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<title>1977: Cambridge Underground report</title>
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<center><font size=-1>CTS 78.2018: Cambridge Underground 1978 pp 30-48</font>
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<h1>The Austrian Expedition 1977</h1></center>
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<h3>Introduction</h3>
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<p>The Austrian Expedition, which happened between August 5th and 24th, was
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based throughout at the campsite at <span lang="de-at">Altaussee</span>,
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beneath the <span lang="de-at">Loser</span> Plateau. All our finds, indeed
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all our prospecting, were confined to this area, although we did manage a few
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tourist trips in other areas (there being no previously known caves on <span
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lang="de-at">Loser</span>). Since the cavers present fell naturally into
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three subsets our account of the expedition follows a similar structure.
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There follows some pontification by Nick on the geological nature and caving
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potential of the <span lang="de-at">Loser</span> plateau area, and we
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conclude with a short account of other systems visited.
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<p>(a) Team Youth : Simon Farrow, Nick Thorne, Andy Waddington
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<br>(b) Team Enthusiast : Julian Griffiths, Steve Perry, Nick Reckert
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<br>(c) Team Geriatric : Vic Brown, Dave Fox, Julia Kostelnyk, Carole Leach,
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Rod Leach, Jont Leach, Mike Perryman
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<p>Note that membership of (b) did not preclude potential eligibility for
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(c) and vice versa. In most cases, team (c) members combined the finer
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qualities of both (a) and (b). Members of (a), who could be recognised by
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the enormous pile of sugar outside their tent, frequently had the qualities
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required for membership of (b), but never the other way round. (b) members
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could be picked out by the large pile of SRT gear always by their tents
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(never on the plateau), and (c) by the smell of haute cuisine emanating from
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their mess tent, or by the presence of slippers warming by the camp fire.
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<p>Our thanks go to <span lang="de-at">Karl Gaisberger</span> who gave us the
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benefit of his enormous experience of the area and arranged free passage for
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us up the toll road to the plateau; to <span lang="de-at">Fritz
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Madlmeier</span> at the campsite for his hospitality and cheap beer (to
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encourage us to drink more, he continually lowered the price of it until it
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was eventually free !); to <span lang="de-at">Bar Fischer</span> where we
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drank and ate <span lang="de-at">Schlagg</span> each evening; and to the
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waitress at <span lang="de-at">Blaa-Alm</span> ... her schnitzels were
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magnificent.
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<p>Chronologically events occurred as follows - dates refer to August 1977:
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<blockquote>
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3 Geriatrics take <span lang="de-at">Altaussee</span> by storm<br>
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5 <span lang="de-at">Naglsteghöhle</span><br>
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6 <span lang="de-at">Brandgrabenhöhle</span><br>
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7 <span lang="de-at">Naglsteghöhle</span> again. Enthusiasts arrive<br>
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8 <span lang="de-at">Hirlatz</span><br>
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9 Youths arrive. Prospecting on plateau commences<br>
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See below<br>
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20 <span lang="de-at">Reiseneishöhle</span> - a show cave on the
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<span lang="de-at">Dachstein</span> Massif<br>
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21 <span lang="de-at">Elmhöhlensystem</span>, Totes Gebirge<br>
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22 Derigging of the major pots 97 and 76. All tackle removed from plateau
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</blockquote>
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<hr />
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<h3><a name="geriatric">Report of team Geriatric</a></h3>
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<p>Team Geriatric had two advantages - a high standard of living compared
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with the soya bean boys, thanks to Carole and Julia, and knowledge of the
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area from the previous year. Disadvantages were old age breeding lethargy, a
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readiness to 'diversify', particularly into canoeing, and an addiction to all
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forms of cake '<span lang="de-at">mit Schlagg</span>' ! We took as our patch
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on the plateau, therefore, the area nearest the col (old age privilege) and
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ended up concentrating on an area no more than 10 minutes NE of the col. The
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holes explored were numbered in red as follows:
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<p><b>80</b>: Found after five minutes on the plateau. A direct descent of
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14m to a choke, and the hole was abandoned.
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<p><b>81</b>: Found two minutes later, this turned out to be a short section
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of horizontal passage 5m below the surface with two entrances but no way on.
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<p><b>82</b>: We took bearings of this cave -
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<span lang="de-at">Bräuning Nase</span> 247,
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<span lang="de-at">Schönberg</span> 341. All other Geriatric pots are
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within a stones' throw of this obvious entrance. Found five minutes later,
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this was to occupy most of our caving time.
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<p><b>Trip 1</b>. An obvious entrance (see cover of 1978 Journal !) led
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across a short snow slope to a large, boulder-strewn passage ending in a
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climb down with daylight entering 20m above through an aven. A scramble over
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boulders led to a 6m pitch (<span lang="de-at">Apfelschacht</span>) with
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dangerous loose boulders near the pitch head. This was descended and led
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almost immediately to a 3m climb down to the head of a 20m pitch (<span
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lang="de-at">Orangenschacht</span>) with a trickle of water entering halfway
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down. From the foot, a fine keyhole passage was followed to a choice of
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routes of which the most promising was a 10m pitch. The three present exited
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to gather more tackle and better caving gear than T-shirts and a single
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light.
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<p><b>Trip 2</b>. A demolition job was done on the boulders of the first
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pitch and a bolt placed to give a safer hang. The third pitch (<span
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lang="de-at">Bierschacht</span>) was descended over stal. flow to an awkward
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crawl which looked likely to fizzle out. Instead it suddenly led directly on
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to a 15m pitch (<span lang="de-at">Nocheinbierschacht</span>) needing bolts
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as there was no natural belay. The pitch hung impressively free and suddenly
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the cave was spacious again. At the foot, voice connection was established
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with a phreatic passage above the third pitch that had ended in a big hole.
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Ahead was a phreatic tunnel that choked and a very large black emptiness. 25m
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of ladder were fed into this (<span lang="de-at">Viermalbierschacht</span>)
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and the pitch was found to be made up of four steps of about 6m each
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connected by small ledges. At the foot, the stream plunged over a tiny ledge
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(one and a half men big) into blackness. A small stone thrown over was not
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heard to land, but panic was avoided on the basis that the stone was small
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and the pitch noisy with the sound of the cascading stream. On the way out to
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collect SRT gear, the early part of the cave was surveyed.
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<p><b>Trip 3</b>. Bolts were placed at the head of
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<span lang="de-at">Viermalbierschacht</span> and over the new hole. Vic (it
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says 'our tame idiot' on the scrap of paper in front of me - Ed.) was kicked
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over the edge and stopped 50m lower down. The pitch (<span
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lang="de-at">Besoffene</span>) hangs freer than Juniper for all but the last
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8m - most impressive. Heavy water, inefficiency over getting tackle to the
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front and a further pitch needing bolts forced an early exit. Spare time was
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used following passages nearer the surface to their conclusions, and carrying
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out more surveying.
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<p><b>Trip 4</b>. More organised this time, one pair went down in heavy
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water (run off response was very rapid) and reached the head of the next
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pitch by traversing above a steeply dropping stream canyon. Bolts were
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placed above a sloping platform to give a pitch of about 17m to the stream
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floor which continued to drop steeply to a broken 6m pitch. A climb out of
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the streamway here showed a good spot for rigging a freehanging pitch out of
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the water. This was bolted by the second pair and descended to a depth of
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30m. To our general surprise and great disappointment, a sump rapidly
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followed.
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<p><b>Trip 5</b>. Final surveying and derigging was completed with Steve
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being drafted in to prove that we hadn't made it all up. This final trip
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took just five hours.
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<h4>Comments</h4>
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<p>The pot is about 220m deep, and it seems likely that the sump is perched
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or perhaps even a temporary sump in highish water. However, no bypass could
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be found so the depth is unlikely to be increased. No major phreatic
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development was reached. Such phreatic passages as were found all choked
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rapidly and the overall impression is of a larger than life Yorkshire pot
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cutting through old phreatic developments. Like Yorkshire too, heavy water
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makes the big pitches very serious and the fourth trip assumed epic
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proportios at times, with one pair ascending most of the big rift in
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darkness, including transferring prussiking gear on a tiny ledge over 50m of
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exposure.
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<p><img alt="82 survey - 28k gif" width=640 height=1300
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src="../../plateau/others/82.png">
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<p>Pitches :<blockquote>
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1 - 6m <span lang="de-at">Apfelschacht</span><br>
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2 - 20m <span lang="de-at">Orangenschacht</span><br>
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3 - 10m <span lang="de-at">Bierschacht</span><br>
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4 - 15m <span lang="de-at">Nocheinbierschacht</span><br>
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5 - 25m <span lang="de-at">Viermalbierschacht</span><br>
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6 - 50m <span lang="de-at">Bessofene</span><br>
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7 - 17m<br>
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8 - 6m<br>
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9 - 30m</blockquote>
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<p><b>83</b>: Found 200m north of 82. A 13m freeclimb dropped on to a steep
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snow slope requiring a line. This was descended for a further 10m to a steep
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boulder slope which funnelled down to a small hole through which stones fell
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free a long way. The large amounts of scree made the descent most
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uninviting. Back up the boulder slope, a phreatic passage was entered and
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quickly led to a big hole in the floor.
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<p>A second visit with Marlow and bolts was made to descend the big hole in
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the floor. Apart from the wedges being too big, things went smoothly and the
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bolts held OK. A fine free-hanging pitch of 36m got us quite excited.
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Unfortunately no way on could be found from the boulder-strewn floor. The
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phreatic passage continues beyond the pitch head (bolts or a lack of
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imagination requred for the traverse) but it is trending uphill and does not
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look very promising.
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<p><b>84</b>: A draughting tube WNW of 83 led to a small chamber. A further
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small tube led off, still draughting but it was deemed impenetrable by the
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caver concerned on account of him wearing only shorts and T-shirt.
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<p><b>85</b>: Strangely, we had missed this although it was within 20m of 82
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and we had walked past it every day on the way to the plateau. A descent of
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this turned out to be quite entertaining - a series of short free-climbs of
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varying complexity led to a depth of at least 50m with no tackle required
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anywhere. An impenetrable fissure barred further progress.
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<p><b>86</b>: This was a rift on the high ground just SE of 82 and didn't
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look too promising as it seemed snow-plugged. Ladder was fed down and a
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descent made to -25m before the gap between the snow and the rock got too
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small.
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<p><img alt="sketch surveys of smaller caves - 16k gif" width=640 height=800
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src="../../plateau/others/80-86.png">
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<hr />
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<h3><a name="enthusiast">Team Enthusiast's</a> Report</h3>
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<p>None of our pots have accurate coordinates, a reflection partly on the
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recurrent low cloud and partly on our belief that we were sighting on a peak
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called the <span lang="de-at">Bräuning Sattel</span>. A '<span
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lang="de-at">Sattel</span>', we later learnt, is a pass ! All our pots
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are marked in red paint.
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<p>Numbers 90 to 94 are all situated on the southern edge of the karren
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field, more or less below an obvious and dramatic breach in the
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<span lang="de-at">Bräuning</span> wall.
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<p><b>90</b>: Rift entrance in scrub, just below talus and pasture. Chokes
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at -20m
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<p><b>91</b>: Snow-fed rift in open lapiaz. Chokes at -20m
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<p><b>92</b>: Distinct from its neighbours in several respects. Firstly, it
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was deep in scrub yet the entrance was not over-vegetated. Secondly, by
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virtue of its small horizontal entrance, it was unlikely to be blocked by
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thermoclastic scree. Thirdly it draughted slightly. With all these points in
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its favour, it was annoying to find that the interior was as loose as a dose
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of Delhi-belly. Everywhere we looked were vast, poised boulders, and one of
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our ropes was severed when NR dislodged a piece of wall by breathing too
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hard. It was not too much of a disappointment to find that it choked at
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-90m.
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<p><img alt="92 survey - 12k gif" width=640 height=900
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src="../../plateau/others/92.png">
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<p><b>93</b>: Long rift north of 91. Chokes at -35m.
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<p><b>94</b>: A little further north still. A spiralling free-climb choking
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at -35m.
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<p>At this point we realized what we should have known from the start: in
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this area pots aren't worth bothering with unless they:
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<blockquote>(1) have vast entrances or<br>
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(2) have tiny entrances<br>
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(3) draught</blockquote>
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<p>So we abandoned the area under the <span lang="de-at">Bräuning</span>
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Wall. But before we go down to serious prospecting we decided to have a look
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at a pot recommended to us by <span lang="de-at">Karl Gaisberger</span>. In
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fact we had already been camping within 50m of it without noticing ! It was
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situated on a raised bank near the sink and huts on the west side of the
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<span lang="de-at">Schwarzmoos Sattel</span>, just off the path that we
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followed to reach the plateau from the car park. In fact Pot 96 was found
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first, but JG being an accountant, his tiny brain gets acutely perplexed by
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blunders in numbering.
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<p><b>95</b>: A 10m climb to an unpushed and unpromising tube. Descended
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only for the sake of form and to restore numerical sequence.
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<p><b>96</b>: An unusual pot in that the entrance was the only good clean
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shaft which we found in pasture. A series of short, solid pitches in a high
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rift led to an apparent end in a chamber where the water sank. However, the
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upper level of a small rift was found to lead to an abandoned passage.
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Several free-climbs, each muddier than the last, then a squeeze, brought us
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to a sordid little sump, although an air current (but not SP) seemed to
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vanish along an inaccessible passage above the final crawl. We were rather
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disappointed by the omens, as last year's major discovery, the <span
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lang="de-at">Fledermaushöhle</span>, had also ended in a sump. Would
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every pot end in a perched sump ? Well the next pot was to be a revelation.
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Depth 105m.
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<p><img alt="96 survey - 13k gif" width=640 height=900
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src="../../br-alm/96/96.png">
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<p><b>97</b>: The pot that restored the status quo to Team Enthusiast
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(otherwise known as Team Ireland, Team Trials Marina, Team Thin Geriatric,
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Team Gunge etc., etc.) We had been looking for a hole which we could name
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<span lang="de-at">Konstantinopolitanischerstraßenbahnführerinassistentineninexpeditionnenzehnhundertsiebenundsiebsigtropfsteineishöhlensystem</span>,
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but it would have had to be at least 50 km long for the name to fit on the
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survey ! So we settled for the name <span
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lang="de-at">Schneewindschacht</span> instead. Within spitting distance of
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<span lang="de-at">Eislufthöhle</span>, it was distinguished by a
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narrow, draughting entrance, with an encouraging rustle of water within.
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(Incidentally, all the draughting holes we found this year blew OUT: we never
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came up with a reasonable explanation, despite much speculation about
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localised barometric inversion, water generated and ionised air currents, but
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just took it for granted that such holes were more promising than pots with
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no draught at all.)
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<p>Team Fat Geriatric jeered at us for applying Yorkshire tactics in the
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land of the big shaft, but we returned next day with a hammer and enlarged
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the entrance to passable proportions. Two climbs of 10m and 5m led to a
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chamber with two exits, of which NR chose the drier. A sordid grovel doubled
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itself and passed directly under the wetter hole, which dribbled ferociously
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through his tatty Spock-suit. Obviously a diver was needed ! JG obligingly
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continued along the grovel for a further 5m, finding it about as tight as
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Baptistry crawl with a constricted pitch head on the far side. 15m below,
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the explorers reached the head of a very deep-sounding rift, which was
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initially descended only to a ledge at 20m. Due to the awkwardness of the
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entrance crawl, it was necessary to remove all SRT gear and clip it to the
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pitch head before exiting, hence the name Vestry. The crawl itself, which
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henceforward was entered and left by the wet entrance, was baptised the
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Nun's C***: partly on account of the shape of the orifice, partly on account
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of its tightness, but mainly because it was so desperately in need of
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banging.
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<p>Discovery progressed slowly, largely because every pitch had to be bolted:
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also, it was essential to be off the lapiaz by nightfall or resign oneself to
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an overnight trip, thus denying oneself the statutory five glasses of <span
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lang="de-at">Reininghaus</span> at the <span lang="de-at">Bar Fischer</span>.
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The survey is fairly self-explanatory. Traversing over a '<span lang=fr>Puits
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en baionnette</span>' took one down the Bottomless Abbess to a point where
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the cave turned horizontal and stream-like for a short stretch. But it still
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went on down, dropping - rather surprisingly - into an abandoned series of
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dry, dusty phreatic tubes, which sloped down at a steady five degrees. The
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tantalising sight of a large cave-type passage leading off beyond a 3m ladder
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climb almost made it seem likely that a giant fossil system had been reached.
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Alas, it was impossible to traverse over to it, so SP was tied onto a piece
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of string and forced down the next pitch.
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<p>A fine clean shaft of 25m, it started unpromisingly, but soon belled out
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into a magnificent trench passage. Traversing over a gully led shortly to a
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succession of piddling little climbs and a final lovely pitch, The
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Dissolution. Here the water sank in an impenetrable crack, the draught
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having already vanished.
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<p>An excellent pot - even if it would have been impossible to rescue anyone
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from - but why did it stop so soon ? And would the traverse have led to
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further pitches ? The answer is almost certainly yes. Still, there's the
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rest of the plateau to be looked at yet, so we probably won't return to the
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<span lang="de-at">Schneewindschacht</span>. Depth 265m.
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<img alt="97 survey - 22k gif" width=582 height=1335
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src="../../plateau/others/97.png">
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<!-- survey needs rescanning, as that is a hand-held scan and is not
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linear in the y-direction. -->
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<hr />
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<h3><a name="youth">'Youth Section'</a> Report</h3>
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<p>The 'Youth Section' comprised the three undergraduate members of the
|
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expedition present this year, Simon Farrow, Nick Thorne & Andy
|
|
Waddington. We arrived a few days later than the bulk of the expedition and
|
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immediately started prospecting. It took us about two days of exploring small
|
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shafts in the karren with depths of 10-20m before we found a very promising
|
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area. Two shafts of 30 and 40m were descended, but these were of the large
|
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open type and inevitably choked. The shafts were numbered as found:
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<p><b>100</b>: A small shaft on the line of a fault, about 15m deep but
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ending in a tight wet crack with very sharp rock.
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<p><b>101</b>: Near a large fault scarp, but apparently not associated with
|
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it. A small freeclimb down led to a horizontal passage which led in both
|
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directions, the northward branch led out into the face of the scarp (101A)
|
|
while south led to a short pitch and then a small crawl led on. This dropped
|
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into a larger crawl, a meandering phreatic tube which went for 40m or so
|
|
until a window in the right wall led to the base of an aven. The continuing
|
|
crawl was too small, and the aven appeared to choke after a climb down. The
|
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total depth was probably 30-40m.
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<p><b>102</b>: About 30m west of 101, a straight shaft of 20m to a snow plug.
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<p><b>103</b>: About 15m north of 102, in the face of the same fault scarp
|
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as 101A, but aligned on a joint perpendicular to the fault. A very broken
|
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shaft of 30m to a choke - distinctly tight and awkward with lots of wedged
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rock.
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<p><b>104</b>: Moving east to a new area below the <span
|
|
lang="de-at">Schwarzmooskogel</span>, we found a large open shaft in the
|
|
dense spruce. This was rigged from a bolt in a large erratic boulder, and
|
|
found to be 30m deep. It was rather broken and inevitably choked.
|
|
|
|
<p><b>105</b>: A much cleaner shaft nearby, started as a handline descent of
|
|
9m to a ledge from which a pitch was rigged. It seemed likely to be loose
|
|
from here down, but in fact proved to be a very fine shaft in clean
|
|
bluish-white limestone, 32m to a flat gravel floor.
|
|
|
|
<p><b>106</b>: The rest of the account is taken up by our major discovery,
|
|
which occupied us for the rest of the trip.
|
|
|
|
<p>It was while we were derigging 105 that a small hole sloping downwards
|
|
for about 5m was noticed. The entrance was invisible from 5m away and only
|
|
attracted attention because the air around it was noticeably cooler than
|
|
elsewhere. A closer examination revealed that the hole led down over a small
|
|
ice slope and then stepped sideways so that stones could not be thrown down
|
|
any further.
|
|
|
|
<p>The next day, a handline was rigged to a spruce at this entrance and a
|
|
descent was commenced. Andy soon discovered that the ice was rather hard and
|
|
slippery and his descent was not too well controlled. At the bottom of the
|
|
initial slope, two small passages led off, and a further ice slope went down
|
|
a narrow rift. This was descended more carefully, and a small chamber was
|
|
entered. At the far end, another hole led on and from this emerged the
|
|
draught which at this point was powerful enough to blow out a carbide lamp
|
|
flame. This hole was a pitch head and a temporary retreat was made. We were
|
|
obviously on to something good, and the entrance was labelled 106. The two
|
|
small side passages were investigated and both found to lead out into the
|
|
bottom of nearby dolines, both carrying part of the draught. One of these
|
|
dolines was subsequently used as the normal entrance (106A).
|
|
|
|
<p>Tackle was quickly collected from the surface and Andy and Nick returned
|
|
to the ice slope, where a short ladder was rigged for safety. No natural
|
|
belays were apparent, so the next ladder was put down the pitch belayed to
|
|
the first, while Nick tied on to a dubious flake. The pitch dropped about 9m
|
|
onto a large snow platform from where two ways on were possible. Andy
|
|
descended the larger and found himself climbing round and under a large snow
|
|
and ice plug. Below this was another platform and round the corner, the
|
|
pitch continued into blackness, with another snow ledge visible some way
|
|
below. All this snow prevented stones from being thrown far down the shaft,
|
|
but we were obviously onto something big so we retreated for more tackle.
|
|
|
|
<p>Our main priority on the next trip was to put some bolts in and descend
|
|
the next section of the pitch, and having shown someone else where our
|
|
entrance was, we were all able to descend the pot simultaneously. The shaft
|
|
continued, getting bigger all the time, and we were soon 40m below the
|
|
second snow platform on a large ledge. At this stage we started to find that
|
|
the shaft was not giving up its secrets easily as the ladder started getting
|
|
caught up on the numerous ledges, making it very difficult to climb. This
|
|
necessitated considerable delay while we rerigged the shaft, putting in
|
|
various bolts on the way.
|
|
|
|
<p>On the next trip after rerigging, we got everyone down to the large ledge
|
|
"Yesterday's Terminus" and rigged the next pitch from yet another bolt. Nick
|
|
abseiled into the unknown and the pitch proved to be 13m onto another large
|
|
patch of snow, but this time things were somewhat different, since the snow
|
|
occupied one half of the floor of a large chamber forming the base of a huge
|
|
aven soaring beyond the range of our lights. We were now at a depth of about
|
|
90m and soon found that the way on was a further pitch in a rift to one side
|
|
of this chamber. We were able to rig this quickly as the large boulders in
|
|
the floor gave us our first safe natural belays. Nick and Simon descended
|
|
another 13m pitch into a small chamber at the far end of which was a large
|
|
boulder blockage.
|
|
|
|
<p>The obstacle comprised three huge boulders, one above another, with the
|
|
gaps filled by several smaller blocks and at first seemed insuperable. Andy
|
|
descended and a brief discussion ensued. After an initial attempt to climb
|
|
over the choke, thwarted because each of the large blocks had various amounts
|
|
of loose grubble on top, attention focussed on a small hole from which the
|
|
draught seemed mainly to be coming. A lot of loose rubble was pushed through
|
|
the hole and then Andy ventured to peer through. The hole was short and led
|
|
out into a narrow rift type passage with a floor of jammed rubble. After
|
|
throwing various lumps of rock at the floor, Andy descended and moved forward
|
|
on a lifeline. A gap in the floor was noted and a small stone dropped in. The
|
|
result was both worrying and encouraging, as after a delay of a couple of
|
|
seconds, an echoing crash was heard. Further forward, the explorer was able
|
|
to demolish the false floor which fell with loud crashing and booming noises
|
|
into the pitch below. Eventually enough of the rubble was removed to judge
|
|
the pitch head safe, but it appeared to be too narrow to descend except at
|
|
the far end where it seemed to widen slightly.
|
|
|
|
<p>The descent of the pitch had to wait until the next trip when a bolt was
|
|
placed above the takeoff and a traverse line rigged over the pitch head. All
|
|
the available ladder was put down the pitch which was estimated at 40m, and
|
|
by the sound of stones dropped seemed likely to hang free. In fact, when
|
|
descended it proved to be 31m in a fine wide shaft, but against the wall all
|
|
the way by virtue of the takeoff having been chosen right at the far side of
|
|
the shaft. A heavy drip landed on the large boulder strewn ledge and then
|
|
the pitch continued. Stones dropped suggested a broken pitch of perhaps 15m,
|
|
but the pitch proper was hidden round a corner and the lifeline had run out.
|
|
It was noticed that while the next pitch was small, no draught was
|
|
noticeable. This later led to the shaft being named the 'Keg Series'.
|
|
|
|
<p>A retreat had now to be made, since insufficient tackle was available to
|
|
continue, and the pitch was derigged. While pulling ladders up the pitch, a
|
|
large rock fell out of the pitch head and crashed onto the ladder some 15m
|
|
below, smashing most of the way through one of the wires. Sitting at the top
|
|
of the pitch coiling ladders, it was noticed that while the pitch ended
|
|
directly below, the rift continued beyond, and investigation of this led to
|
|
the discovery of a draught coming from an awkward hole between chockstones
|
|
in the continuing rift. As soon as all the tackle was coiled, Andy set off
|
|
through the hole to find a climb down to the enlarging continuation of the
|
|
passage. After a short distance, the gradient steepened and another pitch
|
|
head materialised, this time in an apparently roomy shaft starting some way
|
|
above. Derigging the pot was abandoned and another return trip planned.
|
|
|
|
<p>Next day all the tackle was ferried forward and put down the new pitch
|
|
rigged from a convenient wedged boulder. Nick descended to a ledge 16m down
|
|
and found that the pitch continued. This section proved to be 14m to a solid
|
|
floor from which a vadose type passage led onwards. He set off to investigate
|
|
and soon came to a chamber below a large aven from which a heavy drip fell.
|
|
A passage could be seen beyond, as well as a rift in the floor which seemed
|
|
to be the start of another passage about 5m below the floor of the chamber.
|
|
The chamber could not reasonably be crossed by a lone explorer on carbide
|
|
because of the heavy drip from the roof, so Nick retreated to report the
|
|
good news. On the way he noticed a small passage which led back parallel to
|
|
the way he had come, and following this he came upon another large shaft in
|
|
the floor with an estimated depth in excess of 15m. He could see a passage
|
|
beyond the pitch but could not cross it so returned to the final pitch.
|
|
|
|
<p>After discussion about whether the lifeline could be safely returned down
|
|
the pitch, Simon and Andy descended and repeated the exercise, noting in
|
|
addition that the draught in the final chamber seemed to be distributed,
|
|
some going to the pot that we had explored, and some going to the passage
|
|
on the far side, suggesting yet another inlet to the system. A single
|
|
photograph was taken and the pair returned to the final pitch.
|
|
|
|
<p>The trip was clearly the limit of our tackle, and time for the expedition
|
|
was running short, so we started to derig, getting as far as Yesterday's
|
|
Terminus before leaving the job for a final trip on the last day of the
|
|
expedition. On this final trip, we were assisted by Rod Leach, while Andy
|
|
stayed on the surface. Behind a rock bridge about halfway up Plugged Shaft,
|
|
a passage was found leading off, and this was followed to the head of yet
|
|
another pitch which descended into the unknown, another lead to be followed
|
|
next year. Nearby on the surface, another draughting entrance was found and
|
|
descended down a climb to a side-step leading to a pitch. This was
|
|
investigated only by the dropping of stones, but seems to be about 10m to a
|
|
snow ledge. This pot was labelled 99 to fill a gap in the numbering
|
|
sequence.
|
|
|
|
<p>During the expedition, all the finds had been allocated numbers in
|
|
accordance with the official Austrian recording system, and only on the
|
|
return trip did we decide to name our pot "<span
|
|
lang="de-at">Eislufthöhle</span>", since on drawing our rough survey, we
|
|
found its depth to be 150m, the depth which we had been taking as the minimum
|
|
for naming a pot.
|
|
|
|
<p><img alt="106 survey - 19k gif" width=640 height=860 src="106.png">
|
|
|
|
<hr />
|
|
|
|
<h3><a name="nicknotes">Some Notes</a> on the <span lang="de-at">Loser</span>
|
|
Plateau</h3>
|
|
|
|
<p>In the absence, as we are given to understand, of any detailed study of
|
|
the <span lang="de-at">loser/Schönberg</span> plateau, it is difficult
|
|
to write with any authority on the hydrology and geology of the area. We were
|
|
further handicapped by a lack of adequately contoured large-scale maps from
|
|
which spot heights could be assessed. Still, the following points may be of
|
|
interest.
|
|
|
|
<p>The part of the plateau with which we were concerned takes the rough form
|
|
of a wide and shallow cirque, bounded to the south by the impervious
|
|
(dolomitic?) shales of the <span lang="de-at">Bräuning</span> Wall, to
|
|
the east by the peaks of the <span lang="de-at">Schwarzmooskogel</span> and
|
|
<span lang="de-at">Augsteck</span>, and to the north by the <span
|
|
lang="de-at">Schönberg</span>. The slope - and as far as we could judge
|
|
- the general dip are WSW, and the bulk of the plateau falls within the
|
|
altitude range 1600-1800m. Several sizeable valleys appear to coalesce in the
|
|
centre of the plateau, but in the short time available to us we were only
|
|
able to explore a small area within about 1 km from the <span
|
|
lang="de-at">Schwarzmoos-Sattel</span>. Given the size of the plateau, its
|
|
patches of dense scrub, and its orogenetic and morphogenetic complexity we
|
|
can only guess at the character of the parts left unexplored, but we think it
|
|
very unlikely that there will be any integrated surface flow or stream sinks.
|
|
|
|
<p><img alt="sketch map of area - 20k gif" width=735 height=940
|
|
src="map.png">
|
|
|
|
<p><span lang="de-at">Karl Gaisberger</span> informed us that a dye-test in
|
|
the <span lang="de-at">Augstsee</span> (a small lake near our route up to the
|
|
plateau) had given a positive trace to the water mains of <span
|
|
lang="de-at">Bad Ischl</span>, some 12km to the west. Unfortunately, <span
|
|
lang="de-at">Bad Ischl</span> is fed by several tapped springs and it had not
|
|
been possible to identify the exact one. We do know though (1) that a spring
|
|
near or in <span lang="de-at">Naglsteghöhle</span> has been tested from
|
|
the <span lang="de-at">Steyrer-See</span> near <span
|
|
lang="de-at">Tauplitz</span>, a trace distance of about 30km. Since the <span
|
|
lang="de-at">Loser</span> Plateau lies on this traceline it is a simplistic
|
|
but fair assumption that the water from our discoveries also resurges there.
|
|
|
|
<p>A corollary of this particular series of tests is that the drainage of the
|
|
<span lang="de-at">Totes Gebirge</span> mountains in shown to be essentially
|
|
radial. The main sinks dyed fed resurgences around a circumference of 75km,
|
|
an area delineated by <span lang="de-at">Bad Mitterndorf, Bad Aussee, Bad
|
|
Ischl, Ebensee, Grunan, Hinterstoder</span> and <span
|
|
lang="de-at">Liezen</span>. This extraordinary radial drainage makes it
|
|
unlikely that the <span lang="de-at">Loser</span> pots join a vadose
|
|
dendritic system. Far more likely is an extensive and sluggish phreas. Again,
|
|
it is unfortunate that we have no flow through times to substantiate the
|
|
theory.
|
|
|
|
<p>If the assumption is correct, the possibility of a master cave of sorts is
|
|
not necessarily ruled out. It would necessarily date from the late Tertiary
|
|
period (the most important in Austrian speleogenesis) and would probably be
|
|
situated several hundred metres above the current resurgence level. This
|
|
supposes a series of deep vertical shafts dropping into a large, abandoned
|
|
main drain, with further shafts, representing a more recent and predominantly
|
|
vertical genetic phase, dropping further still to near-static sumps.
|
|
|
|
<p>Although the nearby <span lang="de-at">Rauherkarhöhle</span> (c. 700m
|
|
deep) does little to bear out this theory, being a highly complex and gently
|
|
sloping cave system, a comparison between it and, say, the <span
|
|
lang="de-at">Schneewindschacht</span>, will show enough points of difference
|
|
to invalidate strict parallels. A glance at a cross-section of the plateau
|
|
with the <span lang="de-at">Schneewindschacht</span> superimposed will
|
|
demonstrate graphically that some sort of horizontal trend must be expected
|
|
shortly. Moreover, the pattern of large horizontal galleries feeding (and
|
|
sometimes fed by) shaft systems is common enough in Austria already; the
|
|
<span lang="de-at">Geldloch</span>, the <span
|
|
lang="de-at">Dachsteinmammuthöhle</span> and, more recently, the <span
|
|
lang="de-at">Ahnenschacht</span> (2) are examples.
|
|
|
|
<p>Several trips were made into <span lang="de-at">Naglsteghöhle</span>,
|
|
attempting to bolt across to an inlet at the far end. If we had persevered -
|
|
either in this, or in investigating local resurgences - it is conceivable
|
|
that we might have found a good length of passage heading towards <span
|
|
lang="de-at">Rauherkarhöhle</span> or under the plateau. Food for
|
|
thought !
|
|
|
|
<p>One further point of interest is the <span
|
|
lang="de-at">Stellerweghöhle</span>, whose approximate position is
|
|
marked on the area map. This cave was discovered in 1951 and was found to end
|
|
in a deep shaft. This shaft has still to be descended ! A partial descent and
|
|
a plumbline revealed a depth of 220m plus. That alone must speak volumes for
|
|
the potential of the area.
|
|
|
|
<p>References:<br>
|
|
(1) Herak, M. & Stringfield, V.T. (Editors) Karst, p 242<br>
|
|
(2) Spelunca, 1975, no. 3, p 23
|
|
<hr />
|
|
|
|
<h3><a name="other">Other Caving</a></h3>
|
|
|
|
<h4><span lang="de-at">Naglsteghöhle</span> Bolting</h4>
|
|
|
|
<p>Last year's inspection of this small system found that a possible way on
|
|
was visible at the top of the ramp at the highest point of the cave. Mike
|
|
and Vic performed an exposed traverse to a ledge, where a rusted piton
|
|
was found in the rock with the initials WA inscribed next to it. There
|
|
was no evidence of anyone having got beyond this point. We bolted a
|
|
further climb of 4m to a passage above from which a one metre diameter
|
|
phreatic tube leads off in the roof at about 60 degrees. This is about 4m
|
|
up, and may need a bolt as well as more enthusiasm to reach.
|
|
|
|
<h4>The <span lang="de-at">Brandgrabenhöhle</span> Fiasco</h4>
|
|
|
|
<p>This is a resurgence cave about 50m below the entrance to <span
|
|
lang="de-at">Hirlatz</span>. It was rumoured to be desperately wet by
|
|
Austrian standards, so a wetsuited team sweated up the 300m climb to the
|
|
entrance to do a spot of pushing for them. About 50m into the cave we were
|
|
stopped by a 10m pitch into a deep lake. Not having thought of bringing any
|
|
ladders, we lowered Dave down into the pool. Dangling just above the water he
|
|
announced that he could see that the passage sumped further along and didn't
|
|
need to get himself wet to prove it. He ascended amidst jeers from the other
|
|
three who were peering over the ledge. But since nobody else wanted to go
|
|
down, we exited planning to return with a ladder. On our return to <span
|
|
lang="de-at">Altaussee</span>, Karl informed us that the passage does indeed
|
|
sump off here in the summer, but that in winter over 1km of streamway can be
|
|
followed.
|
|
|
|
<h4><span lang="de-at">Hirlatz</span> bashing</h4>
|
|
|
|
<p>Julian and Mike dismissed this vast and impressive system in just over
|
|
three hours. The cave as far as camp 1 with its rotting canvas tent and
|
|
renowned supply of naughty magazines was described in last year's expedition
|
|
account. The only aspects of the cave's entrance series of note were the
|
|
uninspiring state of the fixed ladders (about a dozen had to be negotiated
|
|
throughout the cave), and the incredible current of air blowing through the
|
|
entrance crawl. The Wind Tunnel in <span lang=eu>Betzula</span> just doesn't
|
|
compare with the gale that was roaring out that day, and it was with some
|
|
trepidation that we groped in through the iron gate and under the draught
|
|
doors that revent the entrance icing up in winter.
|
|
|
|
<p>Beyond Camp 1 the cave splits after a chamber with initials smoked on the
|
|
walls. To the left the passage passed a fixed ladder, then got progressively
|
|
smaller until we came out above a streamway with waterfall facing us.
|
|
Retracing our steps for a few metres we were able to drop down 10m through
|
|
boulders to a traverse above the stream. A 5m climb up through water on
|
|
minimal holds led to a further 5m fixed ladder climb up, and we called a halt
|
|
where the water appeared as spray from a 60m aven.
|
|
|
|
<p>Back at the 10m fixed ladder we climbed up to an old deserted phreatic
|
|
passage and soon arrived at Camp 2 - an elaborate but squalid set-up with
|
|
carbide, food, pots and plates all over the place. Beyond a waterfall, a
|
|
small stream was reached. From here the passage closed down and rapidly
|
|
developed into a vadose trench for a hundred metres or so. It degenerated to
|
|
a point where we decided to proceed no further in claggies. A stinky gonk in
|
|
the stream proeceded a sprint out to daylight.
|
|
|
|
<h4><a name="elmh" lang="de-at">Elmhöhlensystem</a></h4>
|
|
|
|
<p>An ascent to the <span lang="de-at">Pühringer</span> Hut by Team
|
|
Geriatric was combined with a trip into the <span
|
|
lang="de-at">Elmhöhlensystem</span>, described in detail in last year's
|
|
journal. We entered by the <span lang="de-at">Kleines Windloch</span> and
|
|
proceeded into the ice-section as far as the <span lang="de-at">Grosses
|
|
Windloch</span> shaft. Rod and Jont took lots of piccies. The rest of us
|
|
hurled snowballs or went toboganning! On to a splendid evening meal at the
|
|
Hut (where chamois was on the menu), and a bed for the night.
|
|
|
|
<h4>Some notes in conclusion</h4>
|
|
|
|
<ol>
|
|
<li>We will undoubtedly return to the area in 1978 .... we have still
|
|
hardly begun on the plateau, and we have no competitors as yet.
|
|
<li>Lots of bolts and drivers are essential - there are few natural
|
|
belays and the rock is very hard.
|
|
<li>SRT rope could be taken down larger pots in long lengths and then cut
|
|
underground to the lengths required.
|
|
<li>Ladder or SRT ? Clearly SRT is faster on a long trip, but we found that
|
|
using mixed tackle avoided unnecessary bolting for the free-hang required by
|
|
SRT. For example, <span lang="de-at">Viermalbierschacht</span> would have to
|
|
be rebelayed in three places on SRT. There still seems, for exploratory work
|
|
- at any rate where pitches are descended and ascended many times during the
|
|
exploration - to be a strong case for mixed tackle and flexibility on the
|
|
part of cavers.
|
|
<li>Size of party - 82 was our first major exploration involving depth and
|
|
uncertain rescue facilities. Consequently we were fairly inefficient. Ideally
|
|
teams of two or perhaps three should go down at intervals of an hour or so -
|
|
this allows a party to get down, rig the next pitch (bolts almost inevitable)
|
|
assess the situation beyond, and then return quickly, passing on their
|
|
information to the next group. This avoids long trips, something none of us
|
|
fancied.
|
|
<li>Get fairy floats for canoes if VB or DF have offered to take you on an
|
|
'easy' river.
|
|
<li>Give up caving and take up skiing...
|
|
<li>Don't have two plates of <span lang="de-at">schlagg</span> washed down
|
|
only by beer...etc., etc.
|
|
<li>A tip for new members - the club dinghy CAN be rolled should you
|
|
capsize, provided you have tied yourself in first.
|
|
</ol>
|
|
|
|
<h3>END OF EXPEDITION REPORT</h3>
|
|
|
|
<hr />
|
|
<!-- LINKS -->
|
|
<ul id="links">
|
|
<li>Cambridge Underground 1978
|
|
<a href="../../../jnl/1978/index.htm">Table of Contents</a></li>
|
|
<li>1977 Expedition info:
|
|
<ul>
|
|
<li><a href="log.htm">Logbook</a> (currently missing)</li>
|
|
<li>Andy Waddington's <a href="andylg.htm">Logbook</a><br>
|
|
<!-- <li><a href="bcracc.htm">BCRA Caves & Caving Report</a><br> -->
|
|
<li>Eislufthöhle - <a href="descnt.htm">from Descent 40</a></li>
|
|
<li>Nick Thorne's write-up in <a href="771649.htm">Belfry Bulletin 354</a></li>
|
|
</ul></li>
|
|
<li><a href="../../pubs.htm#pubs1977">Index</a> to all publications</li>
|
|
<li><a href="../../index.htm">Back to Expeditions intro page</a></li>
|
|
<li><a href="../../../index.htm">CUCC Home Page</a></li>
|
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