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Area 8

This is the area on the slope of Pico Gustateru facing Xitu.

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1/8 Pozu del Canalizos
Location: From Ario, take the footpath towards Los Lagos, and just before the Xitu viewpoint, leave the path and continue to the left through the dolines looking for red marks. Once in a closed valley, the ``Canalizos'' (a particular karstic form, like organ tubes) are seen. The entrance is near the Canilizos.
Description: An SIE discovery, extended by OUCC in 1997. See that year's report, if it ever comes out.

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2/8
Location: 50-70m above 1/8
Description: Large, obvious rift, choked at the bottom.

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3/8
Location: 40-60m above 1/8
Description: Large, obvious entrance with a short descending passage to a choked rift.

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4/8
Location: Small hole in the corner of large shakehole, `round the corner' from 3/8.
Description: Traverse over rift to head of 10m ladder pitch, landing on loose sloping pebble floor. Upslope leads to 2 grottos, downslope to a threatening boulder choke.

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5/8
Location: Obvious entrance with snow in.
Description: Chokes.

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6/8
20m shaft with snow at the bottom.

Caves 7-11/8 are at the foot of the huge karren slope that has 2-5/8 at the top.

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7/8
Dig at foot of shakehole. Needs mechanical/chemical assistance.

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8/8 Cueva del Darren del Cilau
Location: Grovel at the foot of a small cliff, looking rather like its namesake.
Description: Grovel leads to 20' high chamber with two blocked upward routes.

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9/8
Location: Cleft in side of dry valley up from and to the right of 8/8.
Description: Leads to a small chamber with skylights and no way on.

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10/8
Marked SIE C3. Cleft has a sharp bend with a 20m pitch in it. No way on.

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11/8
Location: In hillock slightly downslope from 10/8. Nearby is an SIE mark `M6'.
Description: 15m deep slot, free-climbable. No way on.

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12/8
Location: There are two 12/8s: the real 12/8, and cave D1, wrongly labelled as 12/8. The real 12/8 is located on a bearing of 40${}^\circ$ to Pozu del Xitu, 90${}^\circ$ to Cabeza Llambria
Description: A 10m pitch down to a snow plug with a 3m climb up one wall to reach a crawl blocked by a single boulder.

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13/8
Location: A bedding plane in the side of a rubble filled surface shaft, on the crest of the ridge between the Ario path and the 2 large grassy depressions of area 8. Aluminium tag placed.
Description: Doubling back through a slot inside, opens out over a climb down into a vadose rift. Down the canyon, bridging and climbing, it heads north(ish), passing one or 2 inlets in good rock, occasional avens and a small stream in bits. After a chossy climb down into a small chamber, the low route involves crawling, but can be bypassed over the top. The routes rejoin at another climb down to a chamber of about 5m x 3m. The continuation is about 5m up the forward wall. A high level route brings you to the top of the chamber, but no way across. The climb is possible but the rock is not good so a rope and protection are needed. Vital statistics: 55m long, 25m deep. Explored: TBB, PAR. Survey: Grade 1.

The following two caves are SIE discoveries, unmarked by OUCC; we have been invited to take a look.

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Pozu Canilizos de Gustuteru #2
Location: Between #1 (1/8) and #3.
Description: A little shaft of 11m.

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Pozu Canilizos de Gustuteru #3
Location: Near #1 (1/8). The entrance collects water from a series of Canilizos.
Description: Another SIE discovery, extended by OUCC in 1997.

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Pozu Xastre
Location: On the ridge overlooking sod 4, near 13/8, I think. See SIE material.
Description: An SIE find, which OUCC failed to extend significantly.

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