Expedition Name (& Club): Imperial College Caving Club Migovec Expedition, Slovenia (ICCC)

Destination country: Slovenia
Region:

Lat: 46.1959 Long: 13.6198 Elevation: m
MEF funding: none

Leader: Jarvist Frost

Brief Expedition objectives:

List a short summary of the main Expedition objectives.

Further deep camping exploration of Vrtnarija / Gardener's World (see ICCC reports 01,03,04,05). Exploration of newly found Hawk Cave, Moth Cave, Razor Cave, and other small caves. Exploration of Smer0 extensions to Prima Donna, attempt connection to System Migovec. All explorations to be surveyed to BCRA 4B, drawn surveys produced, photographs taken, published report etc.

How can the GPF support your Expedition?:

Please explain the aspects of the trip which make it eligible for Ghar Parau funding.

After having had a 'year out' away from Tolminski Migovec in 2006, we are desperate to get back. Getting University funding for such exploratory work has been getting increasingly difficult over recent years, which combined with the increasing poverty of London students has made it ever more difficult to encourage 'fresh blood' into exploration. By funding Migovec 2007 you will directly be supporting inexperienced cavers on their first expedition (Ben, Dan, Thara, James Hugget, Paul). Over the last 13 years, ICCC has been exploring this one mountain in Slovenia, gaining a very thorough understanding of the interconnecting systems. Our expedition accounts take into account the student (or otherwise) status of the caver - i.e. your support will go to most help those least able to afford the expedition, and who would must be most likely to drop out through lack of funds.

Detailed description of objectives:

Give a more detailed account of the purpose of the trip, including any particular known caves you intend to visit, specific areas where you will explore for new cave, and scientific experiments you will attempt.

Deep work in Vrtnarija will require a 2-4 man camp at -600m in Friendship gallery, with pushing at -800m. A number of horizontal leads present, a possibly bypassable mud sump at current termination, and many bolt climbs possible in avens. Recent (Autumn 06) work in Prima Donna has increased the chance of a connection to System Migovec, which will 'move' SysMig from #3 to #2 longest cave in Slovenia. Connection of all three large caves (less than 100m at closest approach) will result in the longest. Due to degradation of the 'Spitz' rock anchors, and decay of our ropes (which have been left with knots in place in dry alcoves above the pitches), this is likely to be the last year in which we will manage exploration at the very bottom of Vrtnarija without a massive further investment of time and money.

There is a large walking passage at -800m which was left unexplored in 2004 due to lack of time. The sump (Colorado) consists of an aven which should be aid-climbed to find out whether it is merely a perched sump or is in fact the termination of the cave (this is a matter of considerable scientific interest, as the location of such sumps within the Migovec plateau serve as an indicator to the shape and slope of the impermeable shale layer upon which the limestone massif rests) Slightly further back from Colorado there is a large aven ('To Infinity and Beyond') which should be climbed to ascertain whether it breaks into a separate cave system. This part of the cave is nearly 2km horizontally from the entrance, underneath one of the mountain peaks ('Kuk') which form the 'crown' of the plateau. It is quite possible that a different cave descends from a lower-level plateau north of Kuk and drains into the Adriatic catchment. This is of obvious interest in terms of understanding the hydrology of the watershed. Again, in the very low level (~-800m), another such aven ('Strap on the Nitro, Aven') indicates a connection to another cave system. This aven is almost directly below the termination of 'Exhibition Road' in SysMig. Higher up in Vrtnarija, there are windows that have been noticed across from the top of pitchheads. These will require a bolt-traverse to reach, but again offer the possibility of connection into otherwise isolated sections of the cave. In particular, the top of 'Big Rock Candy Mountain' and 'Zimmer' (-500m) will require serious attention, as will the tunnel noticed above 'Laurel'. Our 2005 expedition concentrated on pushing a window leading off from 'Pico', which is believed to connect back into 'Space Odyssey'. A confirmation of this connection, exploration of the Space Odyssey aven and exploration of a perched mud sump ('Mud Slump') will also be targets. To explore these areas in a safe & efficient manner, an underground camp will be necessary. Our likely camping spot is 'Camp X-Ray', the location of the 2003 camp at -600m. The costs for non-personal caving gear this year are considerable. Aid-climbing equipment is necessary (lightweight battery operated drill, sufficiently large solar charging system, dynamic ropes, many disposable rock anchors), and the descent to -800m will require piecemeal replacements made to the rigging equipment. In Oct 2006, a lightweight JSPDT/ICCC exploration trip went to -300m in Prima Donna (a cave system on the western flank of the plateau) in order to explore the region 'Smer0' closest to System Mig. This area of the cave is extremely interesting, wherein the rock change from a dirty shattered limestone that typifies Prima Donna to the smooth soft pure-white limestone that was noticeable almost throughout SysMig. As well as discovering a higher-level passage that reconnected in the rift, an active stream was discovered that crossed the fossilised passage. This stream, flowing East-West is approximately one hundred metres from the 'XXX' pitch in SysMig, where a river enters as a waterfall. A connection is most eagerly anticipated. As ever, we will continue to explore the Migovec Plateau, identifying and carefully logging new entrances for future exploration.

Previous work in this area:

Give details of any previous work in this area by your own and other teams. Include references to reports and articles published on the area, and the names of any local cavers or academics with whom you have discussed the Expedition.

ICCC Expeditions 94, 95, 96, 97, 98, 99, 00, 01, 03, 04, 05