the cave so huge it has its own weather system

8/13/2019 The Cave So Huge It Has Its Own Weather System

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The cave so huge it has its own weather

system: Explorers discover a lost world with

thick cloud and fogs trapped inside The cave system was discovered in the Chongquing

province of China by a team of cavers and photographers

Caver Robbie Shone, from Manchester, said a few of thecaves had previously been used by nitrate miners but had

not been properly explored

The network, which includes 'cloud Ladder Hall'

measuring around 51,000 metres squared, has watersources and vegetation of the floor

BySarah Griffiths

Adventurers have stumbled across a cave so enormous that it has its own

weather system, complete with wispy clouds and lingering fog inside vast

caverns.

A team of expert cavers and photographers have been exploring the vast cave

system in theChongquing province of China and have taken the first-ever photographs of the

natural wonder.

They were amazed to discover the entrance to the hidden Er Wang Dong cave

system and were stunned when they managed to climb inside to see a space so

large that it can contain a cloud.

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The view from a small window in the wall of the vast Niubizi Tian Keng in the Er Wang Dong

cave system, where clouds form inside the huge spaces. Three tiny explorers can be seen

negotiating the heavily vegetated floor


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An intrepid cave explorer ascends a rope hanging from the Niubizi Tian Keng. This photograph

is one of the first-ever images taken of one of a cave so large it has its own weather system

Photographer and caver Robbie Shone, from Manchester, was part of a team of15 explorers on a month-long expedition that discovered the hidden system.

'A few of the caves had previously been used by nitrate miners, at the areas

close to the entrance, but had never been properly explored before,' he said.


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'All the major passageways were deep underground and had never seen light

before.

Exploring Chinese caves so big that they have own weather


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Explorer Duncan Collis (pictured) climbs a thin rope up to a small ledge overlooking the vast

floor surface of Niubizi Tian Keng in the Er Wang Dong cave system. A team of expert cavers

have been exploring the caves in the Chongquing province of China


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The tranquil rural village of Ranjiagou falls nearby the hidden natural wonder is pictured left,

while an intrepid caver stands on the central ridge overlooking the cathedral-like Cloud Ladder

Hall, where fog conceals the roof hundreds of metres above (right)

American speleologist Erin Lynch struggles to pull her way across a raging torrent of whitewater, which is the main river in Quankou Dong. One of the explorers said they had to be aware

of high water levels inside the caves, especially when it rained heavily on the surface


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'It is always very special, knowing that you are the first to step foot into a cave

or somewhere where nobody had previously seen, not knowing what you might

find and discover.

'Where else on Earth can still hold secrets and mysteries of discovery? That'swhat I love so much about exploring.

Mr Shones was particularly excited about the cave network's interior weather

system.


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The spectacular beddings in the roof of Quankou. Photographer and caver Robbie Shone, from

Manchester, was part of a team of 15 explorers on a month-long expedition who stumbled across

the natural wonder

The underground camp in Sang Wang Dong is cosy and warm, according to the cavers. Hot foodand drink recharge weary and tired explorers who sleep in either suspended hammocks or on roll

mats on the floor, before venturing out into the vast surroundings


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American speleologist Erin Lynch peers down over her shoulder into a giant void of cloud.Thefloor is over 240m below and although it cant be seen due to the thick cloud that lingers around

her, the echo that reverberates several seconds later reminds her of the volume of empty space

and her lofty location

'I had never seen anything quite like the inside cloud ladder before,' he said.

'Thick cloud and fogs hangs in the upper half of the cave, where it gets trapped

and unable to escape through the small passage in the roof, 250m above theground.


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'It reminded me of being in an abandoned slate quarrying North Wales in bad

weather.

The cave system discovered is not the only one with clouds inside, as humidity

rises inside the caverns into colder air to form clouds inside the giant, enclosedspaces.

Large stalagmites at the foot of a giant ascending ramp to another level of development in San

Wang Dong create a spectacle mid-way through a section of cave called Crusty Duvets


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A giant calcite stalactite boss, dwarfs team member Matt Ryan as he looks up at the giant

geological feature

The network, includes 'Cloud Ladder Hall' which itself measures around 51,000metres squared, while there are rivers and vegetation on the floor of some of its

huge caverns.


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'Most caves are either accessed by large walking entrance, some require a long

deep swim, other may be very vertical in nature where you need ropes to abseil

down the walls deep into the caves.

'We had to be aware of high water levels inside the caves, especially when itrained heavily on the surface.

'The drainage catchment to these caves is massive and soon the caves can be

extremely dangerous and impassable,' he added.


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Duncan Collis and Erin Lynch walk through a section of cave in San Wang Dong called The Sea

of Tranquility. Here remains of old Nitrate mining cover the floor in forms of harths - pits and

unwanted spoil. One team member said it reminded him of being in an abandoned slatequarrying North Wales in bad weather

An explorer scales the rope up a vertical section of cave known as a pit in Xinu Attic


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Crystal clear pools and slow moving streams make it easier to explore Quankou Dongs main

river passage in the huge network of caves that have not welcomed visitors in years

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China-huge-weather-system.html#ixzz2gdhv4mdh
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the cave so huge it has its own weather system

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