The Swiss are clever innovators. The latest example of this that I saw were the lift towers in Saas Fee. Floating in mid-air, not standing on ground like regular towers. Anti-gravity in action!
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August 2016, Saas Fee, Switzerland; Eispavillon, Saas Fee, Switzerland
Skiing (Outdoor, Snow, Lifts); Caving (Glacier, Basic, Showtour)
We had a disturbing visit to a cave today. Somebody had not only blocked access to this cave, but also smeared vaseline all over the cave, spread broken glass, and so on. Sigh.
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August 2016, Mätikän luola, Masku, Finland
Caving (Rock, Rock-Granite, Morphology-Crack, Basic)
We visited this magnificent hole without really knowing much about what to expect. We had seen it listed in the book of Finnish caves, and in Retkipaikka, but the name told us little. Devil's church?
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July 2016, Pirttimäen hiidenkirkko, Perniö, Finland
Caving (Rock, Basic, Rock-Granite, Morphology-Boulders)
Getsvältan offers great views onto the sea and a nice crawl into small caves.
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July 2016, Getsvältan, Visby, Sweden
Caving (Rock, Basic, Rock-Limestone, Morphology-Erosion, Morphology-Weathering)
I don't often relax, but when I do, it has to be muddy. Wet. And underground.
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July 2016, Kluterthohle, Ennepetal, Germany
Caving (Rock, Rock-Limestone, Morphology-Karst, Basic)
I guess we can blame ourselves, as we were looking for the wormhole. We didn't realise the world would change if we went through it. Lost in time for a while, but managed to return back to our universe by going through the wormhole again.
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July 2016, Pirunpesänkivi, Nokia, Finland
Caving (Rock, Rock-Other, Morphology-Erosion, Basic)
Lilla Karlsö. A paradise for birds, enough to warrant ban on entering except during special times and only with a guide. Of course, we didn't know any of the stuff about the guide, but wanted to visit some caves. Turned out that we had to follow a guide, and that it actually was a very good idea to follow the guide.
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July 2016, Kuren, Lilla Karlsö, Sweden; Suder Vagnhus, Lilla Karlsö, Sweden; Norra Vagnhus, Lilla Karlsö, Sweden
Caving (Rock, Basic, Rock-Limestone, Morphology-Karst, Morphology-Erosion)
Hulubergsgrottan. Sipoo, Finland. Tiny hole, only crawable. And now filled with dirty water. What could be more fun to explore?
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June 2016, Hulubergsgrottan, Sipoo, Finland
Caving (Rock, Rock-Limestone, Morphology-Karst, Basic)
We often have just coordinates. While Finnish caves are small, they are often also non-obvious, mere collections of holes under boulders. Would be nice to have a map, to even know if we're in the right hole.
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June 2016, Torholan luola, Lohja, Finland
Caving (Rock, Rock-Limestone, Morphology-Karst, Basic, Training, Surveying)
I was going through pictures of caves I visited, and noticed that I had not published some pictures from the Suomenoja luge boulder that we visited in 2016... so here's some photos!
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May 2016, Suomenojan siirtolohkare, Espoo, Finland
Caving (Basic, Morphology-Boulders, Rock, Rock-Gneiss)
Wappu, or first of May is a huge celebration in Finland, traditionally celebrated by hiking to a hill and drinking alcohol. This is very different from other festivities in Finland, where the part about the hill is omitted.
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May 2016, Kauniainen ski hill, Kauniainen, Finland; Saunalahden onkalo, Espoo, Finland; Suomenojan siirtolohkare, Espoo, Finland
Skiing (Outdoor, Snow, Lifts); Caving (Basic, Rock, Morphology-Crystallization, Rock-Gneiss); Caving (Basic, Morphology-Boulders, Rock, Rock-Gneiss)
Salo, southern Finland. More than an hour away by car, and we've been in the forest for an hour now. The cave is nowhere to be found. I have coordinates, but in the wrong coordinate system and Google isn't co-operating to interpret them in the right way.
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April 2016, Rosvoluola, Salo, Finland
Caving (Rock, Rock-Granite, Morphology-Crack, Basic)
Icy holes. Those are the best ones!
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April 2016, Mäyrämäen kellari, Lapinjärvi, Finland
Caving (Basic, Rock, Rock-Granite, Morphology-Crack)
Bombergsgrottan has a small entrance, a hole at the bottom of a big cliff. But the small hole hides a big (25m, big by Finnish standards) cave that extends left and right under the cliff.
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April 2016, Bombergsgrottan, Liljendal, Finland
Caving (Basic, Rock, Rock-Granite)
Caves in Finland may be small, but fortunately also claustrophobia-inducing. Caves are also not well known, but this one has an actual road sign and a parking lot!
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February 2016, Torholan luola, Lohja, Finland
Caving (Rock, Rock-Limestone, Morphology-Karst, Basic)
If this cave wasn't next to Torhola's great karst cave, it would be remarkable. Now, it is largely ignored.
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February 2016, Torholan luola 2, Lohja, Finland
Caving (Rock, Rock-Limestone, Morphology-Karst, Basic)