We did a trip down winnats today, but couldn't get through the choke below Fox Chamber.  We got as far as the 2nd slot, where a hand line hangs from an old rusty spit, by a short length of old scaff bar.  We were following the new COTPD guide description, and reckon this was the boulder squeeze described therein, but which we found to be completely impassible.  I couldn't get further than the top of my thighs!  Looking around further back up the choke there didn't seem to be any alternative way on.

Can anyone tell me if we have gone wrong somewhere, or if its supposed to be that tight?  Has anyone been through it recently?

Thanks!

We have got pictures of both slot climbs at the address below.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/brcc/sets/72157623488250760/

Does it look like any of them? If so which one?

I see my friend's green hanger is still there

Alex said:

Does it look like any of them? If so which one?

Click to expand...

This one as I recognise the hanger, but something looks different - I don't remember all of the small bolders:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/brcc/4379319869/#in/set-72157623488250760/

In this one the slot looks bigger (especially the one with the caver in it!):
http://www.flickr.com/photos/brcc/4380076222/#in/set-72157623488250760/

It looked worn as though cavers had been through before (muddy, polished, handline), but was about 2/3 size of the 1st slot (http://www.flickr.com/photos/brcc/4380080676/#in/set-72157623488250760/).  Does anyone know if there has been any movement down there?

Well that is the lower slot then, and I recall it being pretty tight, tighter then the first slot, you can see the size of the hole to my body size. The second picture in your post is the same slot and I guess he is stood on the boulders.

They could well have moved, I remeber that place being described as an unstable boulder choke on the move.

Last went about 18 months back. The 2nd slot (where the 2nd handline is usually to be found) is significantly smaller than the first and is not a slot (!) - it's more of an all-over squeeze. It's moderately tight (I think it's fairly tight but am at the large end of average!) rather than desperate, but is quite awkward/a funny shape (first time through was a sod - last time slipped through in a few seconds). The handline is there mainly as an indication of the presence of a bloody big hole underneath - thin people sometimes fall out of the bottom which is disconcerting for their friends.

Others may disagree (!) but I would think that if that choke moved, it would move catastrophically - the rocks on the route are fairly big and not all that mobile from my memory??

Its quite tight. I basicaly have to wriggle my legs in and  then use them to lever the rest of me in - ensuring you don't pop out and fall of the ledge. Coming out is easier once you work out which arm to lead with.  I agree if the choke moved much you'd probly not get as far as the bottom slot.

Had a quick trip to the bottom of Winnats Head Cave this Tuesday evening. The squeezes are the same as they've been for as long as I can remember - although the squeeze just above the sump chamber now sports a rope, which should make it a safer proposition in descent.

As noted on the other thread, there has been a serious bit of rock fall from the overhang above the entrance, and it looks as though there may be more to come! So be careful.

MG did some 'gardening' up there a couple of months back, as there were some lethal chunks about to fall - some already had, and were very freshly split, which prompted the kick-down. We went in a few days later and it looked less scary than it had. I've got a photo of it before the gardening somewhere, so I'll dig it out later and we can check it against the current state...