MAKKREKOL, Nengkhong Chibigiri

Herbert Daniel Gebauer - 06/01/2018

Multiple entrances (sic!) in surface rifts, which extend over an area of about 80 m square, descend estimated 18 or 20 m to two distinguishable cave passages, which contain an active streamway, unspecified stal (speleothems), a presumably extremely loose boulder choke (not attempted), and at least one maze of interlinked low crawls not pushed to a conclusion (Harper 2008.02.10 Mss: Makkrekol). ETYMOLOGY: The Garo -makkre kol- translates into macaque cave (note 1) but Dr. vet. Rob Harper suggests Monkey Cave instead. SITUATION: According to Harper (2008.02.10 Mss: Makkrekol.pdf), a local guide [is] essential to explain the whereabouts of Makkrekol as it was understood to lie somewhere near one of the nine distinct Nengkhong villages (note 2) in the vicinity of the confluence (N25°18'13”: E090°36'52” WGS84) of the Chibe River and the Rongdik. According to the GPS position (note 3) recorded for the cave entrance to the Makkrekol at Negnkhong Chibigiri, however, which is said to have een recorded on an unspecified path approximately 20 m without identified direction from the easiest of the multiple entrances (sic!), the cave entrance lies on a tributary to the north-west (orographically right) bank of the Chibe River, and at linear distances of 1.3 km north of Nengkhong Chibigiri (WGS84 N25°18'30”: E090°36'50”) and 1.8 km NNE from Nengkhong Rangmatma (WGS84 N25°18'15”: E090°36'35”). CAVE DESCRIPTION: By climbing over a bridge of jammed boulders, a vertical rift can be descended for about 18 m, (the last 4 m on tree roots) to a 2 by 2 m large, clean-washed cave passage, which meanders for an estimated 25 m to the head of a pitch, which drops an estimated 10 m down into what looks like a passage or chamber.The rift leading to the boulder bridge can be free-climbed an estimated 15 or 17 m down to a T-junction at an active streamway. Here, and in one way or another on the left, a canyon passage (2 m high, 0.75 m wide) continues upstream for an estimated 10 m t a difficult to comprehend series of interlinked crawls which were not pushed to a conclusion.On the other hand, a 3 m high and 1 m wide rift passage leads after an estimated 10 m downstream to two free climbs 2 m down into a chamber (approximately 25 m by 30 m by 30 m) with massive secondary calcite deposits (speleothems). Somewhere, a daylight shaft enters on the so-called left and the pitch, which arrives from the passage mentioned above, enters somehow or other on the right (after Harper 2008.02.10 Mss: Makkrekol.pdf). CAVE POTENTIAL: Apart from a difficult to comprehend series of interlinked crawls, which were not pushed to a conclusion, and a 0.5 by 0.3 m lead into a loose boulder choke in the floor, which was not attempted, all obvious ways on give, at a first glance, the impression of being choked.TACKLE: 20 m rope or ladders.een recorded on an unspecified path approximately 20 m without identified direction from the easiest of the multiple entrances (sic!), the cave entrance lies on a tributary to the north-west (orographically right) bank of the Chibe River, and at linear distances of 1.3 km north of Nengkhong Chibigiri (WGS84 N25°18'30”: E090°36'50”) and 1.8 km NNE from Nengkhong Rangmatma (WGS84 N25°18'15”: E090°36'35”). CAVE DESCRIPTION: By climbing over a bridge of jammed boulders, a vertical rift can be descended for about 18 m, (the last 4 m on tree roots) to a 2 by 2 m large, clean-washed cave passage, which meanders for an estimated 25 m to the head of a pitch, which drops an estimated 10 m down into what looks like a passage or chamber.The rift leading to the boulder bridge can be free-climbed an estimated 15 or 17 m down to a T-junction at an active streamway. Here, and in one way or another on the left, a canyon passage (2 m high, 0.75 m wide) continues upstream for an estimated 10 m t a difficult to comprehend series of interlinked crawls which were not pushed to a conclusion.On the other hand, a 3 m high and 1 m wide rift passage leads after an estimated 10 m downstream to two free climbs 2 m down into a chamber (approximately 25 m by 30 m by 30 m) with massive secondary calcite deposits (speleothems). Somewhere, a daylight shaft enters on the so-called left and the pitch, which arrives from the passage mentioned above, enters somehow or other on the right (after Harper 2008.02.10 Mss: Makkrekol.pdf). CAVE POTENTIAL: Apart from a difficult to comprehend series of interlinked crawls, which were not pushed to a conclusion, and a 0.5 by 0.3 m lead into a loose boulder choke in the floor, which was not attempted, all obvious ways on give, at a first glance, the impression of being choked.TACKLE: 20 m rope or ladders.