Avenc de l'Esquerrà

The avenc de l'Esquerrà is the most important cavity of the Garraf massif; it consists of three routes, known as: Via Normal - Anna Maria Pallejà; Via Rat-penat; and Via Lamarca-Torras. Its topographically surveyed vertical drop is -291.4 metres, while the also surveyed length is 1,938 metres, the result of the sum of the 2007 survey plus the survey of the Meandre dels Ribetans: 1784 +154. To this must be added the length of the final stretch of the Via Anna and some small lateral passages explored by the SES – GE Ribes, for which there is no surveyed topography but which will certainly bring the total length to exceed, perhaps only slightly, 2000 metres.

The mouth is almost circular, about 5 metres in diameter, and gives access to the large Faura i Sans pit of 67.7 metres of vertical, which for its first metres maintains its dimensions, widening later towards the N. At -14 metres we find the la Providència ledge, which gives access to the Rat-penat route; at -34 metres a window opens in the S wall through which a narrow gallery is reached that after 5 metres leads to the Artur Brussoto chamber. Already at the base of this first vertical, covered with stones and other debris from the outside, a new vertical of -21 metres opens, which places us in the la Paciència chamber. Walking a few metres, we observe a sudden change of dimensions; above our heads rises the J.M. Torras pit, coming from the Artur Brussoto chamber. A short gallery of modest section places us before a new vertical of -12 metres, landing in a small chamber on the N side, from which some steps descend the Xarel·lo pit, this one with a meander appearance. Once down we find ourselves before a narrow vertical passage, this is the Gatonera de l'Anna, the point where the Anna route begins. After descending a few metres through the crawlway, we reach a balcony before a new vertical of -19 metres, the Cristalls pit; between this pit and the next, called J.M. Anglada, a series of galleries and secondary pits develop, such as the Túnel de la Pastanaga. The J.M. Anglada pit is -23 metres and totally aerial; at its base, a step places us in a lower chamber with a low ceiling and full of clay sediments, where a narrow gallery with important drips begins, leading to a last pit of -14.5 metres that places us in the GES chamber, at -204 metres. Through a narrow passage one reaches a series of small pits and galleries that lead to the -245 metres level, where we find an impassable passage from which a notable air current emerges.

At the bottom of the Pou GER a zone of horizontal predominance opens, made up of a meander originated by dissolution – corrosion. This meander, with evident signs of the extraordinary digging carried out by the members of the SES- GE Ribes, has a width of 0.6 metres and a height of also 0.60 metres. At 20 metres of length, it turns 90º and gives way to the Sala del Part where the dimensions are somewhat more generous. A little further on one reaches the zone of the pits (P-16; P-9 and P-6, consecutive) where the morphology of the passage changes notably, greatly increasing the dimensions, which reach up to 3.90 metres in width. At the base of each pit, which are ramps of about 55º of inclination, one can climb a few metres “upstream” to reach the base of a small waterfall where a small lake originates. Between the second and third vertical there is a narrow passage (Gatonera del Fang-dango) where it is necessary to drag oneself through the mud and which allows entry to the P-6, which is a ramp presenting abundant lithochemical coating in the form of flows and walls clean of sediment. At this point one enters a narrow meander of sub-horizontal predominance (Meandre de les Termòpiles) with some small step and walls covered by sediment. Progress again becomes uncomfortable and one must go seeking the widest zones in order to advance. Further on it widens again and one reaches the most committing point of the cavity, especially when ascending. This narrow passage communicates with a ramp with a stalagmitic floor and a vertical of 7 metres. At its base the small active course is lost under the layer of sediment. At this point there is a tiny chamber only 1.4 metres wide followed by a short horizontal gallery, where the ceiling lowers following a bedding plane until the gallery closes in a mud plug. At the deepest end and beside a curious pendant the point of maximum depth is reached at the -291.4 level, that is, at 42 metres above sea level. Due to the ease with which the sediment of this mud plug can be removed, a digging would be feasible, but access to this final point would greatly hinder the work.

The sala de la Platja turns finding a narrow passage between stalagmitic columns, this is the Taló d'Aquil·les, a descending passage of -4.5 metres somewhat difficult. Once passed and inside a small pothole, a large chamber with an inclined base is observed that leads to the R. Passant pit, of -15 metres. From its bottom a meandriform gallery emerges at the end of which we find a step that places us in the sala GES at -209 metres of depth. An initial narrow passage leads to a small chamber, after another narrowness and a narrow passage where one must get wet we reach a two-metre downclimb where one arrives at a wider chamber. Without descending the Cristalls pit, one passes by some formations and reaches the handline that crosses the GER pit towards the segon sector. Crossing the handline one can continue until finding a sudden change of direction. A few metres on, by a rope, one climbs to the upper part of the galeria Lamarca. Continuing along an upper level to the highest part of the pit, a handline leads to a hanging window that is the entrance to the tercer sector. A small step of 2 metres, and a pit that ends in a descending gallery of good dimensions with a lot of mud, leads to the Caparrós chamber. The bottom of the chamber is at -226 metres. Near here the ascending Fang-Fang gallery develops, which ends after a narrow passage at -191 metres of depth.

CONCRETIONED PITS: To access them, one must position oneself at the start of the flow located in the A. Brussoto chamber, in the direction of the J. León pit. Before descending the flow, one must skirt the large block on the left; a few metres on one climbs on the right to seek the upper part of the J. León pit. Skirting this and passing through a narrow passage between blocks, we reach the beginning of the route. This is formed by a set of spindle-shaped pits, which are linked; the most relevant characteristic, as its name indicates, is the great profusion of concretion existing throughout its extent; there are several lateral pits that are separated by thin partitions of concretion, which subdivide the original pits.

At the base of each pit, which are ramps of about 55º of inclination, one can climb a few metres “upstream” to reach the base of a small waterfall where a small lake originates. At the base of the 7-metre vertical the small active course is lost under the layer of sediment.

VIA NORMAL – ANNA MARIA PALLARÈS: The mouth is almost circular, about 5 metres in diameter, and gives access to the large Faura i Sans pit of 67.7 metres of vertical, which for its first metres maintains its dimensions, widening later towards the N. At -14 metres we find the la Providència ledge, which gives access to the Rat-penat route; at -34 metres a window opens in the S wall through which a narrow gallery is reached that after 5 metres leads to the Artur Brussoto chamber. Already at the base of this first vertical, covered with stones and other debris from the outside, a new vertical of -21 metres opens, which places us in the la Paciència chamber. Walking a few metres, we observe a sudden change of dimensions; above our heads rises the J.M. Torras pit, coming from the Artur Brussoto chamber. A short gallery of modest section places us before a new vertical of -12 metres, landing in a small chamber on the N side, from which some steps descend the Xarel·lo pit, this one with a meander appearance. Once down we find ourselves before a narrow vertical passage, this is the Gatonera de l'Anna, the point where the Anna route begins. After descending a few metres through the crawlway, we reach a balcony before a new vertical of -19 metres, the Cristalls pit; between this pit and the next, called J.M. Anglada, a series of galleries and secondary pits develop, such as the Túnel de la Pastanaga. The J.M. Anglada pit is -23 metres and totally aerial; at its base, a step places us in a lower chamber with a low ceiling and full of clay sediments, where a narrow gallery with important drips begins, leading to a last pit of -14.5 metres that places us in the GES chamber, at -204 metres. Through a narrow passage one reaches a series of small pits and galleries that lead to the -245 metres level, where we find an impassable passage from which a notable air current emerges.

VIA RAT-PENAT: It begins -14 metres below the mouth of the large Faura i Sans pit, the place where the la Providència ledge is found; a brief stretch of descending gallery leads to a large pit of -24 metres that lands in the A. Brussoto chamber, being occupied by some enormous blocks. From the SE side, a short ramp pours into the large J.M. Torras pit, which lands in the la Paciència chamber, thus communicating with the Normal route. Situated again in the A. Brussoto chamber, and passing under a block, one reaches a flow with a gentle slope that pours into the J. León pit, of -34 metres of depth. Next a step of -6 metres places us in the small chamber known by the name of Cambra Nupcial; from it the Lamarca-Torras route also emerges. Next follow the Pous del Balconet, which we will descend in three pitches. A crawlway and a step place us in a complex zone with different superimposed floors, communicated among themselves by pits. Different steps and a vertical of -12 metres place us in the Platja chamber. The sala de la Platja turns finding a narrow passage between stalagmitic columns, this is the Taló d'Aquil·les, a descending passage of -4.5 metres somewhat difficult. Once passed and inside a small pothole, a large chamber with an inclined base is observed that leads to the R. Passant pit, of -15 metres. From its bottom a meandriform gallery emerges at the end of which we find a step that places us in the sala GES at -209 metres of depth. An initial narrow passage leads to a small chamber, after another narrowness and a narrow passage where one must get wet we reach a two-metre downclimb where one arrives at a wider chamber. Without descending the Cristalls pit, one passes by some formations and reaches the handline that crosses the GER pit towards the segon sector. Crossing the handline one can continue until finding a sudden change of direction. A few metres on, by a rope, one climbs to the upper part of the galeria Lamarca. Continuing along an upper level to the highest part of the pit, a handline leads to a hanging window that is the entrance to the tercer sector. A small step of 2 metres, and a pit that ends in a descending gallery of good dimensions with a lot of mud, leads to the Caparrós chamber. The bottom of the chamber is at -226 metres. Near here the ascending Fang-Fang gallery develops, which ends after a narrow passage at -191 metres of depth.

VIA LAMARCA – TORRAS: This route is accessed after climbing a metre and a half up the Cambra Nupcial; it is a crawlway that, following a step of -4 metres, places us on a balcony above the E. Lamarca pit; the vertical is -45 metres almost totally aerial, the pit reaching an important cross-section. Situated at the base, the cavity continues through a window located 5 metres higher up; one must pendulum to access it; once at the window, a gallery of steep inclination begins. A step of 2 metres precedes a new vertical of -19 metres. From the dome of this pit, an ascending handline leads to the Grúmuls gallery; it is an elliptically shaped gallery through which, climbing 10 metres, one accesses an upper level with a smaller gallery. Situated again at the -19 metres pit, once at its base, a short climb must be made to reach la Fonteta, it is a sandy small chamber partly covered by water; on the left, overcoming a step, we find some meanders that we will follow at mid-height until reaching a window that gives onto a short pit with the base covered in water, which is the lowest point of this route, -193 metres.