Forats de Sant Telm
Cavitat tectònica de 51m de fondària i 316m de recorregut a l'extrem occidental de la Serra d'Ensija
EspeleoWorld
Forats de Sant Telm
Cavitat tectònica de 51m de fondària i 316m de recorregut a l'extrem occidental de la Serra d'Ensija
Saldes · Berguedà
Length: 316 m · Depth: 51 m
Updated record
https://espeleoworld.com/en/c/forats-de-sant-telm
Information can change. Always verify coordinates, access, weather, and cave conditions before setting out.
Tectonic cavity 51m deep and 316m long at the western end of the Serra d'Ensija, south of Feners (Saldes), with five entrances to the main cavity and a sixth independent one.
Topographic
Espeleoindex · CC BY-NC 4.0, https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/ · Image © its author.
Photos
Espeleoindex · CC BY-NC 4.0, https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/ · Image © its author.
Description
Morphology
It is a cavity of tectonic origin, with numerous entrances. So far there are five entrances that give access to the main cavity, plus a sixth entrance that gives access to an independent cavity that for now has not been connected to the main cavity; this independent cavity (entrance 6) has a drop of 16m and a length of 23m.
The main cavity consists of two routes (Route 1 and Route 2), the first is the one that reaches the greatest depth, -51m, and the second reaches -42m.
Hydrology
Throughout the cavity there are important air currents, which depending on the season are more or less intense and which change direction.
Below the cliff where the cavity opens there are two other small caves, which end up being impenetrable after a few metres and through which a much more important air current blows than the one that circulates through the Forats de Sant Telm.
History
The cavity was made known to the PROTEUS group, Associació Catalana d'Espeleologia Subaquàtica, at the beginning of 2014 by Ramon Ricart, former forest ranger of the region, who during the searches he carried out in the Ensija area had located different holes, among them those of Sant Telm.
In June of that same year (2014), the first exploration of the two routes was carried out, and a survey was made, some data of which were lost and which for various reasons was not finished being published and the cavity remained forgotten for almost 9 years, until in February 2023, members of Proteus decided to revisit the cavity and make a new survey; throughout 2023 and the beginning of 2024 new entrances were located and the survey was completed.
The participants (mostly members of Proteus) in the different exploration and survey trips have been the following: Carles Pons, Joan Carles Garrés, Hilari Moreno, Dani Ferrer, Ivan Contreras, Joaquín Contreras, Oriol Basanta, Marcos Rodríguez, Jordi Francés, Maira Ros, Joan Carles Juderias and Josep Guarro.
Bio
Also noteworthy is the presence of bats, forming at some times of the year (winter) a numerous colony, especially in the -30m chamber of Route 1, although they are also observed in Route 2.
User Comments (0)
No comments yet.
Be the first to share your experience!
Registered Explorations (0)
No explorations registered yet.
Register your visit to this cave!
Bibliography
- Totes les dades, topografia i fotografies han estat realitzades per membres del grup PROTEUS i facilitades a Espeleoindex per Josep Guarro.
Nearby caves
Source: Espeleoindex (espeleoindex.com), modified. CC BY-NC 4.0, https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/