six years in china cave exploration in wulong county 2007 - 2008 erin lynch hong meigui ces
TRANSCRIPT
Six Years in
China
Cave ExplorationIn Wulong County
2007 - 2008
Erin LynchHong Meigui CES
Six Years in
China
Hong Meigui Cave Exploration Society
• Founded in 2001• >100 members from 13
countries• > 309km surveyed• > 1000 entrances
logged• China’s first 1000m
deep cave
Six Years in
China
Six Years in
China Wulong Karst
• 175km surveyed in Wulong County
• Chinese National Geopark
• 2007: Inscribed as UNESCO World Natural Heritage Site
Six Years in
China Three Core Areas
• San Qiao– Natural bridges
• Houping (Tongzi)– Tiankengs
• Tianxing– Shafts
Six Years in
China
Six Years in
China Tianxing
• 49km surveyed
• 7 expeditions
• 2 deepest caves in China
Robbie Shone
Six Years in
China Tianxing 2007 – Connection-tastic
Robbie Shone
Six Years in
China
Tianxing Cave System 2006
• Qikeng Dong • Lanmu Shu Dong• Liu Chi Aokou Xia
Dong
• 19km long• 983m deep
Robbie Shone
Six Years in
China
Miao Keng
• 500m internal shaft
• 2nd largest in the world
Six Years in
China
Connection #1• Qikeng Dong• Miao Keng
Robbie Shone
Six Years in
China
Six Years in
ChinaConnection #2
• Dongba Dong• Qikeng Dong
Dongba Dong• 7,646m long• 649m deep• Near-connection in
2002
Robbie Shone
Six Years in
China
Six Years in
ChinaConnection #3
• Miao Keng• Miao Keng II
Robbie Shone
Six Years in
China
Six Years in
ChinaConnection #4
• Liu Chi Aokou Xia Dong
• Xiaoguchiwan Dong
Robbie Shone
Six Years in
China
Six Years in
China
Name Depth (m) Length (m) Rank in China
Tianxing Dongxuexitong:
Liuchi Aokou Xia Dong
Qikeng Dong
Lanmu Shu Dong
Miao Keng
Miao Keng II
Dongba Dong
Xiaoguchiwan Dong
1,020
(592)
(920)
(656)
(698)
(676)
(649)
(147)
35,480
(4,607)
(9,385)
(10,465)
(1,217)
(1,355)
(7,646)
(803)
1
Dakeng Dong 775 4,274 2
Daxiao Dong 419 1,185 9
Da Dong 417 1,197 11
Bamboo Cave 356 1,714 —
Da Wan Dong 309 1,729 —
Zuan Yan Keng 209 2,011 —
Tianxing Caves
Six Years in
China2008 – A Year of Challenges in China
• Worst winter weather in over 100 years
• Sichuan earthquake M8.0
• Difficult to obtain visas due to the Olympics
Six Years in
China Tongzi Township
• 117km surveyed
• 3 major expeditions in 2007
Six Years in
ChinaGan Dong
• 2,213m long
• 27m deep
Krejca
Six Years in
China
Jean Krejca
Six Years in
China
Jean Krejca
Six Years in
China Shang Hetao Wan Dong
• 8,489m long• 471m deep• One short pitch
Mike Futrell
Six Years in
China
Mike Ficco
Six Years in
ChinaQuan Kou Dong
• 3,560m long• 114m deep
Mike Futrell Hazel Barton
Six Years in
China
Hazel Barton
Six Years in
China
Hazel Barton
Six Years in
China Zhai Shi Dong
• 646m long
• strong draught
• 100m+ pitch lead
Hazel Barton
Six Years in
China Houping Core Zone
Two major caves:
• Er Wang Dong
• San Wang Dong
Combined length over 65km
Six Years in
China
Six Years in
China Southwest: Inconvenient
Jean Krejca
Six Years in
China
Inconvenient
Six Years in
ChinaShi Wang Tiankeng
• ~100m deep• 100m wide• 5 levels of development
Six Years in
China
Hazel Barton
Six Years in
China
Six Years in
China
Shi Wang Tiankeng
Six Years in
China
Six Years in
China Level 1: Ladder Way
Six Years in
China Level 2: Tiankeng
Six Years in
China Vertical Maze
Krejca
Six Years in
China Level 3: Dr Scholl’s
Six Years in
China Level 4: Cripple Tunnel Syndrome
Six Years in
China
Six Years in
China Carnivore Bones
Six Years in
China North: Denver & El Paso
Hazel Barton
Six Years in
China
Denver & El Paso
Six Years in
China
Hazel Barton
Six Years in
China Denver & El Paso
Six Years in
China Denver & El Paso
• Windy!• Numerous
undescended pits• Very close to
connection with Da Luo Kou Tiankeng
Hazel Barton
Six Years in
China
San Wang Dong
• 300m deep
• 39,415m long (yesterday)
• Today…
Six Years in
China Expedition Members
Six Years in
ChinaChongqing cavers
Six Years in
China
Tongzi Centre for Karst & Cave Exploration
• Interpretation/outreach• Facilitate research and
exploration• Caver training
Tongzi Mountain Cave Festival
• June 2009
Six Years in
ChinaHong Meigui Cave Exploration
Society would like to thank:
Lyon EquipmentAMG Outdoor
MeggaflashMountain Equipment
Mountain SpiritAndy Eavis
Rich HudsonYvonne Droms
Huibang CorporationHoffman Institute
Prof. Zhu XuewenInstitute of Karst Geology, Guilin
Ozark Underground Laboratory, Inc.
People’s Govt. of Wulong countyPeople’s Govt. of TongziGhar Parau FoundationRoyal Geographical Society
(with the Institute of British Geographers)
China Caves ProjectThe UK Sport FundMountain Empire GrottoSwaygo GearExpedition Magazine (Russia)NSS International Exploration Fund
Six Years in
China www.hongmeigui.net
Robbie Shone