Haitón del Guarataro

Haitón del Guarataro

Entrance shaft of Haitón del Guarataro
Map showing the location of Haitón del Guarataro

Location of Haitón del Guarataro within Venezuela

Location Falcón State, Venezuela
Coordinates 11°08′59″N 69°41′23″W / 11.149748°N 69.689774°W / 11.149748; -69.689774Coordinates: 11°08′59″N 69°41′23″W / 11.149748°N 69.689774°W / 11.149748; -69.689774
Depth 305 metres (1,001 ft)
Length 640 metres (2,100 ft)
Elevation 1,000 metres (3,300 ft)
Discovery April 1973
Geology Oligocene limestone
Entrances 1
Hazards Verticality
Cave survey BKRE 1973

The Haitón del Guarataro is a solutional cave system in the Sierra de San Luis in Falcón State, Venezuela, 2.5 kilometres (1.6 mi) south-east of Curimagua. It is the deepest limestone cave in Venezuela,[1] and the entrance is a tourist attraction within the Juan Crisóstomo Falcón National Park.[2] A large entrance shaft 12 metres (39 ft) in diameter leads via drops of 168 metres (551 ft), 55 metres (180 ft), and 19 metres (62 ft) to a stream passage which eventually chokes. It has a depth of 305 metres (1,001 ft), and a total passage length of 640 metres (2,100 ft). It was first explored and surveyed in April 1973 by members of the Venezuela '73 British Karst Research Expedition.[3] It is formed in Oligocene reefal limestone.[4]

References

  1. ↑ Herrera, Francisco; et alia (2006). "Sociedad Venezolana de Espeleología 2007.". Boletín de la Sociedad Venezolana de Espeleología. 40: 5–11. Retrieved 3 February 2016.
  2. ↑ Kohn, Beth (2007). Lonely Planet Venezuela. Lonely Planet. p. 154. Retrieved 3 February 2016.
  3. ↑ Chapman, Phil; Checkley, Dave (March 1981). "Caves of the Serrania de San Luis, Edo Falcon: The British Karst Research Expedition to Venezuela, 1973" (PDF). Transactions of the British Cave Research Association. 8 (1): 1–26. Retrieved 24 December 2013.
  4. ↑ Gunn, John (editor) (2004). Encyclopedia of Caves and Karst Science (PDF). London: Fitzroy Dearborn. p. 110. ISBN 1579583997. Retrieved 3 February 2016.
Three people sitting down at an underground camp site surrounded by their equipment
Camping on a ledge at -223 metres during the 1973 explorations
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