NCHECC antics at Alum Pot

[i think it goes]

Hey everyone, a friend suggested I share this here as a sort of 'this is what I've been up to' kind of post. Last weekend was NCHECC and I had a great time seeing friends and getting up to all the other fun and mischief that happens when lots of cavers get together... As well as this though, it gave me a chance to get lots of caving clubs to give me all of their ladders for a silly plan that I'd had for a while - Alum Pot NW route on ladders, in a suit.

The trip was great fun and fraught with challenges but I won't share all that here just yet. The best parts were though that all routes into alum were rigged over the weekend, lots of people visited, a barbecue was had on the bridge which looked like great fun, and of course, I managed to do the 70m ladder climb (which ended up being 11 ladders joined together) in a suit, which was one of my favourite memories of caving this year so far.

I've attached some pictures but its still hard to make out the scale! After this challenge I'm now content to not touch a ladder for a little while like the rest of the community haha.

Have a good week everyone.

 

[2xw]

Brilliant pics!

 

[Cavematt]

Awesome photos. A ladder provides such a good sense of scale and perspective in photos of pitches. Glad to hear NCHECC went well

 

[i think it goes]

It was described by someone as 'the ladder to hell' as the bottom of it couldn't be seen from the bridge. Good fun though.

 

[langcliffe]

Those were the days - waiting one's turn to ascend Juniper Pot big pitch. They were long trips.

 

[Fulk]

Odd – I don't remember a deep(-ish) pool at the bottom of the big pitch in Juniper Gulf.

 

[Long Drop]

Unlikely to be carrying the ladders still rolled up at the bottom of Juniper Gulf big pitch as well. It would be quite a jump.

 

[Fatman]

Great effort on ladders, never done personally but heard of many epic tales which always put me off. Luckily SRT saved the day.

 

[Dickie]

At the risk of starting a ladders vs SRT debate, why would anyone NOT put a ladder on a 20 foot pitch, such as SAY Garland's Pot in Giants. It's just too much faffing about with ascenders etc. Talking of Garland's, if it's wet, a ladder and a strong lifeline will get people out quicker and safer. IMNHO.

 

[paul]

I agree with you there, we always do if not going beyond Geology Pot. But I suppose if you don't have any ladders, they are not exactly cheap to purchase just for this one pitch. I have seen a party rig Garlands with a ladder made entirely of a very long length of rope including the rungs, which were not evenly spaced.

 

[Fulk]

At the risk of starting a ladders vs SRT debate, why would anyone NOT put a ladder on a 20 foot pitch, such as SAY Garland's Pot in Giants. It's just too much faffing about with ascenders etc. Talking of Garland's, if it's wet, a ladder and a strong lifeline will get people out quicker and safer. IMNHO.

Well, I've done a lot of laddering and a lot of SRT, and I would always use SRT on a 20 ft pitch such as Garlands (or, say, for example, Valley Entrance / Kingsdale Master Cave); in my opinion it's too much faff with ladders and lielines – but each to his own.

 

[BikinGlynn]

It was described by someone as 'the ladder to hell' as the bottom of it couldn't be seen from the bridge. Good fun though.

It does look like that lol

 

[tomferry]

Those were the days - waiting one's turn to ascend Juniper Pot big pitch. They were long trips.

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Absolutely brilliant love the old photos

 

[TLH]

Love the last picture!