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Area G

Area G is the area to the south of the Ario path, below the Xitu col. It is not in our permitted area, so please do not go caving there.

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G1
Location: South of the Ario path below the Xitu col (between sods 3 and 4). To the right of the path to Las Fuentes.
Description: A large entrance that is used as an animal shelter, soon chokes. Is only of interest as there is a good example of phytokarst in the entrance.

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G2
Location: Continuing along the Las Fuentes path from G1 take the path leading off to the left. About 15m below the top of the hill on the northeast side is an obvious hole in a grassy bank.
Description: The entrance is a 3m freeclimb down to a small chamber containing rotten queso boards. To the right is a 12m pitch rigged from a natural eyehole in the left wall. The pitch lands in a rift, uprift quickly chokes at an old cow's skull, down rift goes past much rotten and fallen stal to a 2m freeclimb which finally chokes at a stal blockage.

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G3
Location: From G1 continue along the Las Fuentes path. At T-junction turn left (right goes to Las Fuentes). Over the lip of the bowl are three shafts.
Description: Middle shaft can be rigged from large boulder labelled OUCC G3. A 5m drop to a ledge is followed by a 20m drop to a snow plug. Down the snow plug a passage descends for 20m before ending in an aven. Part way down along the passage an alcove on the right contains a second aven. Back at the snow plug a 60${}^\circ$gravel slope can be ascended to a skylight and on the left a hairy climb to a balcony overlooking a shaft (which may be the original shaft).

Near G3 are two blind shafts, one containing a poisonous snake (1992).

There appear to be two caves numbered G4

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G4
Location: Located roughly up and to the south of G3.
Description: A low entrance which allowed access to a couple of chambers amongst boulders -- no way on.

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G4
Location: To the left of the path going down Sod 4, at the bottom of the hill. Large entrance at the end of a blind valley.
Description: Climbing down a snowplug the passage divides. To the right a rift can be followed up and along for 5m and then down 2m to the floor, the rift continues, and may be worth pushing further. To the left at the bottom of the snow plug continue down the snow to reach an unlocked wooden door to a small chamber containing racks for cheese. At the of the chamber a passage ascends with more racks. The passage seems to close down.

There also seem to be two G5s

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G5
Location: Located on the slopes up to the La Rasa ridge slightly higher than the level of the cols into a large closed depression.
Description: The entrance was approximately 1.5m in diameter and after the removal of a couple of boulders allowed access to the right to a 2.5m freeclimb down a rift to a boulder floor. However a descending rift to the left draughted well, but a hammer might be useful to ease the descent.

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G5
Location: 60m down valley from the second G4. Shaft labelled SIE 84.
Description: Stones rattle down for 4-6 seconds.

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G6
Location: Northeast of G5 was a similar entrance located above the next closed depression.
Description: A phreatic tube about 1m wide with a trench in the floor carried a good draught. Quite tight, but it looked that perseverance might lead to a pitch down.

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G7
Location: A few hundred metres further on from G6, at the same level, a body-sized descending hole emitted a strong draught.
Description: The entrance was not marked or entered, but would definitely be worth another look.

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Unmarked entrance
Location: In valley to the left of head of Sod 2, by the alternative path. 20m W of drafting boulder collapse. (Editor's note: this is a long way below the lower limit of Area G, but I'm not about to invent a new area.)
Description: Ladder pitch.

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