2167: Frank's Cave
Cubija 30T 450057 4796648 (Datum: ETRS89. Accuracy code: G) Altitude 272m
Length 40m Depth 20m
Area position : Site entrance in context : Logbook search

Updated 6th, 21st, 30th November 2005; 20th May 2006; 18th February, 29th November 2012; 19th September 2013; 30th April 2016; 28th November 2023

A 10m deep, excavated rift that has been pushed beyond a muddy crawl to a narrow 2m deep rift where more excavation is required.
The draughting entrance (0.1x0.2m) was discovered in August 2004 during recordings made by Frank Esmann, Martin Kragh, Louise Korsgaard and Torben Redder for the Danish National Television, DR.
The site was declared "finished" when it was possible to see down 6m in a 20 x 40cm rift.

In February 2012, the site was found to be draughting out in cold weather, the same as in hot weather. By autumn, 2012, the covered site had all but disappeared into the landscape.

In 2013, the site was opened up again and the right hand rift capped and snappered open to reveal an 8m narrow and awkward drop (where a ladder should be used) into a chamber where the draught issues from a number of possible digs. An annotated survey has been produced. The length and depth are an estimate. The site should be surveyed to work out its proximity to Picón or Regaton.

At Easter 2016, the tight section was found to require capping to continue, the squeeze being too tight even for thin cavers.  Two visits (at least one found no draught) in November 2023 confirmed capping was required but thought there were "better prospects elsewhere". The logbook account describes the route to the entrance.

Reference: anon., 2005b (Easter & summer); anon., 2005c (autumn logbook); anon., 2006b (Easter logbook); anon., 2012a (January, February logbook); anon., 2013d (summer logbook); anon., 2016b (Easter logbook); anon., 2023d (autumn logbook)
Entrance pictures: during excavations : autumn 2012
Underground picture(s):
Video:
Detailed Survey : 2006 : annotated, 2013
Line survey:
On area survey:
Survex file: yes (Amended magnetic declination December 2013 to align with Eur79 grid and coordinates altered to fit ETRS89 datum, April 2014.)

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