After the last trip into the High Level we wanted this time to
replace some ropes and put in new anchors in a few places as well as having a
look at the large stope Karli had got into briefly. This was going to be a hard
trip due to amount of rigging gear we had - ropes, bolts, anchor plates and the
Hilti drill.
Our first target was the rise up into the horse level on
the Guddhamgill Burn Cross Vein. Here we all climbed up and then re-anchored
the existing fish belly rail and added a backup around a large rock. The rope
was replaced as well, which we think would have been around 20 years old. Once
finished, we started the trek to Jug Vein via the connoisseur's route. At the
junction to the start of the crosscut I took a note of the time and it took us
25 minutes to do it. Is that a good time or are we getting soft? We did the
abseil at the end down the sump to the second pitch. A traverse line was put in
leading to the pitch head along with three anchors. This would allow a nice
clean pull through or a permanent rope installed with no rub points, coupled
with easy take off points for the abseil.
When we all got down into the
sublevel below the second pitch we made our way north and dropped down into the
main horse level. The water level this time had dropped and the clogs by the
sump were looking a lot drier than last time. Our next goal was to get back
into the stope that Karli had looked into on the previous trip and give it a
good explore. Passing by the clogs we entered the wet stretch of the horse
level and soon we arrived at the chamber and rise up in to the stope.
The rise into the stope does not seem to be marked on any plans we have
seen and we can only guess where it would be. A quick survey next time would
pin point it. Getting up the rise can be a bit tricky as it is lined with a
sticky clayey mud, but once you get past this the going gets easier. A 4m climb
after the muddy section took us into a sublevel. Here there were two ways to
go: a partially backfilled passage that you could get into, but after 10m or so
ended in a fall and the other way took us to an open chamber with a large wall
of deads on top of the passage that we came out of. The wall of deads had a
ledge that we climbed up and this gave entry into another sublevel. At the
sublevel, again two ways presented themselves. A short distance to the left
lead to a narrow-ish shaft in the floor, at the bottom some rails could be
seen. Right brought us out in a chamber with a number of ways on. Being well
past lunch time this looked a like a good place to take a break and get some
food. Lunch pic.
In the chamber we spotted a broken earthenware bottle,
which was a nice find. There were three ways on: a sump dropping down into what
looked like a large chamber, a passage over the sump, and a 1m climb over back
fill. We tried the back fill first and this brought us to a ledge that you
skirted round. At the ledge there was a low passage, which we ignored favouring
the 3m drop to what looked like another sublevel. Once down, one way went to a
stope and forehead. Where we had dropped from the ledge Karli noticed a little
rat hole, in he went followed by shouts to come in. We slithered in and entered
what turned out to be a back filled bait room! In one corner was a short wooden
plank placed on two deads - the old mans seat. On the wall next to that there
was a clay ball for a candle with corresponding soot marks above it. Next to
the seat was a pair of clogs, but not any old clogs - one of the most intact we
have ever seen. On the wall opposite the seat we also noticed another clay ball
and candle stub. This was a bit of a special place. Getting out of the bait
room was a bit more tricky then getting in with no gravity assistance,
obeserving me getting out Karli voiced that it was like watching a difficult
birth, yeah. Once out we took the sublevel and headed along a closely packed
passage made from deads. After a short while we came to a right angled bend
with a hopper / shaft in it. The shaft had rails which I recognised from the
shaft seen at the top of the wall of deads we had climbed up. Passing over the
shaft the passage went on a bit and we reached a stope that was partially
understoped, this was as far as this part went. Retracing our route Karli and
Pete climbed up some deads that looked to go up to another sublevel. I passed
on this and headed back to the ledge area only to meet up with them via the low
passage that we had ignored before.
The next item looked at was the
sump in the floor. It was some 10m deep; we had used our anchors and bolts so a
quick bolt and drill was out of the question. However it looked like Pete had
found the crack with the sump after he crossed it and took the third way on
from the chamber. He came into a large stope with a ledge and what looked like
some understoping going under him. Surely enough we could hear his voice from
the sump. Question answered. Returning to the wall of deads slope we made our
way down back into the horse level. From here we wondered on whether it would
be quicker to go back out via the High Level, and we almost took that route.
However I pointed out that Pete had never had the pleasure of doing the round
trip properly along with seeing the nice iffy tight crawls and under hanging
arching. No brainer, the round trip won 2 to 1. |
