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$c_AUSTRIA 1982: EXPLORATION NOTES_

$ePhilip Sargent
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After the previous 1981 expedition, Tony Malcolm showed that there were
parallels in the horizontal phreatic developments in 82, 97, 106 (Eislufthohle),
107, 113 (Sonnenstrahlhohle) and 41/115 (Stelleweg-Schnellzughohlen-system).
There is definite common development at altitudes of 1600m; the Stelleweghohle
entrance series, and 1400m and 1200m; the entrance series and 41/115 Connection
levels, respectively, in Schnellzughohle.

This year (1982), Mike, Doug and Phil T. found new caves 131 and 132 with
massive horizontal developement at the 1600m level. We also found more
very extensive development at the 1200m level in Schnellzughohle including
the Purgatory Bypass and Futility Series. At this level a total of five
dead bats have now been found (Genus species) of uncertain age, so a connection
to the surface somewhere at this altitude has existed in the past and may still
be open. Since our return to the UK, Andy W. has drawn up the survey and it
is now clear that the strong draft at the end of the Futility Series is
probably within 100m, horizontally, of the surface. The drafting hole is
about "A5" in size where the mud floor rises almost to the roof of the
passage which is adequately large for the bats we found.
Last year a walk in this area
discovered large quatities of scree which may hide any entrances, but
a surface search on the hillside for the draft is one of the objectives
for the 1983 expedition as there is almost certainly more passage to
be discovered in 115/41 at this altitude.

In his article in Cambridge Underground 1982, Tony speculated on whether the
water table beneath the Loser Plateau was flat or domed. We now know that
the Stelleweg-Schnellzug-hohlensystem has a final sump deep in the mountain
only 20m above the level of Altausee Lake and we are now fairly sure that
the water table is flat and that the sump in Eislufthohle is very possibly
perched.