Highest Dome Climbs

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Re: Highest Dome Climbs

Postby PeterFJohnson » Apr 15, 2014 2:43 pm

Extremeophile wrote: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



It is worth noting that the climb started approx. 50' up the dome as that is where approaching passage intersected the dome. So approx. 480' of climbing. Derek has exact numbers. So feel free to update whatever lists this affects. And of course we will see how long Germany Valley lets that number stand as well. My bet is before long it will have other entries on that list. I feel pretty lucky to have been involved in this one(and the Dutchman).
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Re: Highest Dome Climbs

Postby Caving Guru » Feb 1, 2015 4:32 am

Add to the list above Philosopher's Dome climbed to 387 feet in Hellhole, WV
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Re: Highest Dome Climbs

Postby batrotter » Feb 1, 2015 8:46 am

Vanity Dome!
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Re: Highest Dome Climbs

Postby caver.adam » Feb 2, 2015 10:59 am

After reading this I'm curious how to get a good cave friendly climbing pole.
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Re: Highest Dome Climbs

Postby Phil Winkler » Feb 2, 2015 3:26 pm

Adam, we had climbing poles in Holloch about 30m in length after joining the 2 m sections with bolted flanges. They were made of aluminum about 4" in dia. and made a wonderful sound dragging them up cliffs and thru passages. We would hang a cable ladder on the end and used ropes on either side to stabilize it. I have a picture of it being used in Niagara Fall Hall following its discovery in 1978. The pic might be in the Old Caver Photos section on FB.
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Re: Highest Dome Climbs

Postby Leclused » Feb 3, 2015 5:09 am

Some news from Europe :-)

Last summer during the Anialarra expedition a team of 3 climbers completed the climb in the most upstream area’s of the Anialarra system. The climb is 112m and ther they found the proposed new chamber, the new chamber is estimated to be 70x30x40 meters but due to no-time the survey is not yet made. That will be for this summer.

The complete climb was spread over several years.

A photo of during the climb : http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-dcuCuG6WE1o/U ... 031907.JPG

Further more there are a lot of climbs going-on in the Salle Verna (Pierre Saint Martin) for the moment.

A video of one of the lower climbs in Salle Verna.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4szLMmVQodU
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Re: Highest Dome Climbs

Postby Cheryl Jones » Feb 8, 2015 1:23 am

Extremeophile wrote: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

Note that the bolt anchors (1/4" Phillips self-driving) for our Topless Dome route (555') were driven by hand, with a heavy hammer.

It'd be interesting to know the heights of walls climbed underground without the use of power drills! Our next highest: a 160' or 180' in Montague Cave, Ala., and a 135' in Johnson Crook Cave, Ala. -- both completed prior to Topless.
Image

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Re: Highest Dome Climbs

Postby Stan Allison » Feb 8, 2015 12:59 pm

The Kansas Twister (410 feet) was climbed without the use of a power drill but since it is a dome in a hypogenic cave it is very different than the rest of the domes on this list which I assume are epigenic.
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Re: Highest Dome Climbs

Postby Cheryl Jones » Feb 8, 2015 10:47 pm

Stan Allison wrote:The Kansas Twister (410 feet) was climbed without the use of a power drill
:kewl:
Was it mostly a bolt route, or were there a lot of natural anchors and good cracks?

Stan Allison wrote:since it is a dome in a hypogenic cave it is very different than the rest of the domes on this list which I assume are epigenic.

Interesting. How would this affect the character and nature of a climb?

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Re: Highest Dome Climbs

Postby tagkycaver » Feb 12, 2015 12:36 pm

Jim Smith climbed some high ones in Montegue Cave, AL. Don't know the specifics but it was hundreds of feet, not sure if all one pitch or series.
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Re: Highest Dome Climbs

Postby Extremeophile » Feb 12, 2015 3:20 pm

Cheryl Jones wrote:
Stan Allison wrote:The Kansas Twister (410 feet) was climbed without the use of a power drill
:kewl:
Was it mostly a bolt route, or were there a lot of natural anchors and good cracks?

Stan Allison wrote:since it is a dome in a hypogenic cave it is very different than the rest of the domes on this list which I assume are epigenic.

Interesting. How would this affect the character and nature of a climb?

Cheryl

Kansas Twister required a wide range of tactics for different parts of the dome. Some of the tools and techniques that were used include: a slingshot, rope toss, removable bolts, wedge bolts, nuts, nut tool (for finding and creating placements), tricams, SLCDs, a piton, sky hooks, bat hooks, natural anchors, tension traverse, and free climbing. I believe we placed 12 x 3/8 inch bolts, 3-4 removable bolts, maybe 2 x 1/4 inch bolts, and about 8 bat hook holes during the original ascent. About 4 additional bolts have been placed since to reinforce anchors. We didn't use ice tools though... Stan isn't a fan of ice tools.

I assume your 555' number for Topless Dome is a measure of the actual climbing route, since the dome is 396' high? It was/is an incredible climb given the equipment available in 1979. It has been an inspiration to me.
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