161 Old Men Continued
Olaf Kahler
The new stuff in 161 was quite exciting, so there were three trips going there that day. Wookey, Cat and Adam went ahead early, Julian, Jess and Alex went next, and Anthony, Becka and Olaf waited a bit longer for the two German guests Stefan and Thomas. Team C entered the cave last, but we just about met team B on the entrance pitch. We caught up with them at Knossos and Strange Acrossfall, where we eventually had a queue and reorganisation of the teams. The Tyrolean did not really work so going down and up again was the easiest solution. We finally got to the 'Country for Old Men' and team German (Olaf, Stefan and Thomas) went to the north and with the half rigged pitch. Wookey, Cat and Adam had completed the traverse line but not got much beyond. The downwards way that Olly and Olaf started bolting down the day before was still unfinished. Thomas took the drill and rope and went off. After reaching the first ledge, a 45deg slope, he added another rebelay and dropped to the bottom. Stefan and Olaf then surveyed the whole leg to a length of 29m. As the bottom was very exciting again Olaf went back to call Becka and Anthony. They started surveying a small rifty passage going downwards, whereas we continued the main phreatic tube, carefully avoiding some beautiful erosion patterns. The passage was heading more Eastwards and uphill for about 50m, then turned back northwards. There was another small pitch up there but we could easily pass by it via a narrow gully in the ground, doing a sharp northward turn a level below the main passage. Only a small 3m climb was in the way, so we placed another bolt for a handline. As it was getting late we fetched Becka and Anthony and all headed out together Along the way with all the pitches we split with Thomas and Olaf going first, Becka catching up and Anthony and Stefan meeting us at the entrance. Luckily it was dry on the way back to top camp, but it had been raining the best part of the day.
