161 - Fuzzy Logic
Kate Janossy
Eager for an alternative point of exploration to SEP we deided to persue the question mark from last year's exploration. Reports suggested there was a pitch ? length - description hazy Straightforward route finding to F.L turn off. Kate had lighting problems and decided to return from Knossos. The final point of exploration last year stoppped at a window leading off up and to the right, and a tight rift pitch. Inspection of the pitch showed it to tbe too small for even the most malnutritioned caver! Climbing across into the window led into adjoining rift. Down and to the left is a rifty pitch that is still as yet unexplored (given the subsequent survey of where F.logic passage goes makes this a reasonably promising lead as it follows the fault that governs F.L. but extending in the opposite direction to the remaining passage). The way on however went up the rift and up a small vertical climb which led into a high aven. There was a pitch ~10m into a further chamber (rigged now with 2 bolts at pitch head back up by natural anchor - thread back up the chamber) which led into a narrow passage and down another larger pitch ~50m. We ran out of rope at the bottom of the 2nd pitch. The "exploratory rigging" left us prussicking out - quite wet and certainly if the stream came up in flood it would be unnegotiable, so clearly needed re-rigging. See following trip rep. for current rigging details. The 3rd pitch looked ~15m. Pleased with promising streamway we had a very ordinary trip home.