Hölloch

Hölloch
Map showing the location of Hölloch
Hölloch

Location in Switzerland

Location Canton of Schwyz, Switzerland
Coordinates 46°58′35.9″N 8°47′18.2″E / 46.976639°N 8.788389°E / 46.976639; 8.788389Coordinates: 46°58′35.9″N 8°47′18.2″E / 46.976639°N 8.788389°E / 46.976639; 8.788389
Depth 938.6 m (3,079 ft)[1]
Length 200.421 km (124.536 mi)[1]
Discovery 1875
Geology Limestone
Show cave opened 1906

The Hölloch is a 200.4 kilometres (124.5 mi) long cave in the Muotathal municipality in Switzerland. It is also notable for having a depth of 938.6 metres (3,079 ft) and being the second longest cave in Europe.[1] The initial exploration started in 1875 and was led by Alois Ulrich. A large part of the exploration of this cave was led by one of the pioneers of speleology, Alfred Bögli. The explored length of the cave increased from 25 kilometers (16 mi) in 1952 to 100 kilometres (62 mi) in 1968 (it was the first cave in the world where the explored length reached 100 km). Until September 9, 1972, it was once considered to be the largest cave complex in the world. A Cave Research Foundation mapping team led by Dr. John P. Wilcox, Patricia Crowther, Richard B. Zopf, Dr. P. Gary Eller, Stephen G. Wells, and Cleveland F. Pinnix (a National Park Service Ranger) managed to pursue a low, wet passage that linked two of the area's long cave systems[2]—Flint Ridge Cave System to Mammoth Cave.[1] This connection made the combined Flint–Mammoth Cave System the world's longest cave, surpassing Holloch.

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 Bob Gulden (May 13, 2013). "Worlds longest caves". Geo2 Committee on Long and Deep Caves. National Speleological Society (NSS). Retrieved June 12, 2013.
  2. "Flint-Mammoth Cave Connection". New World Encyclopedia.
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