Pegasus Caving Club
aka Pegasus Club Nottingham
Expedition 67 to the Gouffre Berger
By Henry W. Mares
The following article first appeared in the 'Eldon Pothole Club Journal' Volume 7, Number 2, 1967
Tuesday 7th August, Melvin, George and Cheg fitted a teleferique from the Bottom of Holidays to the floor of Cairn Hall. On Wednesday the main advance party took gear as far as Boudoir about sixty odd containers in all. George, Cheg and Kelvin were at the same time laying telephones, George Cooper attempted to lay the entire reel over me from about twenty foot higher in the cleft, fortunately missing me by a wires breadth.
On Thursday it rained on and off all day. The communication trio set off again that evening during a fair storm, to lay telephone to Camp 1 and camp 2. On Friday at 13:00 we went down with all personal gear and carried to Telephone Boulder by 03:00 on Saturday. At about 11:00 we were woken by Pearce’s Expedition on the way out in some confusion. We carried about four loads to Little General, where we continued with enough equipment to set up Camp ,meeting Kelvin etc. who had come up from the camp they established the previous day.
The next day we again sherped from Telephone Boulder. This time Lake Cadoux was mighty high, so we had to use the dinghy, Kelvin had climbed up to Pegasus Bridge and put a rope up. Kipped at 23:50 again, sherped from Aldo's after waking at 11:30. Kipped at 22:00, woke 10:30 Tuesday. Put telephones in as far as the pitch above Claudine's with Cheg and Ian Curphey, As we kipped that night at Camp 1 there was apparently a heavy storm. On Wednesday we put the telephones in to Camp 2, where we met the advance team of Kelvin, Big Al and Wingnut, who had established camp without a conventional stove. We went down Grand Canyon as far as Gaches' carrying tackle for Wingnut to ladder to the bottom the next day.
When we got back to Camp 1, Pete Watkinson, Hugh Kidd and the 'Termes' had arrived (it could have been the day before??) Went to bed at 23;15. Woken at 10;45 and went to Camp 2 with camping and personal gear, accompanied by Pete Watkinson and Hugh Kidd. The next day we waited for more candidates for the bottom trip to arrive, and then set out at 16;30, returning at 06;00 on Saturday somewhat soaked, having spent some time waiting at the bottom of pitches.
At 23;05 Saturday I set off with Wingnut and Kelvin de-tackling to Camp 1, arriving at 04:15 on Sunday, fairly exhausted. We set off again at 16:30, de-tackling again with Wingnut and Kelvin. We caught up the others at Aldo's. By 11:00 on Monday I surfaced to brilliant sunshine. I staggered up to camp with a load of gear, feeling a bit dazed.
The next day I went surface surveying with Paul Deakin from the entrance to the so called Grenoble Radio Station. That night there was a considerable P.U. which ended up in me, George, Celia, P.B. and Eli going over the precipice. Next morning it was surveying again, this time at Sassenage. However everyone was feeling a bit rough, so we went into the Vats at Sassonage, from where we emerged shattered and slightly disappointed. The following day we finished off the survey by using several unconventional techniques. Then we came home.