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<p><img alt="Logbook cover - 12k gif" width=288 height=420 align=left
hspace=20 src="cover.png">The first part of the log is traditionally taken up
by the journey out.<br>If this is of no interest, here is a link <a
href="#id1998-161-1">to the caving</a>!<br clear=all>
<hr />
<p>1998-07-04 | Journey - Hammerite Horror drives to Expo | <u>Duncan</u>, Steve J &amp; Tim</p>
<p>Much time spent stacking gear onto trailer. More time still spent
persuading it to stay under the tarpaulin and not scatter itself to
the winds. Hitched up and chugged off from the tackle store at a bit past 7. Arrived at Dover early and got on the 10:45 boat, arriving Calais 1 am
local time. Stopped just short of Luxembourg to find that the contents of the
trailer had settled and that there were now some big gaping bits under the
tarpaulin which required some fettling. All then went well until 20 miles
before Salzburg, when it was raining hard and my wipers suddenly stopped.
Couldn't see a right load, so came off at the next junction. Tried to
fettle broken wiper linkage in pissing rain, but couldn't so decided to
ring Green Flag. Of course the village we were in had no public phones,
but luckily I found a tourist info place staffed by a very helpful lass who
spoke dead good english, and better still, had a phone I could use. 10
minutes later, having got straight through to someone useful at Green Flag,
I was supping tea and waiting for a call back. Within one hour of ringing
for help, I was trying to explain to a disgusting mechanic in a pink shell
suit what was wrong. Cunningly took him to tourist info place, where we had
a translator to explain the concept of 'temporary bodge fix' which resulted
in a convincing-looking fettle within an hour. Carried on happily to Bad
Aussee and a Schnapps at Hilde's at a bit past 7 in the evening. Perhaps
I should've supped some G&ouml;sser before writing this.
<p>P.S. Managed a ton (downhill) on the Krautobahn in Diesel Maestro plus
big trailer. Helps make up for doing 30 uphill...
<hr />
<p>1998-07-05 | Base Camp - Song - THE BEARDY OLD LAG | Dunks</p>
<p> BECKA: no date given for this entry </p>
<p><table border=0>
<tr><td><font size=+2>"THE BEARDY OLD LAG"</font></td>
<td width=100> </td>
<td align=center>(To the tune of 'The Old Main Drag'<br>
by the Pogues)</td></tr></table>
<p>(1) When I first came to Cambridge<br>
I was only eighteen<br>
With a fiver in my pocket<br>
And me old dangly bag<br>
So I went down to the Panton<br>
To check out the scew<br>
But I soon ended up as<br>
a beardy old lag
<p>(2)When the Mornflake &amp; the Tunnock Bars<br>
Were stacked in great piles<br>
With the old expo trailer<br>
We would drag them for miles
<p>[inspiration appears to have run out at this point - maybe the
song will be completed on a future expo ? Ed.]
<hr />
<p>1998-07-07 | Journey - Kate + Steve B drive to Expo | <u>Kate</u> + Steve B</p>
<p>BECKA: only arrival date given (08.07.1998 so assumed set off previous day
<p>Remarkably epic-free journey despite driving from Edinburgh via London
+ Fontainbleau and having the oldest car on expo (a mere 10 years old-
whatever happened to expo shit cars ?)
<p>Dave F phoned to ask if he + Henri could have a lift back from
canyonning, so I spent a happy half hour bashing my mum's no longer
adjustable, utterly shit roof rack until it would fit on the car, so
that their tandem could come too.
<p>Nearly got stuck in Fontainbleau due to lovely weather, nice boulders
+ cheap wine. Stupidly enough, we actually came to expo, where it rained
solidly for 4 days.
<p>The roofrack didn't fall off, the car didn't break + we didn't nearly
die. Boring or what ?
<hr />
<p><a id="id1998-161-1">1998-07-10</a> | 161 - Rigging trip to Knossos | <u>Kate</u> + Steve B </p>
<p>Carried shit to the entrance (via accidental detour up Schwarzmooskogel)
+ rigged the handlines on the little 'climbs'. Went to Knossos, where
Steve rigged the pitch, then came out.
<p align=right>TU - 3 hr
<p><a href="../1997/log.htm#id1997-161-25">Last 1997 trip</a> /
<a href="#id1998-161-2">Moomintroll trip (same day)</a> /
<a href="#id1998-161-4">Next rigging trip (to Exhaustion)</a>
<hr />
<a id="id1998-161-2">1998-07-10</a> | 161 - Moomintroll and Overflow | Sean, Steve J and Tim</p>
Sean, SteveJ and Tim went to push Moomintroll and Overflow. No logbook write up, but we can deduce from the
next write up that they didn't find Moomintroll, TU 3 hours]
<p><a href="../1997/log.htm#id1997-161-25">Previous Moomintroll trip</a> /
<a href="#id1998-161-3">Next Moomintroll trip</a> /
<a href="#id1998-161-6">Next trip to push Overflow</a> /
<a href="#id1998-161-1">Knossos rigging trip</a> (same day)
<hr />
<p><a id="id1998-161-3">1998-07-11</a> | 161 - Pushing trip to Moomintroll | <u>Kate</u>, Brian, Steve J, Earl, Tim</p>
<p>Found Moomintroll on the second attempt. Rigged a short, blind pitch
to the R after Moth Chamber by mistake, while Kate went to get SRT kit
from Knossus. Then found Zebedee and descended the short pitch/climb
with horrendous rigging off 1 bolt with 3 rope protectors. Dodgy traverse
round the pitch, at which point Earl &amp; Tim decided to go out, since
there was not much room at the pushing front. Brian free-climbed Moomintroll,
Kate + Steve J followed with rope, then banged a bolt in at the top.
<p>Lots of bashing at the squeeze eventually created a hole big enough to
fit through. Steve 'Mendip Man' Jones did a gravity-assisted descent of the
squeeze, followed by a lifelined climb down into a chamber with a small rift
going off. He had an interesting time thrutching back through the squeeze
impeded by SRT kit.
<p>Narrow rift needs pushing, but take care with crystals on the walls - S.J.
<p align=right>TU - K, B, S - 6&frac12; h<br>
E, T - 5 h
<p><a href="#id1998-161-2">Previous Moomintroll trip</a> /
<a href="#id1998-161-4">Rigging trip in Siberia</a> (same day)
<hr />
<p>1998-07-12 | Loser Plateau - Prospecting around Schwarzmooskogel | <u>Kate</u>, Brian, Tim, Earl</p>
<p>Went to investigate 2 shafts found on our short detour along the
newly-cairned tourist path to the top of the hill.
<p>Brian descended a shaft next to a cairn on the tourist path near where
it leaves our path - see later.
<p>The second shaft turned out to be 156. Another short shaft nearby was
climbed down + a hole in the bottom was found to end soon in a boulder
choke.
<p>Uphill from 156, a cave was found which turned out later to be tumbling
boulder cave (unmarked). About &frac12; way down, a crawl through boulders to
the right leads to bouldery passage at the end of which shouting can be heard
from the next hole along to the right from tumbling boulder cave.
<p>From the main cave, a short climb left into rift connects with a small
hole uphill and left from TBC, and goes no further. See survey book for
sketches and locates.
<p>Lots of pottering around the plateau investigating holes happened. Brian
found a shaft. Need to go back + mark + GPS locate caves.
<p align=right>TU: B - 1<br>
K, E, T - &frac12;
<p>Brian's bit:
<hr />
<p><a id="id1998-161-4">1998-07-11</a> | 161 - Rig to Exhaustion | Steve B, <u>Dunks</u> &amp; Dan</p>
<p> TU 8
<p>Burgled some rope from Staud'nwirt Palace, to replace Minoan Surprise
rope which was needed for Vom. Tonnes of rebelay-loop-length-faffing later
arrived in Knossos. Vom took ages due to last year's deviations having fallen
off (again). Rigged Exhaustion but didn't descend.
<p><a href="#id1998-161-1">Knossos rigging trip</a> /
Next Siberia trips: <a href="#id1998-161-5">push SEP</a> &amp;
<a href="#id1998-161-10">Fuzzy Logic</a>
<hr />
<p>1998-07-13 | Base Camp - Fly Cleaving | Steve B</p>
<p>May it be noted by all members of the expedition that on this day did
Wadders cleave in twain (with a large meat cleaver) a fly in the taty hut.
This remarkable feat being achieved without damage to the furniture or
occupants of said hut. Mr. Bellhouse then suggested renaming Wadders as
'Mr. Pork' in honour of this incredible feat of cleaver-wielding.
<hr />
<p><a id="id1998-161-5">1998-07-12</a> | 161 - Rig to pushing front in Siberia | <u>Dunks</u>, Steve B, Sean</p>
<p>Dunks, Steve B -&gt;TU 16 + Sean -&gt; TU 14
<p>Sean was originally off to Fuzzy Logic with Steve Jones, the two groups
planning to travel together to prevent route-finding fuck-ups. Much faffing
in Shortage of Walls as Steve B &amp; Dunk discovered that the rope they
needed wasn't there, necessitating some quick scavenging from the entrance.
Then on to Knossos where three sat freezing off their balls while Steve J
flailed around on the rebelay for 40 minutes, eventually mistaking the mud
being scraped off the rope for sheath abrasion and buggering off. Sean
gingerly ascended to confirm that the rope was in fact OK, and persuaded
Steve not to try and continune the planned trip.
<p>So off we went to Siberia, discovering on-route that we'd got an extra
bag to carry that we'd left at Exhaustion the previous day and forgotten
about, which made the passage to SEP a tad tedious. (4 bags between 3
cavers in tedious rift passage).
<p>Steve rigged SEP, but missed the rebelay spike, so Dunk put in the
rebelays on his descent.
<p>Pretty efficient rigging continued, except for one bit where the rope was
3m too short to rig 2 consecutive pitches. Sean left one pitch before the
pushing front, and only got lost four times on the way out. Steve B &amp;
Dunk carried on to the previous year's limit, and then descended a small
pitch rigged from a single thread, which also helped with the final climb
from last year.
<p>Dunks descended first and began lobbing rocks down the next pitch, which
sounded big. No more rocks, so Steve threw some down from higher up,
and then joined Dunks at the head of the pitch to throw down the new supply
of rocks. Looks to be about 60m. Steve looked at his watch to time the rocks,
and found it was midnight, so the pitch is tentatively named 'Midnight in
Moscow'. Then we ran away, arriving at the surface at 05:40 to a beautifully
clear morning and the start of a very hot day.
<p><a href="../1997/log.htm#id1997-161-24">Last Siberia trip</a> (derig 1997)
/ <a href="#id1998-161-8">Next trip</a>
<hr />
<p><a id="id1998-161-6">1998-07-13</a> | 161 - Overflow | Dan, Brian, <u>Steve J</u> </p>
<p> TU 6 ?
<p>Planned to do SRT practice, but Dan couldn't resist a virgin, open
shaft. So Dan started rigging, Brian tried bolting. Bolts wouldn't go
in to calcite veined rock at the pitch-head so Dan rigged the 'hero-route'
down its main flow off some naturals. Found a going vertical passage at the
bottom, so Brian bolted a dry hang. Pitch ~10m and wet. Steve went to
Collect some rope from Knossos, Dan headed out v. cold after rigging under
the flow. Next pitch looks flood-prone but promising.
<p><a href="../1995/log.htm#id1995-161-22">Overflow discovery trip (95-28)</a>
/ <a href="#id1998-161-7">Next (bottoming) trip</a>
<hr />
<p><a id="id1998-161-7">1998-07-14</a> | 161 - Overflow | Earl, Brian, <u>Steve J</u></p>
<p> TU E, S 5&frac14;, B 5&frac12;
<p>Earl carried in 30m rope, so back we went (weather iffy but hey ...).
Earl + I touristed off down TP to Knossos whilst Brian rigged 2nd pitch -
when we came back he'd vanished ! Back at the Guillotine it turns out.
<p>2nd pitch apparently closes down after ~20m - too tight. Window 10m
from top but would require a 10m pendulum ... This may go but main route
is a no go !
<p><a href="#id1998-161-6">Previous Overflow trip</a> /
<a href="#id1998-161-9">Next (survey/derig) trip</a>
<hr />
<p><a id="id1998-161-8">1998-07-15</a> | 161 - Team diuresis push Midnight in Moscow |
<u>Dunks</u> + Steve B</p>
<img width=450 height=210 align=right src="mim.png">
<p>TU 14</p>
<p>Went to bolt New Big Pitch below SEP.
<p>Turns out to be about 50m (but not yet surveyed). Spent half the trip
busting for a piss. Got really cold while Steve bolted &amp; descended this
pitch. So much so that I lost control of my bladder and involuntarily pissed
myself. Never really recovered from this. Shaft descends with big shells in
the walls, put 2 deviations (1st one very tenuous), and then bells out
massively into chamber ~25m diameter, with shaft continuing sensible-size
through the floor.
<p>Pitch lands on boulder-choke floor. Way on is a ~10m pitch, then a crawl
and further ~4m pitch to a dried sump pool (we thought). However, there are
two ways on from this point, one leads to an aven, the other proceeding to a
series of climbs down, eventually coming to one requiring rope (which we
didn't have).
<p>Possibility of ways on from the large chamber in M.I.M. but we were too
knackered to look.
<p>Cheerio
<p>I'm off to have a piss before I wet myself.
<p>X X X Dunk
<p><a href="#id1998-161-5">Previous trip</a> /
<a href="#id1998-161-12">Next trip</a>
<hr />
<p>1998-07-15 | Base Camp - Wadders fudges the survey | Wadders </p>
<p>[only in that I wrote down the length of the final leg of my surface
survey from memory - having failed to write it down at the time ...] A.
<hr />
<p>1998-07-15 | Loser Plateau | Andy W, Earl, Sean, <u>Tim</u></p>
<p>Walked from Bergrestaurant to Top Camp with ambitious plans to go caving,
but after fettling the radio, decided we couldn't be bothered, so went to tag
the caves found on the 12th. After Sean's GPS got us completely misplaced, we
ended up on the top of the Schwarzmooskogel.
<p>50m down from the summit was a large rift we looked at. Andy, Earl &amp;
Sean wandered off and found some bits and pieces worth looking at again when
we have a bolting kit. My foot hurt too much so I stayed near the rucksacks.
The sound of dripping attracted me to a small hole which Sean descended
(using rope + naturals). Then we went down to find Wadders tagging Tumbling
Boulder Hole, and after a few more tags returned to camp.
<hr />
<p><a id="id1998-161-9">1998-07-16</a> | 161 - Overflow Surveying | Kate J, Earl, <u>Tim</u></p>
<p>Everyone else went off to Fuzzy Logic, so Earl + Tim went off to survey
The Overflow. I hobbled off early, and after arriving and checking if my
lumpy foot fit into my wellies, set off underground at 12:45. A couple of
minutes later we arrived at the Overflow. Kate turned up a bit later after
a faulty carbide aborted her trip to Fuzzy Logic. Surveying followed and was
successful if sometimes not as accurate as it could have been.
<p align=right>TU Earl + Tim 5, Kate 6&frac12;
<p><a href="#id1998-161-10">Fuzzy Logic trip (same day)</a> /
<a href="#id1998-161-7">Previous Overflow trip</a>
<hr />
<p>1998-07-15 | Journey - Wook drives to Expo | Wookey </p>
<p>Very civilised. No probs with day return. Drove all the way across europe
using new-fangled wadders route (N&uuml;rnberg - Passau) with no U-turns at
all. Had 2 sleeps (4am-8am &amp; 1pm-2pm). Arrived about 10.30 pm, Wookey.
<hr />
<p>1998-07-17 | Loser plateau | Wook + Brian </p>
<p>Went up to Vord to tag hole Brian found '98-02'. Put tag on but later
found that Wads had beaten us to it &amp; cave was already tagged '98-01'.
<p>Then checked out other [???] shaft Brian had previously bolted &amp;
'significant 300m cave'. Found it had been tagged 'TBH CUCC 1987 01' by
Wads since Brian &amp; Kate had found it. Checked out &amp; found to be
more like 90m long.
<p>Then went to top of Vord and surveyed back down to include TBH, 156 &amp;
98-01.
<hr />
<p><a id="id1998-200-1">1998-07-18</a> | Loser Plateau - Surveyed from 90 to 91, 159<sup>*</sup>, 93 &amp; 94 | Wook, Brian, Wadders</p>
<p>Surveyed from 90 to 91,159<sup>*</sup>,93 &amp; 94
<p>Tagged all these caves, &amp; extended surface survey to include them.
92 remained impossible to find.
<p>In afternoon went over to 101, 102 region to finish things off. Wook went
down 'Lost Rucksack Hole' &amp; found it quickly got beyond 'Shorts &amp;
T-shirt' caving, whilst Wads &amp; Brian connected survey back to 102. Wadds
checked out 101a, but didn't get quite as far as
<a href="../1977/andylg.htm#id1977-101-1">1977 effort</a>, due to squeeze
needing proper caving gear.
<p align=right>T/U = Wooks 30 mins, Wads: 10 mins
<p>* later note: this was detagged and retagged "160", when Andy found (and
surveyed to) orange-numbered 159 later in week.
<p><a href="../1993/log.htm#id1993-200-1">Previous Lost Rucksack Hole
(1993!)</a> / <a href="#id1998-200-2">Next trip</a>
<hr />
<p><a id="id1998-200-2">1998-07-19</a> | Lost Rucksack Hole - Lost Rucksack Hole |Wook, Wadders, Brian</p>
<p>Went back to LRH with more rope. Cave went down past snow bridge to narrow
section with impending doom from snow &amp; ice columns. End of rope trapped
by &frac12; tonne of fallen snow/ice !
<p>Back up at snow bridge, way off led to pitches &amp; draught. Put in bolt
&amp; escaped, soaked !
<p>Needs more rope
<p align=right>T/U = Wook 1.5 hrs
<p><a href="lrh.png"><img alt="[sketch survey - click for enlarged version]"
width=486 height=764 src="lrh3.png"></a>
<p><a href="#id1998-200-1">Previous trip</a> /
<a href="#id1998-200-3">Next trip</a>
<hr />
<p>1998-07-20 | Loser Plateau - Looking for 40, Eishoehle | <u>Phil U</u>, Julian H, Tim </p>
<p>(please add spelling/grammar mistakes as appropriate)<br>
Went in search of Eish&ouml;hle via col between Vorder Schwarzmooskogel &amp;
Hinter Schwarzmooskogel. Started ~50m below 136 and traversed round. 300m
away and lots too high according to GPS. Went back a bit, and along again.
Still too high. Grumbled. Went back to route to 161d and tried again. Found
we were 150m away from interesting Eish&ouml;hle entrance. Unfortunately,
there was lots of [???] (cliffs, rifts) etc. in the way, so eventually did
not make it to Eish&ouml;hle, and came home grumbling. It was bloody hot
&amp; bloody crap.
<p>P.S. We found some random tourists following our cairned path to 161d.
Said they were looking for the Appelhaus. Very Odd.
<p><a href="#id1998-40-1">Trip which found the way</a> /
<a href="../1991/log.htm#id1991-40-1">last CUCC Eish&ouml;hle trip</a>
<hr />
<p><a id="id1998-40-1">1998-07-21</a> | 40 - Eish&ouml;hle - SVH | <u>Julian H</u>, Wookey, Wadders, Phil U </p>
<p>Set out once again to find a route from top camp to Eish&ouml;hle
without walking to the Bergrestaurant first. Two GPS this time - as if
that was likely to help. Walked initially to 136, stopping to fill
rucksacks to bursting point with caving gear ditched the previous day.
Spent some time 'traversing' around just below the summit of the Vord,
passing several old CUCC finds en route (forgotten numbers). Eventually
found a place to descend - lots of traversing around cliff edges and
over boulders. Bumped into marked (red paint) route from car park to
Eish&ouml;hle and followed that the rest of the way. 4 hours to SVH !
<p>Civilised change on horizontal ground with both shade and view. Entrance
is small crawl down bedding plane until meeting significant amount of ice.
About a 10m ice climb up (fixed ropes for belay, generally &lt; 30&deg;)
until the top of the snow slope into SVH is reached. Only 1 spit here, so
ice-screw backup required. 2 ice screw deviations on the way down. ~30m
to the floor (50m+ rope required). SVH is v. impressive. Mostly ice floor
with some boulders. Huge ice stals and frozen waterfalls. Possibly 3 ways
on to explore still.
<p>T/U 3&frac12; hours
<p><a href="../1991/log.htm#id1991-40-1">Last CUCC trip</a> / <a href="#id1998-40-2">Next trip</a>
<hr />
<p><a id="id1998-161-11">1998-07-20</a> | 161 - Eau Naturel (Locophobia) | <u>Kate J</u>, Brian </p>
<p>Set off to do Fuzzy Logic, but Dan forgot her furry, so Brian + Kate went
to investigate the pitch at the end of Locophobia. The other depression
nearer the end of Children's Railway (marked as p4 on survey) can be easily
climbed into, and here there is a rift leading towards the large pitch. This
can be rigged off 2 lovely naturals forming a Y-hang, so this was our chosen
route. The bottom of this pitch is a wet pit with a wet, too tight rift going
off. However, a few m up you can carry on along the rift to a second pitch.
<p>This could also be rigged beautifully off naturals (with only a small
rub). However, we'd used all the slings on the deviation on the first pitch,
so Kate replaced these with a donkey's dick and a prussik loop, while Brian
rigged the second pitch.
<p>This dropped into the bottom of an aven which is very likely to be the
bottom of the big pitch in Locophobia. The rift continued up a boulder climb,
then ended with too tight wet rift in the floor. After a scary moment where
we dropped the only pencil down the rift, but eventually retrieved it, we
surveyed back up + derigged.
<p>The compass was completely crap despite lots of time down my furry, so I
just read it from above (sigh!). Couldn't find a survey point to link into at
the top, so we surveyd to the tip of the prominent rock outcrop immediately
above the rift. Needs to be linked in later to triassic.pt3.1 or
triassic.pt3.2 (its between these 2 points)
<p align=right>TU 8 h
<p><a href="../1995/log.htm#id1995-161-30">Trip which discovered this QM
(95-48)</a> / <a href="#id1998-161-12">KH new deepest point trip (same day)</a>
<hr />
<p>1998-07-21 | Loser Plateau - Prospecting + festering | <u>Kate J</u>, Brian, Tim</p>
<p>Went to a horizontal, draughting hole Brian + Wook had found on 19th
+ decided needed digging. Kate kicked the sides a bit + managed to squeeze
through into a short passage ending in a chamber full of boulders with a
boulder choke in the floor. Couldn't tell where the draught came from. No
ways on. Had a shit time getting back out through spiky boulder slope in
short sleeves. Sat around outside in the shade drinking cup a soups then
went home when the shade ran out.
<p>TU Kate
<hr />
<p><a id="id1998-161-12">1998-07-20</a> | 161 - MIDNIGHT IN MOSCOW | Dunks, <u>Steve B</u></p>
<p>Record low enthusiasm and massive faffing at entrance, but eventually we
ended up going underground. Potential jack at the guillotine when my carbide
completely failed to work. We fettled the tube and bashed it about a lot,
and we were just at the point of abandoning the Midnight surveying trip
and pottering along to the pitch in Locophobia for an easy trip, when it
suddenly burst into a lovely flame, so we muttered a bit and decided we'd
better get on with it.
<p>Usual stomp through Triassic, into Knossos, Yapate, 36, Chicken Flied
Nice, Burble (first time uphill with no tackle), Vom, Fucking tedious rift,
Exhaustion, rift, SEP, loads more crappy pitches.
<p>This all passed uneventfully, and I even managed to do the crappy tight
pitch head without cocking it up for the first time. Unfortunately, I left
my dangly bag at the top, rant. Luckily there was nothing crucial in it (or
so I thought) so I decided to leave it and pick it up on the way out.
<p>So we were being averagely efficient when we started surveying. Compass /
Clino behaved itself, and due to much racking our brains on the surface and a
short discussion in the cave, we made a pretty quick job of the big pitch. 2
tapes weren't required in the end, the pitch split into a 23 and a 29 at the
first deviation. Got the bottom of last pitch, burned through rope (knife was
in my dangly bag) and decided to do a bit of pushing before finishing the
survey. Took a bit of rope down the cascades (which have dried up, but are
still very nice), rigged the last 10 ft pitch off a couple of naturals, and
were delighted to find that it stopped. Or almost. It wasn't a sump, but a
mud choke, and there was a tiny draught. Dunks dug a little, but said it was
too big a job to make progress. Serious digging at -500m was decided to be a
bit too keen, so we declared it as being DONE and surveyed out. We were
reasonably sure we'd found the deepest point in the cave, and we named the
last pitch Rasputin due to its failure to completely die.
<p>We went for a look around in the chamber part way up MIM. It isn't as big
as it seemed from the rope, ~20m at its widest, and the possible ways on
turned out to be full of mud. There <u>is</u> horizontal development at this
level though, so maybe some will be found down Fuzzy Logic.
<p>With the chamber and the bottom both ticked off, we decided to haul the
ropes out. This turned out to be a cock-up as the bags jammed 30m up. We
swore and faffed and pulled really hard to no avail, so we tied them off and
left them until next time. Hopefully I'll be able to ab down with the tackle
tied to the end.
<p>After that fuck up, my light failed and my spare cell and carbide were a
few pitches above me, so Dunks had to light me for a bit. We did this
reasonably efficiently, but it still slowed us down a lot.
<p>Eventually I retrieved my bag, sorted my lights out and we began the long
slog out. Dunks had a hard time on SEP when his central MR got twisted the
wrong way, so he prussiked quite slowly, but after that we did okay, but we
were slow because we were bloody knackered. Finally we got out after 5 am,
once again to a clear sky and beautiful sunrise which almost made everything
alright.
<p align=right>TU 18&frac12; hrs, which is too much.
<p>PS we returned to base camp and found out that KH is now
<u>27m deeper !</u>
<p><a href="#id1998-161-8">Previous trip</a> /
<a href="#id1998-161-15">Next trip</a> (derig)
<hr />
<p>1998-07-12 | Loser Plateau - Rounding up old caves | <u>Andy W</u></p>
<p>Set off to add tags to various old caves. Someone has put bolts into the
spits at B8 and B11 so tightly that you can't get them out without a spanner
- grrr ! So GPS'ed and moved on. Intended to tag Lost Rucksack Hole CUCC
1993-01 but remarkably enough, I came across the almost imperceptible marking
"101A" - last seen in 1977. Hastily scrambled up and found the top entrance
101. Driled out and put in a stud for a tag, then bolted on a red reflector
(cut up road sign). Soon found 103, whose number was far less faded. Put a
stud in here too, then searched very hard for 102 - to no avail. GPS'ed all
finds and wandered back.
<hr />
<p>1998-07-16 | Loser Plateau - Rounding up old caves | <u> Andy W</u></p>
<p>Took a spanner this time and tagged B11 and B8. Then started a
frustratingly slow solo surface survey from B8 towards 101 and 103. Had to
break off several times to go and search out the route. What was clearly
marked with (non-CUCC) bright orange paint a couple of years ago is now
unmarked - very short-lived paint. Eventually reached 103 and tagged it, then
101 and tagged that. 565m of survey, and starting to look like rain. Searched
a while for 102 but only found it when the rain started - not quite where it
is supposed to be and only visible by a lightening of the lichen where the
number "102" used to be - shown up only when wet. Started to tag it in now
increasing rain, but drill battery ran out after half a hole. Ran home - all
my top camp warm clothes now wet, so went to base.
<hr />
<p>1998-07-19 | Loser Plateau - Rounding up old caves | <u> Andy </u></p>
<p>Still an hour or so of daylight left after tea, so jogged off across the
plateau. Found a "+" marked cave I haven't seen before just below the col.
Tagged "80", tagged "82" on R wall inside entrance (not the numbered boulder
outside which the surface survey goes to). Tagged "148" on its survey point.
Tagged "107" on its survey point and put a tag "LASER 0/5" on the spit of the
laser point above - then back to TC - and all in under and hour !
<p>Ah, missed one... after doing surface survey to 173 with Brian while
Wookey was down Lost Rucksack (also on 19th), I used GPS to refind 107 from a
random direction (ie. not via cairned walk-in). Looked for 157 (suposed to be
near 0_5) but couldn't find any numbered caves above 0_5. There are however,
a lot of interesting shafts up here - well worth a look (only ~20 mins from
Top Camp). 157 is definitely worth a visit, if you can find it, as it has a
50m entrance shaft with a way off 25m down to a parallel shaft (some bolts in
place).
<p>Whilst Wookey was exploring Lost Rucksack I wandered off, finding CUCC
1996-05 - perhaps the most easily relocated cave on the plateau ? GPS'ed it
and returned.
<p align=right>Andy W, no TU
<hr />1998-07-24 | Loser Plateau - Includes 159 and 1998-03 | <u>Andy W</u>, Kate </p>
<p>Walked up to Top Camp ahead of Kate. Whilst waiting I went to look for
B-10. Instead, found a cave with an orange painted number "159". But didn't
we just tag a cave "159" a few days ago ? Oooops ! So did a bit of deduction,
made a tag "1623 160 CUCC 1988" and took this to replace the 159 tag. Then
put the 159 tag on the more northerly of the two spits at 159 (Y-hang). Kate
and I then surveyed back to the TC boulder.
<p>Next Kate wandered off to sketch the cave she had dug earlier, whilst I
searched in vain for B-10. There are cairned routes all over the area NW
of Top Camp. One goes from 159 along a terrace to emerge, surprise ! at
160, by a route other than the one we surveyed. Half way along this terrace,
a narrow corridor in the bunde goes off N. This soon emerges at a grassy
clearing with a wide karren terrace going west. Follow this and you come
to yet more cairns. There is a rift entrance marked "CUCC -" which clearly
needs a descent.
<p>Still failing to find B-10, I headed off towards Kate. Found three big
shafts, one obviously choked and the other two marked "+" right on the
northern edge of the grassy area of lower Top Camp. These need documenting.
<p>Found Kate, tagged her cave "CUCC 1998 03" and surveyed back to existing
surface survey.
<p>Wandered back to TC, had a brew. Decided to do a carry down. Thunderstorm
promptly appeared behind VSK, but I reckoned it had missed us. Got a few
spots on walk back, and another shower made me run the last quarter mile, but
basically got home dry. Met rain at Bad Aussee - mega storm at base camp so
didn't come back up. That will spell the end of plans for a Schneevulkanhalle
photo trip. Drat !
<hr />
<p><a id="id1998-200-3">1998-07-20</a> | Lost Rucksack Cave - Lost Rucksack h&ouml;hle | Wookey, Wadders + Brian </p>
<p>Wookey, Wads (+ Brian later)
<p>Went to try and finish it off. Took 55m rope. Rigged off Bolt to find big
rift. 2nd bolt allowed descent to bottom in nifty hang. Found rift blocked
by snow.
<p>Whilst Wook was bolting, Wads noticed that draught was, in fact,
breathing.
<p>Also chopped off end of rope stuck in snow choke from last trip. Tied knot
in bottom of cave, then derigged. Survey generated from measured rope
lengths.
<p>Afterwards did survey from 173-&gt;103-&gt;101a-&gt;'+' (Wads write-up).
<p>[survey here]
<p>T/U 2&frac34; hrs
<p><a href="#id1998-200-2">Previous trip</a>
<hr />
<p><a id="id1998-40-2">1998-07-23</a> | 40 - Eish&ouml;hle - 'Connect to 136' trip | Wookey, Phil U, Julian H</p>
<p>Proper trip to try and find route from Eish&ouml;hle to 136/KH. Took loads
of rope, hangers, ice screws etc.
<p>Decided to try ice slope (NE end) down first as these were much easier,
safer than the 5m ice climb up to passage on the NW side of chamber, which is
closer to 136.
<p>Put in a couple of ice screws and Julian belayed wook down. This is part
already surveyed by VfHO. Chokes in rock and ice to SE, showing that 2nd
pitch doesn't connect. At bottom (N) end there is a draughting (out) dig!
somone has dug it a bit already. Large rock makes it too small even for wook
with SRT gear off, but very interesting. We decide to come back if we can't
find anything better.
<p>Move 20m over to next pitch. The Wook descends. Ice quickly peters out and
short (5m) pitch in canyon stops progress. Strong draught (out). Exciting!
Others come down and Julian bolts pitch. He descends &amp; kicks
dodgy-looking ice-column - it comes crashing down - good call!
<p>At bottom is a scrotty rift/tube. Julian goes down, grumbling, and then
declares next bit 'too small', but maybe a Wookey would fit. The ferret was
duly despatched, after removing gear. 'Fairly crap' but not really too bad.
Beyond there are marks to show that one person has been here before, but no
evidence that they had descended the pitch at the end. Bolting kit and rope
were passed through the tight bit &amp; pitch rigged. About 8m to floor. Tiny
rift crawl that looked rubbish so re-ascended &amp; pulled over rock-bridge
to larger passage - real passage you can run around in! Looked both ways
(choked to R, goes to L) until it opened into really big 'Triassic-type'
passage. Went back for the others.
<p>It soon became clear that Julian was too fat (too long actually, and
hindered by his huge plastic boots). After much ranting &amp; swearing Phil
came through (with SRT gear!) and Julian had another go, but failed.
<p>Wook and Phil went off and explored passage both ways for 30m or so until
the traverse became too hairy.
<p>Went back for bolting stuff etc. Julian eventually had to take off
everything apart from his oversuit! to get through &amp; finally arrived at
foot of pitch in cloud of ranting and expletives :-)
<p>Julian Bolted traverse whilst Wook &amp; Phil surveyed the rest.
Eventually (after 5 bolts) the hard traverse was passed to reach a point
where large passage seemed mud-filled and canyon took over. Ran out of 50m
rope at this point so went home via long survey out.
<p>Rift in floor is obvious route on, also QMs at other end of trunk -
staircase 36 -style climb up required to obvious continuation, where draught
may go? Also obscure rift in floor, and eyehole up wall.
<p>Eventually connected back to SVH survey &amp; pissed off out to huge
thunderstorm at entrance. Returned trying to catch our Midnight call-out
which we missed by about 15mins, but no-one seemed to be worrying about it
too much.
<p>{No-one at TopCamp had the slightest idea of where Eish&ouml;hle was, so
there didn't seem much point worrying! DC}
<p>T/U 11 &frac12; hrs
<p><a href="#id1998-40-1">Previous trip</a> /
<a href="#id1998-40-3">Next trip</a>
<hr />
<p><a id="id1998-161-13">1998-07-23</a> | 161 - Gear Collection | Steve B </p>
<p>Steve B spent a few minutes collecting gear
from Triassic Park at this point (23rd), but did not think it worth writing up.
<hr />
<p><a id="id1998-40-3">1998-07-24</a> | 40 - Eish&ouml;hle - 'Connect to 136 mk II' trip | Phil U, Julian H</p>
<p>Went back to rift at end of new bit in Eish&ouml;hle. Having successfully
negotiated the evil-bastard, oversuit-ripping, plastic-boot-catching
squeeze, we trolled along to the rift where Julian whacked in a bolt and
decended into a false floor full of mud and slime-shit. Another bolt and
Julian descended to the bottom where the rift ended, with a small tunnel
leading back under the rift. This was too tight for a Haines, probably too
tight for an Underwood, and so we ran away. We paused to have a look at the
climb, and decided that it would be a silly thing to do without proper
climbing gear.
<p>De-rigged to the bottom of the snow slope. Left the cave to find night
falling and clag rising. Got changed quickly, stormed up the hill, and got
back to the main path just in time.
<p>T/U 7 &frac12; hours
<p><a href="#id1998-40-2">Previous trip</a> /
<a href="#id1998-40-4">Next trip</a>
<hr />
<p><a id="id1998-40-4">1998-07-27</a> | 40 - Eish&ouml;hle -"Connect to 136 mk III or derig" trip | Phil U, Julian H </p>
<p>Bimbled into the ridiculously large chamber. Julian went up the 45&deg;
choss/ice slope, twatting in ice screws as he went. Unfortunately, this
didn't actually go anywhere. Had a look at a couple of other climbs just to
the right. Decided that these were too scary and probably didn't go anywhere
nice. Went up the snow-volcano dragging tacklebags behind, derigging as we
went. Left the bags just before the crawl to the entrance. Exitted to
glorious sunshine, mumbled about the likely temperature (hot) on the way
back, and emerged from our SRT kits like pallid snakes moulting. Went back
for the tackle-bags, and returned 10 mins later to 50 foot visibility and a
delicate sound of thunder. Grumbled.
<p>We walked back in the intermittently pissing rain to the carpark via the
201-weg. Julian carried his fucking heavy gear, and I carried two fucking
heavy tackle sacks. Did not die on the walk back.
<p>T/U 2&frac12; hrs
<p><a href="#id1998-40-3">Previous trip</a>
<hr />
<p>1998-07-28 | Loser Plateau - Random stumblings | <u>Phil U </u></p>
<p>Dithered at top camp for quite a while. Hoiked a shed-load of radio-gear +
100m rope down to car park. returned to Eish&ouml;hle entrance &amp; gobbed
in it. Collected all remaining shite, and hoiked it to the path to 161d.
Returned to car park.
<p>TU 0 hrs
<hr />
<p>1998-07-23 | Loser Plateau - Surface Stroll - Marking Cairns on route @ ~30&deg; from Top Camp | Dunks + Tim </p>
<p>Was supposed to be derigging SEP wih SteveB, but unfortunately suffered
from runny-bum. By mid afternoon I was more or less OK, so went for a stroll.
<p>Thought it might be useful to find &amp; cairn a good route out across the
plateau to enable prospecting well away from the top camp ( + towards the
area N of KH ).
<p>3 &frac12; hours of bunde (+cliff) bashing found us on the spur of the HSK
which extends out into the plateau. Loads + loads of unmarked + unbolted
shafts round here, only 45 min from top camp following our cairns. Intend to
survey route next year.
<p>Holes noted on route (all close to 030&deg; bearing from top camp)
<p>1) Nase 204&deg; VSK Nip 142&deg; HsK 061&deg;
<p>Large gash, snow in bottom, no obvious markings.
Aligned on 050&deg;
<p>2) Brauning Nase 208&deg;
<p>VSK Nipple 159&deg;
<p>LH shoulder of Kl Wild Kogel 0&deg; <img width=258 height=100 align=middle hspace=10 src="dt1.png">
<p>Basin with several holes, all look choked, but need checking
<p>3) Natural bridge
<p>Continuing from previous bit, a large depression contains a nice natural
bridge.
<p><center><img width=330 height=200 hspace=10 src="dt2.png">
<p>Nase 205&deg; Nipple 159&deg; HSK 069&deg;
<p><img alt="X in circle" width=35 height=45 align=middle src="dt3.png"> =
small opening with draught, appears snow choked.</center>
<p>4) Large snow choked shaft, possible way on at bottom
<p>Nase 204&deg; Nipple 160&deg;
<p>LH shoulder of Kl Wild Kgl 359&deg;
<p>5) Oval opening ~10m long containing snow.<br>
1 possible way on (entered for about 8m in shorts + Tshirt + sunburn) but no
draught
<p><center><img width=296 height=154 src="dt4.png"></center>
<p>Nase 205&deg;<br>
Hinter <strike>357</strike> 075&deg;<br>
LH shoulder of KlWildK 357&deg;
<p>6)<br><img width=204 height=116 align=left hspace=10 vspace=10
src="dt5.png"><br><br>Hole with old fashioned twist hanger, red paint on it.
Attached by Allen Bolt (Non-CUCC?)<br clear=all>
Nase 205&deg;<br>HSK 076&deg;<br>VSK Nipple 170&deg;
<p>7) Nipple 173&deg;<br>HSK 080&deg;<br>LH shoulder Kl wild Kgl 357&deg;
<p><img width=330 height=410 src="dt6.png">
<p>8) shaft with massive chocked boulder, snowchoke, possible way on at
bottom
<p><img width=212 height=124 src="dt7.png">
<p><img width=320 height=116 align=right src="dt8.png">Nase 205&deg;<br>Zinken 227&deg;<br>HSK 090&deg;
<p>9) Large Hole with cairn next to it (Not our cairn, someone's been here
before)
<p>Zinken 228&deg;<br>Nase 210&deg;<br>Nipple 185&deg;
<p><img width=204 height=126 src="dt9.png">
<p>10) Very small hole, rattly with big echoes for several seconds. Too small
to enter, possibly hammerable.
<p>Zinken 226&deg; Nase 207&deg; Nipple 195&deg; LH shoulder of KWK 347&deg;
<p>Follow path marked by stone wedges vertically next to it.
<p><img width=176 height=52 src="dta.png">
<p>11) Big shaft snow at bottom, possible ways on, following rift.
<p>Zinken 224&deg;<br>Nase 205&deg;<br>Nipple 184&deg;<br>
LH shoulder of KWK 345&deg;
<p><center><img width=190 height=105 src="dtb.png"></center>
<p>12) Hole surrounded by ring of small shrubs.
<p>Many other holes not noted due to "Shaft fatigue".
<p>END OF WALK was found at:
little one left of Sch&ouml;nberg 303&deg;, LHS of KWK 340&deg;, Zinken 223&deg;, Nase 208&deg;, Nipple 188&deg;
<p>Original notes are in A6 Hardback book, blue, labelled &quot;1998 Top
Camp&quot;. [and the above logbook entry has been clarified/corrected from
said book by Wookey, 1998-10-24]
<hr />
<p><a id="id1998-161-14">1998-07-24</a> | 161 - Fuzzy Logic | Brian &amp; Danielle </p>
<p>Carried rope &amp; Hammer drill to Top of 1st pitch. Drilled extra pitch
head bolt for Y-hang. Descended pitch while Dan rerigged top of pitch. Top of
2nd pitch - Drilled 2 pitchhead spits for Y-hang by hanging off a flake with
sling to take rope out of water. Stepped on original natural flake at top of
pitch and it disappeared beneath me with much booming. Descended pitch and
was able to thread a deviation sling thru a tiny flake to deviate rope out of
water and descended to ledge. Started to drill a rebelay spit just below the
ledge when the drill battery ran out of juice so exited cave with battery to
recharge as we lacked any other form of spit drill.
<p><a href="#id1998-161-10">Previous Fuzzy Logic trip</a> /
<a href="#id1998-161-16">Next trip</a>
<hr />
<p><a id="id1998-161-16">1998-07-31</a> | 161 - Fuzzy logic - pushing the realms of uncertainty | Phil U and Brian </p>
<p>&quot;twas brillig, and the slithy toves did gyre and gimble in the
borogrove&quot; Meanwhile, Phil &amp; Brian went caving. Armed with a trusty
drill battery, we set off in pursuit of the beautiful pitch and the
train-tunnel passage straight to top camp. What actually happened was that
Brian rigged the third pitch, whilst Phil rigged the other two pitches with
the 85m rope. The third pitch leads to two parallel shafts, one wet &amp;
becoming too tight, the other dry, with several ways on. There is a passage
coming into the shaft half way down. This has two ways on after 10m - one
looked tight (grade C, Wookey job), the other a twisty phreatic crawl that
leads to a small chamber with small leads top and bottom ( grade A Mendip,
grade C Austria). Back to the pitch. This lands on a mud floor, and quickly
leads to a short pitch rigged off naturals. This lands on a ledge overlooking
a stream passage with a shallow pool of water. At this point the drill gave
up (3 spits drilled), so we left towards the surface. On our way from Knossos
through Triassic Park, there were lots of drippy noises, and much activity at
the Overflow. When we reached the surface do you think we found:-
<p>a) Clear skies, with a beautiful half-moon?
<br>b) Clag &amp; drizzle?
<br>c) Torrential downpour?
<p>Oddly enough it was a). Very confused, we made our weary way back to top
camp, pausing only to fall over.
<p>TU 11 hours
<p><img alt="sketch survey plan/elev" width=750 height=320 src="fuzzy1.png">
<p><a href="#id1998-161-14">Previous Fuzzy Logic trip</a> /
<a href="#id1998-161-17">Next trip</a>
<hr />
<p><a id="id1998-161-17">1998-08-01</a> | 161 - Fuzzy Logic | Duncan &amp; Danielle </p>
<p>After Brian and Phil's efforts we had a further small pitch to rig in what
they described as &quot;terminal&quot; looking cave - was that a medical term
that Phil has learnt this year?
<p>Routine trip down to point of exploration. Then down a short (~10m) drop
on natural anchors to a floor, cave went horizontal at this point with 2 main
rifts leading off. The routes down through tight rift passage blocked with
black mud. An old muddy streamway can be followed up ~80m till it chokes. In
the other direction there is ~100m of tight rift passage (small caver size)
heading upwards at 45&deg; angle. Rift passage that is tight and echoing
requiring small cavers and some perseverance. May lead to more open passage,
for survey reference.) After thrutching around in tight horrible passage for
a few hours - we went home. Survey of passage horizontal shows it to be at
the same level as the tight section below SEP. given that this is known to be
a short band (~10m) it may be worth looking at these tight rifts to break
through into larger stuff below.
<p>TU 12hrs
<p><img alt="sketch plan" width=287 height=149 src="fuzzy2.png">
<p><a href="#id1998-161-16">Previous Fuzzy Logic trip</a> /
<a href="#id1998-161-18">Final derig (last 1998 trip in KH)</a>
<hr />
<p><a id="id1998-161-10">1998-07-16</a> | 161 - Fuzzy Logic | Sean, Danielle, Kate </p>
<p>Eager for an alternative point of exploration to SEP we deided to persue
the question mark from last year's exploration. Reports suggested there was a
pitch ? length - description hazy Straightforward route finding to F.L turn
off. Kate had lighting problems and decided to return from Knossos. The final
point of exploration last year stoppped at a window leading off up and to the
right, and a tight rift pitch. Inspection of the pitch showed it to tbe too
small for even the most malnutritioned caver! Climbing across into the window
led into adjoining rift. Down and to the left is a rifty pitch that is still
as yet unexplored (given the subsequent survey of where F.logic passage goes
makes this a reasonably promising lead as it follows the fault that governs
F.L. but extending in the opposite direction to the remaining passage). The
way on however went up the rift and up a small vertical climb which led into
a high aven. There was a pitch ~10m into a further chamber (rigged now with 2
bolts at pitch head back up by natural anchor - thread back up the chamber)
which led into a narrow passage and down another larger pitch ~50m. We ran
out of rope at the bottom of the 2nd pitch. The &quot;exploratory
rigging&quot; left us prussicking out - quite wet and certainly if the stream
came up in flood it would be unnegotiable, so clearly needed re-rigging. See
following trip rep. for current rigging details. The 3rd pitch looked ~15m.
Pleased with promising streamway we had a very ordinary trip home.
<p>TU 9hrs
<p><a href="#id1998-161-4">Previous (rigging in) trip</a> /
<a href="#id1998-161-14">Next Fuzzy Logic trip</a>
<p><hr />
<p><a id="id1998-161-15">1998-07-28</a> | 161 - SEP - Derig | Duncan, Danielle, Brian </p>
<p> TU 12
<p>Previous trip had left two tacklesacks dangling half way up Midnight in
Moscow followig an abortive hauling attempt. To avoid lowering the bags to
the floor, descending + then prussiking 5m with 2 bags, the rope had been
re-rigged to leave the bags in mid-pitch. The big question was whether it
would be possible to ab down a rope with the weight of 2 bags on it.....
<p>Fortunately it was OK. Dan &amp; I derigged to the top of SEP while Brian
did some bolting down Fuzzy Logic. SEP is still too big.
<p>Headed out with a bag apiece after leaving the 85m rope at Fuzzy Logic for
later use. At Knossos I started to feel a bit odd (Less well co-ordinated
than usual, staggering, falling over, etc) this got worse as I went along
Triassic. The entrance series was hell, and Slidy Caver a total git. Spent
about 5 minutes between Mothshag and the surface, sat looking at the small
pit in the passage floor, wondering how I was going to get across. Eventually
reached the surface + lay dead just outside the entrance.
<p>Danielle said she'd piss on me if I didn't move. I wasn't in the mood, so
I rolled over out of the way, ending up face down in some nettles but too
knackered to care. Got changed and set off slowly towards top camp. had to
keep stopping (thought I was going to throw up). A good trip.
<p><center>xxx dunk</center>
<p>PS to myself. Remember to eat more next time. That way you don't run out
of sugars.
<p><a href="#id1998-161-12">Previous (bottoming) trip</a> /
<a href="#id1998-161-18">Final KH derig</a>
<hr />
<a id="id1998-161-18">1998-08-04</a> | 161 - Derig from Fuzzy Logic to Knossos | Danielle, Duncan, Phil U and Brian </p>
<p> Danielle, Duncan, Phil U and Brian
derigged from Fuzzy Logic to Knossos, but no write up in log. Info below
from Duncan and Phil, 1998-11-04]
<p>Duncan&gt; I seem to remember the final trip as being a survey trip for
all the new stuff in Fuzzy Logic, and then a derig back out. I teamed up with
Brian for the surveying, and we surveyed from the northern end of 'Clear as
Mud' back to the foot of the Fuzzy Logic pitches, and then continued
surveying along to the southern end of 'Psycho Street'. Meanwhile, Phil &amp;
Danielle surveyed down the Fuzzy Logic pitches and then surveyed most of Bear
Bum passage, which branches off from Psycho Street. We all met up at the foot
of the pitches, and Danielle and I set off first, and waited at the top while
Phil &amp; Brian derigged the pitches. Phil &amp; Brian then set off with a
load of rope, and Myself &amp; Danielle began derigging as we followed them
out.
<p>Phil&gt; This is pretty accurate, although it might be worth mentioning
that the data for the Fuzzy Logic pitches were put on the back of a pack of
batteries. This was mostly because I'd dropped the survey book down a very
small, but quite deep hole at the start of the survey. Mutter. Fortunately,
we found another survey book half-way down the pitches. The actual drawings
were done on the back of a fudge wrapper at first, and then transcribed.
<p>Duncan&gt; Brian and I went underground first, and Brian &amp; Phil
re-emerged first. I think my TU was probably about 17h30m or so, with
Danielle next with about 0h30m less, then Brian with about 1h00m less, and
Phil with about 1h30m less than me.
<p>My abiding memory is of setting off along Triassic feeling pretty shagged,
and then finding another tacklesack of rope (with only one handle and no
dick) at Locophobia, and then finding yet another tacklesack's worth (and a
very knackered tacklesack to pack it in) of assorted crap at the Guillotine.
<p><a href="#id1998-161-17">Previous Fuzzy Logic trip</a> /
<a href="#id1998-161-15">SEP derig (last trip)</a>
<hr />
<p>1998-08-06 | Loser Plateau - ARGE package | Brian </p>
<p>A mysterious package found under Brian's Car at the bergrestaurant
Car-Park...... [with the following missive:]
<hr width=70%>
<blockquote><p>Hello
<p>greetings from german cavers (ARGE H&Ouml;HLE + KARST GRABENSTETTEN).
Enjoy the bottle. Good Luck!
<p>Robert<br>
[Illegible]<br>
Z&ouml;rg<br>
Jens<br>
Andi<br>
Markus
</blockquote>
<hr width=70%>
<p>A nice bottle of red was also in the package, which we supped on our last
night at base camp.
<p>We didn't have time to meet up with the Germans and thank them, but
perhaps we should get some CUCC 50th aniversary ale brewed next year....
<p><img width=320 height=629 align=middle hspace=10 src="wine1.png">
<img width=308 height=408 align=middle hspace=10 src="wine2.png">
<hr />
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<li>1998 Expedition info:
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<li><a href="index.htm">1998 index</a> (more detail than in this list)</li>
<li>Expedition <a href="report.htm">Report</a> 1998</li>
<li>Pre-expo <a href="goals.htm">mission statement</a></li>
<li>Index to <a href="161.htm">Kaninchenh&ouml;hle trips</a> in the log</li>
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<li><a href="../../pubs.htm">Index</a> to all publications</li>
<li><a href="../../sponsr.htm">Current year's</a> sponsors</li>
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