Bull Pot (Kingsdale) entrance rigging

[hannahb]

I couldn't get my head around the rigging topo for the top of Bull Pot today.

Does anyone have a photo of how they rig it?

After some deliberation we started the rope round a small boulder immediately to the right of the Y-hang as you face uphill. It offered sufficient protection for approaching the Y-hang but it's not what is depicted on the topo, which suggests using a much bigger boulder over the other side of the shaft - that didn't seem to make sense at the time.

We also faffed around at the approach to the second pitch, wondering what combination of numerous high bolts to use.

 

[langcliffe]

I couldn't get my head around the rigging topo for the top of Bull Pot today.

Does anyone have a photo of how they rig it?

After some deliberation we started the rope round a small boulder immediately to the right of the Y-hang as you face uphill. It offered sufficient protection for approaching the Y-hang but it's not what is depicted on the topo, which suggests using a much bigger boulder over the other side of the shaft - that didn't seem to make sense at the time.

We also faffed around at the approach to the second pitch, wondering what combination of numerous high bolts to use.

I do as you did with the entrance pitch.

 

[hannahb]

I do as you did with the entrance pitch.

Did you feel like that boulder was sufficient?

The chockstone/bridge you can sit on to rig the Y-hang feels very secure but I sometimes wonder whether it is.

 

[dougle89]

Boulder same as you. For the second pitch I tie into the high up anchor then rig the traverse high up and around to the y hang if that helps

 

[hannahb]

Boulder same as you. For the second pitch I tie into the high up anchor then rig the traverse high up and around to the y hang if that helps

From the very start of the traverse anchors? Before the zig-zag bend?

 

[dougle89]

From the very start of the traverse anchors? Before the zig-zag bend?

Yeah high up on the left as you're looking into the tunnel/rift whatever you call it. I have to climb up to reach it.

 

[mikem]

Did you read the description as well? Although it only says "Backup the rope around a suitable boulder for an approach to two anchors...", sometimes it makes things much clearer.

 

[hannahb]

I think the description adds confusion in this case, especially for the second pitch.

 

[mikem]

Quite possibly, but I'd expect it to mention if boulder was actually on opposite side

 

[langcliffe]

From the very start of the traverse anchors? Before the zig-zag bend?

There are so many options - all safe. One can even follow the steam and climb up to the ledge at the end of the zig-zag. There is no definitive way of doing these things. The way I rig with my usual caving colleagues is often quite different to the way I used to rig the same cave on club trips where I wasn't aware of the abilities of all those present.

 

[hannahb]

There are so many options - all safe. One can even follow the steam and climb up to the ledge at the end of the zig-zag.

This is what we did.

 

[tras2]

I did the trip last in 2019 and rigged off the rocks to the right of the pitch (as you look up the hill)

https://www.morleycavers.org.uk/trip-reports/bull-pot-3-nov-2019/ has my photoshopped picture on with more details (original photo taken from CNCC website), but in case our website ever goes down I'll paste it here

 

[langcliffe]

The 'orthodox' rigging would be a traverse line from the boulder on the right, and an offset Y-hang from the P-hangers.

 

[cavetroll]

Rigging guides are suggestions. For a training workshop a number of years ago, I was asked to rig a series of pitches without the topo and for me it was really useful to just look around and rig a safe system using what I found. This top pitch is a great example. It used to be approached from the left as you look at the image above from spits in a large block, now there are drilled threads galore, bolts in different positions, naturals etc.

 

[hannahb]

Rigging guides are suggestions.

But they ought to make sense and bear some resemblance to what is in situ

 

[hannahb]

The 'orthodox' rigging would be a traverse line from the boulder on the right, and an offset Y-hang from the P-hangers.

The topo suggests it's the massive boulder on the left that is used to begin the traverse, which doesn't make sense to me with the new IC anchors being on the right.

 

[mikem]

Are they official anchors? Or just that topo hasn't caught up with more recent additions?

 

[langcliffe]

The topo suggests it's the massive boulder on the left that is used to begin the traverse, which doesn't make sense to me with the new IC anchors being on the right.

So it does! I have never really looked at the topo before. That certainly isn't what I would do.

 

[langcliffe]

Are they official anchors? Or just that topo hasn't caught up with more recent additions?

They are official IC hangers, and they are the ones on the topo.

 

[MarkS]

Report a topo or description error

Use this form to report a topo or description error. Please include as much information as you can.

cncc.org.uk