Camp Chamois 2011

1. Camp Chamois 2011 EuroSpeleo Projects FSE 3rd International Exploration Camp at the Grotte des Chamois (Castellet-lès-Sausses, Alpes-de-Haute-Provence, France) Organization Association CRESPE: Philippe Audra, Jean-Claude Nobécourt & Jean-Yves Bigot From 10 to 21 August 2011

2. 2 – Team 2011 Dider Cailhol Jean-Claude Nobécourt Xavier Cailhol Philippe Mauzet Philippe Bertochio Philippe Bertochio Philippe Audra Johan Jouve José Leroy Bruno Arfib Laurent Cadilhac Donald Accorsi Jean-Yves Bigot Olivier Sausse Alain Staebler Cathy Frison

3. 3 – Team 2011 Agnes Hajnal Zoltan Zentay Peter Zentay Gabriella Koltai Ernst Fischer Andrej Drevenšek Thomas Exel Barbara Wielander Matija Perne Ana Demšar Erik Agrell Matthew Covington Bernhard Köppen Alexey Kopchinskiy Jo De Waele Alvaro Ramirez Laura Sanna

4. 4 – A Real International Aspect Of The Camp

5. 5 – Planning The daily schedule allows to know what is happened during the camp and exposes the activity period of everyone.

6. 6 – Location The Chamois Cave is located in the south of France. Today, it's the longest cave of the Southern Alps

7. 7 – Diving Upstream Sump 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. Part of the team in front of the Aurent refuge. 11-8-2011

8. 8 – Pasqueirets Canyon 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. Xavier Cailhol in front of the Fantasmes Entrance, in a confortable seated position above the Pasqueirets Canyon. 11-8-2011

9. 9 – Pasqueirets Canyon 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. 11-8-2011

10. 10 – Pasqueirets Canyon Hello, The Penguins? Here the Earth! Can you hear me? In the Pingouins Gallery, the magnetic emitter antenna (UGPS) is spread (frame). The experiment can begin. 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. 11 – Fantasmes Hole At the Fantasmes Entrance, Donald Accorsi is ready to measure the distance between him and the frame of antenna (UGPS) located inside. 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...

12. 12 – Pasqueirets Canyon Another one more box of stones! 11-8-2011 Before to be back to the refuge!

13. 13 – 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. 12-8-2011 During this time, Donald Accorsi, Didier Cailhol and Jean-Yves Bigot takes some pictures in the large galleries of Valette Highway.

14. 14 – Valette Highway 12-8-2011 Different profiles in the galleries of Valette Highway.

15. 15 – Valette Highway 12-8-2011 Valette Highway is the continuation of the large and long Hormones Gallery.

16. 16 – Valette Highway Speleothems in Valette Highway Canyon. 12-8-2011 Driphole in silt.

17. 17 – Valette Highway 12-8-2011 Sediments composed of sand and sandstone pebbles.

18. 18 – Valette Highway Valette Highway is the continuation of Hormones Gallery, but the difference between both galleries are the original wall features, better preserved in Valette Highway. Cross section filled by sediments. 12-8-2011

19. 19 – Valette Highway 12-8-2011 Didier Cailhol is in a narrow passage opened at the terminus of Italian cavers.

20. 20 – Downstream Sump Philippe Bertochio is preparing to dive the downstream sump. The breathing equipment must be checked because it can be damaged during the transport. 13-8-2011

21. 21 – Downstream Sump The preparing is slow: nothing must be forgotten. 13-8-2011 Philippe upload on his back the breathing equipment.

22. 22 – 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

23. 23 – Diving Team 23 – Diving Team Barbara Wielander Philippe Bertochio Alain Staebler Thomas Exel The diver is satisfied: the sump has been crossed while it's rare to emerge post sump so close to the spring. 13-8-2011 Part of diving team.

24. 23 – Diving Team Philippe Bertochio and Thomas Exel. Barbara Wielander 13-8-2011 Alain Staebler Ernst Fischer The team very happy to be back.

25. 25 – Transfer At the refuge, Barbara is entering data in the computer and the topographic transfer can start. 14-8-2011 Downstream sump Cross-section

26. 26 – Dinner is served guys! 14-8-2011 Ana Demšar is frying something and Catherine Frison is getting dinner ready.

27. 27 – Dinner is served guys! Alain Staebler and Catherine Frison are cocking rice or pasta. 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

28. 28 – Photo & Video What is the plan? Photo and video 3D for Hungarian girls. 14-8-2011 Agnes Hajnal and Gabriella Koltai are ready to go.

29. 29 – Climbing in Réseau 13 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. 15-8-2011

30. 30 – 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

31. 31 – Climbing in Réseau 13 Alexey follows him with the gear. 15-8-2011 Alain Staebler is drilling to put the spits and to install the ropes.

32. Down below, Alain is installing the rope in the shaft (P11) after climbing. 32 – Climbing in Réseau 13 Alexey is observing a geological fault allowing the development of shafts series. 15-8-2011

33. 33 – Climbing in Réseau 13 A nugget (pyrite fool's gold) in the shaft called « puits des Pépites ». 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

34. 34 – Climbing in Valette Highway + 283 m At the end of the camp, the ultimate point will reach + 283 m

35. 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

36. 36 – Survey in Thénardier Gallery Matthew Covington, Ernst Fischer and Thomas Exel continue the survey in the Thénardier Gallery, Ernst takes very good pictures with his LED light. 16-8-2011

37. 37 – Thénardier Gallery 16-8-2011 Gypsum speleothems growing on the sandstone pebble. Another mineral can be identified in this very dry gallery: mirabilite.

38. 38 – Rolling Stones Entrance 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. 16-8-2011 The big stones are rolling along the rock slide and the work is easy.

39. 39 – Rolling Stones Entrance Rolling Stones Entrance Réseau du Champagne 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

40. 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. 17-8-2011 Unfortunatly, the continuation is already known. But all galleries are surveyed and the stations marked.

41. 41 – Discharge measurement Philippe Mauzet, Ernst Fischer Alexey Kopchinskiy and Jean-Yves Bigot attemp to do a discharge measurement of Coulomp Spring by a dilution method. ... While Jean-Claude Nobécourt, located downstream, is measuring the conductivity of water. 17-8-2011

42. 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. 42 – Invisible Cave Invisible cave entrance. 17-8-2011

43. 43 – Good Mood And Conviviality The confortable refuge of Aurent allows the good mood in the team. Matthew Covington has brought his Kentucky mandolin and sings his own songs. 17-8-2011

44. 44 – Doors Open Day A visit of Chamois Cave is organized for people of Castellet-lès-Sausses. The team will go until Claude Shaft through the Wet Shadocks Series. 19-8-2011

45. 45 – Doors Open Day The group in the Divers' Hall. Jacques Loriot Alain Staebler Karine Mayen Guy Coquin Philippe Mauzet Despite the wet series (pumped sumps) everybody enjoyed. 19-8-2011

46. 46 – Everyone to his trade The know-how is put for collaborative tasks (surveying, climbing, digging, transit, etc.). This organization makes the team successful.

47. 47 – The Surroundings Of The Cave The caving values do not differ from trekking values and respect the nature and environment 19-8-2011

48. 48 – The End The End The Aurent Village about 1911 (Aurent museum collection)