Danger - Rhinos Rift

  • Thread starter Thread starter cucc Paul
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cucc Paul

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Just had a scarry moment down rhinos when a rather large lump of resin fell out the P hanger I was anchored to and dropped off in my hand. the resin lump was about 2cm square, I checked the anchor and there is no/very little movement (nothing to write home about) but all is not right with it. The anchor in question is the farside y hang anchor for pitch 1, There is also a crack in the resin in one of the other anchors... The other bad news is that the padlock desintigrated and wasnt locked propperly when we arrived. We have done our best to make it appear locked but the lock needs attention ASAP.

PS could some one let the appropriate people/group know about the above as we/me are not too sure who to notify, thanks  :).
PPS There are lots of bats down there at the moment and most are roosting (is that the word) in the entrance passage making navigation a bit tricky.
 
Goodness me!! Dodgy bolts in Rhino Rift!!  :o Who would have thought it....  ;)

http://ukcaving.com/board/index.php/topic,3221.0.html
 
Yeh; being involved in HELPING with caving is such a pain it's enough to make you want to either a) get involved if you aren't already or b) resign if you already are. I think plan B will be the one for me. Bollocks to it all.
 
I can see where you are coming from Cap'n C. Please don't go though. I trust you if you say that the bolts are fine as far as available tests can tell. Mind you, I don't ever intend to go down Rhino again!!
 
The bolts are beig tested now, even as I type this. I can confirm that the lovely Cap'n isn't the only person peed off today.
 
Peter Burgess said:
Are there any good natural belays to hang my ladders from?

[Ducks out of the way VERY quickly.]
Click to expand...

Speaking as someone who has done RR on ladder, I can confirm that there are no natural belays.
 
I have just had a report from CSCC's bolting co-ordinator:

The reported bolt is dangerous

DO NOT USE
 
graham said:
Peter Burgess said:
Are there any good natural belays to hang my ladders from?

[Ducks out of the way VERY quickly.]
Click to expand...

Speaking as someone who has done RR on ladder, I can confirm that there are no natural belays.
Click to expand...

www.atkinsonsteeplejack.com/chimneys.html
 
I'm going to risk being seriously flamed here.
Rhino Rift Hanger Tests

Following a number of comments posted on various caving forums in recent weeks, the CSCC Bolting Coordinator paid a visit to Rhino Rift on Monday January 15th 2007.

ALL of the P hangers on Pitches 1, 2 & 3 were carefully inspected and then tested with a Hydrajaws pull tester.

ALL of P hangers held a sustained 6kN pull for 2 minutes.

A small number of hangers did exhibit 1 or 2 mm of twist movement.

No hangers exhibited any obvious signs of outward movement which is not
acceptable.

Given these findings the CSCC will not be conducting any remedial bolting in Rhino Rift.

Hon. Secretary
Council of Southern Caving Clubs
Click to expand...

The hanger is now in a dangerous condition only two months after inspection.
The next scheduled inspection 17/11/2010.
What are the factors involved in this rapid degradation.
Is it possible that the sustained 6KN pull used in testing may have propagated any weakness.

Food for thought :-\
 
Perhaps all the bolts in this cave and elsewhere should be tagged as unusable and people should get used to doing traditional caving trips instead. After all, SRT is a mug's game, innit?
 
cap 'n chris said:
Perhaps all the bolts in this cave and elsewhere should be tagged as unusable and people should get used to doing traditional caving trips instead. After all, SRT is a mug's game, innit?
Click to expand...

beltn269.jpg


:-\
 
Graham, have you done a count of the amount of email traffic, and the number of person hours this topic has involved? I imagine people might be surprised. At the last count I've got 34 emails on it.

However, I am allowing actual caving to get in the way of surface caving stuff at the moment.
 
I think some folk owe you a lot of beers, Chris. Shame you don't drink. I would demand the money instead, and go and buy a load of Jammy Dodgers.
 
Actually I think Andrew Atkinson is owed an entire brewery so far. Me, I'll just settle for jammy dodgers `cos I luvs em, I doos.

images
 
I am up to 22 emails and five or six telephone calls and I have not yet personally gone near the cave - yet.

However, the point behind this posting is to say that the lock on Rhino is being changed and the cave closed to normal traffic while the situation is evaluated. This decision has been made on advice from technical, legal and insurance personnel.

This process will be carried out as rapidly as manpower and other resources allow.
 
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