langcliffe
Well-known member
This is probably old hat to most Dales cavers, but there might be somebody out there who is still in the same state of ignorance as I was until a few hours ago...
After reading Arthur Gemmel's description in 'Underground Adventure' a couple of days ago, and having consulted the new Northern Caves bible, a couple of us were inspired to look for the Storm Pot Alternative. I have probably been down Simpson Pot at least once a year over the last 50 odd years, and never even suspected its existence.
It's a fine shaft with good P-anchors, and judging from the state of the latter it's a route that isn't often done. It's an excellent alternative to the combined Stake Pot and Storm Pot, and although we just went up and down it as a side dish to the standard descent, there is no reason why it shouldn't be used for the pull-through.
Somewhat tangentially, there is a fairly new rope hanging down Slit Pot at the moment. The rigging is somewhat unorthodox , and it looks as if someone using two ropes had a problem with a pull-through and went back up to retrieve the pull-down rope, re-belayed the main rope, and then descended on it. It is NOT rigged for getting back through the Slot. The surplus at the bottom was being trashed in the stream bed, so we tied it up so that is now hanging half a metre above the floor.
After reading Arthur Gemmel's description in 'Underground Adventure' a couple of days ago, and having consulted the new Northern Caves bible, a couple of us were inspired to look for the Storm Pot Alternative. I have probably been down Simpson Pot at least once a year over the last 50 odd years, and never even suspected its existence.
It's a fine shaft with good P-anchors, and judging from the state of the latter it's a route that isn't often done. It's an excellent alternative to the combined Stake Pot and Storm Pot, and although we just went up and down it as a side dish to the standard descent, there is no reason why it shouldn't be used for the pull-through.
Somewhat tangentially, there is a fairly new rope hanging down Slit Pot at the moment. The rigging is somewhat unorthodox , and it looks as if someone using two ropes had a problem with a pull-through and went back up to retrieve the pull-down rope, re-belayed the main rope, and then descended on it. It is NOT rigged for getting back through the Slot. The surplus at the bottom was being trashed in the stream bed, so we tied it up so that is now hanging half a metre above the floor.
