asscciation for mexican cave studies box 7672 ut station austin ...

5MINA OTATES, T&~.: DSC. 25, 1974, Andy Grubbs, Robert Hemperly, LoganMcNatt, Bill Russell, Nancy Sayther, Terry Sayther, Barbara Wolf.This group arrived in Cd. Valles after LWO days checking cave leads nearPapagayos, east of Cd. Maiz. They found the map of the Otates Mine area inthe Condesa, checked in at Los Sabinos, and drove to the mine. There it wasdecided to chop a trail south from the mine road on compass bearings fromNeal Morris's map. To connect themine area with the trail north fromCueva de Tanchipa required threeand a half days of chopping. Assistedby Tom Rams~y and JoeSotano de SenderoMaskasky, the group cleared atrail through the karst for fivekilometers south t.o Sotano de laCuesta at the end of the Tanchipatrail. The new trail went by severalpits, including a one hundred377 ft.foot (unchecked), Sotano de Sendero(712 feet), Sotano de Arbol (177'to a room with a four second drop),and several smaller pits. Thechopping went rapidly as we had alarge group and the lead chopperscut only enough to get through andstay on bearing, while the peoplefollowing enlarged the trail. Justnorth of the mine road a cave in the 712 ft.bottom of a large sink was exploredand named Cueva de Diamante (Diamond)after the quartz crystals found inthe sink. The first part of the caveis an old phreatic tube five feet indiameter that now takes drainage fromthe sink. Almost blocked by flow-"stone in places, the cave was climbableto about the 150' level. Thenwe returned to Los Sabinos and enlarged(with ten sticks of Kinopak)a passage that bypassed the AcupunctureCrawl in Cueva de Tinaja.Bill Russell730 ft.NEWS NOTE: Aquismon, S.L.P.; Word is that a road is to be built to Tamapatz,a one and one-half hour (level) walk from Sotano de las Golondrinas. Theroad will start at Pimienta on the highway south of Aquismon, and follow thetrail to Tampachal (one-half hour from Guaguas), then north to Tamapatz. Willa road to Tamapatz increase Golondrinas traffic? Will cavers still have toask permission in Aquismon? Hhat ever happens, things should be different.Construction is scheduled to start soon and should take about a year.