Jean Pot

Reeve

Member
I recall (2016) someone was installing P hangers in Jean Pot. Was this finished (and derigged) and does someone have a rigging topo or description?

Regards Gareth
 

topcat

Active member
Pete, the PM was in order to send a pfd. of the topo.

Nothing to do with P hangers, secret or not.
 

CNCC

Well-known member
Jean Pot is not fitted with any CNCC approved anchors.

On my last visit (several years ago) it was mostly rigged from spits and naturals. My local university club actually used to use it as expedition rigging practice.

A reminder to anyone considering resin anchoring a cave... please get in touch with the CNCC first. We can see that it is done under our anchor scheme meaning the anchors and resin are paid for and we can put your topo on our website and let others know  :)

Cheers
Matt Ewles, CNCC
 

Reeve

Member
Pete and all - just for clarification I was mistaken about it having P hangers installed. Instead it was being reset with new Spits for safer easier rigging.
 

PeteHall

Moderator
Ian Ball said:
Worth a visit I think  (y)

Without a doubt!

I've only been once (over 10 years ago now), but it wasn't a trip I'd easily forget. (y)

Log book states:
Seven pitches and not a P-bolt in sight... Good honest caving.

Sounds like this is still the case  :)
 

Simon Wilson

New member
I think anybody who got to the level of caving experience where they were capable of going down Jean Pot and knew what a Spit was would understand the anchor replacement programme. So I think it unlikely that anybody would even think about installing Spits there or anywhere else in the Dales.

Having read some of the comments in this thread I feel dismayed. If I am reading things correctly some people appear to be condoning the use of Spits and welcome a lack of sustainable and safe anchors. Please tell me I'm misunderstanding.

I think it would be obvious to anybody that Jean Pot is high on the list of caves that need anchors replacing. A volunteer for the job would be very welcome.
 

topcat

Active member
Simon, I think you are right in the long term, but it would be a bit perverse to do Jean Pot on resins just after it has been done with new spits....there must be hundreds of other caves needing resins: let's do these first ?

I'm keen to get on the resin anchor scheme but the last dates didn't work for me.  When is the next training?

TC
 

Simon Wilson

New member
topcat said:
Simon, I think you are right in the long term, but it would be a bit perverse to do Jean Pot on resins just after it has been done with new spits.

TC

Are you saying that somebody has replaced the old Spits with more Spits?
 

Simon Wilson

New member
What complete idiot would do such a thing? It makes me want to give it up when there are people working in opposition to the anchor scheme.
 

Simon Wilson

New member
topcat said:
Simon, I think you are right in the long term, but it would be a bit perverse to do Jean Pot on resins just after it has been done with new spits....there must be hundreds of other caves needing resins: let's do these first ?

I'm keen to get on the resin anchor scheme but the last dates didn't work for me.  When is the next training?

TC

There never have been any dates; it doesn't work like that. In order for someone to be trained they have to have a project to do.

Caves with Spits are the highest priority and if more Spits have been installed in Jean Pot then that makes it more imperative.

If someone can suggest a cave with a high priority for resin anchors and commit to carrying it out then they will get training ASAP.
 

alastairgott

Well-known member
I've popped my head in before, but was having an off day, so let the others go in without me. From online reports, it seems like the vast majority of the rigging is done from Naturals.

Jean has had a reputation for a number of years for being an expedition training ground, being the only place in the UK where people will encounter rigging from Flakes, Boulder chocks and other naturals. There being spits in there is somewhat incidental, but will also give people experience of using bolts which aren't resin-Hangers.

This is one site in the whole of the dales where I think people would prefer to keep it as a training ground for expedition. Clearly if you believe that it should be resin-hangered, then you will need to consider the needs of the cavers who are seeking out this particular venue.
If you're thinking of Resin-Hangering, then quite a few expeditions will rig from expansion bolts. So an alternative to using the typical resin bolts maybe to resin some 8mm threaded bar into the rock and include a nut and washer. (the only other expedition options are Petzl Spits and raumer rainox, so this is a compromise)

It's place in the "black book" is probably down to it's esoteric nature of rigging.
 

nobrotson

Active member
alastairgott said:
I've popped my head in before, but was having an off day, so let the others go in without me. From online reports, it seems like the vast majority of the rigging is done from Naturals.

Jean has had a reputation for a number of years for being an expedition training ground, being the only place in the UK where people will encounter rigging from Flakes, Boulder chocks and other naturals. There being spits in there is somewhat incidental, but will also give people experience of using bolts which aren't resin-Hangers.

This is one site in the whole of the dales where I think people would prefer to keep it as a training ground for expedition. Clearly if you believe that it should be resin-hangered, then you will need to consider the needs of the cavers who are seeking out this particular venue.
If you're thinking of Resin-Hangering, then quite a few expeditions will rig from expansion bolts. So an alternative to using the typical resin bolts maybe to resin some 8mm threaded bar into the rock and include a nut and washer. (the only other expedition options are Petzl Spits and raumer rainox, so this is a compromise)

It's place in the "black book" is probably down to it's esoteric nature of rigging.

The black book is over 10 years old now, meaning that a number of the entries in the book are not up to date and it doesn't include trips that have only become possible since that time (eg through trips out of notts 2). Mike Cooper says this in the introduction to the book, specifically in reference to the installation of P hangers. So I don't think its rigging was the main reason for its inclusion, more the fact that its a nice esoteric wet-weather option. There are plenty of other caves that require rigging from naturals in the book (for example, knacker trapper, hangmans hole, broken finger pot), and plenty that have dodgy spits in them (newby moss pot, yockenthwaite pot, broken finger pot). this cave is not unique in that respect.

I don't think that the idea of a UK cave being a 'training ground' for alpine rigging because it has spits in is particularly valid because the defining nature of alpine rigging is no different from rigging in UK caves: it should be tight and high and not rub. If you follow those rules then alpine rigging feels not much different, regardless of whether you are using resin anchors or not. Unless you are suggesting that the training would involve totally rebolting the cave each time then I don't see that anything unique will be learnt. Compromising on the longevity of a caving trip by holding off installing sustainable anchors just so a few students can see some spits underground isn't a good idea. How many times does Jean Pot get descended by students 'training' for exped per year? maybe once or twice, maybe not at all. I don't see that they are the primary users of the cave at all. 'Glueing in' some expansion bolts does not solve the conservation issue at all, and is also a totally pointless activity. Why are you suggesting that a cave, a wild place, should be viewed as a little playground so some students can do 1 trip that might sort of resemble a different situation to those available elsewhere in the dales? Seems a strange idea to me, especially considering that said students will almost certainly be too hungover to remember any of it. That kind of learning happens when they are out there in an alpine cave in my experience...
 

Alex

Well-known member
Wish the drill was not so expensive, otherwise I would happily for training and put them in.

However, I may end up purchasing a drill for abroad at some point but that will be for putting through bolts in for expos. I assume a different drill would be required due to the large bit needed for Resin anchors?
 

CNCC

Well-known member
The presence of resin anchors in a cave does not necessarily mean visiting cavers are obligated to use them. If you want to learn to rig from naturals, they will still be there  :)

The subject of ?to resin anchor or not? is always going to divide opinions, from the purists who prefer their caves totally unmodified, and their rigging entirely from natural belays, to the cavers who have come to expect and desire caves to be fitted with safe anchors for all pitches.

The balance between conservation, safety and accessibility will always be difficult to judge and we will never get it right for everyone.

I am of the belief that many cavers simply want to enjoy the caves they visit without concerns about the integrity of what their rope is hanging off. While resin anchors always require a pre-use inspection, their safety record (at least for all CNCC installed ones) speaks for itself.

Many caves which were fitted with spits, even recently, are now showing issues. I had a trip into (Get Down) Shep Pot on Leck Fell a few weeks ago, only to find two of the spits on the first pitch were unserviceable? and these are relatively recent (within the last 15 years I think).

The CNCC anchor scheme, which Simon does an excellent job coordinating, exists to see that caves in need of new anchors to enable safe descent, are fitted with resin anchors by an approved installer, using resin and anchors which have been shown to be fit for purpose. Careful consideration is given to conservation; ensuring anchors are only placed in caves where they are deemed to be needed and that their placements are not excessive. Again, this is fairly subjective, but we do our best.

We discourage the installation of new spits (or any other kind of anchor) into any major cave (i.e. particularly one that other groups will visit), especially when resin anchoring is so easily available via the CNCC scheme and provides a much safer and long-term solution.

If anyone has a desire to anchor a particular cave, please do get in touch with the CNCC before taking your own action - At the very least to just discuss it. We are not the anchor police (and we are not going to pretend to be), but we do want to try to help. We now have two trainers, and we are happy to arrange training, provide the anchors, and cover the cost of resin and consumables. In doing so you will be helping us to maintain a safe standard for all new anchor placements across our region, which I think is what the majority of the caving community would want to see.

Alex;
We understand that the need to own a drill is a little prohibitory at the moment. The anchor scheme has only just started so we have not yet given consideration to loaning equipment for enthusiastic potential installers who do not own a drill. If you have some projects you would be willing to undertake if the CNCC could loan you a drill, please let us know and we can look into possible resolutions.

Matt Ewles, CNCC Secretary

 

Simon Wilson

New member
Thank you Wob Rotson. I second everything Rob says.

I will add that if anybody wants to endanger themselves by using Spits there are thousands to be found littering the caves of the Dales.

The famous ULSA caver Alan Brook was advocating sustainable anchors over forty years ago. He dismissed Spits and started developing and installing sustainable anchors. It was AB who installed the anchors on Lancliffe Pot entrance pitch including one of his home-made stainless steel anchors fixed with epoxy resin. I deliberately left them in place out of respect for AB. I know Rob has seen them because he mentioned them in a post after his trip down Langcliffe.

My point is that well over forty years ago a highly regarded caver totally condemned the use of Spits. Many cavers, including myself, became increasingly vocal about the damage being done to caves and also the great danger involved with Spits. We have been working ever since to banish the cursed Spit from caves.

After several decades of the anchor scheme we should not have to keep reminding people why we have an anchor scheme. We have an anchor scheme because we are trying to avoid people installing crappy anchors in caves, damaging the caves with 'bolt rash' and putting people in danger. Unsustainable, 'crappy' anchors include Spits, drop-ins, all throughbolts and hammer-set anchors.

When UK cavers go caving abroad I would like to think that we aim to set the same high standards of conservation and safety that we would set at home.
 
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