1623/143
Vd. Schwarzmoos Kogel, Totes Gebirge
Altitude 1698m
47° 40' 18" N 13° 48' 52" E
Depth 124m
The square shaped entrance lies just below 22m vertically at 34m on a bearing of 158°) the nipple at the end of the ridge running SSW from the Vd. Schwarzmoos Kogel. The first pitch starts after a short climb down boulders, from here light may be seen entering from another entrance, 143b. The pitch (20m) lands on a small ledge and a short free climb leads to a traverse over wedged blocks. The next pitch (10m) is rigged over the edge of the last of these and brings one to a balcony at the start of a 23m shaft. Another clean, almost circular shaft (19m) follows, to a climb (6m) down wedged boulders. The passage now narrows to a small vadose canyon with a stream in it, but soon turns vertical at an 8m pitch, quickly followed by one of 18m. At the foot of this final shaft the stream flows off down a rift approximately 10m deep, but too narrow to follow, the draft blowing inwards.
Pete Lancaster
1623/144
Vd. Schwarzmoos Kogel, Totes Gebirge
Altitude 1699m
47° 40' 19" N 13° 48' 53" E
Surveyed depth 284m
The entrance lies 21m vertically below and 65m on a bearing of 94° from the nipple at the end of the ridge running SSW from the Vd. Schwarzmoos Kogel.
The 7m entrance shaft narrows to a squeeze through a slot to loose boulders at the head of a 9m pitch down to a floor of large wedged blocks. A 16m pitch down through a slot lands on a balcony at the start of a large shattered shaft, 13m wide in places. This is passed by pitches of 15, 42, 5, 7 and 23m (belayed from a nipple in the opposite wall). The cave closes down to a triangular slot 50cm wide, and a 13m hang against the wall drops into a short section of horizontal passage with phreatic roof scalloping. This turns into a traverse as a small stream in a canyon comes in from the left, and the route follows this down as a 28m pitch to land in a pool. A short drop and an 11m pitch break into a level of extensive phreatic development. Following the stream down a series of ramps leads into a large abandoned passage which has not been explored.
From the foot of the 11m pitch, up a boulder slope, past a steep ramp to the left, leads to a series of small phreatic tubes which soon close down; straight ahead, into a passage almost filled with layered mud and a strong inward draught, breaks out at the top of a large chamber, which is descended down a layered mud wall. On the opposite side a large passage is inaccessible, but thought to represent an important way on to Stellerweghohle. From the bottom of the chamber, a 7m diameter tube slopes down at 60° for 40m. This turns vertical at a 14m pitch which carries a small stream to a 10m pitch after which the stream vadose canyon gets too tight.
By swinging off the 14m pitch half-way down, a continuation of the main way is reached. This is a 10m abandoned passage with dusty blocks and layered mud. After 20m this closes down in a small chamber. Dropping down 13m in boulders leads to a very small canyon; a passage on the other side of the chamber continues as a canyon for 30m, but filled with mud. The final route out is a 1m diameter, almost circular, phreatic tube with a small vadose trench in the floor. This continues up at 35° for 70m, until it meets a very small trench which draughts out. The tube elbows back on itself, but soon becomes choked with mud as the small invading stream disappears down a crack.
Pete Lancaster