expoweb/smkridge/204x.htm

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<table border="0" width="100%">
<tr><th width=20% align="left"><font size="+2">204</font></th>
<th lang="de"><font size="+2">Steinbr&uuml;ckenh&ouml;hle</font></th>
<th width=20% align="right"><font size="+2">4/S x</font></th></tr>
<tr><th align="left"><font size="+1">(CUCC 99/03)</font></th></tr></table>
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<p><b>Altitude:</b> 1820m, length 2.5km, depth 368m<br>
<b>Location:</b> 204b entrance E 36673 N (52)83716
<p>The cave is situated on the west side of the col between the
<span lang="de-at">Hinterer Schwarzmooskogel</span> and
<span lang="de-at">Nieder AugstEck</span>.
<p><b>Access route:</b>The 1999 route from Top Camp
(probably near optimal) is a cairned path via
<span lang="de">Wolfh&ouml;hle</span>
(<a href="../plateau/145.htm">1623/145</a>) and Laser Point 5, then up to the
top of the bare patch of white limestone visible from Top Camp, passing
<a href="195.htm">195</a> and <a href="196.htm">196.</a> Laser 0/5 can also
be approached via <a href="../plateau/107.htm">107</a>, a slightly lower
route; or the white patch of limestone can be reached by a more central route
across the plateau. In all these cases there is scope for endless variation,
and an approach which keeps the large bare patch in view is recommended.
Alternatively, the cave may be approached from the summit of HSK - probably
the optimal route if you are coming from any of the
<a href="161/top.htm">161</a> entrances.
<p><b>Marking:</b>Tag. Does it say "CUCC 99-03" or "CUCC 204"?
<p><b>Description:</b>204a entrance is directly opposite a 10m x 3m stone
bridge from which it derives its name. The entrance itself is
approximately 8m high and 5m wide, and leads down a boulder slope and
round a right hand bend to the top of the first pitch. 204b entrance is
15m away to the west, and this is the entrance which is rigged. A 3m
climb down (handline useful) leads into the entrance gully and a ledge at
the head of the first pitch, <b>Trick or Treat</b>, opposite 204a
entrance. This loose, sloping pitch of 20m is rigged from a Y-hang on the
right hand wall, with a rebelay and deviation. The pitch is tedious to
prussik on return and is best climbed. The landing is by a large snow
plug with (in 1999) an ice corridor round the edge leading to the top of
a boulder slope. A rift passage on the right becomes too tight.
<p><a name="jim">Descending</a> the boulder slope (care required to
avoid kicking rocks off) leads to the head of the second pitch, <b>Jim'll
Fix It</b> (18m). An unexplored passage is visible from the pitch
head, which could be accessed by a bolt traverse round the right hand
side of the pitch head [<a href="204/qm.htm#C1999-204-01" name="qC1999-204-01">C1999-204-01 C</a>]. The pitch is rigged from a bolt in
the left hand wall with a deviation from a spit immediately after the
pitch head bolt. This protects a marginal rub point and also avoids a jet
of water which spurts from a crack in the wall after heavy rain. The
landing is by a large pointed snowplug. Landing on top of the snow plug
and climbing up 2m to the right (when facing the wall on which the
pitch is rigged) leads to an undescended pitch/climb [<a href="204/qm.htm#C1999-204-02" name="qC1999-204-02">C1999-204-02 B</a>]
which lies above the northern end of
<a href="#wolp">Wolpertinger Way</a>. In 1999 there was sufficient
gap between snow and wall to complete the descent and emerge in a sloping
phreatic passage. There are two ways on: Right leads uphill as
stooping/crawling height passage for 30m to emerge at the top of
<a href="#umshit">Umshitshimbo</a>. Left leads downhill into
<a href="#nearend">The Near End</a> and is the main way on. There is a
further unexplored passage in the wall above the gap between the snow plug
and the rock [<a href="204/qm.htm#C1999-204-03" name="qC1999-204-03">C1999-204-03 C</a>].
<h3><a name="nearend">The Near End</a></h3>
<p><b>The Near End</b> is a collective name for
a complex network of high level phreatic passages which slope
approximately 20&deg; following the dip of the beds. Heading
downhill from the base of <b>Jim'll Fix It</b> in a stooping
height passage leads round a double bend to a 2m climb down to a
junction. Right leads to more <a href="#nearside">side
passages</a> whilst the main route is straight ahead to a
crossroads. Right leads into the same <a href="#nearside">side
passages</a> as the previous right turn. Left is <b>Needle Crawl</b>
past an unexplored passage on the left [<a href="204/qm.htm#C1999-204-04" name="qC1999-204-04">C1999-204-04 C</a>] and
a crawl on the right (feels like straight ahead) which becomes too small after ~8m.
Straight ahead (feels like a left) leads to the head of a fine 4m diameter circular shaft, <b>Thread
Pitch</b>. This pitch of 17m leads into <a href="#wolp">Wolpertinger Way</a>,
and is likely to be the main route from 2000. A continuation of the crawl is
visible at the opposite side of the pitch head [<a href="204/qm.htm#C1999-204-06" name="qC1999-204-06">C1999-204-06 C</a>].
<p>From the crossroads, the main route in 1999 was straight ahead, downhill
in mostly stooping height passage with a short section of sandy crawling.
After 15m is a short climb down to the top of a 4m deep pit with a too-tight
passage at the bottom, with the phreatic passage continuing to the right.
After a further 10m the passage is intersected by a large rift with a big
rock partially blocking the passage. Climbing up to the right leads back into
a tall rift in the <a href="#nearside">side passages</a>. A climb up to the
left leads to a passage containing attractive white mud which was not
entered, however a visual connection to the <a href="#pendulum">Pendulum
Pitch</a> was established.
<p>Straight ahead leads to a further junction after 15m. Left opens out to
the head of <a href="#pendulum">Pendulum Pitch</a>, the main route to the
bottom of <a href="#wolp">Wolpertinger Way</a> used in 1999. Right leads to a
narrow stooping height passage which continues for 25m with several clear
pools in the floor to a widening where most routes ahead and to the left are
choked with boulders. To the right, a body sized tube leads upwards for ~15m
before opening out into a low chamber on the left. The continuation of
the crawl is immediately opposite the entry point [<a
href="204/qm.htm#C1999-204-05" name="qC1999-204-05">C1999-204-05 B</a>]
and there is a climb down into a rift on the far side of the chamber to
the left [<a href="204/qm.htm#C1999-204-07"
name="qC1999-204-07">C1999-204-07 B</a>]. The chamber doubles back on
itself to the left and encounters an area of breakdown which was not
fully investigated, but is presumed to be the opposite side of the
boulder choke.
<h3><a name="nearside">The Near End: Side Passages</a></h3>
<p>The first two right turns encountered when heading downhill
from the foot of <a href="#jim">Jim'll Fix It</a> unite in a walking
sized passage. After 10m the bottom of <a href="#umshit">Umshitshimbo</a>
is passed on the right, whilst straight ahead leads to a junction
with a large keyhole passage. Left leads after 15m to a climb up
behind a precariously placed boulder, to an immediate climb down
of 4m which emerges in the 1999 main route through the near end
before <a href="#pendulum">Pendulum Pitch</a>. Right leads
immediately to an undescended pitch [<a href="204/qm.htm#C1999-204-08" name="qC1999-204-08">C1999-204-08 B</a>]. A difficult and
exposed traverse round the left hand wall leads to a further 30m
of passage with a steadily lowering roof culminating in a boulder
choke.
<p><center><img alt="plan: 24k gif" width=582 height=783 src="204/pl1999.png"></center>
<h3><a name="umshit">The Near End: Umshitshimbo and Updip
Passages</a></h3>
<p><b>Umshitshimbo</b> is a fine phreatic ramp, 2m wide and about 4m
high, which heads uphill in a straight line for 40m. At the top a
passage doubling back on the right leads back to the base of
<a href="#jim">Jim'll Fix It</a> and there is a climb up into a rift passage
heading south over the top of Umshitshimbo which becomes too narrow. Large
passage continues uphill past a 2m deep blind pit on the right to a junction.
<p>Left leads uphill past a choked inlet on the left to a steep
uphill section with a crawl on the right, which leads shortly to
a 2m climb down and immediate choke. At the top of the steep
section the passage to the right immediately chokes, whilst left
is <b>Dolly Parton climb</b>, a 2m climb up with huge jugs, to a further
15m of upward trending phreatic passage, terminating in a boulder choke
with a slight draught (air coming into the cave.) There are two small
steep phreatic ramps on the left hand side of this passage, both very
small and both choked.
<p>Straight ahead at the junction leads through a short section
of rift to an enlargement with an alcove on the right and a
keyhole passage ahead. The rift section at the bottom quickly
becomes choked, with a slight draught coming in. A 3m climb gains
access to the phreatic section which goes over the top of the choke, and
about after a further 3m reaches a large boulder, which almost blocks the
passage with a strong breeze blowing through the gap (into the cave.)
Squeezing through yields a steeply ascending rocky crawl which chokes
after about 5m.
<h3><a name="wolp">Wolpertinger Way</a></h3>
<p><b>Thread pitch</b> from <a href="#nearend">The Near End</a>
lands at the top of a large 6-8m diameter phreatic passage,
<b>Wolpertinger Way</b>, which heads downhill past some ice formations on
the left hand side, for 35m to a junction. Straight ahead is a steep
gully leading to a 6.5m diameter circular shaft with aven above -
<b>You're So Veined</b>. There is a traverse round the right hand side of
the gully on an increasingly narrow ledge.
<p><b>You're so Veined</b> is rigged at its southern end, and this is
reached via a sandy crawl off to the right from the top of the steep gully,
which passes over a hole in the floor through dangerous boulders
[<a href="204/qm.htm#C1999-204-09" name="qC1999-204-09">C1999-204-09 C</a>] to reach a junction. Right is an unexplored passage
[<a href="204/qm.htm#C1999-204-10" name="qC1999-204-10">C1999-204-10 C</a>], straight ahead leads into <a href="#110aday">110 A Day</a>,
whilst left is the main route.
<p>More sandy crawling leads to a crossroads, where left leads to
the ledge overlooking the pitch, and right is a short crawl leading
to the main passage part of the way down <a href="#pendulum">Pendulum
Pitch</a>, the easiest route to the <a href="#elephant">White
Elephant Series</a>. Straight ahead leads to a further junction.
Right is a short passage to a traverse round a blind pit, an
alternative route to <a href="#pendulum">Pendulum Pitch</a>. Left
is the head of <b>You're So Veined</b>, the start of the
<a href="#ariston">Ariston Series</a>. </p>
<h3><a name="110aday">110 A Day</a></h3>
<p><b>110 A Day</b> is a long, dusty passage which varies between stooping
and crawling for 110m. Immediately after the start is a sharp right hand bend
with an unexplored crawl straight ahead [<a href="204/qm.htm#C1999-204-11" name="qC1999-204-11">C1999-204-11 C</a>]. About halfway along
is a crossroads, where low passages lead off to left and right
[<a href="204/qm.htm#C1999-204-12" name="qC1999-204-12">C1999-204-12 C</a> and <a href="204/qm.htm#C1999-204-13" name="qC1999-204-13">C1999-204-13 C</a>]. At the terminus reached in 1999, the
passage splits into two. Each branch immediately becomes tight, but could be
pushed further with a little determination and effort [<a href="204/qm.htm#C1999-204-14" name="qC1999-204-14">C1999-204-14 C</a> and
<a href="204/qm.htm#C1999-204-15" name="qC1999-204-15">C1999-204-15 C</a>]. In the left hand branch, just before the passage becomes
tighter, is an undescended pitch [<a href="204/qm.htm#C1999-204-16" name="qC1999-204-16">C1999-204-16 A</a>] of perhaps 20m.
<h3><a name="pendulum">Pendulum Pitch Route</a></h3>
<p><b>Pendulum Pitch</b> is in a large rift. The first section is a
loose boulder slope (care required) to a rebelay, then a descent
of 23m via a deviation off the far wall below a large wedged
boulder. There may be a passage on the far side of the rift accessible
with difficulty from this boulder [<a href="204/qm.htm#C1999-204-17" name="qC1999-204-17">C1999-204-17 C</a>]. From the base of the
pitch, two rift passages lead off which very quickly become too tight.
<p>The main route on is reached by swinging off after 16m into a
6m wide passage. Two passages in the left hand wall are quickly
encountered. The first quickly becomes too tight, the second is a
short crawl leading into the network of sandy crawls at the bottom of
<a href="#wolp">Wolpertinger Way</a>, and is the best route from here to the
<a href="#ariston">Ariston Series</a>. Continuing down the main passage,
passing either side of a huge boulder, reaches a blind pit in the floor, with
two ways on.
<p>A loose and slightly precarious traverse round the blind pit
leads to a short passage on the left, emerging at the head of <b>You're
So Veined</b> at the start of the <a href="#ariston">Ariston Series</a>. A
rift visible at the opposite side of the pit has an audible connection to
<b>You're so Veined</b>.
<p>To the right at the blind pit is a draughting phreatic tube which heads
downhill at a comfortable walking size past a tight passage on the left
[<a href="204/qm.htm#C1999-204-18" name="qC1999-204-18">C1999-204-18 C</a>]. After 20m, a 3m climb up into a roof tube on the right hand
side is the way into the <a href="#elephant">White Elephant Series</a>.
The phreatic passage continues for a further 15m past a too tight inlet on
the right and a traverse over a blind pit to a 3m deep hole in the floor,
which is blind. Traversing over the hole and up a loose climb with a too
tight rift in the right hand wall leads into an uphill passage, which is
choked with mud after 5m. A sandy crawl on the right just before the
choke leads via a left hand bend with a too tight rift on the right
(probably connecting to that at the loose climb) ending at a 2m climb
down. There is a possible way on at the bottom of this, but it is very
small and tall people at least would have to enter feet first
[<a href="204/qm.htm#C1999-204-19" name="qC1999-204-19">C1999-204-19 C</a>]. There is a noticeable draught here blowing downhill (into
the cave).
<p><center><img alt="elevation: 16k gif" width=575 height=780 src="204/el1999.png"></center>
<h3><a name="ariston">Ariston Series</a></h3>
<p>The Ariston Series is the route to the current deepest point in the
cave. The pitch series begins with a short pitch of 5m rigged from a large
thread in the roof a few metres back, with a single spit for the
vertical part, which is almost a scramble. This lands on a large
ledge formed of boulders wedged across a narrow point; there are
two choices of descent here, one to the north, <b>You're So
Veined</b> (15m), which was used in 1999, and an as yet
undescended pitch to the south, which will land further down the
Ariston Series, which should probably be used in 2000. One
rebelay provides a good hang against the wall of You're so Veined
to reach the foot of the pitch, which is in a spacious shaft,
with an impressive aven above. From here, there are two ways on:
to the left, facing away from the pitch just descended, is a
gully, which in 1999 contained a thick layer of ice. Carefully
traversing this rather slippery section leads to the head of a
small pitch of 6m, which was rigged with a Y-hang. From here a walking
size phreatic passage leads off, carrying a substantial breeze.
The passage initially descends, but then develops a narrow floor
trench; as the trench deepens, the phreatic part of the passage
rises, and then ends abruptly where the floor trench turns right
and leads off as a too-tight rift while ahead the phreas pinches
out.
<p>Back at the foot of <b>You're So Veined</b>, a way on to the right
leads into a small, very crumbly chamber, from which a short section of
awkward rift leads to a fine crow's nest in the wall of a large rift. A
very short pitch (5m) lands on a large ledge, from which a roped traverse
along the left-hand wall gains the head of the next pitch of 12m, which
avoids a large ledge which would have been in the way but for the
traverse. This pitch currently requires a rope protector just below the
Y-hang at the top. The landing is on another large ledge, where a pool can
be used to refill water containers. It is thought that the alternative
pitch to You're so Veined will land here, if rigged.
<p>The next pitch of 14m consists of a backup bolt followed by a Y-hang,
which utilises one very cratered spit, which can only be used with a
bollard type hanger. This pitch requires a deviation from the opposite
wall or a rebelay to be installed as there is currently a rub point just
below the Y-hang. The ledge that this pitch lands on consists of boulders
wedged across the shaft, although it seems sound. A backup bolt protects
the approach to the Y-hang at the head of the next pitch (35m).
Unfortunately, it seems to be impossible to get a clean hang from here,
and a rub-point 3m down will require the installation of a rebelay or
deviation in future. Immediately after this point, the walls of the shaft
bell out, and the rope hangs in stimulating isolation. About 5m from the
floor a ledge is passed, which could be gained by a swing across, where
there may possibly be a passage leading off [<a href="204/qm.htm#C1999-204-20" name="qC1999-204-20">C1999-204-20 B</a>].
<p>At the foot of the pitch, the way on is a very chossy, sloping descent
which will require either re-rigging or bypassing (which may be possible
by a climb up and over) in future. This leads to a further short pitch
(10m), which lands in an aven chamber of ample proportions. From here is
another short, undescended pitch [<a href="204/qm.htm#C1999-204-21" name="qC1999-204-21">C1999-204-21 A</a>], a crawl leading off from
the foot of the pitch just descended, and a descending rubble slope. The
rubble slope curves round to the right, passing a tight rift on the left
[<a href="204/qm.htm#C1999-204-22" name="qC1999-204-22">C1999-204-22 C</a>], to reach the bottom of a short climb up of 3m on the right,
which is followed by a scramble down on the other side. From here,
straight ahead is a climb up into the foot of an aven, half-right is a
short ascending passage leading to a chamber where a traverse around the
right hand wall leads to a slope down to an undescended pitch
[<a href="204/qm.htm#C1999-204-23" name="qC1999-204-23">C1999-204-23 A</a>], and full right is a stooping/crawling height phreatic
passage with a mud floor. This passes on the right the other end of the crawl
which led off from the foot of the previous pitch.
<p>Some 50m of alternate crawling and stooping, including a single point
where the roof dips and the crawl is flat-out, leads to a small chamber.
Here there are two holes in the floor. One, which has not been descended,
is a reasonably large drop (stones bounce off the walls a couple of
times and then fall free for some 3s)[<a href="204/qm.htm#C1999-204-24" name="qC1999-204-24">C1999-204-24 A</a>]. The other drop is much shorter, and
is split into two sections by ledges on each wall part way down. The first
section of 8m reaches these small ledges, where a stream enters from the
foot of a very large aven. The next section of 11m is wet, and lands on a
small ledge overlooking a massive shaft. Stones thrown out from here fall
for 3s. This is believed to be the same pitch as C1999-204-24, which will
probably prove to provide a drier descent. This ledge is the current limit
of exploration at -226m.
<h3><a name="elephant">White Elephant Series</a></h3>
<p>The White Elephant Series is a series of rift pitches which has not been
pushed to a definite conclusion, but does not appear especially promising,
despite carrying a considerable breeze. From the head of the 3m climb up,
a roof tube leads off. After 8m of crawling, the passage opens out at the
head of a 2m climb down by a large boulder. A too-tight rift leads off on
the left, but ahead opens out into a large space, the <b>Millennium
Dome</b>.
<p>A 20m pitch rigged from a bolt on the left hand wall backed up to the
big boulder, with a rebelay and rope protector after 5m, lands on the
boulder floor of the Millennium dome, which is an L-shaped chamber at the
base of a large aven, with each arm of the L being 15m long and 5m wide.
There do not appear to be any ways through the boulders, but a rift leads
off at the western end, quickly arriving at the head of a 10m pitch with a
constricted take off, rigged from boulders. An eyehole part way down this
pitch appears to lead into a parallel shaft [<a href="204/qm.htm#C1999-204-25" name="qC1999-204-25">C1999-204-25 B</a>]. The pitch lands
on a rubble floor with a blind pit. Heading south quickly reaches a loose
pitch head, with a rift passage continuing beyond.
<p>The pitch is 28m, rigged from a bolt on the left hand wall and
deviations from natural threads after 4m and 12m. The second deviation is
by a small rock bridge, where descending either side appears to go to the
same place, and an eyehole opposite connects to the continuation of the
rift at the top of the pitch. The base of the pitch is an oddly shaped
chamber formed from several rifts (about 7m up the pitch, these rifts
coalesce to form a single shaft.) North from the base of the rope leads to
a 3m climb down into an inlet rift coming from the north which ends in a
blank wall 8m from the base of the rope, but the rift continues too-tight
heading south beneath the 3m climb. South from the base of the rope is
another rift heading downhill which rapidly becomes too tight with running
water clearly audible, but not visible beyond. West from the base of the
rope leads to junction with a too tight rift continuing to the west, and
another inlet rift coming from the north which ends in a blank wall after
5m.
<p>Traversing over the top of the pitch (rope required) and a short descent
leads to a continuation of the rift passage. A hole on the left connects to
the 28m pitch described earlier. After 5m the rift narrows and a constricted
pitch head is reached. The descent of 15m is rigged from a large boulder and
leads immediately to a further drop of 7m rigged from a bolt. This shorter
drop may be bypassed by an alternative free climb in a narrow slot
immediately beyond the pitch head. From the base the tall, narrow rift
continues with two short climbs and a slot in the floor which gradually
widens to the head of the next pitch after 6m. This is rigged from a Y-hang
on either side of the rift, but soon opens out to give a fine descent of 15m
landing in a spacious rift at 182m depth from 204b entrance. A narrow slot in
the floor develops, which is just large enough to descend, but stones thrown
down sound dead [<a href="204/qm.htm#C1999-204-26" name="qC1999-204-26">C1999-204-26 B</a>]. It is possible to traverse above the slot
for a short way before the rift becomes too tight.
<p>There is a noticeable breeze at the base of this pitch, as there is
through much of the series, with air blowing into the cave. From the base
of the 7m pitch, there is no roof visible. This area has potential, but
there are no easy leads, and some lunatic bolt traverses may be required
to try to bypass the tight sections.
<p><b>Exploration:</b> CUCC 1999, to length 1365m, depth 226m<br>
CUCC 2000 to 2.5km and -368m
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