Camp Chamois

2011

3rd International Exploration Campat the Grotte des Chamois

(Castellet-lès-Sausses,Alpes-de-Haute-Provence, France)

From 10 to 21 August 2011

Organization Association CRESPE:Philippe Audra, Jean-Claude Nobécourt & Jean-Yves Bigot

EuroSpeleo Projects FSE

2 – Team 2011

Philippe Audra

Olivier Sausse

Donald Accorsi

Dider Cailhol

Philippe Bertochio

José Leroy

Johan Jouve

Alain Staebler

Bruno Arfib

Cathy Frison

Jean-Yves Bigot

Philippe Mauzet

Laurent Cadilhac

Xavier Cailhol

Jean-Claude Nobécourt

Philippe Bertochio

Peter Zentay

Alexey Kopchinskiy

Agnes Hajnal

Bernhard Köppen

3 – Team 2011

Ernst Fischer

Ana Demšar

Laura Sanna

Zoltan Zentay

Jo De Waele

Gabriella Koltai

Thomas ExelAndrej Drevenšek

Matthew Covington

Alvaro Ramirez

Erik Agrell

Matija Perne

Barbara Wielander

4 – A Real International Aspect Of The Camp

The daily schedule allows to know what

is happened during the camp and

exposes the activity period of everyone.

5 – Planning

Today, it's the longest cave of the Southern Alps

The Chamois Cave is located in the south of

France.

6 – Location

7 – Diving Upstream Sump

11-8-2011

Part of the team in front of the Aurent

refuge.

The diving team ready to go to upstream sump: from left to right and downwards: Alvaro Ramirez, Philippe Bertochio (diver), Matija

Perne. Down, Johan Jouve, Matthew Covington.

Xavier Cailhol in front of the Fantasmes Entrance, in a

confortable seated position above the Pasqueirets Canyon.

11-8-2011

Many people are in the Pasqueirets Canyon where an attempt of communication will be made between the

Fantasmes Team and the Pingouins Team located inside the Chamois Cave.

8 – Pasqueirets Canyon

9 – Pasqueirets Canyon

11-8-2011

With a special phone named Nicola, Donald Accorsi is calling the Pingouins Team in the Chamois Cave. Everything is all right. The waves cross through the rock mass without trouble.

10 – Pasqueirets Canyon

In the Pingouins Gallery, the magnetic emitter antenna (UGPS) is spread (frame). The experiment can begin.

Hello, The Penguins?Here the Earth!Can you hear me?

The aim is to precisely determine the distance separating Fantasmes Entrance

from Pingouins Gallery where footprints of animal have been found.

11-8-2011

11 – Fantasmes Hole

11-8-2011

The calculated distance is 40 m; we know the Fantasmes length (20 m), and we can say there is still about twenty meters to dig...

At the Fantasmes Entrance, Donald Accorsi is ready to measure the distance between him and the frame of

antenna (UGPS) located inside.

Another one morebox of stones!

12 – Pasqueirets Canyon

11-8-2011

Before to be back to the refuge!

12-8-2011

During this time, Donald Accorsi, Didier Cailhol and Jean-Yves Bigot takes some

pictures in the large galleries of Valette Highway.

We decide to climb in the ascending series of Valette Highway: Olivier

Sausse and Xavier Cailhol go to Sulfuric Meander. Another team, Philippe Audra and Matija Perne,

will climb in the réseau 13.

13 – Valette Highway

12-8-2011

Different profiles in the galleries of Valette

Highway.

14 – Valette Highway

12-8-2011

15 – Valette Highway

Valette Highway is the continuation of the large and long Hormones Gallery.

12-8-2011

Speleothems in Valette Highway

Canyon.

16 – Valette Highway

Dripholein silt.

17 – Valette Highway

12-8-2011

Sediments composed of sand and sandstone pebbles.

18 – Valette Highway

12-8-2011

Cross section filled by sediments.

Valette Highway is the continuation of Hormones Gallery, but the difference between

both galleries are the original wall features, better preserved in Valette Highway.

Didier Cailhol is in

a narrow passage

opened at the terminus of

Italian cavers.

12-8-2011

19 – Valette Highway

20 – Downstream Sump

The breathing equipment must be checked because it can be damaged during the

transport.

13-8-2011

Philippe Bertochio is preparing to dive

the downstream sump.

13-8-2011

Philippe upload on his back the breathing equipment.

The preparing is slow: nothing must be forgotten.

21 – Downstream Sump

Writing tablet used to note data during the diving.

On the way back, Philippe gives his precious data to Barbara: the downstream sump is 100 m long for 14 m deep.

13-8-2011

22 – Downstream Sump

23 – Diving Team

The diver is satisfied: the sump

has been crossed while it's rare to

emerge post sump so close to the

spring.

Part of diving team.

Alain Staebler

Barbara Wielander

Thomas Exel

PhilippeBertochio

13-8-2011

23 – Diving Team

Barbara Wielander

Alain Staebler

13-8-2011

Ernst Fischer

Philippe Bertochio and Thomas Exel.

The team very happy to be back.

23 – Diving Team

At the refuge, Barbara is entering data in the computer and the topographic transfer can start.

14-8-2011

25 – Transfer

Cross-section Downstream sump

14-8-2011

Ana Demšar is frying something and Catherine Frison is getting dinner ready.

26 – Dinner is served guys!

The dinner is ready and served at a table outside.What a wonderful place compared to wet Shadock Gallery, isn't it?

14-8-2011

Alain Staebler and Catherine Frison are cocking rice or pasta.

27 – Dinner is served guys!

28 – Photo & Video

14-8-2011

What is the plan?Photo and video 3D for Hungarian girls.

Agnes Hajnal and Gabriella Koltai are ready to go.

15-8-2011

Alain Staebler, Alexey Kopchinskiy and Jean-Yves Bigot decide to follow climbing on the top of Réseau 13 in Valette Highway.

Alain takes some crabs and a heavy driller.

29 – Climbing in Réseau 13

Alexey Kopchinskiy secures Alain Staebler in a difficult step towards the top of the shaft.

Stuffed with driller, Alain begins climbing.

15-8-2011

30 – Climbing in Réseau 13

Alain Staebler is drilling to put the spits and to install the ropes.

Alexey follows him with the gear.

15-8-2011

31 – Climbing in Réseau 13

15-8-2011

Down below, Alain is installing the rope

in the shaft (P11) after climbing.

Alexey is observing a geological fault allowing the development of shafts series.

32 – Climbing in Réseau 13

Together, they reach the base of new shaft very vertical (about +230 m) : the « puits des Pépites ». But they have to stop here : they need a special gear and equipment to continue the artificial climbing.

15-8-2011

A nugget (pyrite fool's gold) in the shaft called

« puits des Pépites ».

33 – Climbing in Réseau 13

+ 283 m

At the end of the camp, the ultimate point will reach + 283 m

34 – Climbing in Valette Highway

35 – Abuse

While others work hard at Aurent Village, José has a great time in cave entrance...

Jean-Claude Nobécourt is

bringing something to eat.

16-8-2011

16-8-2011

Matthew Covington, Ernst Fischer and Thomas Exel continue the survey in the Thénardier Gallery, Ernst takes very good pictures with his LED light.

36 – Survey in Thénardier Gallery

16-8-2011

37 – Thénardier Gallery

Gypsum speleothems growing on the sandstone pebble.Another mineral can be identified in this very dry gallery: mirabilite.

16-8-2011

On the surface, near the Chamois entrance, an international team (Andrej Drevenšek, Philippe Mauzet, Zoltan Zentay, José Leroy and Alain Staebler) decides to open a new entrance towards the réseau du Champagne.

38 – Rolling Stones Entrance

The big stones are rolling along the rock slide and the work is easy.

Rolling Stones Entrance

Réseau du Champagne

39 – Rolling Stones Entrance

The work begun the day before by Johan Jouve continues, and about 10 cubic meters are removed. But there is no entrance, no gallery... And yet, the réseau du Champagne is so close...

16-8-2011

17-8-2011

40 – Exploration-surveying

An exploration-surveying team (Barbara Wielander, Alain Staebler, Erik Agrell, Andrej Drevenšek and Matija Perne) goes to the Onze Heures Gallery. They have to explore a shaft in réseau du Champagne.

Unfortunatly, the continuation is already known. But all galleries are surveyed and the stations marked.

17-8-2011

Philippe Mauzet, Ernst Fischer Alexey Kopchinskiy and Jean-Yves

Bigot attemp to do a discharge measurement of Coulomp Spring by

a dilution method.

41 – Discharge measurement

... While Jean-Claude Nobécourt, located downstream, is measuring the conductivity of water.

Invisible cave entrance.

On the path leading to Pasqueirets site, Alexey Kopchinskiy find a new cave entrance

(Invisible Cave) located 5 m under the path. It's probably an old conduit connected to

réseau des Griffes of Chamois Cave but the distance is still 50 m, according to Donald

Accorsi measurements.

17-8-2011

42 – Invisible Cave

The confortable refuge of Aurent allows the good mood in the team.

43 – Good Mood And Conviviality

Matthew Covington has

brought his Kentucky

mandolin and sings his own

songs. 17-8-2011

19-8-2011

The team will go until Claude Shaft through the Wet Shadocks Series.

A visit of Chamois Cave is organized for people of Castellet-lès-Sausses.

44 – Doors Open Day

The group in the Divers' Hall.

19-8-2011

Despite the wet series (pumped sumps) everybody enjoyed.

Philippe Mauzet

GuyCoquin

Jacques Loriot

Karine Mayen

Alain Staebler

45 – Doors Open Day

The know-how is put for collaborative tasks (surveying, climbing, digging, transit, etc.).This organization makes the team successful.

46 – Everyone to his trade

19-8-2011

The caving values do not differ from trekking values and respect the nature and environment

47 – The Surroundings Of The Cave

48 – The End

The EndThe Aurent Village about 1911(Aurent museum collection)