Hangman’s hole
Tuesday, 6 February 2007
This had been intended to be a Sunday trip after Lost Johns but alas 13.5hours underground for Mike and dinner at 2am lead to a rethink. So on Tuesday morning, Mike and Sam Allshorn set off for this fine ULSA discovery. A short hand line was used on a rather icy entrance climb and with neoprene galore and the expectation that Unprintable Passage to be a 15m desperate low airspace digging part of the trip. The pair were pleasantly surprised to find only a small amount of silt had to be dug out and there was plenty of airspace.
The trip went very quickly with Pedestal Pot quickly rigged. The Slot was arrived at, Sam Allshorn had a quick look at the original tight entrance squeeze (return to this later).
The Slot was descended and Spanish Donkey passed. A loose climb down, lands on a loose boulder slope leading to the head of Gallows Pot, which is also rather loose at the top. There was an expectation that the Executioner would be a truly horrifying pitch head but this was found to be a rather more pleasant then most of the rest although a little awkward at the top.
A few free climbs and wriggle amongst poised blocks saw the pair satisfied that the bottom would go no further that day. The floor at the bottom of the Mangle can be descended through an awkward hole to where the passage becomes tighter and involved kicking rocks through a rift until a poised block provided the physiological barrier that formed the end of the trip with a small passage seen to continue.
A quick exit was made to the head to the pitches appealing the standard welly protector where necessary. Then at the top of the Slot, Sam Allshorn removed his SRT kit and climbed the wall to attempt the connection with Bridge Pot after removing two loose blocks and a chockstone. Mr B provided the foot holds and pushed, with some effort Sam Allshorn popped into a tiny chamber. Then with a quick crawl to Bridge Pot to confirm it was the right place Sam Allshorn returned and slid back down the squeeze with gravity helping.
Then with all the tackle out Mr Bs light failed and had to have a light shone down for him from above for the last section of passage to emerge at the foot of the entrance boulder slope.
Comments
Ahh yes, maybe my 5mm of wetsuit and 3mm neoprene t-shirt was a bit excessive given the low water conditions 🙂
Excellent trip though, and with some great pitch names. The loose nature of the cave is definitely something to be aware of, but ‘care’ should ensure no harm done. In particular, one should be careful on the short free-climbs after the slot pitch, and at the bottom (i.e. the mangle and last 5m climb) where holds may fall off. Gallows Pot was probably the worst for looseness.
The collar is a bit awkward, but I found having my descender on short cowstail made things much easier.
Top stuff!
Mike Bottomley
Wednesday, 07 February 2007
Images
Spanish donkey
Posted by: Sam Allshorn
Size: 39kb
Width: 392 pixels
Height: 523 pixels
Posted: 20 February 2007
Spanish donkey
Posted by: Sam Allshorn
Size: 35kb
Width: 523 pixels
Height: 392 pixels
Posted: 20 February 2007
Donkeys
Posted by: Sam Allshorn
Size: 47kb
Width: 523 pixels
Height: 392 pixels
Posted: 20 February 2007
The Collar
Posted by: Sam Allshorn
Size: 47kb
Width: 523 pixels
Height: 392 pixels
Posted: 20 February 2007
And finally
Posted by: Sam Allshorn
Size: 45kb
Width: 392 pixels
Height: 523 pixels
Posted: 20 February 2007