mirror of
https://expo.survex.com/repositories/expoweb/.git/
synced 2024-11-24 00:01:58 +00:00
99 lines
5.0 KiB
HTML
99 lines
5.0 KiB
HTML
<!DOCTYPE html>
|
||
<html>
|
||
<head>
|
||
<title>CUCC Expo: GPF report 2018</title>
|
||
<link rel="stylesheet" type="text/css" href="/css/main2.css" />
|
||
</head>
|
||
<body>
|
||
<h1>Ghar Parau Foundation report 2018</h1>
|
||
|
||
<h3>Report on the Cambridge University Caving Club 2018 Expedition in
|
||
the Totes Gebirge, Austria.</h3>
|
||
|
||
<p>The CUCC expedition this year ran for six weeks from the 4th of
|
||
July to the 18th of August, during which a considerable amount of
|
||
effort was made to extend the Schwarzmooskogel cave system in the
|
||
Totes Gebirge region of the Austrian Alps in the Upper Styria
|
||
region. In addition to this, prospecting and recording of new cave was
|
||
also made as well as enlarging the surveyed extent of other caves so
|
||
far not connected to the SMK system. At present, we now believe the
|
||
SMK to be the second longest in Austria in terms of total surveyed
|
||
length following the efforts of this expedition.</p>
|
||
|
||
<p>In terms of prior organisation, much of this was led by the joint
|
||
leaders Ruairidh Macleod and Haydon Saunders, though in addition Tom
|
||
Crossley took a very active role in financial planning and management
|
||
as treasurer, Rachel Turnbull organised the training weekend, Rob
|
||
Watson helped organise gear facilities and Wookey contributed to
|
||
facilitating electrical requirements and also gained sponsorship from
|
||
18650, as well as organising “nerding sessions” for preparation around
|
||
survey software. A further significant aspect of the preparation this
|
||
year was the implementation of large solar panels for charging at the
|
||
top camp at Steinbruckenhohle bivy. These were sourced and the system
|
||
set up by Haydon at a cost of ~£800, which is currently being arranged
|
||
to be split across future expeditions also benefiting from its
|
||
use.</p>
|
||
<p><img src="solarcarry.jpg"/></p>
|
||
|
||
<p>Chris Densham also facilitated the borrowing and almost successful
|
||
use of a System Nicola for communication between the surface and deep
|
||
camps in Tunnockschacht and Balkonhoehle caves (this was mostly one
|
||
way from the surface due to a broken microphone).</p>
|
||
|
||
<p>This year some 40 expedition members were present, over half of
|
||
whom were university students, of university student age or had
|
||
recently completed university study. For a significant number, this
|
||
was also their first expedition and much focus went into training and
|
||
supervision both at the training weekend in the UK and while in
|
||
Austria, and although this did not fully eliminate some issues of
|
||
miscommunication, overal the expedition ran very smoothly and there
|
||
were no significant injuries or accidents.</p>
|
||
|
||
<p>The primary pushing fronts were leads in deep Tunnockschacht
|
||
(Beckoning Silence and the newly discovered Radio Silence),
|
||
Balkonhoehle, Fischgesicht Hoehle and the newly discovered Heimkommen
|
||
Hoehle (Homecoming). Homecoming was discovered early in the expedition
|
||
by Dickon Morris and Jon Arne Toft and was rapidly surveyed to some
|
||
1.6km by the end of the expedition, with a substantial drafting main
|
||
rift development still going and requiring further bolting.<p>
|
||
|
||
<p>The most significant discoveries came from Balkonhoehle where
|
||
around 5.2km of new cave system was discovered including new
|
||
connections with Tunnocks close to the level of Camp Kraken at
|
||
Anathemusa and also at Champagne on Ice in mid-level Tunnocks, and
|
||
significant new discoveries such as the Mongol Rally pitch of around
|
||
200m depth and the huge, horizontal phreas of Grand Prix. This was to
|
||
a large extent due to the significant efforts of George Breley and
|
||
Becka Lawson.</p>
|
||
|
||
<p>Very impressive phreatic developments were also found in
|
||
Fischgesicht, particularly a large development tending northeast
|
||
towards the main Schwarzmooskogel system that could be potentially
|
||
significant as a route to connect in. Overall an estimated 7km of cave
|
||
has been discovered and surveyed this year, a very considerable
|
||
result, with the SMK system itself also further enlarged. The survey
|
||
below compares the extent of new discovery year-on-year, with this
|
||
year’s discoveries in blue.</p>
|
||
|
||
<p>This year was the 35th anniversary of the expedition being based
|
||
from Bad Aussee, and we have been very lucky to enjoy very good
|
||
relations with the local town and authorities. To celebrate this a
|
||
dinner was arranged by the Gasthof Staud’nwirt whose camping
|
||
facilities have provided our base camp for many years, and the local
|
||
Burgomeister joined us in festivities. Additionally, a barbecue night
|
||
was held (as well as mutual caver exchange trips) with the German
|
||
caving club Arge Grabenstetten that also explores close by, and this
|
||
proved very successful.</p>
|
||
|
||
<p>Following the expedition, a number of members also attended the
|
||
Eurospeleo conference which took place in Ebensee, and Ruairidh
|
||
presented the results of the expedition this year while Wookey gave a
|
||
presentation more broadly on the history of the expedition; excursions
|
||
to the SMK system were also organised and led by members for
|
||
conference attendees. Ruairidh has also submitted an abstract for
|
||
presentation of the expedition results at Hidden Earth this year.</p>
|
||
|
||
<img src="smksystemplan.jpg"/>
|
||
</body>
|
||
</html>
|