Cave Capers Report!

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Re: Cave Capers Report!

Postby paul » Aug 18, 2011 6:37 am

Here's a ladder on a pitch (Eldon Hole, Derbyshire, UK) I bet you wouldn't prefer to free climb... :big grin:

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Re: Cave Capers Report!

Postby DeanWiseman » Aug 18, 2011 7:34 am

:yeah that:

I saw that photo YEARS ago from a caving book I checked out of a library in, like, 1981... Thanks for the memories!

-Dean
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Re: Cave Capers Report!

Postby self-deleted_user » Aug 18, 2011 11:09 am

paul wrote:Here's a ladder on a pitch (Eldon Hole, Derbyshire, UK) I bet you wouldn't prefer to free climb... :big grin:

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Holyshit...no belay even? damnnnnnnnn

No I just wouldn't do that at all - where is the rope!??! That looks like a rope one. Zip! done!
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Re: Cave Capers Report!

Postby wyandottecaver » Aug 18, 2011 7:30 pm

Amy,

I have 1 guidebook that is essentially unused, meaning in almost new condition. the collectible. I have 1 that is in OK shape as a short-term "loaner", and I have 1 that is falling apart from use and having muddy cave water drip on it :big grin:

Of course much of the cave data has gone electronic now.
I'm not scared of the dark, it's the things IN the dark that make me nervous. :)
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Re: Cave Capers Report!

Postby Cody JW » Aug 18, 2011 9:11 pm

Amy, The last time I looked The NSS bookstore still had the 92 NSS convention guidebook for 10 bucks. Nice price for a nice guidebook especially if you live in an area where you may find yourself caving in Indiana. Unlike Wyandotte, I only have one. The one I got at the convention. The 07 NSS convention guidebook also in Indiana is nice, not sure what the bookstore wants for it.
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Re: Cave Capers Report!

Postby paul » Aug 19, 2011 6:24 am

Sungura wrote:
paul wrote:Here's a ladder on a pitch (Eldon Hole, Derbyshire, UK) I bet you wouldn't prefer to free climb... :big grin:
Holyshit...no belay even? damnnnnnnnn

No I just wouldn't do that at all - where is the rope!??! That looks like a rope one. Zip! done!


There is a lifeline (or rope) - it's in line with the left side of the ladder near the top and looks like the left-hand side-cable (notice how the right-hand cable seems to be more difficult to see). It just doesn't stand out in the photo.

There's no such thing as a 'rope one' - you should ALWAYS have a lifline on any electron ladder of ANY lengh. They can and do break occasionaly (I know of at least three instances) or you may fall off, etc. (again I know of several example, including myself! but I was lifelined).

Height doesn't matter, at the sort fo height shown in the photo (200+ feet) if you fell off, you wouldn't know anything about it afterwards. But if you fell off a few feet and injured, say an ankle, and had to be stretchered out, you would know a LOT about it. :grin:

Of course nowadays that cave is done using SRT, but there was a time before SRT...

And Yes, Dean - it's probably from the same book!
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Re: Cave Capers Report!

Postby LukeM » Aug 19, 2011 1:39 pm

Amy, you should read Vertical Bill. It's about Bill Cuddington and the development of SRT, and includes a few scary pre/early srt stories. Definitely a must read for any vertical caver.
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Re: Cave Capers Report!

Postby wyandottecaver » Aug 19, 2011 4:00 pm

I second the vertical bill recommendation.
I'm not scared of the dark, it's the things IN the dark that make me nervous. :)
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Re: Cave Capers Report!

Postby Extremeophile » Aug 19, 2011 10:26 pm

Cody JW wrote:Amy, The last time I looked The NSS bookstore still had the 92 NSS convention guidebook for 10 bucks. Nice price for a nice guidebook especially if you live in an area where you may find yourself caving in Indiana. Unlike Wyandotte, I only have one. The one I got at the convention. The 07 NSS convention guidebook also in Indiana is nice, not sure what the bookstore wants for it.

The NSS Bookstore is selling most convention guides for half off, so the '92 guide is only $5. You can't afford not to get one.
http://nssbookstore.org/index.php?mode=store&submode=showitem&itemnumber=04-0042
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Re: Cave Capers Report!

Postby self-deleted_user » Aug 19, 2011 11:23 pm

LukeM wrote:Amy, you should read Vertical Bill. It's about Bill Cuddington and the development of SRT, and includes a few scary pre/early srt stories. Definitely a must read for any vertical caver.

They had a presentation at capers first half was early srt days....uhmmm dang. I think my favourite was PLUNGERS...yes PLUNGERS used as rigging points just suctioned to the rock. I mean...wat? LOL. All the stuff shown...I'm honestly surprised any of those people lived...
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Re: Cave Capers Report!

Postby DeanWiseman » Aug 20, 2011 8:24 am

Sungura wrote:They had a presentation at capers first half was early srt days....uhmmm dang. I think my favourite was PLUNGERS...yes PLUNGERS used as rigging points just suctioned to the rock. I mean...wat? LOL. All the stuff shown...I'm honestly surprised any of those people lived...



My personal favorite of the early SRT days was the wooden spindle descender. I've seen movies of it in use practically catching fire from the friction. :yikes:
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Re: Cave Capers Report!

Postby self-deleted_user » Aug 20, 2011 11:39 am

Ok so what other guidebooks are good or something? a $15 min order is needed...and really i don't have $15...I was just gonna get this one 'cause you all said it was so great but it'll be like $20 after shipping just for a $5 item and...nothing else I see I want (well, it would be nice to have a copy of On Rope, but I DEFINITELY don't have $35 or $40 whatever it is) so yeah...hm. *sigh* ideas?
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Re: Cave Capers Report!

Postby Lava » Sep 20, 2011 1:22 pm

Sorry to chime in late, but... I'm of the opinion that it's actually quite safe to free climb the the drop in Buddha. The key is to pass over the crack and drop down into the funnel on the far side of it, then do the crawl in the stream out to the edge of the waterfall. This bypasses the first moves down to the waterfall and reduces the climb to a single move where you step down from the waterfall. It's a reach, but no biggie if you've got somebody already down who can spot you.
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Re: Cave Capers Report!

Postby Cody JW » Sep 20, 2011 2:20 pm

Lava wrote:Sorry to chime in late, but... I'm of the opinion that it's actually quite safe to free climb the the drop in Buddha. The key is to pass over the crack and drop down into the funnel on the far side of it, then do the crawl in the stream out to the edge of the waterfall. This bypasses the first moves down to the waterfall and reduces the climb to a single move where you step down from the waterfall. It's a reach, but no biggie if you've got somebody already down who can spot you.
As I noted earlier in this link that as patron of the cave it is my responsibility to inform cavers of the wishes of The IKC Board. I am not saying it is not possible to free climb the drop, I have and I am a modest (at best) free climber. The IKC has two reasons to put in their management plan to ask people not to free climb. One is to limit impact of the formations in the cave and the second is that they feel it is safer to rappel and ascender climb or cable ladder with belay the drop, personally I suscribe to the rappel and frog climb. I have done the cable ladder thing a few times and I feel for me it is easier and safer to rappel and frog out. We do not want to risk the possible impact of a full scale rescue in the event of a fall. IKC took ownership of the cave to preserve the beauty of the cave and still allow access to responsible cavers. I know most cavers worth their salt can free climb it , the reality is the owners of the cave do not want that to happen.
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