Expo - First Timer on Tour
Sun 22 Jul 2018
Todd Rye
Heimkommen Hoehle, Second push
The three small pitches in the entrance had already been pushed by Dickon and Jon, but a 30m pitch, soon to be christened Radagast, was waiting for us, and so down we went. a small wormway and an up pitch took us into Definitely Not A Dachstein Meander, which was a puzzle to get through. Small pitch after small pitch, until.... A 40m drop in the meander landed us nicely on a boulder. Below us, at least a 50m shaft. These two I decided should be called Wallace and Gromit, as they were cracking pitches. But alas, we were out of rope, so out we surveyed.
Heimkommen Hoehle, Fourth push
Much to our dismay, the third push dropped down Gromit, and went further down, reporting back that it didn't go anywhere. Dickon and I decided to have one last look at it, and if we couldn't find a way on, derig, and abandon Heimkommen. down we went, dropping the rather impressive Gromit shaft, and landing at the bottom. We noticed a ledge a short way up and decided it was worth a look. Dickon traversed it, bolting as he went. He rounded a corner as i sang to spur him on. Suddenly all I could hear was maniacal laughter and whooping. We had found a continuation! And it was horizontal! Immediately naming it the Second Coming of Homecoming Cave, we realized that we didn't have any survey equipment with us, so the push would have to wait.
Heimkommen Hoehle, Fifth Push
A strong team of Crossley, Nadia and I went down, ready to push along a phreatic tube, which would be named Hobnob Hallway, for the crumbly sand that was in it. Plenty of flapjack was had, and surveying was done. Up until we thought it got too treacherous to continue, as it sounded like there was a pitch ahead (there wasn't). While we were having a break, I noticed a small hole, and my exploratory instincts kicked in. I pushed into it, and found it connected to a point that the other team pushing that day had already explored. So we surveyed it, and Crossley named it Kit Kat Connection. I was very proud of him. Out we went, to come back another day.
Heimkommen Hoehle, Seventh push
Myself and Adam descended to push more along Hobnob, setting the bolts fully as we went (a story for another time). we pushed along, and found a small chamber, called Phil Lyns Concert Hall. A B lead led off the far end, but Adam spotted a phreatic tube in the wall. We crawled in, and were confident it would go. we forged ahead, climbing a rather awkward climb, and rounding a corner, only to find it blocked. Oh well. We were on the way back out when I spotted that the rift in the floor wasn't that deep in places. In we went, and found our way to a junction of a keyhole passage, drafting well. One for another day.
Heimkommen Hoehle, Eighth push
Frank and I pushed along the keyhole passage, going through the phreatic upper part of what would come to be known as Papsi Pessage (no copyright problems here), until it came to a t junction at a canyon. We decided to leave it there, and look at some of the other leads. One, Dead Fly passage, led to another junction with two A leads. Then we explored some body sized phreatic tubes that were fun to survey, but had some nice stals in. all in all a good final trip.
I have thoroughly enjoyed the two weeks I've spent out here in the Todesgebirge, and the company around me has been the most pleasant I could have imagined. I look forward to spending more time here next year. Good luck to all pushes yet to come this year, particularly in Heimkommen.
Todd
Todd Rye
Blog Author: Samouse1
First Timer on Tour
I arrived in Bad Aussee, bright eyed and bushy tailed, ready for an adventure, and boy did I get one. Soon I found myself on top of a rather large hill, eating noodles and curry. Food of the Gods. I decided to join the new project of the expedition, Heimkommen Hoehle, as it looked promising, and I was looking forward to a good push.Heimkommen Hoehle, Second push
The three small pitches in the entrance had already been pushed by Dickon and Jon, but a 30m pitch, soon to be christened Radagast, was waiting for us, and so down we went. a small wormway and an up pitch took us into Definitely Not A Dachstein Meander, which was a puzzle to get through. Small pitch after small pitch, until.... A 40m drop in the meander landed us nicely on a boulder. Below us, at least a 50m shaft. These two I decided should be called Wallace and Gromit, as they were cracking pitches. But alas, we were out of rope, so out we surveyed.
Heimkommen Hoehle, Fourth push
Much to our dismay, the third push dropped down Gromit, and went further down, reporting back that it didn't go anywhere. Dickon and I decided to have one last look at it, and if we couldn't find a way on, derig, and abandon Heimkommen. down we went, dropping the rather impressive Gromit shaft, and landing at the bottom. We noticed a ledge a short way up and decided it was worth a look. Dickon traversed it, bolting as he went. He rounded a corner as i sang to spur him on. Suddenly all I could hear was maniacal laughter and whooping. We had found a continuation! And it was horizontal! Immediately naming it the Second Coming of Homecoming Cave, we realized that we didn't have any survey equipment with us, so the push would have to wait.
Heimkommen Hoehle, Fifth Push
A strong team of Crossley, Nadia and I went down, ready to push along a phreatic tube, which would be named Hobnob Hallway, for the crumbly sand that was in it. Plenty of flapjack was had, and surveying was done. Up until we thought it got too treacherous to continue, as it sounded like there was a pitch ahead (there wasn't). While we were having a break, I noticed a small hole, and my exploratory instincts kicked in. I pushed into it, and found it connected to a point that the other team pushing that day had already explored. So we surveyed it, and Crossley named it Kit Kat Connection. I was very proud of him. Out we went, to come back another day.
Heimkommen Hoehle, Seventh push
Myself and Adam descended to push more along Hobnob, setting the bolts fully as we went (a story for another time). we pushed along, and found a small chamber, called Phil Lyns Concert Hall. A B lead led off the far end, but Adam spotted a phreatic tube in the wall. We crawled in, and were confident it would go. we forged ahead, climbing a rather awkward climb, and rounding a corner, only to find it blocked. Oh well. We were on the way back out when I spotted that the rift in the floor wasn't that deep in places. In we went, and found our way to a junction of a keyhole passage, drafting well. One for another day.
Heimkommen Hoehle, Eighth push
Frank and I pushed along the keyhole passage, going through the phreatic upper part of what would come to be known as Papsi Pessage (no copyright problems here), until it came to a t junction at a canyon. We decided to leave it there, and look at some of the other leads. One, Dead Fly passage, led to another junction with two A leads. Then we explored some body sized phreatic tubes that were fun to survey, but had some nice stals in. all in all a good final trip.
I have thoroughly enjoyed the two weeks I've spent out here in the Todesgebirge, and the company around me has been the most pleasant I could have imagined. I look forward to spending more time here next year. Good luck to all pushes yet to come this year, particularly in Heimkommen.
Todd