Forat Negre d'escales

Cova de 33 m de recorregut a Montagut i Oix (Garrotxa)

Montagut i Oix • Garrotxa33m12m

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Forat Negre d'escales

Cova de 33 m de recorregut a Montagut i Oix (Garrotxa)

Montagut i Oix · Garrotxa

Length: 33 m · Depth: 12 m

Updated record

https://espeleoworld.com/en/c/forat-negre-d-escales

Information can change. Always verify coordinates, access, weather, and cave conditions before setting out.

Topographic map of the main entrance — Main entrance · ICGC topographic map

Cave with a 33 m passage in Montagut i Oix (Garrotxa), on the left bank of the riera d'Escales, with a main chamber 9 m by nearly 8 m and 12 m high.

Characteristics

Type: Cave
Municipality: Montagut i Oix
Region: Garrotxa
Unit: Alta Garrotxa
Length: 33 meters
Depth: 12 meters
Major Unit: Prepirineu
Lithology: Limestone
Last review: 2026-05-01

Location

On the left bank of the riera d'Escales, 55 m of elevation above the streambed and to the NW of the coll de la Veta. Only 200 m to the SW in a straight line on the map from the balma del Corneta, although at a considerable elevation below it.

To reach it, the easiest way would be to climb directly up from the riera and overcome the 55 m of elevation through the middle of the forest. This option, however, is only feasible if the riera is dry. For much of the year it is common to find large pools full of water in this sector of the riera that block our way, even though no water flows along the riera.

Once the previous option is ruled out, we can only gain access either by the side of the camí de la Veta or by the other side, coming from the Encantats. Whichever option is taken, we have ahead of us a complicated itinerary due to the lack of paths, with only faint traces that are easy to lose in rough, stony and wooded terrain.

Entrances

Always verify coordinates and access conditions before setting out.

Negre d'escales, Forat
Elevation: 375 m
42.283966, 2.572121
UTM 31T (ETRS89) 464722 4681394
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Topographic

Forat Negre d'escales - Topography, Montagut i Oix, Garrotxa

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Espeleoindex · CC BY-NC 4.0, https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/ · Image © its author.

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Photos

Forat Negre d'escales - Photo, Montagut i Oix, Garrotxa

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Espeleoindex · CC BY-NC 4.0, https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/ · Image © its author.

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Description

Morphology

A fairly large entrance of triangular appearance, 9 m high by 6.5 m wide. It gives way to a well-lit main chamber 9 m long by nearly 8 m wide and with a ceiling height reaching 12 m. The floor is flat but with a few blocks. On the right side we find a chamber hanging about 4 m above the floor of the main one, which we can reach by a delicate scramble; it is 6 m long by 3.5 m wide.

The main chamber ends at a 4 m wall, which must be climbed, followed by a ramp that places us at a higher transverse level. From the right side a gallery is born (Galeria alta) of which only its beginning could be seen as the climb was not made on the day of exploration, but later access was possible and it remains closed 3 m further on.

History

The cavity is known to local hikers. It does not appear on any map or in any caving catalogue or publication. We have seen it mentioned in the description of some hiking itineraries in the area.

We believe the first written reference to the existence of the cavity is found in the book Itineraris de l'Alta Garrotxa (II), year 1986, authored by Joaquim Agustí Bassols. The book includes an itinerary titled Coves i rieres in which, when dealing with this sector of the riera, it mentions a cave located 'al peu d'un greny de roca'. Although it gives it no name, we understand that it very probably refers to the Forat Negre.

Through personal communication from our friend Albert Sancho, from Olot, we have learned that a member of the Centre Excursionista d'Olot made a climb in order to overcome the 4 m wall and gain access to the Galeria alta. Albert himself was present on the day of the climb.

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Bibliography

Totes les dades, topografia i fotografies han estat extretes del web: geb.cat (del Grup d'Espeleologia de Badalona). Apunt del 23-9-2025. Dades: Ferran Cardona (ECM Barcelonès)