wetsink SRT
- Thread starter twiglet
- Start date
IIRC a 25m rope should do the job nicely (in fact you'll probably get away with something slightly shorter). The hang itself is an easy-to-rig y-hang backed up to a large boulder, which I think has anchors in it. So I'd take 5 maillons and 25m of rope. If you're a large party, you might consider rigging the parallel pitch too, as this will speed things up. That'll need the same amount of tackle again.
You might want a slightly longer rope (40m) as there are 2 pitches really, Balcony and Pen Pot. The first can be free climbed but is much better rigged as a pitch in my opinion - it has been the site of a least one serious accident.
The rigging starts on the other side of the boulder choke at the bottom of Mouse Aven (the last fixed ladder) with Balcony Pitch, where at a 1m step down in the passage there is an 8mm through bolt (no hanger or nut) on the right or alternatively use the scaffold bar. There is then a 'P' hanger on the right after about 4m where a scramble down (2m) brings you to a ledge with another P hanger, there is then a drop of 3m to the floor. The rope rub on the 3m drop is difficult to avoid, careful prussiking helps as ever. There is a 12mm through bolt (no nut or hanger) out to left at the intermediate ledge if I remember correctly.
Having reached the floor below Balcony pitch the rope can be rebelayed to a boulder with a P hanger in before following either of the 2 variations Damian mentions - there are obvious P hangers on the main rig, whereas the parallel route (on the left going in) has 12mm throughbolts and in situ hangers. Either variation is a single straight drop of 12-15m. A short scramble down below the pitch leads to a crawl which gradually enlarges before joining the main stream passage at Cross Stream Junction.
Hope you enjoy the trip it's a great cave with lots of variety and plenty to explore at 15km long.
The rigging starts on the other side of the boulder choke at the bottom of Mouse Aven (the last fixed ladder) with Balcony Pitch, where at a 1m step down in the passage there is an 8mm through bolt (no hanger or nut) on the right or alternatively use the scaffold bar. There is then a 'P' hanger on the right after about 4m where a scramble down (2m) brings you to a ledge with another P hanger, there is then a drop of 3m to the floor. The rope rub on the 3m drop is difficult to avoid, careful prussiking helps as ever. There is a 12mm through bolt (no nut or hanger) out to left at the intermediate ledge if I remember correctly.
Having reached the floor below Balcony pitch the rope can be rebelayed to a boulder with a P hanger in before following either of the 2 variations Damian mentions - there are obvious P hangers on the main rig, whereas the parallel route (on the left going in) has 12mm throughbolts and in situ hangers. Either variation is a single straight drop of 12-15m. A short scramble down below the pitch leads to a crawl which gradually enlarges before joining the main stream passage at Cross Stream Junction.
Hope you enjoy the trip it's a great cave with lots of variety and plenty to explore at 15km long.
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