Is it acceptable to modify a cave to make a potential rescue easier?

[pete h]

A major reason that post-digging modification is rare is that there are few ultraskinny digging teams mining their way into (and publicising) places that anyone else subsequently wants to get to.

UFS digging  team  :-\
Charterhouse Cave digging team  :-\ :-\

Bloody hell Les are you calling me ultraskinny??    You need a new pair of glasses mate. 

 

[graham]

Pete, let us know when you've modified Charterhouse enough to prevent rescues happening, will you.

 

[Les W]

A major reason that post-digging modification is rare is that there are few ultraskinny digging teams mining their way into (and publicising) places that anyone else subsequently wants to get to.

UFS digging  team  :-\
Charterhouse Cave digging team  :-\ :-\

Bloody hell Les are you calling me ultraskinny??    You need a new pair of glasses mate. 

You're thinner than me 

 

[Hatstand]

You're thinner than me 

Les, I'm thinner than you!!! 

 

[paul]

I'm referring to slight enlargement to allow a larger caver than the original digging team to gain access as well if it is required - we are not all a 'standard' size either.

Why? Why would it be 'required'?

How can you justify that and what right does that 'slightly larger' caver have to get through that bit of cave?

What right have the original digging team to damage a cave?

If you are concerned about damage, then remove loose material and do not damage sound rock or calcite. Of course the ethic is that such damage is acceptable but why should the amount of damage be limited  to that which allows a member do the digging team to gain access? I'm not talking about "boreholes" or making things "easy".  I'm simply saying that if the original digging team pass a squeeze without damage and you then cannot, fine - just accept that you cannot pass the squeeze and leave the cave be. However if the obstruction is removed by damage to allow certain cavers up to some arbitrary size (i.e. those who happen to be digging at the time) to pass, then I cannot see how it can be decided that there should be no further modifications for later visitors to pass (for example the Aven Entrance at Meregill in the Dales) maybe with as much difficulty as the original diggers albeit making it a little easier for cavers of the original digger's size.

We obviously will not agree on this so let's just draw a line under the discussion.

To get back on topic: I think it is acceptable to make whatever modifications are required during a rescue but not in case of a rescue - for reasons I have already given.

 

[pete h]

Pete, let us know when you've modified Charterhouse enough to prevent rescues happening, will you.

I will weld the entrance gate shut on saturday no access no rescues or cave damage, job done. 

 

[graham]

Pete, let us know when you've modified Charterhouse enough to prevent rescues happening, will you.

I will weld the entrance gate shut on saturday no access no rescues or cave damage, job done. 

:

 

[Chris Crowley]

If you can you please remove the bang grit afterwards eg at the start of the long crawl in DYO it is still shredding us 10 years after the bend was enlarged