Oxford University Exploration Club

Mission Statement

Oxford University Cave Club plans to continue exploration of the deep caves of the Picos de Europa during the summer of 2008.The expedition aims to further explore Fisura Chica, a cave discovered in 2003 by OUCC, from the bottom of Flawless, a 130m vertical drop at the 2007 limit of exploration. Examination of survey data indicates that Chica is likely to connect to Pozu Cabeza Muxa, a river cave explored by cavers of Secció d’Investigacions Espeleológiques (SIE) in the 1980s. Both caves are located near the Vega de Ario in the western massif of the Picos de Europa in the Spanish province of Asturias.

2007 Limit

The 2007 team discovered an impressive though impassable boulder choke at -620m into which the water vanishes. The way on was over a 4m high wall of conglomerated material, immediately beyond which lay a blind pot. This pot was rigged to allow a pendulum swing into a window on its opposite side. From the window a 4m deep pot was descended, and the lead to the short ‘Please Please Me Passage’, along which were several possible routes on. The correct route had been found to traverse the mud-caked fossil gallery at the end of this passage, which slopes down a 45º along its length from start to finish. All other routes became impassable. From the bottom of the gallery a walking passage was followed for 20m, followed by a 5m crawl, emerging at the top of a short pitch down a rift. A strong draught blew up this rift and stones dropped rattled down it for 6 seconds, suggesting a considerable amount of open passage beyond the current limit of exploration. Another pitch tunnel downwards and ….. Progress awaiting 2008!

Schedule

The expedition timing has been provisionally scheduled to last for 5 weeks, from June 28th to August 2nd 2008, to coincide with the summer vacation.

A Bit of History

It all started fifty years ago on 1st December 1957 when a group of Oxford students descended GB cave, with carbide lights to illuminate a new era of adventurous sport in this university. Many of the veterans from then remain active cavers today. Since that day, Oxford University Cave Club has been constantly involved in original cave explorations both in the UK and around the world, in locations as far flung as Peru, China, and particularly northern Spain.

“After stocking up with local groceries we pointed our vehicles at the long steep mountain road. Up into the clouds we went, stopping from time to time to rest bottom gears and to admire the limestone shakeholes by the side of the unmetalled track. In thick cloud we came to the Vega de Enol, and with visibility reduced to a few yards the Refugio loomed up before us. In such weather it seemed churlish to forsake the warm and dry buildings for tents and lorries, and after two days of torrential rain the Refugio began to feel like home. At last, on the evening of the third day, the cloud began to move. Spellbound, we saw the valley floor; then the wooded slopes beyond - then the bare limestone hills above; …and, at last, that fantastic row of pointed peaks, glowing pink in an alpine sunset, which haunts the memories of all who have followed the first expedition in 1961 to the Picos de Europa. ”

The first OUCC expedition to the Picos prepares to set off. Photo courtesy of the Oxford Mail.