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Highest Dome Climbs

PostPosted: Nov 27, 2013 3:09 pm
by Extremeophile
Does anyone have a list of highest dome climbs? I'd be especially interested in climbs over 300'. The few I'm aware of include:
Flying Dutchman - 303
Batman Dome - 307
Topless Dome - 396
Kansas Twister - 410

After talking to a reputable source I don't believe there have been any climbs over 300' in Mexico, so these may be the highest dome climbs in the western hemisphere, but I have virtually no knowledge of significant climbs in Europe or Asia.

Re: Highest Dome Climbs

PostPosted: Nov 27, 2013 5:03 pm
by Phil Winkler
You might contact the AGH of Holloch. During the 1977-78 expedition Chuck Pease and I were on the team that discovered Niagara Fall Hall. It was later climbed by members of the Swiss Alpine Club due to its height. I think we put a 30m climbing pole up and the top was still a long distance away. AGH=Arbeits Gemeinschaft Holloch or something like that.

The Austrians have done a lot of high climbs, too.

Re: Highest Dome Climbs

PostPosted: Nov 27, 2013 9:45 pm
by nathanroser
Based on the info I can find it sounds like the 464 foot Titan shaft in Britain was climbed from the bottom up initially.

Re: Highest Dome Climbs

PostPosted: Nov 28, 2013 7:20 am
by paul
muddyface wrote:Based on the info I can find it sounds like the 464 foot Titan shaft in Britain was climbed from the bottom up initially.


That's correct. Titan was initally climbed from the bottom up.

There's a Wikipedia page about it if you want more info: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Titan_(cave)

Re: Highest Dome Climbs

PostPosted: Nov 29, 2013 3:31 am
by cavedoc
Not sure of the details but the recent Mulu expedition claims to have done a 100 meter climb in Gunung Benarat. Not a record but in the same ballpark as some of your other climbs mentioned.

http://www.mulucaves.org/wordpress/news ... expedition

Re: Highest Dome Climbs

PostPosted: Nov 29, 2013 4:30 pm
by Extremeophile
I'm curious what the record is. Titan is the tallest yet mentioned at 464'. Someone mentioned that Lamprechtsofen in Austria was explored to a depth of over 1,000 meters from the bottom prior to other upper entrances being tied into the system. I saw a profile map on the web that shows a steady series of smaller shafts, but perhaps there are some 100+ meter climbs that have been done there. Europe seems to be the most likely place for a record climb.

Re: Highest Dome Climbs

PostPosted: Nov 29, 2013 10:26 pm
by Duncan Collis
The highest I know of is "Dark Star" in Hirlatzhöhle (Austria) by 'Madphil' Rowsell, Richard Hudson, Tom Clayton and others.

Survey (and story in German): http://www.land-oberoesterreich.gv.at/files/naturschutz_db/zeitschrift%202011-72dpi-maximal.pdf

The highest point reached (in 2011) was 346m / 1135' above the base of the climb, where the way on was blocked by boulders.

Re: Highest Dome Climbs

PostPosted: Nov 30, 2013 9:46 am
by Extremeophile
Duncan Collis wrote:The highest I know of is "Dark Star" in Hirlatzhöhle (Austria) by 'Madphil' Rowsell, Richard Hudson, Tom Clayton and others.

Survey (and story in German): http://www.land-oberoesterreich.gv.at/files/naturschutz_db/zeitschrift%202011-72dpi-maximal.pdf

The highest point reached (in 2011) was 346m / 1135' above the base of the climb, where the way on was blocked by boulders.

That's incredible, and seems to be the record by a good margin.

I found a similar thread in the UK caving forum http://ukcaving.com/board/index.php?topic=5585.0

So a dome climb of >150m in the US would be significant, but nowhere near a record. It figures our geography isn't likely to enable such a record.

Re: Highest Dome Climbs

PostPosted: Apr 14, 2014 12:29 pm
by Tim White
Pete Johnson and Derek Bristol have finished climbing Perseverance Dome in Germany Valley, WV at 535 feet!
:kewl:

Re: Highest Dome Climbs

PostPosted: Apr 14, 2014 2:41 pm
by Carl Amundson
Tim White wrote:Pete Johnson and Derek Bristol have finished climbing Perseverance Dome in Germany Valley, WV at 535 feet!
:kewl:

Congratulations to Derek and Pete for an amazing bolt climb!!
Germany Valley is the land of big domes!

Re: Highest Dome Climbs

PostPosted: Apr 14, 2014 2:55 pm
by tncaver
Tim White wrote:Pete Johnson and Derek Bristol have finished climbing Perseverance Dome in Germany Valley, WV at 535 feet!
:kewl:


Now, if only they could find an upper entrance to that dome....

Re: Highest Dome Climbs

PostPosted: Apr 14, 2014 2:58 pm
by Extremeophile
I believe these are the top 5 dome climbs in the US.

Perseverance Dome (531') - Hellhole Cave, WV - 2014 - Derek Bristol, Pete Johnson, Aaron Moses
Kansas Twister (410') - Lechuguilla Cave, NM - 2012 - Derek Bristol, James Hunter
Topless Dome (396') - Tumbling Rock Cave, AL - 1979 - Don Davison, Cheryl Jones
Batman Dome (306') - Hellhole Cave, WV - 2006 - Bill Stone, Vickie Siegel, Yvonne Droms
Flying Dutchman (303') - Memorial Day Cave, WV - 2010 - Aaron Moses, Pete Johnson, Pete Penczer

Re: Highest Dome Climbs

PostPosted: Apr 14, 2014 3:14 pm
by Scott McCrea
What's at the top of Perseverance?

Re: Highest Dome Climbs

PostPosted: Apr 14, 2014 4:23 pm
by Extremeophile
Scott McCrea wrote:What's at the top of Perseverance?

There's no telling :wink:

Re: Highest Dome Climbs

PostPosted: Apr 14, 2014 8:46 pm
by Chads93GT
Kudos Derek. I had no idea of the potential in West Virginia. Here all this time I thought all they had there was a really cool bridge.