8MB PDF - Association for Mexican Cave Studies

A surprise continuation of the FantasiaBorehole led to considerable new passage.(Peter Sprouse)The extension of the Fantasia Boreholeeventually diminished in size to a comfortablewalking passage. (Peter Sprouse)Sarah, and Marion went back to FantasiaBorehole to pick up where the survey hadended on the previous trip. After a fewlong shots, a good looking side lead withairflow was mapped 80 meters to where itsplit into a multi-level maze. Beyond thelead, the Fantasia Borehole continuedstraight to a large mud and flowstone room.High on the left side was a lead that wouldrequire a difficult climb, but a stoopwayto the right led to more passage. A confusingarea of crawls, pools, and mudballswent to aT-intersection.On the left was an unpromising crawl,but to the right there was a large passagecontaining beautiful helictites and twoshields. Running water could be heard inthe distance, but as the team progressedforward the sound receeded. The sound waseventually traced to an impossible crawl.The survey ended when the passage reverseddirection into a spiny canyon. With nearly700 meters mapped, the team headed for thesurface.Meanwhile Carol, Bill, and Jack hadgone back to the pit lead in the WalkingMaze. The echoes from rocks splashing inthe pool at the bottom of the pit made thepassage below sound big. Excited, Billrappelled 10 meters and shouted "It's virginand it goes!" While the others gotready to descend, Bill explored ahead for afew minutes. He returned shortly with thenews that it wasn't virgin afterall - itwas the same passage that they had mappedon the last trip. The pit came in at thelake next to the cable ladder climb. So thepassage simply made a big loop.They photographed in the Son of aSpine passage before heading off to checkthe high lead off Jelly Bean Junction.Bill freeclimbed the S-meter overhung climband rigged a rope for Jack and Carol toascend. At the top of the climb was acanyon passage, developed on three levelswith pools in the lowest level. The passagewas wetter and smaller, and betterdecorated, than most of the cave. Finallythey came to a place where the only ways onwere either across a very hairy traverse orup an interesting, slightly overhung climb.Bill did the climb and scouted ahead forabout 50 meters. The passage made a sharpISO-degree bend and kept going. They decidedto end the survey at the bottom ofthe climb.On the way out, everyone noticed thatthe breeze whipping through the cave wascolder than usual. When they got to thesurface just after dawn they realized why ­a cold front had passed through. Frostcovered everything, and the crystal clearsky was a deep blue. Soon the sun warmedthe day and everyone was ready for moreadventure.98