Preparing to go down in the FR3 cave (over 400 m deep)

FR3 can be an extremely wet cave

And a cold one too, snow and ice everywhere

Annette placing rock anchors with the hammer drill in FR3

At -400 in FR3 cave. Alternating sediments of sand and pebbles speak about the long history of this cave and its periods of turbulent (= pebbles) and calm (= sand) rivers.

Ellen admiring aragonite flowers in FR3 cave

Paul going down AN509 (Pozo Mariposa), with its 60 m deep entrance pit with terrifying unstable and loose rock everywhere.

Looking down Pozo Mariposa in the winter.

The 60 m entrance pit of Mariposa, going down between rock and ice.

At -100, no more ice but a splendid and easy meander

Then, really big pits all the way down

In 2009, the exploration reached -320 m in Mariposa and the cave still went on. In 2010 however the cave was blocked by snow...

Another important cave, Pozo de la Grieta, explored in 2010 to a depth of -220 m

This is a cave which seems very promising but freezing cold: AN595 or Gouffre Polaire.

In 2010 we reached -200 m, the cave goes on.

Paul taking notes at the top of AN62.

Our last descent in AN60 (Pozo Ryobhilti).

After years of work in very narrow meanders, we discovered a beautiful and very big cave.

A series of magnificent pits going down for hundreds of meters

Finally, after a giant 121 m pit, we connect with the Anialarra Cave System at a depth of 444 m.

Leaving AN60. Above the sun beckons.