Tempest – Touch of Death
Ashley Gregg
Excited to go and see (and kill) this new cave, two groups set off to push the two ‘A’ leads at the
extent of Tempest. Arriving at the cave we prepared the bags and realised we’d forgotten a hammer, so
I went over to Fishface to fetch one that would hopefully still be there, allowing the other team some
time to get down the cave.
We all convened at the bottom of the entrance series, after descending on rope down the two snowy
slopes. The final pitch was narrow and loose, dropping shortly down into a passage heading both left and
right. After some discussions Joel/Lizzie’s team decided to head right down an icy slope to what would
be another pitch. Zac and I headed left.
Job done we headed back to the junction where we met up with the others. Despite being gone probably
hour they were still yet to do anything? Snacks were eaten in a bothy and then Zac and I headed out
where we met Merryn and Ely on the surface, who had walked up the plateau.
Merryn joined Zac and I to scope out a couple of side passages just as you start going down Tempest.
One of these a snow slope heads off into a side rift which can be squeezed up through boulders, but then
loops back around to the same (Tempest) pitch at a higher level. Surveyed as Fartichoke. The other was
a very short arch in the ceiling joining immediately back in, and not going anywhere further,
as this was just the ceiling of the main passage below.
It had rained whilst we were in the cave and Ely had conveniently covered over most of our stuff
which we’d left lying around. Once out we packed up and headed back to Top Camp.