MYNTLANG (Krem)

Herbert Daniel Gebauer - 06/01/2018

The first known cave entrance to Krem Myntlang was identified as an entrance rift (unidentified shape, unidentified dimensions, unidentified orientation), which is said to give access to a 3 m descent (anonymous Arbenz, T 2013.08.07 Mss: Meghalaya Expedition 2013 Diary: 10th February) down into accessible parts of a cave with a name recorded as Krem Myntlang (anonymous Arbenz, T 2013.08.07 Mss: Meghalaya Expedition 2013 Diary: 8th February). ETYMOLOGY: The origin and meaning of the recorded cave name -Krem Myntlang- has not yet been discovered but appears to indicate a cave which has something to do with the cold season or wintertime (note 1). SITUATION: In an unspecified location somewhere east below of the villages of Khahnar (25°23'08.3”N: 92°36'08.4”E) and Moo Knor (25°23'27”N: 92°36'16”E), and above the orographically left bank of the Kopili River. APPROACH 2013.02.10a: The best approach is to go [for an inexplicable distance into an unidentified direction] downhill from metal cattle shed [note 2] near an unidentified GPS position. Continue proceeding without orientation over some marshy ground to a crucial spot with an unidentified GPS position and then turn yourself towards a direction which once had been --though only for a very short time-- somebody's private the left when one reaches rockier ground near an unidentified GPS position (Ralph Doyle, Urs -Waelchli- Wälchli or Peter Glanvill in: anonymous Arbenz, T 2013.08.07 Mss: Meghalaya Expedition 2013 Diary: 10th February). APPROACH 2013.02.10b: Ralph Doyle, Urs -Waelchli- Wälchli and Peter Glanvill returned … finding a quicker route to the paddy field [with an unidentified GPS position] by crossing [an unspecified] the dry stream bed [near a point with an unidentified GPS position] further downstream. Just beyond the stream what appeared to be a deep shaft was noted [i.e. Krem –>Myntlang 2 near a point with an unidentified GPS position] to the right of the path (Ralph Doyle, Urs -Waelchli- Wälhli or Peter Glanvill in: anonymous Arbenz, T 2013.08.07 Mss: Meghalaya Expedition 2013 Diary: 10th February). CAVE DESCRIPTION 2013.02.10: … entrance rift. A 3 m descent in a large rift was followed to the right facing down the rift and led over boulders to a curious short steeply descending scalloped tube. Going right towards the sound of running water led to a low wallow into a parallel rift where a stream going be seen flowing in and disappearing into a narrow rift. The stream inlet became uncomfortably narrow and it was decided to survey to the right from the scalloped tube. This rapidly led to an attractive but low crawl in a canal where a prawn was caught. Beyond this the stream reentered from the impenetrable rift seen earlier. The stream way continued as a series of right angled zigzags in a body sized canyon passage that gradually enlarged. It was well decorated with sparkling speleothems and after about 150 metres the clinometer readings became faulty and a 3 m overhanging rop was encountered (Ralph Doyle, Urs -Waelchli- Wälchli or Peter Glanvill in: anonymous Arbenz, T 2013.08.07 Mss: Meghalaya Expedition 2013 Diary: 10th February). CAVE DESCRIPTION 2013.02.11: Pete found a natural belay at the head of the 2 m drop that halted progress yesterday (they might even have got away with a hand line). Sadly 10 metres beyond the drop the cave became more bedding orientated and a low calcite obstructed duck was met. Above it a low bedding emitted a good draught much to their frustration. Attempts by Pete to pass the duck were unsuccessful so the cave [penetration] was declared finished … The opposite end of the entrance rift was found to end in [a continuation, which consists of] a tight drop through calcite although a stream could be heard. Urs and Pete then descended the cave [entrance to Thlu –>Myntlang 2, located about] 50 metres back towards the paddy field. This proved after a 15 metre two stage descent to enter Krem Myntlang at the daylight entrance seenthe previous day (anonymous Arbenz, T 2013.08.07 Mss: Meghalaya Expedition 2013 Diary: 11th February, Monday).the previous day (anonymous Arbenz, T 2013.08.07 Mss: Meghalaya Expedition 2013 Diary: 11th February, Monday).