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<head><title>2004 Expo Logbook</title></head>
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<link rel="stylesheet" type="text/css" href="../../css/main2.css" />
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<body id="logbk">
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<h1>Expo 2004</h1>
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<hr />
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<div class="tripdate">5/7/04</div>
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<div class="trippeople"><u>Mark S</u>, Olly M, *et al</div>
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<div class="triptitle">Journey - In Cambridge</div>
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<p>And so it was that at 12.41 on Monday 5th July did the weighbridge at Madingley Mulch pronounce one white Citroën C15D van, by the
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registration mark of L852 MFL, to be 400kg overweight – weighing in at nearly two tonnes. Mark and Olly were not best pleased, the
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previous days and morning having been spent cramming Expo goods into every nook and cranny about the van.</p>
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<p>It was a combination of the appalling handling and the measly < 1cm of suspension clearance at the rubber stop which persuaded us to
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have the van weighed. It was clearly far more overweight than in previous years – so much so that it was more than 200kg over the
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total maximum load on the tyres!</p>
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<p>We returned to the Tackle Store having summoned Martin and Dave, and soon began the tedious task of emptying about 300kg of shit out of
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the van – each item being monotonously weighed on Martin's bathroom scales. Many, many phone calls ensued and after various silly
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plans (including driving to Expo and then coming back the next day for a second load, utilising a cheap day return on the ferry from
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Calais!) we settled on a haulier who would transport it to Munich for 300 quid. Not too bad in fact, given it would cost well over 200
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quid to do the two-drives plan. (In fact, subsequently a cheaper company were found.) We declined one company's quote of three thousand
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pounds, refilled the van with lighter items and set off for Milton Tesco's, to collect journey food. At about 5.40pm all was ready (minus
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the various tasks which we hadn't had time to do due to the massive hiatus). We set off for Earl's place and arrived without mishaps,
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planning to leave for Dover at 4am. Expo had begun.</p>
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<div class="centre"><img src="twotonnes.jpg" /></div>
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<hr />
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<div class="tripdate">5/7/04</div>
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<div class="trippeople"><u>Martin</u></div>
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<div class="triptitle">Journey - In Cambridge, problem</div>
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<p>I was phoned, "There is a problem", "Please bring your bathroom scales", "400kg overweight", "bollocks" (thought Martin).
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Solutions ...another car ... too crap .. another trailer ... too long ... DSL ... too expensive ...</p>
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<p>After some time trying to find someone to fit a tow bar to Mark's van for a non-existent trailer, a haulier was found to transport from
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Newton Hall to Munich. This required me to find cardboard boxes, twenty minutes after the bloke came to collect them.</p>
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<p>The next day Fast Freight hauliers gave a better quote. If I measured the height, width and girth of the pallet. So on Tuesday, I
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stacked a fine tower of boxes in the tackle store. I got a quote, and on Wednesday I stacked a slightly dodgy pile of boxes. The van turned
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up to collect it, with his hydraulic tail gate and his pump hand truck. The pump truck did not fit under the pallet, leaving the truck
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driver and I to lift the 390kg pallet on to another pallet. After much grunting and straining we lifted the boxes on to a "decent" pallet.
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On Friday I received a message saying the cheque I sent on Thursday had not arrived. So I ignored it, and it all turned up in Bad Aussee
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on Monday.</p>
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<hr />
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<div class="tripdate">6/7/04</div>
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<div class="trippeople"><u>Dave</u></div>
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<div class="triptitle">Journey - Dave's trip out</div>
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<p>All went v. smoothly; up at 3am (ouch!), coach to Stansted, Ryanair to Salzburg, tram, train etc to arrive at Bad Aussee at around 3pm.
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Bus timetable appears to be beyond the comprehension of mere mortals, so I walked. Then fell asleep, woke up and spent four hours watching
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German TV. (Something important has happened to the state governor of Steiermark, but I have no idea what.)</p>
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<hr />
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<div class="tripdate">6/7/04</div>
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<div class="trippeople"><u>Mark S</u>, Olly M</div>
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<div class="triptitle">Journey - Driving to Austria</div>
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<p>Arose at 3.30pm and left Earl's place just after five past four on Tuesday morning. The ferry was at 6am and we arrived just at the
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right time after a stop for fuel. (Got to the port around 5.20am.)</p>
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<p>The ferry was on time and we set off about 8.20am French time onto the motorway. Driving in shifts, there were no mishaps until Mark's
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shift around Nürnburg.</p>
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<p><i>[The Nürnburg incident, which apparently involved a high-speed emergency stop with inadequate brakes, never got written up in
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the enormous space left for it on the page.]</i></p>
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<hr />
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<div class="tripdate">7/7/04</div>
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<div class="trippeople">Olly M, Mark S and <u>Dave</u></div>
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<div class="triptitle">Loser Plateau - Walk up</div>
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<p>Walked up hill. Snow level very high. Had considerable fun hauling gear out of Traungold (caving gear + some digging were needed).</p>
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<div class="timeug">T/U: Dave 1hr</div>
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<hr />
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<div class="tripdate">8/7/04</div>
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<div class="trippeople">Olly M, Mark S and <u>Dave</u></div>
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<div class="triptitle">Loser Plateau - Set up</div>
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<p>More getting stuff out of snow-choked holes.</p>
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<div class="timeug">T/U: Olly M 1hr</div>
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<hr />
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<div class="tripdate">10/7/04</div>
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<div class="trippeople"><u>Dave</u>, Olly M</div>
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<div class="triptitle">204 - 204A rigging</div>
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<p>Rigged down to bottom of A entrance pitch. Owing to lack of rope we didn't get any further than that + ran out of excuses for walking
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downhill in the rain.</p>
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<div class="timeug">T/U: Dave 1.25hrs Olly 0.75hrs</div>
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<hr />
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<div class="tripdate">11/7/04</div>
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<div class="trippeople"><u>Julia</u> and Anthony</div>
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<div class="triptitle">Journey - Drive to expo</div>
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<p>.. are here. Det er veldig variskelig å snakke <i>[illegible]</i>. Men jeg må prøve. We left Anthony's office at
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3.00pm on Friday (I remembered the guitar). Getting out of Norge not easy, but achieved eventually. 6 hours Oslo to Gøteborg. Then
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lots more hours through Sweden, Denmark and Germany. Sweden + Germany go on far too long especially. Our stereo died, but it only cost 20
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NOK so it's fair enough. No traffic jams once outside Sweden. It took ages, Dour ate lots of chocolate, I didn't fall asleep too much,
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Expo is great + so is Gösser.</p>
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<p><i>[In different pen and Dour's handwriting]</i> I say chaps, it's a dashed long way from Oslo to expo, what?</p>
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<hr />
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<div class="tripdate">12/7/04</div>
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<div class="trippeople"><u>Jenny</u> + Olly B</div>
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<div class="triptitle">Loser Plateau - Carry up</div>
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<p>We set off for our 3<sup>rd</sup> carry to Top Camp, and for the first time it wasn't raining. As we got to TC it got much darker, and
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just as we started pitching the big expo tent it started to hail horizontally which was really quite grim... Eventually we got the tent up
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and went to look for Eislufthöhle (76), Olly knew where it was, but couldn't remember quite how to get there so we walked around a
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lot in the erratic boulders just below where 76 turned out to be.</p>
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<hr />
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<div class="tripdate">13/7/04</div>
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<div class="trippeople"><u>Jenny</u> + Olly B</div>
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<div class="triptitle">Loser Plateau - Set up</div>
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<p>Carried up our final load to TC, noticed that the tent had lots of big puddles. Perhaps optimistically, I assumed it had come into the
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tent whilst we erected it in the hail storm, so I bailed out the water + we set off for 76, armed with a GPS. We got to near the GPS point
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and wandered around and found 97 which still had paint marking it. This gave us an idea of where 76 was which we then found. About 50m
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from 76, towards the ridge, was a very very good potential bivvy site – a big arched entrance maybe 15m across and 1.5m high with a
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snow patch and a skylight. Probably room for ~6 people without too much rock moving + more people with more work, quite sheltered as well
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as it opens out into a small sheltered valley (with room for a small tent). We walked back to TC laying cairns as we went.</p>
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<hr />
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<div class="tripdate">13/7/04</div>
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<div class="trippeople"><u>Julia</u></div>
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<div class="triptitle">Base Camp - Caving song</div>
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<p>Oh, so caving songs get written in the rain, right. Well, plenty of rain here, so let's have some inspiration. There's Duncan's first
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bit:</p>
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<blockquote>
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When I first came to Cambridge I was only 18<br />
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With a fiver in my pocket and my old dangly bag<br />
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So I went down the Panton to check out the scene<br />
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But I soon ended up as a beardy old lag.
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</blockquote>
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<p>Still Duncan:</p>
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<blockquote>
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When the Mornflake + the Tunnocks bars were stacked in great piles<br />
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With the old Expo trailer we would drag them for miles
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</blockquote>
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<p>Then me:</p>
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<blockquote>
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To the arse-end of Austria we carted our load<br />
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Knowing free schnapps awaited at the end of the road
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</blockquote>
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<p><strong>INSPIRATION NEEDED HERE</strong></p>
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<p><i>[Later on in logbook]</i></p>
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<p>3rd verse</p>
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<blockquote>
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Oh, the chill winds at night through the bivvy would blow<br />
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But there were boys at the stone bridge to guide you below<br />
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If you didn't fancy caving you could go and get drunk<br />
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There was always lots of festering down at old base camp
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</blockquote>
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<p><i>[Back with original flash of inspiration]</i></p>
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<p>Last verse:</p>
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<blockquote>
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And now I am lying here, I ain't had no booze<br />
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I've been pushing and caving, and I'm all sore and bruised<br />
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I feel like I'm dying, and I wish I could beg<br />
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For a stretcher to carry me to old base camp.
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</blockquote>
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<hr />
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<a id="t2004-07-14A" /></a>
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<div class="tripdate">14/7/04</div>
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<div class="trippeople"><u>Dave</u>, Olly M, Stuart, Dour</div>
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<div class="triptitle">204 - Ariston rigging</div>
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<p>Wandered in down 204A re-rigging on Dave Brindle's rope. Dour put in a bolt enabling me to get close enough to the 2nd pitch to see
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that it was open, which was a pleasant surprise seeing how much snow was around generally. At this point Dour returned to the surface
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while Olly, Stuart and I wandered down Ariston. Ran out of rope at Steel Toecap and headed out.</p>
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<div class="timeug">T/U Dave, Olly, Stuart 6.5hrs, Dour 1hr</div>
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<hr />
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<a id="t2004-07-14B" /></a>
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<div class="tripdate">14/7/04</div>
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<div class="trippeople"><u>Jenny</u> + Olly B</div>
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<div class="triptitle">76 - 76</div>
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<p>Woke up to find just how un-waterproof the tent was – lots of leaks through the ceiling and 3 puddles a couple of inches deep,
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wet sleeping bags and other wet stuff which wasn't nice at all. Eventually got going after a short delay to dry out the lighter before we
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could make breakfast. We walked back to 76 carrying lots of gear to re-look at the bivvy with a view to actually using it – and it
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looked a whole better <i>[sic]</i> than the tent. We carried another load from TC adding more cairns as we went.</p>
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<p>Olly taught me how to bolt by demonstrating to drill a tag spit for 97, then I put ones in for
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tags for 76 and 76b (76a was already tagged). Then I went underground in the 76a entrance, it goes
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approximately horizontally for about 15m over a step on the way, there was quite a lot of soft snow
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on the floor but no ice visible till near the pitch, where there was a small ice-shell. The pitch
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continues down below where the 76 entrance shaft comes in (but this looked too loose to be worth
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using). I placed my first two underground bolts, then looked round the corner and saw an old spit
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which suggested that in the 70s the snow level was higher. I carried on down the sloping gully with
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snow on the floor, the gully flattened out to a ledge with loose rocks. Just round the corner was a
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nice looking 10-20m pitch which looked to land on a big snow ledge. Time was running out so I came
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back up and added a bolt to the top to make the rope hang in a nicer place. Then we got changed and
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walked back to the car via TC to collect our wet sleeping bags to dry them. On the way back we
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realised that Olly's GPS was still getting a fix by the bivvy... Oh, whilst I was caving Olly
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cairned a path from the bivvy to the 204 path.</p>
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<div class="timeug">T/U Jenny 3.5hrs</div>
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<hr />
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<a id="t2004-07-15A" /></a>
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<div class="tripdate">15/7/04</div>
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<div class="trippeople"><u>Dave</u>, Mark D, Nial</div>
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<div class="triptitle">204 - Kiwi Suit rigging</div>
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<p>Continued rig down bottom pitch of Ariston (which is shite) and 54m pitch in Kiwi Suit. Realising we had only three hangers left, we
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put in the next 8m pitch but didn't descend, + buggered off out. Nial + Mark apparently got lost in the crawls at the bottom of
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Wolpertinger Way and were out an hour after I was; I really ought to have hung around to point out the route – sorry guys, but I was
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cold + knackered + wanted to go downhill.</p>
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<p><i>[Mark D's handwriting]</i> Scientific note: air temp measured at Pot-U-Like 2°C.</p>
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<div class="timeug">T/U Dave 5.5hrs, Nial, Mark D 6.5</div>
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<hr />
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<a id="t2004-07-15B" /></a>
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<div class="tripdate">15/7/04</div>
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<div class="trippeople"><u>Olly M</u>, Stuart, Pete</div>
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<div class="triptitle">204 - 204E rigging</div>
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<p>Had much difficulty finding the entrance, it was further than I remembered. Took ages to rig the pitch, then went out.</p>
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<div class="timeug">T/U Olly, Stuart, Pete 2.5hours</div>
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<hr />
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<a id="t2004-07-16A" /></a>
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<div class="tripdate">16/7/04</div>
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<div class="trippeople">Jenny, <u>Olly B</u></div>
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<div class="triptitle">76 - 76</div>
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<p>We bolted on down from the head of Draught Bitter (where the draught was so fierce it made my eyes water while drilling a hole for a
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bolt). A deviation off a 70s spit got us to a little rock bridge, and a rebelay off another unusually well preserved and flush 70s spit to
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the "rock bridge lead". Rebelay off a natural spike (shape enhanced with a bolt hammer), and we're at our first lead. I poked out the
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looser rocks, and peered down into a serpentine rift below. I put in a spit, gardened more, and squeezed in, Jenny feeding rope from above
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(the bag was too fat). Along the rift, an aven intersects, and goes down a shaft. Another spit, and another awkward squeeze, and I dropped
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the pitch, but it was blind. Back up, and the rift seems to form a U, both ends look like the end at snow slopes, presumably out on the
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pitch (though we're yet to confirm this). We ascend to the rock bridge, and head on down. I can see a ledge which will keep us away from
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falling snow & rocks, but after two spits I'm still not there and my legs are losing feeling. Jenny is cold too so we exit.</p>
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<hr />
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<a id="t2004-07-17A" /></a>
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<div class="tripdate">17/7/04</div>
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<div class="trippeople">Olly B + <u>Jenny</u></div>
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<div class="triptitle">76 - 76</div>
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<p>Back down 76 again, this time it's my turn to bolt. I get down to the bolts Olly put in yesterday (after adding a spit for a deviation
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on the way down to stop the rope cutting through the big snow plug), and spend quite a while swinging around trying to work out what is
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attached to what (tacklesack, hangers, deviation...). Eventually I sorted it all out and follow Olly's advice to rig the deviation as a
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rebelay temporarily to enable me to swing onto the ledge more easily. The rebelay was all exciting and wide and free-hanging, but I
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managed to cope, then just as I start to swing I noticed the rope would rub, so had to go back up, pass the rebelay, add an extra maillon,
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pass the rebelay and start swinging.</p>
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<div class="centre"><img src="jenny_rebelay.jpg"></div>
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<p>I landed on the ledge and did some gardening of rocks, which boomed lots and made the ledge feel really rather exposed. Olly was
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complaining about the cold so I put in a bolt rather too quickly and he came down to the ledge. Olly took over the bolting so he could
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warm up, and started a traverse along from the ledge, passing a small lead up a tube on the left. Down and across a bit I think (I
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couldn't really see from where I was). After warming up outside + drinking some hot chocolate, we returned to survey from the A entrance
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to the pitches (draft bitter). Then returned to BC, racing darkness + an electrical storm.</p>
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<div class="timeug">Total TU 6.5hrs</div>
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<hr />
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<a id="t2004-07-18A" /></a>
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<div class="tripdate">18/7/04</div>
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<div class="trippeople"><u>Dave</u>, Becka, Nial</div>
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<div class="triptitle">204 - Gaffered rig + tourist</div>
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<p>Wandered down Gaffered, while Nial + Becka touristed up Swings and apparently pushed a QM somewhere. (Becka: where was it?) (<i>[Becka's
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handwriting]</i> By station 12 on RH wall, wasn't down as QM. Didn't go. Surveyed 2/8/04. Also looked at QMs on Colonnades, nothing
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easy.)</p>
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<p>Met up again at the bottom of Tape Worm pitch, where Becka and I just about contrived to find the bolts between us. (Becka added a bolt
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to the traverse below Tape Worm.) Ran out of hangers after Eyehole pitch, so turned around and came out.</p>
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<p>Becka suggested a wander up Treeumphant to Chocolate Salty Balls. It's very nice passage; we poked around for a while before heading
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out. On the way back, had a stare at what may be QM 00-34C – it's rubbish, a tube at roof level which might be climbable into with one or
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two bolts, but all the rock is awful.</p>
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<div class="timeug">T/U 8.5hrs</div>
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<hr />
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<a id="t2004-07-18B" /></a>
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<div class="tripdate">18/7/04</div>
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<div class="trippeople">Dour, <u>Mark D</u></div>
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<div class="triptitle">204 - Razor Dance rigging</div>
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<p>Early start – underground by 10:00! Speedy descent to Kiwi Suit, where we picked up the bag of rope left on the 15th. We now had
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3 1/2 bags of rope between us, which was considered A LOT. Mark rigged the bottom 2 pitches of Kiwi Suit, then Dour took up the cudgels
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and proceeded to rig Razor Dance down to the 2002 limit – the Steady Now pitch. Left the rest of the rope at that point and turned
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round at 16:00. Uneventful ascent, Mark D out at 19:45, Dour 21:15. Dour must buy a magic foot jammer!</p>
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<p>Scientific note: the gravel in the crawl between Ariston + Kiwi Suit is very interesting and is in different sizes in different
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passages, which gives some indication of the water flow during phreas. This should be (a) recorded and (b) taped off to avoid damage.
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MSD.</p>
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<div class="timeug">TU Mark 10hrs Dour 11.25hrs</div>
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<hr />
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<a id="t2004-07-18C" /></a>
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<div class="tripdate">18/7/04</div>
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<div class="trippeople">Olly B + <u>Jenny</u></div>
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<div class="triptitle">76 - 76</div>
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<p>Walked back up to the bivvy, and sat around for a while feeling too hot. Eventually got underground with a plan of finishing surveying
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what we have found. We started at Draught Bitter, and surveyed downwards. I realised how crap surveying pitches was, especially really
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draughty pitches that twist around lots meaning you can't easily do plumbs. Only once did we both need to be hanging from the same rope
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for a little while. Got down to the higher rock bridge (the one with the rebelay) before we got cold and un-enthused. Olly went out whilst
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I swung around looking at possible leads and so I could draw things better. The big snow plug appears to be partly resting on another rock
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bridge, with an alternative smaller route down behind it. There were
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also two smallish (~1 or 2m in diameter) aven tube type things going
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up from behind. I then checked out the small aven with ice near the top of Draught Bitter – this didn't appear to go too far. Once out we
|
|
surveyed in the 76b entrance. This was less nice as the rocks are very sharp, the roof is a bit loose and there is a little climb in the
|
|
middle. Definitely not worth using as an entrance when 76a is so much nicer.</p>
|
|
|
|
<div class="timeug">T/U 3hrs</div>
|
|
|
|
<hr />
|
|
<a id="t2004-07-19A" /></a>
|
|
<div class="tripdate">19/7/04</div>
|
|
<div class="trippeople"><u>Becka</u> + Earl</div>
|
|
<div class="triptitle">204 - Gaffered rig to Underworld</div>
|
|
|
|
<p>Earl put in a Y-hang about 40% down from the top of Gaffered to help speed up using it + take us a bit further from the spray. Becka
|
|
replaced the two ropes Dave rigged yesterday with a 9mm (bit too skinny) 91m then Earl continued to rig down Gaffered, adding a backup
|
|
bolt to Eyehole and bolting the traverse up to Gaffered. Not long at bottom so we surveyed <b>QM 03-8A</b> which soon choked and went out.
|
|
Takes ~2hrs from bottom.</p>
|
|
|
|
<div class="timeug">T/U 9hrs</div>
|
|
|
|
<hr />
|
|
<a id="t2004-07-19B" /></a>
|
|
<div class="tripdate">19/7/04</div>
|
|
<div class="trippeople"><u>Brian</u></div>
|
|
<div class="triptitle">Cave 2003-02 - (Blaudrachenschact)</div>
|
|
|
|
<p>Went in 2003-02 with Earl's drill and rigged to the bottom of the pitch. Abbed off pitch-head bolt put in 2003 down 6m to rebelay then 2
|
|
rebelays on far wall to main drop. Dropped a few stones to find best hang through a narrow rift 13m below; didn't quite judge it right so
|
|
put in another bolt as a deviation when I got down to the rift.</p>
|
|
|
|
<p>Then a 43m hang to a rebelay where I wibbled a bit, feeling isolated and wet, then down to the floor. Bollocks! No way on. But wait, a
|
|
short climb up the side of the shaft and another hole. But no more rope, so I went home.</p>
|
|
|
|
<hr />
|
|
<a id="t2004-07-19C" /></a>
|
|
<div class="tripdate">19/7/04</div>
|
|
<div class="trippeople"><u>Martin</u>, Nial</div>
|
|
<div class="triptitle">204 - 204</div>
|
|
|
|
<p>Went in E, noticed rubs (Olly says it wasn't his (threatened with hammer)). Rigged Taking the Piss, with PPE green string. Rigged Wot
|
|
No Bolts, from first hole using two bolts! (Deviation needed). 03-67B pushed to conclusion, 03-68B, 03-69B pushed to beginning of Faith
|
|
traverse. Pencil broke, so took some photos.</p>
|
|
|
|
<hr />
|
|
<a id="t2004-07-19D" /></a>
|
|
<div class="tripdate">19/7/04</div>
|
|
<div class="trippeople">Olly B + <u>Jenny</u></div>
|
|
<div class="triptitle">76 - Brave New World</div>
|
|
|
|
<p>Went back down 76 with bolting gear with a view to ticking off Olly's lead on the ledge and then rigging on down. I lined Olly up the
|
|
short but exposed climb, then couldn't see what was happening for ages. Olly got to the end of the rope and assured me it was safe to
|
|
untie, and then went off exploring. I sat on a ledge with my light off (in case Olly's passage came back to the shaft). Ages later, and
|
|
just as I was getting worried, Olly returned. I convinced him that seeing as he was there it was worth bolting and then surveying. So
|
|
whilst he bolted the climb I prussiked out for the survey kit.</p>
|
|
|
|
<p>45 minutes later I was back at the climb to find Olly had dropped my spanner after putting in the backup. I passed him up a maillon and
|
|
he tightened the Y-hang bolts and I came up. The crawling passage led on past two sharp corners (Pool Sink fashion) and a passage off on
|
|
the right to a pitch. We carried on, and after the odd lower bit some more passages branched off at a drafty spot: two more tube type
|
|
things, one high on the left and one on the right, then a narrow (~50cm) crack on the left that appears after a few metres to lead to a
|
|
snow slope. (Looking at the locations, we suspect this might be part of 99.) Continuing along the passage + past another low bit I
|
|
suddenly emerged in the top of a big vadose passage, several metres high and going in both directions!</p>
|
|
|
|
<p>Upstream led to a choke, so we surveyed out from here, passing another couple of passages on the way. We had a quick look downstream,
|
|
but didn't survey. Soon an aven joined and the passage increased in size and became looser. In front a pitch dropped down and the passage
|
|
seemed to continue above. To the left another couple of passages left! Amazed and and pleased at our finds we continued to survey out,
|
|
getting very annoyed with the crappy compass. After 35 legs we eventually tied the survey in with the previous one, and could leave the
|
|
cave!</p>
|
|
|
|
<div class="timeug">T/U 8hrs</div>
|
|
|
|
<hr />
|
|
<a id="t2004-07-19E" /></a>
|
|
<div class="tripdate">19/7/04</div>
|
|
<div class="trippeople">Olly M, <u>Dave</u></div>
|
|
<div class="triptitle">204 - Razor Dance</div>
|
|
|
|
<p>Carried in the pushing rope, and rigged the pitches beyond Steady Now. Ran out of hangers at the top of Yeast. Also placed a hand bolt
|
|
at the top of Mystery Wind, so as to replace existing dodgy thread, but didn't have a hanger for it. Headed out without a great deal of
|
|
speed (I was very cold and Olly very knackered).</p>
|
|
|
|
<p><strong>NB</strong> The roof tube below Mystery Wind could do with a bolt and a sling or something as a handline – climbing out of it
|
|
on the downstream side is very awkward if you don't get yourself into the right orientation to start with. (I did a bizarre Superman-style
|
|
dive out of it which could have been very nasty. Fortunately I succeeded in landing on the tacklesack!)</p>
|
|
|
|
<div class="timeug">T/U 12hrs</div>
|
|
|
|
<hr />
|
|
<a id="t2004-07-20A" /></a>
|
|
<div class="tripdate">20/7/04</div>
|
|
<div class="trippeople"><u>Becka</u>, Nial + Earl</div>
|
|
<div class="triptitle">204 - Underworld / Sirens push + survey</div>
|
|
|
|
<p>Finally ready to roll pushing: looked at <b>03-29A</b> rigged handline to edge of large chamber – no rope so leave that, plus
|
|
<b>03-30B</b> which needs a high-level traverse. (See our 22nd July trip.)</p>
|
|
|
|
<p>Ticked off + surveyed <b>03-28B</b>, <b>03-27B</b> and <b>03-26B</b>. I think <b>03-25B</b> can be downgraded to a "C" QM. Then up to
|
|
crystal pool. Surveyed chamber at <b>03-31B</b>. Nial climbed up to the mud filled pocket on the left of the chamber – apparently choked
|
|
with mud. The small pit in the floor of the chamber is blind except for a miserable boulder-filled hole which you can get to the other
|
|
side of from a small passage on the opposite side of the passage as 03-25B. There is a hole over your head in the chamber but Nial said
|
|
the banks of mud would make it very hard to get into, plus a miserable little hole on the opposite wall. Then surveyed from 03-21B to
|
|
03-22C to complete a small loop. <b>03-20B</b> doesn't exist, just mud-filled, though there is a miserable thin rift in the floor of the
|
|
chamber it's in. <b>03-19C</b> is still there (actually there are two roof tubes but the more promising, higher one would be tough to get
|
|
into). Re-checked <b>03-23C</b> – not at all promising, and <b>03-24C</b> likewise – a v.steep climb.</p>
|
|
|
|
<p>That seemed to tick off all the horizontal leads in Sirens (boo-hiss) so we went back to Eeyore and Earl started to bolt <b>03-3B</b>.
|
|
Whilst he started, I checked <b>03-5B</b> – it's a blind pit, only 4m down. I also went down to <b>03-4B</b> – it's a smallish pitch/rift
|
|
which looks like it would connect to <b>03-2B</b> + big, chossy boulders at the top. Once again not at all enticing. Neither <b>03-7C</b>
|
|
or <b>03-6C</b> look to be much.</p>
|
|
|
|
<div class="timeug">T/U 9hrs</div>
|
|
|
|
<div class="centre"><img src="uworld_qms.jpg" /></div>
|
|
<hr />
|
|
|
|
<a id="t2004-07-21A" /></a>
|
|
<div class="tripdate">21/7/04</div>
|
|
<div class="trippeople"><u>Becka</u> + Nial</div>
|
|
<div class="triptitle">Loser Plateau - Surface Prospect</div>
|
|
</a>
|
|
|
|
<p>Wandered over col beyond 204 towards Grieß Kogel then back round on plateau side. Put in two tags on new caves:</p>
|
|
|
|
<ul>
|
|
<li><b>CUCC 2004-10</b>: Earl's GPS (WGS 84) N47° 41.740' E013°49.069'. Photo #54 on Nial's camera. 215° to Zinken; 309° to
|
|
peak of Grieß Kogel (stone arch visible). Entrance shaft with snow plug + pitch visible beyond. Can get to head of pitch by going
|
|
down a side tube next to main entrance shaft. Pitch < 10m.</li>
|
|
|
|
<li><b>CUCC 2004-11 (In Your Face cave)</b> Earl's GPS WGS84 N47° 41.597' E013° 49.047'. Photo #55 on Nial's camera. 202° to
|
|
Brauning Näse; 218° to Zinken. Strongly drafting entrance crawl to steep down phreatic passage to small chamber + pitch up-climb
|
|
on opposite wall. Tony + I surface surveyed to 2004-11 in the evening of 21st; Martin, Stuart + Nial did a push + underground survey on
|
|
22nd.</li>
|
|
</ul>
|
|
|
|
<p>We also found (but didn't tag as didn't seem promising enough!)</p>
|
|
<ol>
|
|
<li><b>N 47° 41.605' E013° 49.265'</b> – a 4m surface shaft.</li>
|
|
<li><b>N 41° 41.686' E013° 48.981'</b> – a too-tight but <em>very</em> strongly drafting hole.</li>
|
|
<li><b>N 47° 41.590' E013° 49.068'</b> – very close to 2004-11 and also drafting.</li>
|
|
</ol>
|
|
|
|
<p>We also re-found 2002-04.</p>
|
|
|
|
<hr />
|
|
<a id="t2004-07-21B" /></a>
|
|
<div class="tripdate">21/7/04</div>
|
|
<div class="trippeople"><u>Earl</u> + Stuart</div>
|
|
<div class="triptitle">204 - Gaffered</div>
|
|
|
|
<p>Descended to Eeyore to continue rigging Kanga pitch. Bolts had been placed on the previous trip, so adding a deviation enabled us to
|
|
descend. Tony and Brian had won the only available instrument set, so we escaped without surveying. Explored around the bottom; only way
|
|
on leads to a small chamber with pitch (not promising) which may connect to a pitch in the main Kanga area.</p>
|
|
|
|
<p>After that we moved round to the Sirens traverse to look at rigging around the big pitch <b>Black Maria</b> (03-17B). First part of
|
|
traverse was easy (big ledge, 2 naturals and a bolt) but then ledge ran out. Next bolt shattered the rock on setting, but there is scope
|
|
for a good Y-hang to the floor. Traversing on towards 03-18B will be <u>nontrivial</u>; probably bolting into overhanging wall, losing
|
|
height and scrambling back up to the QM. Ran out of enthusiasm, so left it at that.</p>
|
|
|
|
<p>Returned up Gaffered and wet for a tourist around Swings. Stuart found a previously unnoticed QM (later pushed to a blind pitch)
|
|
(between 01-83C and the connection to The Slide). We then went to Treeumphant and Great Oak Chamber before returning via 204E.</p>
|
|
|
|
<div class="timeug">T/U 9.5hrs</div>
|
|
|
|
<p><u>Stuart</u> continues: After scrotting around at the base of Eeyore etc, Earl managed to increase the grade of the climb out by ~2
|
|
grades by removing one of the footholds. This makes getting out for whoever surveys it "interesting". <i>[It wasn't actually all that bad
|
|
- DL]</i>.</p>
|
|
|
|
<p>Swings QM is a climb up on the right, where a gallery looks through several holes to Swings below. Hurrah for excessively bright +
|
|
pointy lights in finding such delights.</p>
|
|
|
|
<hr />
|
|
<a id="t2004-07-21C" /></a>
|
|
<div class="tripdate">21/7/04</div>
|
|
<div class="trippeople"><u>Jenny</u> + Olly B</div>
|
|
<div class="triptitle">99 - 99</div>
|
|
|
|
<p>Walked back up to our bivvy in the sun; when we got there, Olly wasn't feeling too well, so we decided that I'd explore 99 whilst Olly
|
|
sat on the surface and patched his oversuit. I went down rigged off the v.dubious tag bolt and a spike. It went down an inclined rift with
|
|
snow on the floor for a bit less than 10m then wiggled round right and then left to be below itself again. Here there were 2 old spits,
|
|
the first of which I rebelayed too. After this a draft was coming through a small ice-covered rift heading roughly towards the appropriate
|
|
part of Brave New World. I kicked lots of snow out of the way and attempted to fit through the pitch head; I got roughly half way before
|
|
feeling it was a bit too tight and committing, and decided to come out, which was easier said than done.</p>
|
|
|
|
<p>After a while of fruitless wiggling I got a bit scared and asked Olly to put his caving gear on to come + help. As soon as Olly left I
|
|
found a foothold and freed myself sufficiently to escape, but at least Olly had practice at getting into caving gear quickly! I came out,
|
|
leaving the ice squeeze for either a day later on in expo with less ice, or a day with a hammer.</p>
|
|
|
|
<div class="timeug">T/U Jenny 1hr</div>
|
|
|
|
<hr />
|
|
<a id="t2004-07-21D" /></a>
|
|
<div class="tripdate">21/7/04</div>
|
|
<div class="trippeople"><u>Mark D</u>, Dour</div>
|
|
<div class="triptitle">204 - Razor Dance</div>
|
|
|
|
<p>An exceptionally early start (9.30 am!) and a quick trip down to the start of Razor Dance. Reached the pushing front at about 13:30
|
|
after rigging Yeast pitch. Dour bolted the traverse while Mark quickly dropped the pitch on naturals. The continuation at stream level was
|
|
really nasty. So we voted for the high traverse, which goes into a level with a real floor, <b>The Nordic Traverse</b>. We surveyed into
|
|
this, eventually reaching a small climb/pitch down (approx 5m). This was duly rigged and it lands in a small chamber, <b>Thirteen Year
|
|
Itch</b>. From here a further pitch of 18m was dropped back into the streamway. This pitch, <b>Pepper Pot</b>, was a real stunner – best
|
|
pitch in the cave (imho)! Below the pitch, the rift continues in the same awkward style. By now it was 16:30 so we quickly surveyed the
|
|
pitches and then headed out. Mark was out 20:15, Dour at about 22:45. See my note from the previous trip about Dour needing a foot
|
|
jammer!</p>
|
|
|
|
<p>This was a fantastic trip, one of the best I have ever done in Austria. Home tomorrow, but a great memory to take with me!</p>
|
|
|
|
<div class="timeug">T/U Mark D 10.75hrs Dour 13.25hrs</div>
|
|
|
|
<hr />
|
|
<a id="t2004-07-21E" /></a>
|
|
<div class="tripdate">21/7/04</div>
|
|
<div class="trippeople">Tony + <u>Brian</u></div>
|
|
<div class="triptitle">Cave 2003-02 - (Blaudrachenschact)</div>
|
|
|
|
<p>Surveyed to bottom with short rope to investigate rifty hole at base of shaft: it closed down after a 5m climb down through boulders.
|
|
Went home.</p>
|
|
|
|
<hr />
|
|
<a id="t2004-07-22A" /></a>
|
|
<div class="tripdate">22/7/04</div>
|
|
<div class="trippeople">Tony + <u>Brian</u></div>
|
|
<div class="triptitle">Loser Plateau - Surface bash</div>
|
|
|
|
<p>Started out walking to the NE of 204 area until we met the big change in slope overlooking the valley with the Stogerweg at the bottom.
|
|
Then walked along side of valley until we found two entrances of note: GPSsed, tagged and photographed them.</p>
|
|
|
|
<ul>
|
|
<li><b>2004-12</b>: N47° 41' 06.1'' E013° 49' 38.8'</li>
|
|
<li><b>2004-13</b>: N47° 41' 02.0'' E013° 49' 38.7''</li>
|
|
</ul>
|
|
|
|
<p>Went back via Damoclesschacht.</p>
|
|
|
|
<hr />
|
|
<a id="t2004-07-22B" /></a>
|
|
<div class="tripdate">22/7/04</div>
|
|
<div class="trippeople"><u>Becka</u>, Earl + Dave</div>
|
|
<div class="triptitle">204 - Underworld Push</div>
|
|
|
|
<p>Dave wanted to learn how to drill bolts so down to Earl's drill in the Underworld ... but first we surveyed + derigged Eeyore. Then
|
|
Dave derigged the 26m that Earl + Stuart had started to rig along the traverse in Sirens yesterday (they'd hoped to get to 03-18B). Took
|
|
all the junk to the end of Quiz Rift then Earl supervised Dave rigging 03-29A which went down the mud ramp then a Y-hang (bolt + boulder)
|
|
then a rebelay bolt then drop down to sloping ledge (~10m) to rebelay off a <em>small</em> knobble then down to floor. Another pitch
|
|
beyond this which Dave bolted but didn't have enough rope to descend.</p>
|
|
|
|
<p>Meanwhile Becka was hand bolting a traverse to get to 03-30B – three naturals and five (yes, far too many) bolts later I got to the
|
|
muddy up-slope only to be told there was no time to check it out because I had to survey Dave's pitch. Actually I was pooped by the having
|
|
spent half an hour suspended 5m above the floor in a rift far too wide to bridge, trying to get to the far side. I tried prusiking up my
|
|
own long cowstail, putting slings for extra footloops into cowstails + sheer brute ignorance. It was also pretty exciting (i.e. dynamic)
|
|
getting back – a free-hanging traverse. Surveyed Dave's pitches. Names: my traverse will be <b>The Generation Game</b>, Dave's first pitch
|
|
is <b>Gardeners' World</b>, and his next one is <b>University Challenge</b>. Way out up Gaffered was way, way, <strong>way</strong> too
|
|
muddy – I'd had to do a welly-brake on the way down + both my hand + my chest jammer were slipping on the way up ... but I didn't have
|
|
nearly as much fun as Dave who became an incandescent Mr. Angry + ended up prusiking twice as far as the rest of us. I left him to Earl's
|
|
calming tongue. <i>[I think my jammers are knackered – the teeth don't bite like they used to.—DL]</i>.</p>
|
|
|
|
<div class="timeug">T/U 11 hours</div>
|
|
|
|
<hr />
|
|
<a id="t2004-07-22C" /></a>
|
|
<div class="tripdate">22/7/04</div>
|
|
<div class="trippeople"><u>Olly M</u>, Pete</div>
|
|
<div class="triptitle">234 - Hauchhöhle</div>
|
|
|
|
<p>Julia had asked people to look at Hauchhöhle so Pete and I decided to have a poke. A survey was produced showing the main way on
|
|
to be to the left at the bottom of the (first) pitch. Pete rigged the pitch and followed my bad advice of rethreading the rope around the
|
|
natural backup because we only had one sling. Dour had told me a deviation was needed to stop the rope rubbing and he was indeed correct.
|
|
So I spent the next half hour putting in a spit and getting groin injuries, while Pete scrotted around in every unpromising lead he could
|
|
find. At one point the digested aroma of shrimp noodles à la Blue Dragon chased him out of such a passage and the Flatulence Series
|
|
was born.</p>
|
|
|
|
<p>By the time I had finished bolting, he had unfortunately found a tight rift that appeared to go, culminating in a climb that I had to
|
|
convince Peter to descend (with the aid of 2 slings lark's-footed around a natural). After that it was all downhill as each unsurveyed bit
|
|
of passage led to a further junction with two new leads. We pushed all the leads we could for several hours, with Pete pushing a
|
|
particular oxbow several times (<b>Clifton's Circuit</b>). Then we ran away to the Stone Bridge and recounted tales of our great adventure
|
|
and miles of cave passage to whoever would listen.</p>
|
|
|
|
<div class="timeug">T/U 6hrs</div>
|
|
|
|
<hr />
|
|
|
|
<div class="tripdate">22/7/04</div>
|
|
<div class="trippeople"><u>Olly M</u>, Pete</div>
|
|
<div class="triptitle">Loser Plateau - Random German</div>
|
|
|
|
<p>Pete and I had failed to walk up the previous evening so an 8am rising and a run to the bus stop was in order. Waiting in Bad Aussee
|
|
allowed a random German bloke to approach and ask us if we could "show him the caves". Julia's powers of dissuasion are clearly lacking
|
|
because this random person proceeded to follow me and Peter from the top of the toll road to the plateau and on to the stone bridge (Julia
|
|
had lunch with Dour so didn't walk with us). Upon arriving he asked where the toilet was, "I need a big one", so I showed him the shitting
|
|
grike. Thankfully his aim was true and no further flies were attracted to mal-aimed turds. He then had two cups of hot chocolate, took
|
|
photos, and translated the phone message. We bid farewell at the entrance to Hauchhöhle, and despite my best efforts at looking for a
|
|
corpse on the next walk down I found none and must assume he made it. Lucky really given his nice Nikon camera and the pictures of me and
|
|
Peter on his 35mm film...</p>
|
|
|
|
<hr />
|
|
<a id="t2004-07-22D" /></a>
|
|
<div class="tripdate">22/7/04</div>
|
|
<div class="trippeople">Jenny, <u>Olly B</u></div>
|
|
<div class="triptitle">76 - 76</div>
|
|
|
|
<p>We went down 76 to push the pitch lead near the start of the "Test Tubes". It was unclear if the pitch-head was perched rocks or solid,
|
|
so I used a mostly convincing thread as a backup, and put in a traverse spit, then a Y hang out in the rift. The rift was a good 1.5m
|
|
wide, and tall so things looked promising. I descended and traversed upstream, but just round the corner was a pitch up. Downstream
|
|
dropped away and got narrower. Two rebelays later we were in the top of the rift, with a barely feasible squeeze into a lower level. The
|
|
bottom appeared to drop into blackness through a small hole – small stones dropped for a second or two if they got through the hole. The
|
|
position is such that this is very likely to be dropping into the original 70s pitch series, so there wasn't much motivation for
|
|
desperate squeezes. Jenny tried to get through at a lower level, but that didn't work. So we surveyed out to connect to the previous Brave
|
|
New World survey and went home. Jenny put in a better placed spit for the ledge end of the pendule on the way out.</p>
|
|
|
|
<div class="timeug">T/U 5.5hrs</div>
|
|
|
|
<hr />
|
|
<a id="t2004-07-22E" /></a>
|
|
<div class="tripdate">22/7/04</div>
|
|
<div class="trippeople">Martin, Nial, and <u>Stuart</u></div>
|
|
<div class="triptitle">Cave 2004-11 - In Your Face</div>
|
|
|
|
<p>"Come and look at our great new cave" they said. "Could be a new 204 entrance" they said. "DON'T YOU DARE FIND THE END OF IT" they
|
|
(Becka) said.</p>
|
|
|
|
<p>Having been versed in how to drive a survey notebook by Martin, we set off into the strongly draughting entrance tube, which was
|
|
extremely good at removing any heat one's body could produce. After much laborious surveying around the small chamber at the end of the
|
|
entrance tube, Martin returned from the front, where he was supposed to be bolting a pitch, announcing himself to be a fuckwit, and then
|
|
scampered off to get the forgotten drill bit.</p>
|
|
|
|
<p>Very, very dodgy rigging ("It only rubs a little bit, so be gentle. Oh, and you'll have to ascend the arm of the Y-hang to get back.")
|
|
leads to a huge black ice plug at the pitch's base, and a dead-sounding and dangerous boulder choke.</p>
|
|
|
|
<p>Desperate not to incur the wrath of Becka, the two passages leading on from the far side of the pitch became interesting. The lower one
|
|
was very tight phreatic dropping at about 45° to a wide low (~1m high) chamber. The phreatic had a breeze but this seemed to disappear
|
|
into a critical angle boulder slope. In desperation, a small chimney was pushed to no avail, and the other way on from the chamber
|
|
stopped.</p>
|
|
|
|
<p>Some effort was put into starting a traverse line to the higher passage leading on from the pitch head, but thoughts of food, warmth
|
|
etc. caused the general consensus to be "jack". Also, the probability of our only remaining lead dying was causing some perturbation.</p>
|
|
|
|
<div class="timeug">T/U 7.5hrs</div>
|
|
|
|
<hr />
|
|
<a id="t2004-07-23A" /></a>
|
|
<div class="tripdate">23/7/04</div>
|
|
<div class="trippeople"><u>Dave</u>, Pete, Olly M</div>
|
|
<div class="triptitle">234 - Hauchhöhle surveying</div>
|
|
|
|
<p>Pete + Olly had returned to camp the previous day with tales of caverns measureless to man, and nothing surveyed. So I jumped at the
|
|
chance to go and practice my survey note-taking, hoping to go on to bolt down the pitches (or rather show Olly how).</p>
|
|
|
|
<p>However I had somewhat underestimated the amount! Eleven hours later we crawled out, knackered, with 58 legs of survey in the book even
|
|
ignoring all the oxbows and loops, and more passage still going. (Olly had put one bolt in the pitch before getting caught up in the
|
|
surveying as well.)</p>
|
|
|
|
<div class="timeug">T/U Pete + Dave 11h, Olly 10h</div>
|
|
|
|
<hr />
|
|
<a id="t2004-07-23B" /></a>
|
|
<div class="tripdate">23/7/04</div>
|
|
<div class="trippeople">Martin and <u>Stuart</u></div>
|
|
<div class="triptitle">Cave 2004-11 - 204 - In Your Face + 204 scrotting</div>
|
|
|
|
<p>Somehow I had ended up in 2004-11 again. Martin completed the traverse in record time and declared, "It's huge stomping passage, looks
|
|
good". This was unfortunate, since we had ventured out that morning without instruments. And so it was that I chastised Martin, "You
|
|
weren't supposed to find more passage Martin". This was the cave's undoing. 20 Martin-paces down a large passage it suddenly grinds to a
|
|
halt. A survey (grade?) was scribbled on top of a laminated 2001 204 survey, using 20 Martin-paces of passage and 5 plumbed Martin-paces
|
|
of vertical displacement above the previous day's passage. A mildly perilous 8m ascent into the passage roof yielded no further leads, so
|
|
we left the cave.</p>
|
|
|
|
<p>And promptly ran away to 204, to avoid telling Becka the good (?) news. A sporting descent through the snow in 204d brought us to
|
|
Swings, where Martin bolted a hang into Earl's supposed connection to Helter Skelter.</p>
|
|
|
|
<p>Stuart then bolted the pitch he had found previously in Swings. It drops to the level of Swings main passage, and does bugger all else.
|
|
There is a small tight tube back to Swings at the base (SRT kit removal required) and it looks like there may also be an aven leading up
|
|
elsewhere. No survey made.</p>
|
|
|
|
<p>We proceeded to Insignificant Chamber, where Stuart went down a hole, believed to be the connection to Rhino Rift, wherein he found
|
|
survey station "T2", an old sling and greased maillon, and a difficult climb down. This satisfied Martin, and the only other noteworthy
|
|
event was the <span style="color: red; font-size: 120%">Bastard Tackle Sack from Hell</span>. This thing is inherently evil. Its
|
|
malevolence knows no bounds. Small children hide under the bed from it. It eats small puppies. Several chapters of the Bible know it by
|
|
the name Satan. It feeds off the terror, pain and anguish it creates. As an instrument of torture it is unparallelled. Within the Universe
|
|
there is no darker force. To the unknowing observer it is a regular tackle bag, from which the shoulder straps have snapped at one end,
|
|
and subsequently they have been tied to form a second donkey's dick. These two properties combine to form a dread object which is a blight
|
|
to all caver-kind, getting stuck on EVERY SINGLE FUCKING THING, and thus causing its cursed bearer to fall flat on its nose every three
|
|
paces. The horror inflicted by this item in Germknödel's Revenge mere words cannot describe. Let's just say that being moored by
|
|
cave and tackle bag, and trying to turn round in the passage at the same time, is SHIT.</p>
|
|
|
|
<div class="timeug">T/U 7.5hrs</div>
|
|
|
|
<hr />
|
|
<a id="t2004-07-24A" /></a>
|
|
<div class="tripdate">24/7/04</div>
|
|
<div class="trippeople"><u>Dave</u>, Becka, Pete, Olly M, Earl</div>
|
|
<div class="triptitle">234 - Hauchhöhle again</div>
|
|
|
|
<p>A complex plan emerged over breakfast. Team keen (Dave + Becka) would go in and do some more surveying; team fester (Olly + Earl) would
|
|
bolt the pitch; and team artistic (Pete) would take some photos. At 11.30 team science (Dour) would shout down surface hole 2002-02 so we
|
|
could check if it connected to the daylight aven in the main Hauchhöhle trunk. At 5pm the underground teams would meet up; Olly, Pete
|
|
and I would bugger off down the hill and Earl + Becka would keep on caving.</p>
|
|
|
|
<p>This complex plan worked surprisingly well. 2002-02 does connect. Pete got his photos. Becka + I surveyed some existing stuff; Becka
|
|
found a bypass to Tacklesack Blues via a roof tube. Then Becka spotted a traverse over the head of one of our pitches. After a quick
|
|
detour to collect the rope, and using a sling larks-footed around my belt as an improvised cowstail, we were across. Hey presto, yet more
|
|
passage! (<b>Sweet Sight</b> passage.) Stomp stomp stomp for 150m or so. Walked down the hill with 28 legs more survey in my pocket, in
|
|
addition to the previous day.</p>
|
|
|
|
<p><i>[Continuation in Becka's handwriting]</i> Earl kept rigging the pitch but the drill battery ran out after the pitch-head + deviation
|
|
bolts (part way through a Y-hang ~20m down from the pitch-head – probably another 15m drop beyond here). We then went back to Sweet Sight
|
|
passage + went up the left-hand roof tube QM just after the drippy aven with the bat skeleton. We surveyed 8 legs up there, past a tight
|
|
thrutch into an aven with water coming in and a too tight rift off. Out + home.</p>
|
|
|
|
<div class="timeug">T/U Dave 6.5h; Olly 4h; Pete 4h; Earl 7h; Becka 9.5h</div>
|
|
|
|
<hr />
|
|
<a id="t2004-07-24B" /></a>
|
|
<div class="tripdate">24/7/04</div>
|
|
<div class="trippeople"><u>Jenny</u> + Olly B</div>
|
|
<div class="triptitle">76 - Eislufthöhle - rigging down 70's route to Keg Series</div>
|
|
|
|
<p>We decided that today we would continue down the 70s route and see how far we could get with the rope + hangers we had. I wanted to
|
|
play with the drill, so set off down to the current end of the rigging (the next ledge on from the Test Tube passage) and put in a nice
|
|
Y-hang. Meanwhile Olly swung around on the snow plugs below to retrieve my spanner he had lost. The pitch was really nice – the best
|
|
so far, a lovely hang in a huge shaft, on down to the next ledge + some 1970s spits, one of which was used as part of the Y, a deviation
|
|
later and I was at the bottom of "Plugged Shaft" on a bouldery floor with a huge bit of scaffold bar longer than I am! The next pitch
|
|
wasn't far away, and as we weren't certain how solid the floor was we continued the rope round – this is where the 112m rope ended,
|
|
so we tied on the 85m and Olly bolted down "Saved Shaft" with, as is typical of this cave, a deviation. We now arrived at a HUGE boulder
|
|
pile, with at least one boulder bigger than a car! The way on was under these with the draft. The boulders actually looked quite wedged,
|
|
but it is probably worth trying to get over the top sometime (a) to see if it goes anywhere new and (b) in the hope that it is safer. Olly
|
|
rigged a traverse line through the boulders, as once on the other side you are in a rift with very little in the floor dropping away into
|
|
"Keg Series" 30 odd metres below. Olly rigged down this after doing some gardening of rocks at the pitch head, including one ~1m across...
|
|
Olly got to the bottom of the first pitch and carried on down. I set off down this pitch, being really careful of all the loose stuff
|
|
still there, and reached the bottom just as Olly had reached the end of the rope below. The pitch was quite drippy by the end, and perhaps
|
|
needs rigging differently for times of rain. Anyway, with no rope, one hanger and no maillons left we decided to survey out, pulling the
|
|
rope up to the top of the pitch so we can garden more next time. We wanted to survey with a plumb leg, but the pitch wasn't quite free
|
|
hanging, so the plan was for Olly to go up, and swing across to where it would plumb from. This worked well until Olly dislodged a small
|
|
rock with his foot which fell 12m to me below. As I was looking up at the tape it did not bounce off my helmet but hit me on the top of my
|
|
nose / bottom of my forehead. It hurt lots and I screamed lots thinking I was properly broken. After a bit I realised Olly was asking in
|
|
quite a concerned way if I was OK, so I thought for a bit if I was, my nose hurt lots, but there was only a very small bit of blood, and
|
|
once I opened my eyes I realised that I could see alright, so I shouted back that I was OK, and cried some more until the pain died away a
|
|
bit. We did a bit of surveying. Then decided to give up until we had done more gardening and rigging, and went back to the base of Saved
|
|
Shaft. We surveyed back till it connected at The Ledge and went home.</p>
|
|
|
|
<div class="timeug">T/U 10 hours</div>
|
|
|
|
<hr />
|
|
<a id="t2004-07-25A" /></a>
|
|
<div class="tripdate">25/7/04</div>
|
|
<div class="trippeople"><u>Becka</u> + Earl</div>
|
|
<div class="triptitle">204 - Gardeners' World -> Subsoil</div>
|
|
|
|
<p>Down Gaffered Series <strong>aargh</strong>, this rope is way too fast, welly-brake-tastic... To Gardeners' World + I went over my
|
|
"Generation Game" traverse to check that it really did go nowhere (sigh) then derigged it (not <em>too</em> exciting bar one
|
|
overly-dynamic swing into space). Earl then did some re-rigging of Gardeners' World + rigged the pitch below to <b>Subsoil</b> chamber. I
|
|
was cold so scampered around for 5 minutes whilst Earl packed his drill up + I realised that we had <em>some</em> considerable new cave
|
|
here – so into survey mode. From chamber surveyed around chamber + then up Hippo Hollows (lovely mud pots) to a thin rift with a
|
|
large wet pitch around the corner then back to Subsoil + surveyed a loop then time to go home. Good stuff!</p>
|
|
|
|
<p>Oh yes, I forgot the crap bit, coming up the Gaffered pitch series the mud on the rope meant that not one but <u>both</u> my jammers
|
|
were slipping, despite me having switched to a brand new chest jammer that day. At one point I got really unhappy and gave a mewling sound
|
|
then thought of a solution: my spare hand jammer on a long cowstail went above my other hand jammer. A bit slower but <u>surely</u> not
|
|
all three can slip? Finally got to the 70m Gaffered pitch which was lovely + clean rope (relatively) + I was going to survive.
|
|
Earl Teflon-Jammers Merson was, of course, fine + blamed it all on my poor technique.</p>
|
|
|
|
<div class="timeug">T/U 10hrs</div>
|
|
|
|
<hr />
|
|
<a id="t2004-07-25B" /></a>
|
|
<div class="tripdate">25/7/04</div>
|
|
<div class="trippeople">Olly B + <u>Jenny</u></div>
|
|
<div class="triptitle">76 - Brave New World</div>
|
|
|
|
<p>Olly fettled the rigging in the entrance to add a tight guide line above the rock bridge, and we went into the Test Tube, and onto
|
|
Brave New World, this time turning right to the pitch, traversing round it (which I found scary as it was loose) and into the oxbow on the
|
|
left, from here we followed walking passage past some calcite and gypsum pretties until we hit a T-junction with an even bigger passage.
|
|
We followed this right and came to another junction, in from of us was a pitch down, with a passage appearing to continue over it, and
|
|
passage heading off left, as we had no tackle we followed this to a junction / chamber. Here a very small passage went left, a pitch went
|
|
down in front and a smallish passage went right. We decided to survey back from here till it joined with the 1st Brave New World
|
|
survey.</p>
|
|
|
|
<div class="timeug">T/U 6hrs</div>
|
|
|
|
<p>Walked up to 204 in the evening to see where it was and say "hi" to Earl + Becka. 204 bivvy is ~45mins from our bivvy, but I don't walk
|
|
very fast.</p>
|
|
|
|
<hr />
|
|
<a id="t2004-07-26A" /></a>
|
|
<div class="tripdate">26/7/04</div>
|
|
<div class="trippeople"><u>Becka</u> + Earl</div>
|
|
<div class="triptitle">204 - Re-rigging Gaffered + Gardeners' World</div>
|
|
|
|
<p>Earl was all for going straight back down to push Subsoil but I'd promised myself not to go down there again until there was fresh rope
|
|
on it so we carried in a 100m and a 65m and re-rigged from Tape Worm all the way down (I replaced the top 91m – again – whilst
|
|
Earl Mud-Doesn't-Stick-To-Me Merson zoomed down on the slimy rope + replaced the bottom one). Then Earl went off to have a third attempt
|
|
at re-rigging Gardeners' World whilst I draped conservation tape around Sirens, Bracket Fungus, the Crystal Pool + Quiz Rift. I then got
|
|
cold + grouchy waiting whilst Earl put in deviation after deviation on Gardeners' World plus fresh pitch-head bolts + then had two
|
|
attempts at putting in a deviation bolt on the lower pitch (University Challenge).</p>
|
|
|
|
<p>Finally down to Subsoil with no time left to do any sensible pushing so Earl put in two final bolts for the 4m pitch over a boulder for
|
|
the passage that leads to Earthenware whilst I checked that the Heavily Soiled passage went. A necessary but cold trip. On the way out we
|
|
started a system to keep the clean rope clean:</p>
|
|
|
|
<ul>
|
|
<li>On the bottom, Eeyore pitch, <strong>no wellies</strong> on the rope.</li>
|
|
<li>After the traverse, wellies to be <strong>thoroughly washed</strong> (also footloops etc) before ascending.</li>
|
|
<li>Repeat scrubbing as required as ascend.</li>
|
|
</ul>
|
|
|
|
<p>I am about to purchase a scrubbing brush to leave in the pool after the traverse so, you dirty horrible cavers, don't go near my
|
|
spanking new rope unless you're pristine. Thanks to Tony for cleaning + checking the two filthy tackle bags of rope we hauled out.</p>
|
|
|
|
<div class="timeug">T/U 10 hours</div>
|
|
|
|
<hr />
|
|
<a id="t2004-07-26B" /></a>
|
|
<div class="tripdate">26/7/04</div>
|
|
<div class="trippeople">Olly B + <u>Jenny</u></div>
|
|
<div class="triptitle">76 - Brave New World</div>
|
|
|
|
<p>Decided to carry the drill through the Test Tube to bolt stuff in Brave New World. We decided it would be better to carry SRT kits
|
|
rather than wearing them too. Carrying tackle made the Test Tube seem much smaller and more arduous... Turned right into BNW, and Olly got
|
|
started with putting a traverse round the pitch that had made me scared the previous day. All went well till he dropped his stop onto a
|
|
ledge a few meters down. Shortly, the stop was retrieved and the traverse line rigged across, we were a bit cold so decided to postpone
|
|
further bolting and to survey leftwards at the next junction. This led to an aven that looked not too hard to climb and a probable passage
|
|
heading off at the top. We surveyed back, then I started to bolt down the pitch at the end of the traverse line, the ~15m pitch came down
|
|
to a high vadose passage that shortly led to a further pitch down that we had no rope for. Olly put in 2 spits in preparation for a later
|
|
trip and we surveyed back out. We still had hours left before our callout, so we went to look at the stream canyon beneath the passage on
|
|
from the pitch, assuming it would come out in the same pitch, soon it came out in what seemed to be yet another pitch... we surveyed this,
|
|
then left the cave.</p>
|
|
|
|
<div class="timeug">T/U 11hrs</div>
|
|
|
|
<hr />
|
|
<a id="t2004-07-27A" /></a>
|
|
<div class="tripdate">27/7/04</div>
|
|
<div class="trippeople"><u>Becka</u> + Earl</div>
|
|
<div class="triptitle">204 - Surveying Subsoil</div>
|
|
|
|
<p>The Razor Dance team was all off for a long trip so we decided to join them since it's the dinner tomorrow. <u>Bloody</u> cold at camp +
|
|
not feeling enthused with a damp furry but a lovely controlled descent on the clean rope cheered me up. Before that, on the first main
|
|
hang bolt on Gaffered, I found the rope really tight. Having a handy Earl, I manfully sent him down to sort it. There was a yelp as he did
|
|
a mini-plunge + then he said that seemed to have sorted it.</p>
|
|
|
|
<p>Right down to Subsoil, rigged the tiddly 4m pitch (8m rope) off the boulder then started surveying out of Subsoil up Heavily Soiled
|
|
passage (very muddy – <u>again</u>) (need a 15m rope rigged off obvious natural to get down to it) with a good draft. Initially large,
|
|
steepish passage ending in a broken down area then popped out on edge of a large chamber. We were on a bank of mud only ~2m above the
|
|
chamber floor but we had no gear. The mud was crumbly and Earl was very cold so we stopped there. Also a drippy aven ahead there, again
|
|
tricky to get there despite being very close given the dubious tensile strength of banks of undercut mud. Stopped the survey + stomped
|
|
back to Subsoil. Earl then took the drill to put in too spits (last, highest one possibly dodgy as the rock cracked as he set it: "I think
|
|
this is the best Hilti I've ... oh dear") Meanwhile I conservation tabled some crystals + the mud floor at the start of Hippo Hollows +
|
|
the mud banks + spires at the bottom of the Subsoil chamber. Then we went up Earl's new 17m traverse into Earthenware passage, + we
|
|
surveyed as we went in, past various mud pretties + pools, stepping over a large + wet rift pitch + lots of QMs until Earthenware passage
|
|
reduced in size (but sill drafting? hard to tell – draft is <u>very</u> strong into your face at the start of Earthenware). At this point
|
|
we decided to survey down the large passage off left that led steeply down + twisting (<b>Stoneware</b>, as we finally lost the mud), +
|
|
ended in a muddy aven + then a drippy wet aven at a convenient 6.55pm, time to go home. Took the drill battery out. For two people it
|
|
takes ~ 1 1/2 hours to get to the bottom of Subsoil and ~ 2 1/2 hours to get out again, if carrying no real load.</p>
|
|
|
|
<div class="timeug">T/U 11.5hrs</div>
|
|
|
|
<div class="centre"><img src="uworld_rig.jpg" /></div>
|
|
<hr />
|
|
|
|
<div class="tripdate">27/7/04</div>
|
|
<div class="trippeople"><u>Pete</u>, Olly M</div>
|
|
<div class="triptitle">Loser Plateau - 234 - Plateau walk + Hauchhöhle</div>
|
|
|
|
<p>Finally set off up the hill to fetch the remainder of my caving gear at 3.50pm, intending to make a quick return in daylight with the
|
|
gear. Olly M kindly came along for the walk and to help me carry. (Perhaps also the best way to ensure that I didn't get lost on the
|
|
plateau forever more.)</p>
|
|
|
|
<p>The walk proceeded quickly and with minimum moaning on my part (due mostly to my empty rucksack). Olly and I deviated from the path to
|
|
investigate a few cave entrances – turning out to be in the 80s. We were rejoined by Julian and Becka shortly afterwards, near the
|
|
beginning of the slabs.</p>
|
|
|
|
<p>Towards the end of the slabs, I did the often done thing of slipping with one of my walking poles. I then managed to kick said pole,
|
|
and due to the wrist straps not being used (for safety in case the pole got stuck), the pole was projected forward. The pole slipped,
|
|
bounced, then fell. Fell onto the snow plug covering a ~20m deep hole. Rattle, slip, rattle and it was gone. Climbing round the hole
|
|
revealed a 10m drop / abseil / climb down at one end, but the rock was far too loose to attempt the climb, so we continued less one
|
|
walking pole to the stone bridge.</p>
|
|
|
|
<p>Eventually we got packed, fed and watered at the bridge, and after pausing to try and firebomb the fly infested facilities <i>[and
|
|
using up a substantial proportion of the stone bridge petrol supply in the process—DL]</i>, we must have left some time around
|
|
7.20pm. With us, Olly and I took some hangers (in case we found my old spits), a sling, karabiner and a ?m long 9mm rope probably
|
|
de-rigged from Razor Dance. We intended to get that pesky pole back.</p>
|
|
|
|
<p>En route, we stopped off at Hauchhöhle to retrieve my caving gear and whilst there, I decided to go caving and retrieve my slings
|
|
and krabs from the pitch/climb rigging. This was done quickly, replacing the sling + krab with a club pair, and the other Y-hang arm was
|
|
rethreaded through the bomber natural instead of via the sling.</p>
|
|
|
|
<p>Once out of Hauchhöhle, I found Olly hunting around on the edge of the hole for a second thread / natural belay. Tony appeared on
|
|
his way to the bridge, and recommended rigging a scramble down the back end of the hole, where the drop was more, around 10m. We did this,
|
|
rigged from the single bit of usefully fixed rock in the vicinity – a bomber thread.</p>
|
|
|
|
<div class="centre"><img src="pete_fuckwit.jpg" /></div>
|
|
|
|
<p>Pole was retrieved very easily by gently abseiling down and going around the snow plug. Very gently prusiking and self-lining completed
|
|
the ascent (not wanting to damage the 9mm rope over the ledge. Pole was handed up on the end of the rope to safety.</p>
|
|
|
|
<p>Rest of walk on the plateau was uneventful, although both my wellies escaped my rucksack bindings and fell down different (but both
|
|
shallow) grikes. Thankfully the weather remained dry in spite of ominous-looking clouds. The light was poor by this time, and I slipped
|
|
and stumbled more than usual, hurting both of my ankles.</p>
|
|
|
|
<p>Walking back from the huts, we encountered several bovine obstructions blocking our path. In the first instance, a calf lying down in
|
|
the path. Damn. This was not good. We were shortly surrounded by the cattle, who had all stood up and shown an interest. (Including some
|
|
with excessively large horns which looked quite pointy.) Thankfully, walking slowly (very) and calmly defused the situation, and a similar
|
|
one later on was similarly dealt with.</p>
|
|
|
|
<p>Got back to car park tired, sore and bruised at about 10:40pm. I suspect I'll sleep soundly tonight!</p>
|
|
|
|
<div class="timeug">T/U 1hr (Peter)</div>
|
|
|
|
<hr />
|
|
<a id="t2004-07-27B" /></a>
|
|
<div class="tripdate">27/7/04</div>
|
|
<div class="trippeople">Martin, Dave, <u>Dour</u></div>
|
|
<div class="triptitle">204 - Razor Dance</div>
|
|
|
|
<p>My drill was at the bottom of Razor Dance, and since I was about to go home I needed to fish it out. Since there was a shortage of
|
|
people wanting to push the thing further, we decided to do one more push-survey-derig trip. Four days of attempting to dry out my fleecy
|
|
undersuit proved futile (not helped by rushing up the hill in the dark and rain the previous night due to a 12 hour error in the recorded
|
|
callout time for the Eisluft team). So at 8am I pulled on soaking wet undersuit prior to a 10am trip start. Twenty hours later I took it
|
|
off again, and for most of the intervening time I was too cold.</p>
|
|
|
|
<p>Uneventful trip as far as the start of Razor Dance, where the water level was higher than I've ever seen – probably double the usual
|
|
levels. The wet climb was unpleasant but passable so we elected to carry on. Most of the pitches were fine: an extra waterfall had
|
|
appeared at Mash Tun, but it was OK. The bottom of Copper was <u>very</u> wet – borderline dangerous. The rebelay on Yeast is in a star
|
|
place for avoiding the water (shame about the pitch head bolts, which need a tector). In conclusion, Razor Dance will be OK in the wet
|
|
with an extra couple of bolts: one on the first wet climb, and another for a water avoidance deviation on Copper.</p>
|
|
|
|
<p>From the pushing front the stream continues in a tedious winding fashion. Martin headed onward with the drill (having earlier put in a
|
|
rebelay bolt on Pepper Pot) while Dave + Dour surveyed. Dave couldn't read the instruments so I was forced to peer through the murk. Some
|
|
creativity was required to fabricate some data. Much tedious dicking about in the rift to find the right level and a 6m pitch later we
|
|
reached the deep point (204 now 544m deep) where the water goes down a tiny slot. Round the corner an ascending traverse goes to a much
|
|
wider bit (~4m wide) – looks like a weak bed has been exploited to make the widening – the bed is visible cutting across the
|
|
passage. A line is needed where the traverse gets muddy and slippy – lots of brown mud with a black crust with dessication cracks
|
|
(at least there was before I stomped/bum-slid across it). The drill battery had done its usual trick of going from 4 bars to none in no
|
|
time at all, so a Martin special pushing rig was put in place. Cartoon laws of rigging apply: the naturals are sound so long as you don't
|
|
look at them too closely. More bolts needed next time. At the end is a pitch that we couldn't get close enough to see down –
|
|
estimate 20m on the basis of throwing one rock down it (i.e. it could be any length at all). <i>[Incidentally, this point is around 10m
|
|
above the level at which the stream was last seen.—DL]</i></p>
|
|
|
|
<p>Thereafter we (read Dave) derigged out as far as God Loves a Drunk, where soup was consumed. The drill and a bag of rope walked out of
|
|
the cave all on their own, whilst another bag of rope got tired at the bottom of Kiwi Suit. Team foot jammer levitated out whilst
|
|
expending no effort at all, whilst this dinosaur frogged out at his usual funereal pace.</p>
|
|
|
|
<p>Pushing Razor Dance is becoming quite serious in terms of the amount of effort and gear required. It is only worth pushing next year if
|
|
there are enough (i.e. more than 4) moderately hard (but not necessarily bionic) people interested in pushing it.</p>
|
|
|
|
<div class="timeug">T/U Martin 15hrs, Dave 16hrs, Dour 17.5hrs</div>
|
|
|
|
<hr />
|
|
<a id="t2004-07-27C" /></a>
|
|
<div class="tripdate">27/7/04</div>
|
|
<div class="trippeople">Olly B + <u>Jenny</u></div>
|
|
<div class="triptitle">76 - Brave New World</div>
|
|
|
|
<p>Didn't feel like carrying tackle through the Test Tube again, so took survey gear to tick off some leads (hopefully). The first lead we
|
|
looked at was the tube on the right around halfway along, near the probable 99 connection. It got progressively narrower, and then there
|
|
were some small pristine white stals. We decided that it would be hard to get past them without touching them, so surveyed out. Continued
|
|
into Brave New World, and turned left to survey the oxbow passages, these are small and crappy and the 3 passages end up uniting and going
|
|
to a pitch in a stream canyon – we surveyed to here and attempted to plumb the pitch. It is ~6m deep. Still had time left so went the
|
|
other way along BNW, round the pitch and to the chamber we started surveying from on the 25th. Looked down the passage on the right, this
|
|
gets bigger for a bit raising our hopes of this being the Train Tunnel passage we had been looking for, but it got lower and a crawl led
|
|
to a big aven chamber which looked not too hard to climb. From the chamber it was not obvious where we had come from as it all looked
|
|
small, so Olly named it "No Ways Chamber" though in fact I found another crawl out near ours that became vadose passage of a reasonable
|
|
size to an aven – this is still to be surveyed.</p>
|
|
|
|
<div class="timeug">T/U 4.75hrs</div>
|
|
|
|
<hr />
|
|
<a id="t2004-07-29A" /></a>
|
|
<div class="tripdate">29/7/04</div>
|
|
<div class="trippeople"><u>Jenny</u> + Olly B</div>
|
|
<div class="triptitle">76 - 76 and surface shaft</div>
|
|
|
|
<p>Olly wasn't feeling too well, so he did some surface stuff whilst I went into Brave New World to retrieve the hangers, skyhook, slings
|
|
etc, and to carry a bag of rope down to The Ledge ready for the next day.</p>
|
|
|
|
<div class="timeug">T/U Jenny 1.5hrs</div>
|
|
|
|
<hr />
|
|
<a id="t2004-07-30A" /></a>
|
|
<div class="tripdate">30/7/04</div>
|
|
<div class="trippeople"><u>Becka</u>, Earl, Nial + Julian</div>
|
|
<div class="triptitle">204 - Subsoil – Fat Worm Blows a Sparky</div>
|
|
|
|
<p>Off to rig + survey leads at the end of Hippo Hollows in Subsoil. Nial + Becka surveyed two tubes on the left at the end of Hippo
|
|
Hollows. First just popped out to look over the rift that the main passage ended on. Further back, the tube went steeply up to a small
|
|
pitch. Earl put in two bolts for a Y-hang. We put in a comedy traverse over the top of the pitch (not far, but rigged on feeble naturals
|
|
on the far side, and passing over slippery mud) and continued the survey up the tube the far side to a small pitch with a possible vocal
|
|
connection to the rift at the end of Hippo Hollows. Pitch a QM B. Then back to the Y-hang and I descended the short pitch. A
|
|
<em>small</em> crawl at the bottom seemed to immediately open out onto a pitch. I didn't push it (needed to take SRT kit off) but another
|
|
QM B.</p>
|
|
|
|
<p>Meanwhile Earl had belayed Julian as he free-climbed down the rift at the end of Hippo Hollows to descend into <b>Fat Worm Blows a
|
|
Sparky</b>. Becka and Nial surveyed down into FWBAS and started to survey there whilst Earl tried to drill spits for a more sensible rig
|
|
down to FWBAS (and failed – we were using a rope dangled down the rift with lots of rubs so you have to free climb up and down). Found
|
|
some weird white formations like plastic in a passage at the end of the survey, which Julian photographed.</p>
|
|
|
|
<div class="timeug">T/U 10 hrs</div>
|
|
|
|
<hr />
|
|
<a id="t2004-07-30B" /></a>
|
|
<div class="tripdate">30/7/04</div>
|
|
<div class="trippeople"><u>Dave</u>, Stuart</div>
|
|
<div class="triptitle">234 - Hauchhöhle: How to knacker yourself in the least interesting way possible</div>
|
|
|
|
<p>Plan was to do a quick Hauch trip then a surface wander. Proceeded to bottom of pitch rigged by Earl on a previous trip, where there
|
|
was a half-drilled Hilti hole. Drilled this fully, + placed a Y-hang (plus one duff spit that sank too deep).</p>
|
|
|
|
<p>At the bottom of the pitch is a small (~5m x ~8m) kidney-shaped area of floor. At one end is a rift pitch-head blocked by a large
|
|
boulder. I spent a while loosening it, but although it settled slightly it wouldn't shift.</p>
|
|
|
|
<p>Drill battery unfortunately ran out halfway through the Y-hang. Stuart free-climbed down it (lunatic) and couldn't get back out again. I
|
|
put in a very dodgy deviation + he prusiked out on the previous pitch rope. Apparently it is a ~4m climb initially and beyond this is a
|
|
stream rift.</p>
|
|
|
|
<p>While prusiking out I spotted a window in the side of the shaft. Swinging into this revealed an upwards-sloping tube about 80cm dia; I
|
|
wandered up this for 5m or so to a leftwards bend, at which point I decided to come back another day with survey gear.</p>
|
|
|
|
<p>HOWEVER while carrying out one of the tacklesacks through Doesn't Go Rift I did something rather odd to my back, so I haven't caved
|
|
since. Buggeration.</p>
|
|
|
|
<div class="centre"><img src="pieseriessketch.jpg" /></div>
|
|
|
|
<div class="timeug">T/U 4hrs</div>
|
|
|
|
<hr />
|
|
<a id="t2004-07-30C" /></a>
|
|
<div class="tripdate">30/7/04</div>
|
|
<div class="trippeople"><u>Jenny</u> + Olly B</div>
|
|
<div class="triptitle">76 - Keg Series</div>
|
|
|
|
<p>Went down to the top of Keg Series with lots of rigging gear + drill. Olly did some more gardening (but there is still lots of loose
|
|
stuff around) and went down; rather than heading straight down the pitch like last time, he swung across into the passage ~ 1/3 of the way
|
|
down. The horizontal passage only went a few metres before becoming choked to the right, and rejoining the pitch on the left. Anyway Olly
|
|
rigged down a different shaft leaving on the left that rejoined the direct pitch at the bottom + nicely avoided water + loose rocks. At
|
|
the next pitch head I foolishly remarked that it would be nice if it sumped round the corner, so we could look somewhere nice (+ less
|
|
loose).</p>
|
|
|
|
<p>The next pitch was actually nice, less loose + BIG, it was rigged with a deviation + a knot pass, but needs more/better deviation(s).
|
|
This took us down to another ledge 25m below; from here Olly rigged a 3rd pitch (with a deviation in) that after 25m reached a really big
|
|
ledge with (for the first time in a while) a solid rock floor. Olly went down a short, 5m pitch, whilst I commented on how big and
|
|
therefore significant this passage/pitch series was. At the bottom Olly found a sump and I felt guilty for wanting one earlier...</p>
|
|
|
|
<p>I climbed down to check it really was a sump (it was, and not a very impressive one at that) whilst Olly looked at a small passage
|
|
going off the other way till it got small; I came out and looked there – after a short crawl (~5m) it met a small stream passage
|
|
which I followed for a short way till it felt small + committing – the passage does however continue. Meanwhile Olly had found a
|
|
more promising lead by climbing above the sump and following a tortuous vadose canyon downhill until it got bigger and became another
|
|
pitch series; we decided to leave this for next year and surveyed out to the top of Keg Series.</p>
|
|
|
|
<p>On the middle big pitch I had a bad feeling about the rope rubbing so was prusiking fairly gently. Once I was ~1/2 way up I noticed the
|
|
rope was caught round a flake above the deviation and was rubbing lots + lots over a fairly sharp edge. This made me scared, lots. I
|
|
wished we weren't using 9mm rope too. I shouted up to Olly what had happened + that I was going to prusik very carefully, unless he had
|
|
any bright ideas for what to do. Olly suggested I prusik very very carefully. I carried on up, past the knot pass, cursing Olly's rigging
|
|
(sorry) till I got to the deviation which I clipped into (keeping my jammers on as well). Despite the deviation being on a dodgy small
|
|
spike with a retired sling I felt a whole lot safer and pondered what to do next. The only option me or Olly could think of was to pass
|
|
the deviation so I could up-flick the rope, then prusik gently past the rub point. I was careful not to look at the rope until past the
|
|
rub, because that was how Olly said cartoons work! Anyway the rope was only a bit furry, I didn't die and we exited the rest of the cave
|
|
uneventfully.</p>
|
|
|
|
<div class="timeug">T/U 12hrs</div>
|
|
|
|
<hr />
|
|
<a id="t2004-07-30D" /></a>
|
|
<div class="tripdate">30/7/04</div>
|
|
<div class="trippeople">Tony + <u>Brian</u></div>
|
|
<div class="triptitle">Cave 2003-02 - bolting</div>
|
|
|
|
<p>Using club drill + blue dynamic rope, bolted around corner from pitch head bolt (2003-02-01 survey station #8) and up wall on right
|
|
side of chamber to small window. Squeezed through to small chamber (~5m) with no way on. Derigged + exit.</p>
|
|
|
|
<hr />
|
|
<a id="t2004-07-31A" /></a>
|
|
<div class="tripdate">31/7/04</div>
|
|
<div class="trippeople"><u>Becka</u>, Julian, Earl, Frank, Nial</div>
|
|
<div class="triptitle">204 - Subsoil</div>
|
|
|
|
<p>Becka + Julian set off an hour ahead of the crowd + did some virtuous QM ticking by surveying up the sandy tube at the top of the
|
|
Subsoil chamber where Gardeners' World / U. C. pitch comes in. The right tube closed down. The left one was small but straightforward and
|
|
connected in to Earl + my Heavily Soiled survey so ticked off one of the sandy crawl QMs there too (still leaving another crawl QM off
|
|
from Heavily Soiled to be checked). Back to Subsoil and met others. I went with Frank to continue the Earthenware survey, going straight
|
|
ahead where Stoneware branched left. After a short while continuing straight ahead, I saw black space up to the right so we surveyed up
|
|
there (<strong>care</strong>, nice calcite on left wall, we conservation-taped this route off on the next trip). Into <u>big</u> passage
|
|
and surveyed left (north). The roof rapidly closed in due to massive collapse of rock from the roof to end in a boulder choke which didn't
|
|
really draft.</p>
|
|
|
|
<p>Back to Subsoil and Frank headed out. Earl was still trying to get a better rig into Fat Worm Blows a Sparky (see yesterday). Nial and
|
|
I continued the survey off FWBAS from Julian + his survey until we'd run out of time + pretty well ticked off all the horizontal leads.
|
|
The last bit of our survey down a thin rift only needed a handline to protect a climb down and was the deepest part surveyed. <i>[As far
|
|
as I can tell from the survey this doesn't seem to be true – station 17 of the Fat Worm 2 survey is a good five metres
|
|
lower.—DL]</i> Where Nial and I started to survey, beyond the dead bat, there was a free-climb (QM B) up to the left which then
|
|
needed protecting for the final few metres up to an enticing-looking lead. We surveyed a rift to the right. On an alcove on the left in
|
|
the sandy floor were HUNDREDS of bat bones, as if a whole roost had died there. There are many bat bones throughout Subsoil (washing out
|
|
of the mud?) but especially concentrated here. Heading down from this point on the 3/8/04 trip I checked this: it continued steeply down
|
|
boulders to a small chamber with a small wet aven – just about a QM B. This is noted on the first page of the 3/8/04 survey notes from
|
|
Becka and Nial (pocket 2004#44). Earl then was removed from his rigging and we went home, letting Earl escape first to get the food
|
|
on.</p>
|
|
|
|
<div class="timeug">T/U Becka 12 hours, Nial 11, Earl 10, Julian 9.5, Frank 8.5</div>
|
|
|
|
<hr />
|
|
<a id="t2004-07-31B" /></a>
|
|
<div class="tripdate">31/7/04</div>
|
|
<div class="trippeople"><u>Jenny</u> + Olly B</div>
|
|
<div class="triptitle">Loser Plateau - Surface stuff</div>
|
|
|
|
<p>Walked towards the high point approximately west of 76 and the bivvy. Just below (on the east side) of the high point we found a series
|
|
of 3 entrances along a fault/joint; we called this 2004-05. They were 10m to a ledge, then seemed to go deeper, but we didn't have tackle
|
|
and I couldn't get the rocks to drop there.</p>
|
|
|
|
<div class="centre"><img src="2004-05sketch.jpg" /></div>
|
|
|
|
<p>Continued further, going back to the bivvy, but further north than the outward route. Found a rift below a line of small cliffs -
|
|
2004-06.</p>
|
|
|
|
<div class="centre"><img src="2004-06sketch.jpg" /></div>
|
|
|
|
<p>Shortly later we found another entrance which was going to be 2004-07, until
|
|
I found paint (90/5) and a tag (175), so we continued on until we say a
|
|
walk/scramble-in entrance on the right. This has a drawn up survey and is
|
|
<b>2004-07</b>. <i>[Arrow pointing into a blank
|
|
space marked "GPS".]</i></p>
|
|
|
|
<p>Further still back, we came across a large chamber with collapsed roof and
|
|
two entrances. We forgot to survey it at all put it was photoed by Olly and
|
|
GPSsed. <i>[Another arrow into the blank space.]</i></p>
|
|
|
|
<p>We then walked back to where Tantalus Schacht should be and didn't find it,
|
|
but did allocate <b>2004-09</b>, which is a shaft with "a good drop and rattle"
|
|
– sorry no photos or survey, but it was GPSsed.</p>
|
|
|
|
<p>P.S. Olly's GPS seems to have lost these coords, so we'll have to re-find
|
|
them next year.</p>
|
|
|
|
<hr />
|
|
<a id="t2004-07-31C" /></a>
|
|
<div class="tripdate">31/7/04</div>
|
|
<div class="trippeople">Tony + <u>Brian</u></div>
|
|
<div class="triptitle">Cave - Skinny Festerers</div>
|
|
|
|
<p>Rigged in to base of pitch. Tony put in 2 bolts to climb A lead in right wall of chamber. Revealed short passage to corner; left way on
|
|
blocked by boulders – persuaded downwards – revealing a climbable rift to a tube again blocked by removable boulders, to narrow low
|
|
awkward passage to pitch head blocked by large boulder. Needed persuaders. Went home.</p>
|
|
|
|
<hr />
|
|
<a id="t2004-08-01A" /></a>
|
|
<div class="tripdate">1/8/04</div>
|
|
<div class="trippeople"><u>Becka</u>, Martin + Julian</div>
|
|
<div class="triptitle">204 - Earthenware</div>
|
|
|
|
<p>Martin was keen to see Gaffered. Julian and I were feeling a bit worn but went for it. Down to where Frank and I had finished our
|
|
survey yesterday. We connected our survey in to an earlier point along Earthenware where Frank and I had made a vocal connection yesterday
|
|
then continued the survey south going relatively slowly due to Martin's conscientious note-taking. Very large passage ended in a mud choke
|
|
but we turned off left up a reasonably large passage heading up steeply. This closed down to a small chamber with an unpromising rift off
|
|
to the left but it drafted well and after some short legs we popped out into the bottom of a large mud ramp. We surveyed up this as far as
|
|
was sensible given the slope + the very slippery mud – would be OK with a handline. Then back down the slope and surveyed up a very
|
|
similar mud ramp off to the side: this ended in a short climb which could be straightforward but would be best protected + wasn't worth us
|
|
doing as it looked like it led straight to a pitch. Then retreated back to near the boulder collapse where Frank and I had surveyed
|
|
yesterday and surveyed up a thin drafting tube that I had noticed yesterday. This led up steeply with a pitch (with a nasty mud slope at
|
|
the edge and uncertain floor beneath); at the top and to the left is a small chamber with a boulder choke which is presumably the same as
|
|
the main choke at the west end of the big passage. Out.</p>
|
|
|
|
<div class="timeug">T/U 10 hours</div>
|
|
|
|
<hr />
|
|
<a id="t2004-08-01B" /></a>
|
|
<div class="tripdate">1/8/04</div>
|
|
<div class="trippeople"><u>Jenny</u> + Olly B</div>
|
|
<div class="triptitle">76 - to the Tap Room</div>
|
|
|
|
<p>Went back down to the top of Keg Series, but this time continued down the 70s route, down a short climb to a small chamber. The route
|
|
continued down the rift; we used a chockstone (a big one) as a backup and Olly suggested a good place for a spit. I climbed round and
|
|
started to put the spit in; I got as far as it nearly being set when I gave up (sore ankle + leg cramp) + let Olly take over. Olly was
|
|
impressed at how far out I had managed to place the spit and didn't call me a wuss for not finishing it. A deviation got us to the next
|
|
ledge where Olly put in a backup spit and got started on a Y. Over the space of a couple of minutes what was a very distant small water
|
|
trickle became very loud + sounded very close – I was concerned that a raging torrent along with loose rocks would appear from an aven
|
|
above; fortunately it didn't and we didn't die. It transpired that it had started to rain about 40mins earlier. Olly carried on down the
|
|
pitch and got to a narrowish rift; this widened out where a passage joined from the right into a chamber with big boulders (the Tap Room).
|
|
This was very drippy and wet so we left rigging on for another day and looked at the other inlet, reached from a small climb. This soon
|
|
intersected a big pitch, with the passage continuing on – it looked reasonably easy to swing across, but we left this for a later date. We
|
|
surveyed and derigged out; I greased the spits as well, until the grease ran out at the bottom of Plugged Shaft, which was good as we had
|
|
far too much to carry already.</p>
|
|
|
|
<div class="timeug">T/U 10hrs</div>
|
|
|
|
<hr />
|
|
<a id="t2004-08-01C" /></a>
|
|
<div class="tripdate">1/8/04</div>
|
|
<div class="trippeople"><u>Stuart</u>, Olly M, Mark S</div>
|
|
<div class="triptitle">Loser Plateau - Surface prospecting near Hauchhöhle</div>
|
|
|
|
<p>Mark arrives at the stone bridge previous night, claiming thousands of new <u>really good</u> caves near Hauchhöhle, maybe doing
|
|
important link of 204->161/elsewhere. Much amazement ensues.</p>
|
|
|
|
<p>1st Aug sees motley crüe going to look @ said holes, who then find most of them go ~3m.</p>
|
|
|
|
<p>Further exploration found large fault with a few caves of slight biggerness. Minging through trip found (minging whilst in surface
|
|
clothes) and a promising lead or two also noted.</p>
|
|
|
|
<p>When finally changed into cave gear, one of these leads was surveyed (<b>2004-14</b>), bolted and photographed. At this point rumbling
|
|
from the heavens stopped play.</p>
|
|
|
|
<p>Sheltering in the through trip cave, a small crawl was found (and later this cave was surveyed by Olly & Frank (<b>2004-15</b>),
|
|
and crawl gets too tight).</p>
|
|
|
|
<p>Boredom set in, leading to a desperate flight across the plateau in the Donner + Blitzen, which was very silly.</p>
|
|
|
|
<div class="timeug">T/U ~0.5h – maybe less, at no point out of light from surface.</div>
|
|
|
|
<hr />
|
|
<a id="t2004-08-01D" /></a>
|
|
<div class="tripdate">1/8/04</div>
|
|
<div class="trippeople">Tony + <u>Brian</u></div>
|
|
<div class="triptitle">Cave - Skinny Festerers</div>
|
|
|
|
<p>Came back with lump hammer and crowbar and persuaded boulder to reduce in size. Tony forced a way through to place a pitch head bolt
|
|
and descend to small chamber with a squeeze through a rift in the floor. Descended to rifty chamber with no way on. Went home.</p>
|
|
|
|
<hr />
|
|
<a id="t2004-08-02A" /></a>
|
|
<div class="tripdate">2/8/04</div>
|
|
<div class="trippeople"><u>Becka</u>, Nial, Stuart, Earl + Martin</div>
|
|
<div class="triptitle">204 - Loop closures + Cresta Run</div>
|
|
|
|
<p>Becka + Nial in early to take some BDH + Peli case sponsorship photos, and to derig the pitches into Rhino Rift and take the rope to
|
|
the end of Swings + Roundabouts. Martin (with Earl as a backup rigger) then went up the rope which Martin had put in the bolts for earlier
|
|
this Expo (and that Earl had climbed putting in hand-bolts in ?2001 / ?2000) and rigged down the far side and – bingo – found a survey
|
|
station from Helter Skelter. Meanwhile team survey (Becka, Nial + Stuart) surveyed <b>Trapeze</b>, a climb to a gallery above the main
|
|
Swings passage and a small chamber below which can be reached by a squeeze at the bottom of the main passage – Nial and I had looked at
|
|
this on 18th July and Stuart and Earl had independently looked at it on a later trip. <i>[21/7/04 I think.—DL]</i></p>
|
|
|
|
<p>Then off to the Helter Skelter connection and started surveying this whilst Martin + Earl took the drill to Insignificant Chamber to QM
|
|
2000-10A, where they put in a natural back up, Y-hang with spits, bolted deviation to a ledge about 15-20m down then two more spits in
|
|
rubbish rock to descend to floor of Pleasuredome, maybe 45m down (this needs surveying).</p>
|
|
|
|
<p>Meanwhile Stuart, Nial + Becka had found a thin rift leading off from the pitch which dropped into Helter Skelter + surveyed down this
|
|
(<b>Cresta Run</b>, as it zig-zagged steeply down) to a small chamber (apparently the boulder choke at the top end of this is very close
|
|
to the end of Rat Biscuit on the survey – worth trying for a connection some time?). Cresta Run continued steeply down + we finished the
|
|
survey at a pitch head with possible horizontal leads and a shortish pitch with possibly another chamber beyond. We then derigged the
|
|
Helter Skelter pitch (but <strong>left</strong> the up-rope from Swings + Roundabouts – would be horrible to derig anyway) + took the rope
|
|
to Martin + Earl so they could finish their Pleasuredome pitch. We then did a short survey to link the Insignificant Chamber survey to
|
|
Julian Todd's climb out of Rhino Rift this year to complete the second large loop closure of the trip. A very productive + varied
|
|
trip!</p>
|
|
|
|
<div class="timeug">T/U Martin + Earl 9 hours; Becka + Nial 8 hours; Stuart 7 hours</div>
|
|
|
|
<hr />
|
|
<a id="t2004-08-03A" /></a>
|
|
<div class="tripdate">3/8/04</div>
|
|
<div class="trippeople"><u>Becka</u>, Nial + Earl</div>
|
|
<div class="triptitle">204 - Push Subsoil + start to derig Gaffered</div>
|
|
|
|
<p>I thought it would be a bit weedy to just derig on the trip so I arm-twisted Nial into some QM-ticking + surveying and Earl into some
|
|
rigging. We started by going to Fat Worm Blows a Sparky and I put conservation tape round the freshly (quite) dead bat in Bat Chamber and
|
|
around the alcove of bat bones documented on 31/7/04, whilst Nial derigged Earl's (as yet unused!) rigging for the pitch into it. Helped
|
|
Earl get the drill + rope to Subsoil then sent Earl off up Gardeners World with 40m rope and his drill to bolt down Black Maria.</p>
|
|
|
|
<p>Meanwhile Nial + I went to Earthenware and went up a QM A on the right (before Stoneware) that ended in a boulder choke. Off the side
|
|
of this was a thin and very steeply rising rift which we surveyed partway up. I continued up it, climbing to only around 2m below where it
|
|
looked like a horizontal phreatic tube was coming in, but it would be worth protection for the last bit of this climb up before checking
|
|
it out. (QM B – drafting.) Then down + along Earthenware to a tube off to the left which drafted <em>strongly</em>. This was initially
|
|
small but popped out to a complicated area with a QM A straight ahead. We turned right + briefly popped out into big passage. This was
|
|
horizontal then sloped up steeply becoming a boulder chute and closing down, and finished at a pitch head with a drop of at least 2
|
|
seconds and maybe a way up above the pitch (but this would need protection to look at and the boulders were dubious).</p>
|
|
|
|
<p>Derigged the traverse + the 4m pitch into Earthenware and Nial [went] off to find Earl whilst I derigged Gardeners World. Earl had put
|
|
in a bolt and a sling to let you get into / out of Oxtail Oxbow easily (we have taped off Bracket Fungus Passage to stop people using it,
|
|
so everyone should be going via Oxtail Oxbow). Earl had put the spits in for Black Maria but didn't have enough rope so we gave him some
|
|
+ he put in a knot pass + descended. Apparently the shaft (large at the head of Sirens) narrows down so there is only a relatively small
|
|
chamber at the bottom with only a QM C leading off downslope from the bottom. Nial + I were very relieved to find the tape was
|
|
<em>just</em> long enough to survey to the bottom of the pitch without us having to descend it. Earl derigged and I derigged the traverse
|
|
then we collected all our rubbish together at the base of the Gaffered pitches. Nial and I each got a a very stuffed tacklesack while Earl
|
|
got his drill and associated rubbish. I volunteered to start derigging the 65m so went up last. I'd foolishly forgotten the traverse up to
|
|
Eeyore – how? I had a brief + foolhardy attempt to derig it with my 1.5 tacklesacks. Wrong. I then moved the bags to the end of the
|
|
traverse and had another go. Still impossible – <u>nothing</u> to stand on. Whinged up at Earl and was tempted to abandon it but I finally
|
|
stuck a sling around a knobble at the top, derigged the top bolt on the traverse then free-climbed down the other side of the rift to the
|
|
traverse (which was how Earl and I had rigged it this year). After that derigged the 65m fine + headed up slowly with both jammers
|
|
slipping badly again on the rope due to mud – despite our best efforts at cleaning wellies and jammers. Waited whilst Earl put in one good
|
|
and two failed spits at the top of Gaffered to improve the traverse at the head and out, at last, tired.</p>
|
|
|
|
<div class="timeug">T/U 12 hours</div>
|
|
|
|
<hr />
|
|
<a id="t2004-08-03B" /></a>
|
|
<div class="tripdate">3/8/04</div>
|
|
<div class="trippeople"><u>Jenny</u> + Olly B</div>
|
|
<div class="triptitle">76 - Brave New World</div>
|
|
|
|
<p>Went to Brave New World to look at the pitch lead, had too much gear to carry through the Test Tube, so whilst Olly started to bolt I
|
|
went back for a second carry. I returned to find that Olly had traversed a short way across from the pitch head and stepped right into a
|
|
drafting alcove; this led to a big phreatic passage which made a sharp turn and became quite a high rift. We traversed along near the top
|
|
of this to some boulders where we climbed down to the bottom and followed round a few bends to a pitch into something big. Olly reckoned
|
|
it was probably the bottom of Plugged Shaft; I traversed out far enough to see the scaffold bar, which clinched it. We surveyed out, but
|
|
didn't drop the pitch to close the loop. (This rift is called <b>Forward to the Past</b>.)</p>
|
|
|
|
<p>Went back up to BNW to survey and fully look at the passage leading off from No Ways Chamber. Olly looked at a low crawl off, but it
|
|
didn't go too far before getting too small (though it did draft). Went to survey the big passage I found on the 27th, at the aven at the
|
|
end. Olly climbed up to the right but it ended. Straight ahead was another climb, but neither of us could quite make it without gear – it
|
|
looked like 1 or 2 passages led off at maybe 6m high. Finished surveying and headed out.</p>
|
|
|
|
<div class="timeug">T/U 10.5 hrs</div>
|
|
|
|
<hr />
|
|
<a id="t2004-08-03C" /></a>
|
|
<div class="tripdate">3/8/04</div>
|
|
<div class="trippeople"><u>Stuart</u>, Olly M</div>
|
|
<div class="triptitle">204 - Razor Dance Derig</div>
|
|
|
|
<p>In the absence of anybody else willing to do it, Olly and I derigged Razor. Delightful.</p>
|
|
|
|
<p>Found 1 Martin and 1 Frank after we had got as far as derigging bottom two pitches of Kiwi Suit. Assisted in derigging as far as top of
|
|
Kiwi Suit, where Olly and I jacked.</p>
|
|
|
|
<div class="timeug">T/U Olly M 10.5 hrs; Stuart 11.5 hrs.</div>
|
|
|
|
<hr />
|
|
<a id="t2004-08-04A" /></a>
|
|
<div class="tripdate">4/8/04</div>
|
|
<div class="trippeople"><u>Becka</u>, Earl + Nial</div>
|
|
<div class="triptitle">204 - Finish derigging Gaffered</div>
|
|
|
|
<p>A finely honed plan worked slickly: Nial down at 11am to pick up the pre-packed tacklesack I'd derigged yesterday. Earl in at 11.30 and
|
|
derigged the 90m on the rest of Gaffered. Becka in at 12.15. Earl + I bickered over who got to prusik out of Gaffered with the tacklesack
|
|
- my superior pride trumped Earl's superior strength and fitness so he got to derig Gaffered whilst I shuttled the tacklesacks up the
|
|
cave.</p>
|
|
|
|
<div class="timeug">T/U Nial + Becka 3 hours; Earl 4 hours</div>
|
|
|
|
<hr />
|
|
<a id="t2004-08-04B" /></a>
|
|
<div class="tripdate">4/8/04</div>
|
|
<div class="trippeople"><u>Dave</u>, Martin, Frank</div>
|
|
<div class="triptitle">204 - derigging continued</div>
|
|
|
|
<p>After the sterling efforts of Olly, Stuart, Martin + Frank the previous day all the rope had made it to the bottom of Pot-U-Like. Newly
|
|
recovered from a knackered back I was raring to go, but nobody else was very keen. Demonstrating keenness and stupidity in equal measure I
|
|
set off alone and got lots of rope + sacks up the pitch, dismantling the paella as it arrived.</p>
|
|
|
|
<p>Of course once 90% of the stuff was up, the very last haul rope got tangled with the SRT line, so I had to go down the pitch to sort it
|
|
out. At this point Martin + Frank arrived and hauled the rope across the top of You're So Veined while I derigged the short pitch. We
|
|
rejoined at the bottom of Thread Pitch, hauled up that + derigged it.</p>
|
|
|
|
<p>From here we managed to paella to the bottom of Jim'll Fix It, then to the bottom of the entrance pitch, then out to the surface.</p>
|
|
|
|
<div class="timeug">T/U No idea. Perhaps Dave 4hrs, M + F 3hrs.</div>
|
|
|
|
<hr />
|
|
<a id="t2004-08-04C" /></a>
|
|
<div class="tripdate">4/8/04</div>
|
|
<div class="trippeople"><u>Jenny</u> + Olly B</div>
|
|
<div class="triptitle">76 - Brave New World pitch series</div>
|
|
|
|
<p>Went back to the pitch carrying on below Forward to the Past. Olly rigged down to the rock bridge down to to a ledge where a passage
|
|
doubled back and dropped a small pitch which was choked at the bottom. The main pitch continued down the same fault plane (N.B. Fault has
|
|
~1m offset and dips slightly to the E; strike ~ 230°). This pitch led to another short one before things got smaller, we got cold and
|
|
time was running out. We started surveying out from here leaving a pitch with a couple of seconds' drop (though the rock bounced once).
|
|
Derigged back up to BNW whilst surveying and then traversed over the pitch to see if the main BNW passage continued; it did, initially
|
|
quite big and rift-like with a trench in the floor (Olly named this the <b>Boiling Tube</b>). After a bit a passage left on the left
|
|
followed by an aven, shortly later another passage (this time mud-choked) left on the right and the main one got smaller, so we surveyed
|
|
back from here.</p>
|
|
|
|
<p>Again we had too much gear to carry out so I went back for the 3rd tacklesack whilst Olly abbed down to the ledge below The Ledge to
|
|
derig. After this we both heroically carried out lots of gear + I derigged. I hadn't realised how much harder swinging around to derig
|
|
would be with 2 heavy tacklesacks. By the top of Draught Bitter I gave up on taking both bags together and shuttled them up. By the end of
|
|
derigging I only had enough strength to carry 1 bag out of the cave + stumble back to the bivvy where Olly had kindly cooked me food. He
|
|
then went back to retrieve the bag.</p>
|
|
|
|
<div class="timeug">T/U Jenny 13.75 hrs; Olly 13.25hrs</div>
|
|
|
|
<hr />
|
|
<a id="t2004-08-04D" /></a>
|
|
<div class="tripdate">4/8/04</div>
|
|
<div class="trippeople"><u>Stuart</u>, Olly M</div>
|
|
<div class="triptitle">Loser Plateau - Surface work near Hauchhöhle part 2</div>
|
|
|
|
<p>Photographed and tagged 2004-15.</p>
|
|
|
|
<hr />
|
|
<a id="t2004-08-04E" /></a>
|
|
<div class="tripdate">4/8/04</div>
|
|
<div class="trippeople">Tony, Julian, <u>Brian</u></div>
|
|
<div class="triptitle">Cave 2004-12 - Finish 2004-12</div>
|
|
|
|
<p>Followed draft into the cave, and investigated all obvious + easy leads. Draft was emerging from tight tube at floor level. This was
|
|
squeezed to a small chamber. Still drafting. Rocks were removed and the way was squeezed to a second small chamber. Still drafting. Brian
|
|
removed rocks outwards then Julian kicked rocks in to pass another squeeze into a roomier boulder slope. Downslope emerged into
|
|
walking/stooping sized passage which was quickly by recognised by Julian as Iceland of KH. Found a red paint survey spot from 2003 G
|
|
entrance resurvey and surveyed out from this. Exited cave and walked back to 204 via cliff. En route back Tony found a horizontal entrance
|
|
that he investigated: horizontal phreas to T-junction, upslope to choked chamber entrance, downslope to more horizontal phreas bypassing
|
|
pitch in floor. Tony exited. We went home. Cave tagged <b>2004-19</b>.</p>
|
|
|
|
<hr />
|
|
<a id="t2004-08-05A" /></a>
|
|
<div class="tripdate">5/8/04</div>
|
|
<div class="trippeople">Jenny + <u>Olly B</u></div>
|
|
<div class="triptitle">Cave 108 - Cave 2004-02 - Descending "108" and 2004-02</div>
|
|
|
|
<p>We found a cave marked 108 near 76, but it doesn't match the description on the website (vertical entrance rather than horizontal) so
|
|
we checked it out. It's marked with paint "108" and has a spit in the centre of the "0". The spit isn't great, but there's a good chunky
|
|
flake to use too. The shaft descends ~9m to a ledge. At this level there's a horizontal passage which leads immediately to a 4m deep blind
|
|
rift pitch. Back in the main shaft, a few natural rebelays get you to a floor just under 30m down. At one end of the rift a draught
|
|
emerges from rocks, but removing some rocks it appears it would need quite a lot of work to make progress and the continuation may be too
|
|
small anyway.</p>
|
|
|
|
<p>We then went to look at 2004-02. This is a draughting hole very near the 76 bivvy with a chossy entrance. Just inside is a crap snow
|
|
plug which collapsed a lot. The draught issues from a too-narrow rift roughly below the entrance. The top of the rift has a large rock
|
|
wedged in. This can be rocked if pulled very hard. Perhaps it's worth removing to see if the rift is wide enough at the top? It's
|
|
definitely wider beyond the rift.</p>
|
|
|
|
<div class="timeug">T/U Olly 1hr</div>
|
|
|
|
<hr />
|
|
<a id="t2004-08-05B" /></a>
|
|
<div class="tripdate">5/8/04</div>
|
|
<div class="trippeople">Tony, <u>Brian</u></div>
|
|
<div class="triptitle">Cave 2004-19 - pushing</div>
|
|
|
|
<p>Very arduous and contorted route to cave. GPS essential. Surveyed in. Surveyed 2 entrances, one horizontal, one upslope vertical.
|
|
Surveyed into cave via phreatic tube to crossroads: straight on, choked; right to choked chamber. Left through nice phreas with pitch
|
|
shortly in floor. Bypassing this, passage continues to T-junction. Right is to choke but easily passable. Left to 2m climb to chamber.
|
|
Left again to 2nd chamber and right, upslope to aven + daylight. We surveyed in the cave to what we thought was a plumb. Tony exited the
|
|
cave to try to find this shaft. After much whooping and hollering he eventually succeeded and we made noodles and went home. Very arduous
|
|
and contorted route back to stone bridge.</p>
|
|
|
|
<hr />
|
|
<a id="t2004-08-06A" /></a>
|
|
<div class="tripdate">6/8/04</div>
|
|
<div class="trippeople"><u>Dave</u>, Nial</div>
|
|
<div class="triptitle">204 - Miscellaneous 204 stuff</div>
|
|
|
|
<p>Descended 204a ent pitches and wandered up Near End Series as far as the supposed end of the Colonnade connection. Didn't look at all
|
|
promising – clearing some cobbles revealed two passages heading in the right directions but both were far too tight. Derigged out of
|
|
A.</p>
|
|
|
|
<p>After a cup of tea we went back down E and slogged across to the up-pitch into Cresta Run. Attempting to dig into Rat Biscuit was no
|
|
more successful than the last dig, owing to the excessive mobility of the boulder pile (one the size of the tatty hut fridge nearly
|
|
squished my leg). Some hammering revealed a hole in the floor, which consultant small person (i.e. not me) climbed into, and had rather
|
|
more difficulty getting out of.</p>
|
|
|
|
<p>Having got bored of this we had a look at the pitch at the end of Cresta. The traverse round to the left proved possible without a rope
|
|
(although somewhat entertaining on the return, as we were later to find). This revealed a tall rift passage passable at roof level,
|
|
leading to a chamber full of boulders. The rift has a strong draught but this just disappears into the boulders. There is an arguable
|
|
lead: a crawl underneath a boulder the size of a small car, supported a foot off the floor by nothing whatsoever. Surveyed out; maybe 25m
|
|
of survey (I don't know, I left the notes up the hill – doh!) <i>[Not a bad guess – it was 25.49m]</i>.</p>
|
|
|
|
<hr />
|
|
<a id="t2004-08-06B" /></a>
|
|
<div class="tripdate">6/8/04</div>
|
|
<div class="trippeople"><u>Stuart</u>, Martin, Mark S</div>
|
|
<div class="triptitle">Base Camp - Grabenbach Canyon</div>
|
|
|
|
<p>What an ace place. Really good. And that's only the walk-in. Probably required less rope than we took. Lots of silly jumping into deep
|
|
pools, and sliding down dodgy waterfalls on one's arse. (But only if you are called Stuart or Martin. Mark was sensible and used ropes. How
|
|
boring.) Personal highlight of slipping whilst jumping 5-6m from a ledge into a pool, and executing a perfect sideways belly flop (if such
|
|
a thing is possible).</p>
|
|
|
|
<div class="timeug">Time in water 4.5hrs. Time under water 1 min (Martin + Stuart), 10secs (Mark).</div>
|
|
|
|
<hr />
|
|
<a id="t2004-08-07A" /></a>
|
|
<div class="tripdate">7/8/04</div>
|
|
<div class="trippeople"><u>Dave</u>, Nial</div>
|
|
<div class="triptitle">234 - Hauchhöhle</div>
|
|
|
|
<p>Woke up to the realisation that as nobody had appeared from base camp with a drill battery, and the club drill was not inspiring in
|
|
its rotational speed, we had nothing better to do than re-rig Hauchhöhle, catch up on the survey backlog and derig the thing
|
|
again.</p>
|
|
|
|
<p>This we accordingly did. The vertical squeeze past the boulder at the bottom of Pie Series is now <b>Who Ate All The Pies</b>. The side
|
|
passage (<b>Crust</b>) off Kidney Pitch doesn't go; it narrows to a very tedious crawl over powdery mud, growing tighter so gradually
|
|
that one might almost fail to notice quite how squalid the whole thing is.</p>
|
|
|
|
<p>Surveyed Pete's stuff off the left-hand side at the bottom of the ent pitch (<b>Underhand Passage</b>, as it is underneath the
|
|
Left-Hand Series</b>. Main passage goes on for some while before narrowing; at this point a meander off to the left enters a very
|
|
diminutive streamway, probably passable, but equally probably very nasty! Didn't bother with the tubes off to the right <i>[at the
|
|
beginning of Underhand – explored but not surveyed by Pete]</i>.</p>
|
|
|
|
<hr />
|
|
<a id="t2004-08-08A" /></a>
|
|
<div class="tripdate">8/8/04</div>
|
|
<div class="trippeople">Olly M, <u>Dave</u> + *various spectators</div>
|
|
<div class="triptitle">Loser Plateau - Shaft bashing</div>
|
|
|
|
<p>Rigged and descended a slot at the edge of a choss bowl near 2000-08. It didn't go.</p>
|
|
|
|
<p>Free-climbed down another hole to the north <i>[should read south]</i> of this. It didn't go.</p>
|
|
|
|
<p>Descended 2000-08 to look at the supposed dig. It didn't go.</p>
|
|
|
|
<p>Climbed into 2002-03 (near Hauchhöhle). It didn't go.</p>
|
|
|
|
<p>Walked down the hill with 29kg of shit. Drank Gösser. Utterly failed to cook Germknödel. Got very pissed. Listened to Mark
|
|
drowning out Tom Lehrer with random accordion noises. Eating almost raw Germknödel gives you a bad stomach ache. It remains to be
|
|
seen what effect Nial will experience from eating knödel seasoned with molten colander.</p>
|
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