Latest news with #caving
BBC News
20-07-2025
- BBC News
SOS: Extreme rescue for teens stranded underground in slate mine
"It's the scariest thing that has ever happened to me in my life - ever." Josh, 15, had joined friend Draigen and his mother Kate, an experienced climber, caver and adventurer, for what was meant to be an exhilarating trip through an underground slate mine system near Blaenau Ffestiniog in things took a turn for the worse after a canoe capsized on a freezing subterranean lake, leaving Draigen stuck, cold and wet so his mum had to leave both boys to seek rescuers are urging people to ensure they plan their adventures as they brace themselves for an influx of visitors during the summer school holidays. BBC Wales' TV series SOS: Extreme Rescues has been following them over the last this shows that the dangers are not always on the mountains - sometimes they are beneath."I've always been interested in mountains and trying to get really good experiences with my children," said Kate, from Essex."Doing something like that is really wholesome and it just builds so many skills."For Kate, visiting the cave system that reached down to 130m (425ft) in places, was the perfect adventure for her son and his said she had researched the route carefully, and all three were well equipped for the trip involving rope bridges, abseiling down rock faces, using zip lines, and even a boat to cross a freezing hours into the route, they approached the lake, one of the mine's biggest obstacles, which is 50m (160ft) across and reaches a depth of 60m (200ft) in places. "There was just a rope hanging in the water, so me and Josh just started pulling this rope and there was a canoe on the end of this rope," said Draigen."It was just insane."Kate was the first to abseil down to the canoe to cross the lake."I always like to make sure it's safe."Josh followed but when it was Draigen's turn - disaster struck. "I just stood on the wrong spot," Draigen said."It just sunk."On footage captured underground, he tells his mother he is "literally waist deep" in freezing water."I was panicking - I was struggling to climb back out. All the rock was crumbling off the wall," he said."I was in the water for about a minute. It was freezing cold." He managed to pull himself on to a rock, but he was now stuck, stranded on the other side of the lake, unable to reach the path above him, and unable to get to his mother or said the "worry and concern" he could suffer the cold effects of hypothermia and so she managed to get a survival bag over to her were deep underground, and it meant no phone signal to call for help so she had one choice - to leave the two boys and go for help herself."That was one of the most difficult decisions I probably have made, I would say, in my lifetime," she said."I knew how scary that was going to be for them." It took her two-and-a-half hours to find her way back out of the mine complex, to finally raise the rescue operation then swung into action, with the Aberglaslyn Mountain Rescue Team above ground, and North Wales Cave Rescue Organisation volunteers heading into the all, it was four hours since Kate had left when rescuers found the two teens - safe but cold."When I heard their voices - the relief I felt," said Draigen, who was brought to safety by the cave rescue was handed a flask of hot chocolate and some warm clothes, before he and Josh were helped out of the mine to be reunited with added: "I was so relieved - all the stress that had built up, just went."The first thing the boys asked was if Kate was okay."I was so proud of them," she said. It was the outcome the rescuers had hoped for, after initial fears for their safety, and whether they had left the location in an attempt to find their own way out."We didn't know if they were injured," said Dave Evans from Aberglaslyn Mountain Rescue Team."We were hoping that they'd stayed... but they did. They did exactly what they were meant to do." The mountain rescue team leader said it highlighted the importance of being prepared - and the need to plan ahead for year saw the seven north Wales rescue teams deal with more than 750 call-outs, with more than 320 in the area covering the highest peak Yr Wyddfa, also known as Snowdon, the most call-outs for any of the teams across Wales and England."When you come to Wales, to Eryri [also known as Snowdonia], you plan your route - you've planned your vehicle, how much petrol you've got in your vehicle to get to north Wales," he said."It's no different when you come and set foot on the mountains of north Wales."Things can go wrong, hopefully it doesn't. But if you've planned - then half the battle is won."
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Travel + Leisure
07-07-2025
- Travel + Leisure
The World's Largest Cave Has Its Own Climate System With Jungles, Rivers, and Clouds—and This Is the Only Way You Can See It
Ho Khanh was on a mission to hunt for a rare jungle tree Agarwood near the border of Vietnam and Laos in 1990 when a heavy storm pounded down on him, driving the Phong Nha native to find shelter under a cliff. Despite keeping dry, the mountainous columns of fog and cold air that flowed out out of what looked like a cave terrified him, making a serious impression he couldn't shake. It wasn't until 17 years later when Khanh was on a trip in the Hang En area with Howard Limbert of the The British Vietnam Caving Expedition team that he mentioned the decades-old experience he had—capturing the intrigue of his team. While it took some time to retrace his steps, Khanh managed to lead the team to the exact spot in 2009. They quickly realized that he hadn't just experienced a freakish force of nature, but had actually stumbled into a voluminous cave unlike anything else on the planet. The team's discovery, which they dubbed Han Son Doong, which translates to Mountain River Cave, quickly garnered global attention, most notably clinching the Guinness World Record title of world's largest cave in 2013. Impressive in size alone, the single cave passage reaches 655 feet high and 490 feet wide, and stretches a distance of at least four miles, with a volume of at least 414.4 million square feet. To understand just what that actually means, the cave is so massive it has its own climate zone. And it's so high there's actually room for clouds to form from its own underground river. A city block of skyscrapers could actually fit within it, according to Google Arts & Culture. Han Son Doong also follows a fault line that's more than 300 feet wide, and does see some sunlight, thanks to two skylights. Plus parts of the ceiling collapsed hundreds of thousands of years ago resulting in 'windows' of sorts called dolines that also let sun in. The result is that so much vegetation thrived that there's also an entire tropical forest growing inside of the cave. Needless to say, the stalagmites and stalactites here also have other caves beat, none more so than a 295-foot-tall calcite wall that's been referred to as "The Great Wall of Vietnam." The age of the cave's limestone is believed to be about three million years old, formed by two rivers Khe Ry and Rao Thunong, which join at the cave. The otherworldly site has turned into a stunning destination for adventurers, but the only way to experience it is through the tour operator, Oxalis, which runs a five-night Son Doong Expedition Tour. While it is open to travelers from ages 18 to 70, it is ranked 'hard' and limited to travelers who have trekked within the last 12 months through variegated terrain at least five miles a day with elevation gain of at least 984 feet. They also must be properly trained, with the ability to run a five kilometers (3.1 miles) in less than 50 minutes, and climb five floors continuously without getting out of breath. The itinerary includes trekking through forests, with elevation gains of 2,625 feet and crossing multiple rivers, as well as crossing rock scrambles, sandbanks, ladders, and even rope climbs. But the reward for all the effort is truly unlike any other, with highlights including seeing a giant stalagmite called the Hand of Dog, a doline (the cave windows) called Watch out for Dinosaurs, and of course, the Great Wall of Vietnam. There's even a bit of set-jetting along the way, as one of the points will feature sites where the movies Pan and Neverland filmed. The journey costs $3,000. At the time of publish, the next availability is for trips departing in January 2027.
Forbes
19-05-2025
- Forbes
1 Surprising Hobby That Can Induce A ‘Flow State,' By A Psychologist
Caving is often considered a risky hobby, but once you understand its appeal, it starts to make ... More sense. Here's why, for some people, the need to explore caves is so rooted in the flow state. Most of us have heard of the concept of a flow state. Generally, we think of it as a side effect of doing something we love. But what if it's the other way around? How much of what we choose to do is actually driven by the desire to enter a state of flow? In 2009, John Edward Jones became trapped in Utah's Nutty Putty Cave. Wedged headfirst in a narrow crevice 400 feet under the ground, rescuers spent over 24 hours trying to free him. But their efforts failed. He died where he was stuck, and the cave was permanently sealed with concrete, his body entombed inside. Jones had been caving since he was 4 years old. For those like him, caving, or spelunking, the exploration of tight, pitch-black, often waterlogged underground passageways is a calling that seems to blur the line between physical endurance and psychological need. But not every caving expedition is a death-defying mission, and Jones's case is an exception, not a rule. In fact, much of the modern caving community is organized and operates within a tightly regulated framework. Serious cavers train extensively, use specialized equipment and often descend in teams with established safety protocols. Many routes are mapped and well-studied, and some caves are even developed as tourist attractions with guided tours and fixed lighting. Still, there's a crucial difference between recreational caving and the kind of high-commitment, demanding exploration pursued by dedicated cavers like Jones. The difference between travel and tourism is subtle, but we all feel it. One implies curiosity, challenge and even transformation. The other suggests comfort, itineraries and souvenirs. That contrast holds underground too. There's a stark divide between casual cave tourism and serious cave exploration. Tourists might walk through lit pathways in show caves with a guide and a handrail. But true explorers — often called speleologists — operate on the fringe of tourism altogether. They seek out raw, technically demanding environments where routes are sometimes unmarked, conditions unpredictable and the experience both physically and mentally consuming. A December 2024 paper on the Polish caving community draws this line clearly. It found that the people who take on cave challenges outside of mass tourism aren't necessarily in it to tick a box. Their motivations are internal: a mix of aesthetic wonder, cognitive curiosity, emotional intensity and a search for the unknown. While many adventure sports are framed around showmanship or risk — think downhill mountain biking or skydiving — dedicated caving is not loud or aesthetic. If anything, it's a grueling ordeal that forces you to contort your body so it passes through gaps human bodies were never designed to pass through. The dark environment also makes it a private pursuit shaped by solitude, silence and a kind of intimacy with the Earth. Interestingly, the paper suggests that while tourists in popular caves are often motivated by escape, novelty or social connection, serious cavers are more likely to chase a flow state, where even time can stand still. One of the biggest reasons caving scares people off is claustrophobia. Imagine being required to squeeze through rock passages with barely enough space to breathe, let alone move. It triggers a kind of primal panic. It isn't fear in the classic sense, but a rising anxiety. But for the few who fall in love with the pastime, this discomfort eventually gives way to something else: total focus. Psychologists call it a flow state, a mental zone where you're fully immersed in what you're doing. Time warps, self-awareness fades and every movement becomes instinctive yet deliberate, shaped by the cave itself. For someone who can't imagine finding pleasure in putting themselves in perilous situations just to achieve a state of flow, caving can seem unnecessary. The risk appears wildly out of sync with the reward. But many cavers are actively involved in cave-conservation efforts, mapping uncharted cave systems or studying underground geology and biology. Whatever the reward is, it's rarely external. Interestingly, research suggests that individuals who are more prone to experiencing flow states may also see greater health benefits, including reduced risk of cardiovascular disease. It's also worth noting that for most of us, achieving a flow state while wedged between rocks isn't exactly likely. This is because what puts each of us in a flow state varies by individual. It also varies by skill level. Here's one way to think about it in the context of a much more common hobby — running. Nearly 15% of the U.S. population runs, but not everyone experiences a state of flow doing it. When your skills are still in the state of development, flow will feel harder to achieve. Once skill becomes muscle memory, it unlocks a new level of appreciation for the sport. That's why experienced runners are more likely to associate running with flow than beginners. So, flow is unlocked at the intersection of skill, challenge and intrinsic motivation. And that's the takeaway. Caving is ultimately about what happens to the mind and body when the noise of the outside world disappears. Most of us won't find a flow state deep inside a cave, but we're all looking for it somewhere. And when we do find it, whether on a trail, behind a camera or deep in a project that drives us, we begin to understand why someone might risk everything just to feel that focused, wordless clarity over and over. Some people achieve a flow state by pushing past fear, embracing silence and finding meaning in the unknown. Take the science-backed Openness To Experience Scale to find out where you stand.
Yahoo
19-05-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Caver rescued in eight-hour operation after fall
A caver who fell underground in the Peak District had to be rescued in an eight-hour operation. A group of cavers had been visiting the Derbyshire Hall chamber inside the Nettle Pot cave near Castleton, Derbyshire, on Saturday when one of them suffered pelvic injuries in a fall. Some 32 volunteers from the Derbyshire Cave Rescue Organisation (DCRO) were called to treat and then bring the caver to safety. They were then passed into the care of East Midlands Ambulance Service. A DCRO spokesperson said: "We understand the casualty is thankfully not seriously injured and wish them a swift recovery." The spokesperson added a further nine hours of work from volunteers was needed to clean and sort the equipment used in the operation. Follow BBC Derby on Facebook, on X, or on Instagram. Send your story ideas to eastmidsnews@ or via WhatsApp on 0808 100 2210. Caver rescued in eight-hour operation after fall 'We were all soaked to the skin' - the extraordinary cave rescue Cave rescuer describes challenge of 3D maze Derbyshire Cave Rescue Organisation
BBC News
19-05-2025
- General
- BBC News
Caver rescued in eight-hour operation after Peak District fall
A caver who fell underground in the Peak District had to be rescued in an eight-hour operation.A group of cavers had been visiting the Derbyshire Hall chamber inside the Nettle Pot cave near Castleton, Derbyshire, on Saturday when one of them suffered pelvic injuries in a 32 volunteers from the Derbyshire Cave Rescue Organisation (DCRO) were called to treat and then bring the caver to were then passed into the care of East Midlands Ambulance Service. A DCRO spokesperson said: "We understand the casualty is thankfully not seriously injured and wish them a swift recovery."The spokesperson added a further nine hours of work from volunteers was needed to clean and sort the equipment used in the operation.
