Hi,

We have a trip down Lost Johns planned for Saturday (25th March 06). Can anyone tell me if that is crazy from a weather point of view....?

Is the streamway likely to be flooded.. if so we'll go elsewhere. Don't fancy doing all the rigging only to find we can't go anywhere at the bottom...

None of us have been down it before. Is there a "safest/recommended" wet conditions route.

andyf

Lost johns is a fantastic trip, one of the best i've done. Long time since i did it, but if the entrance streamway is ok i think its dome/ cathederal route thats dry, they all join before battleaxe traverse, which is awesome, the streamway/ mastercave is right at the bottom, all the funs in the rigging on the pitches.
Don't know how it responds to water though, but i'm sure there are fossil routes. Look in NC3.
Mint trip all the same.
Enjoy.

tt.

AndyF said:

None of us have been down it before. Is there a "safest/recommended" wet conditions route.

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Keep away from the Old Roof Traverse, but the New Roof Traverse routes are dry as far as the bottom of Battle Axe, although you can get all the way to the bottom in moderately inclement conditions. If, however, you don't fancy risking the weather, the trip down to Shale Cavern is well worth a trip, expecially if you do an exchange with the Centipede route. I find Shale Cavern a most impressive place.

The New Roof Traverse is one of the most atmospheric bits of cave in the Dales.

I have to confess to having gone to lost johns on several occassions and never making it to the bottom. Last time we did the new roof traverse and then down centipede route. Great route and no water to worry about either. Had to stop at battle axe traverse due to an awfull lot of water at the bottom, but still a great trip even if you don't bottom it.

The very bottom pitch is quite nasty in wet weather. You can do a rather exposed traverse to reach a better stance and a dry hang, but the actual traverse is not so well protected. Everything else on Dome/Centipede routes is fine, as is Battleaxe.

Don't go through the long pool in wet weather!

Mark

Erm... think i meant centipide, not cathederal. Long time.

tt.

Thanks for the advice everyone.

A very nice Centipede/Dome exchange was done, and no one drownded.

They went to top of battleaxe and looked down into a raging torrent, very impressive from a position of safety.