CUCC Expeditions to Austria: 1976 - 2024

T/U 6 hours

Last trip to fetch bolting kit & rope left behind on noddy trip 3 weeks ago that we (expo) never got back to. Scarface was well out of favour with all the other entrances not so hard to get to, except for Eishöhle with its really horrible pushing front as well. We stretched across Fear-on traverse, which was really horrible, and lifted up 100m of 1994 9mm rope which was muddy and stiff as wire and no good to anyone.

There was a storm outside and water was pissing heavily down every side shaft and rumbling from the passages. The candle I had left on at the Guillotine was welcoming, though Becka had objected because it was a waste of wax.

Down towards Mohr im Hemd my carbide was dingy again and I had to beg the use of Becka's pricker for the third time which was inconveniently entangled with her dodgy backup electric such that it stopped working when you got it out. Much complaining along the lines of get your own. But where from ? Down the pitch into Regurgitation on the two lovely bolts fitted by me and Mark Shinwell opposite the gorgeous natural.

We bickered some more and got into the opposite rift and bolted a pitch using some of the 9 mil we'd chopped in half with a rock in Staud'nwirt palace. I got to the bottom where there was a layer of mud and a passage heading back under Regurge and we rolled around in some very tight crawls and watery bits all loosely packed with boulders as you would expect. At one point I got an echo from the chamber above.

I tried really hard, desperate to find some new cave to call my own, but it wasn't going to happen here. Went up from the floor (Becka had added another bolt to warm herself up and decided to detour into the side bit I had climbed down to last time when Mark was saying it was about time we got home.

Pushed a bit harder and got into easy rift which traversed comfortably on and down for maybe 60m till it got a bit wide and off the floor. Could have done it if someone was there, still going well, but I turned back and got lost. Quite confusing area. I didn't recognise most of it. Then I heard Becka screaming for me like someone who has just seen the sump monster. As if I could do anything. I yelled "Don't Panick!" into the nearest space I could hear the sound, but she continued, getting me all hett-up such that I had to force my way through loose boulders anywhere. And I came out at the bottom of the pitch from a place I had determined 20 mins earlier there to be no way on.

We surveyed nothing, exited, detackled and discovered a dangli bag missing at surface. It was left at the bottom of ladder pitch at end of Staud'nwirt passage by Becka who never makes mistakes like that unless she's tired, and it was my fault she was tired so I had to put on an oversuit and go and get it.

Borrowed her carbide and took the pricker out as soon as I was around the corner so I could prick it whenever I fucking well liked and have a big flame so I didn't get too spooked by the sump monster. Solo caving just gives me the shivers. We left some crap by the bunde highway to pick up in the morning rather than lugging it all in one gut-busting load as we did at Eishöhle with 3 macho men and no feminine voice of reason. Bit tedious to fetch in the morning. Would have preferred a lie in with a slightly more broken body.