Application for Grant Aid
Submitted on: 31 Jan 2010Expedition details (GPF2010a-008)
Region: Picos de Europa
MEF funding: none
Cavers ≤25 yrs old: 0Cavers 25-35 yrs old: 0
Eligible for grant aid:
Alex Pitcher nominations: 2
Expedition duration (days): 36
Field days: 357 Travel days: 0
List a short summary of the main Expedition objectives.
The main objective is the exploration and documentation of Sima de la Chapa, a cave situated in the Cornion massif of the Picos De Europa in northern Spain. The cave was discovered last summer by a group of Catalan cavers and explored to a depth of -100m where it continues with an undescended pitch.Please explain the aspects of the trip which make it eligible for Ghar Parau funding.
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.
Sima de la Chapa is a very promising cave. As well as the undescended pitch at the current limit of exploration, there are other unexplored passageways in the cave, several of which look like good leads. There is also an "incredible passage with very nice calcite crystal on the floor and the walls". The cave will be surveyed to the highest reasonable standard. This usually means surveying to British Cave Research Association Grade 5b. The survey data will be calculated using Survex. We will continue with the systematic location and documentation of cave entrances in the Ario area and explore entrances that appear to have potential to lead to new cave systems. Significant caves explored by the expedition will be surveyed to the highest reasonable standard. OUCC maintains a “shaft-bashing guide” detailing all of the cave entrances and shafts around the Ario area. We will use this guide to determine the best areas to search for new entrances and have already established a list of entrances in the guide that we intend to revisit. There will be a strong focus on cave conservation. We will strive to make as little impact as possible on the caves we explore. Particular care will be taken around delicate calcite formations such as those in Sima de la Chapa. We intend to document and photograph these formations.We will use techniques developed in the UK to aid with conservation. We aim to recruit individuals with experience of cave conservation to come on expedition, or failing that to seek detailed advice before leaving the UK.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.
OUCC has been involved in exploring caves in the Picos De Europa since 1961. OUCC expeditions have been working towards building up a complete picture of the high caves of Cornion massif and their drainage. Details of these expeditions can be found in “OUCC Proceedings” and in expedition reports, available on our website: www.oucc.org.ukExpedition Finances
Travel
Travel plans: |
| # from UK: | 12 | Travel costs breakdown (for personnel leaving from the UK): |
| Total costs from UK: | £3,260 | Purchase of vehicle 2500 Fuel 400 Ferry 120 Tolls 40 Trailer maintenance 200 In addition to making a contribution to the expedition budget members will pay for their own transport separately from the expedition budget. Members travelling out with the expedition vehicle will make an extra contribution to cover costs. |
| # from outside UK: | 0 | Travel costs breakdown (for personnel leaving from the UK): |
| Total costs from outside UK: | £0 |
| Travel total: | £3,260 | Travel p.p. from UK: | £272 |
| Travel p.p. from outside UK: | £0 |
Subsistence
| Total: | £1,050 | Comments: |
| Subsistence p.p.: | £62 | Food 1000 Stove fuel 50 |
Gear
| Total: | £1,300 | Comments: |
| Gear p.p.: | £76 | Ropes and rigging gear 500 Surface camp equipment 300 Underground camp equipment 100 Dye tracing and conservation supplies 100 First aid supplies 300 |
Special 1
| Total: | £500 | Comments: |
| Special 1 p.p.: | £29 | Medical training 500 |
Special 2
| Total: | £996 | Comments: |
| Special 2 p.p.: | £59 | Admin & Printing 100 OUEC bulletin 100 Expedition report 50 OUCC Proceedings 100 Contingency 10% 646 |
| Exped Total: | £7,106 | Exped cost p.p. travelling from UK: | £592 |
| Exped cost p.p. travelling from outside UK: | £226 | ||
| Mean Exped cost per person: | £418 |
Other Funding
| Total: | £2,500 | Comments: |
| Sale of vehicle after expedition 1500 Oxford University 1000 |
| Total shortfall: | £4,606 | Mean shortfall per person: | £271 |
Referees and Report
Please give the names, addresses and phone numbers of two suitably qualified people whom the Committee can contact. You should ensure that they are aware of the objectives of your trip, and that you have their permission for the Committee to contact them.
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