Oxford University Cave Club

2004 Expedition Reports

Picos de Europa, Spain
 

Other Expedition reports

OUCC Home Page

Sponsorship link: www.floorplansnorth.co.uk

Apparently the dislocation reduced without assistance. The following morning word was sent to the nearby Mountain Refuge Hut who were able to make radio contact with the local hospital. A helicopter arrived and took Matt to hospital in the town of Arriondas (though they were unable, or unwilling, to take any other expedition member with him in the helicopter).

Matt was discharged the same (or early the next) day, and started to make his own way back to the UK. This happened before other expedition members, who had to hike down to the road head and then drive to Arriondas. The confusion arose because Matt left the hospital and started back without contacting either the expedition, or his parents (who were in telephone contact with Mike Hopley -- expedition medical officer).

Apparently, Matt got back safely to the UK, and is now with his parents.

Also we have lots of vino tinto, an improved cow defence system, and possibly the best tarp water collection system in the recent history of expeditions. See you on expedition soon I hope! Rosa.

If anyone wants advice on buses and how to get hold of the expedition, I'm very happy to help if I can. Cheers, Arry

Expedition is now in its third week and several interesting shafts have been bashed and logged. There is a team surveying chicago as i type and a trip is planned for the near future to push the rift at the end and swing into some windows identified on one of the pitches. Shaftbashing has been going well over the last week with trips to the forest on the lower slopes of extremo in search of an entrance to downstream 2/7 and a couple of trips to the blank mountainside between the xitu and muxa systems - finds in this area including a hole with a howling draught coming out of it which is to be investigated further... Yesterday also saw a trip to the Cares gorge to see what we could spot from down there.

If you are thinking of coming out to Spain but haven't quite made your mind up yet please please do come, and the sooner the better! With one member leaving today we're now down to three people and its hard to get stuff done (let alone safely) with that number - even one or two more people could make all the difference! We have several promising leads to go at, lots of vino tinto (and sangria which we have discovered is even more yummy) and gorgeous sunsets... go on, you know you want to...    Luego, Keith

La Texa has at last been located conclusively (I hope), almost exactly where the underground survey placed it relative to Tormenta. We have all the equipment and backup needed to rig it, we just lack enough cavers to do so safely. A determined team of 4 experienced cavers or so could apparently bottom it in under a week, so it would be a real shame if we can't manage it this year.

Despite lack of numbers, Chicago has been rigged to beyond last year's limit at about -200m, and is still going. Various new shafts have been noted in the cliffs of Cabeza Llambria above Oston, and should be descended soon.

As an added attraction to potential expeditioners, this year Ario is equipped with a solar panel providing both DC and AC, so you can charge your batteries/phones/electric toothbrushes etc.

Plus the weather's good (apart from the storm which destroyed a big green tent last night) and the Picos are as stunning as ever. Make it out if you can... Cheers, Al

If you're wondering about coming out this year, please do - we need as many people as possible if we want to rig Texa safely, and if you don't feel up to deep caving then there's plenty of wandering around in the sun looking for new entrances and drinking tinto to be done instead.

Yours to the terminal mornflake, Al