Optical and HI studies of high- and intermediate-velocity gas towards Complex A

We present high-resolution optical and 21-cm Hi spectra of seven early-type stellar sightlines towards the high-velocity cloud Complex A, at distances of up to 4.6 kpc from the Galactic plane. We do not optically detect the -160 kms^-1 interstellar gas associated with Complex A, and so are unable to establish limits on its distance. However, we do detect gas associated with the Low Latitude Intermediate Velocity Arch, placing it at z<0.9kpc, and also establish distance limits (z<=1.2-3.3kpc) on several other intermediate- and high-velocity clouds in this region that have not been catalogued previously.