Trapdoor Pot Bottomed: the deepest sejourn of the SUSS flag
Wednesday, 21 December 2016
After an extremely excellent past week of digging, infiltrating enemy lines to capture their treasured flag and an aborted Washfold trip due to a bout of Satans Uterus, we departed for Trapdoor on a very rainy morning after a delayed start which angered Richard. We then arrived at the NPC hut to find ICCC presiding over a rather tempting amount of apparently leftover Crimbo banquet, and to not find Lydia Leather. This furthered Richards crossness, seting him up well for a well cross day down the pot.
The entrance was found easily in a cutting wind, and during breaks in the fog we could see Morecambe and it was quite sunny. I formed part of the advance rigging team with Richard, who was very cross with the proportions of the new blue AV bag with the rope for the bottom pitches in. The cave was rigged swiftly due to the implementation of the Light Rope and Carabiners Only policy, with the only mishap being reported afterwards when Typhon managed to kick some rocks onto Nadia while she was on the FTSE choke pitch. Oh, and I missed a bolt and had to climb back up from the first ledge on Megatron to rerig, using my simple as a chest ascender because I couldn’t be bothered to rig my chest tape. Not very efficient, oh well. I also couldn’t find the bolt deviation mentioned in NFTFH, but it is not required provided you are careful that the rope doesn’t get caught behind and offending loose flake as there is a clean hang to the bottom from the second y hang.
At the bottom we had a feast of cheese and peanut butter sandwiches, parkin and mixed fruit and nuts. We then set up a shot of me prussiking with the SUSS flag, which worked pretty well (good job Brendan). Then we headed out, with me and Brendan derigging. We all commented that the cave is a bit loose, and Richard got really really cross on the climb at Hammerhead Pot. Out and changed by 9, making it a 6.5 hour trip, not bad considering the group size and an hour extra for photos etc. Back in Leeds for 11, thanks to Brendan for driving. Looking forward to returning to do They Think It’s All Over.
Images
false flag
Posted by: Wob Rotson
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Posted: 22 November 2017