Pakistan 2000

22/10/2000
Phil Ghar Cave (catch cave) is situated in the Zurat district of Buluchistan. It is about two kilometres from the village of Catch, which is situated on the main Quetta to Hari Road.

After a drive across the desert and up to the base of Phil Ghar mountain, an impressive limestone ridge, sawing above our heads, was reached. We walked for an hour up to the base of the large ridge. The cave is situated near a Juniper tree, a small entrance 2 metres wide and 2.5 metres high leads 3 metres up to the head of a 35m pitch, which is a steeply descending rift leading to an easy angled slope with some vertical sections. We laddered the pitch so that the Chiltens could descend safely.

Tom Chapman (BEC) desended first followed by Paul Edmunds and three Chiltens, Habob Ullah, Nasee Bullah, Wali Mohammed followed by myself. An interesting ladder climb led to a large rift with a steep slope of small stones, which, in turn led to a large chamber containing some fine columns and stalagtites. There were also a few bats, which is common in Pakistan.

The Chilten group were busy taking photos while Tom and Paul started to descend the second pitch, which was a steep flowstone slope, again all the rigging was done on stals.

The first section of the pitch was traversable by using a hand line, further down a more vertical section for 86 metres led to a large chamber with a crawl heading of to the left which was silted up after a short distance. At the other end of the chamber was a steep ramp lead up to a boulder choke and the base of a large shaft. Near the base of the choke I located another shaft which I descended a further 20.5 metres down to a choked crawl.

After surveying I was met by Paul and Simon Brooks who Tom had gone all the way back up the pitch to the first chamber to get. Simon and Paul were busy surveying and photographing the base of the pitch and after posing for a few shots I went to see Tom who was bolting up the Aven above the boulder choke. He was quite happy to have a belay so he climbed up 13 metres in the shaft using stals and three bolts.

As we descended back up to the first chamber where we met the others and waited a while as the Chiltens climbed the ladder out.

Mick Chambers had descended the cave down the first chamber but he had already gone out. We ascended the ladder 100 feet without a life line due to the Chiltens not being very proficient with life lining. I tied another rope onto the line so that the others could pull the line down.

Once I was out, we had a bonfire and the Chiltens took pride in letting a few rounds out of the claschikoff. Our Milita guard (police escort) had been hunting and provided a bird looking something like a grouse. So we ate grouse and rice.

Jeeps - after wondering around the hillside we finally found the jeeps then had a mad drive back to Quetta.

Mogil Ghar Cave is situated near Hami, after about a two hour drive in the jeep we arrived at a small village where the locals came out to meet us. They took us up to the cave which is situated on the ridge below a large plato. The entrance is a rift looking like Juniper Gulf.

I remember there being a strong smell of gauno. We started placing spits near the entrance being watched by 35 of more villagers who hogged the top of the shaft. We rigged ladder again for the Chiltens. Tom Chapman fought his way through the locals who wanted to desend the ladder, we then kept our upmost concentration trying to hear Toms shouts over the rawcass crowd.

Paul went next followed by three of the Chiltens. When it was my turn I decided to absail down pausing for a few photos which paul was taking. Arriving at the base of the shaft 27 metres down, Paul told me to watch out for a poisinous snake which Tom had restled with on the way down and had a go at killing with a rock but hadn't quite managed to do the job. Needless to say, I was extreemly careful not to stand on any snakes or guridak spideres whilst wading through the guario.

There was a large chamber about 20 metres wide, 100 metres long and an average height of 5 to 7 metres. we continued surveying and taking photos of the passage whilst dealing with the two thousand flying bats who didn't like being disturbed, the air was full of flapping wings of bats who seemed to have a tendancy to fly into us which resulted in them knocking themselves out - Poor little mites.

A passage led out of the chamber for 300 metres which was formed on the strike of Limestone. This ended in a chamber with a high aven. We then surveyed another passage for about 60m before heading out to surface. Once on surface, we went for a dip in a sulpha spring which was situated in an old British built building this was very refreshing and then it was a long ride back to Hanni, where we were staying in the old British rest house. We participated in one of the best meals of the trip, potato curry and dall vegetables, the young ones of the Chiltens doing us a proud spread.

Mogal well cave is situated in Hanni district near the village of Rogi, we had a 9am start and headed out to Rogi on a new road to where you could look down on a large rising. Rogi itself had much greenery around the town. We headed up a steep track around some hairpin bends until we couldn't go any further. We then followed our nomadick heardsman that led us up the hill carrying a water container on his turban. After 2 hours we passed through a nomad's village, which was abandoned due to it being cold, the temperature was 27deg so we didn't feel cold. We had a rest,and waited while the herdsman went to look for the cave entrance. I went for a walk over the hill and located 12 caves most of them rock shelters inhabited by wolves. One of the caves was 20m long and connected into one of the other entrences. Eventually the heardsman arrived back and we went to the entrance, which is a 2m wide by 3m long Pothole through the limestone pavement. This was 25feet deep into a large chamber containing a large flowstone boss, which was the height of the pitch into the cave. The chamber was 50m long by 14m wide. Unfortunately the cave that once had been well decorated had been vandalised by people who had mined 8 tones of calcite out of the cave thinking it was worth money.

Conclusion
Pakistan-around baluchistan is a fantastic country in terms of the scenery. The islamic bit is rather concerning but interesting all the same. Altogether 1.6 km of cave was explored. The main finds- mugal ghar cave 650m - 47m entrance shaft. Mogal Well Cave 150m of cave explored making it the deepest cave in Pakistan. The caving in Pakistan is interesting but to find cave is extremely difficult as a vast area of desert and mountain ranges have to be crossed. I feel the potential for major cave with great distances is remote but you never know. The limestone isn't covered by vegetation and the run off time in rainy season must be immense as large canyons and gorges have been formed, there is vast potential for climbing on long rock routes although the political climate does make this a dangerous place in terms of how not to get shot. There are many restricted areas and anyone who wants to visit this area should contact Simon Brooks or the Chilten Adventures Association. The Chiltens are friendly and do look after you well.