53/5: Cueva de la Rana

The cave is located in the Valle Extremero. A large valley comes down from Jultayu to meet the Valle Extremero, just above a small pond. The cave is an obvious large entrance directly above the pond, in the right hand side of the valley.

The entrance soon closes down to a narrow slot from which a very strong wind blows. Ten metres of stooping passage leads to a drop down into a small chamber. An awkward manoeuvre over a flat inclined slab of rock, The Coffin Lid, follows; climbing up and sticking your head into a slot in the ceiling, it is possible to walk your feet over the slab, and then crawl backwards out, keeping high where the passage is largest. A hole underneath the Coffin Lid is useful for passing gear through. It is soon possible to stand up in a small chamber, where a two metre climb leads to a window overlooking the ten metre Pterodactyl Pitch, named after the rock formation part way down.

The pitch drops into a sizable rift chamber. [To the left, after ten metres, a hand-lined climb leads into a well decorated rift, Silence of the Sheep, leading to a three-way junction; one route doubles back under the rift, and probably reconnects with the passage further on; the other two routes are tight draughting inlets.] From the bottom of Pterodactyl Pitch, the main route leads to the right along a reasonably sized rift. [Part way along, it is possible to climb down to a three way junction. The left hand inlet soon closes down. The right hand inlet leads to a small chamber with a rift over the top; this probably connects with Silence of the Sheep, but wasn't fully pushed. The other route is a too tight outlet, which undoubtably connects further on.] Following the obvious traverse level leads to a climb down to a chamber overlooking a pitch. From here there are two ways on.

[The 15m pitch, Pointless Piranhas, drops into a large chamber from where the only passage chokes after 10 feet.] It is possible to pendule across the top of the pitch into an obvious hole in the far wall; at present the two sides are connected by a single rope - abseil part way down and then prussik up the other side. This leads to a broken chamber with three possible routes on.

• A squeeze through stal leads to a second squeeze into a well decorated rift which closes down and was not fully pushed.
• Climbing down through a loose boulder choke leads into a tight rift which was pushed little further than a tight right-hand bend.
• A fairly exposed, lined climb leads to a ledge overlooking Pirhanas Chamber, the Cement Garden. The only way on is a steep muddy ramp leading to a small chamber and a climb up to a possible, but unexplored, route on.

Alternatively, from the top of Piranhas, doubling back under the approach route and descending the rift leads to the start of Big Biscuits Rift. Following the water, a damp three metre descent is made into a chamber. The rift descends steeply to an awkward squeeze, best tackled on your left hand side about 20cm above the floor, which opens out above a climb of three metres. Another squeeze follows almost immediately; this should be approached feet first, staying high until it is possible to descend. The rift now becomes slightly easier. [On the left, a circular hole leads into a blind chamber, Wol's House. Opposite this, a narrow passage leads through two squeezes to an exposed climb; a further crawl leads back into Pterodactyl Chamber.] Continuing along Big Biscuits rift, the route remains sporting with short climbs and constrictions, to where it lowers to a crawl under two stalactites. Beyond, an awkward two metre descent over calcite drops into a meandering rift. At a corner, a mini boulder choke is encountered; this is passed feet first, taking care to avoid dislodging the boulders in the roof above. A few metres further on is the head of a series of pitches, the Witch Doctors.

The first pitch (P15) is best rigged by traversing out to a Y-hang off a bolt and spike; two deviations achieve a free hang. This pitch lands on a ledge from where a flake provides the belay for the next pitch (P12); this also lands on a ledge, from where the rope is deviated out over the shaft. Penduling right over a ridge leads to a parallel shaft with a final drop of 5m, into a large rift chamber. [Low down to the right, a squeeze and short crawl lead into a chamber at the base of the original shaft.] [To the left from the bottom of the pitches, an inlet can be followed up an easy climb into a rift, with a route leading back to the base of the pitches; a less obvious route leads straight up, but is very exposed.]

The main route from the base of the pitches is to follow the passage to the right into Shagging the Hedgehog Rift. This is narrow and awkward, with many sharp, oversuit-ripping spikes. It is possible to descend to stream level at one point. Beyond the worst squeeze, a climb up following the draught leads into a small chamber. The rift continues to a squeeze which opens out above a three metre drop onto a false floor at the top of a ten metre pitch. At the bottom of the pitch, a rift continues, but soon closes down; it appears to open out ahead, but a lot of work will be needed to pass this squeeze. Alternatively, descending the pitch only two metres, it is possible to squeeze into the top of the rift while lined. A tight vertical squeeze follows; this drops into a narrow rift, which soon closes down at a right hand corner.

Rigging guide