Where am I? DCC > ALDERLEY EDGE > VISITING THE MINES > OPEN DAYS > ILLUSTRATION
Demonstrating single rope techniques. A member demonstrates the use
of a single rope for descending and climbing vertical shafts in a mine or cave.
The equipment, developed by cavers such as Fernand Petzl in France, is used
extensively to give us access to shafts in caves and mines. The techniques
require practice and training but are quite safe
when applied correctly.
(Left) Crawling. We do not usually demonstrate crawling! However, any keen visitors are welcome to have a try for themselves. In this case, the miners have filled an old passage with sand and rocks dug out elsewhere in the mine. In some mines and most caves, crawls such as this may be between a solid roof and floor requiring the caver to squeeze through, hence the squeeze machine used for practising crawling.
(Right) The DCC squeeze machine. The top board can be raised and lowered. The person on top is making sure the squeeze machine does not move!