CUCC Expeditions to Austria: 1976 - 2023

Dave introduced us novices to exploration in Rhino Rift. This began by exploring a few QM's, giving dull outcomes. 03-57C became too tight after 3 metres, 03-60C looped back into the passage (with a dead hole in the roof), and 03-70A connected to Grater. We then ventured into the seemingly maze-like Piccadilly Junction and tried 03-66B. This led on in a fairly tight phreatic manner, cutting back under itself and twisting into a more rifty character, before coming across a steep slope. This was all surveyed in record time thanks to Dr Phil Underwood's wonderful Shetland Attack Pony - a loveable device apart from its eyeburning laser. This "Shanks Pony Passage" led to "Shetland Incline", at which point Dave grew increasingly excited, rigging in an increasingly swift and worrying manner. We found a muddy rift passage to the right descending this pitch, complete with footprints! Holes in the floor prevented further access, but Dave suspected this to be a link with "Uncomformity" ...

We then decided to get out, but found ourselves to be racing against a 22.00hr call out. Dave and I cut a deal whereby he carried the tackle sack along the passage and I pulled it up the pitches. The 204e entrance pitch at 21.50 thus left me a sweaty blob. We got back to the Stone Bridge at 21.59 after an 11 hour trip!

Leads uncovered by the trip included C at the bottom of pitch descended by Dave and an aven in the roof. This was at the bottom left, looking down the sloping pitch. At the head of this sloping pitch was a B lead similar leads existed on the right and at the bottom. A C lead existed from the muddy footsteps passage.