CUCC Expeditions to Austria: 1976 - 2024

First team into KH with cast of thousands expected. My allotted ouigees turned out to be very competent and enthusiastic so we had a top trip. Went right to the end to complete the climb into the phreas continuation that Olly M had bolted most of the day before. Re-rigged rope so it was long enough and decided on the quick and light approach - i.e. no drill and paraphernalia - just a climb on a c-rigged stop, trailing a line to pull stuff up afterwards. Climb was muddy (thin layer over rock), steep enough to be worrying, short on good holds and over a big drop. I could see why Olly decided to leave it. Still with some pinch holds and mud-step cutting and a rather tense few minutes, I made it up without taking a massive flight. Only to find that it didn't go at all! It was a dead end, with another hold down to the pitch we'd just traversed around. Grrr. Pulled drill up and put bolt in so I could get back down/across. Took one leg up climb to position it. No-one else had turned up yet so we had a choice of go down pitch or look at horizontal lead back at previous junction. Cat and Adam wanted to learn to survey so we went for horizontal lead. Windy, but not huge. Surveying we taught/learned as we proceeded down soily passage which soon turned sharp right (west) with a slippery c3 climb up then a traverse over a hole. Here the draught disappears up into holes in roof then passage opens up into high chamber 3m wide, 8m high, 20m long.

It looks like there is a continuation at roof level that needs a rope and climb to access. We went home pleased with our days work, which may be average for Austria but would 'make us gods' on Mendip.