A waterfall below the Schwarzbachfall resurgence, photo M. Gradzinski

Some 15 caves were discovered in those years, the biggest being Jubilaumsschcht (2024 m long,1173 m deep) and Mondhöhle (850 m long and 546 m deep). Since 1990 exploration of the area has been undertaken by a team under the figurehead of Katowicki Klub Speleologiczny, and Piotr Kaizik has been the leader of all expeditions since then. We began our work in the northeastern part of the massif, and we concentrated on the very interesting Grutred cirque. During three years 25 caves have been discovered with aggregated length of ca. 11 km. The biggest are Grutredhölensystem, 7015 m long and 821 m deep and Koboldschacht, 1780 m long and 677 m deep. Our discoveries in the area reveal the drainage system of a glacial cirque. Grutredhölensystem permits one to trace water from the places of its penetration into the cirque floor and sill, through zone of collectors to a system of resurgences in the slopes and walls of the massif.

Soutern slopes of the Göll massif, photo J. Wrzak

The cave's active series descends to the altitude of 760 m, that is only 200 m higher than the nearby Schwarzbachfall resurgence. The position of the Grutred cirque at the ridge termination is responsible for the relatively little amount of water draining through it. This in turn results in frequent squeezes in the horizontal sections of the cave. After having worked there for three years we have shifted the focus of our exploration to the central part of the eastern branch of the massif, the area of Hinteres Freieck - Hochscharte. This area proved challenging to us with its very steep slopes and the ubiquitous scree. In four expeditions we managed to survey 40 new caves there. The biggest is Kammerschartenhöhle, 5,5 km long and 813 m deep. Its two distinct levels at altitudes of 1600 m and 1300 m are clearly comparable with those in the nearby Gruberhornhöhle and they provide hints about the directions, levels and extent of karstic flows in the massif. The work is still underway and we have perspectives of further discoveries. We have hitherto discovered 65 new caves in the massif, totalling some 23 km in length. The massif is still far from being well explored and it is our goal to persistently change this situation.