John Lovaas wrote:I'd been reading your trip reports on the "US Caver's Forum", and your depth measurement sounds like it might be an indication of total vertical extent, rather than depth- but then again, this raises the question of just how one states the "depth" of the pit.
One of your crew had written that you bolted up and over from the traditional rigging point into a canyon that was above the dome. If I read the post correctly, you went from the existing drop point up higher into the dome. Or did you find a separate passage that got you to the new, higher rig point?
A lot of domes have vertical extent that goes above the rig point- thus the term "domepit". Does rigging a pit higher than the previous rig point make it "deeper", or does one have to find a route separate from the current measured one to redefine the depth?
I'll let the TAG folks here sort this question out ;-)
I was also reading that you guys measured the pit by tying 7- 45 foot sections of string together- that was certainly novel! Are you unable to drop a tape with a plumb bob down the pit?
Signed- Curious Flatlander ;-)
The depth was measured from the bolts down to the pit floor.
The total vertical extent of the pit however is a far greater number than I care to announce at this point.
A cave's depth is always measured from the highest point to the lowest point. Why shouldn't a pit's depth be measured in the same way?
We actually did not bolt up, we bolted straight across to the other side. From there we found our way to the high rig-point.
We just wanted a quick measurement so that the depth could be announced asap as we have been hounded and threatened to release this info. We will be using a disto to get the official measurement.