CUCC Expeditions to Austria: 1976 - 2024

Also , Aiko (German group) was on the trip.

Becka's team motivating skills were unfairly rewarded by Andrew and Chris setting off for the north trending phreas while she waited 2hrs for a pair from the German group to make it up the hill. But by the time Andrew had pit in a deviation bolt on p15 and I had replaced 14m rope with 20m rope and Andrew had put in 2 more bolts in traverse, Becka and Aiko had caught us up. Becka and Aiko then had to scratch around in Easterly rift at base of p15m while Andrew and myself surveyed using DistoX and pda, occasionally connecting by bluetooth, along phreas inturruptus. Draft picked up after passing hole in floor which Becka and Aiko later decided connected back to Trident chamber. After 200m of Northerly progress, passage abruptly interrupted by false boulder floor above 20m pitch. Went to collect Becka and Aiko from their tit-bit collection. Andrew rigged traverse line across false floor, with bolt (and natural) placed in roof from top of 'elephants back' spur from far wall. Well used 14m rope sufficient to reach phreas continuation on far side. Becka close to frustration so just as it started to look grovelly I headed out with Aiko while Andrew and Becka continued on.

Insanely foul mood in the morning, possibly as a result of Information Tribunal call going tits up. Becka had run out of competent people to go caving with, so I was hauled over to the entrance whether I liked it or not. A moment of being nice and promising me I was not going near the Stringfellows pitch persuaded me underground. Just qm basing in the main level.

1. Continuation of earlier poke from past starfish broke into flying high at a 'C' lead that I would have put down as 'A'.

2. Further up Flying high was a lower cross rift with two 'B' leads. However, got side tracked down under on dodgy boulder wedge to a flat crawl that opened onto a wet pitch. I couldn't see to out, but, after much complaining Becka looked for me. Definite 'C' lead.

There were 3 leads at the lower rift. Turn right lead to a climb (not done). Ahead was drafty, but poss in line with upper passage (for which we didn't have up to date survey). We went left into a chamber over a 5m pit. The continuation looked trampled. It was our '08 explorations from Hedonism end (past the pool), blocked by 'dodgy' traverse, which was much easier from this end. We did the round trip.

3. Went to end of passage past snowy area (ticking of a qm with grade I survey - if it went anywhere it would have fallen into Gravity). Nice passageways, ending in a mud sink and a drip. Qm continuation required climb onto mud bank for another 15 meters mud floor and crystal clumps on the floor.