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New discoveries in Bulgaria Contributed by zhalov on Monday, January 25 @ 14:27:39 EET
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 The expedition "Zdravkovets-2010” ended sucessfully
Machanov Trap Cave become 4 km long!
Reported by Alexey Zhalov
Machanov Trap Cave is located 0,5 km W of Zdravkovets vill. , Gabrovo distr. in the area called Bucheto, NW part of Strazhata Plateau, Middle Predbalkan, Bulgaria.
It is formed in the contact zone between Lower Cretaceous sandstone and mergels and the under laying Aptain limestone. A branched, four-storey, water cave. Different shape of the cross sections: triangular, trapezoid, rectangular. Average dimensions of the galleries: width 3,65, height 2,37 m. Five bigger chambers, the most spacious one is 39x10x10 m. Many sinters and flowstone. Boulders in the lower levels. A permanent stream entering the cave (ponor). Four side streams sink together into a siphon in the lowest part. Water inflow measured in the period November 6 – December 17, 1983, between 0,18 and 0,9 l/sec. Length - 1907 m. Depth - 27 m (- 21; +6 m). Surface - 8000 m2. Volume -15 000 m3
The furs studies and surveys was made by the cavers from Speleoclub “Viten” from Sevlievo in the period 1981 – 1995.
In the period 2008-2009 the cavers from SC “Strinava” – Gabrovo ,”Balkan Adventure” and “Salamander”-Stara Zagore discover some new parts which ends in very narrow and not passable passage. The further exploration of the cave needs the organizing of bigger expedition.
The numerous expedition in Machanov Trap Cave was held from 2 to 10 th January 2010. In it takes part 37 cavers from the following clubs: SC Balkan Adventure- Vl.Trichkov; Nepiast - Burgas ;Strinava - Dryanovo ;Salamander Stara Zagora ;Iskar –Sofia; Prista and Academic – Russe;Academic- Sofia; Dervent - Veliko Tarnovo; Viten- Sevlievo.
On the third day of the expedition, the team managed to extend enough the narrow passage in the known end of the cave and enter into new parts. So far in three days successively worked in shifts, a total of 5 groups, almost continuously. To pass the narrowing in the new parts can be entered in a beautiful room with approximate dimensions: length 7 meters., Width 4 m, height 3.4 m, filled entirely beautiful speleothems occurred during the transition gap between the entities.The room begins by mud flat section, approximately 3 meters long and located on the 3rd boulder choke. After 1 meter shall squeeze through a peak of formations and curves downward and gradually descends down from the hall itself still about 4 m to less passage actually located in boulder chalk.
The narrow enter for new parts is called Penchovi gates. The Hall after “Penchovi gates” “Viten Hall” on the name of the first explorers of the cave.
After the entry into new parts of the group began the rigging of a vertical passage and descended into the hall . Passing the narrow passage the explorers reach another high - high hall about 20 m. This room was called" Euphoria. From the hall the explorers managed to descend to the bottom, there in the vertical slit which is heard by the river and a vertical passage requires rigging. Then they reach the river and opened approach to the next room - scary. Name it "Heavenly Hall". In this room the ceiling is not visible, but only a slight glare in the room dominated entity "Sword of Angels" - draped with impressive size 12-14 m - visible part descending from the ceiling somewhere high. Floor of the hall is dotted with numerous lakes sinter, the hall is very beautiful with its white formations. The team went back to the river. In the other direction after a few meters the explorers was stopped of waterfall with a depth of 3 meters. There the galleries is divided into two directions - upstream and downstream.
Gangway leading to next room. The water passes through and goes through about 4-5 m. There continues as meander and requires equipping. After about 120 meters the hall turns to meander. This room is called "Lake Hall”. In the opposite direction, there is a clear continuation of meander. 20 m before hall has another dry branch which was studied up to 150 meters and continues.
Equipping of a the next waterfall (15 meters) the team goes in meander continued as a cascade of few steps of about 8 m. but the meander continue in the same way.The next hurdle was again at 15 meter waterfall . Because the lack of ropes the exploration was stopped there. Few cave branches remain unexplored also. Finally there are discovered around 2 km of new passages with depth of ~ 150 m. The half of the new find galleries has surveyed.
Till now the total length of the Machanov Trap Cave is close to the 4 km but it is possible to be connect with the nearest Jantra Cave ( 2200 m. long ; depth + 86ě ) . If this happened, the length of the new system will be not less than 6 km and it will be 4 –th longest Bulgarian cave!
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