ENDALOK CAVE (aa -)

Herbert Daniel Gebauer - 06/01/2018

A cave entrance with unspecified shape and dimensions, which faces no specified direction, gives access to the upstream section of –>Ma Kol, the Kol Ma of Rob Harper (2008.02.07 Mss: Endalok Cave.pdf; 2008.02.07 Ma Kol.pdf). SITUATION: According to Harper (2008.02.07 Mss: Endalok Cave), a local guide is essential to explain the whereabouts of Endalok Cave as it was understood to lie somewhere near Asakgre and at an unspecified distance without orientation approximately directly upslope from Kol Ma (i.e. –>Ma Kol). According to the recorded GPS position (note 1), however, the cave entrance to Endalok Cave lies in the vicinity of the village of Papha Asakgre in the Bangdapha area (note 2) and at a linear distance of 45 m approximately SSE (–40.2 m north and 19.6 m east) from the entrance to –>Ma Kol (N25°19'56.6”: E090°29'15.8”: 166.9 m asl) but vertically 26 m higher up (note 3). CAVE DESCRIPTION: From the entrance, a 3 m mud and boulder slope reaches a stream flowing from left o right [sic! qua: from north to south], which is almost certainly the stream seen in Kolma. Downstream is choked after an estimated 3 m but upstream the active streamway can be followed for about 100 m of walking and stooping sized passage, 1.5 to 3 m high and 2 to 4 m wide, to a fork at a boulder pile. Right [sic!] at the fork follows the active stream to a chamber after about 30 m. To the left [sic!] a scramble over boulders for 20 m gains access to a fault chamber. Here, a low duck and two avens to the left [sic!] lead to a very short continuation and a passage, to the right [sic!] a low wet crawl regains the stream after 15 m. Straight ahead in the chamber 2 m of flat-out crawl over mud enters a 10 m high canyon passage with another active stream. Downstream chokes immediately. Upstream, the stream enters from a passage on the right [sic!], which can be followed for an estimated 60 m of low passage to a chamber with two avens in the roof. Back in the canyon, the passage continue to a blockage at floor level which can be passed by a 3 m free-climb to a point where a narrow rift can be seen to continue (Harper 2008.02.07 Mss: Endalok Cave.pdf). to a blockage at floor level which can be passed by a 3 m free-climb to a point where a narrow rift can be seen to continue (Harper 2008.02.07 Mss: Endalok Cave.pdf).