Glenn in Vercors

[bazdog]

Hi Glenn, Hope you are having a good time out in the vercors. Just wondering how warm it is over there and what is the smallest sleeping bag I can get away with? Also do you need wetsuits? We are struggling with weight limits at the moment so I am trying to cut back on stuff. Cheers
Tam

 

[Glenn]

Hi Glenn, Hope you are having a good time out in the vercors. Just wondering how warm it is over there and what is the smallest sleeping bag I can get away with? Also do you need wetsuits? We are struggling with weight limits at the moment so I am trying to cut back on stuff. Cheers
Tam

Hi Tam, the weather is currently mixed. The end of last week was quite wet with a few storms, but it's warmed up since the weekend, but not "cracking slabs" hot yet! I guess you are camping, it's not that cold at night, at valley level it's not reaching freezing although it is above 1500m.

Not sure about wetsuits - what were you thinking of using them for? I would not use a wet suit for the Gournier for example, you'll be too hot in the fossil section, and you can avoid a lot of the water in the river section if you are careful.

> Hope you are having a good time out in the vercors

Had three trips so far into my current project and a rest day today. Hope to bottom it tomorrow!

Hope this helps,

Cheers,

Glenn

via the Speleo Vercors wifi LAN at La Jarjatte-en-Vercors

 

[Glenn]

>it's not that cold at night, at valley level it's not reaching freezing

It's warmer tonight - just checked (at midnight) and it's 13 degs C.

Cheers,

Glenn

via the Speleo Vercors wifi LAN at La Jarjatte-en-Vercors

 

[Glenn]

>it's not that cold at night, at valley level it's not reaching freezing

It's warmer tonight - just checked (at midnight) and it's 13 degs C.

Cheers,

Glenn

via the Speleo Vercors wifi LAN at La Jarjatte-en-Vercors

It dropped to 10 degs C at some point here last night (742m altitude), but it's getting warmer as last nights low point on the plateau (1500m altitude) was 5 degs C and last Saturday and Sunday night it was 0 degs C.

Cheers,

Glenn

via the Speleo Vercors wifi LAN at La Jarjatte-en-Vercors

 

[SamT]

I like this - "our on the spot roving reporter"

Good craic out there??

 

[bazdog]

Thanks a lot for the info glenn. I don't know what trips we are doing yet so i'll leave the wetsuits and try hard not to fall in the stream. Seems like ages ago when we booked all this but we'll finally be over there in forty eight hours
Cheers
Tam

 

[Glenn]

I like this - "our on the spot roving reporter"

Good craic out there??

We're based in the south of the Vercors, just up the road from La Chapelle and I suspect most UK cavers going to the congess will be based in the north, around Villard-de-Lans, consequently I'm not best placed for reporting on the "craic". Yesterday, we called in at La Chap for beers and crepes on the way back from a caving trip and commented on how quiet it was - we usually trip over some brit cavers in La Chap.....

We're off to Lans today to check out the Congress site and it all kicks off officially tomorrow, so maybe your roving reporter will have some more news then, or he may have a hangover.....

Cheers,

Glenn

via the Speleo Vercors wifi LAN at La Jarjatte-en-Vercors

 

[Glenn]

Quick update:

The weather is glorious, people are caving and socialising like crazy! The gear and book stands are fantastic! Life is great!

Cheers,

Glenn

via the Speleo Vercors wifi LAN at La Jarjatte-en-Vercors

 

[cap n chris]

A superb event!

Really.

Superb.

 

[paul]

Yes it certainly was - just got back yesterday. Extremely well organised as well.

 

[Judi Durber]

Look out for an Eldon trip report 

Great week,    missed the 3D poetry,    bat habitat walk  & Sid Perou films    inner thighs still aching from the riding though.

Hurrah and big thanks to Cookie for doing lots of driving and dancing the last night away 

 

[JB]

Yep - brilliant week!  I'll post a trip report when I've unpacked 

Highlights for me were the Tonnerre, the Berger, Trou Qui Souffle -> Saint de Glace traverse (almost) and the descent of the Cascade d'Allieres. All fantastic and I'm looking forward to going back!

Met some really nice people too! Thanks to Glenn for posting me some info about the Vercors at the beginning of the year and anyone else involved in the organisation.

Jules.

 

[menacer]

Yep - brilliant week! 
Trou Qui Souffle -> Saint de Glace traverse (almost)

"Almost! " Sounds like a story here....do tell......
My confession to that trip would be desending puit cigal by accident.....approx 50m of unecessary prussiking  Rest of the trip was a breeze after that... Loved galerie de marmites....meanders francois just went on and on and on.....

 

[paul]

My confession to that trip would be desending puit cigal by accident.....approx 50m of unecessary prussiking

You weren't the only one to do that!

 

[menacer]

LOL... and like us, did you pick up the rope whilst threading it into your stop thinking "This ropes heavy, I dont remember seeing any big pitches marked on the survey"

Clearly it was the fashionable thing to do.....  :-[

A trip report will follow with some pics when I retrieve them from Cookies Computer...It was a most excellent through trip.......

 

[anfieldman]

Yep - brilliant week! 
Trou Qui Souffle -> Saint de Glace traverse (almost)

"Almost! " Sounds like a story here....do tell......
My confession to that trip would be desending puit cigal by accident.....approx 50m of unecessary prussiking  Rest of the trip was a breeze after that... Loved galerie de marmites....meanders francois just went on and on and on.....

The trick to that is to go in a bigger party and let the others check first! 

Brilliant trip though. We did spend about an hour and a half ''looking around'' at one point. We were not lost at any point. Honest!

Glad to see you made it back Jules. As you decided to do the trip on the last night I think I was probably one of the only sober cavers available if a rescue was needed.  We didn't doubt that you would find your way out.

A fantastic two weeks away for Meg and I. Some brilliant company in the form of Cookie, Andy Sparrow, Rachel, Judi Durber & Neil, Carmen & the Cap'n, Bif & Lou and their wonderful kids. Discovered great cheap wine, wonderful scenery, fantastic caves and Mandarin beer! 
See you all at HE??

 

[JB]

Trou Qui Souffle -> Saint de Glace traverse (almost)

"Almost! " Sounds like a story here....do tell......

Hmmmm...got to the top of the Toboggan in Saint de Glace and then the red and white tape seemed to lead the wrong way. Where we were supposed to go up through a hole in the roof (I think you look over your right shoulder and follow the draught) the tape seemed to lead down into a tight meander. Decided to re-trace our steps back through the Concierge and out of the Trou qui Souffle which took a while. Agree, it's a quality trip but I've had enough of the Francois Meanders for a bit.

Jules.

 

[andymorgan]

Sounds good fun - I wish I went 

 

[paul]

Sounds good fun - I wish I went 

I was! I thought it would be difficult getting the popular caves booked (like the Berger) but there were no problems at all. You went to a marquee next to the Tourist Information Centre in Lans en Vercors, picked one of the many rigged caves on offer, paid 4 Euros insurance (just once, for the entire week) and gave a list of those in your group. In return you were given a survey and information sheets on the cave. The only provisos were that you could only book for the current day and the next two days in advance and that you came back and booked out afterwards.
Only the Berger and Trou Qui Souffle seemed to be getting their daily quotas filled - but only on the same day. They still seemed to always be free for the following days (except for the bottom of the Berger which was more tightly regulated to 10 cavers a day and these slots were soon taken).

 

[Piglet]

LOL... and like us, did you pick up the rope whilst threading it into your stop thinking "This ropes heavy, I dont remember seeing any big pitches marked on the survey"

Clearly it was the fashionable thing to do.....  :-[

A trip report will follow with some pics when I retrieve them from Cookies Computer...It was a most excellent through trip.......

As Paul says, you weren't the only ones.  The second guy down said "this rope's heavy" as he threaded his stop, so I had the sense to look down the pitch, see their lights far below and think "nah, not today!"  :tease: and then wait while the other two prusiked back up!   

Didn't go that far on either of my trips (too unfit)  , but had a cracking time and want to go back to do more.