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<!-- from Cambridge Underground 1983 pp 11-14 -->
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1982: Cambridge Underground report
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<h2>STELLERWEGHOHLENSYSTEM</h2>
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<h3>Guide Book Description</h3>
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</center>
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<p align=right>Pete Lancaster
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<p>(for a current description, see <a href="../../smkridge/41/41.htm">here</a>)
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<p>Stoger Weg Area, Schwarzmoos Kogel, Totes Gebirge, Austria.<br>
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Total depth: 898m<br>
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Surveyed Length: 3.5km<br>
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Explored: CUCC 1980 - 82
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<p>The system has two distinct entrances which both drop rapidly in a series
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of fairly dry passages, to intersect large abandoned phreatic passages,
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providing the connection. The waters unite to flow down a large streamway in
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small wet pitches until a sudden 150m drop to the final sump.
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<p>Stellerweghohle Entrance 1623/41a and 41b<br>
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41b : Alt 1625m 47°40'10"N 13°48'42"E<br>
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41a : Alt 1611m 47°40'10"N 13°48'41"E
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<p>The two entrances are located 50m vertically above the Stoger Weg (path
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no. 201) at the point where it drops steeply (just beyond the draughting hole
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of 1623/32).
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<p>The upper entrance (41b) is in a large rift about 30m to the east of the
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lower (41a) which is in a shattered gully, a strongly outward draughting
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tube. Following this down leads to a chamber with a large snow bank, which is
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th4 bottom of the upper entrance. Crossing this leads to the unproductive
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German Route (see below), but the passage to the left is the main way on. An
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ice traverse to a fine arched passage is followed up a dip until a right turn
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reveals a large 45° ramp. This is traversed over, as are 3 other similar
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features in a short distance. The whole of the cave in this entrance series
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is of phreatic origin, developed along the inclined bedding plane. Crossing
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the final ramp leads via a climb and traverse to a 21m pitch, but this may be
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bypassed by following the ramp down; along the strike leads to the chamber at
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the foot of the pitch. From here four ways head on: a bedding plane down dip
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is obstructed by boulders; and a climb down leads via a squeeze into a very
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small vadose canyon; the main route is a climb up a ramp. This brings one to
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a steeply descending phreatic passage and climbs which are followed by lined
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traverses across two ramps. The next ramp has no way on the other side and is
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descended using a ladder. To the right via a small pitch is the 1980 route
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down the Big Pitch, but left, two small pitches lead to the best hang. This
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is 100m in a large circular shaft and wonderfully free and airy until a
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rebelay 25m from the bottom.
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<p>The pitch lands in a rift with a small stream which can be followed in a
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sharp passage until it sumps, but following above the canyon, the water is
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regained after a 9m pitch. This is quickly succeeded by pitches (of 20, 9, 5,
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6, and 6m) linked by narrow rift passages. A short climb up over boulders
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breaks out into a large dry rift (100m high and 5m wide). A 7m gully and 24m
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pitch are followed by a pendulum to the head of a 9m pitch which reaches the
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floor. A boulder strewn climb down to a 16m pitch is followed in quick
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succession by pitches of 5, 10, 17 and 17m. The final of these are wet in
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clean washed holes, with the roof lowering to 10m in places. After 2 short
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free climbs, a 17m pitch drops into Junction Chamber to join the route from
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Schnellzughohle.
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<h4>The German Route</h4>
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From the snowbank near the entrance, a large passage crosses a couple of
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ramps (presumably those seen on the main route) to a roped traverse over a
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choked pot (28m deep) to the head of a series of pitches. The first two are
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6m and 18m to the floor of a rift. At one end of this is a 20m pitch with a
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small outlet at its base (not explored), but in the other direction pitches
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of 2, 12 and 14m lead to an awkward traverse above a canyon. The route turns
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left (straight on has not been pushed) and soon drops down a 10m free climb
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to a low crawl which looks like a dried out sump. Beyond this, a climb down
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and traverse lead to a 14m pitch (sloping at the top) which lands in a
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chamber. Pitches of 8, 12 and 6m follow in a rift until the route narrows at
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the head of a pitch (estimated 6m) which has not been descended.
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<h4>Schnellzughohle Entrance 1623/115</h4>
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(AKA Gemsescheissenhohle)
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<p>Alt 1467m 47°0'3"N 13°48'41"E
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Depth to sump 740m
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<p>The entrance is reached by steeply descending to 90m vertically below the
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Stoger Weg just beyond the point where it drops rapidly (just beyond
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1623/32). A large tube runs horizontally into the hillside (past the light
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from a slightly higher entrance), until it suddenly closes down to a steeply
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descending crawl full of loose stones (originally excavated) and strongly
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draughting out in summer. This drops into a small chamber with a drip inlet;
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down the slope an 8m pitch is followed by a scramble down loose stones to a
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conclusive choke. The main route lies in following the draught up an obscure
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8m climb above the pitch (bolt aid required), to a sharp crawl through a
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small tube. A climb down and a traverse to the left over blocks finds the
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head of the free hanging Bell Pitch (20m). This lands on a boulder floor with
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two dry trenches leading off: the right leads to a 7m ladder with unstable
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boulders at the head. This lands in a sharp thrutchy tube, (Hedgehog Crawl),
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to emerge in a dry meandering trench which breaks out into a large abandoned
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phreatic passage. Right appeared to get low. Left is developed along the
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strike and traverses and a short up lead to a junction. Left here leads to an
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inlet passage with eight small dry cascades to a choke 30m up. Right, the
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large passage meets a hole in the floor (Baker's Bungle) which is crossed to
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a small rift leading to the head of the Ramp and the start of 200m continuous
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pitches to the Big Chamber.
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<p>The Ramp is phreatic passage sloping at 45° with an abandoned vadose
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trench in the floor. Down the ramp, avoiding the trench, leads a muddy slope
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to the Col; left here leads to a vast black space, but loose boulders
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prevented exploration of this route. The main way on follows right down a
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series of sloping pitches, largely against the wall and developed in a hading
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rift. After passing some loose boulders, a 26m pitch reaches the bottom of
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the rift where a small stream joins the route. This can be followed up until
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a pitch is met. Two clean washed and fluted pitches (18, 19m) may be rigged
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dry by traversing out. The Inlet streamway rises rapidly in wet weather and
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makes the lower pitches unpleasant but not impassable. A 6m pitch lands on a
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boulder floor where the water flows down to the left, but right, avoiding the
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water (except in wet conditions), a 24m pitch drops onto the floor of the Big
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Chamber (115 final chamber). From here several ways lead on. Following the
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stream up beyond where the 115 waterfall comes in leads 50m in a big passage
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to 50m of small vadose streamway closing at an inlet sump. Up the boulder
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slope leads to the site of a food dump where an inlet is seen in wet weather;
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through a hole in the wall, a short crawl is thought to emerge at an aven.
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The main two ways on lie downstream. Following the large abandoned passage
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above the streamway leads to the connection to Junction Chamber, with a
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branch to the Futility Series. The water itself can be followed as Pete's
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Purgatory.
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<h4>Pete's Purgatory</h4>
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Following the water down leads to 800m of unrelentingly narrow meandering
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vadose canyon. The passage is of uniform size, never wider than 1m and in
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places sufficiently small to require traversing above the squeeze or crawling
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at water level. There are few features of interest, but a small drip inlet,
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an oxbow, and a series of cascades permit some measure of progress to be
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judged. Eventually, the passage meets an inlet at the Confluence, where the
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dry Bypass from Junction Chamber joins the route from above.
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<h4>The Futility Series</h4>
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The Futility Series branches left from the large tube above the Purgatory,
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soon after leaving Big Chamber. The way leads in a large passage past a ramp
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on the left which can be followed up a gully to two avens and soon after a
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small choked passage in the floor on the right breaks into the 12m high
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Pebble Beach Chamber, with a drip inlet down a red flowstone covered area.
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Beyond this, boulders become more frequent in the passage until a climb up
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brings one to Big Enough Chamber (4m high) with two ways on. To the right, a
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3m diameter tube soon becomes impassable as the sandy floor rises towards the
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roof, with a strong draught at the end. To the left from the chamber up a mud
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slope a horizontal slot leads to a larger passage with a stream which soon
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sinks into the sandy floor. The passage ends abruptly at a choke just beyond
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some rippled mud formations.
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<h4>The Connection</h4>
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The large abandoned tube may be followed above the Purgatory until the ledge
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gives out, but shortly before this, a low mud filled phreatic tube leads off
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to the right. The passage size increases down this, past a steeply rising
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tube to the right which loops back to connect at roof level with the route
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(there are a few straws here). After this junction a small vadose trench in
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the floor contains only seepage water, but the route lowers to a crawl
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through a sandy floored arch to a point where the route diverges. Left, a
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short thrutch emerges at Connection Cairn, which lies in a complex area above
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a vadose trench with water 10m below (thought to be the Purgatory). Several
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passages lead off here, but one rises steeply upwards in a large tube, to
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eventually reach the low wide sandy crawl which is the route uphill from the
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point of divergence (and the easiest route through). The passage continues
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large, with a small vadose trench in the floor and much mud infill. Following
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the large tube to its conclusion emerges about 10m up the side of Junction
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Chamber with no easy way down. This lies 50m back down the passage, where a
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small hole in the right wall (coming from 115) leads to a horribly muddy
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bedding plane crawl which pops out above a streamway which is followed up to
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Junction Chamber by carefully traversing above it. The water flowing down
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here is the combination of the stream flowing down the Stellerweg pitches and
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a stream which flows in from the opposite side of the chamber. A 10m greasy
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climb up gives access to a large passage which is the continuation of that on
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the other side of the chamber. Following this above the water gives onto a
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traverse which has not been pushed. However, the main way on lies up boulders
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off to the left soon after the greasy climb; this is the Bypass to reach the
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Confluence.
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<h4>The Bypass</h4>
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Down the passage off to the left (Dartford Tunnel), is steeply descending in
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a huge (10m diameter) boulder strewn abandoned passage with much layered mud
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and surge marks. Eventually a junction is reached where the passage section
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changes to vadose canyon, still large. To the right in a big passage leads to
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an aven with an inlet, but no way on. To the left carries on in a mud floored
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rift to reach a 4m climb down, where a passage comes in from the right; this
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may be followed to a low area of mud and boulders with no continuation. The
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main way steeply descends, passing a small roof inlet which has washed the
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mud floor clean. The water drops to a narrow vadose trench with the sound of
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a stream perhaps 10m below. Carrying on down the dry passage leads to the
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inscription cucc/UBSS 1981 and the start of a traverse on dusty loose mud
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ledges (line useful). Following down, parallel to the top of the vadose
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trench, with the sound of the stream below, soon leads to a sandy passage
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branching left to Camp Chamber (care), this continues as a traverse above a
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stream (thought to be Purgatory). Down from this turn off soon reaches a
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corner where an easy 4m climb down drops into the Confluence. Instead of
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dropping down here, following the upper passage round to the right leads to a
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dry vadose trench in the floor and then a traverse above the main streamway
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below. Rampant Passage starts near this corner and rises in a large dry tube
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to a huge chamber (Cologne Cathedral) with a climb up to an aven. Many of the
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passages in these levels contain dead bats, perhaps suggesting a lower
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entrance.
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<h4>The Confluence To The Sump</h4>
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The climb down from the Bypass lands at the junction of the Purgatory water
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and an inlet which can be followed upstream in a passage similar to the
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Purgatory, until soon after a 7m climb up, the streamway divides twice and
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becomes too small to follow. This is thought to be the Stellerweg water.
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Downstream in a passage only slightly bigger than the Purgatory, a wet 4m
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climb and 7m pitch soon reach a frothy round sump pool. This is bypassed up a
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steep slope to the left, a 3m high muddy passage leads off to a 7m pitch back
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down to the streamway, but the continuing way up is unexplored. The streamway
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may be followed back up to the downstream side of the sump, showing it to be
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less than 10m long. Downstream, a dry inlet enters on the right and a small
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stream on the left (both unexplored). Pitches 5, 5 (the twelve foot climb), 9
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and 7m (Marlow Climb) carry on down in a streamway 2 to 3m wide and 15m high,
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liberally supplied with cascades. The passage lowers to a sharp crawl and a
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couple of smooth steep climbs in a hading rift. The water can be largely
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avoided on the following pitches 9m (Lake), 22m (Ledge with rebelay halfway
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and followed by Commando Climb 4m), 17m (Grope), 13m (Subtle), 22m (The
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Slit), 7m (Coming Soon) which are all vertical with short sections of
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horizontal passage between them. The last of the pitches lands in a canal in
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a high rift which leads to a low swimming duck in a sandy floored passage.
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This turns to break out at an awe-inspiring abyss with the water thundering
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into the depths. The 90m shaft of Orgasm Chasm is passed by traversing out to
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the left in a series of pitches which avoid the water (11m to a ledge, 10m to
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a small alcove, 6m), then a 42m free hang past well displayed beddings to a
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bridge across the shaft where the route divides, with the 22m pitch following
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the dry way down. This lands in a boulder strewn chamber where the main water
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is again met. A run under this leads to a small phreatic tube and a short
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climb down to the start of the final pitch (12, 13, 14m) which corkscrews
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past ledges to a more vertical section with a damp rebelay to land in a spray
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lashed chamber. A short wet climb down leads to the final sump in a rift at
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an altitude of 727m at 47°40'01"N 13°48'15"E. There is a small tube
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above with no draught and blocked with boulders. The water is thought to
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resurge in the nearby Altausseer See, (alt. 712m).
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<hr />
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<!-- LINKS -->
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<ul id="links">
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<li><ul>
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<li><ul>
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<li><a href="../../smkridge/41/41.htm">Current Guidebook Description</a></li>
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</ul></li>
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</ul></li>
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<li>1982 Expedition info:
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<ul>
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<li><a href="log.htm">Logbook</a></li>
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<li>Main Expo report, Cambridge Underground 1983:
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<ul>
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<li><a href="report.htm">CUCC in Austria</a> - Phil Townsend</li>
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<li><a href="41svy.htm">Stellerweg Survey</a> article by Andy Waddington</li>
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<li><a href="41camp.htm">The Underground Camp</a> by Chas Butcher</li>
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<li><a href="newbit.htm">New Discoveries</a> 1982 by Mike Thomas</li>
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<li><a href="bats.htm">The Bats of 115</a> by Dave Brindle</li>
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</ul></li>
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<li><a href="bcracc.htm">BCRA Caves & Caving Report</a></li>
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</ul></li>
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<li><a href="../../pubs.htm#pubs1982">Index</a> to all publications</li>
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<li><a href="../../index.htm">Back to Expeditions intro page</a></li>
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<li><a href="../../../index.htm">CUCC Home Page</a></li>
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</ul>
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