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<font size=-1>Proceedings of the University of Bristol Spel&aelig;ological
Society, 1981, <b>16</b>(1) pp 11-20</font>
<h2>A Description of Some Caves in the Totes Gebirge, Austria</h2>
<h4>by J.T. Griffiths</h4>
<h3>Abstract</h3>
<p><font size=-1>An account is given of the discoveries made by a joint
University of Bristol Spelaeological Society and Cambridge University Caving
Club expedition to the Totes Gebirge, Austria, in 1980. It includes
descriptions of four caves: 1623/41, 87, 113 and 115, together with surveys
of two of them: 1623/41 and 115. The caves consisted of a mixture of vadose
passages and old phreatic systems and the potential for further discoveries
is great.</font>
<h3>Introduction</h3>
<p>For a number of years members of Cambridge University Caving Club have
been investigating an area (Fig. 3, map) of high alpine karst north of the
Altausseer See at the western end of the Totes Gebirge (Leach,
<a href="../../years/1976/report.htm">1977</a>, Various,
<a href="../../years/1977/report.htm">1978</a>,
<a href="../../years/1978/report.htm">1979</a>, and
<a href="../../years/1979/report.htm">1980</a>). In August 1980, a joint
U.B.S.S./C.U.C.C. party spent three weeks exploring caves on the north side
of the glaciated valley that runs down to the Altausseer See between the
Schwarzmoos Kogel and the Trisselberg. The expedition prospected a fairly
limited area above the Weisse Wand either side of the footpath that runs from
the Loser H&uuml;tte to the Wildensee at an altitude of about 1500 to 1600m.
(Alpenvereinskarte nr. 15/1: Totes Gebirge, Westliches blatt, scale 1:25000).
This area had not been visited by C.U.C.C. before, but one major cave
(<a href="../../smkridge/41.htm">1623/41</a>, Stellerwegh&ouml;hle) was
known. A German group had previously worked there, though information on
their finds was sparse.
<p><img alt="Fig. 3 - 11k gif" width=438 height=548 src="81f3.png">
<p>It should be noted that access to the area is considerably easier than is
suggested by the map. Since the map was published, a toll road has been
built from the road between Altaussee and Blaa-Alm to a point between the
Loser H&uuml;tte and the Augst See at an altitude of 1600m. From here the
caves were an easy forty minute walk. Groups wishing to undertake work in
the area can negotiate free access to the toll road through the Austrian
caving organisations. As much as the higher karst has been effectively
designated a conservation area, camping is not permitted except by special
arrangement.
<h3>Descriptions</h3>
<p>Descriptions are given of the major systems explored by the expedition. A
number of other sites were investigated but weren't of sufficient
significance to warrant mentioning. The numbering system used for these
caves is the one adopted by the Austrian cavers. The pefix 1623 describes
the general area they are in, ie. the western end of the Totes Gebirge,
while the second number is unique to a particular cave. It is the latter
number that is normally painted on the rock at the entrance to the cave and
enables previously explored sites to be identified.
<hr>
<h3><a name="41">1623/41,</a> STELLERWEGH&Ouml;HLE (Fig. 4)</h3>
<p>Lat. N 47&deg; 40.2', long. E 13&deg; 48.5'
<p>The largest of the caves explored by the expedition, this site had
previously been visited by some German cavers. Reports suggested that they
had got down to -220m, and that the cave was still going.
<p>The cave has two entrances, the lower of which is a classic draughting
tube. This tube quickly led to a slope down into a chamber where a large snow
bank signalled the entry of the passage from the upper entrance, daylight
being visible at the top of the snow slope. On our first couple of trips into
the cave it was not realised that the snow bank masked the main way on into
what later became known as the German route. As a result, the passage was
followed round to the left, across an ice-traverse, and then up dip along a
fine arched passage. At the top of this, a turn to the right opened up onto
one of the large ramps that were such a feature of the cave. Traversing
across this, a short length of passage led to another ramp. Again the way on
was gained by traversing across this and into a crawl at the far side which
draughted strongly. Two more of these ramps were passed before a short climb
down led to a traverse that required a handline. This traverse appeared to be
in a large sloping chamber split by a rock barrier at its top end. Across the
traverse on the other side of this rock barrier, a pitch dropped away: 5m
sloping to a ledge, and then an 18m freehang to the floor. At the bottom were
several possible ways on. Down the bedding was a gently draughting passage
much obstructed by collapse. This was not explored for any great distance. A
climb down from the bottom of the pitch led to a corner of the chamber that
evidently took a lot of water in flood conditions. A squeeze over boulders
here dropped into an immature vadose canyon which was followed for about 30m
with no end in sight. The main way on though, necessitated a climb up onto a
large boulder and then up a ramp opposite the pitch. This led to a steeply
descending phreatic passage dropping down some rift climbs and then into a
short crawl. Two more ramps followed, the first requiring a handline, before
the final ramp was reached; there was no way on on the other side. A series
of scrambles and free climbs down this brought one to the head of a mud slope
that required laddering. Here the whole character of the cave changed, as the
ramp met a large passage in a cross joint and the whole passage dipped
sharply away to the right.
<p><center><img alt="Fig. 4 - 15k gif" width=548 height=870
src="81f4.png"></center>
<p>A six metre descent of the mud slope and a short climb down ended at the
head of a large circular shaft. A pitch of 14m dropped onto a large ledge in
a tremendous shaft, the first shaft merely being a subsidiary shaft. From
here a 55m pitch descended to a further ledge, the last 47m being absolutely
free. A 26m pitch followed, ending on the floor of a large rift. Continuing
along this rift, the passage took the form of a tall narrow canyon with a
stream flowing along its bottom. The stream disappeared down a hole in the
floor after about 40m and no attempt was made to follow it. Instead, a
further 90m of progress was made along the canyon passage to the head of a
9m pitch. Here the character of the cave changed again as a small stream
descended a series of short pitches linked by sections of narrow rift
passage and it may be that the canyon continued above the head of the 9m
pitch. Pitches of 20, 9, 5, 6 and 6m followed in quick succession, before a
short climb up onto a pile of boulders broke out into the impressive final
rift. It could have been anything up to 100m high and averaged about 5m in
width. Its descent was to mark the final stage of the expedition's
exploration of the cave. The first pitch descended a loose gulley for 7m and
then hung free for 24m. Here the rope ran out, necessitating a pendulum to a
point in the rift where one could jam oneself between the walls. From here a
9m pitch brought one to the floor. This point could probably be reached by
rigging the first pitch to the floor. A short but bouldery climb down led to
the head of a 16m pitch and from here descending the rift pitches of 5, 10,
17 and 17m were rigged. At the bottom of this last pitch two short free
climbs ended at the head of another pitch which was not descended due to
lack of time. Total estimated depth of the cave 360m.
<p>A party had the misfortune to be down this cave during a flash flood. At
this stage, the last five pitches in the rift had not been descended, but it
is clear that these must become extremely wet in flood. The series of short
but constricted pitches and the main shaft were unpleasant but passable
under these conditions.
<p>During the course of the exploration of this main way down the cave, the
German route was also investigated and didn't turn out quite as
straightforward as had been expected. Past the snow bank in the entrance a
large passage crossed over a couple of ramps, evidently those descending
from the other series, before a roped traverse around a choked pot reputedly
28m deep ended at a series of pitches. Pitches of 6m and 18m dropped to a
floor in the rift. Off one end of this was a 20m pitch with a small outlet
at its base. This was not investigated, as the other route appeared larger.
Pitches of 3, 14 and 16m followed in quick succession. From the bottom of
this last pitch an awkward sloping traverse down a canyon passage was
explored to where a passage going off on the left seemed to afford easier
progress. A muddy free climb of 10m descended to a low crawl which looked
very much like a dried out sump. Beyond this a window opened out onto a
climb down and then a traverse across a hole to the head of a pitch. This
descended a slope for about 5m before hanging free for 12m. From the chamber
into which this dropped, a rift passage led on. Pitches of 8, 12 and 8m were
rigged in this rift, before exploration was halted at the head of an
estimated 6m pitch. The rift had narrowed considerably at this stage and the
series was proving far more difficult that the main way on. There were signs
of previous exploration up to the dried out sump but not beyond. The limit
of our exploration was estimated as being 140m below the start of the
pitches, possibly therefore 180m below the entrance. Claims that the cave
had previously been explored to -220m must be treated with some suspicion.
<hr>
<h3>1623/87</h3>
<p>Lat. N 47&deg; 40.14', long. E 13&deg; 14.7'.
<p>This was the first and most rapidly explored of the major finds of the
expedition. Located whilst looking for the Stellerwegh&ouml;hle, it lay just
above the path about 100m past the climb up to the Stellerwegh&ouml;hle at
an altitude of about 1550m. The entrance was situated below a cliff at the
top of a gulley. Waht attracted the first party to the cave was the cool
draught filtering up through boulders in the gulley. From the entrance, a
peaty slope gave out onto the head of a pitch. Traversing over this, the
first pitch of 20m was rigged from a rock bridge, the other pitch entering
half way down. The second pitch quickly followed, 16m and sloping, ending in
a chamber. The third pitch of 17m led off from this chamber. Again it
dropped into a chamber from which the fourth and final pitch descended. This
was 38m to a choke, the total depth of the pot being 105m. The draught
noticeable at the entrance was absent here and appeared to come from an
inaccessible passage some way up the last pitch. About half way down this
final pitch, a pendulum could be made onto a large block. However, there was
no way past this.
<hr>
<h3><a name="113">1623/113</a> SONNENSTRAHLH&Ouml;HLE</h3>
<p>Lat. N 47&deg; 40.3', long. E 13&deg; 49'
<p>400 to 500m along the path from Stellerwegh&ouml;hle a long climb up
overgrown gulleys to an altitude of 1650m ended at a large depression. At
the southeast end of this was a large hole, the entrance to 1623/113. The
normal method of entry was to rig a 26m pitch on the far side of the
entrance dropping onto a snow slope, though a series of climbs down the snow
slope would bring one to the same point. From here a short scramble down in
a large chamber led to a 3m climb up into a traverse along a steeply
inclined bedding plane. Following the obvious route in this bedding plane,
past a couple of alternative ways on, the ead of Point Five Gully was
reached about 100m from the chamber. Here a steep descent of the bedding
opened up into Barnsley Methodist Chapel. It is assumed that some of the
alternative ways on in the bedding re-emerge here. This chamber marked the
end of the inclined bedding plane and the cave continued in the form of a
small tube in one wall. Twenty metres of crawling ended at the head of a 14m
pitch in a rift. The passage at the bottom could be followed to a cross
joint where the main way on was to the left and along a short traverse into
an impressive chamber. This chamber, later named the Opera House, was at a
depth of about 100m.
<p>From here a 12.5m pitch dropped to a bouldery floor. At the far side of
the chamber was a 7m pitch of boulders and the passage narrowed into a rift.
This quickly led to a climb and an 11m pitch. Below a tube opened out onto
the head of anohter pitch. The cave was rapidly going vertical. Descents of
11m, 26m and then three short steps of 5m ended at an apparent sump after a
very constricted rift. It was originally thought that the cave ended here at
a depth of 210m. However, a climb up of 3m in the tight rift led to a body
sized tube going off on the left. Ten metres of crawling and once more the
cave headed down, this time in an enormous shaft. After 10m was a rebelay at
a flake and then 30m to a saddle between two shafts. The one taking a small
stream was descended in a series of short pitches, 12, 10, 16, 6 and 12m. At
the bottom of these a ladder descent of the gulley in the floor of 5m ended
at an impenetrable tube taking a small stream. Again the cave seemed to have
come to an end, this time at -310m.
<p>However, a narrow slot in the wall next to the ledges above the gulley
broke out into a large chamber, the Crematorium, after a short length of
passage. This chamber was formed along another steeply inclined bedding
plane. At the far side of the chamber, the bedding closed down, though a
draught was noticeable at this point appearing from a small hole down the
bedding and disappearing into a choke in the roof. It should be noted that in
the main body of the cave the draught was inwards. A hole in the floor of the
passage before the chamber dropped down into a small stream, the one seen at
the bottom of the gulley, and this descended a series of short free climbs to
a depth of 330m. The way on was still open at this point, indeed this section
of the cave was only explored towards the end of the expedition when floods
trapped a party down the cave.
<p>The present limit is still 600m above the Altausseer See and the cave must
offer considerable potential for further exploration.
<hr>
<h3><a name="115">1623/115</a> SCHNELLZUGH&Ouml;HLE (Fig. 5)</h3>
<p>Lat. N 47&deg; 40.1', long. E 13&deg; 48.6'
<p>The entrance to this cave lay directly below Stellerwegh&ouml;hle at an
altitude of about 1520m. The main entrance was a large phreatic tube which
appeared to have been explored before. This tube ended in a small
rock-filled passage from which a strong draught emanated. Excavation enabled
this to be passed to a small chamber. From here a short length of walking
passage ended at the head of a pitch. Down this (8m) a steply descending
passage ended at a choke after about 20m. An airy traverse across the head
of the pitch led to a chamber and choked inlet with no draught. The way on
was anything but obvious ! Half way across and about 1.5m above the traverse
was a small tube in the right hand wall concealed by a lip of rock. The
draught blew strongly through this. After 8m this dropped into a chamber. A
traverse round the left hand wall and a squeeze past some boulders led to a
pitch. This was a fine free hanging shaft of 18m. From the chamber at the
bottom, two narrow vadose trenches descended. The one to the right was the
larger and was followed in preference, though both appeared to rejoin a
short distance on. After an initial steep descent, the canyon could be
followed for 20m to where it broke out in the side of a large phreatic
passage. To the right this was explred for a short distance, further
progress necessitating crawling. The more obvious way though, was to the
left. The passage appeared to be developed along the strike and after 25m
its floor was incised by a very narrow and deep vadose trench. Past this
junction, the phreatic passage continued in fine style to where a couple of
large blocks appeared to be obstructing the way on. Here it was decided
initially to descend the vadose trench in an attempt to regain the way on.
Accordingly a 30m pitch was rigged off the boulders. At the bottom, however,
the canyon choked.
<p><center><img alt="Fig. 5 - 12k gif" width=438 height=625
src="81f5.png"></center>
<p>It was not until the surveying trip that it was realised that, if one came
off the rope about 5m down this pitch and traversed along, it was possible
to pass underneath the boulders into the continuation of the phreatic
passage. On the far side of the boulders, the passage dipped steeply down,
still with the trench in the floor, to a junction with a similar passage
sloping left to right. Up to the left, this ended at the edge of an
estimated 20m pitch, whilst to the right the slope gave way onto a large
oval shaft. Stones thrown down this indicated a depth in the region of 25 to
30m. A small stream could be heard trickling at the bottom. Lack of time
prevented a return to explore this.
<hr>
<h3>Discussion</h3>
<p>There is no impermeable covering to the limestone on the Schwarzmoos Kogel
and hence there are no surface streams. Some small permanent streams are
encountered in the caves, at least in summer. These are fed by meltwater
from snow plugs that abound in the surface shafts in the limestone. When
there is heavy rain, water disappears rapidly underground, as there is
nothing on the surface to retain it; the underground streams can then
quickly become impassable. It is believed that the water resurges from
springs in the Altausseer See some 800m below.
<p>Sites likely to repay further investigation are easily identifiable by the
presence of a draught at the entrance. As a general rule if an entrance
doesn't draught then it is not worth exploring. At times it seemed as if the
entire hillside was draughting, and indeed draughts were far more prevalent
in this area than in the areas explored by C.U.C.C. in previous years. This
seems to indicate that the area is honeycombed with caves. At the 1500 to
1600m level, entrances normally draught outwards, while above that they
draught inwards.
<p>Several of the caves were entered through phreatic tubes truncated by the
glaciated valley and it is interesting to note that a further series of
these phreatic tunnels was seen below and slightly to the east of the area
prospected. These were in cliffs on the north side of the path that runs
along the bottom of the glaciated valley between Oberwasser and Hochklapf
sattel. They were at an altitude of about 1200 to 1300m and do not appear to
have been explored.
<p>All the major sites explored, with the possible exception of 1623/87,
afford potential for further exploration and it is likely that they will all
go to over 500m in depth. As has already been indicated, the area prospected
was a fairly limited one, dictated largely by ease of access from the path.
The hillside offers considerable scope for the discovery of further extensive
systems.
<h3>Equipment</h3>
<p>In common with most other groups exploring deep pots in high karst
regions, the expedition almost exclusively used ropes for rigging pitches.
Ladders are too cumbersome for this type of work, though it is useful to
include a number in an expedition's tackle list for short broken descents
that are unsuitable for ropes. In most cases ropes were rigged from 8mm self
drilling bolts, as there were few natural belays. The S.R.T. equipment and
system used varied from individual to individual. Few rope walking systems
were adopted, though, as the short but numerous pitches with frequent
changeovers militate against such systems. Two points on ropes should be
mentioned. First that the rock is very abrasive, far more so than in Great
Britain, and hence a premium is placed on good rigging. Second, as in
previous years, some problems were encountered with muddy ropes, in
particular on the second pitch in the Stellerwegh&ouml;hle. All ascending
devices were prone to slipping on these ropes and whilst alarming this could
be overcome by manually pressing the cam onto the rope. Once jammed they
normally stay jammed. The only real solution to the problem is to include a
toothbrush as part of one's S.R.T. equipment and clean the teeth of the cam
before every ascent.
<p>Waterproof overalls and wool or synthetic undergarments were the most
practical and comfortable clothing. Temperatures in caves at this altitude
are lower than those normally encountered in caves in Great Britain and
wetsuits are not warm enough. They also restrict movement and become very
uncomfortable on long trips, so very little use was made of them.
<p>Carbides were used as the main form of lighting, though most members of
the expedition carried some form of waterproof torch attached to the helmet
as an emergency light. This arrangement is most useful on pitches in case the
carbide lamp is extinguished by water.
<h3>Survey</h3>
<p>The caves were surveyed using a fibron tape and a hand held Suunto compass
and clinometer. Distances were measured to the nearest centimetre and angles
to half a degree. The local magnetic variation is about &frac12;&deg;W
<p>The German route in Stellerwegh&ouml;hle was not surveyed, partly because
of time pressures and partly owing to the fact that it was not considered the
main way on. The Austrians have surveyed it to the head of the pitches, but
we were unable to obtain a copy of their survey. Similarly, in the final
rift, apart from a bearing taken along the line of the rift, only pitch
lengths were measured, again due to lack of time.
<p>Oddments of the Schnellzugh&ouml;hle have not been surveyed, as they did
not represent the main way on, and the last section was only explored at a
late stage and then only by one person, so surveying was impractical.
<p>Sonnenstrahlh&ouml;hle and 1623/87 have been surveyed, but the surveys
have not yet been drawn up. It is hoped to publish these eventually, possibly
with a report of the planned 1981 expedition.
<h3>Members of the Expedition</h3>
<p>Ken Baker, John Bowers, Mike Burgess, Andy Connolly, Julian Griffiths,
Simon Kellet, Julia Kostelnyk, Tim Lyons, Tony Malcolm, Ben van Millingen,
Clive Owen, Steve Perry, Mike Perryman, Nick Thorne and Andy Waddington.
<h4>References</h4>
<dl>
<dt><a href="../../years/1976/report.htm">LEACH, R. 1977</a><dd>Austria
1976. <i>Cambridge Underground, The Journal of the Cambridge University
Caving Club</i>, 1976-77, 43-53
<dt><a href="../../years/1977/report.htm">VARIOUS 1978</a><dd>Austria
1977. <i>Cambridge Underground, The Journal of the Cambridge University
Caving Club</i>, 1977-78, 30-48
<dt><a href="../../years/1978/report.htm">VARIOUS 1979</a><dd>Austria
1978. <i>Cambridge Underground, The Journal of the Cambridge University
Caving Club</i>, 1978-79, 22-36
<dt><a href="../../years/1979/report.htm">VARIOUS 1980</a><dd>Expedition
to Austria, summer 1979. <i>Cambridge Underground, The Journal of the
Cambridge University Caving Club</i>, 1979-80, 12-19
</dl>
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