www.speleo-photo.de - Max Wisshak - Cave Photography & Publishing
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Cave Portraits

Bizarre caves portrayed


Lechuguilla Lechuguilla Cave

Lechuguilla Cave

Location: Guadalupe Mountains, New Mexico, USA
Length: > 240.0 km
Vertical extend: -497 m
Special features: Special in all respects and not without reason attributed as most beautiful cave in the world; sulphuric acid speleogenesis; UNESCO World Heritage Site
Conservation: Gated; National Park; Wilderness Area; state-of-the-art conservation measures

Please see my website www.lechuguilla-cave.info for detailed information on the cave and the coffee-table book Lechuguilla Cave: Discoveries in a Hidden Splendor

to the photo gallery Lechuguilla Cave – The Southwest

to the photo gallery Lechuguilla Cave – The Nearwest

to the photo gallery Lechuguilla Cave – The Farwest

 

Cottenwood Cave Cottenwood Cave

Cottonwood Cave

Location: Guadalupe Mountains, New Mexico, USA
Length: > 2.5 km
Vertical extend: > -100 m
Special features: Rare cave minerals including elementary sulphur and monohydrocalcite; sulphuric acid speleogenesis
Conservation: Sensitive parts gated; National Forest

to the photo gallery Cottonwood Cave

 

Metro Cave Metro Cave

Metro Cave

Location: South Island, New Zealand
Length: ca. 8 km
Vertical extend: ca. -50 m
Special features: Palaeontological site; glowworms; nice calcite speleothems; beautiful river cave
Conservation: Gated; some parts accessible via guided black water rafting tours

to the photo gallery Metro Cave

 

Flower Cave Flower Cave

Flower Cave

Location: North Island, New Zealand
Length: ? km
Vertical extend: ? m
Special features: Outstanding gypsum speleothems including "the helix", a spiral with 42 whirls
Conservation: Gated; on private farmland

to the photo gallery Flower Cave

 

Piatra Altarului Piatra Altarului

Piatra Altarului

Location: Bihor Mountains, Romania
Length: ? km
Vertical extend: ? m
Special features: Diverse and pure calcite speleothems; exceptional archaeological features
Conservation: Gated

to the photo gallery Piatra Altarului

 

Grotte Malaval Grotte Malaval

Grotte Malaval

Location: Grands Causses, Lozère, France
Length: > 12.0 km
Vertical extend: +160 m, -77 m
Special features: Outstanding variety in speleothems, especially with respect to aragonite; rare blue formations; gypsum speleothems; beautiful active canyon cave
Conservation: Gated; private property of the Association Malaval

to the photo gallery Grotte Malaval

 

Aven Noir Aven Noir

Aven Noir

Location: Grands Causses, Aveyron, France
Length: > 15.0 km
Vertical extend: +50 m, -107 m
Special features: Spectacular spacious entrance shaft; diverse and rare speleothems
Conservation: Sensitive parts gated

to the photo gallery Aven Noir

 

Aven Mt Marcou Aven Mt Marcou

Aven Mt Marcou

Location: Montagne Noir, Hérault, France
Length: 1.8 km
Vertical extend: -345 m
Special features: Also known as "The Green One"; including impressive 146 m single drop
Conservation: Sensitive parts gated

to the photo gallery Aven Mt Marcou

 

Grotte Pousselliere Grotte Pousselieres

Grotte Pousselières

Location: Montagne Noir, Hérault, France
Length: ca. 1.5 km
Vertical extend: -126 m
Special features: Superb variety in aragonite speleothems
Conservation: Gated; proposed as UNESCO World Heritage Site

to the photo gallery Grotte Pousselières

 

Grotte Asperge Grotte Asperge

Grotte Asperge

Location: Montagne Noir, Hérault, France
Length: > 7.0 km
Vertical extend: > -80 m
Special features: Also known as "The Blue One"; diverse aragonite speleothems
Conservation: Gated; on private property; proposed as UNESCO World Heritage Site

to the photo gallery Grotte Asperge

 

Grotte Cabrespine Grotte Cabrespine

Grotte Cabrespine

Location: Montagne Noir, Aude, France
Length: 16.1 km
Vertical extend: -255 m
Special features: dome with 200 m ceiling height; beautiful underground river; rare speleothems
Conservation: Gated; partly s show cave; proposed as UNESCO World-Nature-Heritage site

to the photo gallery Grotte Cabrespine

 

Gouffre Berger Gouffre Berger

Gouffre Berger

Location: Vercors, Isère, France
Length: 31.8 km
Vertical extend: -1271 m
Special features: First cave in history to have exceeded 1000 m in vertical extend
Conservation: Access restricted

to the photo gallery Gouffre Berger

 

Eiskogelhöhle Eiskogelhöhle

Eiskogelhöhle

Location: Tennengebirge, Austria
Length: 4.6 km
Vertical extend: 660 m
Special features: Among the world's most spectacular ice caves
Conservation: Gated; in parts accessible via commercially guided tours

to the photo gallery Eiskogelhöhle

 

Eiskapelle Eiskapelle

Eiskapelle

Location: Berchtesgaden Alps, Germany
Length: Varying
Vertical extend: Varying
Special features: Ice tunnel in small glacier
Conservation: Not sensitive (but dangerous)

to the photo gallery Eiskapelle


Assistance during photo sessions for these galleries:

Andy Armstrong, Hazel Barton, Stefanie Baumgärtner, Katey Bender, Derek Bristol, Beth Cortright, Serge Delpech, Steven Eginoire, Günther Forstmair, Jens Freigang, Norbert Häussermann, Jörg Haußmann, Artur Hofmann, James Hunter, Herbert Jantschke, Garrett Jorgensen, Leo Klimmer, Angela Lang, Vivian Loftin, Kai Loyens, Gaspard Magarinos, Aria Mildice, Peter Otto, Ovidiu Popp, Michael Queen, Michel Renda, Jens Römer, Phill Round, Thomas-Michael Schneider, Patricia Seiser, Nick Smith, Uta Sternbach, Rainer Straub, Peter Wisshak, Stefanie Wisshak, Elisabeth Wolf, Deanna Younger

Million thanks!!

 

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