OUCC Expedition News21st August 2001 |
2001 news contents
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| When | From | The News |
| 21/8/01 | Rich Doyle | Expedition is almost ready to head home (via
beaches). All rope has been washed today in the sun at Cangas, and some
stuff (mainly dehydrated food) is being left with Juan Jose in Oviedo for
next year.
Excellent lead for next year: 54/4 Cueva de la Tormenta is about 90m deep and was left at the top of a large pitch-head (couldn't see the opposite wall, stones drop for 2.5 seconds). This has potential to connect with Cabeza Muxa (to which it would be a higher entrance), downstream 2/7, maybe even downstream Xitu beyond the sump... or maybe it's a brand new system. Turn up next summer to find out for yourself. Expedition returns to Bevington Rd on 28th August at roughly 3pm. Anyone who can help unpack, sort gear, check ropes etc please get in contact. |
| 18/8/01 | John Pybus | I'm at the top of sod four for the last time
this expedition. The central is half visible through the clouds. We'll
miss its constantly changing view from Ario.
About 40m more has been found in upstream 1/5. The passage leading from the top of Hyperventilation chamber went to a series of climbs & chambers ending in drafting, but too tight, rift. The upstream extensions have now been derigged and the entrance series is being derigged today. This leaves just Storm cave which will be pushed more, then derigged in the next couple of days. El Jefe plans to have Ario camp moved back to Los Lagos bt the 24th, and will be catching the ferry on the 28th. The Land Rover should be back in Oxford on that afternoon, and anyone available to help unpack and sort the gear will be much appreciated. |
| 16/8/01 | John Pybus | 54/4 (Storm Cave) is the most exiting lead at
the moment. It's now been pushed to > 50m by Chris & others,
getting wider as it goes. With an open 20m pitch awaiting at the end.
Progress in upstream 1/5 is going slowly. It's been proving a hard trip for newcomers to the expedition, out of touch with Picos caving, leaving limited energy to push the climbs at the end. Rich & Erin are back from Top Camp. E12 is still going. Another 15m of progress has been made in tight rift, past the boulder (Bertha), through "Bloody Finger" squeeze and "Good Vibrations" rift. It ends in narrow vertical rift with wider passage beyond which needs Hilti caps. It has been surveyed to about 50m deep. The weather has turned to damp clag; returning from 1/5 at night has become a matter of following the yellow salamanders. Everyone is heading to Lagos tonight to celebrate Erin's birthday and see people off. >From the Log Book: Reasons not to go caving No. 34: I'm waiting for my nail varnish to dry. |
| 14/8/01 | John Pybus | Had an impressive thunder storm yesterday. Managed to collect plenty of water through the holes in kitchen shelter's tarpaulin. Pip & Chris were shaft bashing in Area 4 and saw lightning strike 50m from the entrance they were in. They've gone back today to the entrance (54/4?), dug out from a tiny hole in the grass with a huge draught, to rig the ~20m pitch it leads to. Simon Goddard has arrived and is looking upstream in Xitu with Paul today. Hilary & Rich pushed the window in F80 but found no way down, only a rift leading up to a boulder choke. E12 is still going. Erin & Rich managed to move the rock blocking the passage and follow a climb down to another tight squeeze which seems to be responding to hammering. They are there now. |
| 13/8/01 | John Wilcock | Erin mentions the further explorations in the
inlet passages of 1/5. These are very well decorated, and they have been
surveyed and photographed. This includes a passage known as "Sod 4
Bypass", since it is to the NE of the entrance in the hill near Sod
4. Apart from this, 12/5 has been completely detackled, after it was
decided that it was not really an "easy way into 1/5", and no
phreatic tubes had been found at the level of the London Underground in
2/7, as was hoped.
The Area 4 topographical survey is complete, and all known features have been plotted on a "Master Map" from GPS UTM coordinates. The features include topographical features, the Jou Joulagua and Roca Naranja poljes, 14 depressions (some of them very large), and (surprisingly) most of the cave entrances listed in the Shaft Bashing Guide for Area 4, surprisingly because the location descriptions are vague in the extreme. GPS has proved a real revolution, and must be the basis for all future OUCC area surveys. The Area 4 survey is now a reliable framework for the exploration of the region - 3 major systems may potentially be entered, the 2/7 streamway beyond Choke Egbert, the "Ario System", and the Cabeza Muxa System beyond its sump. The three systems combine on their way to Culiembro. In this respect the club should gain more information from SIE about Aslopaderu La Texa (explored in 1999 and 2000) which is potentially over this projected combined passage. Also I advise the club to persevere with 53/5, the draughting hole near 2/7, which will certainly need banging. A great 40th Anniversary Return in all respects! |
| 12/8 | John Pybus | On the 11th two trips went into Xitu. Paul &
Hilary went down to the Gap and, after checking out the leads that Pip had
seen, derigged back to the Customs Hall. Pip & I went upstream to look
at a possible way on high in Hyperventilation chamber. We attempted a
traverse round from the top of climb. Pip managed to get most of the way
and place a bolt before being stopped by a lack of hangers to rig it with.
So we left it for another trip to find the passage beyond.
Erin, Hilary & Rich are up at top camp looking at E12 & F80. Since my last message the sun has returned to Ario & Martin Laverty has arrived. |
| 9/8 (later) | John Pybus | Now at Xitu col where my mobile is getting 5 bars of reception :-). just got your text. Many people gone down to Cangas for fiesta & to see off Harvey. Collected final load of gear from 12/5 entrance this am. Chris & Claire have gone to look at 28/4 this afternoon. Weather has turned miserable, rain & clag. |
| 9/8 | John Pybus | Arrived yesterday (7th August), saw sunrise over
Madrid in the morning, and but for the rising clag beating us up sod 4
would have made sunset at Ario.
Rich's report on upstream1/5: Bolt climb has reached the top of the 50m upstream aven. A balcony 25m up leads to ~300m of surveyed passage including some extremely pretty sections and chambers - gour pools, helectites, columns etc. protected by a nasty wet crawl. Several leads are still going, although a daring climb into a promising looking hole on 8th by Hilary & Doyle unfortunately went no-where. Elsewhere, Erin has been digging in E12/E9 & Hilary has been pushing F80 where a bolt traverse is needed to reach the upper window in the 2nd pitch. |
| 8/8 | Paul Mackrill | Comments on Erin's report below. |
| 8/8 | Erin Lynch | Just wanted to let you know that 12/5 is
completely derigged and even more beautifully decorated passage has been
found in 1/5. I wasn't there, so I may not be 100% on the details, but Pip
and Doyle went in search of a sump bypass, and found not only a climb up
to big black space above the sump (they are bolting up the climb today),
but another passage going back towards the rift. The later passage was
very well decorated and quite complicated, with several ways off,
including a pitch that has yet to be dropped. Yesterday a team surveyed
the find, and the passage is heading roughly north, into what we believe
is blank space. Everyone is really excited here.
Work continues in Area 4. 9/4 is dead, but Chris has some other leads. Hilary is pushing F80 from snowpole, and Claire and I are out to destroy the evil rock blocking the way on in E12. |
| 1/8 | Erin Lynch | Hey all, Thanks for the data on 53/5. We could really use a hilti capping set. Could someone help Hils sort this out? 12/5 is almost derigged and the focus of the expedition has shifted to 1/5 and shaftbashing (mostly in area 4). We are also thinking about maybe spending a few days bivvying near snowpole. |
| 31/7 | Paul Mackrill | Hi again!! Wowwa! I hope they guys n galls on Ario read this! They found an INLET to the "Mendip Bit"! And it's gone up ending after two or three climbs in a large upwards pitch. A link is looking rather strong here.... And maybe another way [Faster??] into lower Xitu! Hmmmmm. Paul M |
| 31/7 | Martin Laverty | Comment on Paul's Report, with map. |
| 31/7 | Tim Guilford | Comments on Paul's Report. |
| 31/7 | Paul Mackrill | Report on return: The 12/5 extensions are up an inlet near the "Mendip Bit", heading for 53/5. Also progress in upstream 1/5. |
| 29/7 | Lynn Mulelly | The "2 new waterfalls" are confirmed to be in 12/5, but beyond that no information. If any OUCC read this in Cangas, an email would be appreciated! |
| 27/7 | Lynn Mulelly | Rich and Erin found 2 new waterfalls [SGR:
presumably in 12/5, but where?]. Plan to survey and derig 12/5. Pip and Paul found some new passage [SGR: I assume at the top of the upstream aven in 1/5], small and wet, opens out, very pretty. |
| 25/7 | Jon Cooper | Report on return |
| 24/7 | Lynn Mulelly | 2/7 has now had the 200-500m of rope left there last year
fished out, and has been completely derigged. Camping gear is now being taken into 12/5. John Wilcock has arrived. |
| 22/7 | Steve Roberts | At 2/7 entrance, having carried up kit for team to recover
500m rope left last year. If J Wilcock not yet left, more rigging tape, wires, maillons needed: can he buy some & bring out? 50m tape, 10 Short/med wires, 30 7mm long opening maillons. |
| 20/7 (later) | Steve Roberts |
From summit of Jultayu. Up in just under one hour. Views staggering. Cave 39/4 choked. |
| 20/7 | Steve Roberts |
Off today to look further at 39/4, as some hammering needed.
Good draught & hopes high. |
| 19/7 | Steve Roberts | Vile weather last night & this am. Bolting started up
Xitu aven yesterday. Just 2 hrs ago we broke through choke in new cave in area 4 to a 40 metre (?) booming shaft. (39/4) |
| 17/7 | Steve Roberts | Andrew Weaver got stuck in newt coming out from rigging trip. Helped out unhurt after 6 hour wait. Naylor & French 3 arrived yesterday. Going down Xitu this pm to rig to stream. Weather cleared but caves still wet. |
| 17/7 | Chris Rogers, Lynn Mulelly | Espana is nice, the mountains are big. We've rigged down to shaved hedgehog in 12/5 and down to the Customs Hall in 1/5. Its quite deep :). We haven't made it down to the waterfall yet, though I expect they will have got the drill down there later today. Graham and his friends are out. The newt has proved to be somewhat challenging, although everyone was out by the time we left Ario. |
| 15/7 | Steve Roberts | V. wet yesterday am. Got down Xitu but cut trip short as a bit wet. Weather now clearing but much water still in ground so a day for more carries. Claggy & cold. Cistra now rigged to armadillo & beyond. Off to camp, food, pit. |
| 13/7 (later) | Steve Roberts | Plan changed as not enough gear. Massive carries today so can do major rig sat. Four cavers down Cistra today. Newt gives probs. On Xitu col heading for Ario with much rope and bolts. We should now have ample gear. |
| 13/7 | Steve Roberts | Greetings from Xitu pass. Wonderful views in all directions. Erin has come here from China, which was rained out. So CJD may be back soon. Couldn't get signal at Xitu so am sending from Cangas. Good beer! May be out of touch for a day or two as will start to rig Xitu tomorrow. Cistra rig started today. S |