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<meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=iso-8859-1" />
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<link rel="stylesheet" type="text/css" href="../../css/main2.css" />
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<title>1623/204 -- The Underworld</title>
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</head>
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<body>
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<table id="cavepage">
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<tr><th id="kat_no">204</th><th id="name">Steinbrückenhöhle</th><th id="status">5/S x</th></tr>
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</table>
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<h1>Gaffered to the Walls and The Underworld</h1>
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<div>
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<b><a href="rigging/gttw.html">Rigging</a></b> --
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<b><!--<a href="#survey">-->Survey<!--</a>--></b> --
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<b><a href="204.html">204 index</a></b></div>
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<hr />
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<p>The Underworld is an area of horizontal development at 1580m, around 160m
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deeper than the majority of the previously known horizontal passage in
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Steinbrückenhöhle. Access is from <a
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href="swings.html#magicroundabout">Swings and Roundabouts</a> via the Gaffered to the
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Walls pitch series, although a connection from <a
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href="swings.html#merrygoround">Merry-Go-Round</a> is also suspected to exist.
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Below the Underworld is <a href="subsoil.html">Subsoil</a>.</p>
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<h3><a id="gaffered">Gaffered to the Walls series</a></h3>
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<p><i>See <a href="rigging/gttw.html">rigging guide</a>.</i></p>
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<p><div class="onleft">
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<a href="l/gaffphead.html"><img src="t/gaffphead.jpg" /></a>
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<a href="l/gaffphead2.html"><img src="t/gaffphead2.jpg" /></a></div>
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The initial pitch, <b><a id="gaffertape">Gaffer Tape</a></b> (70m), is an
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imposing oval shaft, which continues upwards [<a href="qm.html#C2001-204-97"
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id="qC2001-204-97">C2001-204-97 X</a>]. It is rigged from a bolted traverse on
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the right wall to a bolted Y-hang and a second bolted Y-hang about 25m below.</p>
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<p>A passage leads off from the top of the small chamber at the bottom,
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splitting in two around a pillar and emerging in a chamber formed from a
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slightly hading line of weakness. A ledge can be traversed on the right wall to
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go up past a large boulder, at which point a rift is intersected at a small
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chamber. <i>Down a hole to the left, two uninspiring rifts
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[<a href="qm.html#C2002-204-02" id="qC2002-204-02">C2002-204-02 C</a>],
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[<a href="qm.html#C2002-204-03" id="qC2002-204-03">C2002-204-03 C</a>] lead down
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and probably rejoin a parallel shaft to LX Tape pitch. Up to the right,
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[<a href="qm.html#C2002-204-04" id="qC2002-204-04">C2002-204-04 C</a>], a
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sloping aven is visible which may be climbable. Upstream and to the right of
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the small chamber, a trickle of water emerges from a small slot in the
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ceiling.</i> The main way on is down on the left of the small chamber, through
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a small hole in boulders in the floor to<b><a id="tapeworm">Tape Worm</a></b>
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pitch. This is descended via a backup round the large boulder and a Y-hang on
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spits (care to avoid rubs), then a rebelay off a horizontal thread just below
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a small ledge. Tape Worm pitch lands at a roomy ledge with large fossils
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visible in the floor and walls. Here the small rift of Tape Worm joins the
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larger shaft of <b><a id="lxtape">LX Tape</a></b> pitch. <i>Looking out to the
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left a parallel shaft can be seen which may be enterable from
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[<a href="qm.html#C2002-204-02">C2002-204-02 C</a>] and/or
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[<a href="qm.html#C2002-204-03">C2002-204-03 C</a>].</i> A bolted traverse along
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the right wall reaches a natural from which LX Tape pitch is rigged. This
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descends, via a deviation on the left wall just below the main ledge, and then
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a second deviation on a natural only around 4m lower but much further along.
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LX Tape pitch is then rebelayed just below a rock bridge near another large
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boulder. <i>On the far wall near the bottom is a ledge
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[<a href="qm.html#C2002-204-08" id="qC2002-204-08">C2002-204-08 C</a>]. On the
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near side of the rock bridge is a tight and unpromising rift [<a
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href="qm.html#C2002-204-06" id="qC2002-204-06">C2002-204-06 C</a>].</i></p>
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<p> LX Tape pitch lands in another small chamber. Here a spit backup then a
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crawl through an eye-hole to a bolted Y-hang provides the main hang for
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<b><a id="sellotape">Sellotape</a></b>(or eye hole pitch). This is a fine, 2m
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wide rift which lands in a slight puddle. A horizontal floor leads 5m to a roomy
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ledge on the left of the main rift. A bolted traverse to the end of the ledge
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reaches the <b><a id="trihang">Trihang</a></b> pitch-head. This is no longer
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rigged as a tri-hang but instead around the large natural above the ledge.
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Tri-Hang pitch descends beyond a small ledge which has a bolted deviation level
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with the ledge down to a small puddle. Here wellies and jammers should be
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washed clean of mud prior to ascent (washing-up brush left there in 2004 for
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this purpose). The tight rift continues down
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[<a href="qm.html#C2003-204-02" id="qC2003-204-02">C2003-204-02 B</a>] but the
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way on is up an awkward and steep bolted traverse up the right wall of the rift
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on a small-to-vanishing ledge. After 5m this reaches the top of the final
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pitch, <b><a id="cerberus">Cerberus</a></b>. The traverse is best rigged by
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free-climbing to the top of Cerberus pitch on the left side of the rift then
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rigging the traverse from the top.</p>
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<div class="centre">
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<a href="l/cerberus.html"><img src="t/cerberus.jpg" /></a>
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<a href="l/cerberus_pitchhead.html"><img src="t/cerberus_pitchhead.jpg" /></a>
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</div>
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<p>Cerberus is a steeply sloping, very muddy ramp down. It is rigged from a
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bolted Y-hang and then a deviation from a natural the left wall, landing at the
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start of the <a href="#uworld">Underworld</a>.</p>
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<h3>Eeyore</h3>
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<p><a href="l/kangatwo.html"><img class="onleft" src="t/kangatwo.jpg" /></a>
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<i>At the pitch-head for Cerberus, above the traverse up to it, a slightly
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exposed sideways traverse gives access to a stooping-height phreatic passage,
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<b><a id="eeyore">Eeyore</a></b>, floored with thick, sticky mud. After around
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five metres, Eeyore opens out into a moderately large chamber, <b><a
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id="kanga">Kanga</a></b>. A bolted Y-hang on the right wall drops down to a
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ledge and then to a second bolted Y-hang to the steeply descending floor of the
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chamber. There is a small pitch on the left [<a href="qm.html#C2004-204-68"
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id="qC2004-204-68">C2004-204-68 B</a>] which may link to the lower pitch in
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Eeyore. At the bottom of the chamber a small passage leads off on the left to a
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rift; this heads uphill for a few metres over loose, powdery mud before
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emerging in a chamber. Climbing down around a large wedged boulder to the floor
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reveals a narrow, unpromising-looking pitch-head, estimated at 10m [<a
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href="qm.html#C2004-204-69" id="qC2004-204-69">C2004-204-69 B</a>].</i></p>
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<h3><a id="uworld">The Underworld</a></h3>
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<div class="centre">
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<a href="l/underworld.html"><img src="t/underworld.jpg" alt="Dave at foot of Cerberus pitch" /></a>
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<a href="l/wkuworld.html"><img src="t/wkuworld.jpg" /></a>
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</div>
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<p>The Underworld starts from the foot
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of Cerberus pitch. <i>A hole down on the left, [<a href="qm.html#C2003-204-04"
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id="qC2003-204-04">C2003-204-04 B</a>] leads to the head of a rift; this is
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likely to link to the rift [<a href="qm.html#C2003-204-02"
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id="qC2003-204-02">C2003-204-02 B</a>] leading from the base of Trihang. Ahead
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is a blind pit around 4m deep.</i> An obvious path on the right in the mud
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floor leads along horizontal walking passage past conservation-taped
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stalactites <i>and two tubes leading up to the right. The first of these is [<a
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href="qm.html#C2003-204-06" id="qC2003-204-06">C2003-204-6 C</a>]; the second
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closes down after a few body lengths.</i> The passage continues to a junction.
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Up and to the left a passage goes of to <a href="#sirens">Sirens</a>; ahead and
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slightly to the right the passage goes to <a href="#poohstyx">PoohStyx</a>;
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sharp right ends in a mud choke.</p>
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<h3><a id="poohstyx">Poohstyx</a></h3>
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<p>Continuing straight ahead at the first main Underworld junction, the passage
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soon drops down to a ledge overlooking Pooh Styx pitch. <i>The pitch descends
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for 25m, picking up spray towards the bottom, to a flat floor with two too
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tight rifts leading off. There is also a possible continuation through a window
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a couple of metres above the floor [<a href="qm.html#C2003-204-09"
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id="qC2003-204-09">C2003-204-09 B</a>].</i></p>
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<p>Traversing beyond the pitch leads on left to a chamber, with a large rock in
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the middle. To the left out of this chamber is a passage [<a
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href="qm.html#C2003-204-10" id="qC2003-204-10">C2003-204-10 C</a>], straight on
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above a climb passages slope upwards out of the chamber [<a
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href="qm.html#C2003-204-11" id="qC2003-204-11">C2003-204-11 C</a>], and to the
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right a tight rift leads off. This rift leads past some places with sand full
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of bat bones. Half way along another tight passage leads of to the right [<a
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href="qm.html#C2003-204-12" id="qC2003-204-12">C2003-204-12 C</a>]; continuing
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along the rift leads to the small Beyond-Poohstyx pool, which is
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overlooked by the ledge in <a href="#sirens">Sirens</a> beyond Bracket Fungus
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passage. Extending high above the sirens ledge, an aven goes up for a good 20
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metres [<a href="qm.html#C2003-204-13" id="qC2003-204-13">C2003-204-13
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X</a>].</p>
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<h3><a id="sirens">Sirens</a></h3>
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<div class="centre">
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<a href="l/wksirens.html"><img src="t/wksirens.jpg" /></a>
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<a href="l/sirens.html"><img src="t/sirens.jpg" alt="Photo of Sirens stals" /></a>
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</div>
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<p>Left at the main junction in the Underworld is the start
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of Sirens. From this point into Sirens and Subsoil the cave consists mainly of
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phreatic tunnels partially filled with mud or gravel banks, with a strong draft
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coming out of the cave. From the junction into Sirens the narrow but always
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walking passage climbs steeply up a mud-floored passage to a ledge with
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conservation-taped formations that overlooks <b><a id="blackmaria">Black
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Maria</a></b> chamber (p.30). Just before the ledge, two holes in the floor on
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the right drop steeply down, with rocks bouncing a long way [<a
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href="qm.html#C2003-204-14" id="qC2003-204-14">C2003-204-14 C</a>] and [<a
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href="qm.html#C2003-204-15" id="qC2003-204-15">C2003-204-15 C</a>]. Below and
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to the left of where Sirens enters Black Maria chamber, a passage appears to
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lead off [<a href="qm.html#C2003-204-16" id="qC2003-204-16">C2003-204-16
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C</a>]. Black Maria chamber is rigged from a ledge that traverses around the
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right of the chamber. Rigged from two bolted Y-hangs, this pitch lands in a
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moderate-sized chamber with just one small passage leading off [<a
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href="qm.html#C2004-204-70" id="qC2004-204-70">C2004-204-70 C</a>]. At the
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level of the pitch head for Black Maria and further around the chamber, a
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moderate-size, horizontal mud-floored passage leads off [<a
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href="qm.html#C2003-204-18" id="qC2003-204-18">C2003-204-18 B</a>], but this
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was declared to be "nontrivial" to reach. From the ledge where Sirens enters
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Black Maria chamber, the main way on is over a traverse on the right using
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naturals (15m rope; 2 slings) to gain a large passage sloping up. Straight
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ahead is a thin rift: Bracket Fungus passage, the way on is up the steep mud
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slope to the left, <a href="#oxtail">Oxtail Oxbow</a>.</p>
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<h3><a href="l/bracketfungus1.html"><img class="onleft"
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src="t/bracketfungus1.jpg" alt="bracket fungus formations" /></a> <a
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id="bracketfungus">Bracket Fungus Passage</a></h3>
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<p>[DO NOT ENTER; CONSERVATION-TAPED OFF; USE OXTAIL OXBOW BYPASS ON THE LEFT
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INSTEAD.] This is a narrow but very well-decorated rift, with
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bracket-fungus-like formations on both walls and stalactites above; it is
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almost impossible to pass through without demolishing some of the fungus. The
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passage emerges at a ledge above the Beyond-Poohstyx pool. To the right are two
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sloping mud chutes [<a href="qm.html#C2003-204-23"
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id="qC2003-204-23">C2003-204-23 C</a>] that appear to drop into the chamber
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above the Beyond-Poohstyx pool.</p>
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<h3 style="clear: both"><a id="oxtail">Oxtail Oxbow</a></h3>
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<p>The route now used, bypassing Bracket Fungus Passage, is up a steep mud
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slope, <i>passing a phreatic tube which enters high on the left [<a
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href="qm.html#C2003-204-19" id="qC2003-204-19">C2003-204-19 C</a>]</i>, which
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soon reaches a steep mud slope back down (bolt and sling for hand line on right
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wall). At the bottom of the mud slope, a thin rift leads off straight ahead [<a
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href="qm.html#C2004-204-15" id="qC2004-204-15">C2004-204-15 B</a>] and there is
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a hole in the floor [<a href="qm.html#C2004-204-71"
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id="qC2004-204-71">C2004-204-71 C</a>] that may link to this rift. The main
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route around Oxtail Oxbow continues as a scramble up a steep mud passage on the
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right. This passage then leads steeply down a mud slope, <i>past a tight rift
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in the floor [<a href="qm.html#C2004-204-67" id="qC2004-204-67">C2004-204-67
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C</a>] and a passage to the right going to Beyond-Poohstyx,</i> to join a
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larger passage. <i> At this junction, the passage to the right leads to the
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ledge above Beyond-Poohstyx pool which traverses along the right wall into
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Bracket Fungus passage. Just before this ledge, a passage up to the left goes
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to a small chamber with a very steep climb up from it [<a
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href="qm.html#C2003-204-24" id="qC2003-204-24">C2003-204-24 C</a>]</i>. At the
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junction with the main passage, the main route is to the left, up a steep mud
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slope to a further junction. At this junction, straight ahead leads to Terra
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Firma, and to the right leads to Quiz Rift.</p>
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<h3><a href="l/crystalpool.html"><img class="onright" src="t/crystalpool.jpg"
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alt="crystal pool photo" /></a><a id="terrafirma">Terra Firma</a> </h3>
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<p>Straight ahead is a narrow passage which opens onto a small chamber, Terra
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Firma, with mud banks and a blind pit in the floor. Above the pit, a passage
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appears to lead off [<a href="qm.html#C2004-204-18"
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id="qC2004-204-18">C2004-204-18 B</a>] and on top of the mud bank above the
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entry-point into chamber another, larger passage appears to lead off [<a
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href="qm.html#C2004-204-17" id="qC2004-204-17">C2004-204-17 B</a>]. Two small
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passages on the left just before Terra Firma is reached lead down to a
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conservation-taped crystal pool, which can also be reached from above from Terra
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Firma itself. Across the pool is [<a href="qm.html#C2004-204-16"
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id="qC2004-204-16">C2004-204-16 C</a>].</p>
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<h3><a id="quiz">Quiz Rift</a></h3>
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<p>At the junction before Terra Firma, turn right and clamber over large wedged
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boulders <i>(CARE - deep, undescended rift below [<a
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href="qm.html#C2003-204-25" id="qC2003-204-25">C2003-204-25 C</a>])</i>, to a
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small mud chamber. Duck under the low arch, avoiding contacting the
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conservation-taped stalactites, to a further small mud chamber. Crawl down
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again under a second low arch, up a mud slope on the right and turn left into
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Quiz Rift. <i>To the right a narrow rift goes up to a ledge which is the start
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of the <b><a id="generation">Generation Game</a></b> bolted traverse. This
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leads over the top of Quiz Rift to the passage the far side; this appears to
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have no way on. On the other side of this ledge are a series of phreatic roof
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tubes and passage, <b><a id="uppertube">Upper Tube</a></b>, which overlook the
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mud slopes and chambers just described, in which there are a couple of QM's: a
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roof tube [<a href="qm.html#C2004-204-19" id="qC2004-204-19">C2004-204-19
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C</a>] and a muddy chute [<a href="qm.html#C2004-204-21"
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id="qC2004-204-21">C2004-204-21 C</a>].</i> Quiz Rift soon turns right down a
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mud slope (traverse line on naturals and one bolt) to the <b><a
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id="gardenersworld">Gardener's World</a></b> pitch (p25). This descends via
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awkward rigging (not perfected in 2004) to a ledge in a moderately large
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chamber. From this ledge <b><a id="univchallenge">University Challenge</a></b>
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pitch (p15) descends to land partway down the large, confusing <a
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href="subsoil.html#subsoilchamber">Subsoil Chamber</a>.</p>
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<hr style="clear: both" />
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<ul id="links">
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<li><a href="204.html">Back to 204 index page</a></li>
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<li><a href="../../indxal.htm#id204">Full Index</a></li>
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<li><a href="../../areas.htm">Other Areas</a></li>
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<li><a href="../../index.htm">Back to Expedition Intro page</a></li>
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