expoweb/smkridge/161/offrhr.htm

369 lines
20 KiB
HTML

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD HTML 4.0//EN">
<html>
<head>
<meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=iso-8859-1" />
<title>1623/161 Kaninchenh&ouml;hle side passages - RHR</title>
<link rel="stylesheet" type="text/css" href="../../css/main2.css" />
</head>
<body>
<p><center><a href="top.htm"><img alt="Overview "
src="../../../icons/ovview.png" width=40 height=40></a>
<a href="pixrh.htm"><img alt=" Photos "
src="../../../icons/vtour.png" width=40 height=40></a>
<img alt="Rigging" src="../../../icons/rigbut.png" width=40 height=40>
<a href="names.htm"><img alt=" Glossary "
src="../../../icons/idx161.png" width=40 height=40></a>
<a href="../index.html#id161"><img alt=" Desc "
src="../../../icons/desc.png" width=40 height=40></a>
<a href="../../index.htm"><img alt=" Expo "
src="../../../icons/ausbut.png" width=40 height=40></a>
<a href="../../infodx.htm"><img alt=" Topics "
src="../../../icons/index.png" width=40 height=40></a>
<a href="../../indxal.htm"><img alt=" Index "
src="../../../icons/indxal.png" width=40 height=40></a>
<a href="../../../index.htm"><img alt=" CUCC"
src="../../../icons/cucc.png" width=40 height=40></a></center>
<center><h2>161 Kaninchenh&ouml;hle: Right Hand Route side passages</h2>
<h3>(inaccessible from Knossos)</h3></center>
<h3><a name="brunners">Bladerunner</a> (1992)</h3>
<p>Also known as '<b>The Hole Below The Pitch Below The Squeeze</b>'. This is
reached by an awkward 6m climb down at the foot of
<a href="rhr.htm#chunnel">Chunnel Pitch</a>. An annoying faff through a tube
to the pitch head follows (rigging from naturals).
<p><a name="hansolo">A 5m</a> slope abseil is followed by a 14m pitch, <b>Han
Solo</b>, into big classic stream rift cave. <a name="brunnerp">Traversing
along gives another pitch of 14m, <b>Bladerunner</b></a>, into the bottom of
the canyon.
<p><a name="mcoast">8m along</a> is an awkward tight pitch, <b>Mosquito
Coast</b>, 8m, which widens as it enters another big rift. A large boulder
here provides access - climb over it, then down to the right, then back
underneath it to traverse along the canyon. This rather confusing section is
called <a name="yoda"><b>Yoda</b></a>.
<p><a name="mfalcan">The stream here</a> is far too narrow, and the way,
<b>Millennium Falcon</b>, is by traversing gently up to a higher passage. A
narrow chossy rising passage leads into big rift again, and after a few
metres is another pitch. The first 10m of this is over large fallen blocks,
then pitch proper into more complex rift. The pitch,
<a name="androids"><b>Androids</b></a>, is 20m so far with another 15m+ ahead
[<a href="qmtodo.htm#C1992-161-09" name="qC1992-161-09">C1992-161-09</a> A].
<hr />
<h3><a name="potofau">Pot of Gold</a> (1989)</h3>
<p>A short climb down through boulders about 4m before
<a href="rhr.htm#otr">Over the Rainbow</a> leads into a small maze of
phreatic passages. Down and to the left is a short pitch to a false floor. A
rift to the right has not been descended yet [<a href="qmtodo.htm#C1989-161-15"
name="qC1989-161-15">C1989-161-15</a> C]. The way on is through the floor below the pitch
leading to another slightly bigger pitch. This can be entirely rigged using
very small and dodgy natural belays to a small chamber which has not been
extensively explored [<a href="qmtodo.htm#C1989-161-16" name="qC1989-161-16">C1989-161-16</a> C].
<p><a name="trembling">The way</a> on is to the left and down a steep and
quite long climb to a fossilised streamway, <b>Trembling</b> (reminiscent of
Quaking), which is tight in places (The Crux, a few metres long). This leads
to a 25m pitch ending in an impossibly tight rift.
<p><a name="freeattics">An inlet</a> left off Trembling just after the tight
section leads to a maze of phreatic tubes heading generally west, <b>Free
Attics</b>, including a link back to the head of the 25m pitch. At the end of
the westernmost tube is a drop into the short active <b>Alphetta
Streamway</b> 8m high and 2m high at the point of entry. However to the left
(south) 10m upstream ends in a waterfall from a tiny hole 4m up in the roof,
whilst only a few metres downstream the passage narrows to a high rift that
is too tight to follow.
<hr />
<h3><a name="vestab">Vestabule</a> (1990)</h3>
<p>At the start of the area of rock pinnacles and water-worn clefts in the
Chunnel (10m before the 3m climb down into <a href="rhr.htm#otr">Over The
Rainbow</a>), there is a small mud-floored/sandy passage in the right hand
wall which goes downhill. This can be followed past a junction on the
right with a tiny passage leading back into the Chunnel 10m further along.
After 15m is a 12m pitch into a 3m wide by 20m high choked rift, The
<b>Vestabule</b>. The pitch lands on a boulder 6m above the actual floor.
Steep climbs can be followed downwards to the lowest point, where a further
8m pitch (just free-climbable) drops to a choked floor.
<p>Going uphill from the pitch for 30m leads to a 19m pitch which is also
choked. There is a small, 15m long passage in the left wall and a 6m climb
up the right hand wall 10m back from the pitch leads into a passage which
quickly comes back into the <a href="rhr.htm#chunnel">Chunnel</a> directly
above the OTR climb.
<p><center><a href="l/boltin.htm"><img src="t/boltin.jpg" width=113
height=152></a><br>
Bolting high in Vestabule (1994) near Stomping</center>
<h3><a name="stomping">Stomping</a> and Limo Series</h3>
<!-- source: MikeTA S94p186, extrapolated/reversed by AERW -->
<p>From the top of the boulder pile at the Northeast end of Vestabule, is a
sandy passage. This leads to an ascent past some calcited rock to emerge
from one of a set of holes in the floor of <b>Stomping</b>, now the normal
route of access to the Limo Series. From this point, Stomping heads two
ways.
<p>Back SW towards Vestabule, another group of holes is crossed a few metres
before the passage ends at a window high at the SW end of Vestabule. A climb
down the holes leads to another window from which a descent of Vestabule can
be rigged on naturals.
<p>The other way in Stomping is an unpleasant low, thrutchy passage, leading
over boulders, eventually to a largish chamber with twin pillars. Between the
pillars is the way to the bottom of <a href="offdtm.htm#dkiller">Driller
Killer</a> pitch (coming from <a href="offdtm.htm#gnome2">Gnome II</a> in
Dreamtime). To the right in the chamber is a change to sandy passage. A hole
here is [<a href="qmdone.htm#C1994-161-56" name="qC1994-161-56">C1994-161-56</a> B], leading to two
tight passages into <a href="#limosr"><b>Limo's Revenge</b></a>.
<p><a name="ddhole">At the bottom</a> of Driller Killer one emerges from the
SE to find several ways on. A short rope traverse leads to a larger passage
and thence to a pitch, <b>Dead Drill Hole</b>, into a large chamber,
<a href="#dolimo"><b>Dreaming of Limo</b></a>.
<p><a name="dollkp">The</a> opposite (SW) side of Dreaming of Limo can also
be reached from Driller Killer by going left (west) in the smaller <b>Doll
Killer Passage</b> and a climb up a rift. From this side it is possible to
climb down to the bottom of Dreaming of Limo, avoiding the Dead Drill Hole
pitch. Continuing down this climb is [<a href="qmdone.htm#C1994-161-53"
name="qC1994-161-53">C1994-161-53</a> B] into <a href="#doubting"><b>Doubting Thomas
Series</b></a>. A small passage left (SW) about halfway along Doll Killer is
[<a href="qmtodo.htm#C1994-161-54" name="qC1994-161-54">C1994-161-54</a> C], whilst a low passage
further left at Driller Killer (also heading SW) is [<a
href="qmtodo.htm#C1994-161-55" name="qC1994-161-55">C1994-161-55</a> B].
<p>A rift at the top of Dead Drill Hole, leading to the top of another pitch
is [<a href="qmtodo.htm#C1994-161-50" name="qC1994-161-50">C1994-161-50</a> B]. The northern extent
of Dead Drill Hole is [<a href="qmtodo.htm#C1994-161-51" name="qC1994-161-51">C1994-161-51</a> B],
and the continuation downwards is [<a href="qmtodo.htm#C1994-161-52"
name="qC1994-161-52">C1994-161-52</a> A].
<p><a name="nsoilp">Shortly</a> before Dead Drill Hole, a junction on the
right leads to a long, narrow, soil-filled rift heading east, <b>Night Soil
Passage</b>, which eventually ends in a soil blockage with a tiny draughting
hole [<a href="qmtodo.htm#C1994-161-40" name="qC1994-161-40">C1994-161-40</a> C]. A small lead left
at a junction is [<a href="qmtodo.htm#C1994-161-39" name="qC1994-161-39">C1994-161-39</a> C].
<h3><a name="dolimo">Dreaming of Limo</a> (1994)</h3>
<!-- source: AERW made this up from sketches S94p187, S95p3 -->
<p>Dreaming of Limo is a chamber c 20m from NE to SW, with a SW trending
extension and a plethora of leads. Dead Drill Hole drops into the chamber at
the eastern corner. Doll Killer Passage enters the SE wall of the chamber at
the southern end, and to the left here leads SW in a rift. A pitch on the
left [<a href="qmdone.htm#C1994-161-44" name="qC1994-161-44">C1994-161-44</a> B] is merely a loop of
the rift, whilst a climb up opposite this is [<a href="qmtodo.htm#C1994-161-45"
name="qC1994-161-45">C1994-161-45</a> B], and a passage by the ar&ecirc;te is [<a
href="qmtodo.htm#C1994-161-46" name="qC1994-161-46">C1994-161-46</a> C]. Further SW, possible down
climbs are [<a href="qmtodo.htm#C1994-161-43" name="qC1994-161-43">C1994-161-43</a>C], while further
on again is another possible down climb [<a href="qmtodo.htm#C1994-161-42"
name="qC1994-161-42">C1994-161-42</a>B] and a pitch at the southernmost point [<a
href="qmtodo.htm#C1994-161-41" name="qC1994-161-41">C1994-161-41</a> A].
<p>Across from the point of entry from Doll Killer is another SW-trending
continuation (not a rift) which contains two leads [<a href="qmtodo.htm#C1994-161-47"
name="qC1994-161-47">C1994-161-47</a> B]. In the middle of the NW wall of the chamber is a
wet pitch [<a href="qmdone.htm#C1994-161-48" name="qC1994-161-48">C1994-161-48</a> B] which led to
<a href="#splatry">Splattery</a>, and to its right, at the northernmost point
of the chamber is a further pitch [<a href="qmdone.htm#C1994-161-49"
name="qC1994-161-49">C1994-161-49</a>A] which yielded the Oral Series.
<h4><a name="orals">Oral Series</a> (1995)</h4>
<!-- source: Nick, 28/7/95, 1995 survey book ? -->
<a name="dfloss">From the</a> north end of Dreaming of Limo chamber a winding
rift leads on to a 8m pitch, <b>Dental Floss</b>, down to a ledge and a
further small pitch to the bottom, through a hole on the right. <a
name="tonsils">This</a> sloping rift <b>Tonsils</b>, leads down to a chamber
with several holes in the floor mostly too tight.
<p><a name="teeth">Facing</a> away from the pitch it is possible to turn left
though a calcite passage to the top of the appalling <b>Teeth</b> pitch
(rigged off three naturals). The rock is very crumbly. Teeth is best
descended by abseil and then climbed, rather than prussiked. After 10m of
tight rift, the pitch opens out into a chamber and a 9m free hang to the
floor.
<p><a name="stomach">Climbing</a> up to the left over a large boulder leads
to a 3m climb down and into <b>Stomach</b> chamber.
<a name="arseh">Climbing</a> up along the rift becomes too tight and a hole
in the floor gives an 11m pitch, <b>The Arsehole</b>, which chokes. There are
two pristine white stals down in the Stomach.
<h4><a name="splatry">Splattery</a> (1995)</h4>
<!-- source: Nick, 28/7/95, 1995 survey book ? -->
<p>The wet pitch in Dreaming of Limo chamber is descended from a ledge on the
right to a rebelay 4m down and a further 10m to the bottom. A streamway comes
in from a rift (too tight after 5m) from the direction of Dreaming of Limo
chamber. The rift continues in the opposite direction and can be followed
after climbing over some boulders. The awkward rift carries on for 15m before
a 3m climb up. At the top of the climb the passage can be followed in two
directions. Doubling back comes out at the top of <b>Splattery</b> pitch, and
an awkward traverse leads back to the pitch head. The other way on, continues
away from Dreaming of Limo, is more tight rift which continues for some 25m
before becoming too tight.
<h4><a name="doubting">Doubting Thomas Series</a> (1995)</h4>
<!-- source: Anthony, 30/7/95, 1995 survey book ? -->
<p>Doubting Thomas is a ~100m pitch series essentially
dropping down the same rift as the Oral Series. Access is gained by either
<b>Gnasher pitch</b> [<a href="#qC1994-161-53">C1994-161-53</a>] which is below the 5m climb
down into Dreaming of Limo at the end of <a href="#dollkp">Doll Killer
Passage</a>, or via <a name="dennistm"><b>Dennis the Menace</b></a>, a
parallel shaft which drops through a fairly tight rift some 20m back along
Doll Killer (rigged off huge natural thread). This quickly enlarges to a 4m
diameter 25m shaft with Gnasher joining from the side after 10m.
<p><a name="ctt">The way</a> on from the foot of the shaft is a narrow rift,
which leads to a miserable 5m pitch, <b>Clearly Too Tight</b>. The rift
enlarges a little at the foot of this pitch, but quickly narrows down again.
<a name="nogoer">More</a> scrotting around in the miserable rift yields the
head of <b>No Goer</b>pitch (~20m) which is broken by a ledge half way down.
This pitch is drippy (in dry weather), but there is much mud around.
<a name="mentali">The water</a> disappears down a "too tight" rift at the
foot of the pitch, but an eyehole above is passable and after a short crawl
enlarges at the head of <b>Mental Imbalance</b> pitch.
<a name="naturali">This</a> is about 15m and lands on a ledge adjacent to a
large flake off which the next pitch, <b>Natural Imbalance</b>, is rigged.
[If anyone goes down here again it needs re-rigging as the flake in question
started to fall apart during exploration.]
<p><a name="dthomasc">At the foot</a> of this pitch, a 2m climb to an eyehole
looks onto <b>Doubting Thomas</b> chamber, 10m across and with no obvious
roof. The descent to the floor is ~15m. The way in is a tall bent narrow rift
to the left which after 15m joins a perpendicular rift with a proper stream
in the bottom. To the left (down stream) the rift continues (the only place
it is not too tight too follow is in the roof) for 15m to a 90&deg; left hand
bend, with some genuinely pretty calcite formations, before becoming too
tight to follow. A fossil passage continues straight ahead at this point, but
quickly becomes too tight. Upstream there is a short crawl through a puddle
to a small chamber at the foot of a ~8m waterfall. There appears to be
walking size passage above this, but the climb looks v.v.hard (esp. since
wet) [<a name="qC1995-161-07" href="qmtodo.htm#C1995-161-07">C1995-161-07</a> C]. There is a third
route, a fossil passage in the roof immediately downstream of the junction
with the rift but then wiggles off to the right for ~40m before becoming too
tight to pass with SRT gear on
[<a name="qC1995-161-08" href="qmtodo.htm#C1995-161-08">C1995-161-08</a> C].
<h4><a name="limosr">Limo's Revenge</a> (1995)</h4>
<!-- source: Nick, 28/7/95, 1995 survey book ? -->
<p>From the largish chamber along Stomping, with the twin pillars (the route
on to Driller Killer goes between them) two tight passages lead off on the
right, doubling back. These join up after 10m and a tight, winding rift
passage continues for 50m before widening out to a chamber. The chamber has a
too tight rift off it and several other holes can be followed from the top of
a ramp. These all become too tight.
<hr />
<h3>Over The Rainbow</h3>
<p>The bypass to <a href="rhr.htm#otr">Over The Rainbow</a> is to its right,
behind a rock pillar. Just to the right again at the same level, is a small
passage. 10m along this is a choice of: straight on, a 2m climb down; or to
the right, a larger passage which doubles back to a 4m pitch into Over The
Rainbow. Straight on leads to a 3m wide, 2m deep hole in the floor. It is
possible (but difficult) to traverse over it and it is easier to go down the
climb and along a lower passage which comes out into this hole, and then
climb up the far side. Beyond this the passage veers left and then wiggles
back into the main Right Hand Route passage via a choice of routes and sandy
climbs down.
<hr />
<h3><a name="ba">Boulder Alley</a></h3>
<h4><a name="semidet">Semi-Detached</a> and
<a name="viewport">Viewport</a> (1994-5)</h4>
<p>A 5m traverse to the left of <a href="rhr.htm#poxyp">the Bungalow</a>
leads to a 2m climb up in a rift to a short thrutch in passage. Behind is a
window looking back to Bungalow (used for the survey, but impractical as a
route). To left is a narrow rift (immature) which becomes too tight after
about 5m. Ahead is big passage <b>Viewport</b> developed in same rift/joint
as Boulder Alley below.
<p>Viewport passage runs for 30m, bypassing Bungalow and Poxy Pitches and the
boulder collapse beyond them, and then looks out over <a
href="rhr.htm#poxyp">Boulder Alley</a>. This view over lots of space is
the source of the name. Traversing out from the hole (needs a rope) across
some very friable rock leads to the shaft part way down the Alley. Partway
along the Viewport there is a hole on the right overlooking Poxy Pitch.
<p>20m along Viewport passage on the left is short (3m) traverse up
wall into <b>Semi-Detached</b>, which starts as a draughty crawl. After 2m
there is a window back out into the big passage and a c5 down into immature
rift with another (impassable) window.
<p><a name="semirope">Taking the</a> crawl up-dip, a zigzag is reached.
Immediately following this is a pitch (15m+ Undescended
[<a href="qmtodo.htm#C1995-161-01" name="qC1995-161-01">C1995-161-01</a> B]). The traverse is airy
but easy and roped (<a href="../../fixaid.htm#semidet">left rigged</a> in
1995, but needs a sling at this end for thread). Beyond is 12m of small and
well-decorated (extraordinarily so for KH) passage. Great care is needed to
pass on right of stal without breakage or muddying.
<p>This passage debouches into a space. This is the foot of a
<a href="qmaven.htm#C1995-161-sa" name="qC1995-161-sa">high aven</a> (30m+).
The way on is a c2 (easier than it looks) into a small, 2m long crawl with a
c2 down to a ledge at the top of an 18m pitch. A small continuation at the
other end of the ledge chokes after 4m.
<p>The pitch lands on the opposite side to a waterfall. A hasty dash under
this gains access to an awkward rift with a key hole that is too tight. After
10m this opens out to a pitch (4+ seconds undescended
[<a href="qmtodo.htm#C1995-161-02" name="qC1995-161-02">C1995-161-02</a> A]).
The traverse over the top is possible but rapidly becomes over exposed.
<p>Just beyond the way into Semi-Detached is a hole looking back into
space above Poxy pitch. At end (lowest point) of passage is truly stonking
view above Boulder Alley <b>The Viewport</b> and a big space over 30m across.
It is not clear whether there is any passage here (eg. in shadows on left).
Paul Smith's efforts here in 1990 suggest not.
<h4><a name="pitandp">Pit and Pendulum</a> (1990)</h4>
<p>At the bottom of <a href="rhr.htm#poxyp">Boulder Alley</a>, there is an
extremely high aven and pitch, <b>The Pit and The
Pendulum</b>, which can be seen where it intersects with the right hand
wall 3m above the floor. This 9m diameter hole gives a xxxm broken hang to a
bolt, from which a xxxm drop gains the floor of a rift. A walk up false
floor leads to <a href="sibria.htm#knossos">Knossos</a>, 3m above an
undescended loose hole in the floor (this may be
[<a href="qmtodo.htm#C1989-161-01">C1989-161-01</a> C] ?).
<p><a name="rabbitc">A route</a> below this false floor involves hanging a
rope down a 10cm slit, and squeezing down nearby to gain the rope for a 30m
pitch, leading to a 4m diameter loose floor. A small crawl leads to a loose
pit, from where a way can be seen into a very loose boulder choke which was
not further investigated - this area is <b>Rabbit Curry</b>.
<p>Upslope of the entry to Pit and Pendulum is a pitch [<a
href="qmtodo.htm#C1988-161-04" name="qC1988-161-04">C1988-161-04</a> B] apparently considered a
B-lead in the QM list, but also labelled "probably not".
<hr />
<!-- LINKS -->
<ul>
<li><a href="names.htm">Glossary of passage names</a></li>
<li><a href="top.htm">Kaninchenh&ouml;hle</a> Cave Description - Overview</li>
<li><a href="../../index.htm">Back to Expedition Intro page</a></li>
<li><a href="../../infodx.htm">Index to info/topic pages</a></li>
<li><a href="../../areas.htm">Area/subarea descriptions</a></li>
<li><a href="../../indxal.htm">Full Index to 1623 caves</a></li>
<li><a href="../../../index.htm">Back to CUCC Home page</a></li>
</ul>
</body>
</html>