Between the 10th and 14th of June, 2004, the Warsaw Speleoclub celebrated its 50th anniversary.
Since we were invited, we decided to go to the Jura for the whole week -
for some climbing and caving (and partying, of course).
Trips:
Details:
First we went a bit farther - into the Cracow Valleys.
For the first couple of days we camped near Brandysowka in Bedkowska Valley...
On a very nice camping ground right under the Sokolica rock.
From here, we had some nice short trips into the nearby valleys mixed with some light climbing.
Right after that we moved to Rzedkowice for some more climbing there.
First we went a bit farther - into the Cracow Valleys.
For the first couple of days we camped near Brandysowka in Bedkowska Valley...
On a very nice camping ground right under the Sokolica rock.
From here, we had some nice short trips into the nearby valleys mixed with some light climbing.
Right after that we moved to Rzedkowice for some more climbing there.
Climbing
[MJT] Venus and the Sun
[MJT] Venus and the Sun
[MJT] Bolechowicka Gate
[MJT] Bolechowicka Gate
[MJT] Thunderstorms and night, very nice climbing weather in the day
[MJT] Thunderstorms and night, very nice climbing weather in the day
[MJT] Sokolica just after one of the thunderstorms
[MJT] Sokolica just after one of the thunderstorms
[MJT] A butterfly wanted to climb with us
[MJT] A butterfly wanted to climb with us
[MJT] Rotunda (Bedkowska Valley)
[MJT] Rotunda (Bedkowska Valley)
[MUT] Buddha (Koloczek Mountain)
[MUT] Buddha (Koloczek Mountain)
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On the first day of the anniversary our hosts invited us to visit
two caves that are close to each other: Ludwinowska and Brzozowa (Birch).
Ludwinowska Cave is quite small and not all that interesting.
The only thing worth seeing is a fantastic chimney in the middle of the cave - over 10 meters high,
covered with mosses and ferns... quite lovely.
On the first day of the anniversary our hosts invited us to visit
two caves that are close to each other: Ludwinowska and Brzozowa (Birch).
Ludwinowska Cave is quite small and not all that interesting.
The only thing worth seeing is a fantastic chimney in the middle of the cave - over 10 meters high,
covered with mosses and ferns... quite lovely.
Jaskinia Ludwinowska (Ludwinowska Cave)
See also the cave's description on Epimenides (in Polish).
[MJT] The first cave visited by the guests invited to the Warsaw Speleoclub's Anniversary
[MJT] The first cave visited by the guests invited to the Warsaw Speleoclub's Anniversary
[MJT] The main entrance
[MJT] The main entrance
[MJT] An entrance through the chimney
[MJT] An entrance through the chimney
[MJT] Happy Aro - he finally could play in some mud
[MJT] Happy Aro - he finally could play in some mud
[MUT] The third exit from the cave - a bit lower and tighter
[MUT] The third exit from the cave - a bit lower and tighter
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But, the main attraction of that day was the visit to the nearby Birch Cave.
The entrance actually is under a bent birch tree,
looks a bit like a sewer drain or an entrance to a shelter. :-)
The pipe helps in protecting the entrance from being covered with loose sand.
At the bottom: a labyrinth of orange passages.
Even though we tried to see as much as possible,
there hardly was enough time to see the most important places; so we missed a lot of them.
However, it's a very nice cave
(and for people that like picking through bones it must be really interesting)
with lots of formations.
Tapes are used to mark protected places and even though
many people pass through that cave every year, it's condition is still very good.
Many thanks to our hosts!
But, the main attraction of that day was the visit to the nearby Birch Cave.
The entrance actually is under a bent birch tree,
looks a bit like a sewer drain or an entrance to a shelter. :-)
The pipe helps in protecting the entrance from being covered with loose sand.
At the bottom: a labyrinth of orange passages.
Even though we tried to see as much as possible,
there hardly was enough time to see the most important places; so we missed a lot of them.
However, it's a very nice cave
(and for people that like picking through bones it must be really interesting)
with lots of formations.
Tapes are used to mark protected places and even though
many people pass through that cave every year, it's condition is still very good.
Many thanks to our hosts!
Jaskinia Brzozowa (Birch Cave)
See also the cave's description on Epimenides (in Polish).
[MJT] Anniversary guests waiting to be let in
[MJT] Anniversary guests waiting to be let in
[MUT] This cave was a pleasant surprise
[MUT] This cave was a pleasant surprise
[MJT] Bones found in the cave (and there was a lot of that, and then some)
[MJT] Bones found in the cave (and there was a lot of that, and then some)
[MJT] Some nice stalactites
[MJT] Some nice stalactites
[MJT] The exit under the birch
[MJT] The exit under the birch
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On the next day we went to "our club's" cave - Wiercica.
A pretty tight entrance can be found at the bottom of a small shakehole -
unfortunately, this quickly became a bottleneck, too many people wanted to go inside.
We waited for at least an hour to finally go down...
First, a short descent in a rift - a bit tight, but without major problems.
After landing, you come into the main chamber - the Hall with a Column.
Even though it's pretty big, there isn't much to see there.
After a short trip around the chamber we again got into a queue - this time, to get out.
The exit was a bit more interesting - we used a parallel rift to the one we went down into the cave with nicely washed walls.
Unfortunately, it got a bit unpleasant when some of the people started shoving their way to the top,
sometimes putting their full weight on the rope that you were right under (and that pressed one to the walls)...
On the next day we went to "our club's" cave - Wiercica.
A pretty tight entrance can be found at the bottom of a small shakehole -
unfortunately, this quickly became a bottleneck, too many people wanted to go inside.
We waited for at least an hour to finally go down...
First, a short descent in a rift - a bit tight, but without major problems.
After landing, you come into the main chamber - the Hall with a Column.
Even though it's pretty big, there isn't much to see there.
After a short trip around the chamber we again got into a queue - this time, to get out.
The exit was a bit more interesting - we used a parallel rift to the one we went down into the cave with nicely washed walls.
Unfortunately, it got a bit unpleasant when some of the people started shoving their way to the top,
sometimes putting their full weight on the rope that you were right under (and that pressed one to the walls)...
Jaskinia Wiercica (Wiercica Cave)
See also the cave's description on Epimenides (in Polish).
[MJT] A queue to the entrance
[MJT] A queue to the entrance
[MJT] All this took a lot of time
[MJT] All this took a lot of time
[MJT] And the queue was getting impatient
[MJT] And the queue was getting impatient
[MJT] And a queue to the exit
[MJT] And a queue to the exit
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In the evening we all went to our club's All Souls' meeting in Bear Cave.
The main chamber was filled with people, and we listened in silence
to several stories about club members that passed away...
Obviously, this wasn't the best time to go walking around the cave -
I only had a look into the tunnel that goes deeper into the rock,
and another tunnel that leads to the second entrance...
In the evening we all went to our club's All Souls' meeting in Bear Cave.
The main chamber was filled with people, and we listened in silence
to several stories about club members that passed away...
Obviously, this wasn't the best time to go walking around the cave -
I only had a look into the tunnel that goes deeper into the rock,
and another tunnel that leads to the second entrance...
Jaskinia Niedzwiedzia (Bear Cave)
[MJT] Speleo All Souls' Day
[MJT] Speleo All Souls' Day
[MJT] One of the entrances to the cave (the main entrance is much bigger)
[MJT] One of the entrances to the cave (the main entrance is much bigger)
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Like every evening, this time we had a great party too.
Although, as it turned out later on, not the biggest one of the anniversary yet.
Anyway, I managed to shoot some pictures of the club's cavers in more advanced stages of the party... :-)
Like every evening, this time we had a great party too.
Although, as it turned out later on, not the biggest one of the anniversary yet.
Anyway, I managed to shoot some pictures of the club's cavers in more advanced stages of the party... :-)
Beer and dancing
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The next day we decided to split from the rest of the people
and in a group of four go visit some of the caves near Podlesice.
First we went to Frog Cave - quite a nice, vertical cave (rope needed).
An abseil into a wide, green hole... the landing on a muddy floor.
I didn't felt much like crawling in mud, but the rest of our group
went into the Round Chamber below.
Some formations (rosebuds), calcite veins, bat bones - some small attractions like that.
We also spent some time marveling a mouse that tried to climb out of the cave, from the very bottom.
When we were getting out of it, it was somewhere near the middle of the chimney...
The next day we decided to split from the rest of the people
and in a group of four go visit some of the caves near Podlesice.
First we went to Frog Cave - quite a nice, vertical cave (rope needed).
An abseil into a wide, green hole... the landing on a muddy floor.
I didn't felt much like crawling in mud, but the rest of our group
went into the Round Chamber below.
Some formations (rosebuds), calcite veins, bat bones - some small attractions like that.
We also spent some time marveling a mouse that tried to climb out of the cave, from the very bottom.
When we were getting out of it, it was somewhere near the middle of the chimney...
Jaskinia Zabia (Frog Cave)
See also the cave's description on Epimenides (in Polish).
[MJT] On the next day we decided on a trip in a smaller team
[MJT] On the next day we decided on a trip in a smaller team
[MJT] One of the locals
[MJT] One of the locals
[MJT] Looking for bat bones
[MJT] Looking for bat bones
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Next we went to Sulmowa Cave - a small cave consisting of 2 or 3 narrow passages - like a broken pipe.
But the chimneying needed there to get to the farther parts of the cave was pretty interesting.
Next we went to Sulmowa Cave - a small cave consisting of 2 or 3 narrow passages - like a broken pipe.
But the chimneying needed there to get to the farther parts of the cave was pretty interesting.
Jaskinia Sulmowa (Sulmowa Cave)
See also the cave's description on Epimenides (in Polish).
[MJT] Some climbing practice
[MJT] Some climbing practice
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Szpatowcow Well was our last cave on that day.
When getting ready to go down, a storm decided to visit us - only Martha
managed to get inside, as the first one, before the rain hit.
Of course we used a handline when going down the toboggan from the entrance,
so the rain didn't hinder us at all (even though the mud was very slippery).
However, it turn out that going up on such slippery mud (mixed with leaves)
was much harder that we thought...
Rigging the descent into the main pitch was pretty easy - fixed points everywhere.
Some rebelays and... we were at the bottom.
And the bottom is the end of the cave - vertical walls go down into piles of small rocks...
and that's pretty much all you can see there. I wonder,
if somebody were to take all this shit out, where would the pitch end (and at what depth),
or maybe some new passages would be uncovered...
Only when climbing out I found a small nice hole full of crystals;
but shooting a macro photo, without a tripod, while handing on the rope... massacre. :-)
Szpatowcow Well was our last cave on that day.
When getting ready to go down, a storm decided to visit us - only Martha
managed to get inside, as the first one, before the rain hit.
Of course we used a handline when going down the toboggan from the entrance,
so the rain didn't hinder us at all (even though the mud was very slippery).
However, it turn out that going up on such slippery mud (mixed with leaves)
was much harder that we thought...
Rigging the descent into the main pitch was pretty easy - fixed points everywhere.
Some rebelays and... we were at the bottom.
And the bottom is the end of the cave - vertical walls go down into piles of small rocks...
and that's pretty much all you can see there. I wonder,
if somebody were to take all this shit out, where would the pitch end (and at what depth),
or maybe some new passages would be uncovered...
Only when climbing out I found a small nice hole full of crystals;
but shooting a macro photo, without a tripod, while handing on the rope... massacre. :-)
Studnia Szpatowcow (Szpatowcow Pitch)
See also the cave's description on Epimenides (in Polish).
[MJT] Martha was lucky - she made it before the downpour
[MJT] Martha was lucky - she made it before the downpour
[MJT] Descending into the shaft through the farther opening
[MJT] Descending into the shaft through the farther opening
[MJT] Err...
[MJT] Err...
[MJT] And the exit - all in all, there's not much to do at the bottom...
[MJT] And the exit - all in all, there's not much to do at the bottom...
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And finally, last but not least, the main attraction of the anniversary - Faithful Cave.
Martha, after heavy partying the evening before, wasn't even able to get out of bed,
not mentioning going on a caving trip; and Aro got lost somewhere - let them regret and suffer!
What can I say - the cave is just beautiful, undamaged, it's just fun to go inside such a hole.
As always, we didn't have time to visit it all, or even most of it,
but those parts that I saw were more than enough.
Apart from numerous formations, rifts in the farther parts of the cave
were covered with rosebuds from top to bottom.
In some tighter passage these were very good at wrecking a caving suit.
That's where I discovered that when the rosebuds are brushed lightly they emit a nice ringing sound.
And, of course, rice fields, moonmilk, stalactites, stalagmites, columns,
all kinds of passage shapes - whatever you might desire!
And finally, last but not least, the main attraction of the anniversary - Faithful Cave.
Martha, after heavy partying the evening before, wasn't even able to get out of bed,
not mentioning going on a caving trip; and Aro got lost somewhere - let them regret and suffer!
What can I say - the cave is just beautiful, undamaged, it's just fun to go inside such a hole.
As always, we didn't have time to visit it all, or even most of it,
but those parts that I saw were more than enough.
Apart from numerous formations, rifts in the farther parts of the cave
were covered with rosebuds from top to bottom.
In some tighter passage these were very good at wrecking a caving suit.
That's where I discovered that when the rosebuds are brushed lightly they emit a nice ringing sound.
And, of course, rice fields, moonmilk, stalactites, stalagmites, columns,
all kinds of passage shapes - whatever you might desire!
Jaskinia Wierna (Faithful Cave)
See also the cave's description on Epimenides (in Polish).
[MJT] Paths for visitors are marked by colored tapes
[MJT] Paths for visitors are marked by colored tapes
[MJT] A lot of formations everywhere
[MJT] A lot of formations everywhere
[MJT] Some nice stalagmites
[MJT] Some nice stalagmites
[MJT] And some nice stalactites
[MJT] And some nice stalactites
[MJT] A stalagmite with rice fields
[MJT] A stalagmite with rice fields
[MJT] One of the other visited parts
[MJT] One of the other visited parts
[MJT] And some more formations
[MJT] And some more formations
[MJT] White rice fields
[MJT] White rice fields
[MJT] And rosebuds - when touching delicately, they gave a soft, ringing sound
[MJT] And rosebuds - when touching delicately, they gave a soft, ringing sound
[MJT] A queue to the exit
[MJT] A queue to the exit
[???] A very fine cave, but the trip was decidedly too short...
[???] A very fine cave, but the trip was decidedly too short...
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