Gaping Gill, under main chamber

Alex

Well-known member
Just out of interest does anyone know if the pitch under Gaping gill chamber been descended recently? When I looked there a month ago, there seemed to be a massive wide open rift and a 40ft drop. The pitch I am referring to (if there is more than one) is at the bottom of the boulder slope leading up to the fixed ladder, its accessed by a loose climb between boulders.

I have heard of a pitch below there before, but I did not expect it to be into a large void, I am just wondering have things shifted and opened up more recently, if so is it worth another look?
 

langcliffe

Well-known member
Alex said:
Just out of interest does anyone know if the pitch under Gaping gill chamber been descended recently? When I looked there a month ago, there seemed to be a massive wide open rift and a 40ft drop. The pitch I am referring to (if there is more than one) is at the bottom of the boulder slope leading up to the fixed ladder, its accessed by a loose climb between boulders.

I have heard of a pitch below there before, but I did not expect it to be into a large void, I am just wondering have things shifted and opened up more recently, if so is it worth another look?

It's always shifting! The whole lot is liable to collapse at any time. I've been down there once, which explains why I now have grey hair.
 

dunc

New member
I remember clambering around near there once when I was young and foolish, didn't descend the pitch though. Strangely I've never had any desire to return  :confused:
 

Scoff

New member
Alex

Every year when the winch meets take place, this hole seems to change in its appearance. I poked my nose in it briefly a few years ago, and quite frankly found it scary! Evrything you touched seemed to move. I also suspect it will contain large amounts of flood debris down below - if the old fence posts & organic debris found up near South Passage is anything to go by.

I seem to recollect that the Craven Journal contains an annual report of this hole, along with other infromation on changes in the Main Chamber, etc. (not that I'd ever admit to reading it  :tease:)

Out of interest there is another route which heads beneath the Main Chamber floor up on West Slope. A very narrow 30m (from memory) pitch - West Rift - reaches a waterfall lashed sump which was dived into an extension of the rift which was mud filled and narrow.

The Mud Bank at the west end of Main Chamber also changes/ reduces/ collapses fairly drastically year on year, and new sinks taking the Rat Hole water regularly open and close.

If only I'd taken annual photo records over the last 30 years...

Scoff
BPC/ CDG
 

Pitlamp

Well-known member
Agree with Scoff - East Pot is a dangerous place. There is a very useful article and proper survey in a CPC Record (by Steve Warren I think) which discusses the role of faulting in the shattered rock thereabouts and has one or two good photographs as I remember.

Alex - if you're really interested I could look it up for you (and maybe even let you have a look at this article as I think you're not too far from me). PM me directly if you want this.
 

Speleotron

Member
What pitches are these? I didnt know there was anything under the cobbles that make up the floor, has somebody cleared a way through, Eldon style? No wonder it's loose. Where is East Pot is it that pitch that used to exist on the climb up out of the chamber towards mud pot?
 

Pitlamp

Well-known member
It's basically as per Northern Caves Volume 2.

The mid 1960s PUSA (i.e. Monty Grainger) survey shows it all pretty well (except for that extra part at the west end which Scoff mentioned). I think Cave Mapper has made this available on his excellent site.

There have been many changes in the floor of GG Main Chamber documented over the last Century or so. The clubs which run (or have previously run) winch meets - and are therefore there regularly - have the journals with the most information.
 

Alex

Well-known member
Thanks Pitlamp, I was wondering if there was a possiblity of some undiscovered passage being opened up down there. Theres no survey I can see in my NC2. I will see if I can find that survey on Cave Mappers website. Know the URL?
 

Pitlamp

Well-known member
Don't know the URL offhand but go to the Cave Maps site and click "Surveys" from the top. Then click on "Northern Caves Volume 2". Then go down the areas list to Gaping Gill area, find Gaping Gill - and click on that. Scroll down the thumbnails and you should find the PUSA survey.
 

dunc

New member
The Gaping Gill page Pitlamp mentions - second one down, take your pick for full size or deep zoom..
There's also a couple of surveys of East Pot in Craven Records 4 and 18 further down the page.
 

Pitlamp

Well-known member
Just as a matter of interest the water sinking in Main Chamber has been convincingly tested to the deep sump in South East Pot (as has the Stream Passage Pot water, incidentally). It seems likely that below the Main Chamber floor Fell Beck drops straight into the deep phreas which goes via South East Pot and the Lost River Chamber sumps (also deep) to Deep Well (very deep) and ultimately Terminal Lake in Ingleborough Cave. There's probably not a great deal of stuff to find below Main Chamber without diving. It's this modest potential for dry cave which has always prevented me from plucking up courage to brave the suicidal East Pot chokes - it's one of the few places in GG I've never been to.
 
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