Giants Hole 2013

After meeting at Morrison in Buxton Chloe, Jess and I headed off for a Giants hole round trip. We had a couple of goals in mind for this, firstly as a novice trip for Chloe, and secondly for me to finally put to rest the Vice and concrete the route finding in my head. 

All went smoothly and we were soon past Garland’s pot and flying down the Crab Walk to the Vice. Jess popped through first with me following. Chloe didn’t much like the wet head first approach and wound up spinning around and slipping through feet first. To put my demons to rest I popped through another couple of times before sliding down Razors Edge and continuing on.

At the fixed ladder the water was flowing well and if anyone wasn’t already thoroughly cold and soaked, they certainly were after this!

At the first climb an extra hand line was rigged to assist Chloe up and we were soon stomping up the 2^nd climb and crawling through the Giants Windpipe. Water levels weren’t too high and you only had to dunk an ear in the water for a few feet of it J

For anyone who doesn’t know, Chloe originally joined the club as ‘she couldn’t find anything that scared her enough’ ..…I think it’s fair to say the traverses over the crab walk definitely fit the bill for her. With our hand line again in use and me wedged below her in the rift, Chloe picked her way across the traverses to the squeeze through the calcite formations and back down to the crab walk.  Although a little tired Chloe managed the ladder pitch back up without issue and all that was left was to be entertained by a Stag Party who were struggling around the tight oxbow in the passage down from Sump 1 and make our way back out in to the cold to quickly wipe the mud off ourselves and change in to something warm. Turning the car around I managed to get it stuck on the wet mud, fortunately Jess and Chloe came to the rescue, pushing as I reversed off the mud, spraying them with it as I went. I promise I hardly laughed at all and was very grateful for the assistance! ;)



Jess showing how it's done at the Vice



Chloe on the traverses







Jess on the fixed ladder pitch



Present Chloe Burney, Jessica Harding & Mark (3 times under the Vice) Burkey