mirror of
https://expo.survex.com/repositories/expoweb/.git/
synced 2024-11-24 16:21:56 +00:00
263 lines
16 KiB
HTML
263 lines
16 KiB
HTML
<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Strict//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-strict.dtd">
|
|
<html lang="en" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en">
|
|
<head>
|
|
<meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=iso-8859-1" />
|
|
<link rel="stylesheet" type="text/css" href="../../css/main2.css" />
|
|
<title>1623/234: Upper horizontal levels</title>
|
|
<style type="text/css"> .branch1 {font-style: italic}; </style>
|
|
</head>
|
|
|
|
<body>
|
|
|
|
<table id="cavepage">
|
|
<tr><th id="kat_no">234 - a b<br />(2000-09)</th><th id="name">Hauchhöhle</th><th id="status">3/S/W x</th></tr>
|
|
</table>
|
|
|
|
<h1>Upper horizontal levels</h1>
|
|
|
|
<div>
|
|
<b><a href="rigging.png">Rigging diagram</a></b></div>
|
|
<hr />
|
|
|
|
<p><a href="l/dripline.html"><img class="onleft" src="t/dripline.jpg" /></a> <a
|
|
href="l/ent.html"><img class="onleft" src="t/ent.jpg" /></a>The horizontal
|
|
entrance slopes downhill for about 20m. Just beyond the dripline, on the right,
|
|
is a sheltered alcove ideal for storing gear; this remains dry even in heavy
|
|
rain. Continuing downslope past a skylight, there is a crawl on the left
|
|
leading to the <a href="#lefthand">Left Hand Series</a>. At the bottom of the
|
|
slope there is another, unpushed crawl to the left [<a
|
|
href="qm.html#C2002-234-01" id="qC2002-234-01">C2002-234-01 C</a>] and a
|
|
wriggle up over rubble into a chamber floored with more loose rock. From this
|
|
chamber, the obvious way on is a pitch of approximately 15m; there is an
|
|
unpushed, unpromising crawl above this [<a href="qm.html#C2002-234-07"
|
|
id="qC2002-234-07">C2002-234-07 C</a>]. The pitch may be rigged from an obvious
|
|
natural backup in the ceiling on the right followed by a spit at the pitchhead,
|
|
landing on a ledge where a deviation off a spit gives a free hang for the
|
|
remainder of the pitch. The spit in the large crystalline slab to one side of
|
|
the pitchhead should be ignored, and pointed out to novices as an example of
|
|
how not to place bolts!</p>
|
|
|
|
<a href="l/entpitch.html"><img class="onright" src="t/entpitch.jpg" /></a>
|
|
|
|
<p>At the foot of the pitch, in large rift passage, a crawl on the left leads
|
|
for about 15m before turning left and becoming too tight. Further along,
|
|
another crawl on the left leads to <a href="#underhand">Underhand Passage</a>,
|
|
while the main passage continues to a choice of a climb down of around 2m or an
|
|
ascending traverse round to the left.</p>
|
|
|
|
<p class="branch1">The traverse is exposed but easy, and leads to an upwards
|
|
sloping passage, with an aven above from which daylight emerges; a vocal
|
|
connection has been established to a nearby surface shaft, which has
|
|
accordingly been tagged as 234b. The passage continues upwards past some loose
|
|
boulders to emerge in a small chamber leading down to the right. An awkward
|
|
wriggle through boulders to the left in the chamber leads to a drop [<a
|
|
href="qm.html#C2004-234-01" id="qC2004-234-01">C2004-234-01 C</a>].</p>
|
|
|
|
<p><a href="l/flashgun.html"><img class="onleft" src="t/flashgun.jpg" /></a>The
|
|
climb leads to a short slope down, after which ducking under a low arch leads
|
|
to <b>Doesn't Go Rift</b>, where a choice of ascending traverse levels can be
|
|
followed via various ledges on the left-hand wall; alternatively it is possible
|
|
to force through at floor level, but this is difficult. It is advisable to
|
|
climb down a little before the end of the passage, reaching the level of two
|
|
prominent wedged boulders, where there are threads in the left-hand wall from
|
|
which a handline can be rigged for the 3m climb down to the floor of
|
|
<b>Flashgun Chamber</b>. Alternatively, one may stay high up and descend this
|
|
as a pitch, but a rope protector is required; this 2006 variant lands rather
|
|
higher up the sloping floor of the chamber.</p>
|
|
|
|
<p>Flashgun Chamber is a large rift chamber whose floor slopes upwards steeply
|
|
to the left; there is an aven above [<a href="qm.html#C2004-234-30"
|
|
id="qC2004-234-30">C2004-234-30 X</a>]. At the bottom of the chamber one can
|
|
climb back down underneath the rift to the head of a pitch, <b>Foolish
|
|
Plan</b>. <i>This was descended in 2005 and proved to be blind.</i> Climbing up
|
|
the sloping floor of the chamber (beware of loose rock) reaches a ledge;
|
|
turning left there is a short crawl, with a narrow tube in the ceiling and an
|
|
oxbow on the right. A few metres on there is a T-junction. <i>The passage on
|
|
the left is a descending body-sized tube, which was explored by Dave Loeffler
|
|
for several body lengths to a tight bend [<a href="qm.html#C2004-234-35"
|
|
id="qC2004-234-35">C2004-234-35 C</a>]. This must be close to the upper levels
|
|
of Doesn't Go Rift.</i> The main way on the draughting right-hand passage,
|
|
<b><a id="geom">Geometers' Crawl</a></b>; this is not really a crawl, and can
|
|
be negotiated by stooping. A few metres in is the other end of the
|
|
aforementioned oxbow, and further along is a passage on the right, the far end
|
|
of <a href="#circuit">Clifton's Circuit</a>.</p>
|
|
|
|
<p>At the end of Geometers' Crawl is a T-junction. <span class="branch1">Left
|
|
leads to <b>Hades</b>, two interconnecting parallel passages sloping steeply
|
|
upward. The right-hand passage is too tight; the left fork levels off slightly,
|
|
at which point there are three possibilities: straight on is too tight; down a
|
|
hole in the floor is choked; down and to the left through an extremely tight
|
|
tube leads to a drop, awkward even to throw stones into, which could possibly
|
|
be passed by someone really small and ambitious [<a href="qm.html#C2004-234-03"
|
|
id="qC2004-234-03">C2004-234-03 C</a>]</span>. Right at the T-junction is a 2m
|
|
deep hole in the floor, which can either be traversed over or climbed down.</p>
|
|
|
|
<p><a href="l/golf.html"><img class="onright" src="t/golf.jpg" /></a><span
|
|
class="branch1">At the bottom of the 2m climb there are two passages to the
|
|
right and one to the left. The leftwards branch passes over some dry cascades
|
|
to a climb down, where there are curious golfball-like formations in the
|
|
ceiling. Crawling on from here the passage gradually becomes impassably tight;
|
|
more spacious passage is visible through a slot in the floor, but this looks to
|
|
be difficult to enter to enter [<a href="qm.html#C2004-234-04"
|
|
id="qC2004-234-04">C2004-234-04 C</a>]. The rightwards branches soon unite and
|
|
lead back into <a href="#geom">Geometers' Crawl</a>, forming the loop known as
|
|
<b><a id="circuit">Clifton's Circuit</a></b>.</span></p>
|
|
|
|
<p><a href="l/ymbj.html"><img class="onleft" src="t/ymbj.jpg" /></a>
|
|
An intimidating ascending traverse across the hole, <b>You Must Be
|
|
Joking</b>, soon regains the floor. <span class="branch1">Climbing into the
|
|
roof at this point gains access to <a href="#dangly">Dangly Bag
|
|
Jazz</a>.</span> Straight on is <b>Tacklesack Blues</b>, an awkward section of
|
|
tight hading rift, with intermittent wider sections where there are holes in
|
|
the floor - these could possibly be entered but are very tight [<a
|
|
href="qm.html#C2004-234-11" id="qC2004-234-11">C2004-234-11 C</a>]. A stal on
|
|
the right-hand wall heralds the return to easier passage, where there is a
|
|
triple junction. Climbing down a hole in the floor (5m handline recommended)
|
|
leads to a small chamber, with possible crawls left, right and down, all
|
|
looking tight and awkward [<a href="qm.html#C2004-234-12"
|
|
id="qC2004-234-12">C2004-234-12 C</a>]. Traversing over this hole to the left
|
|
leads to <a href="#measles">Measles Inlet</a>. Straight on leads to Stalactite
|
|
Passage.</p>
|
|
|
|
<p style="clear: both"><a href="l/stalactite.html"><img class="onleft" src="t/stalactite.jpg"
|
|
/></a><b>Stalactite Passage</b> is a fine stooping-height phreatic passage with
|
|
a soft mud floor; after a few metres there is a duck under a low section where
|
|
there are some formations on the right. Shortly beyond this is a choice of a
|
|
floor-level crawl, or a clamber over a greasy slab, into a chamber on the
|
|
right. There may be a passage in the roof on the right behind some wedged
|
|
boulders [<a href="qm.html#C2004-234-13" id="qC2004-234-13">C2004-234-13 C</a>].
|
|
Immediately beyond is a junction, where a 3m climb leads to the <a
|
|
href="pie.html">Pie Series</a>, while on the left is an upwards-sloping passage.
|
|
This soon trifurcates. The leftmost passage leads to a drop [<a
|
|
href="qm.html#C2004-234-14" id="qC2004-234-14">C2004-234-14 C</a>]; this has not
|
|
been descended but there is a light connection to Cess Pot. The middle and
|
|
largest passage bends round to the right, where a sequence of small passages
|
|
branch off to join up with the remaining fork at the head of a loose, chossy
|
|
pitch of at least ten metres [<a href="qm.html#C2004-234-15"
|
|
id="qC2004-234-15">C2004-234-15 B</a>]; traversing over this leads to <a
|
|
href="#sweet">Sweet Sight</a>. The main passage continues to a climb up to the
|
|
left over a large smooth slab, where there is a window into a chamber. There is
|
|
a possibly free-climbable hole in the floor, <b>Cess Pot</b> [<a
|
|
href="qm.html#C2004-234-16" id="qC2004-234-16">C2004-234-16 B</a>] and there may
|
|
be passage continuing at the other side of the chamber [<a
|
|
href="qm.html#C2004-234-17" id="qC2004-234-17">C2004-234-17 C</a>]; there is
|
|
also an aven above [<a href="qm.html#C2004-234-31"
|
|
id="qC2004-234-31">C2004-234-31 X</a>].</p>
|
|
|
|
<h3><a id="measles">Measles Inlet</a></h3>
|
|
|
|
<p>Measles Inlet begins as a fine phreatic passage, sloping slightly upwards. A
|
|
few metres in there is a passage entering from the left. <span
|
|
class="branch1">A few metres into this there is a rightwards bend, at which
|
|
point a wriggle down into the floor on the left leads to a tight tube, <b><a
|
|
id="dangly">Dangly Bag Jazz</a></b>; after an S-bend this emerges in the roof
|
|
above the top end of You Must Be Joking traverse. The passage continues past a
|
|
prominent pillar to emerge in <b>Cascade Chamber</b>, an aven chamber with
|
|
water dripping down several tiers of cascades. One can climb up for some
|
|
distance but it is loose and rather unappealing [<a href="qm.html#C2004-234-06"
|
|
id="qC2004-234-06">C2004-234-06 C</a>]; decidedly exposed steps lead into two
|
|
passages to either side [<a href="qm.html#C2004-234-07"
|
|
id="qC2004-234-07">C2004-234-07 B</a>]. There is also a climb down at floor
|
|
level at the far end of the chamber, which is too tight after around 3m. The
|
|
water disappears into a hole in the floor, where there is another small
|
|
chamber, with a crawl leading off to the right in sharp rock [<a
|
|
href="qm.html#C2004-234-08" id="qC2004-234-08">C2004-234-08
|
|
C</a>]. The largest way on from Cascade Chamber is an exposed climb up
|
|
to the right into a continuing rift passage. This soon splits. The left hand passage
|
|
ends, whilst the right hand passage appears to continue at a
|
|
down-climb [<a href="qm.html#C2008-234-02" id="qC2008-234-02">C2008-234-02 B</a>]</span> The
|
|
main Measles Inlet passage continues sloping gradually upwards; the left-hand
|
|
wall is covered in brown mud blobs (hence the passage name). There is a crawl
|
|
leading off to the right around halfway along [<a href="qm.html#C2004-234-09"
|
|
id="qC2004-234-09">C2004-234-09 C</a>]. After some distance a chamber is
|
|
reached; the only obvious way on is a crawl at floor level to the left
|
|
which passes over attractive calcited mud with dessication
|
|
cracks. This leads, via a rubbly squeeze, into an aven. The passage at
|
|
the top of the aven soon chokes, however there is another small passage half
|
|
way up the aven which is difficult to get to without a rope [<a href="qm.html#C2008-234-01" id="qC2008-234-01">C2008-234-01 C</a>]</p>
|
|
|
|
<h3><a id="sweet">Sweet Sight</a></h3>
|
|
|
|
<p><a href="l/deadbat.html"><img src="t/deadbat.jpg" class="onright" /></a>
|
|
Traversing round the left-hand side of the pitch (rope advised; two natural
|
|
pillars provide ample backup, and there is a thread at the far end). This leads
|
|
to an ascending ruler-straight phreatic tube, <b>Sweet Sight</b>. After 30m
|
|
this bends sharply right, and there is a sloping downwards crawl leading off
|
|
straight ahead. Round the corner is a chamber, <b>Fledermaushalle</b>, with a
|
|
high dripping aven on the right [<a href="qm.html#C2004-234-36"
|
|
id="qC2004-234-36">C2004-234-36 X</a>]; the floor is amply sprinkled with bat
|
|
excrement, and a bat skeleton <i>(right)</i> was observed by the discoverers in 2004. Across
|
|
the chamber, a slot in the floor is too tight, and there is a possibly passable
|
|
but awkward crawl beyond this [<a href="qm.html#C2004-234-18"
|
|
id="qC2004-234-18">C2004-234-18 C</a>]. Easier going is provided by a passage
|
|
leading off to the left. A few metres into this is a branch to the left which
|
|
connects back to the downward-sloping passage at the previous junction. The
|
|
main passage continues on for a further 40m or so before closing down in a
|
|
pebble choke [<a href="qm.html#C2004-234-19" id="qC2004-234-19">C2004-234-19
|
|
Dig</a>]. Midway along this passage is a climb up into an ascending roof tube
|
|
on the left, <b>Sour Taste</b>, which closes down after a few metres.</p>
|
|
|
|
<h3><a id="lefthand">Left-Hand Series</a></h3>
|
|
|
|
<p>The crawl to the left in the entrance passage leads to a drop into a rift,
|
|
where there are three ways on. To the right closes down; to the left, there are
|
|
crawls at two levels. The higher-level crawl chokes; the two crawls at the
|
|
lower level unite, passing two branches to the left [<a
|
|
href="qm.html#C2002-234-02" id="qC2002-234-02">C2002-234-02 C</a>] [<a
|
|
href="qm.html#C2002-234-03" id="qC2002-234-03">C2002-234-03 C</a>] and then
|
|
reach a junction. To the left chokes; to the right leads to a chamber. This
|
|
chamber can also be reached by going straight on from the aforementioned
|
|
junction at the rift.</p>
|
|
|
|
<p>From this chamber, there are two ways on. <span class="branch1">A small
|
|
choss wall surrounds a vertical hole through which it is possible to drop down
|
|
(tricky on the return) into a small chamber. From here, an awkward squeeze
|
|
leads into a continuing crawl, which has not been pushed [<a
|
|
href="qm.html#C2002-234-04" id="qC2002-234-04">C2002-234-04 C</a>].</span> To
|
|
the left is a crawl over choss which enlarges. <span class="branch1">After a
|
|
short distance a tube on the right leads to the head of a pitch (not pushed;
|
|
probably 15-20m [<a href="qm.html#C2002-234-05" id="qC2002-234-05">C2002-234-05
|
|
B</a>]) and continues to a choke.</span> Straight ahead leads to an
|
|
earthen-floored draughting crawl which has been dug, and needs further work to
|
|
get through [<a href="qm.html#C2002-234-06" id="qC2002-234-06">C2002-234-06
|
|
Dig</a>]. Shortly before the crawl becomes flat-out, a tube leading up on the
|
|
right also becomes too tight.</p>
|
|
|
|
<h3><a id="underhand">Underhand Passage</a></h3>
|
|
|
|
<p>The crawl on the left in the main rift shortly after the bottom of the first
|
|
pitch leads to a small mud-floored chamber, after which a further
|
|
downward-sloping crawl emerges in a large rift passage parallel to the main
|
|
route. To the right are a profusion of tubes, one leading down into the floor
|
|
[<a href="qm.html#C2004-234-26" id="qC2004-234-26">C2004-234-26 C</a>], one
|
|
leading up into the ceiling [<a href="qm.html#C2004-234-25"
|
|
id="qC2004-234-25">C2004-234-25 C</a>], and two at more or less head level [<a
|
|
href="qm.html#C2004-234-23" id="qC2004-234-23">C2004-234-23 B</a>] [<a
|
|
href="qm.html#C2004-234-24" id="qC2004-234-24">C2004-234-24 B</a>]. These have
|
|
been explored by Pete Clifton, leading to a maze known as the Flatulence
|
|
Series, but no description is extant. There is also an aven above [<a
|
|
href="qm.html#C2004-234-33" id="qC2004-234-33">C2004-234-33 X</a>], which is
|
|
presumed to connect to undescended pitch 02-05 in the <a
|
|
href="#lefthand">Left-Hand Series</a>.</p>
|
|
|
|
<p>To the left, the rift passage continues onwards, sloping gradually downhill,
|
|
past another aven [<a href="qm.html#C2004-234-34"
|
|
id="qC2004-234-34">C2004-234-34 X</a>]. After around 20m it closes down; a
|
|
passage to the left leads to a contortion into a narrow immature dry streamway,
|
|
which draughts somewhat and continues in both directions [<a
|
|
href="qm.html#C2004-234-27" id="qC2004-234-27">C2004-234-27 C</a>] [<a
|
|
href="qm.html#C2004-234-28" id="qC2004-234-28">C2004-234-28 C</a>]. </p>
|
|
|
|
|
|
<!-- LINKS -->
|
|
<hr /><ul>
|
|
<li><a href="234.html">234 index page</a></li>
|
|
<li><a href="../../smkridge/index.html#id234">Schwarzmooskogel ridge area index and description</a></li>
|
|
<li><a href="../../indxal.htm#id234">Full Index of 1623 Caves</a></li><li><a href="../../areas.htm">Other Areas</a></li>
|
|
<li><a href="../../index.htm">Back to Expedition Intro page</a></li>
|
|
</ul>
|
|
<!-- /LINKS -->
|
|
|
|
</body>
|
|
</html>
|