161 - Derig of Wheelchair Access
Dave Horsley
TU 6 hrs
Initial aims were to go down, look for leads and survey some bits + pieces. But we also had to be out quite early so we could have a meal at Hilde's. Unfortunately, on the way in, I thought to check the traverse and pitches off under the wall to the left to see if any gear had been left. Yes, the traverse was still rigged, so Mike went across to derig & found that the pitch at the end was rigged via two rebelays and was at least 20-30m deep. When we got this rope out, found we had an extra 83m rope to get out. Headed on down to the Lost World & headed downstream. Checked out the 'big rift' that we had seen last trip down, to the right just after the climb down. All this was was a climb up in boulders and then looking back down on the main passage from a great height.
Onward to the final chamber to check out a couple more leads.
(1) Continuation of the pitch - lands at the deep pool (which was fairly empty) just beyond survey station 16.
(2) Mike climbed the inlet and I could hear him from the top of the pitch. I made a visual connection from where the water sinks at the passage just back from the top of the pitch with this inlet, via a rather large wide pitch, narrow at the top and covered in chocked boulders - one of which I was standing on.
Did a couple of grade 2 drawings - couldn't survey as we'd left the tape behind.
This left Becka's climb up to the left (as you go downstream) by the rock bridge. This looks quite good. 2m climb up to a 15m pitch down with two ways on, again I took some grade 2 drawings.
Detackled this and started on out. Detackling was OK, even of Kein Zimmer Rift. We each prussiked up it with a tackle bag, Mike filling his with the rope from the pitch as we went - no problems.
Left gear at the guillotine, continued out with a tackle bag each, which we left at Mothshag.