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<title>CUCC 1997 Expedition Report for Sponsors</title>
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<center><h2>CUCC EXPEDITION TO AUSTRIA, 1997</h2>
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<p><a href="../../1623/161/l/dh3-06.htm">
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<img alt="Photo - 42k" width=188 height=125 hspace=10
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src="../../1623/161/t/dh3-06.jpg"></a><br>
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<i>Andrew Ketley at Penguin Falls, Puerile Humour Series</i></center>
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<h3>Summary</h3>
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<p>In July of this year, Cambridge University Caving Club (CUCC) embarked
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upon its 10th annual expedition to the
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<a href="../../1623/161/top.htm">Kaninchenhöhle</a> cave system in
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the Totes Gebirge mountains of Austria. The club has been exploring
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previously undiscovered caves in this area since accepting an invitation by
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an Austrian club, (then the Sektion Ausseerland of LVfHO, now VfHO), in 1976.
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During the intervening years several of these caves have grown to be of
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international significance, this includes Kaninchenhöhle, the subject of
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our current and ongoing expeditions.
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<p>By the end of the 1996 expedition, the explored and surveyed length of
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Kaninchenhöhle was 19.7 km with a total depth of just under 500m from
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the highest entrance. There were many unexplored leads (almost 200) with the
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known southern extremity of the cave reasonably close to the very large
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Schwarzmooskögeleishöhle-
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<a href="../../1623/41/41.htm">Stellerweghöhle</a> system. Many very
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promising leads had also been left at the northern end of the cave. Due, not
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only, to the length of trip required in order to investigate them, but also
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the huge number of exciting finds much nearer to the
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<a href="../../1623/161/sftotp.htm#id161d">new entrance</a>, discovered at
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the end of the 1995 expedition.
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<p>Around 20 cavers took part in this year's trip, most with previous
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experience of caving abroad, but also a number for whom this was their first
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taste of expedition caving. Early discoveries were made in the far east of
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the cave, below the area of huge passage discovered two years ago, known as
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<a href="../../1623/161/triasp.htm#triasp">Triassic Park</a>. The large,
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mostly horizontal development, was named
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'<a href="../../1623/161/offtri.htm#lworld">The Lost World</a>', and is
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interesting, in that it is lower than the previously known layers of
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horizontal development in the cave. 'The Lost World' offers potential for
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another entrance to be discovered due to its close proximity with the edge of
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the mountain and its relation to surface features will provide further
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insight as to the geological development of the area.
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<p>Following a few years of neglect, some members of the expedition found new
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enthusiasm for long trips to the North Western extremity of the cave, aptly
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named
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<a href="../../1623/161/sibria.htm#siberia">Siberia</a>. Many extremely
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promising leads remained in this area and one such shaft, Somebody Else's
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Problem, was explored to a depth of 434m below the top entrance level,
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including a virtually free-hanging pitch of 70m!
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<p>The main developments in the southern end of the cave took the shape of a
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re-exploration of
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<a href="../../1623/161/136.htm">Steinschlagschacht</a>, originally
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explored by CUCC in 1983/4. In 1996, discovery of the
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<a href="../../1623/161/fbland.htm#forbidden">Forbidden Land</a>, a very
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large development to the south of an awkward and unsafe boulder-choke, had
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revealed its close proximity to Steinschlagschacht. Improvements in equipment
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and technique since the original exploration, in addition to determination in
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the knowledge of a likely connection, eventually led to the two caves being
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joined. Providing a safe route through to the Forbidden Land area and easing
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access for the push towards the large
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Schwarzmooskögel-Eishöhle-Stellerweghöhle system only a couple
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of hundred metres away to the South.
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<p>By the end of the expedition, a further 2.4 km of cave had been surveyed
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and the overall depth increased to just over 500m, owing to the slightly
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higher entrance of Steinschlagschacht. There are still many promising leads,
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with the exciting prospect of linking two, already world class, cave
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systems. This gives us every reason to return again next year.
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<h3>Background</h3>
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<p>The first CUCC expedition to the Totes Gebirge area of Austria took place
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in the <a href="../1976/report.htm">summer of 1976</a> and, with the
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exception of 1986, the club has returned every year since. In the early years
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the expedition was based in the village of Altaussee, however since 1984 the
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expedition has stayed at the Gasthof Staud'nwirt near Bad Aussee. There we
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are annually made welcome by Karin Wilpernig and her family.
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<p>Over the course of twenty-one years, CUCC has been responsible for the
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discovery, exploration and survey of around 150 caves. Whilst many of these
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are quite small, others have proved to be very significant and of these the
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Stellerweghöhle system is perhaps of most note. It was initially
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explored to a depth of 200m by a German group and was subsequently explored
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by CUCC from 1980 to 1982. CUCC found several new entrances to the system,
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and a sump at 970m depth making it the deepest CUCC find to date. Since that
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time other nearby caves (Larchenschacht, Schwabenschacht and Eishöhle)
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have been linked into the system, by various groups. Another German club has
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continued exploration of Stellerweghöhle and the combined system length
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is now believed to be over 25km.
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<p>Kaninchenhöhle was found by CUCC in 1988, and has been the main focus
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of our expeditions ever since. By 1990 three entrances had been discovered,
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the total surveyed length was 6.5km and the deepest route to date had been
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discovered, with a sump at -498m. Discoveries continued at a high rate and
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the top of the cave quickly became a maze of parallel shafts and
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interconnecting passages. By the early 90's, trips to the furthest reaches of
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the cave were becoming increasingly long, with underground camps necessary on
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occasion, in order to achieve efficient exploration. Although several deep
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shaft series have subsequently been discovered, none have proved deeper than
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the earliest found.
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<p>By 1995, enthusiasm among club members for further exploration was much
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diminished, mostly due to the long trips and lack of any prospect of
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"completing" the project. However, toward the end of the '95 expedition, the
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surprise discovery of a major new horizontal development, Triassic Park, with
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over fifty new leads and a new entrance in the final week changed all that.
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The 1996 expedition, coincidentally the 20th anniversary expedition of CUCC
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in Austria, was by far the most successful expedition yet with over forty
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people making their way to Austria at one time or another. Five kilometres of
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cave was discovered and surveyed in one expedition, taking the total length
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of the system to over 19km, although the depth remained still at 498m.
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<h3>1997 Expedition Aims</h3>
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<p>The success of the 1996 expedition had supplied many answers to the
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structure and formation of the complex 3 dimensional maze of
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Kaninchenhöhle, although as is now considered usual, it also provided as
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many questions.
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<p>A great many potential leads exist in Kaninchenhöhle and expedition
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members are free to pursue any that are of interest to them. Often there is
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common interest in a particular area, leading to the natural formation of
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teams, which are vital to the efficiency and safety of a trip underground.
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This approach allows individual freedom, whilst the unique feeling of
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discovering previously unseen 'caverns measureless to man' ensures that
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effort is not usually duplicated.
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<p>At the Southern extremity, work in the Forbidden Land, so named because of
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its unpleasant entrance through an unstable boulder choke, had revealed
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significant horizontal developments. The close proximity of Eishöhle and
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large number of leads made this area an extremely promising and exciting
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place for further exploration this year.
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<p>The North-eastern end of the cave had seen great progress during the
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<a href="../1996/bcracc.htm">1996 expedition</a>, in the shape of the Puerile
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Humour series, with approximately 2½-km of new cave and two new
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entrances being found. This discovery had several key areas of interest
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including <a href="../../1623/161/phnth.htm#wtwb">Where the Wind
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Blows</a> and <a href="../../1623/161/icelnd.htm#iceland">Iceland</a>,
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both of which were leading North into areas which, as yet, have no known cave
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development. The first is a long relatively straight passage, heading
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parallel to and above <a href="../../1623/161/farnth.htm#far2far">The Far
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End</a>, formerly only reachable by very long trips from the main (original)
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entrance. The prospect of connection in this area would significantly improve
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access and undoubtedly renew interest in this inaccessible bit of cave.
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<p>Other leads for which there was particular interest in revisiting this
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year, were in the areas of
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<a href="../../1623/161/offtri.htm#wheelca">Wheelchair Access</a>,
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discovered in 1996 descending from the major trunk route of Triassic Park,
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and also in <a href="../../1623/161/sibria.htm#siberia">Siberia</a>,
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discovered in 1995 at the North-Western corner of Kaninchenhöhle.
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<h3>Steinschlagschacht and the quest for Eishöhle</h3>
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<p>Whilst some of the most interesting exploration was promised by the
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<a href="../../1623/161/fbland.htm#forbidden">Forbidden Land</a>, the
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extremely unpleasant boulder choke entrance to this area made the prospect of
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a significant number of trips here unappealing to the majority, if not all,
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of this year's expedition cavers. For this reason a great deal of interest
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was shown in <a href="../../1623/161/136.htm">Steinschlagschacht</a>
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(1623/136), originally explored by CUCC in 1983/4, which we knew from the
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survey to be extremely close to connection with the Forbidden Land. Thus, the
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possibility of a new, safer route into this area was considered sufficiently
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likely to warrant a re-exploration of this cave. Old log book accounts talked
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of "phreatic ramps" at around -150m, although the exact nature of these was
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unclear, as was the exact depth of them. The original exploration had not
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produced a drawn-up survey and it was by no means certain that such data as
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existed was connected correctly to the Kaninchenhöhle survey.
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<p>So with considerable anticipation tempered by a little wariness of the
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cave's name, (which translates to Stonefall Shaft) a party of two began the
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re-exploration. The origin of the name quickly became apparent as the
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entrance consists of a steep (45-degree), loose boulder slope opening
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directly onto the first pitch! Extensive use was made of the battery-operated
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drill in re-rigging the pitch in a fashion that avoided the worst of the
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stonefall. The entrance pitch is a fine 35m shaft, at the foot of which, was
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found a small connection to a large boulder strewn chamber. The original
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route was ignored at this point, despite being apparent from the presence of
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an old spit (rock anchor), since a more convincing shaft was also present.
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However, after a little more rigging further spits were found, indicating
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that we'd merely taken the direct descent whereas originally a more
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circuitous route was followed. Owing to the presence of the old spits,
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rigging was swift with only a small number of additional anchors being
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required, until a divergence was reached at around -150m.
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<p><i>Andrew Atkinson approaching the<br>
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Theatre, Steinschlagschacht</i><br>
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<a href="../../1623/161/l/jh9719.htm">
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<img alt="Photo - 39k" width=150 height=200 align=left hspace=10 vspace=10
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src="../../1623/161/t/jh9719.jpg"></a><br>
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Interest grew among others on the expedition, as it soon became apparent
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that there was plenty to explore in Steinschlagschacht and that it was
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actually much safer than the name suggested. Further trips followed. The
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original route had continued straight down from the divergence discovered
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earlier, however that looked a bit wet and uninviting so the tangential
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Eyehole Route was pushed instead. It was unclear as to why this was not
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explored previously; it's possible that the eyehole had not been noticed
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previously (lights were typically poorer in 1983) or simply that depth was
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the main goal. Either way, after another couple of trips and a lot more
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rigging with a further 200m of rope, an enormous chamber was discovered. This
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was later named the Theatre due to the spectacular views afforded from near
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the ceiling on later trips. The Theatre is roughly 10m by 20m at the floor,
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with near vertical walls rising up to the ceiling at an estimated height of
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around 60m!
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<p>Early delight at having discovered such a magnificent chamber was quickly
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followed by disappointment at the lack of ways on from the bottom. The floor
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was a huge pile of boulders with a low connection through to a much smaller
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chamber in one corner. Here there were a number of small wet avens (shafts
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entering from the ceiling), clear pools of water and some mud, much like
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elsewhere in Kaninchenhöhle. Back in the main chamber was a nasty and
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unrewarding climb down through the boulders in the floor and an obvious black
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space some distance up the walls at either end, but no obvious continuation.
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Much surveying was done and a retreat beaten to base camp to ponder on what
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to do next.
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<p>After entering the data into the computer, the survey software showed that
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although we'd not connected we were within 25m horizontally and 30m or so
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below a potential connection with the Forbidden Land. The implication of this
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was that the connection, if there was one, lay about halfway up The Theatre
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on the opposite wall from which we'd originally entered the chamber - not at
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all an easy place to reach! However, the temptation to attempt a connection
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was too great to resist, so a party of two left base camp early on the
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morning following the expedition dinner with the intention of doing just
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that. A considerable amount of effort was needed since a near horizontal
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traverse had to be rigged around the wall, a little below the ceiling of the
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Theatre, 40m above the nearest floor. The drill again proved invaluable and
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it is doubtful as to whether such a traverse would have been rigged without
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it. Eventually a suitable place was found to descend first to an eyehole and
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then to a ledge way above the floor of The Theatre. Here was the much hoped
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for connection to the Forbidden Land, although in a different place to that
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anticipated at the beginning of the expedition and certainly by different
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means!
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<p>So, what of Eishöhle? The main rationale for the re-exploration of
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Steinschlagschacht was to provide an easy and safe route to the Forbidden
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Land, believed to be the nearest point to Eishöhle. The new route is
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certainly much safer although since it involves 230m of ascent to exit it is
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not so much easier as had been hoped. It had been assumed that the Forbidden
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Land, due to the large number of unexplored leads reported previously, would
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be the obvious route to Eishöhle. All of these leads were re-evaluated
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this year but with the exception of the Gravel Pit, which ended in a boulder
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choke, none was pushed seriously due both to lack of time and dubious
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prospect. By this time The Theatre was now the closest point to
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Eishöhle, perhaps 40m closer than the known extremity at the start of
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the expedition.
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<p>The survey was examined once again and a plan concocted. It was apparent
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that <a href="../../1623/161/fbland.htm#ealgor">Elin Algor</a>, a long
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straight passage in the Forbidden Land, was roughly co-linear with the main
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wall of The Theatre and apparently all one development in the formation of
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the cave. Since there had been a horizontal connection at one end of The
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Theatre, it was surmised that there ought to be another at a similar height
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but at the opposite end of the chamber, continuing in the direction of
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Eishöhle. Some required more than a little persuasion that this was a
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realistic possibility, but eventually a number of trips were made with a view
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to finding said passage. More, hair-raising rigging followed in order to
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traverse in the opposite direction around the wall of The Theatre and
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eventually a hole in the wall was found at about the expected elevation.
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Unfortunately, this rapidly turned into a parallel shaft series, eventually
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connecting at the floor of The Theatre and with no further obvious leads.
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<p>So, for the time being the connection to Eishöhle remains elusive. At
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the end of this year's expedition it was very unclear as to how to approach
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the problem next year. However new information has recently come to light.
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Our Austrian contacts have since carried out a partial re-survey of the
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Eishöhle system which suggests that we are now within 130m of a
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connection and that the main chamber in Eishöhle is around 20m above
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floor level in The Theatre. Prospects in this area for next year now look
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extremely good, and the best chance of a connection may be to re-explore and
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push northward trending leads in Eishöhle, in the hope of a passage
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dropping in to The Theatre from above.
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<h3>Triassic Park - the sequel</h3>
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<p>The massive trunk passage of
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<a href="../../1623/161/triasp.htm#triasp">Triassic Park</a> was
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discovered towards the end of the 1995 expedition as a continuation of the
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'<a href="../../1623/161/france.htm#france">France</a>' area of
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Kaninchenhöhle, and soon led to the discovery of the
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<a href="../../1623/161/sftotp.htm#id161d">Scarface</a> (161d) entrance.
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The new entrance provided much improved access to this important section of
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cave and in 1996 it received considerable attention. The main passage turns
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from trending North-East to North-West at one point and it was around this
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area that a lead in the floor was pushed a little last year.
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<p>Named "<a href="../../1623/161/offtri.htm#wheelca">Wheelchair
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Access</a>" (in recognition of a steep ramp that has to be negotiated and the
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relative age of the explorers) this was an immediate target for the beginning
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of the expedition in 1997, due to the ease of access and limited need for
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resources to push the cave further. Initial exploration concentrated on two
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parallel rifts partially explored at the end of the 1996 expedition.
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Investigation of the series to the left was not promising, with difficult
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traversing leading to blind pits, and success in the other right hand rift
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series soon diverted attention. Initially an awkward, constricted, steeply
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descending rift passage with mud concealing sharp calcite formations, the
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passage quickly earned a bit of a reputation amongst the explorers, and
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continuing the Wheelchair theme was named "Kein Zimmer rift" (No Room
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Rift !) Perseverance paid off however, as just past a tight vertical
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section, the ramp broke out into a larger free hanging drop, at the bottom of
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which, some small horizontal tubes led off. Excitement mounted as a last
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short drop of 5m landed the explorers in a large trunk passage, 4m in
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diameter, with a small stream in the floor heading roughly North / South. It
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was inevitable this would become known as the Lost World and was obviously a
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major and important piece of cave. It is the discovery of such passage that
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drives cavers to endure the hardships of an expedition such as ours in the
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remote mountain areas of the world.
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<p>Exploration continued over several more trips: - Upstream, a couple of big
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phreatic passages met in a large chamber in which were found several bat
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skeletons - this would suggest another route in from the surface, though
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whether this is accessible to cavers is another matter! Beyond the chamber
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several routes unite at a 3m climb up, then down, into a magnificent tall
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canyon passage over 7m wide. This had a dark pristine flat mud floor and led
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to a large, old sump pool, now devoid of water, again with a beautiful,
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cracked mud floor and the old water level clearly defined by the dark mud on
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the white limestone walls. With reluctance, we headed carefully (to minimize
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the damage to the delicate mud formations) over the mud lake, and a 2m drop
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down a mud bank led to a downstream continuation passage. This had obviously
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been completely under water at some stage in its history and probably lies
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just below the level of the current valley beneath the cliff in which the
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Scarface entrance is situated. The passage continues down, with the current
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small stream weaving its way through bizarre mud formations and ending at a
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small chamber with choked outlets and no easily accessible way on.
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<p><i>Mud lake in the Lost World</i><br>
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<a href="../../1623/161/l/dh1-29.htm">
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<img alt="Photo - 42k" width=188 height=125 align=left hspace=10 vspace=10
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src="../../1623/161/t/dh1-29.jpg"></a><br>
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Downstream from the initial pitch in, the exploration was aided partially
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by some German cavers from Stuttgart who were also on expedition in the area
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continuing the exploration of the old CUCC find, Stellerweghöhle. We are
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on good terms with other cavers in the area and exchange trips improve
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relations and increase the knowledge base about caves in the area.
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<p>The downstream end was less complex with a single passage leading to a
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pitch opening out over a large chamber with a boulder-strewn floor. A route
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down through the boulders gained the true floor of the chamber where the
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water disappeared into an impenetrable passage. Leading up from this is a
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larger passage ending at a mud and cobble choke. This may be associated with
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similar choked passages in the upstream end of the Lost World.
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<p>The passages were surveyed and photographed and all of the obvious leads
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pushed to a conclusion, so for the time being the Lost World may be left
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whilst more fruitful projects are pursued. However due to its location it is
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almost certain that other sections of cave will connect through and perhaps
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provide ways around the current limits of exploration at either end of what
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is obviously only a small part of the original passage.
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<h3>Siberia</h3>
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<p><a href="../../1623/161/sibria.htm#siberia">Siberia</a> is situated at
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roughly the most northerly point of Kaninchenhöhle. It was discovered in
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1994 and was known to have many potentially good leads. Unfortunately by the
|
|
original route it was an extremely long and arduous trip just to get to the
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|
pushing front, including around 250m of descent, 500m of generally horizontal
|
|
passage and a tyrolean traverse. Since the discovery of the Scarface entrance
|
|
(161d) in 1995 and due mostly to the large number of going leads near to the
|
|
new entrance, Siberia has received little attention up to now. However, this
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|
year new enthusiasm was found by a small group of expedition members, of whom
|
|
none had ever been to this area of the cave before. This highlights the
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|
importance of painstakingly surveying and documenting the cave, as often an
|
|
area may be left several years until a good reason is found to revisit it,
|
|
more often than not, by a completely different group of people. Much effort
|
|
could be wasted if previously visited cave has to be re-explored &
|
|
re-surveyed.
|
|
|
|
<p>The Scarface entrance and connection of Triassic Park with Knossos in 1996
|
|
reduced the journey time to Siberia by probably a couple of hours for
|
|
moderately experienced cavers. However, owing to some reluctance to re-rig
|
|
the tyrolean traverse
|
|
(<a href="../../1623/161/farnth.htm#strangea">Strange Acrossfall</a>),
|
|
which would have been a long trip in its own right, all of this year's trips
|
|
took the more awkward and slower route through the Burble Crawl instead. For
|
|
a number of reasons it took three trips before the pushing front, the top of
|
|
a very large shaft called Somebody Else's Problem, was reached. Since all
|
|
members of the party were new to the area, route finding (still difficult
|
|
despite the existing surveys) was certainly an issue and dragging tackle
|
|
through the 100m Burble Crawl, hard work. En route,
|
|
<a href="../../1623/161/sibria.htm#vomp">Vom Pitch</a> had not been
|
|
rigged for several years and complications due to the loose rock in this area
|
|
caused a certain amount of re-rigging to be necessary (a flake previously
|
|
used as a rebelay had fallen off in 1995). Unfortunately having eventually
|
|
reached the shaft and placed a number of bolts, it quickly became apparent
|
|
that the shaft was much deeper than had been anticipated and the rope was too
|
|
short!
|
|
|
|
<p>The fourth trip was more successful. Enough rope was carried that it was
|
|
relatively straightforward, although slow, to rig the pitch. A 75m, almost
|
|
free-hanging pitch, was found in a large shaft with a strong breeze blowing
|
|
up it, this suggests an as yet unknown cave system driving such an airflow.
|
|
At the foot of the pitch were a couple of climbs, one leading to a crawl and
|
|
another to a 15m pitch with strong upwards breeze. This 15m pitch was later
|
|
descended and found to connect to a phreatic passage with an undescended
|
|
climb at the end of it, accompanied by the now ever present gale. In the
|
|
interests of maintaining reliable documentation, no further exploration was
|
|
carried out in this area, since there was already plenty of surveying
|
|
required! This was duly completed, including numerous side passages in
|
|
Siberia, which had only received cursory attention previously.
|
|
|
|
<h3 align=center>Other Work</h3>
|
|
|
|
<h4>Puerile Humour Series</h4>
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|
|
|
<p>By the end of the 1996 expedition it was clear that
|
|
<a href="../../1623/161/phnth.htm#wtwb">Where the Wind Blows</a>,
|
|
one of the Northward trending passages in the
|
|
<a href="../../1623/161/phnear.htm#phumour">Puerile Humour series</a>,
|
|
could potentially provide a significantly easier route to The Far End due to
|
|
it's close proximity at the 1996 exploration limit. Thus, this was an obvious
|
|
question mark to return to at the beginning of this year's expedition. The
|
|
end of the passage was draughting from three separate places, suggesting
|
|
significant cave beyond, through which the air was being driven. The nature
|
|
of the passage suggested that the end was merely a collapse area in an
|
|
ongoing passage.
|
|
|
|
<p><i>Andrew Ketley, Puerile Humour Series</i><br>
|
|
<a href="../../1623/161/l/dh3-11.htm">
|
|
<img alt="Photo - 12k" width=223 height=134 hspace=10
|
|
src="../../1623/161/t/dh3-11.jpg"></a><br>
|
|
A small hole in the mud floor was found to lead to a large
|
|
aven above, and an ongoing pitch series below. However progress down was
|
|
stopped by a too tight constriction. Continuing horizontally, the passage
|
|
quickly chokes at a boulder collapse, probably associated with the aven /
|
|
shaft series already mentioned. Some effort was made to dig through the choke
|
|
but concerns over the stability of the excavated passage soon halted
|
|
exploration. This remains an interesting area, but further progress may
|
|
require somebody experienced in the digging and shoring techniques required
|
|
to pass such a boulder choke safely. A few other leads were tidied up in the
|
|
area, none of which led to anything significant
|
|
|
|
<h4>Moomintroll</h4>
|
|
|
|
<p>In another series of passages leading off from Triassic Park, just beyond
|
|
an impressive aven, known as Zebedee, is a climb named
|
|
<a href="../../1623/161/offtri.htm#moomin">Moomintroll</a>. It was
|
|
discovered last year and noted because: - it looked to be not too difficult
|
|
and a large black space (often indicative of a higher level continuation) was
|
|
visible at the top. The first party to attempt the climb this year
|
|
considered, after putting in a few bolts by hand, that it would be a much
|
|
easier prospect using the drill. As a justification to commandeer this
|
|
important expedition resource, they claimed that the shaft on the hammer of
|
|
the hand bolting kit had snapped (albeit by accident?!) and thus they were
|
|
unable to do anything but return to the surface to collect the drill. The
|
|
second party had more success, despite being unable to use the drill because
|
|
the battery appeared flat, and after a bold attempt at climbing, the top was
|
|
reached. Another 30' shaft was found and the sound of water ahead.
|
|
Unfortunately it was by now time to derig, so further exploration must once
|
|
again wait for next year.
|
|
|
|
<h4>Alternative Universe</h4>
|
|
|
|
<p>Again, <a href="../../1623/161/offtri.htm#altuni">this passage</a> is
|
|
an offshoot from the large Triassic Park trunk route, and being only 10
|
|
minutes from the Scarface entrance was an obvious target for further
|
|
exploration. Work concentrated on a descending shaft series, wet in places,
|
|
making this a potentially serious proposition since the average air
|
|
temperature in the cave is only just above freezing. The series descended
|
|
100m down, over several pitches, but ended in a tight, committing rift and a
|
|
further very tight descent which was abandoned due to the lack of a
|
|
sufficiently thin backup team member!!
|
|
|
|
<h4>Surface Work</h4>
|
|
|
|
<p>As a background activity CUCC are always on the look out for other
|
|
possible entrances to either Kaninchenhöhle or as-yet undiscovered
|
|
caves. The limestone plateau is riddled with holes, most of which go to an
|
|
insignificant depth, but also some quite large holes which are still to be
|
|
found and investigated. This surface prospecting work is essential not only
|
|
to further understanding of the cave systems in the area but also in
|
|
sustaining interest in the area for future generations of CUCC members. Over
|
|
the past 20 years we have discovered a great many such entrances and shafts,
|
|
however until recently documentation and labeling of such finds has been
|
|
sporadic. Over the last few years and indeed on this year's expedition this
|
|
problem has been addressed by the use of stamped aluminium tags that are
|
|
fixed to the cave entrances, these bearing numbers assigned by the Austrian
|
|
clubs who maintain records of all known caves in the area. To complement this
|
|
work, all, important entrances are being located and mapped with the aid of
|
|
G.P.S. technology, backed up with more accurate surface surveys. This ensures
|
|
that re-exploration of caves is minimised and has proved an essential tool in
|
|
the investigation of possible connections between existing cave systems.
|
|
|
|
<h4>Documentation</h4>
|
|
|
|
<p>All of the cave exploration carried out by CUCC in Kaninchenhöhle is
|
|
a step into the unknown, in that we are the first (and possibly the last)
|
|
people to visit its complex passages. It is therefore important that we
|
|
document what we find, otherwise the information will slowly be lost through
|
|
natural turnover of club members. Since day one we have been surveying
|
|
everything that we find and this year was no exception with over 2.5 km of
|
|
"new" cave surveyed. Results are processed and plotted up on the spot using
|
|
"SURVEX" software developed by CUCC members, originally for our own use, but
|
|
now used by cavers worldwide. The data, along with final, hand drawn, plan
|
|
and elevation surveys are passed to the Austrian club as well as being
|
|
published in the caving press in this country and abroad. The value of
|
|
surveys cannot be overstated. They are important as a map in the event of an
|
|
emergency or route finding for the uninitiated, in assessing the geology of
|
|
the area, and indeed, to assist with the discovery of connections between
|
|
adjacent systems.
|
|
|
|
<p>In addition to surveying new finds we also aim to photograph as much as is
|
|
reasonably practicable of the discoveries. Cave photography can be extremely
|
|
difficult due not only to the extremely hostile environment into which
|
|
delicate camera equipment must be taken, but also because of the difficulty
|
|
of lighting subjects adequately. CUCC has a number of members with a keen
|
|
interest in underground photography and this year over one hundred
|
|
photographs were taken underground on several photographic trips. It is hoped
|
|
that some of these will also be published in the national caving press and
|
|
additionally on our web site, which is maintained as a full library of our
|
|
expedition history, information and data.
|
|
|
|
<h4>Our Thanks</h4>
|
|
|
|
<p>The expedition is funded entirely by its members and support and
|
|
sponsorship such as has been provided by yourselves is a considerable help.
|
|
The continued success of the expedition in the training of new members and in
|
|
pushing back the boundaries of human experience and knowledge is with thanks
|
|
to you.
|
|
|
|
<p><center><a href="../../1623/161/l/godst.htm">
|
|
<img alt="Photo - 48k" width=150 height=200 align=left hspace=10 vspace=10
|
|
src="../../1623/161/t/godst.jpg"></a><br>
|
|
<i>Traverse of the Gods, Steinschlagschacht</i></center><br clear=all>
|
|
|
|
<p><a href="../../1623/161/fullsize/lostw.png">
|
|
<img alt="Lost World survey - link to 1830 pixel wide version" width=915
|
|
height=352 hspace=10 vspace=10
|
|
src="../../1623/161/inline/lostw.png"></a>
|
|
|
|
<hr />
|
|
|
|
<!-- LINKS -->
|
|
<ul id="links">
|
|
<li>1997 Expedition info:
|
|
<ul>
|
|
<li><a href="index.htm">Index</a> (more detail than in this list)</li>
|
|
<li><a href="log.htm">Logbook</a></li>
|
|
<li>Pre-expo <a href="goals.htm">mission statement</a></li>
|
|
<li>Index to <a href="161.htm">Kaninchenhöhle trips</a> in the log</li>
|
|
</ul></li>
|
|
<li><a href="../../pubs.htm">Index</a> to all publications</li>
|
|
<li><a href="../../sponsr.htm">Current year's</a> sponsors</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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</ul>
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</body>
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