Tatra Mountains:

The Zapomniany Meander (Forgotten Meander) series - Anna Antkiewicz

The cavers from Nowy Sacz (SKTJ club) have been carrying out exploration of cave Ptasia Studnia (the Czerwone Wierchy massif, the Western Tatra Mts.) since 1991. In 1997 they discovered a new series with total length of 120 m. The series which consist of some pits linked by meanders was called Zapomniany Meander. It links the already known series of Ptasia Studnia. The total length of Ptasia Studnia is now close to 6 km and the discoveries made by SKTJ during the last 7 years amount to 3 km.

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Sudeten Moutains:

Jaskinia Radochowska - Andrzej Wojton

In March 1998 a three-man team discovered new passages in Radochowska cave (the Sudetes). During the same trip new survey was done in the cave. The new length of the cave is 502 m. It means that Radochowska cave is the second longest cave in the Polish pan of the Sudeten.

Complesso del Foran del Mus, photo: D. Perhinek

Polish Activity abroad

If not in Lampo, then... - Andrzej Ciszewski

In winter 1984 a Polish team explored Zeferethöhle up to the depth of -503 m. The cave is situated in the Höhe Tauern in the slopes of Kitzsteinhorn and ot is developed in metamorphic rocksmarbles and calcareous schists. The Poles came back to Kitzsteinhorn in March and April 1998. Andrzej Ciszewski was again the leader of team of a six-man team. The main aim of the expedition was Feichtnerschachthöhle. The search for the entrance occupied three days because it was covered by a thick layer of snow. At the end snowmobiles, kindly made accessible by Alpincenter, had to be used. Richard Feichtner, the discoverer and the explorer of the cave gave, inestimable help to the Polish team. After several trips on 1 April the team reached the depth of -623 m. Further way down is possible only through a tube completely filled with sand. Thus the exploration was stopped. As the result of the expedition Feichtnerschachthöhle became the deepest cave in the Höhe Tauern.

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Important discoveries in the Canin - Marek Koziol

The article presents Polish activity in the Mount Canin (the Julian Alps). The expeditions that carried out exploration in that massif between 1995 and spring of 1997 were described in the 7th issue of Jaskinie. In September 1997 a five-man team from KS "Aven" Sosnowiec led by Marek Koziol discovered the new cave labelled AV97.5 and because of that called "Point 5" (Kropka 5). The cave reached the depth of about -180 m and the length of about 880 m. The next Polish expedition came to the Mount Canin in February I998. Marek Kozio,` was again the team leader. During the first trip to "Point 5" the cavers, reached the big chamber "Sala bez Stropu" (Roofless Chamber) in Complesso del Foran del Muss. During the same trip they linked "Point 5" with another big cave Abisso Carlo Seppenhofer. Thus, the total length of Complesso del Foran del Muss can be estimated as about 20 km. The depth of cave "Point 5" reached -292 m. It means that the vertical extent of Complesso grew to 804 m. It is worth mentioning that the system has as many as 22 entrances.

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Salt karst

Crystal caverns in the Wieliczka salt mine - Jerzy Przybylo

Several small caves were formed in rock salt in the Wieliczka salt mine (south of Krakow). They are called Krysztalowe Groty. They were discovered during salt mining at the end of XIX century. Halite crystals which edges reaching the length of 10 cm were developed on walls and roofs of the cavern. Some crystals were mined immediately after the discovery. Now they can be seen in several museums. The surface of crystals left in caverns is corroded due to changing microclimatic conditions. Now the caverns are strongly protected, and they can be visited only by special permission. It is worth mentioning that Wieliczka salt mine is on the UNESCO World Heritage List.

Canyoning

There are also canyons in Sardinia - Michal Gradzinski, Mariusz Szelerewicz

The authors describe three canyons situated in the eastern pan of Sardinia (the Supramonte Mts.). Codula di Oribisi is the most diffcult among them. A boat can be used to go through it. The easiest one is Codula Fuili, going through it takes from 1 ,5 to 2 h. On the contrary the trip to Badde Pentumas takes 7 h.

The Jura

The inventory of caves of the Strzemieszyce Hills (Wzniesien Strzemieszycach) The author describes four caves situated near Dabrowa Gornicza (100 km NW of Krakow). The caves developed in Middle Triassic dolomites. The largest of them reaches the length of 24.5 m.

Several caverns made by the Austrian army during the First World War are situated in the western pan of Krakcw. The author describes one of them, which is situated in the Kostrze Hill. The total length of the cavern is 300 m.

photo: H. Nowacki

History

An old description of Jaskinia w Stradczu

The author quotes another pan of an unknown text written by Bogusz Zygmunt Steczynski in 1870. The text presents history and description of Jaskinia w Stradczu cave (20 km W of Lwow, nowedays in Ukraine). In the I 7th century local people used the cave as shelter during the Tatar invasion. The cave was frequently visited by tourists as early as in the middle of I9th century.

Szczelina Chocholowska Cave, Photo: J. Baryla

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Last change 1998.08.26