Dave Nixon and Richard Carter continued the climb of Titan reaching 65m. They reached the lip of the black hole (The Event Horizon) only to find the shaft continuing above. From the lip the shaft assumes larger proportions, expanding to some 30m across and still there is no top in sight.

The climb continued and a traverse was made accross to a point where the stream came out of a canyon passage behind some large boulders. The stream passage was followed passing several cascades for about 75m to a point where the passage lowered to a sump. There is a possibility that a bypass exists but this has yet to be fully investigated. A passage leads back from the sump and ends in an aven chamber. This section of cave accounts for some 200m to 300m of passage. Back in the main shaft a huge boulder slope above the stream passage rises up out of sight. The ascent of this will require a protected climb and some aiding and looks to be the main way on.

Dave Nixon, Shaun Puckering, Tim Horne and Kev Hoy tackled the massive Eastern Gully above the Cascades Inlet from the 65m ledge. A series of massive bouldery ledges led up to the base of the gully, a rock strewn 65 degree slope with short vertical sections. D.N. led the climb in three stages, inevitably dislodging the occasional rock on his way. As the rocks rolled and fell they dislodged others making it particularly hazardous for the belayer and others below. 102m of climbing and scrambling reached the top of the gully at an estimated 140m above the floor. At the top the slope meets the roof and the way on is blocked by a large and complicated boulder choke. Because of its location, at the top of the slope and the number of desk sized teetering boulders on the lip of the slope it is very unlikely that this possible way on will be investigated further.

From the top of the slope the roof leads out over the gully for some 45m before dipping slightly to meet the flat roof of the main shaft, calculated to be 120m above the floor. There are a number of possible passages up in the walls of the gully that will be investigated but the most likley area for open passage is up the western wall opposite. This will be climbed from the 65m ledge.

Titan is now the biggest and tallest underground void in the Peak District, and if passages are found on the western side, will provide a single pitch of between 100 and 120m. The enormity of this place is difficult to describe, looking accross from the gully the far wall is some 80m distant. Being in the gully feels more like being in a gully on a big mountain, not in a cave. The trip via J.H. to the top of Titan and back now involves over 2000ft of ropes and takes some 13 hours to complete.

The climb up The Western Wall was started from the 65m ledge and reached a point 92m above the floor. Above, the wall continues up with the roof an estimated 30m away. Whether or not there is anything going off at the top is still unknown, the dark area seen from the Eastern Gully is still out of sight above the overhang.

Ropes

have sponsored the project and generously supplied the ropes to rig Titan.

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previous related report 01/1999

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Elsewhere in Far Sump Extension, Nigel Ball and Dave Shearsmith continued their climb of the unnamed aven just East of Coral Aven in Stemple Highway. 50m up a boulder choke was reached, through which a black void could be seen. Until surveyed, the position and horizon of the choke can only be estimated but it is possible that it is in the floor of Balcombe's Way.

UPDATE:

Report from: Nigel Ball.

Report date: 27/02/1999.

Published: 27/02/1999.

Nigel Ball, Dave Shearsmith and Dave Arveschoug concluded that the choke leads up into the floor of Balcombe's Way. A vocal connection was made at the bottom of the second pitch down from Fingernail Chamber.

The boulder choke leading from the 4th. to 5th. Water Caverns is particularly unstable, please beware.