Grottes et karsts de Chine
Sur les traces de Xu Xiake

40m north of the old temple.

Gui Dong is formed on a series of faults striking to the NE, and generally consists of passages running SW-NE and hading down to the SE. A 2m high 3m long entrance near the water collection shack south of the old temple leads immediately to a climb down (best descended using a wooden ladder) to a small chamber liberally strewn with rubbish. There is a choice of 3 holes, all of which connect through to a lower level. Best is the hole to the left which leads to a short crawl followed by a 5m climb down. At the top of the climb there is an ascending hading rift which ends after 3m in a too tight connection to a thin crack on the surface. At the bottom a tiny stream enters from the west and to the east the passage immediately forks. Up and to the left a clamber up over boulders leads to an aven with a lead at the top and an unexplored crawl at the bottom. The way on is down and to the right, following the stream through a flat-out crawl over mud and rat turds. After 10m the crawl reaches a 5m diameter chamber with three ways on. To the left a single bolt is needed to gain an unexplored high level passage. Straight ahead a second tiny stream enters from a steeply ascending passage which ends in an aven with an unpushed crawl at the top (no draught). To the right a climb down leads to a short section of rift and the 5m Stumble pot, rigged with 2 bolts on the right hand wall. This is followed immediately by Blind pot, rigged with a wide y-hang across the passage, and the two can be rigged using a single 25m FIXME rope. Although it looks blind from above, the passage continues back under itself at the base of Blind pot through a short constricted section followed by a climb down to a chamber and the head of 3rd pot. A large thread with several rope protectors followed by a bolt deviation lands in a decorated chamber where stals serve as the first two belays for Depth perception pot, a fine pitch with a distinctive stal on the far wall. A short meander at the base of the pitch leads to the head of the 5th pot with two high bolts for a y-hang and a small lead high on the left.

The pitch lands in a pool with a traverse and climb down straight ahead, while to the left a small hole provides a less pleasant oxbow. To the west at the base of the climb there is a deep pool with the stream entering from a too tight rift at head height and leaving through a low (unexplored) gap to the south; the way on is walking passage to the east. After 10m it ends in at pool where a wet, calcited 15m aven enters from the left; traversing around the right hand side of the pool gains the head of the 6th pitch which is rigged off a low boss (bolts would help avoid the water). The way on from the bottom of the 6th pitch is a wriggle down through a slot in the floor to a short section of rift. To the west a deep pool can be seen, to the east it immediately opens out to more comfortable sized passage. Unfortunately the way on is then a grovel along the stream below the false floor of the larger passage. This eases just before the head of 7th pitch. Horizontal passage can be seen continuing over the top as a too tight rift which appears to enlarge beyond. A 2 bolt y-hang followed by two deviations serves for a descent down a sizable shaft past three wet ledges to a swing off onto a ledge of wedged boulders where the water goes down a 2m diameter hole. To the right of the large obvious boulders a tri-hang can be rigged (2 bolts in the wall, 1 in the boulder) for a clean hang through a narrow slot. The obvious way on here is a pitch down a small hole in choss to the northeast; however, a climb up and over the mud and rock pile at the top of this hole leads to a choice of three ways: To the right a small stream enters from an unclimbed aven, exiting via a wet crawl that ends at a boulder choke. Straight ahead a climb up to an obscure hole behind a large rock leads to a crawl over the top of the pitch into a 2m wide passage which gradually enlarges for 20m until it reaches walking size, at which point it is choked with rocks. To the left an awkward climb down bypasses the pitch, leading immediately to another short pitch. Here a bolt traverse and single bolt at the pitch head makes for an easy descent to a small chamber where another small inlet enters. The way on here is through a low crawl with the stream which opens out after a few meters, only to end in a squeeze down into a final boulder-filled chamber where the stream sinks in the choke and cannot be followed.

Four bats, a spider, numerous crickets, and copious rat turds were seen in the cave.

EML 2003.12.06

EML 2004.03.30