1955 New World record
The exploration of the Gouffre Berger can easily be compared to Himalayan expeditions, where preparation and portaging are essential, and the establishment of base camps compulsory, but here without the sherpas.
It will take them a long week to prepare their equipment before the trip, which they hope will be to be end.
Exploration is based on a model with camps to be set up, supplied and occupied according to a precise schedule, and teams to be put together according to each person’s physical capabilities.
Apart from the shafts, the major difficulty lies in the endless chains of equipment to be carried out in the meanders, the coming and going of the canoes in the river and the portage in the unstable scree.
About fifty bags have to be lowered, containing canoes, ladders, ropes, rations, telephone wire, carbide … so it’s a very heavy expedition, with up to twenty cavers underground at times.
The descent will be made in small groups, with the cave and Camp 1 to -500 being triggedt beforehand, from 17th to 21th July 1955.
On the 23rd July, a dozen cavers descended (G.Garby, A.Sillanoli, F.Petzl, J.Cadoux, R.Juge, M.Soulas, L.Potié, P.Bruel, P.Laffont, J.Lavigne ) and camped at -500m.
Some leave at the Galerie de la Boue and go beyond the Chevalier terminus.
The portage of a pile of equipment continues the next day to the Vestiaire (at -650m). Here they set up a tent and another telephone.
On the 25th, camp 2 is set up at the bottom of the Grand Canyon (-860m.), then the Gachet shaft is equipped with the mast.
27th July, a team sets off and gains 10m in the Monkey Passage. They are relieved by a second team, who finish the rigging. They cross the 27m long waterfall.
F. Petzl rigs the pitch and J. Cadoux descends first. He stops at a deep gully… A diagonal ladder has to be set up to get over a jump, as the river cascades and crashes 10 meters below, pulverizing the water and forming a misty haze.
The noise of these waterfalls drowns out the voices and makes using a whistle compulsory for communication in coded messages. The ladder is fixed to the wall, but not enough to escape the waterfall and the shower. The cold begins to paralyze them.
On the 28th and 29th, R.Juge, M.Soulas and G.Garby discovered the Joly room and opened up a passage in the pebbles on the side of the siphoning river. They rig the first drop and then head to camp.
In the evening, another team takes part in “La Vire Tu Oses”.
At the bottom, they find the river, which soon disappears in a vertiginous fall into a chasm. A skylight in the rock face gives access to the edge. The waterfall comes crashing down with an infernal roar. Lamp beams fail to illuminate the walls. This shaft will be known as the Hurricane.
They only have 10 metres of ladder left and have to stop due to lack of equipment. They have a view of -1000m.
That’s the end of it for this year.
All that’s left is to climb back up, passing through successive camps and rigging. They emerged from the abyss tired and exhausted on 1th August, greeted by press flashes and television coverage.
During the ascent, M.Soulas had an accident, crushing his ankle by a boulder at around -300m.
A bit of a unusual experiment on this expedition, making and using wooden skis to explore the mud gallery, where it’s like quick to sand.
On 28th July, 3 of them advanced a few hundred meters. The experience of skiing underground (the 1st and only known of its kind!) turned out to be short-lived, with the clay sticking to the skis.
They sink into the viscous treacle and are abandoned.
The new world record is set at -985 m.
The final assault is scheduled for next year.
The expedition from 23rd July to 1th August lasted 218 h (9 days), including 6 days at -500m.
Anecdote: Haroun Tazieff invites himself in
When the book “Opération -1000” came out at the beginning of 1955, we saw Haroun Tazieff (Vulcanologist) at the book signing. He says, “I’ve come as a neighbour, I’m currently in the Vercors making a film about chamois”. He speaks kindly, then leaves us after a friendly drink. A few days later we received a letter from him in the following terms: “Many thanks for your invitation to take part in your next expedition. However, I would like to reserve the rights to the film I will be making and possibly to a book I will be writing”. No reply was forthcoming, as the whole team was taken aback by this approach.
Photos : Collection Jean Lavigne, Jo Berger, Georges Marry