Seven Wonders of the Caving World?

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Seven Wonders of the Caving World?

Postby hewhocaves » May 1, 2006 8:42 pm

Being the 75th anniversary of the opening of the Empire State Building (often referred to as the eighth wonder of the world) I thought it might be interesting to compile a list of the seven greatest caving wonders.

Feel free to add to the list or discuss possibilities. Below is what I've come up with thus far. In no particular order (and the reason I've selected them.)

Mammoth Cave - KY, USA - Longest Cave
Good Luck Cave -Malaysia - Largest Chamber
Krubera Cave - Abkhazia - Deepest Cave
Lascaux Cave- France - Cave Paintings
Adelsberg Cave -Slovenia - Oldest commercial Cave?

Two more categories still need filling. "Most beautiful cave" and "most complicated cave!" We could also add "most dangerous cave" along with one of the biospeleogenesis caves, maybe a lava tube, etc... etc...

But what do you think?
John
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Re: Seven Wonders of the Caving World?

Postby cob » May 2, 2006 7:14 pm

hewhocaves wrote:Two more categories still need filling. "Most beautiful cave" and "most complicated cave!" We could also add "most dangerous cave" along with one of the biospeleogenesis caves, maybe a lava tube, etc... etc...

But what do you think?
John


Well, I know it is an old and tired subject, but you missed Lech... I do hereby nominate it as "Most Beautiful"... and challenge anyone to prove me wrong!!! (my eyes will be the judge of it) :laughing: :laughing:

tom
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Postby Herman Miller » May 3, 2006 3:30 am

I second that lech is the most beautiful... posibly the most unusual... btw still looking for contacts in eastern new mexico to cave with after my relocation there
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Postby Evan G » May 3, 2006 5:38 pm

most complicated cave: Either Jewel or Wind Cave SD.

most dangerous cave: That is easy: Great X Cave WY, but if Bad Medicine Cave WY was ever pushed, yikes! There are a couple of other in WY that would put Great X to the test.
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Postby Ralph E. Powers » May 4, 2006 3:36 am

I'll Third on Lech's legendary beauty... BUT!
We've some gorgeous caves of our own (gated of course)
Small but always a jaw-dropper Spanish Moss Cave

Dangerous- (NIAPO) Main Drain, Neilsens, Neffs Canyon

Confusing: Candlelight

And so on.
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Postby ian mckenzie » May 4, 2006 5:50 pm

Since y'all seem hung up on US caves... I'll nominate Castleguard Cave in Canada as the best all-round cave trip. It's remote location (ski access in winter only, over a glacier) and its 20km length (9km to the back by the shortest route from its only entrance) and the use of two underground camps evokes a feeling of remoteness like no other - tho I stand to be corrected...

also, I've always had a fondness for Nettlebed in NZ, tho I've not done it via the Blizzard Pot route.
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Postby Wayne Harrison » May 4, 2006 6:28 pm

What's the cave temp in F?
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Postby ian mckenzie » May 5, 2006 9:39 am

For Castleguard? Just above freezing, tho it drops below freezing at the back end because of the overlying icefield (the cave actually ends in a plug of glacial ice pushed in from the surface, which is unique in the world). The entrance series is also below freezing (in winter), hence The Ice Crawls.
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Postby hewhocaves » May 7, 2006 11:53 pm

wow.... Castleguard's pretty impressive.

Though I'm surprised that more caves from around the world aren't being jockeyed for 'most beautiful' or 'most dangerous'. Where's Zenas when you need him? :-)

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