Rhino Rift Info. Request

[Hammy]

Heading down to Mendip tomorrow for a days caving and would appreciate a little 'inside information'.

Rhino Rift is on the menu and we have 'Top of the Pots' guidebook and general rigging guide.

Is it gated? Would we be comitting a serious crime by entering without express permission? (We are both members of caving clubs and organisations.)

Is it flood prone/water dependent?

I have read the comments about loose P bolts.

Any info gratefully received.

 

[cap n chris]

Yes, it is gated and padlocked; you will need to get the key (plus permit if you're a non-CCC Ltd. club member) from any of the clubs listed in MU.

The "loose" p-bolts aren't loose; they have very minor rotational movement which is within acceptable levels. The left hand route is all on p-bolts while the right hand route requires SD anchors spannered into in situ spits (which aren't easy to find BTW). Suggest you do the left hand route as it's easier!

The first pitch rebelay about 10m down is a single bolt which can be backed up with a good natural thread alongside, everything else on the three main pitches has multiple p-bolts.

The cave is not flood prone/water dependent but there is MASSES of loose rock which can easily be dislodged onto people below and there's nowhere to hide (this is particularly noticeable on the third pitch).

 

[Les W]

The first pitch rebelay about 10m down is a single bolt which can be backed up with a good natural thread alongside,

But doesn't need backing up as it is already backed up by the "Y" hang above and is far enough below the "Y" hang that in the very unlikely event of  a failure of the single anchor there is sufficient stretch available in the 10m of rope to absorb any shock load without injuring the person on the rope.

A single anchor is perfectly acceptable rigging for a rebelay if it is more than 5m below any previous anchors. We have had this discussion before somewhere.  :read:

 

[cap n chris]

The first pitch rebelay about 10m down is a single bolt which can be backed up with a good natural thread alongside,

But doesn't need backing up as it is already backed up by the "Y" hang above and is far enough below the "Y" hang that in the very unlikely event of  a failure of the single anchor there is sufficient stretch available in the 10m of rope to absorb any shock load without injuring the person on the rope.

A single anchor is perfectly acceptable rigging for a rebelay if it is more than 5m below any previous anchors. We have had this discussion before somewhere.  :read:

I know - and I've never backed it up since it's sufficiently far down for it to be OK as a single bolt rebelay; however, I was erring on the side of caution since the original enquirer might get to the rebelay and think "hey ho, only one bolt; that's not right" etc. and so I was pre-empting such thoughts by pointing out the option of rigging a second belay from the natural thread.





Andy C nervously biting lip on the nylon highway that is the 1st pitch in Rhino Rift. The rope appears to be a traverse rather than a rebelay loop because I'm hanging on it and pulling it tight for the benefit of the picture.

 

[Les W]

Sorry Chris.

I thought you were going to resurrect the argument for double anchors at rebelays.  :-[

Please accept my apologies

Les

 

[cap n chris]

:hug:

 

[Hammy]

Yes, it is gated and padlocked; you will need to get the key (plus permit if you're a non-CCC Ltd. club member) from any of the clubs listed in MU.

Better pop the angle grinder in then.....

 

[cap n chris]

But we'll know it was you! 

 

[Cookie]

Yes, it is gated and padlocked; you will need to get the key (plus permit if you're a non-CCC Ltd. club member) from any of the clubs listed in MU.

Actually you need a permit even if you are a CCC Ltd club member. However you have the option of the convenience of an annual permit instead of the 14 day permit.  :read:

Watch out for the Karst Police 

 

[cap n chris]

Watch out for the Karst Police 

Who know you're going to be there today! ... and who happen to be visiting Mendip today as well.  :doubt:

 

[whitelackington]

By the way, both routes start from a stall boss, some seven metres back from the pitch head, the much more spectacular route starts off with large metal plates in the ceeling but as Chris has said, needs some looking for the spits.
Also, I might add, you have to be a bit of a swinger.


When u think u have reached the bottom of the cave, ie. after three biggish pitches, u haven't, there is more to come but it is tight and probably is not bolted,
so should u choose to accept this assignment, u will need more rope and slings,
I would be happy if more recent srters to this depth could update us, have the bottom pitches been bolted, is the bottom dig still ongoing, has it yet entered Timber Hole?
Sorry, getting carried away again.

 

[cap n chris]

both routes start from a stall boss

Ah, yes, Wednesday is market day. 

 

[whitelackington]

Just thought, 
wtf are they going to be able to get key/permits from mid-week? :doubt:

 

[cap n chris]

They've already got them, I suspect; otherwise they would have posted that they needed them and contributors could have directed them; BTW they could easily* get them today if needed since I know there are people around with the key and spare permits.

* Relatively easily; it would require about a 5 mile drive.

 

[Hammy]

So what on earth is this permit system all about if some unknown numpty such as myself could potentially get hold of them via an anonymous internet forum!!

In the event it wasn't too difficult to get our sweaty hands on the key.

Our trip went swimmingly though the placement and condition of the P bolts gave us some cause for concern!!

We bottled at the head of the tight looking fourth pitch - and the third pitch had an horrendous boulder ruckle at the pitch head!

 

[cap n chris]

though the placement and condition of the P bolts gave us some cause for concern!!

It could be useful to have more details/feedback from you about this.

 

[whitelackington]

We, fairly recently, (this year) did a Rhino Rift exchange trip, some down
"P" bolt route, some down SPIT route, then changed routes on way up.
All spits seemed fine (except perhaps for one)
all "P" bolts were fine.
But there is a lot of loose crap @ the head of the third pitch. :doubt: