Riesending cave, Cave system in Bischofswiesen, Germany
Riesending is a cave system in the Untersberg massif near Bischofswiesen, running almost 20 kilometers (12 miles) through the rock and reaching down to 1149 meters (3770 feet) below the surface. The passages cut through different layers of stone and form a complex network of shafts and horizontal sections, some of which are only a few meters wide.
Cavers from Bad Cannstatt found the entrance shaft in autumn 1996 while exploring the high plateau above Bischofswiesen. Expeditions over the following years uncovered deeper sections of the system and gradually expanded the known network.
Local cavers still use the original spontaneous exclamation that named this system, reflecting the immediate impression visitors have when they first peer into its entrance. The regional dialect term captures the sense of standing before something far larger than expected, hidden beneath the mountain plateau.
This cave system is accessible only to experienced cavers with technical equipment and lies on a remote high plateau. Mountain weather conditions can change rapidly, so planning for expeditions should always include enough time reserves.
From the entry point at 1843 meters (6047 feet) elevation, a sequence of vertical shafts drops 450 meters (1476 feet) straight down into the mountain without major interruption. The temperature throughout the entire cave system varies only between 1.5 and 5 degrees Celsius (35 to 41 degrees Fahrenheit) year-round, with constantly high humidity.
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