Vertical caving terminology and methods > Pitches and potholes, general terms
Vertical channels on the wall of a pitch, aven or shaft, which is formed by water falling vertically, and preferentially dissolving vertical channels into the rock. In scientific terms, the exact form may be described as wandkarren, or a variation of rillenkarren and rundkarren, but it is beyond the scope of this article to describe the subtle differences between those, and what influences each behaviour, since they can form on sloping surfaces too, and are not a purely vertical phenomenon. Cavers usually refer to all of these as fluting, and a fluted shaft is often deemed to be very attractive. Flutes can be only a few centimetres across, or wide enough for a potholer to fit inside each flute. Most pitches will display some amount of fluting, but the flutes will usually have to be particularly prominant for a pitch to be referred to as being fluted.
<< Aven | Pothole (pronounced as "pot hole"), pot ("pit cave" in USA) >>
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