Initial report:

Introduction

A team of 4 cavers spent 5 to 8 weeks in the northern part of Yunnan Province, China. This was largely a reconnaissance expedition, building on a cursory assessment of the area made during the Hong Meigui Yunnan 2001 expedition. The expedition carried out extensive surface reconnaissance of many areas, identifying several as worthy of further attention. In the latter weeks, effort was focussed on the mountain range just west of the town of Zhongdian, where a high-level surface camp was established and several caves explored, the location of some giving them a depth potential of 2200m.

Aims

(i) To carry out a general reconnaissance of North Yunnan, identifying mountain ranges that are likely to contain substantial cave systems.

Areas looked at include (listed roughly from west to east - map to follow in Final Report...):

These areas varied wildly in terms of cave potential: some were written off as unlikely to contain significant caves for one reason or another, while others appear extremely interesting. Comments on those areas considered interesting follow.

In the Nu Jiang gorge area, a team of two expedition members (RG, HG) worked with the local tourism authority. The team was shown several entrances – two close to river level, and three during a three-day trip in the mountains. However, all three high-level caves terminated fairly quickly. Entrances to two small resurgence caves were also spotted and logged, but time constraints prevented their exploration.

A team of two (HG, PS) travelled alongside the Jinsha Jiang from Judian to Shentu. They found one large resurgence cave at river level (expedition index number C3-1), but, lacking caving equipment, ventured only 30m inside the cave. The cave carries a large draught, and a water outflow estimated at 250l/s. Further upstream, large surface tributaries joined the Jinsha Jiang from the east. As the team was hitching through this area, they were unable to ascertain whether this tributary water is surface runoff, or outflow from resurgences hidden up the valleys.

A team of two (RG, HG) recced the route from Deqin to Zhongdian. Initially promising limestone at the pass just south of Deqin turned out to be a shallow cap on impermeable rock. Limestone just south of Shentu appears promising and carries no surface runoff, but is extremely steep; access may be physically difficult.

The mountains to the west of Zhongdian were identified as the most promising area investigated by the expedition – see below for further details.

A team of two (RG, HG) worked with one of the expedition’s local contacts, Wang Xiao Gang, near the town of Xiaozhongdian. They were shown four caves and the location of a resurgence in the Xiaozhongdian Ho river. Two caves quickly terminate, but it is believed that the third and fourth may connect to the resurgence. A connection would yield a total depth of 250-300m. We intend to return and explore these caves in 2003.

A team of two (GL, PS) visited the area of hills to the west of Lugu Hu. They report passing through a particular area of limestone that looks interesting, but were unable to inspect it more closely.

(ii) To carry out a detailed reconnaissance of one or more mountain ranges that appear promising as a result of (i).

Several initial 2-man reconnaissance trips investigated various parts of the mountain range. A series of day trips and lightweight camps to the more northerly peaks found vast areas of limestone terrain with little or no surface drainage, but also few or no cave entrances.

The final two weeks of expedition were dedicated to detailed investigation of the mountains further south – due west of Zhongdian. The team of four set up a high level surface camp at 4000m, 250m below the plateau.

Two significant caves were found on the edge of the plateau. C3-3 (“Beardy’s Dong”) terminates after approximately 50m. C3-4 (“Gavin’s Dong”) is currently 37m deep; the limit of exploration is a squeeze requiring hammering. The cave carries a very noticeable cold draught.

From the point nearest the 2002 camp, the plateau extends to the west and southwest. With the camp positioned as it was, and with the limited time available, the team was able to carry out only very limited investigation of this plateau. Several small stream sinks (chokes) and insignificant caves were discovered during 3 team days of surface reconnaissance.

The expedition recommends a 2003 trip to continue exploration of C3-4, to investigate the plateau more thoroughly and to look at the mountains still further south.

(iii) To begin exploration of cave systems discovered in promising areas.

Significant cave exploration was carried out in the Nu Jiang valley and on the Zhongdian plateau. Surveys and cave descriptions will appear in the Final Report.

(iv)To facilitate a return expedition in 2003.

We will be back!

(v) To develop further links with interested Chinese parties.

Yunnan 2002 worked with Liu Hong at the Yunnan Institute of Geography, Wang Xiao Gang of Startrekking, based in Kunming, and the Nu Jiang tourism authority.

Thanks…

…to the following organisations and funds, for financial support: