mirror of
https://expo.survex.com/repositories/expoweb/.git/
synced 2024-11-30 05:41:56 +00:00
260 lines
14 KiB
HTML
260 lines
14 KiB
HTML
<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD HTML 4.0//EN">
|
|
<html>
|
|
<head>
|
|
<meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=utf8" />
|
|
<title>1979: Cambridge Underground report</title>
|
|
<link rel="stylesheet" type="text/css" href="../../css/main2.css" />
|
|
</head>
|
|
<body>
|
|
<p><center><font size=-1>CTS 80.1663: Cambridge Underground 1980 pp 12-19</font>
|
|
<h1>Austria 1979</h1></center>
|
|
|
|
<p>The 1979 expedition was a small one and necessarily had limited
|
|
objectives. Many of the people involved in previous years had other
|
|
commitments and of the eight who made their way out to the Totes Gebirge,
|
|
three had little or no SRT experience. This being so, the sole aim was to
|
|
continue with the exploration of 106 and, hopefully, bottom it.
|
|
|
|
<p>Though most of our attention was centred on 106, Andy C.,Simon K. and
|
|
Tony did make some progress down a draughting hole about a hundred yards
|
|
from 106, numbered 99. It is not clear how this relates to 106, but if it
|
|
does come into 106 then it must do so fairly far down. I don't think that we
|
|
shall bother to follow this up. This year has been the club's fourth in
|
|
Austria and the bottoming of 106 will provide a convenient point for moving
|
|
on.
|
|
|
|
<p>There are undoubtedly many more holes to be found on the plateau, but
|
|
most club members have an urge to see somewhere new. This 'somewhere new'
|
|
may indeed be in Austria again as there are still a lot of relatively
|
|
unexplored limestone areas there.
|
|
|
|
<p><center>[IMAGE MISSING: LOCATION MAP]
|
|
<!-- img alt="location map - 10k gif" width=600 height=650 src="map.png" --></center>
|
|
|
|
<h2><a id="id76">Eislufthöhle (106)</a></h2>
|
|
|
|
<p>On the last Saturday in July, Ben van Millingen, Andy Waddington, Tony
|
|
Malcolm, Nick Thorne and Julian Griffiths crossed the channel with two cars
|
|
crammed full of gear. An uneventful drive saw Nick and Julian in Austria by
|
|
Sunday evening. A somewhat more eventful drive saw the rest walking into the
|
|
campsite in Altaussee very early on Tuesday morning, a broken axle bearing
|
|
and a burnt out electrical system being largely to blame. Luckily (?) Ben's
|
|
car had finally given up the ghost only a matter of kilometres away and a
|
|
couple of hour's work saw it safely to the garage where Julian's wrecked
|
|
Fiesta had been left the year before.
|
|
|
|
<p>Whilst waiting for the others to arrive, Julian and Nick negotiated free
|
|
access to the plateau and laid a guide-line back from the cave to the col so
|
|
that parties could safely make their exit from the cave in the dark. A
|
|
couple of days were then spent moving rope up to the cave and establishing a
|
|
campsite at the col, and it was not until Thursday that any real progress
|
|
was made down the cave.
|
|
|
|
<p>That day, the pot was rigged down to -270m in the course of a seven hour
|
|
trip. The next day, Ben, Tony and Andy W. descended to continue the rigging
|
|
in. Past the 7m eighth pitch, they used a passage noted the year before to
|
|
avoid the 23m broken pitch. A superb freehanging 15m pitch followed by a 9m
|
|
pitch brought them back to the start of the traverses leading to the Fiesta
|
|
Run, at which point they came out.
|
|
|
|
<p>The weekend saw the arrival of the other three members of the expedition,
|
|
Andy Connolly, Simon Farrow and Simon Kellet, and the beginning of new
|
|
exploration in the cave. On Sunday, Nick and Julian took the obvious
|
|
traverse past the Fiesta Run. After dropping 3m, the traverse continued to
|
|
the head of a broken 15m pitch. A free climb at the bottom led to the base
|
|
of a large aven where all sounds of the stream, which had been so prominent
|
|
on the traverses, were absent. A steeply inclined and somewhat thrutchy
|
|
canyon opened at the far side of the aven and after 30m of traversing
|
|
another broken 15m pitch was reached. This was followed by a narrow canyon.
|
|
This was beginning to get really silly when it broke out into the side of a
|
|
very large aven. A stream could be heard falling down the aven and a boulder
|
|
lobbed to the floor suggested a pitch of around 15m. Satisfied, but somewhat
|
|
puzzled by the days work, the pair exitted.
|
|
|
|
<p>Discussing it with the others in the comfort of Bar Fischer, it was
|
|
decided to abandon this route, the last passage being very narrow indeed ,
|
|
and to try descending the rift just before the first broken 15m pitch at the
|
|
point where the stream was last heard. Accordingly, Ben and Andy went down
|
|
on Monday and started rigging from the 3m drop in the traverse. After a
|
|
couple of metres, the rift widened to form a pleasant shaft to a large ledge
|
|
where a terminal attack of exploration nerves set in and the two came out.
|
|
On Tuesday there was a trip I think Simon F. would prefer forgotten. Suffice
|
|
it to say that a nameless hero emerged after a shattering twelve hour trip
|
|
and was promptly violently ill back at the col campsite (a direct result of
|
|
a surfeit of English beer and cigarettes, I believe). Wednesday was equally
|
|
eventful but in a more encouraging way. Nick and Julian rigged the pitch
|
|
from the ledge. This was 33m deep and forms the lower part of Madlmeier
|
|
Schacht. A short distance on, the head of another pitch was reached. After
|
|
23m the rope was rebolted at a small ledge and a further 18m descended in a
|
|
rift of ever-increasing dimensions. Clambering down 5m at the end of the
|
|
rope, a substantial platform (5m wide by 6m long) saw the start of the 14th
|
|
pitch. 15m below this, the explorers landed on another platform of similar
|
|
dimensions. Our last length of rope was flung down the pitch that
|
|
followed and Nick descended. Unfortunately the rope finished about 5m from
|
|
the floor necessitating a return, but he saw enough to establish that the
|
|
series of pitches had temporarily come to an end, the passage levelling off
|
|
along the line of the rift.
|
|
|
|
<p>There then followed four frustrating days when no caving was done because
|
|
of rain. Although reasonably dry when they were explored, it was evident
|
|
that the last series of pitches was no place to be in wet weather, it being
|
|
impossible to rig the pitches out of the main stream course. It was not
|
|
until Monday 13th August that we went down again. This time five descended:
|
|
Nick, Ben and Simon F. exploring and Andy W. and Julian taking photos and
|
|
measuring pitch lengths. As time was running short we also had hopes of
|
|
derigging some of the pot, in particular the section below Madlmeier
|
|
Schacht, that being the most affected by the weather. In the event, the cave
|
|
did not go very much further.
|
|
|
|
<p>Past the previous limit, a climb down boulders followed by a muddy 5m
|
|
pitch led to a large sump pool at a depth of just over 500m. Derigging
|
|
proved slow and strenuous. After much cajoling, 300m of rope eventually
|
|
found its way to the top of the Hall of the Greene King where it was dumped
|
|
and an exit made in times varying from fourteen to sixteen hours.
|
|
|
|
<p>During the last two days the cave was completely derigged with the help
|
|
of Simon K., Tony and Andy C. and by Thursday morning all the gear had been
|
|
transported back to the campsite in Altaussee. In the afternoon we departed
|
|
for England.
|
|
|
|
<p>Julian Griffiths.
|
|
|
|
<hr />
|
|
|
|
<h2><a id="id76gd">1623/106</a> EISLUFTHÖHLE Loser Plateau, Totes
|
|
Gebirge, Austria<br>Explored 1977-79 CUCC</h2>
|
|
|
|
<p>From the 106A entrance, 15m of stooping passage leads to where the
|
|
original entrance 106 comes in down a 6m snowslope. Doubling back down a
|
|
further 45° snowslope (6m ladder needed) brings one to Draught Bitter,
|
|
the head of the first pitch proper, Plugged Shaft, corkscrewing down 67m past
|
|
snow ledges at 11, 18, 35 and 54m and ending in a fine 13m freehang into a
|
|
large chamber. A short walk down the last of the snow is followed by Saved
|
|
Shaft, a 13m ladder climb landing in Boulder Chamber. A thrutch through the
|
|
boulders is followed by a climb down to the head of Keg Series, the 32m pitch
|
|
of which leads to an undescended 15m pitch which produces no discernible
|
|
draught.
|
|
|
|
<p>Traversing over the head of the Keg Series pitch, a further climb down
|
|
brings one to the head of Follow Through Shaft, a 33m pitch split at 19m by a
|
|
large boulder strewn ledge. At the bottom one encounters the first
|
|
significant horizontal passage in the pot. Traversing over and under boulders
|
|
for about 100m leads to The Tap Room, the base of a sizeable aven down which
|
|
a steady trickle of water comes. A 6m handline climb is followed by a sharp
|
|
right turn and a 2m climb up into a narrow traverse which continues in a dead
|
|
straight line for about 30m to a handline climb down 2m into a small chamber
|
|
containing a large jammed boulder. This is the head of a series of pitch
|
|
dropping in stages of 12, 30, 11 and 48m into the Hall of the Greene King, a
|
|
20m diameter aven about 80m high. The 7m balcony pitch which follows lands on
|
|
the floor of the aven. A short walk and climb down now lead to Overhanging
|
|
Boulder pitch (7m). The way now splits.
|
|
|
|
<p>Heading right, up a short scramble, leads to the top of a split 20m pitch
|
|
(1978 route). A walk down the 2m wide passage at the bottom and climb 6m down
|
|
a boulder jamb now joins up with the 1979 route at the base of the Gents'
|
|
Pitch. Back at the junction, traversing left down a narrow passage one
|
|
arrives at the head of a beautiful 17m free hanging pitch into a wide vadose
|
|
canyon with a narrow trench in the floor. This is followed downstream to the
|
|
10m Gents' Pitch which unites the two routes.
|
|
|
|
<p>Some further 150m of traversing at the bottom of this pitch in a high
|
|
vadose passage ends at the top of the Fiesta Run, a 28m sloping muddy pitch.
|
|
The way again splits at the bottom of this pitch. A traverse over the obvious
|
|
blackness below is followed by 15m and 23m pitches and a tight crawl to an
|
|
undescended pitch, while rigging the pitch down the hole at the bottom of the
|
|
Fiesta Run yields Madlmeier Schacht, a damp 61m abseil split at 28m by a
|
|
ledge. The shaft now begins to bell out to magnificent proportions and a
|
|
short climb over a boulder is followed by a 43m pitch split at 24m. A 5m
|
|
climb then leads to the top of the wet pitches of 24 and 17m landing on the
|
|
floor of a large level passage covered in shingle and small boulders. A short
|
|
walk and a climb down a boulder blockage end at a 5m pitch down mud covered
|
|
walls to the brink of a splendid sump chamber at a depth of about 506m.
|
|
|
|
<p align=right>Simon Farrow
|
|
|
|
<p><hr />
|
|
|
|
<h2><a id="id89">Caves 89 and 99</a></h2>
|
|
|
|
<p>As the heavyweights plunged on into the depths, Andy and Tony (Team
|
|
Extremely-Enthusiastic-and-fit-but-willing-to-allow-others-the-ultimate-glory)
|
|
were left to play at exploration on the surface, leading to the discovery of
|
|
some rather unspectacular holes, but including 89 - a 25m shaft into a
|
|
narrow rift of approximately zero lateral extension.
|
|
|
|
<p>With days running out just prior to the frustrating wet season, we had a
|
|
look at 99, which is about 30m from the entrance to 106. This had been noted
|
|
at the same time as the latter (on the 77 expedition) as a strongly
|
|
draughting hole, but considering the close proximity to 106, the progress
|
|
being made there, and the possibility of it being connected, it had been
|
|
left alone.
|
|
|
|
<p>Having rigged a ladder down the snow slope of the entrance gallery, Andy
|
|
disappeared to examine the head of a pitch. From an ice perch, a shaft
|
|
descended at about 70° in a line roughly back to the 106 entrance.
|
|
Bolting was quickly effected, after which Andy descended a 20m snow-lined
|
|
pitch on rope. At the base was a snow duck under a rock wall beyond which a
|
|
small rift-like chamber descended about 3m. Straight ahead at the same level,
|
|
the rift quickly became an impenetrable slot through which could be seen a 2m
|
|
wide passage with an ice floor running down from right to left at an angle of
|
|
5 to 10°. This was the source of the strong draught.
|
|
|
|
<p>Feeling the effects of the icy draught, Andy returned to the surface to
|
|
report and Tony descended to confirm the situation and to progress, if
|
|
possible, below the level of the draught. Unfortunately the slot was too
|
|
small, but below it there was another low hole. This leaked a vague draught
|
|
and led to a small boulder strewn ledge with a definite blackness continuing
|
|
to the left behind more boulders. Energetic but nervous removal of boulders
|
|
gave obvious signs of a continuation. Requiring some backup, Tony returned
|
|
to the surface.
|
|
|
|
<p>It was decided to return the next day when there would be more time
|
|
available. Unfortunately, the rain then set in, leaving those not involved
|
|
in 106 confined to camp. When we did return (on the day 106 was bottomed) we
|
|
got through the dig onto a lower ledge with a 1m diameter shaft dropping in
|
|
a corkscrew at least 20m. We were constrained by lack of bolts, and were
|
|
forced to begin derigging with time running out for the expedition anyway.
|
|
Thanks to Simon Kellet for keeping us amused on our last visit.
|
|
|
|
<p>Mon aeroglisseur, qui resemble un peu à un bateau (merci Torquil),
|
|
est remplit des gymnotes. Merci à tous ceux qui m'ont porté en
|
|
stop en France l'année dernière. [I suspect that this is not
|
|
entirely relevant - Editor]
|
|
|
|
<p align=right>Tony Malcolm
|
|
|
|
<h2><a name="svy">Survey Notes</a></h2>
|
|
|
|
<p>The completed survey of 106 and a sketch (!) of 99 are included, together
|
|
with a surface survey of the Loser plateau. Due to the clino packing up and
|
|
the uncooperative nature of the survey tape, the 106 survey is only grade
|
|
one below Hall of the Greene King depth or thereabouts. Depths were mainly
|
|
calculated by measuring rope lengths on pitches so the final depth of 506m
|
|
is possibly not extremely accurate.
|
|
|
|
<p><center><img alt="Upper half of survey of 1623/76 (aka 106)" width=1156 height=1876 src="../../1623/76/76upper.png">
|
|
<br>
|
|
<img alt="Lower half of survey of 1623/76 (aka 106)" width=1168 height=1851 src="../../1623/76/76lower.png">
|
|
</center>
|
|
|
|
<p><center><img alt="3d sketch of 1623/99" width=689 height=1000 src="../../1623/99/99sketch.png"></center>
|
|
|
|
<hr />
|
|
<!-- LINKS -->
|
|
<ul id="links">
|
|
<li>1979 Expedition info:
|
|
<ul>
|
|
<li><a href="log.htm">Logbook</a></li>
|
|
<li><a href="bcracc.htm">BCRA Caves & Caving Report</a></li>
|
|
<li>Eislufthöhle - <a href="descnt.htm">from Descent 44</a></li>
|
|
<li>Nick Thorne's write-up in <a href="792026.htm">Belfry Bulletin 378</a></li>
|
|
<li>Odkrycie i eksploracja Eislufthöhle - <a href="811412.htm">original
|
|
english article</a> (published in Polish in 1980)</li>
|
|
</ul></li>
|
|
<li><a href="../../pubs.htm#pubs1979">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>
|
|
</ul>
|
|
</body>
|
|
</html>
|