Cliff Cavern Ropes
- Thread starter MikeyP
- Start date
Pitlamp
Well-known member
Rob, I don't think the Peak's caves are really on Graham's patch; he wouldn't be expected to know them as well as, say, Mendip caves, or caves in certain parts of France. But I think he was making a general point about the term I used. Knowing Graham he's probably right!
In the context of digging speak, you've obviously cottoned on to what I meant.
I still think Cliffhanger would be the best place of all for exploratory effort, if that damn sump could be dealt with. Massive passage, on a prominent vein, booming westwards, progress only being stopped by what's probably a localised sediment blockage. If I wasn't so busy with umpteen projects in the Dales I'd be trying to get a team enthused a team and get the Cliffhanger job going. It'd be a perfect credit crunch expedition type project - providing a real focus for a massive effort of the sort that's not possible when relying on just weekends here and there. There's so much to find in that direction!
In the context of digging speak, you've obviously cottoned on to what I meant.
I still think Cliffhanger would be the best place of all for exploratory effort, if that damn sump could be dealt with. Massive passage, on a prominent vein, booming westwards, progress only being stopped by what's probably a localised sediment blockage. If I wasn't so busy with umpteen projects in the Dales I'd be trying to get a team enthused a team and get the Cliffhanger job going. It'd be a perfect credit crunch expedition type project - providing a real focus for a massive effort of the sort that's not possible when relying on just weekends here and there. There's so much to find in that direction!
hrock
New member
well that was a bit of a marathon reading catch up for me.
yes i know the pipe is still in the JE sump (i postpone this project till the bolts were sorted as frequent trips on bad bolts starts to stack the odds against you)
pitlamp (i agree that the top of spidros avan is not a great prospect but all it needs is one good trip to empty the sump finish the shot hole and apply chemicals and it may give up bit of cave)
yes i would love to have a good look at the clifhanger side there are 2 or 3 options that would be worth consideration. one or two of these will need alot of pipe so i could do with finishing JE first to free up at least 30m of pipe then i would have to go shopping for the rest.
weston high way does look like it is going to connect but till it dose i think i will press on (slowly) this is not great news for new cave but it would be an answer the question and then there is one less place to invest time.
i am hoping to get back to at least one of these places in jan some time if any of you would like to come and play.
yes i know the pipe is still in the JE sump (i postpone this project till the bolts were sorted as frequent trips on bad bolts starts to stack the odds against you)
pitlamp (i agree that the top of spidros avan is not a great prospect but all it needs is one good trip to empty the sump finish the shot hole and apply chemicals and it may give up bit of cave)
yes i would love to have a good look at the clifhanger side there are 2 or 3 options that would be worth consideration. one or two of these will need alot of pipe so i could do with finishing JE first to free up at least 30m of pipe then i would have to go shopping for the rest.
weston high way does look like it is going to connect but till it dose i think i will press on (slowly) this is not great news for new cave but it would be an answer the question and then there is one less place to invest time.
i am hoping to get back to at least one of these places in jan some time if any of you would like to come and play.
alastairgott
Well-known member
Hrock i should be able to source a good pump for cliffhanger, just need to find a good time when theres no floods going on. I expect waters quite high downstream of main rising, eeep.
Pitlamp
Well-known member
I agree with you hrock - these things should be pursued to a conclusion. It's always possible Western Highway does something which proves us all wrong. I think you're right regarding your assessment of how to make progress in Spidros Aven.
The best way to deal with the sump in Cliffhanger would be a channel which would permanently drain it. That is a VERY big job. But if it could be done it'd give the best prospects for working at the sharp end. However, the flow reduces to a tiny dribble in dry weather - sometimes it even stops flowing altogether and recedes, such that it's possible to get to the point reached by diving when we explored this area. If this happens again, can I suggest that the normally sumped part is carefully surveyed, together with the slope down from the blockage causing the sump to be there? This would give valuable information about what head and distance would have to be overcome, either by pumping, trenching, siphoning - or a combination of all three.
I know AG is keen on this one; however the best chance of success might be to establish a strong interclub team. It's by no means a quick job, which is why I think it'd be a very good credit crunch expedition type project. But no matter what the difficulties are, the potential remains huge.
The best way to deal with the sump in Cliffhanger would be a channel which would permanently drain it. That is a VERY big job. But if it could be done it'd give the best prospects for working at the sharp end. However, the flow reduces to a tiny dribble in dry weather - sometimes it even stops flowing altogether and recedes, such that it's possible to get to the point reached by diving when we explored this area. If this happens again, can I suggest that the normally sumped part is carefully surveyed, together with the slope down from the blockage causing the sump to be there? This would give valuable information about what head and distance would have to be overcome, either by pumping, trenching, siphoning - or a combination of all three.
I know AG is keen on this one; however the best chance of success might be to establish a strong interclub team. It's by no means a quick job, which is why I think it'd be a very good credit crunch expedition type project. But no matter what the difficulties are, the potential remains huge.
hrock
New member
jnc sounds like you would like to run an inter club teem, i think you right that it will need some of many techniques (trenching, syphoning diving etc i am not shore about pumping though)
but i would like to get spidros off the list. this is something you might be able to help with as you can get things that are not available in the peaks so if you would like a trip down titan and out of peak or titan some time let me know. equally if you know of some else with the right bits of paper and inclination that would do. it could be a mid week or weekend trip. if you really wanted to make a day of it there is a simmiler problem in the white river that could be got if we made it an very long multi dig day.
but i would like to get spidros off the list. this is something you might be able to help with as you can get things that are not available in the peaks so if you would like a trip down titan and out of peak or titan some time let me know. equally if you know of some else with the right bits of paper and inclination that would do. it could be a mid week or weekend trip. if you really wanted to make a day of it there is a simmiler problem in the white river that could be got if we made it an very long multi dig day.
