| 204 | Steinbrückenhöhle | 5/S x |
|---|
Treeumphant Passage area
Bonsai Crawl emerges into The
Colonnade, a wide walking passage with a boulder floor, at a sharp turn,
from which one can continue right or straight on.
To the right the passage comes to a chamber-like crossroads. To the left is an
initially walking-sized tube, Sucker, and to the right a low draughting
crawl, Flopsy the Bunny Rabbit's Lair, which connects back to
Insignificant Chamber. The
Colonnade continues straight on, and a stream joins from the left. Further
along on the left is a pile of stones which must originate from a passage [C2000-204-43 Dig]. The
passage then becomes small with a possible aven [C2000-204-44 X], a tight
rift [C2000-204-45 B],
and a crawl down and to the right. The crawl emerges into a chamber, Waterfall Chamber. Directly ahead is a boulder chimney,
the other side of Death, while above is
Glory chimney, the connection route into the Near End. The chamber gets larger
to the right, where there are two tight rifts leading off [C2000-204-46 C], [C2000-204-47 C] and an aven
[C2000-204-48 X]. Water
was flowing out of the aven and down one of the rifts, possibly to the
waterfall entering the chamber in No Pain No
Gain. At this time in 2000 it had not rained on the surface for 8
days.
An initially walking passage branching off from The
Colonnade, which soon degenerates to crawling. After 15m, a 1m diameter
tube continues straight on [C2001-204-33 B], whilst the explored route turns right.
After another 30m a small passage bears to the right [C2001-204-24 C]. A further
15m leads to a small chamber with large dubious boulders on a sloping floor.
Straight on is [C2001-204-25
C], and there is a pitch in the floor [C2001-204-101 B], which can be stepped over. This leads
to a key hole passage with a rift disappearing on the right [C2001-204-32 C], which may
be descendible. The key hole passage then turns right, straight on at this
point a small stream enters, where there is an aven above [C2001-204-27 X], and a flat
out crawl entering from the right [C2001-204-26 C] , this ends in a mud floored chamber
with an aven [C2001-204-28
X]. Continuing along the key hole passage, a passage intersects, and the
keyhole passage becomes blocked. To the right, another passage intersects which
quickly becomes too tight in both directions, the passage continues straight on
to a small partially mud filled passage [C2001-204-29 C]. To the left a body sized passage
continues to a T junction, with both directions soon becoming too tight.
Back where Bonsai Crawl enters, the main
route continues straight northwards for around 70m, with a number of minor passages to the sides.
These are:
- A crawl to the left, which slopes slightly upwards to a pit with a small
body sized tube going off at the bottom [C2001-204-54 C]; continuing over the pit leads to a flat
out crawl [C2001-204-53
C].
- Some distance further on, two crawling passages to the left (one in a
trench in the floor, and the other slightly higher up a metre or so further on)
lead to a passage running parallel to the main passage for 10m or so, known as
Dutch Elm Disease.
- Opposite this is a crawl high up on the right, the other half of Dutch Elm,
which leads to a second parallel passage. This ends at a junction with one
passage emerging high in the wall of Treeumphant and another leading to a
chimney climb down which connects back via two crawls at the Treeumphant floor
level.
- On the left slightly beyond the floor trench is a stooping-size passage on
the left; this passes a large mobile boulder then closes down.
The main passage then forks: to the left is blind whilst to the right the
passage continues past the other end of Dutch Elm Disease to a junction where a
boulder slope enters from the left. Ascending this leads to a fork; the left
branch is blind and the right branch ends shortly afterwards in a choked
chamber. In the other direction, Treeumphant Passage continues over large
boulders, sloping slightly upwards. There is a walking passage off to the left
which goes to Crowning Glory; this junction can be
recognised by a large whitish slab, known as the Tombstone.Slightly further
on is the Twiglets, a pair of passages high on
either side [MARTIN] [C2005-204-48 D]. The passage then increases in
height approaching a sharp turn to the right. Here a walking size passage
continues straight on, connecting with Crowning
Glory, and there may be an aven in the ceiling [C2000-204-27 X]. The main
passage continues for another 20m to arrive at a boulder slope leading down to
Great Oak Chamber; an unobtrusive rifty hole
on the right here is the start of Riverdance.
Great Oak Chamber is a substantial chamber, with a rock bridge crossing it;
the hole on the left can be descended to reach a sloping boulder floor after about 5m.
A rift leads off at the south end of the chamber but this is blind.
Above is an imposing aven [C2000-204-33 X]. A traverse across the left-hand wall
reaches a passage on the far side which is choked after 40m. Just before the drop there is a
bouldery slope up to another, smaller, walking size passage, the continuation of Treeumphant..
There is an oxbow to the left, which closes down after a few metres, as well as
an aven [C2000-204-35
X]. There are a couple of digs to the left slightly further on; the first
led to 15m of passage with no leads, while the second is blind. The main passage continues into Cave Tree Chamber.
The first pitch (7m) of this series is narrow and rifty but hangs cleanly
from a rebelay bolt in the ceiling. After a few short climbs down the next
pitch (18m) is reached; this is rigged from a backup and a single hang bolt on
the left wall, and is sloping with numerous ledges. Beyond this a tight S-bend
of rift opens out to the third pitch (8m), and the next three pitches (5m, 8m,
8m) follow in quick succession. A short climb down leads to the head of the
7th pitch (4m) and soon the 8th (a mere 3m), notable for the atrocious quality
of the rock. This lands in a round chamber; continuing rift leads shortly to
the head of the 9th pitch (not descended in 2006, but plumbed as 16.5m) [C2006-204-08 A].
Approximately 160m of rope is needed to reach this point.
This is another substantial chamber, accessed by a climb down of about 2m.
It has a bouldery floor on the left, and a pitch on the right leading into the
Gösser Streamway. An aven extends above [C2000-204-38 X], which is
the 204c entrance discovered by Duncan and MikeTA in 2001; this has not been
used since as it is exceedingly loose and dangerous. The passage continues over
the pitch (via a traverse that has been permanently rigged since 2001) to Chocolate Salty Balls.
[MARK AARON] From Cave Tree Chamber, a short pitch, rigged using the bolts
from the Chocolate Salty Balls traverse line drops approximately 10m to the
floor (via an acrobatic rebelay on the left). A short section of pleasant rift
streamway reaches a second pitch of 6m, landing in a rounded chamber, with a
sloping trench in the floor taking the stream. There is a window high up on the
left-hand wall [C2006-204-06
B]. 15m of meandering streamway rift lead to the next pitch, which is
rigged by traversing out to two spits in the right-hand wall. Beware of the
loose boulder on the left! This bolt gives a 14m hang to a ledge overlooking a
much larger pitch of 29m. At the bottom of the pitch is a meandering passage
which ends in one direction with solid rock, and the other direction with a deep pool
beneath an inpenetrable rift.
Chocolate Salty Balls area
From Cave Tree Chamber, an exposed climb (a
traverse line is a sensible precaution, and one has been left in place since
2001; it was still in good condition in 2006) above a pitch gains a comfortably
proportioned walking passage, which ascends steadily. After 20 metres, the
passage turns sharp left; here there is an unpromising lead, a narrow rift to
the right which continues for a few metres to a boulder blockage [C2001-204-39 C]. The passage
continues to climb, turning sharp right and again sharp left, to reach a pile
of breakdown over which it is possible to crawl. Some 40 metres beyond the
breakdown there are two crawls on the left, which become too tight. Another 30
metres reaches a climb down into the base of an aven [C2001-204-42 X].
There are two ways on from the aven; straight ahead leads after 30 metres to
a blind pit with an aven [C2001-204-41
X] above it, and a continuing passage on the far side, which leads to a 30m pitch, Good vibrations,
which is choked at the bottom. Back at the aven, a
climb up on the left (handline useful) gains a short section of passage to
another climb down into a small chamber.
Again there are two ways on; to the left leads after 25 metres to a choke,
but there is a small hole in the north wall half-way along [C2001-204-36 C], while back
in the chamber a climb up straight ahead (handline useful) leads after 15
metres to a T-junction. To the right ascends and enlarges for 20 metres before
reaching a draughting choke with a narrow gap between the rocks and the ceiling
[C2001-204-43 D]. To
the left the passage soon swings right to where a false floor of boulders
conceals a pitch [C2001-204-44 B]. Traversing carefully over the pitch, a
climb up leads to the head of another pitch. Sharp right here is a very
strongly draughting body-size tube, Fingerbang,
which passes a contortion over a boulder on the floor and a dog-leg to the left
to enter a small chamber. Climbing up into the ceiling reveals a connection to
another chamber with a critical-angle boulder slope leading up into the
ceiling, where a draught emerges [C2006-204-09 D]. Removing the boulders would not be a
problem, but doing so without crushing yourself might be harder. Back at
the pitch-head, a traverse across the pitch to an apparent continuation merely
gains an alcove. The pitch is 7 metres; at the bottom a short crawl leads to a
small chamber containing The eleven second rattle.
Having descended a 7m pitch (deviation placement and tightness should be done with care as otherwise
difficult to navigate - at this point rain also causes phenomenal flood sound without much water actually
materialising), the cave ceiling temporarily lowers before raising again into a bulbous and comfortably
warm phreatic pitch head. A ledge is visible above and opposite, possibly with a lead onward (QM C). A
stone thrown down this pitch will rattle for more than eleven seconds (hence the 11 Second Rattle).
Bolts in the ceiling allow this spacious pitch to be descended.
The pitch is rigged with difficulty, oweing to it corkscrewing down clockwise. After a while the
incline of this roomy pitch becomes less severe, before a rocky terrace is reached. On the right some
boulders can be climbed to a phreatic tube which goes up a few meters, turns left and descends (the
Super Fun Happy Slide). Rope can be rigged from the top of this tube, then up to a bolt high up
(skyhook may be needed for access) in the ceiling at the end of the tube, where it emerges into the roof of
a fairly large chamber (Wet Dry World), which has another aven and a bouldery floor. A way out may
be possible by moving a wall of rocks (QM D), but there is also a crouching-height gap through into the
Whomp's Fortress.
If one continues down the slope of the 11 Second Rattle on the left at this terrace there is a
turning off right, or one can continue to where the passage flattens. This passage soon tightens and the
roof descends markedly (QM D). If one instead takes the turning down the smaller, still phreatic, passage,
a chamber broken-up by walls of rock (alternatively possibly thought of as a series of interlinked
chambers) is reached, with some walls of boulders, a rocky floor and a lowish roof that makes it often feel
more like passage than chamber (Whomp's Fortress). At the start of Whomp's Fortress from
this side is a tight QM C. A gap through some boulders at a far end of Whomp's Fortress leads up
into Wet Dry World.
This
large phreatic passage, with a (normally dry) streambed in the floor, heads
upwards from Treeumphant Passage. Near the
beginning a high up crawl heads off to the left, connecting to Twiglets. Another 20m leads to a boulder infall which can
be climbed over, or the fossil streambed can be followed around to the
right.
Scrambling 2m up loose boulders reaches an important junction (see picture,
right) where a side passage, Boulder Coaster,
branches off to the left; this is the route to the 204e entrance.
Continuing along the main passage, boulder infall from
the left leads to a connection back to Treeumphant Passage.The summit of a boulder is
soon reached, as the passage becomes smaller. Going down the boulders goes into
a chamber, with an aven [C2001-204-11 X], and a 4m climb up at the end, followed
by a pitch of approximately 5m. At the bottom of this is a blind pit; walking
up a boulder slope on the other side of this leads to a further drop, descended
in 2003 with a tackle-sack rope protector. To the left is a rift, ending in an
aven after 5m [C2006-204-04
X]. In the LH wall, 2m up, is a small crawl which closes down after around
2m. Straight on, the rift continues down a moderate pitch which drops into a small
chamber with a hole in the floor [C2007 ?? C] which may require hammering to descend; above this
the passage continues. This was reached in 2006 via a slightly hairy climb, now
left permanently rigged. Shortly beyond is another short descent (riggable
from a thread in the right-hand wall) with an aven on the left [C2006-204-02 X]. Ahead the
passage continues up a slope of boulders, past another large aven on the left [C2007 ?? X], before closing down.
Germknödels' Revenge is the short connection between the 204e and 204f
entrances and the Treeumphant end of Boulder Coaster. 204e is a low
square hole in the face of a cliff. From here a low passage leads down and to
the right. A short climb down and up again brings one to the top of the pitch.
The (awkward) passage from 204f is a small tube sloping uphill at ~45° on
the right, and there is also a possible undocumented QM across the top of the shaft.
204f is a hole in a pile of boulders a few metres up the surface
gully from 204e. A small tube descends towards 204e via a couple of bouldery
squeezes, passing an unexplored side branch [C2001-204-102 C]. The tube becomes steeper with
a black space beyond. A light shone down this tube reveals that it connects to
the top of the pitch reached from 204e; it was not thought worth the
considerable bother of rigging this route.
A backup and Y-hang are followed by a rebelay or short deviation next to a
window into a parallel shaft (There may be undocumented QMs in this shaft). The
pitch narrows below the deviation, to a rebelay where it bells out to several
metres diameter. The remaining drop is in a fine open shaft, passing a ledge a
few metres off the floor, into Crowning Glory Chamber in Boulder Coaster near its connection to Crowning Glory
Passage.
A walking sized passage goes from Crowning Glory
Passage to Crowning Glory Chamber where 204e
and 204f drop in from Germknödels Revenge,
daylight being just visible (unless F entrance is blocked by snow, which it
frequently is). A rift intersects the chamber at the north end, but this closes
down in both directions; a faint sound of water could be heard in this in 2006.
A bedding plane at the base of the pitch, Exit Stage
Left, leads to a short passage ending at a short free-climbable drop
into a rift. To the right here slopes up to a visual connection with a slot in
the floor of Crowning Glory Chamber. To the left slopes down gently for 10m or
so to a point overlooking an awkward climb down of perhaps 2m to a mud-floored
chamber [C2006-204-05 C].
Traversing over this on wedged boulders leads to more rift; holes in the
ceiling communicate with Boulder Coaster above. The obvious way out of the
chamber continues for 15m, passing under avens [C2001-204-18 X] and [C2001-204-19 X] at a cross junction.
Boulder Coaster / Sandpit / Helter Skelter area
Straight on here leads to a choke. To the left is too tight, and to the
right, along with the next passage to the right join up at a chamber with an
aven [C2001-204-20 X].
The passage continues from the bottom of the chamber and passes a pocket on the
right with an aven [C2001-204-21 X]. The passage continues to a a staggered
crossroads; to the right there is a sandy crawl, leading to Sand Pit. The other two ways on later rejoin; the left
route has a phreatic tube going into the roof [C2001-204-22 X]. Continuing downslope, the passage
splits in two; to the left is blind, while the right way leads to a chamber
with a pitch [C2001-204-16
C] and an aven [C2001-204-23 X]. The passage
continues opposite the entrance, in walking sized downhill passage, passing a
crawl to the left [C2001-204-17 C] (not pushed in order not to disturb the attractive white mud), then a too tight passage to the
right.
Further down, the passage turns a sharp left, then turns around to the left,
after which a small crumbly tube goes of to the left [C2001-204-56 C]. Further on a passage is reached, with
an aven above where Cresta Run, the
connection with Swings and Roundabouts, drops in. (In 2005 this was the main
trade route into Cresta Run, but it needs to be rigged from above by a party
going via Swings.) The passage to the right soon
turns left, going downhill to a junction. Straight on is a small passage
(blind). Turning left leads to a junction
with the downhill passage of the previous chamber. Continuing downwards, a
small passage leads to the left, also blind. Further down Helterskelter Pitch is reached. At the
pitch head passages go to the left and right but are too tight. The pitch is 8m
deep and can be climbed down, and spirals around on itself, ending in boulders,
and a visible way on through the boulders [C2001-204-59 B].
A sandy crawl (formerly QM 2001-14B) leads to a small passage. This closes off up + to the right; the main way goes past a dead furry bat to a sandy hole which was dug out in 2003. This tube goes up steeply. At the top, straight ahead leads up into small chamber, with a a series of sloping pitches, Pingu, which lead to a more vertical section of about 25m. Beyond this, the pitches continue [C2008 ?? A]. On the left is a 15m pitch which becomes too tight. The main way from the sandy tube follows the draft to the left, along a crawling tube past a couple of not-bad straws into a small chamber. There is a thin, deep, narrow rift to the right (leading to a small shaft?). Ahead, there is a nasty loose hole to left but the main way is under a low wall + crawl up a ramp on the right side. Over a loose boulder wall, to the right went to a pitch head with a huge boulder perched on top [C2003-204-35 B]. It's possible to free-climb down this rift to the left to a drippy floor, and Martin climbed a further 2m below this without reaching the bottom of the shaft (doesn't look promising though). Various tubes above pitch head probably don't go [C2003-204-34 C] [C2003-204-36 C]. The main way is to the left after the boulder wall, crawling to the edge of a ramp, passing a small passage on right [C2003-204-37 C]. It is possible to climb down to the left. At the bottom, on the left is a nasty loose pitch I nood noodles which ends at another nasty awkward pitch-head [C2008 ?? C]. Ahead, clamber over boulders. At the far end, a small passage leads off and up but gets too small. Climbing up and to the left, a solution tube in the roof can be followed for several metres to the top of an aven before closing down. The main way on at the ramp is across and up to a small sandy tube. Continuing down this and to right leads to a crawly passage with odd boulders in it needing gardening + more bat skeletons; this in turn leads up and past final squeeze into a quite large drippy rift. This continues to the left [C2003-204-40 C]; to the right it is possible to climb up two levels (first one a rather dodgy free climb) until it becomes too hard to up-climb, but aven continues up beyond this point [C2003-204-41 C]. A small side passage on the left from the sandy tube leads to [C2003-204-39 C].
