LAD PHUD KHONGPONG (Krem)

Herbert Daniel Gebauer - 06/01/2018

Two or three cave entrances (one of them a small daylight window) give access to about 300 m of nearly straight walking passage and some 450 m of side passages. ETYMOLOGY: The Khasi -Krem Lad Phud Khongpong- translates literally into Cave [near the] Way [in the] Valley [of the] Pan Leaves Bundle (compare Krem –>Phud Khongpong) as the Khasi noun -lad- means a way, a means, a road, a junction. Barbara am Ende, however, arrived at Junction Cave (deepcaves.net/India02/india02.htm, accessed 27.03.2003, 15.05.2003) and W. -Mike- Zawada (2004.04.21 personal correspondence) at Inverted Valley Stream Cave. SITUATION: Somewhere (note 1) in the Phud Kongpong on Lum Iawpaw, the hill above Nongnah (schoolhouse at N25°15'56.8”: E091°19'32.9” unspecified precision error: 1017.9 m asl, WGS84, Scott Linn, undated December 2002, GPS Garmin Etrex). CAVE DESCRIPTION 1: After one day of mapping, this was a cave with a nearly straight line about 300 meters long of mostly walking passage formed in sandsone. Then, with more mapping, some of the side passages were added (Barbara Anne am Ende accessed 2003.03.27). CAVE DESCRIPTION 2: A slot like entrance slope gave way to dry, sandy, beach-like walking passage. The broad horizontal corridor continued for nearly 300 m passing underneath a large, oval skylight before it suddenly terminated in a breakdown slope. The only remaining lead in the cave was located down below the main passage and was of a completely different nature […] a somewhat miserable meandering streamway crawl for 100 meters […] the low stream passage continuing on in similar dimensions without any end of sight (WARREN 2004: 251). CAVE DESCRIPTION 3: A good piece of pretty tasty cave. Hot, humid, sandy or muddy, narrow or so huge that you could drive your car through. And everywhere there were long hanging roots. We didn't need to crawl or walk in water … (ALLISON KOSIOR 2004a: 266). CAVE POTENTIAL - Prospects: The cave still goes, bt the remaining passages are small (Barbara Anne am Ende accessed 2003.03.27). CAVE LIFE: ALLISON KOSIOR (2004a: 266) noticed tree roots, a gecko, a gray-green-gold snake with orange rings (orange coloured rings?), and the tooth of an Eocene shark (note 2).one. Then, with more mapping, some of the side passages were added (Barbara Anne am Ende accessed 2003.03.27). CAVE DESCRIPTION 2: A slot like entrance slope gave way to dry, sandy, beach-like walking passage. The broad horizontal corridor continued for nearly 300 m passing underneath a large, oval skylight before it suddenly terminated in a breakdown slope. The only remaining lead in the cave was located down below the main passage and was of a completely different nature […] a somewhat miserable meandering streamway crawl for 100 meters […] the low stream passage continuing on in similar dimensions without any end of sight (WARREN 2004: 251). CAVE DESCRIPTION 3: A good piece of pretty tasty cave. Hot, humid, sandy or muddy, narrow or so huge that you could drive your car through. And everywhere there were long hanging roots. We didn't need to crawl or walk in water … (ALLISON KOSIOR 2004a: 266). CAVE POTENTIAL - Prospects: The cave still goes, bt the remaining passages are small (Barbara Anne am Ende accessed 2003.03.27). CAVE LIFE: ALLISON KOSIOR (2004a: 266) noticed tree roots, a gecko, a gray-green-gold snake with orange rings (orange coloured rings?), and the tooth of an Eocene shark (note 2).