12MB PDF - Association for Mexican Cave Studies
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12MB PDF - Association for Mexican Cave Studies

12MB PDF - Association for Mexican Cave Studies 12MB PDF - Association for Mexican Cave Studies

amcs.pubs.org
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Steve Zeman rappels into the SalaGrande enroute to Camp III ( overleafopposite). (Bill Stone)Hal Lloyd tackles a typical pitchin the Grand Cascade at -700m(overleaf). (Bill Stone)The proximity of the three to eachother suggested the possibility ofa link. As they were perched on anascending plateau, a considerabledifference in elevation existed betweenthe highest known entrancesand those down at the bottom of thedolines. A triple connection fromSetano de San Agustrn to La ~rietato Agua de Carrizo would yield asystem approaching the PSM in depth.There was also a general feelingthat passages existed both above andbelow the known extremities. Thequestion then was where to directthe next attack. As each possibletarget was going to require a majorexpedition and thousands of man hoursunderground, we pondered the questionconsiderably. Guided by what we knewof the hydrology and the computerizedmap of the survey data we slowly beganto piece the puzzle together. Asthe 1979 season drew near, the objectivescrystalized. The target wasSetano de San Agustrn, the massivesumidero which barrelled down fortythree shafts to a depth of 859 meters.Exploration had been halted there in1977 when the lead team encountereda sump. The lure was that this wasthe lowest known point in the systemand there was still 500 meters ofvertical potential down to where thewater burst from the mountain in agiant turquoise spring. Diving the859 sump, however, was no easy proposition.To get down there with fullscuba gear would require a successionof underground camps. Just as highaltitude mountaineers progress instages to the summit, we would haveto progress in stages to the sump.The final stage, Camp III, would beone of the deepest underground campsever set. The dive would be the34world's second deepest. We expectedto be underground for as much asthree weeks during the first push.In addition to this, we planned tooptimize the effort by bringing e­nough rock climbing gear to begin anupward seige toward the high systemsshould the dive be unsuccessful.Frame on axle, the first truckleft Austin on February 19 to beginthe four day journey to Huautla.Tommy Shifflett, Hal Lloyd, SteveZeman, Dino Lowerey and I were thelive cargo -- the advance riggingand diplomatic team for the expedition.Our task was to handle publicrelations, rent a fieldhouse tobe used as a surface base camp, rigto Camp II at -536 meters and establishan equipment depot. This wouldbe the staging platform for CampIII. The main assault would then beginwhen the second team arrived inearly March.Despite all this planning theexpedition got off to a rather inauspiciousstart. A day and a halfout of Austin, well into Mexico, weexperienced our first mishap. Wehad just passed San Luis Potosi andwere on the road to Queretaro. Itwas not the best engineered bit ofpavement so Steve, who was at thewheel, and I had recently fastenedour seatbelts. A few kilometersfurther on I was engrossed in a magazinewhen my attention was abruptlysnapped to the left. "That butt'sgoing to run us off the road," Steveshouted. Things happened fast. Asemi was trying to pass us on a knoll.We were side by side when an oncomingsemi appeared at close range. Thepassing truck veered right. In aflash we were forced off the road,narrowly missing a deep arroyo. Wearched back onto the pavement, slidingsideways. Then there was a joltand suddenly we were hanging by thoseseatbelts, sliding down the road upsidedown. I remember distinctly watchingthe pavement going by only

Minor delay in San Luis Potosl.(Dino Lowrey)inches away. Strangely amusing. Butthen Dino was shouting, "Everybodyout quick! There's gas corning in!"I rolled down the cab window andSteve and I crawled out. All ourplans and preparations. All thatanxiety while packing. All to endhere, wheels in the air, our carefullyplanned expedition laying inthe road. It seemed the truck wasnot destined to explode in flames.We took a head count. Miraculouslyno one had been hurt, so we went a­bout pulling everything possible fromthe wreckage while trying to keep aneye on the large crowd of locals thathad shown up. A couple of tow trucksarrived about an hour later, rolledthe truck upright, and towed us tothe Policia Federal de Caminos detainmentyard in San Luis. Eventhough we had not caused the accidentour "vehicle" was being impounded untilall damages were reconciled.To our surprise this included a healthysum to be paid for "road damages."Fortunately our Mexican auto insurancecarne through and after a mere fourdays of negotiations we were permittedto drive our heap to the nearestmechanic for repairs. The equipmentwas now stacked in a great wall inthe detainment yard and required constantvigilence, less from the localsthan from the rats! In the space ofa long day of welding, burning andbolting we resurrected the phoenixfrom ashes to the point where itlooked like we could reload and carryon. A call was made to Austin forthe second team to bring down replacementsfor the essential equipmentthat had been destroyed. The restof the journey was without incident.Tuesday morning the 27th we metwith the secretary to the presidenteof Huautla. Permission proved to be35

Minor delay in San Luis Potosl.(Dino Lowrey)inches away. Strangely amusing. Butthen Dino was shouting, "Everybodyout quick! There's gas corning in!"I rolled down the cab window andSteve and I crawled out. All ourplans and preparations. All thatanxiety while packing. All to endhere, wheels in the air, our carefullyplanned expedition laying inthe road. It seemed the truck wasnot destined to explode in flames.We took a head count. Miraculouslyno one had been hurt, so we went a­bout pulling everything possible fromthe wreckage while trying to keep aneye on the large crowd of locals thathad shown up. A couple of tow trucksarrived about an hour later, rolledthe truck upright, and towed us tothe Policia Federal de Caminos detainmentyard in San Luis. Eventhough we had not caused the accidentour "vehicle" was being impounded untilall damages were reconciled.To our surprise this included a healthysum to be paid <strong>for</strong> "road damages."Fortunately our <strong>Mexican</strong> auto insurancecarne through and after a mere fourdays of negotiations we were permittedto drive our heap to the nearestmechanic <strong>for</strong> repairs. The equipmentwas now stacked in a great wall inthe detainment yard and required constantvigilence, less from the localsthan from the rats! In the space ofa long day of welding, burning andbolting we resurrected the phoenixfrom ashes to the point where itlooked like we could reload and carryon. A call was made to Austin <strong>for</strong>the second team to bring down replacements<strong>for</strong> the essential equipmentthat had been destroyed. The restof the journey was without incident.Tuesday morning the 27th we metwith the secretary to the presidenteof Huautla. Permission proved to be35

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