CAVING IN BELGIUM: THE BELGIAN CAVE GUIDE
Grotte Perseverance - Sprimont (No.
19)
LOCATION:
Province:Liège
Locality: Sprimont
Coordinates: X=241.390, Y=133.880 Z=220m (Lambert)
Map: 49/1
The
cave is situated in a quarry, about 300m from the crossing of the roads
Liège-Arlon and Louveigné-Poulseur, in the direction of Poulseur and at
the right of the road to Ogné
The cave is situated at the northern side of the quarry, about 15
m high above the floor of the quarry, between some trees.
HISTORY:
The cave was discovered in 1972 by the club CSROA.
ACCESS: The entrance is partially
covered with a steel plate. Because
of the activity in the quarry, there are no guarantees that this cave will
not disappear within the next few years...
DESCRIPTION:
Length: 170 m, Depth: -85m
The first part of the cave is a descent between giant boulders. Several
small drops exist between the boulders, but in none of them a rope is
necessary:
they can all be free-climbed down (and up). Some fixed handlines are
in place but they are of no use. At a depth of -50m, one arrives in
a big horizontal gallery that can be followed for a short distance. It ends
after 50m in a high room. The right wall is covered with flowstone.
An artificial climb (10 m) can be made there leading to a very decorated
room, "Coin Bébert" .
Several big rifts, perpendicularly on the big gallery, can be visited
as well (one of them is a dig of SC Avalon, between very unstable boulders
- please don't adventure yourself in this dig!).
RIGGING: no ropes needed for the
classic part. For Coin Bébert: artificial climbing gear, including
etriers and a dynamic rope of at least 40 metres (at the top of the 10 metre
climb, you must rig a long traverse along a ridge).
COMMENT: If you make the climb to Coin
Bébert, then please do not make the formations dirty with mud (the
cave is very muddy). Also, to protect this part of the cave (the only
part that is decorated), never leave a rope in place but de-rig the climb
after you!
SURVEY: Click
here to see the survey
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