WAHLONG CAVE (Warren 2004) (aa -)

(Shella Bholaganj - IN)
25.200400,91.719700
Grottocenter / carte

Description

Herbert Daniel Gebauer - 06/01/2018

A cave entrance (8 m by 10 m wide) gives access to a pit or pothole (in February 2002 easy tree rigging) that drops 19.5 m in fluted limestone with sandstone interbeds to a more than 20 m wide debris slope leading North for some 30 m to three too small to enter drains (Zawada 2004.04.21 personal correspondence). The rope was rigged to a nearby tree and Scott volunteered to descend the 20-meter drop. Landing on a rubble slope, he called -off rope- and began searching for virgin passage. Twenty minutes later he had returned back on top with an unfortunate lack of any going leads (WARREN 2004: 253). ETYMOLOGY: No autochthonous, indigenous or locally known name has been identified for what has been christened Krem Shely (note 1) -- perhaps due to the presence of -shaly- interbeds exposed on the cave walls or, again perhaps, in honour of Shelley A. Diengdoh from Shillong Mawkhar. SITUATION 2004a: Just behind one of the houses (no owner's name mentioned) in the lower (probably south-westen) part of Wahlong village (note 2) (Zawada 2004.04.21 personal correspondence). SITUATION 2004b: In what had been in December 2002 a relatively extensive -bri- (grove, estate, farm, plantation) or -ram- (jungle cleared for cultivation) above Krem –>Lyndad Pyngkat and at a location which had been reached by following one or the other rough trail in dense jungle off the main trail (WARREN 2004: 253).A cave entrance (8 m by 10 m wide) gives access to a pit or pothole (in February 2002 easy tree rigging) that drops 19.5 m in fluted limestone with sandstone interbeds to a more than 20 m wide debris slope leading North for some 30 m to three too small to enter drains (Zawada 2004.04.21 personal correspondence). The rope was rigged to a nearby tree and Scott volunteered to descend the 20-meter drop. Landing on a rubble slope, he called -off rope- and began searching for virgin passage. Twenty minutes later he had returned back on top with an unfortunate lack of any going leads (WARREN 2004: 253). ETYMOLOGY: No autochthonous, indigenous or locally known name has been identified for what has been christened Krem Shely (note 1) -- perhaps due to the presence of -shaly- interbeds exposed on the cave walls or, again perhaps, in honour of Shelley A. Diengdoh from Shillong Mawkhar. SITUATION 2004a: Just behind one of the houses (no owner's name mentioned) in the lower (probably south-westen) part of Wahlong village (note 2) (Zawada 2004.04.21 personal correspondence). SITUATION 2004b: In what had been in December 2002 a relatively extensive -bri- (grove, estate, farm, plantation) or -ram- (jungle cleared for cultivation) above Krem –>Lyndad Pyngkat and at a location which had been reached by following one or the other rough trail in dense jungle off the main trail (WARREN 2004: 253).

Documents

Bibliography 06/01/2018

History

EXPLORATION HISTORY: 2002.03.07: Brian D. Kharpran Daly had heard of a pothole in a certain Wahlong bri (Kharpran Daly, B D 2002.03.07 Mss: Wahlong / Pala, item: Wahlong #2 Pothole, Wahlang Bri).2002.12.25: Scott Linn descended and exited within 20 minutes. He was guided by Kyntiewbor War (Wahlong), assisted by Shelley A. Diengdoh, Franklyn Tokiwayo 'Toki' Dkhar and Adora Thabah (Shillong), and in company with a team of cavers (mostly USA): Barbara Anne am Ende, Birge Erling (Germany), David Kohuth, Stephen 'Steve' Kumpf, Stephen 'Steve / JC' Smith, Toby Stuart (UK), Andrew 'Andy' Peter Tyler (UK), Todd Warren, W. 'Mike' Zawada and Mita Das Zawada (Barbara am Ende deepcaves.net/India02/india02.htm accessed 15.05.2003; WARREN 2004: 253; Zawada 2004.04.21, 2004.04.24 personal correspondence). Herbert Daniel Gebauer - 06/01/2018

Caves nearby

Distance (km)NameLength (m)Depth (m)
0.2RI BLAI (Krem)
0.3SHLEM KHLA (Krem)
0.6LAIT (Krem U)
0.6Lyndad Pyngkat (Krem)
0.9NONGBAH CAVE, Wahlong (aa -)
1.0WAHLONG CAVE (Ende 2003) (aa -)
1.4SHOH SHIAP 1 (Krem)
1.4SHOH SHIAP 2 (Krem)
1.5MAWRAMDAH (Krem)