Issue 312: behind the cover

Violet Hill under the first ice plug in
Morrón del Torco, Ario.

This is Morrón del Torco, a new discovery by the Ario Caves Project in northern Spain. We are standing in the breakdown chamber with its magnificent ice plug. With hundreds of thousands of tonnes of dripping ice above us and huge ice blocks around us, it was one of the most intimidating caving experiences I’ve ever had. It was hypnotising at the same time. We hope that the coming years will give us an insight into the behaviour of cave ice in the Picos area. 

Bartek Biela