Hi All,

This is my first post here, apologies if I happen to be posting this in the wrong subforum. I'm a caver in the USA looking to join a 2011 expedition in Europe going more than 1000m deep. Outside the US, I have caved in Mexico, Canada, and Malaysia. I have also spent a lot of time in the best multi-pitch alpine caves the USA has to offer, which is of course not really in the same league as what's in Europe, but nonetheless afforded me plenty of experience with Euro style rigging and survey in cold temps. I also have a lot of survey experience, mostly as a sketcher, in Lechuguilla, Mammoth, Carlsbad and numerous other caves. If any of you are leading a deep caving expedition in 2011 and need more participants, or could direct me towards an expedition or two, I would greatly appreciate it.

Thanks,

Bruce White
http://explore.mohodisco.com

Hi there,

A good choice would be Gouffre Berger... I got back from a trip there last month (though I only went to the half way depth). Regular UK trips go out... brilliant caviing. The top half, although a long day, is not techincally demanding. Its as good a caving trip as you could wish for...

Have a look at..

http://www.shonephotography.com/?page_id=657

Looks like an excellent trip! How often do trips go all the way to the bottom? And do you know of anyone going in 2011?

lavadisco said:

Looks like an excellent trip! How often do trips go all the way to the bottom? And do you know of anyone going in 2011?

Click to expand...

Not aware of anyone, but groups have to apply by the end of the year I think, and permits gets issued for the following Janueary for that year. Someone on here may well know....

Most groups try to get people to the bottom. Weather and fittness permitting they are usually successful.... I wasn't fit enough to try at the time, but even the Hall of 13 is a truly superb trip in its own right. It was about 12 hours for me but others were doing it in maybe 8-10

Applications for a permit must be postmarked after 1st November of the year preceding so nobody currently has a permit for next year.

Once the applications are in then a list of permits is normally published.

The cave is open for the months of June, July, August, September and October but there are no guarantees of getting to the bottom. On a good, low water trip there is nothing too demanding technically, it is just a big trip. When there is high water the cave can kill (and has, several times).

It is a fabulous place and well worth a visit but as permits are only allocated for 10 day slots there is realistically very few opportunities to bottom the cave. In wet weather it is probable that very few or even no people will get to the bottom.

There is some information here:
http://www.speleo-vercors.org/page12.html

and there is more info here:
http://latronche.free.fr/berger.html#recom_en

Another good bet for deep caving is the Dachstien expedition in Austria, not quite at 1000-meter depth I think the deepest is 850 meters at the moment (700 of that is pitches). But if the connection is made to the Herlatz (Excuse spelling on my lunch break at the moment and cannot look up proper name) it will be around 1400 meters deep.

They will take just about anyone and provide training, it is probably one of the most accessible though under advertised expedition there is going. This expedition runs through July - August each year.

Pm me and I can give you contact details for the expedition leader if you are interested.

Like with the Berger trip the cave can flood and that can delay things but every year several trips do make it to the current bottom looking for the connection.

Thanks Alex - PM sent!

What about Croatia? In the US "Alpine Karst" publication I've seen some maps of amazing deep stuff in the Velebit region. Any of you ever caved there?

We were talking about doing the Berger at hidden earth but it was probably just all that nice beer. Whats the chances of club A and club B getting adjoining permits and club A rigging and club B derigging. Pros would be halve the cost of ropes and more time to get to the bottom. Would this be possible/allowed or do they rotate the permits amongst different countries?

There is a reasonable chance unless clubs have been before and there is demand for the same weeks. A good plan is to choose complimentary combinations as you have to choose several preferred periods. If you don't get adjoining dates it is always possible to collaborate with clubs that do adjoin your dates. All bookings are published once they have been allocated so it is easy to contact other groups then.

So far I have gotten offers for multiple French expeditions, and a very tempting offer for some deep Croatian caving. And I still haven't emailed the person in charge of the Austrian expedition. So prospects are very good, keep 'em coming!

Just want say thanks to the folks who have replied here. If you ever come to the USA to do some caving feel free to drop me a line and I can probably hook you up with cavers in whatever area you are visiting, and perhaps arrange a trip or two.

Bruce