="de"><a id="id50" name=
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"id50">AHNENSCHACHT</a></h2>
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<p>Location: Western <span lang="de" xml:lang="de">Totes Gebirge -
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Feuertal</span><br />
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Depth: -612m Length so far: > 5km<br />
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<b>Altitude</b>: 1890m</p>
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<p><b>History</b>: Discovered by our Upper Austrian colleagues in
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1856. The point -320m was reached by them in 1958. In 1967 and 1968
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the <a href="../../bec/index.htm">Bristol Exploration Club</a>
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reached -400m, the Horizontal network, with a length of 1 km, was
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discovered. In 1972, 73, 74 and 75, the <acronym>GSAB</acronym>
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"<span lang="fr" xml:lang="fr">Les Gours</span>" explored and
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discovered over 5km of passage and about 1500m of pitches. This got
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them to -612m. We note also the participation, in 1974, of three
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French clubs from Eastern France: <span lang="fr" xml:lang=
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"fr">S.C.Vesoul, G.S.Clerval</span> and <span lang="fr" xml:lang=
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"fr">S.S.Daules</span>. In 1975 <acronym>CARSS</acronym> joined a
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mini-expedition in July and likewise, <acronym>CASEO</acronym> in
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August.</p>
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<h3>Description: Entrance series</h3>
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<p>The entrance is in a small doline situated on the ridge
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separating <span lang="de" xml:lang="de">Feuertal</span> and
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<span lang="de" xml:lang="de">Hintergras</span>. The cave starts
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with four pitches (p14, p11, p5 and p11) which drop onto a slope
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formed of big boulders (rope desirable). After this, another series
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of small pitches (p9, p7, p6, p4, p10, p18, p11) from which is
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reached the "<span lang="de" xml:lang="de">Sinterterrasse</span>"
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at -141m.</p>
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<p>From this point, one has left the zone of small pitches and
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started a series of pitches which in reality are part of a single
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shaft down to -400m.</p>
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<p>Indeed, if you had an unfortunate accident on the "<span lang=
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"de" xml:lang="de">Sinterterrasse</span>", you would fall all the
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way to -400m. These pitches are usually wet, especially after
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rain... Here is the list of pitches: p25, <span lang="de" xml:lang=
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"de">Schuppenstufe</span> 30, p10, <span lang="de" xml:lang=
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"de">Sicherungsstufe</span> 32, <span lang="de" xml:lang=
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"de">Schachtgabel</span> 48, a 10m ramp, <span lang="de" xml:lang=
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"de">Josef Schacht</span> 100m. On the <span lang="de" xml:lang=
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"de">Josef Schacht</span>, a pendulum 6m from the top enables one
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to reach the entry to the "Horizontal network". Descending the
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<span lang="de" xml:lang="de">Josef Schacht</span> a little
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further, after a 6.5m and a 10m pitch, access can be gained to a
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wide canyon, active in the bottom, and which ends in a fissure.
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This canyon is fossil in the upper level and certainly presents
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possibilities for continuation.</p>
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<h4>Lateral development from <span lang="de" xml:lang="de">Josef
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Schacht</span></h4>
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<p>After one has crossed the "doorway" and a short squeeze, one
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enters the network proper. At this point is a passage covered in
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rather special formations. The first junction gives access to a
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network [ lines missing from original photocopy - sorry :-(]</p>
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<h4>The Vegetable Garden</h4>
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<p>This fossil system, which has not been fully travelled through,
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contains numerous possibilities. It is reached by three principal
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access routes: the pitch already mentioned; a descending fissure a
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little before the "Belgica"; and a sloping passage with formations
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in the "Mammoth pitch" chamber. The system is composed of a big
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chamber with numerous passages and junctions; it is very poorly
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known and no doubt houses many surprises. Continuing along the
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passage, one passes a step of 4m to find a junction, to the left at
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which lies the bivouac.</p>
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<h4>"Belgica" system</h4>
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<p>Directly after the bivouac, there is a 10m pitch, and at the
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bottom, a new junction: downhill the "Belgica" passage, of fairly
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small dimensions, which leads, after traversing past three holes,
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to a descent of an 8m and a 17m pitch and to the squeezes passed by
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our French colleagues. [<span lang="fr" xml:lang="fr">A
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revoir</span>]</p>
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<p>Uphill, discovered by <span lang="fr" xml:lang=
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"fr">D.Motte</span> and <acronym>PIE</acronym>, in the course of
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the expedition in 1974, is the "<span lang="fr" xml:lang=
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"fr">Galerie de Francs comtois</span>". This is a large ascending
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fossil passage interspersed with traverses, dips and pitches. It
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reascends to -90m. At -150m, a 20m pitch reaches the "<span lang=
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"fr" xml:lang="fr">Resomega</span>".</p>
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<p>A little before the 20m pitch, a short descending canyon passage
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avoids the 20m pitch and the series of squeezes following it. The
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"<span lang="fr" xml:lang="fr">Resomega</span>" is an alternately
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ascending and descending passage, very chaotic, interspersed with
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several junctions and pitches which leads to the "Balcon du
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Visionnaire", offering several possibilities. A 60m pitch gives
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onto another 60m pitch which is undescended. There is another big
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pitch in excess of 100m and an unfinished ascending passage. A
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little before, a 10m pitch allows one to reach a passage
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interspersed with 3 junctions and 7 exits !!!! This shows the level
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of complexity which we ran into.</p>
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<p>It was also at the "<span lang="fr" xml:lang="fr">Balcon du
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Visionnaire</span>" that an accident occurred in 1975, which
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terminated exploration in that year.</p>
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<p>Back in the Horizontal network, and after passing a little
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bouldery climb an inlet is encountered, named "The Bath". The
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passage continues a little longer, to end in a pitch. [To be
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completed]</p>
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<p>The following junction has been named "Mammoth Junction" because
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the passage to the right leads onto the pitch of the same name. It
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is necessary to exercise great care and attention not to slip
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hereabouts, because a fall would drop you into same.</p>
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<p>The Mammoth Pitch, Para-pitch and probably the "Negus" pitch,
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form part of the same system ( see survey ) which is composed of a
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146m pitch, a 10m pitch and a narrow canyon interspersed with
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several cascades leading finally to a 35m pitch giving onto the
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sump at -612m. The Para-pitch, p106, is followed by pitches of 5,
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10 and 50m and drops via the latter into the "Mammoth Canyon"</p>
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<p>The "Negus" pitch, which is undescended, should also drop into
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the same canyon. Several other small pitches and active streamways
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should also rejoin this system.</p>
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<p>The depth of 612m should be treated cautiously because the
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method of survey used (height of a man) is fairly imprecise. The
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bottom could be anywhere between -580m and -630m. The shortage of
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time prevented us from redoing our survey. Maybe this year ????</p>
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<p>Turning left, the "Zipfer" passage is followed for 150m before
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reaching an important junction: to the left "Chimneys passage", to
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the right "Draughting passage".</p>
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<h4>Chimneys Passage</h4>
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<p>This is very large with a constant slope, interrupted in the
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middle by a squeeze and a couple of drops. The "Schnaps pitch" (40m
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with an unexplored, narrow canyon) is avoided by traversing to
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reach a 25m pitch in which you must pendulum 5m from the bottom in
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order to reach a chamber in which is met a small stream. Climbing
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up a little opposite, a short upper passage rejoins the stream by a
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20m pitch. In the chamber, the descent of a 10m pitch allows the
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stream to be followed to a squeeze beyond which one can hear the
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grumble of a large river ? A place to go back to.</p>
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<h4>Draughting passage</h4>
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<p>This is fossil, and tight in places, and allows exploration of a
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very complex network which intersects itself in various places and
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which could hold very great surprises, since its exploration has
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only been sketchily outlined. The exit from this passage is in an
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area of boulders where two possibilities exist:</p>
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<p><b>To the left</b>: a tight passage has been forced on a slope
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to "<span lang="de" xml:lang="de">Kitschacht</span>" (Tackle Bag
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Shaft) a magnificent 50m drop, very wide and completely free
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hanging. At its base, several possibilities. A tight active canyon
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which can be bypassed by a fossil passage, broken by an earthy drop
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of 3m to a huge 15m pitch leading to a sump at -360m.</p>
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<p>A drop of a few metres gives access to a huge fossil passage (
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10 x 5m ). The floor of this is cut by a deep canyon which has not
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been explored. After a hundred metres or so the passage ends at a
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vast wet pitch. Climbing over a big boulder on the right gives
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access to another pitch upwards.</p>
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<p>Just after the base of <span lang="de" xml:lang=
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"de">Kitschacht</span>, a passage of 80m makes a connection with
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the system of the "<span lang="fr" xml:lang=
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"fr">Décollement</span>" pitch at the bottom of the 40m
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shaft. A canyon leaving the junction passage can be followed for
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more than 300m, and exits, in several places, into the side of the
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big fossil passage, just before the pitch upwards.</p>
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<p><b>To the right</b>: The "<span lang="fr" xml:lang=
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"fr">Décollement</span>" pitch, with, at its base, a sloping
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chamber full of boulders. To the left a very deep ascending canyon
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is unexplored. In the bottom is the "<span lang="fr" xml:lang=
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"fr">Méandre Emeri</span>", so called because the formations
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are orientated in the direction of progress and of the draught.
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This rejoins a wide pitch with an inlet. After this 15m pitch is a
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short canyon and a damp 40m pitch. At the bottom, a huge descending
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passage suddenly turns almost vertical. This is the "Toboggan",
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needing 20m of rope (a very spectacular passage). At this level one
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again cuts a new streamway. The passage continues, then contracts,
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and chokes at -385m.</p>
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<p><b>Conclusion</b>: An enormous amount to see and to go back and
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finish. The more we explore, the more we find ! With more support
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we could do some extraordinary speleological work.</p>
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<p style="text-align: right" lang="fr" xml:lang="fr">J.C.Hans</p>
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<h2><a id="id122" lang="de" name="id122" xml:lang="de">UFO
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SCHACHT</a> or <span lang="fr" xml:lang="fr">GOUFFRE
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OVNI</span></h2>
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<p><b>Location</b>: Western <span lang="de" xml:lang="de">Totes
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Gebirge - Hintergras</span><br />
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<b>Depth</b>: -201m <b>Altitude</b>: about 1500m</p>
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<p><b>History</b>: Discovered in August 1974 by <span lang="fr"
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xml:lang="fr">D.Motte</span>. Entrance unblocked by
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<acronym>GSAB</acronym> in 1975 and 76. Explored in August 1976 by
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<span lang="fr" xml:lang="fr">F.Dechany</span> and <span lang="fr"
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xml:lang="fr">J.C.Hans</span>.</p>
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<p><b>Description</b>: The entrance consists of a crack about 20cm
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|
high, which was at first cleared as far as a chamber with no way
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on. The draught which had enabled us to find the entrance now
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|
showed us the way on. After having unblocked a fissure dubbed "Sas"
|
|
we arrived at a pitch. This is broken in five places. A second
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|
pitch broken into three leads to a short canyon, then to several
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|
drops and pitches interspersed with short squeezes. The following
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|
pitches can be seen as forming a single 80m shaft, divided into
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|
five and becoming bigger and bigger in depth as well as width. The
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|
cave continues by a fault rift two or three metres wide and
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|
penetrating by successive notches. The exploration will continue in
|
|
August 1977.</p>
|
|
<p style="text-align: right" lang="fr" xml:lang="fr">J.C.Hans</p>
|
|
<hr />
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|
<!-- LINKS -->
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<ul id="links">
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<li><a href="../index.htm"><acronym>GSAB</acronym> articles
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list</a></li>
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<li><b>Cave descriptions</b> (in English translation):
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<ul>
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<li><a href="../../../noinfo/1626/50.htm"><span lang="de" xml:lang=
|
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"de">Ahnenschacht</span></a></li>
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<li><a href="../../../noinfo/1626/117.htm"><span lang="de"
|
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xml:lang="de">Trunkemboldschacht</span></a></li>
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<li><a href="../../../noinfo/1626/120.htm"><span lang="de"
|
|
xml:lang="de">Feuertalsystem</span></a></li>
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<li><a href="../../../noinfo/1626/122.htm"><span lang="fr"
|
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xml:lang="fr">Gouffre Ovni</span></a></li>
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</ul>
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</li>
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<li><a href="../../../1626/index.html">Overview</a> of area 1626,
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and index to caves</li>
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