Cavers: Christine Wilson, Keith Mason, Colum Walsh, Howard Whittaker, Lee Langdon and Phil Baker.
A loose affiliation of cavers from Derbyshire, from both the YSS and Masson caving group, went out to the Vercors on 29th September 2007 with the main aim being to bottom the Silence (-542m). The cave had proved elusive on previous trips due to the weather with either heavy rain or snow on higher ground. The cave seemed ideal for a small group, with little horizontal development to lug tackle through, and requiring the maximum amount of rope we could carry on budget airlines (about 120m of 9mm and 24 krabs and hangers each). In the event we needed every bit of this kit.
We arrived at the gite early evening with the intention of getting the tackle packed next morning and dropping the cave and derigging in one push starting in the afternoon. In the event, and in time honoured fashion, drinking to excess by way of celebrating our arrival didn’t make for an early start, and we began walking up to the entrance about 1pm. We had 9 tackle bags, hardware, bolt kit and personal gear between six, so the two hour walk in was not pleasant despite the Vercor scenery, and the light covering of snow (from a few days earlier) made for slower progress nearer the plateau. However the weather and forecast were stunning and spirits were high. Finding the Blizzard was easy using the instructions from Des Marshals supplement but then things were less clear, - the trick (and sentence missing from Des’s booklet!) is once you climb the outcrop after the Blizzard look down left for the cairns….Consequently another two hours were spent searching for the Silence entrance…(and Chris reacquainted herself with which way north and south were….).
Eventually we were set to start the big trip at 5.30pm, and Phil set off on the first two pitches. These proved tricky, altho’ the notorious pendulum on pitch 2 to the traverse line has been tamed by a short pendulum to a higher traverse to a y hang which drops to the former traverse line. This was still technical and a fixed rope to the drafting window from the floor of the entrance chamber indicates that some parties have missed the whole of this section out by dropping to the base and then climbing back up to the window. Probably easier but not as much fun….
Keith caught Phil up in the tightish window (cold) and after contortions passed me to continue rigging the second bag. After finding more technical rigging with a difficult to reach Y hang after 30m, it was clear that we were in no fit state to carry on in one push, and we made a swift decision to abort, leaving all tackle in place, whilst we had time to walk out and still get some decent sleep. However this left us in a good position to continue next day, with all tackle, kit and the first two bags rigged, and a continuing good forecast.
We walked in on Monday 1st October in two groups – Phil, Keith and Lee as front rigging group, with the rest of the team following two hours later to take over proceedings. We started down the first pitch at 1.30pm, and Lee finished off the final pitch of the second bag. The shafts were relatively small and friendly, and dry. The last drop of these pitches (P29) involved Lee in an impressive launch across to the far side of the shaft to a fixed sling and spit allowing a free hang to the base of the shafts. Further short pitches led to a meander to the head of a loose P26. The exit from the meander was dangerously close to the pitch head, and on the return we noticed a new spit to protect this indicating a degree of rebolting, evident throughout the cave.
I began rigging the next series (P20, P12,P20), which became wetter as I descended – the air temperature lowered too and it remained pretty cold to to bottom from here. A pendulum to a subsidiary shaft left the water and Keith rigged a friendly P7and P22 to the ‘sinuous meander’. This had an active inlet in the base which was traversed at a high level. The dimensions were comfortable, but the short pitches at the end were awkward to rig – similar to many Yorkshire caves. At the end of the second short pitch a chamber had two exits – the continuation of the inlet (now dry) and a short crawl right, into a dry and spacious chamber where the rest of the team caught us up. This caused a food stop, and the usual merry banter….
The following section of short and tighter pitches was completely dry and fossil, but ended in a small wet inlet which finished in P11 entering the big shafts of P95. The inlet had amazing decoration on the walls, but was cold and draughty – not a good place to wait whilst Howard got going on the big stuff. In addition it was apparent that the P95 was wet – very close to a water course at the top and directly in the water (in the form of significant spray) for the final 55m drop. A great series of pitches however and good effort by Howard. By the time we had all dropped the shaft everyone was cold and wearing all the clothing we had. I think we were all surprised how wet the cave was – the name suggested to us that it would be largely dry.
The short pitch that followed led to an active section, which disappeared down a pitch. Traversing over this led to a fine dry P8 and P13, to an impasse. The guide suggested a high level passage but the obvious way on was down. In reality this led to a sump, and after much head scratching and solo probing by Keith, it became apparent that a bold unprotected traverse to a bad step would lead to single spit on the left, in a passage that couldn’t be seen from the base of the P13. Colum was the man of the moment teetering at the end of the traverse before the step, talking about ‘do or die’ to which we encouraged the former. After gaining the spit he set up a traverse line. Lee Col and Keith set off to carry on rigging whilst we added a new bolt at the end of the traverse for the return journey. It was a mystery as to why this traverse wasn’t better bolted as only two more spits would make it completely safe.
The description talked about pretty passage from now on and it was impressively coated with calcite in the meander and passage that followed. Several short pitches led to a crawl and warmer sand covered spot, a good place to rest. It was now 1am – we had said we would turn back at midnight, but the bottom was too close to consider this option seriously. A scrappy P15 led Col to a superb ledge overlooking the final P32, completely coated in flowstone and white calcite. Lee dropped this, a textbook example of natural deviations linking the way, to the final master stream way. An excited dash to the sump and the bottom was reached at 2am.
Although we had a plan of sorts for the way out, this fell apart as Lee, Phil, then Keith and Chris waited in the sandy area for a long time as the derigging started. It as clear that it was too cold to wait for each other all the way out, and Lee offered to take the bottom bag to the surface. At the top of the big pitch, Phil took the next bag and started up the cave with Lee. Despite waiting at dry points the cold was all pervading – everyone commented afterwards that they were all working close to the limit and people got separated. Nevertheless the last caver emerged at 11.30am on Tuesday 2nd October – 22 hours after setting off. Due to the separation of teams and a combination of cold, short spanners (!) and a communication misunderstanding one bag of rope was left in place. In retrospect we needed a hot spot (group shelter, stove) at a suitable point (base of P7after the first wet section is ideal) to re group/swap bags and decide strategy. Nevertheless the team was pleased and after a long approach and pre-rig on Sunday and a 22 hour trip we were pretty tired too! A magnificent trip, which we thought was harder than Silence Neuf, Vicens, PSM and on a par with the Berger in terms of endurance required.
Phil Baker
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