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<p><i>Typed up David Loeffler, January 2004. I've done my best to decipher this but bits are still illegible; there are also a lot of dangling cross-references to trips that never actually got written up. Editorial comments (in italics) are mine.</i></p>
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<h1>EXPO 2003</h1>
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<p>(20th Expo at Staud'n'Wirt)</p>
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<p>10-12/7/2003 -- Packing and Journey to Austria -- <u>Mark S</u>, Earl (driving), Olly M, Martin, et al. (packing)</p>
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<p>In fact it's not the 12th July at all, it's Wednesday 16th but we've only just gotten around to buying a log book. It appears that I have
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the pleasure of inscribing the first of what will</p>
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<p>[LARGE DEAD FLY STUCK TO PAGE, COVERED IN CELLOPHANE, LABELLED "3D FLY-O-SCOPE - DIE FLY"]</p>
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<p>Never look a log book in the mouth. As I was saying,</p>
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<p>no doubt be the usual collection of impecably <i>[sic - I can't tell if this is deliberate!]</i> written reports, each written
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longingly with due care and attention (ignoring distractions such as <i>[illegible]</i> insects), with the authors in a sufficiently
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sober state so as to recount the superbly accurate tales in the worst manner possible.</p>
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<p>Horse flies in Austria weren't the only ones taking the piss. AN excellent sponsorship effort by Julia led to the delivery of 125kg of
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noodles (912 packets, just think how far those noodles would stretch!) in 33 boxes of varying size. A mammoth van-packing effort,
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including trips to every corner of Cambridge (and Bury St. Edmunds, root of all evil) [<i>footnote:</i> Greene King Ltd. (PLC?)] managed to cram
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100kg of the noodles and an amazing pile of other shit into Mark's van.</p>
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<p>The drive out - Mark and Early - was good, except for a few minor hiccups (Eurotunnel had told us the wrong time & we had to wait an
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hour, etc). Van temperature light came on twice so we paused briefly to cool down. Driving all day - 4am to 10pm - in 1 1/2 - 2 hour
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shifts works <u>very</u> well - could have done the journey in 12 1/2 hrs without the tunnel + cooling problems. Arrived at 11pm prompt
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and headed for Hilde's bar.</p>
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<p>T/U a bit (in tunnels).</p>
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<p>At this juncture Mark noticed that the front two pages of the logbook were stuck together. By gaffer tape of course.</p>
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<hr></p>
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<p>16/7/03 -- Dour, <u>Julia</u>, Dave travel out</p>
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<p>Having quit my job on Thursday, and with Dave dossing on our floor Thursday night, I wasn't worried about packing the car and hadn't done
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much beyond throwing a few things into a useful box, and packing the top-camp meals into a suitcase (of course). However, first job of
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Friday was to go to the DVLA in Wimbledon to get a tax disk for Dour. That done, and journey food bought, the morning was waring on so a
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massive pile of gear was collected and assembed next to the Tunnocks mobile. I then discovered that, whilst an inordinate amount of
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noodles had safely arrived, there was no sign of any Tunnocks bars. Disaster! Alsoa bit annoying, as I'd confirmed sponsorship to folk
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almost a month ago. So I rang Tunnocks and left a polite message inquiring about the lack of Thomas Tunnock Ltd products. The result of
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this was to be told that my e-mail confirming dates and a delivery address was never received...oh poo. However the nice man aat Tunnocks
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was only a bit grumpy and agreed to send the stuff on to another address. Sorted. I then had a bit of a stress about the size of the
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shit pile.</p>
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<p>
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** NEWS FLASH 8.51pm - it's gonna rain **
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Hurrah!</p>
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<p>So went upstairs to a create more gear whilst Dave organised the stuff already by the car. Once Dave had done the hard work (well the flat
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needed cleaning) it started to look OK, and we ahd a good half an hour sitting around before Dour got home from work. Then we were off.
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Made it onto the 7pm ferry and after that it was just the occasional coffee + petrol stop. Dour drove pretty much all thru the night.
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Arrived at the Pötschen Pass to find some major bike race going on, and it was still going on in Bad Aussee, actually quite handy as
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there were marshals on the silly corner to wave you through when it was safe to go. The three of us arrived; five minutes later Tony
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arrived chauffered from the station by Hilde. We sta and festered for a bit, then got round to putting the bier tent up. Not long
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afterwards, when the frame was up but far from stable the heavens opened, and we all lokked a bit silly, stood there getting drenched
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whilst supporting a massive metal structure. We got bored after a while and went over the road. Karin: "It is funny. You are here ...
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and it is raining."</p>
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<hr></p>
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<p>17/7/03 <u>Becka</u> </p>
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<p>Got here ~ 3.30pm. Baking hot + everything locked up. Ate last night's slop + got a beer in. Bad head from no sleep at all last night
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(blame Richard Branson).</p>
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<hr></p>
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<p>18/7/03 -- 204: rigging down towards Razordance -- <u>Dave</u>, Mark -- T/U 5hrs</p>
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<p>Rigged 204a ent pitches to Wolpertinger Way. Stuck a rope down Pot-u-Like; we weren't very convinced by the bolting + came out again.</p>
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<p>On reaching surface were soundly patronised by Dour and Becka who went on to rig rest of Ariston.</p>
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<hr></p>
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<p>18/7/03 -- Rigging 204e ent pitch -- -- <u>Dave</u> -- T/U 1hr</p>
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<p>Got bored so put a rope down 204E. Couldn't remember route from bottom of pitch so came straight back out again.</p>
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<hr></p>
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<p>18/7/03 -- Rigging Ariston -- <u>Becka</u> + Anthony -- T/U 7 hours</p>
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<p>Just back up from carry 2 in time to see Mark + Dave emerge. Down with 2 tacklesacks with rope for Kiwi Suit & down Ariston to finish
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off rigging that & take sacks to top of Kiwi Suit, plus some fettling of rigging.</p>
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<hr></p>
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<p>19/7/03 -- 204 tourist trip -- <u>Becka</u>, Earl + Julian H -- T/U 7hrs</p>
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<p>Tourist trip, courtesy of Earl, to show Julian the highlights of 204. Walked over to 204D + rigged in - q. lot of snow. Julian did the
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climb up - <b>we should leave the 8m rope on this</b>. Down into Swings + Roundabouts. Took 2 tacklesacks of rope to head of Gaffered to
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the Walls for rigging. Up Treeumphant Passage, poking around various holes. Looked at bottom of 204E then Earl + I went to bottom of
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Helter Skelter. Earl reckoned the climb up would lik to the climb he did at the far N end of Swings + Roundabouts. I moved some boulders
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from the bottom of Helter Skelter, I reckon I could get through the gap (especially given a lump hammer) with a nice draught through it +
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tube (q. big) beyond - should be pushed through. Back + looked at 01-10A - rope still on the up-climb (C4) + 2 hangers left from pitch
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down but our rope not long enough. Since so easy to access this from 204E this should be looked at again. Through short cut (v. easy,
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recommended) back into Treeumphant + up to Cave Tree Chamber. Found a <u><strong>tacklesack</strong></u> crabbed to the bottom of
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(still-rigged) traverse, complete with short rope + 4 slings. Presumably been there 2 years, oops. Took it out with us. Back + out via No
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Pain No Gain (looking into Pleasure Dome from start) + then down to Millennium Dome (looking in from top) + to initial part of Merry
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Fucking Christmas until climb down. Then saw Mark + Anthony coming up + offering a lift down the hill, sorted. Everybody out 204A. Fun
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trip.</p>
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<hr />
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<p>19/7/03 -- Kiwi Suit rigging -- <u>Mark S</u>, Dave, Dour -- T/U 6 1/2 hrs</p>
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<p>Abbed down to bottom of Ariston and followed crawl to head of Kiwi Suit. Proceeded to watch Dour shit his pants over the head of the 54m.
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Two bomber naturals ensured a safe descent. Into a nice stream canyon, down the next short pitch to the top of the 20m. Rope (101m, or so
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it said) didn't reach the bottom, even though the traverse and backups at the thead of the 54m had been rigged on another rope. We
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resolved to bring more rope and went home. Met Haines and co. at the bottom of Wolpertinger, at the end of their tour of 204. Prussiked
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out and went down the hill. Drank Gösser.</p>
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<hr />
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<p>20/7/03 -- 204E to Helter Skelter -- <u>Becka</u> + Martin -- T/U 6 hours</p>
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<p>Walked up hill + Julian+Earl doing traverse at Gaffered to the Walls so thought we'd rig down Gaffered + be sociable. Obviously we didn't
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think too hard about it as when we got there they were lobbing endless rocks off their ledge. Rigging Gaffered not an option. Watched
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them a moment + adminred the long drop into space then retreated to QMs back nearer 204E. First went up Crowning Glory to end to <b>QM
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2001-10A</b>. andclimb rope left from 2001 up then rigged down (like I did on yesterday's trip). Pit at bottom of this pitch
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<u>blind</u>. Walked up boulder slope on the other side of pitch + gardeded the next drop then Martin down on rest of rope from first
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pitch with a tackle sack rope protector. To left was rift with aven (went 3m). In LH wall, 2m up, small crawl (QM C). Straight on, rift
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continued down moderate pitch (QM B) + above passage continued (QM B) which could be reached by bolting up ~3m. Then went down Helter
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Skelter to far end. We moved boulders + stacked them up for some time until could finally get under the low wall at end. It went right,
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under another low squeeze, + then opened into a small pitch which Martin descended on naturals ~8m. 2m slot in floor. Pitch <u>blind</u>
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+ drippy (got wet when we surveyed it the next day + it rained on the surface). Came back up Helter Skelter slowly looking at QMs. Martin
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found <b>QM 2001-14B</b>, a sandy crawl with a draft + pushed it into <u>new stuff</u>. Yahoo (embarrasing we didn't spot it in the
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original 2001 survey though). Looked at lots until time to go home. Met Earl + Julian back at the 204E rope + exited together. Good trip.</p>
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<hr></p>
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<p>21/7/03 -- 204E to survey Sandpit off Helter Skelter -- <u>Becka</u> + Martin -- T/U 9hrs</p>
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<p>Julian + Earl still bolting above Gaffered to the Walls so no point trying to rig below them so off to survey yesterday's stuff in
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Sandpit of Helter Skelter. Sandy crawl (was QM 2001-14B) leads to small passage. Closes off up + to right; main way goes past <u>dead
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furry bat</u> to sandy hole which we'd dug out yesterday. This tube goes up steeply. At top, straight ahead leads up into small chamber
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with a pitch to right + up from there. Go left another rift/pitch which probably links to the first one. Main way from sandy tube follows
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the draft to the <u>left</u> along a crawling tube past a couple of not-bad straws into a small chamber. Rift, thin, deep, narrow to the
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right (leading to small shaft?). Ahead, nasty loose hole to left but main way is under low wall + crawl up ramp on right side. Over a
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loose boulder wall, to the right went to a pitch head with a huge boulder perched on top. It's possible to free-climb down this rift to
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the left to a drippy floor + Martin climbed a further 2m below this but still not down to bottom of shaft (doesn't look promising
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though). Various tubes above pitch head, probably don't go. Main way is to <u>left</u> after boulder wall, crawling to edge of ramp. Can
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climb down to left, to bottom, nasty loose pitch to left at bottom. Ahead, clamber over boulders. At far end, small passage leads off +
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up but gets too small. At left climb up + then follow up a solution tube several metres up to top of aven then tube closes down. Main way
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on at ramp is across + up to small sandy tube. Down this + to right. Small crawly passage with odd boulders in it needing gardening +
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more bat skeletons led up + past final squeeze into q. large drippy rift. Into this + we climbed up two levels (first one a rather dodgy
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free climb) until too hard to upclimb but aven continued up beyond this point. End of that survey. Back + down to bottom of Helter
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Skelter + surfeyed down to the pitch we found yesterday (last leg a joke plumb as we didn't rig the pitch). As down there, rain started +
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everything got drippy + worse. Checked off most of the Helter Skelter QM's on way up (2001 - 56C, 58C, 15C all don't go; 16A downgraded
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to B). Also M 2000-20C dead from day before this in Treeumphant. We left QM 2001-17C in Helter Skelter which is over attractive white
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mud, while 2001-56C might go if you want to climb diddly tubes.</p>
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<hr />
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<p>22/7/03 -- Surface prospect -- <u>Becka</u> + Earl -- T/U 30min</p>
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<p>Headed off with Martin;s GPS above various bits of 204. Ended up at the top of the Hinterer Schwartzmooskogel then went back to 204 Top
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Camp near the top of the ridge logging various holes, dead + otherwise. Met Mark, Julian + Dave at camp. Had lunch, then me, Julian +
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Dave up North to prospect for an hour. Found a couple more holes. Finally Earl + I watched Mark desced 2000-08. Possible way on to side
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of it - narrow rift, needed a rope. Earl + I found a couple more holes, ended. Back down hill. GPS positions etc. in survey folder.</p>
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<p>22/7/03 -- Surface wander -- <u>Dave</u>, Julian T -- T/U ?? <i>[must have been about 1 hour]</i></p>
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<p>Returned to holes 'up North' minus Becka but plus gear: rigged one hole down pitch (see sketch) + tagged that as 2003/03. </p>
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<p>[ SKETCH ]</p>
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<p>Julian's other entrance, tagged as 2003/04, is a small down-sloping crawl in the western side of a depression visible from the stone
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bridge. (At the south end of the depression is a short tunnel leading out onto the hillside, the other end of which is clearly visible
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from 204). Anyway this gives access to some bouldery phreatic passage perhaps 5m wide + high heading westwards <i>[actually it was
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northwards, as we found when we surveyed the thing some while later]</i> which is choked after perhaps 30-50m (we should really return +
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survey it, alhtough it has no obvious leads left to push).</p>
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<hr />
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<p>23/7/03 -- Razordance rigging (+ pushing a bit) -- <u>Dave</u>, Dour, Mark -- T/U Mark 12h, Dave 13h, Dour 14h</p>
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<p>Rigged <i>[Julia's handwriting in margin:</i> No you didn't, Anthony did <i>]</i> bottom two pitches of Kiwi Suit and commenced the merry
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task of hauling a huge tackle sack containing our 200m pushing rope through Razordance itself. Dour bolted Steady Now, the pitch at the
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old pushing front (Duncs descended it last year on the rope from the previous pitch, which must have been rather damp). This gave access
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to some more rift and another wet climb (rigged as a pitch). An awkward climb up through some boulders leads to a sizeable chamber
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(originally named The Brewhouse, now renamed God Loves a Drunk). Another pitch was visible around the corner, provisionally named The
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Mash Tun; rather than bolt this we turned around and slogged out, eventually emerging at intervals of about an hour with the last man
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(Dour) emerging at about 3.30 am. (We must all be nuts!)</p>
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<hr />
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<p>24/7/03 -- Surface-bashing -- Dave, <u>Mark</u></p>
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<p>Went with Brian to see 2003-{01, 02} and then on to Damoclesshacht (2003-05) which Brian was to descend. Went on and eventually found
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Julian T's new cave (2003-06). Spent some time prospecting around here. Found zero caves and one adder. A most unproductive day.</p>
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<hr />
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<p>25/7/03 -- Razordance -- <u>Mark</u>, Dour, Dave -- T/U 10-12hrs approx</p>
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<p>Mark + Dave went to the bottom of Steady Now to start surveying the passage drom the previous trip. Dour followed, to bolt The Mash Tun -
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an 8m pitch after the God Loves A Drunk chamber. Took Dour a while to bolt it, so the surveyors caught up with him. Descended Mash Tun to
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land in a pool, leading to a much wider (2-3m) canyon. Very soon the head of the next pitch, Copper Pitch, is reached - looks like a fine
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shaft of 20-30m. [<i>Footnote:</i> Actually 17m 60cm - Mark.] Rift bends around to the left after the pitch, still looks 3m or more wide.
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Distinct change in the character of the cave. Drill battery failed afer 1 1/2 holes on the Y-hang so we went home. Took about 4 hours to
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get out.</p>
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<hr />
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<p>20/7/03 -- 21 Bolt Salute traverse (Part 1) -- <u>Earl</u> + Julian H -- T/U ??</p>
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<p>On our tourist trip yesterday, Julian had spotted a QM across the head of the 70m pitch 'Gaffered to the Walls'. This is on the edge of
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the current survey and heading south/southwest direction, so Julian's cave detector was off the scale given that this passage is also on
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the main phreatic level of Steinbrücken. Thus Julian and I returned to traverse around the right hand wall...</p>
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<p>There are significant ledges and other footholds around for most of the way, which is just as well given the variable quality of the
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rock. Starting from the tarvese line by the head of the pitch, we climbed up to a large ledge. I bolted ahead while Julian hand bolted a
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backup. After about 10m the ledge runs out and we were left hanging on the bolts placed in what limited sound rock we could find; hardly
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ideal placements.</p>
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<p>A pull up onto a muddy ledge brings us to about the halfway point. Here a muddy tube slopes up to a mud/sand choke (dry, QM C, not
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drafting noticeably). We put on a few bolts on a ledge, and were now on the NW corner of the shaft but not any better able to tell if the
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QM at our objective will go. Incidentally, the ~4 second drop from the traverse to the bottom of the pitch really impresses! We return
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tomorrow to finish the job.</p>
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<hr />
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<p>21/7/03 -- 21 Bolt Salute -- <u>Earl</u> + Julian H -- T/U ??</p>
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<p>More bolt traverse fun! Reached the corner of the shaft and climbed into a small slot (hoping this to be a quick way to get to the large
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QM) but although there is a view through boulders, it didn't seem to be wise to try and get through. Back out of the slot (hmm, kneeling
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on one's traverse line) and three more bolts bring us to a short abseil onto the target QM's boulder slope. Julian followed across and we
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explore where this stoking QM goes ... Main way blocked by boulder slope, but a phreatic rift/joint area on the left leads upwards with a
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strong breeze. Following this breeze we climbed up for about 6m to where boulders blocked the passage, the breeze whistling through a
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small gap. Julian had a good look and declared that there was 'a lot of cave' around here, just we couldn't get to it. We may return with
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a crow bar to proddle the boulders a little. We surveyed out, measuring the top of the 70m pitch as over 20m.</p>
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<hr />
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<p>23/7/03 -- Hauchhöhle -- <u>Julia</u></p>
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<p>Went to have a quick look at the pitch lead in Hauchhöhle. Put a bolt in for the hang. There's a friendly-looking ledge not far
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down, looks like you could scout out a good place for a rebelay, as rocks seem to fall free from here.</p>
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<hr />
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<p>24/7/03 -- Finding tent spaces + surface wandering -- <u>Julia</u> + Anthony</p>
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<p>Anthony was buggered following his nails 'ard trip down Razordance the previous day. So we festered for some time. At 2pm we were just
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going to leave and so something useful when some folk arrived. ARGE were doing a long weekend of prospecting and rekkying (almost
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certainly not spelt like that) <i>[indeed not - editor]</i> something further up. Spent some time with them looking for tent spaces, then
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headed for a hole spotted last year near 204c which turned out to be tagged 2002-04. Martin had kindly compiled a list of all known caves
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in the area, 2002-04 was nowhere to be found. I put a tag in at the pitch head and rigged a ladder. The pitch is v.short, only 5 metres
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or so. Down a slippery climb, the whole passage curves round to the left (it's about 3 metres high, wiht rocks wedged in at various
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levels) then stops, a tiny bit of a crawl starts but isn't even a Wook lead. To the right is a pitch climb of maybe 4/5 m which I didn't
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drop as Dour had run away. (It was raining Ahhh...) Doesn't look very inspiring, but a crawl at the bottom might carry on. Collected Dour
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and we did a surface survey back to 204C. At the moment I've no idea where 2002-04 is, because 204C has never been linked into the
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data-set - will go back and do an underground survey at some point. Treading on bees doesn't help when you're intending to walk up the
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hill.</p>
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<hr />
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<p>24/7/03 -- Round Gaffered (Traverse + down) + Dutch Beauty squeeze -- Julian H, Martin, Earl + <u>Becka</u>
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T/U Martin 8 1/2, Becka 10 1/2, Julian 8 1/2, Earl 6 1/2 or something like that</p>
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<p>Julian + I in first with new-from-Eisenhof, 50% bigger crowbar to prod boulders. Across Gaffered 21-Bolt Traverse (mmm, acrobatic), up
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the boulders, to the top of the tube + looked at the boulders. Not much room for manoeuvre, or for a quick escape when they start
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raining on your head. Nevertheless Julian + I alternated levering them out (all too easy - some came out even from chucking a rock at
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them) for an hour or two. Bloody cold in the draft. Finally got enough out to see that the good-looking way on was just a solution pocket
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whilst the draft was coming from directly above + there could be many, many boulders funnelled up there. Decided we'd stretched our
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nerves enough. Out + I de-rigged the traverse. By then Earl + Martin had turned up. I then went with Martin rigging into Gaffered (we
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hadn't wanted to start before the traverse was derigged as loose stuff kept dropping down the pitch). Rigged the 70m, the next pitch, the
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traverse + pitch and finally the eyehole pitch so 4 pitches in all with Martin adding extra spits here + there to beef up the rigging +
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avoid dodgy naturals. Meanwhile Julian + Earl had been going to look at Pleasuredome for horizontal leads but got distracted + ended up
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finding the squitty squeeze off Dutch Beauty which Earl linked up to the end of the 21 Bolt Traverse (doh!)</p>
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<hr />
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<p>25/7/03 -- Survey Rhino Rift from Dutch Beauty -- Julian H + <u>Becka</u> -- T/U 10hrs</p>
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<p>Off to survey Earl's link to the end of the 21 Bolt Travese of Gaffered. Having squeezed through, discovered there was <u>much</u>
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more cave than Earl had described - yahoo! Julian disappeared off for <u>some</u> time + came back very excited. First surveyed up to
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link to 21 Bolt Traverse with Julian doing the squeeze through the dodgy boulders onto the loose boulder pile perched on top of Gaffer's
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70m pitch. He'd missed seeing the passage we'd emerged from from the other direction when I asked him about it yesterday, because Earl
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had popped out of a tube just below it which Julian thought was what I'd seen. We then continued surveying Rhino Rift until we ran out of
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time. This was supposed to be Julian's las caving trip before he went home but he decided he'd have to come back tomorrow...</p>
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<hr />
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<p>26/7/03 -- Rig Deviated + survey On A Mission -- Julian H + <u>Becka</u> -- T/U 9 1/2 hrs</p>
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<p>Underground by 10am, ouch. Back through the squeezes of Rhino Rift. We'd intended dropping the short pitch at the end of yesterday's
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survey but on the way Julian suggested dropping the Deviated Pitch. I wasn't keen, it looked like a modern chamber with more pitches but
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we slung a rope down with dodgy rubs all over. At the bottom, as expected, two more pitches, dull - but, a-ha, also a walking passage
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leading off - + bigger round the corner. I went 30m to check it went then told Julian to come down. I let him see a little bit but the
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wrestled him away from stoping off down + we surveyed in all the way down the main passage. We'd just about run out of time at the end
|
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when Earl + Martin turned up + en mass we jerry-rigged the pitch at the end which Julian shot down before Earl had put in the pitch head
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bolt! He then poked around until Earl had rigged it properly then Julian + I had to run out [<i>footnote:</i> Fortunately, on the way in, Earl +
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Martin, being well-trained riggers, had fettled Deviated Pitch so it actually did deviate and didn't rub] in time for Julian to head down
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the hill in the last of the light, drive Anthony's car down + draw up surveys until the wee hours before heading home early the next day.
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Excellent trip.</p>
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<hr />
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<p>27/7/03 -- Continue surveying in Rhino Rift + On a Mission -- Julian Todd + <u>Becka</u> -- T/U 9 hours</p>
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<p>First went to the end of the 25/7/03 survey of Rhino Rift + continued until we ran out of horizontal + I put a bit (not enough) of
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conservation tape around the mud pretties. Cold. Then down Deviated Pitch + showed Julian On A Mission. Surveyed Rat Biscuit to
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frustrating end in drafting boulders (lost most of the draft before then though?) Finished up by surveying into Belief (last leg
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<u>before</u> main chamber, in the phreatic passage).</p>
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<hr />
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<p>28/7/03 -- On a Mission -- Julian Todd, Martin, Tony + <u>Becka</u> -- T/U 9 1/2 hrs</p>
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<p>Tying up the last horizontal main leads of On a Mission. Martin + Tony surveyed the chamber at the end of On a Mission whilst Julian +
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I surveyed Swallow Hard, up pretty steeply. All 4 of us then tied up the survey in that chamber + looked at the leads there. Then did a
|
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partner-swap: Martin + I surveyed Crimper - tight + awkward + not much draft but is a reasonable horizontal way on at the end, just needs
|
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a bit of a clamber, + it's in an interesting place. Meanwhile Julian + Tony rigged into Unconformity. Julian, Tony + I had a quick look
|
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down the pitch before we all headed out.</p>
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<hr />
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<p>29/7/03 -- Rigging + survey down Gaffered -- Martin + <u>Becka</u> -- T/U 10hrs</p>
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<p>I'd promised Martin I'd go down Gaffered today if he did On a Mission yesterday but I wasn't particularly looking forward to it,
|
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especially as I'd got miserably damp on the 70m last time as it was raining on the surface. In the event, though, it was a fine trip to a
|
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very starnge bit of cave with stunning pretties, best I've seen in Austria I think. Down to top of last pitch that Martin + Earl had
|
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rigged to (on their trip - on 26th or 27th?) <i>[Not written up apparently]</i>. I looked at the mud tube (Eeyore) that went off from the
|
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bridge - it led, after a a short crawl, to a huge chamber. We surveyed to it then I left Martin there + went down the final pitch into
|
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the Underworld + walked around shouting but Martin couldn't hear me so that chamber seems to be separate from the Underworld despite
|
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being so close. Then we went to the end of Earl + Martin's previous survey + rigged down Poohstyx (Mark's name!) This dropped 25m in a
|
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drippy shaft to end in a flat floor with a v. thin rift going off, cold + small stream running. I clambered up 2-3m up a wall at the
|
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bottom of the shaft + looked over - a passage continued on down - perhaps not needing rope but looking wet + sharp + <u>not at all</u>
|
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inviting given how cold I was so we consigned it to a B QM and went up the pitch. Martin, ever the keen surveyor, then insisted on
|
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looking across the top of the pitch - and yes, that went too. A cold survey ended in a fine aven <i>[There is an asterisk here but
|
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apparently the footnote it corresponds to was never written.]</i> via some odd, mud-coated passage + random lumps of ceiling that had
|
|
landed on the floor. Oh, and bat bones which had been washed donw the cave. All rather strange. Had a little time left so Martin pointed
|
|
out another unpromising QM which I climbed up into - which emerged in a <u>huge</u> chamber (Sirens) with stunning bright white active
|
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stalactites, as well as loads of cauliflower and a couple of exciting-looking potential QMs as well as the usual dull pitches. Finished
|
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that survey + I was <u>freezing</u>. Martin fettled the rigging a bit on the way out + I'd just about got warm at the top of Gaffered.
|
|
</p>
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<hr />
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<p>30/7/03 -- Survey down Unconformity + push in Rhino Rift -- Julian T + <u>Becka</u> -- T/U 7hrs
|
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<p>Down to where Julian + Tony had finished their Unconformity survey yesterday. Julian put in a spit for the pitch/ramp/climp down below
|
|
the <i>[illegible]</i> whilst I poked around. I found a tube they'd missed yesterday + crawled past a dead + partially <u>calcited</u>
|
|
bat skeleton into a small chamber (which they'd been able to look into from another passage yesterday but they'd not been able to climb
|
|
into). A clamber of ~2.5m up the far side got to a bridge overlooking a <u>v. large</u> pitch. This (or the chamber itself) was where I'd
|
|
made a vocal connection to Julian when I'd gone up the passage higher up Unconformity which ended in sharp limestone + which Julian +
|
|
Tony had rigged yesterday. We then went down the pitch Julian had put a spit in for. At the bottom was another pitch and, much more
|
|
interesting, a possible <u>horizontal lead</u> from an easy traverse over the top of that pitch. Surveyed out + up the pitch + into the
|
|
small chamber. In the small chamber I climbed up ~3m into the continuation of the bat calcited phreatic passage which soon became mud
|
|
filled. Out, up the Deviated Pitch + along Rhino Rift to the pitch where Julian H + I had ended our survey on 23/07/03. I put in a spit +
|
|
down on it + a dodgy natural + 6m + 8m of rope. Just made the floor. A mud crawl with little draft let to an uninteresting looking pitch.
|
|
No time to survey so derigged the 8m to put back on the traverse above Deviated + showed Julian Swings + Roundabouts so he could take
|
|
some more photos on the way out. Down the hill to <b>showers</b> + bread - oh, + inputted at least 750m survey.</p>
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<hr />
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<p>30/7/03 -- Razor Dance -- Frank, Dave + <u>Anthony</u> -- T/U Frank ?, Dave + Anthony 11hrs</p>
|
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<p>Plan was for me and Frank to go pushing in Razor Dance (my last chance for a trip down there before going home). However, Frank had a
|
|
trapped nerve in his back, so Dave got roped in too in case Frank had to jack. Dave and Frank went down so that Dave could bolt the pitch
|
|
at the pushing front under supervision. I followed 1/2 hr later to find the y-hang almost rigged. Frank headed out at this point to test
|
|
his fitness, whilst Dave put in a deviation and descended what turned out to be an 18m pitch. Dave inadvertently dunked the drill in a
|
|
puddle at the bottom, and the battery promptly started discharging itself. Attempted to start surveying, but the clin was terminally
|
|
fogged. Faced with the prospect of total gear failure, we went for a quick push. From the bottom of the pitch a rift heads off - similar
|
|
dimensions to that higher up, but the rock is less catchy (have we moved into a different bed?) eventually reaching a pitch. By the time
|
|
we got back to the bottom of the pitch the clino still wasn't working, so we dragged the rope and bolting gear off to the new pitch.
|
|
There was enough life in the battery to get 3 bolts in for a descent of ~10m. Dave was freezing his nuts off by now, so I went on for a
|
|
quick look at the next bit. More rift leads to a bit where the water goes down a very narrow bit. It might be possible to follow it, but
|
|
it seems foolish given that there is a comfortably wide section higher up. I followed this to a widening - couldn't see round the corner
|
|
but some rope will be required, either to descend to stream level or protect a bad steop if the traverse level continues.</p>
|
|
|
|
<p>With that we pottered sedately out. Thanks to Frank & Dave for accompanying me down Razor Dance when they would clearly rather
|
|
have been somewhere else.</p>
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<hr />
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<p>29/7/03 -- 2002-04 = Tröpfelnhöhle (Dripping Cave) -- <u>Julia</u>, Anthony -- T/U ??</p>
|
|
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<p>Did a surface survey to link 204C tag bolt in, then went to survey Tröpfelnhöhle (so called because the surveyors got
|
|
thoroughly dirpped on in their dry (ha!) grots). Chucked a ladder down it, this was just long enough to get down the 4m pitch at the
|
|
bottom, there are a couple of small passages off the bottom of this pitch which are full of rocks. That's it really.</p>
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|
|
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<p><i>[In different colour pen and noticeably less legible]</i>There might be giants, or worse!</p>
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|
|
|
<p>I should do more caving, caving is nice, but I never quite get round to it. I want to go to Hauchhöhle and nobody else does
|
|
everybody likes pitches.</p>
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|
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|
<hr />
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<p>1/8/03 -- Left Tatty Hut after Expo Dinner at 5.55 am. -- <u>Mark S</u>, Frank, Olly M - "The Survivors". -- Time underwater: Julia,
|
|
Martin, Dave 10sec.</p>
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<hr />
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<p>31/7/03 -- Surface wander -- Earl, <u>Dave</u>, Olly -- T/U Not very much</p>
|
|
|
|
<p>Walked to 204d. Pottered around a bit, took some photos; had a look at a small nearby cave which has a window to the 204d
|
|
shakehole.</p>
|
|
|
|
<p>Mark had messaged up from base camp the bearing + distance from 204d to the position of the end of a passage he, Earl + Olly had found
|
|
the previous day in On a Mission. This took us to a gully leading down to a huge choss bowl.</p>
|
|
|
|
<p>We split up + poked around a bit in the bowl. I found a small slot with a slight draft; Olly succeeded in wedgeing himself down it and
|
|
reported that there was a pitch beyond with a 1 sec drop but he couldn't see beyond this as the light he had borrowed (mine) was too
|
|
feeble.</p>
|
|
|
|
<p>This was eclipsed by Olly's discovery - a large entrance, choked after a few metres but with a slot on the right. The slot was low and
|
|
blocked by pebbles; but a howling gale was emerging. Some moving of rock later Olly (the thinnest member of the party) forced himself in,
|
|
reporting a walking size passage beyond, which was not explored due to lack of time + gear. Based on the strength of the draft Earl
|
|
offered to stake a crate of Gösser it would connect to 204.</p>
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<hr />
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<p>4/8/03 -- The walk back from top camp without using a helicopter. -- <u>Julian</u> (+Becka, Martin, Earl) -- T/U N/A</p>
|
|
|
|
<p>Arrived at top camp on 2/8 early walk up all excited, and had a slip-up on the slab below the cooling rock in the stone bridge. It
|
|
didn't hurt, but I had a lie down. Then I got up and it hurt like hell. Like a piece of razor wire had been substituted for a tendon
|
|
between my lower back and right knee. If I could just get around without it flexing and slicing through my flesh, it was bearable. But
|
|
most movements caused pain that amost heated up the region and made my left thumb go numb due to neurological noise across the regions of
|
|
the humunculus (brain area that has the body map). <i>[I have no idea whether or not he is making this up - editor.]</i> So I didn't go
|
|
caving. I sat on the slabs the whole day happy when not moving because it didn't hurt. Often I thought I was cured, only to have to get
|
|
up for a pee and scream with each step. On Day 2 I could move a little bit more. The pain intensity was the same but the barrier was a
|
|
little further away so I was more mobile. Since I wasn't dead it was probably not a ruptured spleen. It just hurt like an inaccessible
|
|
splinter. The sun beat down on the carrymat over my head. I sat like a cripple and was driven insane by the inefficiency of team fester
|
|
who didn't get a move on and leave me in peace until 4.30pm. Man! <i>[As a member of 'team fester' I should point out that I hadn't got
|
|
out of the cave the previous day until 4.50am and was possibly more knackered than I have ever been in my life before. - DL (editor)]</i>
|
|
Meanwhile Earl + Becka were doing lots of wonderful caving, discovering lots of stuff and doing useful work. Becka's going to marry Earl
|
|
if I don't pull myself together. I climbed into bed after it got dark, after team fester had left all the litter all over the slabs until
|
|
it was dary so they couldn't see it and therefore couldn't clear it up. In the morning I was still sore. I was not going to spend another
|
|
day like this, like a refugee cowering under a scrap of cardboard waiting for food handouts and for someone to care, just happy to be
|
|
alive. So while everyone was discussing stretchering me off (not possible) or calling a helicopter (last resort) I drifted off to the
|
|
path to the derision of people observing how long it was <u>taking</u> me to get out of sight. Once out of earshot I could howl, which
|
|
helped overcome the pain (I've always been a crybaby). Becka joined me later, carrying my pack. It was better if she walked separately so
|
|
I could pick my pace, stopping for refueling stops. Martin arrived from base camp and we headed for the Bergrestaurant. Earl followed
|
|
after an hour and drove us all down. I haven't experienced pain of this sort in a while. I've learnt my lesson. I hope it gets better. I
|
|
just want to go home and not get carted off to some pill-pusher for some pointless ointment. Get me out of here.</p>
|
|
|
|
<hr />
|
|
|
|
<p>2/8/03 -- Rhino Rift Fester -- Earl, <u>Becka</u>, Dave + Frank -- T/U Dave ?6, Frank ?8, Becka + Earl 10.</p>
|
|
|
|
<p>Me down 204E with Frank + showed him Treeumphant + Swings + Roundabouts on a quick tourist then Earl + Dave caught up with us at the
|
|
Taking the Piss / Deviated pitches. To the chamber at the end of On a Mission + continued Mark + Earl's survey in What No Butcombe
|
|
through various loops. [<i>footnote:</i> Notes for this are in file #24 but not yet drawn up as I am going home tomorrow and THE FUCKING BLOODY
|
|
PRINTER ISN'T WORKING so I don't have a centreline - DL]. I showed Dave the way out whilst Frank + Earl finished surveying. We then
|
|
derigged everything at the end + Frank headed out. Earl + I then went down Unconformity. Earl snooted at Julian + my rigging then put in
|
|
one measly bolt with his drill to get across the traverse at the bottom of our last pitch. Pitch itself q. short, only ~10m, but this is
|
|
only a ledge + the pitch continues. Over the traverse is another 20 or 30m horizontal with holes in the floor + possible QMs up. Needs
|
|
surveying but we had to get out as our time was up.</p>
|
|
|
|
<hr />
|
|
|
|
<p>3/8/03 -- Gaffered / Underworld push, survey + derig -- <u>Becka</u> + Earl -- T/U 10hrs</p>
|
|
|
|
<p>Tempted Earl down [<i>Comment, in what looks like Mark's handwriting:</i> ooh err!] with promise of long bolted traverses across
|
|
Sirens. Unfortunately he managed to do it all on naturals (<u>why</u> do we bother with drills?) (Mind you, Earl was eyeing up the <u>v.
|
|
long</u> traverse to the opposite side of the chamber where it looks like another phreatic passage may head off.) Popped over + it looked
|
|
like it went - again - so we settled down for a long survey. Strong draft throughout most of the area. Straight on from the traverse,
|
|
through the bracket-fungus rift gets to a convenient ledge behind a column overlooking what looked v.like the shaft we'd finished our
|
|
survey on (Martin + me, 29/7/03, see in write-up). Earl rigged another traverse line on naturals along this ledge (superfluous?) + we
|
|
kept surveying up the slope beyond. Ran out of time with plenty of horizontal QMs - Earl frustrated as we could have stomped around
|
|
everywhere if we didn't have to wait for him to draw his damn pictures. V. odd little pool filled with ?mud/?calcite which we didn't
|
|
survey to the end. Plenty to go back to next year - a whole new phreatic level? Derigged; I got 2 bags out + Earl got the remaining 2
|
|
bags tied to the bottom of the 70m Gaffered pitch. Another v. fine trip.</p>
|
|
|
|
<hr />
|
|
|
|
<p>5/8/03 -- Derigging Razordance -- Earl, Frank + Becka -- T/U 6hrs Frank + Becka, 7hrs Earl.</p>
|
|
|
|
<p>My last chance to go caving so I persuaded Frank I'd be useful derigging if he could drive me down the hill in time for my train for
|
|
my flight. Dave + Mark had left 3 tacklesacks at the top of Mystery Wind. Got there + decided the big yellow monster wasn't going
|
|
anywhere + rebagged it in a sensible bag then double-bagged the drill bag which had holes all in the bottom. Good team effort through the
|
|
rift then a sociable prusik out. 2 hours down pitch series, 3 hours in + out of rifts of Razordance + packing rope + derigging + 2 hours
|
|
out; a v.fine, spanking trip. Then down the hill to Gösser + bread + cheese.
|
|
</p>
|
|
|
|
<hr />
|
|
|
|
<p>30/7/03 (Dinner day) -- Martin, Brian, <u>Julian</u></p>
|
|
|
|
<p>Grabenbach canyon. We did it. It rained on the way down and we made it back to the dinner with 1 minute to spare. Here's the
|
|
survey.</p>
|
|
|
|
<p>[SURVEY - Longest pitch indicated is 30m.]</p>
|
|
|
|
<p>Walk up: 45mins. Canyon down: 3hrs 30.</p>
|
|
|
|
<hr />
|
|
|
|
<p>4/8/03 -- Razordance attempted derig -- Mark, <u>Dave</u></p>
|
|
<p>T/U: Dave 15 1/2 hrs (1.20pm - 4.50 am); Mark 14hrs (1.20 - 3.15 approx)</p>
|
|
|
|
<p>Surveyed from the bottom of Copper Pitch to pushing front, ending at a plumb of the local widening discovered by Dour on the previous
|
|
push. This task was enlivened by Mark suddenly discovering an <u>urgent</u> need to have a crap, which led to him relieving himself wile
|
|
squatting half-naked over the top of a 10m pitch. [<i>Margin note:</i>Bloody spicy food! - M.]</p>
|
|
|
|
<p>Then the derig began, shepherding Big Bertha (Marc Hesse's enormous yellow tackle sack, engorged with the remains of our 200m pushing
|
|
rope) out of Razordance. Much cursing + swearing got us from Yeast to Copper. Copper was an easy haul, as was Mash Tun. We stopped at God
|
|
Loves a Drunk to sample a self-heating meal. Unfortunately after waiting 12min it was still stone cold - waste of a fiver. (One incident
|
|
worth noting occured as I derigged Yeast. It's rigged with a rebelay just below the pitch head; after removing this I swung sideways into
|
|
the line of fire, and a mysterious brown stain appeared on the stain of my oversuit.) </p>
|
|
|
|
As we slogged from GLAD to Steady Now we were both flagging noticeably, and the effort required to get the sacks through the tube in the
|
|
roof below Mystery Wind took a lot out of us. By the time I had hauled two heavy tackle sacks up to the Crow's Nest in the Armstrong
|
|
fashion I was thoroughly broken, as was Mark, and we decided to dump the bags and head out. Not surprisingly I ran out of steam on Kiwi
|
|
Suit and crawled slowly up the remaining pitches to emerge at nearly 5am. I was greeted by an enthusiastic Mark reporting that 204 had
|
|
overtaken Eislufthöhle as the deepest cave not connected to the main system, at over 500m deep.</p>
|
|
|
|
<p><u>Mark</u>: Worth noting for the future that you <u>really</u> need more people than this to derig Razordance, even for the lower
|
|
parts of it if anything else has to be done on the same trip. We probably pushed ourselves too far on this trip.</p>
|
|
|
|
<hr />
|
|
|
|
<p>6/8/03 -- Kiwi Suit + Ariston derig -- <u>Mark</u>, Martin -- T/U 7 hours</p>
|
|
|
|
<p>Went splendidly. Ropes tied together in "paella" style and hauled up pitches etc, which generally worked very well. Left all the rope
|
|
at the bottom of Wolpertinger for later collection - what a big pile!</p>
|
|
|
|
<hr />
|
|
|
|
<p>3/8/03 -- Festering + surveying -- <u>Dave</u>, Frank -- T/U 1hr ish</p>
|
|
|
|
<p>Surface surveyed to 2003-04, Dreieckhöhle (Triangle cave) & did a quick underground survey. Interesting place, full of
|
|
boulders but with a strong inward draught.</p>
|
|
|
|
<p>Later on (after lunch) did a surface survey to 2003-03, Kartoffelbreischacht (Mashed Potato Shaft). Unfortunately I seem to have
|
|
mis-recorded some survey legs as the whole survey makes no sense at all. Frank has volunteered to do this again.</p>
|
|
|
|
<p>[<i>Note in margin, Olly's handwriting:</i> But he didn't. O. (Under direction from der Führer (M))) (always close bracket.]</p>
|
|
|
|
<p>Notes for this are in file 2003#23.</p>
|
|
|
|
<hr />
|
|
|
|
<p>2/8/03 -- Exploring + Surveying Olly's Höhle (2003-09) -- <u>Olly</u>, Mark -- T/U 4hrs</p>
|
|
|
|
<p>Went to look at hole I discovered with Dave and Earl before the dinner. It blows very hard, so we thought it must go somewhere. Surface
|
|
surveyed to 204d first, then we crawled into the passage on the right of the entrance, where the draught was coming from. (Earl and I had
|
|
previously cleared rocks from it to allow entry.) After a crawl the passage opens up with scatterings of ice and snow. A passage goes up
|
|
to the left as the main way on turns a corner. It enters a large (> 10m diameter) chamber with an ice floor, and an ice stal on the
|
|
floor. There is some passage with dodgy boulders to the right, but the draught comes from a very dodgy boulder slope on the left (reached
|
|
by climbing round the edge of the ice). Might be worth poking, but it's quite unstable. We looked up the passage on the left but it
|
|
doesn't seem to go anywhere. (Maybe a tightish meander in the floor might go (blows outwards a bit), but awkward to enter. QM C.) About 100m of survey in total.</p>
|
|
|
|
<hr />
|
|
|
|
<p><i>[Long list of stuff left in supply dump at the end of Expo]</i></p>
|
|
|
|
<hr />
|
|
|
|
<p>10/8/03 -- 204a derig -- <u>Mark</u>, Lucia -- T/U 2hrs</p>
|
|
|
|
<p>Went to check 5m pitch at top of Ariston to ensure it was derigged. It was, so we went out again derigging as we went.</p>
|
|
|
|
<hr />
|
|
|
|
<p>9/8/03 -- Searching for an Alm -- <u>Mark</u>, Olly</p>
|
|
|
|
<p>Idea was to find the alm visible from the stone bridge (and much of the walk-in) - obvious large grassy patch in a saddle between two
|
|
hills. Bearing from the stone bridge was 250°.</p>
|
|
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<p>Initial reckonings were that the alm was Hinterer Sandlingalm, also known as Pitzingalm. We went first by road to Bad Ischl, and tried
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to get access to the alm without a long walk. Unfortunately the way from near Rettenbachalm (the place which is probably the source of the
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two close-together lights visible at night from the stone bridge) was blocked by a locked barrier at the foot of the Grabenbach valley. We
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also tried access from [<i>illegible</i>] but the road said "residents only" and we went back - would have been a very long way round
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anyway.</p>
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<p>Went back to Altaussee to try access from the head of the salt mine road. You drive up the road to a large car park, then continue (up
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the Forststrasse) to the prominent left bend visible on the map, where there is a wooden building on the right and some old cart rails.
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(Started walking at 4.30pm.) Path leads off uphill, after some while crossing a ski run, to arrive at Sandlingalm. Just above the huts, a
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path to the right (signed Pitzingalm & marked with single red stripes on the trees) diverges from the main path (marked with the usual
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Austrian markers). Following the new path downhill through the woods emerges at a grassy area - turning left and following the path over
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logs placed across bogs leads to Pitzingalm, and a junction to the right with another main path.</p>
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<p>Now, unfortunately by this time it was obvious that Pitzingalm was not the correct place, as there was no view of the Schwarzmooskogel
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ridge. Arse. Next we walked to Pitzingmoos on the main path, but this was obviously not the correct place either. Mark suggested thrashing
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westwards [<i>No, I don't know why he's talking about himself in the third person either - editor</i>] in the trees (actually easy) as it looked
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more open up there. This soon hit a much bigger track which we identified on the map, dropping to a point with a quarried (?) section on a
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corner. (Again this is marked on the map.)</p>
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<p>Consulting the map, we identified Hütteneckalm as a next possible target. We actually soon saw this alm, from our newfound path,
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and it was immediately obvious that it was the intended destination. However, it was not obvious as to how to reach it. Despite it being a
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relatively small horizontal distance away - and not very much higher than us - a big stream valley was in the way. The alternative route
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would have been to go back to Pitzingalm and then to Hüttenbachalm via the Lambacherhütte path (201). However, the latter was
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too far - it being nearly 6pm - so we decided to descend down the current path and then thrash directly up a stream (!) (Mark's idea -
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Olly) which would then lead directly to Hütteneckalm. Thankfully common sense got the better of us, and when we spotted a path on the
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other (south) side of the stream which we were descending towards, we followed it - despite the map showing it ending some way from our
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destination. However, from that point it didn't look on the map to be too much further to the Aml - at least the path would gain us most
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of the height.</p>
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<p>Anyway, we soon reached the end of the path. Two tiny cairns heralded the way on - a tiny path which continued for what seemed like
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ages. Some thrasing through greenery and assorted undergrowth was required (no bunde tho' !) - but the "path" did eventually pop us out at
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the bottom of the Alm at about 7pm or so. We were knackered. Just as well we hadn't tried climbing up the original stream valley - looked
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very steep.</p>
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<p>So, there we were on the Alm. Slogged up it to arrive at an area of felled/burnt trees, with (finally) the elusive view of the
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Schwarzmooskogel ridge we had wanted. (Photos on Expo website.) Looks a long way away
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and somewhat unremarkably flat - the most striking thing is the distances between the Nieder Augst-Eck/Griesskogel/Wildkogel etc, which
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is revealed far better from this angle.</p>
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<p>Anyway, there we were having walked for ages with no easy way back to the van and under 2 hours of daylight left. Error! We'd thought
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that we were in for an easy walk and thus didn't have any lights.</p>
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<p>The options were two: either to return down the tiny path, thence go (up!) to Pitzingalm and back the way we had come originally to
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that point. Alternatively, we could go on the main path to the Lambacher Hütte, thence to Vorderer Sandlingalm and then to
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Sandlingalm, to rejoin the route we'd come on at the junction where we had previously turned off to Pitzingalm.</p>
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<p>Given the situation we decided on this second option, as it would keep us on major paths. We headed to the top of Hütteneckalm to
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start off. There, we found a couple of huts and a Gasthof(!) - plus several cars. There were many merry people being amused outside the
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Gasthof by a gentleman in some weird garb which I didn't quite understand. Given the cars, we resolved to return on another occasion by
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road if possible - drinking bier up there would be entertaining adn the place also has FANTASTIC views of the Dachstein range. Would be
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well worth photographing, when the sun's in the right direction (early morning maybe? not sure).</p>
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<p>And so we set off, climbing to reach the Lambacherhütte after quite a lot of path. Took about 50 minutes. Still light. Continued
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down to Vorderer Sandlingalm, by which time a sunset was starting - nice clouds in the sky (see photo on website). From here, the path was
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thankfully easy until Sandlingalm. By this time light was fading and it was hard to see in the trees - in the open a nearly-full moon
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helped a lot.</p>
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<p>We definitely set off from this Alm on the correct path, but by now it was dark and Mark's misremembering of the position of a junction
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(thought to be later than it was) contributed to us losing the marked path (Olly was convinced we were still on the correct path, but Mark
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wasn't sure). Anyway, we emerged at the top of the aforementioned skirun instead of halfway up it, as we should have. Descended the skirun
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to the correct path, thankfully obvious. Sometime about now Olly discovered that his digital camera could give quite a lot of light, so we
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kept that in reserve - saving batteries and not disturbing our night vision. Mark rang Base Camp sometime about now on his mobile, in case
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someone had come down the hill during the day and was now worrying about us. However, it turns out that we'd accidentally taken the keys
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to the spud hut with us (precautions against Romany nicking things at Base Camp) - they were languishing in the van! Turns out that Earl +
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Frank <u>had</u> come down the hill & couldn't get into the spud hut. Since we'd had to take Frank's tent down earlier in the day, as
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the gypsies had slashed it and Hilde wanted it moved (the gypsies had claimed it was in the way of them oving their caravans, when Hilde
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asked them to move the caravans so as to accomodate more guests), then he didn't have anything to sleep in. They didn't want to disturb
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Hilde and so went back up the hill - already late, they were delayed even more by a bottle of squash exploding in Frank's car and needing
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to be cleaned up. They ended up walking in the dark, presumably without lights. Meanwhile, we were also walking in the dark. Progress was
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slow but steady - it was hard to see the rocks, pipes, roots, trees and assorted obstacles along the way with only a hint of moonlight to
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guide us.</p>
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<p>However, courage prevailed. No wild animals were encountered and we didn't hurt ourselves. Reached the track near the end of the walk,
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where the normal route would be to continue down the hillside on the other side of the track to the parking space. However this would have
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meant more walking down very dark, steep sections and so we took the main road/track back to the van - a lot further but safer and
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easier.</p>
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<p>We reached the van at 10.10pm, a little spaced out. Ate a Tunnocks and then fucked off to Base Camp to get pissed.</p>
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<hr />
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<p>9/8/03 -- Searching for an Alm (Abridged) (Olly's Pissed Rant) -- Mark, <u>Olly</u></p>
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<p>Once upon a time two cavers got pissed. "Wouldn't it be a good idea to walk up a hill which we have no idea where it is or what it's
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called?" said Mark. "Um. Gurgle gurgle hic hic" said Olly. And it came to pass that we did awake the next morning ato the scorch of the
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sun and the scurry of ants, and after recovering from the previous night's excesses we needed something to take our minds off the dawning
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headaches. And with a vague recollection of the previous night's conversation, a compass bearing and a map kindly lent by Hilde we set off
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on what would become an epic journey (and writeup - see previous). Caving is shit. Getting lost in a wood is worse. We walked for fucking
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ages, took a few pictures and buggered off into the fading light. It got <u>dark</u>. Fucking light. Bollocks. We got lost. Mark had
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locked our potential rescuers out of the spud hut. Bollocks! But we finally made it. (You probably guessed, dead people rarely write
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pissed rants in the log book.) Gösser is good stuff. Drink more! 2 crates and less than 2 days. Well, I've done my bit tonight.
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Wonder what comments Mark will make to this. Winning the beer tally (Mark) bastard! On the spot Gösser fines for limo aren't clearing
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it fast enough. This was supposed to be abridged and it fucking is! Stop complaining you cunts. Mark's is fucking pages long. You could
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have stopped reading it if you were bored. Frank goes to bed. Fucking lightweight. Gösser braumeister says fuck off!</p>
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</body>
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