Primož Jakopin, photo diary

Pictures from Caves of Logatec Municipality, 2017

January 5, 2017

All the pictures photo and copyright (c) Primož Jakopin - Klok 2017. Cave in the photo group title usually refers to Radošca Cave in Lanski vrh. Many pictures were made with participation of DZRJL grotto members, especially the Veteran section, and their guests.


 

Lower Part of the Cave, to Ground Zero


 


 
33741. Brajko is moving down from the chamber below the jump at - 10 m to ground zero with the hammer; the boot belongs to Metod.


 

 


 
33742. Metod, waiting for his turn of digging


 

 


 
33743. Marjan is hammering the chisel at the current cave end at - 15 m.


 

 


 
33748. Metod (right) and Marjan, returning from the bottom


 

 

January 11, 2017

Cave Entrance


 


 
33793. Mira and France at the entrance


 

 


 
33794. One of the many blowholes in the collapse southwest of the cave entrance with France's hand for measure


 

 


 
33795. Marjan on return from the cave duty - on his way to join Žan with firewood collecting


 

 

Lower Part of the Cave, to Ground Zero


 


 
33796. Gregor on top of the temporary depot, enjoying some tranquil moments after Metod replaced him at the excavation front


 

 


 
33797. Metod, thinking of how to tackle the cracked but still tough rock


 

 


 
33806. Andrej, very eager not only in agriculture, but also in rock breaking business


 

 


 
33798. Metod with the old dust bin ...


 

 


 
33799. ... loaded bucket after bucket of rock and passed it to Klok, Klok to Andrej and Andrej to Gregor who filled the lower depot.


 

 


 
33805. After all the broken rocks were removed, a small chamber opened up at the end ...


 

 


 
33804. ... with the wall of the new (too narrow to pass) tunnel, perpendicular to the current one. To the left side the new tunnel is closed immediately, while on the right side the situation is different. Fist-sized stone, thrown into it, rolled down about 2 m far and 1 m down (judged by the sound). Author turned around, head forward and managed to push both hands, one with a small torch and the other with the camera around the right corner.


 

 


 
33802. The first picture, with flash, is less revealing ...


 

 


 
33800. ... while the second, only torchlight, is slightly better ...


 

 


 
33801. ... and so is the last one, where the camera was turned a bit more downwards.


 

 

January 18, 2017

Cave Entrance


 


 
33883. Today's excursion was a trans-generation effort - kudos to Vili, who did his best and joined the team - Mare hauled the buckets (50 of them in all) of excavated material up the entrance shaft and Vili emptied them on the pile.


 

 


 
33884. Vili with a bucket


 

 


 
33885. Mare at his best: When the going gets tough, the tough get going!


 

 


 
33889. Metod, returning from the cave - unavoidable obligations required his presence in the capital city at 5 o'clock p. m.


 

 


 
33890. Mare with another bucket, Andrej filled it with stones ...


 

 


 
33891. ... and off they go to the pile.


 

 

Lower Part of the Cave, to Ground Zero


 


 
33892. Andrej moving up the tunnel to the entrance shaft, answering a call of nature. His presence outside was very valuable because he hauled up another 15 buckets, pulled by Klok from the upper depot bottom.


 

 


 
33893. Manč, rolling up another rock, too heavy to lift and throw


 

 


 
33894. Gregor, returning from the cave bottom after today's shift was finished


 

 


 
33902. Excavation front, after Klok and Andrej removed another 3 buckets of materiel to make the access to the terminal space easier. The cave continues on the right side of the final kettle. It was already accessible last Wednesday, but only with the hand. Now ...


 

 


 
33897. Klok managed to squeeze his entire head in the junction, the white triangle above his headlight is the same as the grey crack upper center in the previous picture. He is supporting his head with both hands because it was difficult to hold it up in an awkward position for the time, required to take a proper picture of the continuation.


 

 


 
33899. View back from his position, up the access tunnel (with both buckets), empty ...


 

 


 
33896. ... and with Andrej


 

 


 
33903. Another view of the excavation front with the crowbar, available light


 

 


 
33898. View down the small tunnel at the right of the previous picture. It leads to a modest chamber, about the size of a man, 2 m away and 1 m down, too small to produce an echo. It looks like the top of a chimney, yet its bottom is not wide enough to swallow down the rocks, broken during the excavation.


 

 


 
33901. Another view of the upcoming chamber, flash. To get into it the rock upper right will have to be removed, plus the right side of the now final kettle (not shown in this picture). As the chamber is too small to serve as a depot, the space gained from 65 buckets hauled up today from both depots will be very valuable for future advancements.


 

 


 
33900. Closer view of the same scene.


 

 

January 25, 2017

Skednena jama Cave


 


 
33982. Mare in the southern entrance of the cave, view in


 

 


 
33983. Ice curtain in the northern entrance, Mare illuminated it from behind.


 

 


 
33993. Ceiling ice stalactites and the curtain, view out


 

 


 
33986. Mare at the 5 m tall ice stalactite in the tunnel bend in front of the northern entrance, closer view and ...


 

 


 
33989. ... a wider view


 

 


 
33994. Mare at the ice stalagmites, like dwarfs, in the main tunnel


 

 


 
33995. Stalactites from a chimney, view south ...


 

 


 
33997. ... and view north


 

 

Lower Part of the Cave, to Ground Zero


 


 
34005. Marjan with a stone


 

 


 
34006. Metod, moving up from the bottom


 

 


 
34007. Gregor with a bucket


 

 


 
34009. End of the tunnel, available light ...


 

 


 
34008. ... and on-camera flash. Its right side is now much widened, ...


 

 


 
34010. ... and the continuation to the chamber, here illuminated by a tiny headlight ...


 

 


 
34012. ... and now with flash, is within reach of one hand. The access to the slope seems wide in the picture, but actually it is just a bit over 20 cm, enough for a hand, too little for the shoulder, even sidewise. And the slope was filled with stones, fallen there during the excavation. So the author spent an hour removing those stones, one by one, close stones by hand, more distant ones by driving them up the slope slowly by the crowbar. In the end he could reach the chisel at the other side of the chamber, it also fell down during previous excavations and touch it with the crowbar. But the destiny had it that the crowbar's claw did not reach the far side of the chisel but the closer one. So, instead of grabbing it he pushed the chisel some 2 cm further away, out of reach. Anyhow, the air current comes from two holes in the chamber bottom - one below the chisel, about a chisel's length down, and another about two chisel's lengths below.


 

 

Cave Entrance


 


 
34013. Cave entrance with frozen vapour from the cave, upper right


 

 


 
34014. Frost off the lifting humid air, up close


 

 

February 1, 2017

Vranja jama Cave


 


 
34091. Warm weather in the past two days started to melt the icicles ever faster and water trickled from almost every hole in the ceiling, as can be seen in the right side of the picture; Brajko at the side of a major ice stalactite.


 

 


 
34094. Ice knobs below the ice stalactite


 

 


 
34092. Ice covered rocks of the cave collapse


 

 


 
34095. Ice covered wall deeper in the entrance Hall.


 

 


 
34096. A delightful ice stalagmite trio


 

 


 
34097. From the terrace of Suhi rov / Dry Tunnel - view out of the Entrance Hall ...


 

 


 
34100. ... and to the Entrance Hall bottom


 

 


 
34099. Ice stalagmites below the terrace, Brajko; painting with light, 20 second exposure


 

 


 
34101. Frost made the slope of Vodni rov / Water Tunnel surprisingly dry and not muddy at all. In the picture: Brajko at the sump which ends the tunnel. The ceiling was also dry and the umbrella is there just to add more colour to the picture.


 

 


 
34102. Face silhouette rock at the connection of the Vodni rov / Water Tunnel and the Entrance Hall - view out, available light ...


 

 


 
34104. ... helped with two Brajko's LED lights here.


 

 

Lower Part of the Cave, to Ground Zero


 


 
34108. Rain was strong and in mid tunnel the water was dripping and trickling from all sides - Andrej is moving to the excavation site.


 

 


 
34109. Marina and Metod, on return from the excavation duty


 

 


 
34110. Andrej, all over wet, kept pushing through the cracked rock at the bend.


 

 

February 9, 2017

To Škofov lom and Skednena jama Cave


 


 
34174. View of the shaft entrance to Jama v Škofovem lomu (cad. nr. 492) and the flooded Babni dol field, Jakovica hill and Mt. Planinska gora


 

 


 
34173. Closer view of the shaft with tree logs, broken during the February 2014 sleet, leaning over it; Brajko


 

 


 
34175. Jama Tau Tona cave entrance locked door is now also covered with two larger stones, fallen there during recent heavy machinery forestry works; Brajko.


 

 


 
34176. View south over the Planinsko polje field with Planina and Mt. Planinska gora in the background, from the viewpoint above the Pod stenami cliff


 

 


 
34178. Skednena jama cave - view north of the main tunnel, illuminated by the ceiling window; Brajko


 

 


 
34182. Recent warmer days have eaten up the ice curtain in the northern entrance considerably - only this ice pillar remained - with Brajko in a close ...


 

 


 
34186. ... and wider view.


 

 

Lower Part of the Cave, to Ground Zero


 


 
34189. Marjan, ascending from the excavation site


 

 


 
34190. Matej brought us fresh highlander spirit and carved away a sizeable rock chunk (in his hands) during the last push forward of today. It opened the way ...


 

 


 
34191. .. to this view of the cave continuation, after the end the small chamber, depicted here on January 25.


 

 


 
34192. The narrow meander does continue horizontally to the left of the chamber, yet it would be a grave mistake to move on in this direction. The air current is namely coming from a hole in the ground, below the sphinx-like rock formation in the center of this picture. The hole is partly blocked by stones which fell there during the excavation but the writer of these lines managed to throw a fist-sized stone in it and it fell down at least a meter.


 

 

February 22, 2017

Skednena jama Cave


 


 
34280. Cox is taking measurements of Topli rov / Warm Tunnel entrance, at the bend just south of the cave's northern entrance, with his thermal imaging camera (purchased for FA0 euros hex).


 

 


 
34285. The entrance of Topli rov, as seen if side illuminated by infra-red triggered flash ...


 

 


 
34284. ... and on the camera screen. The surrounding walls had the temperature of 2.5 degrees C.


 

 


 
34286. Another hot spot was discovered about 15 m to the south of Topli rov entrance, along the same (eastern) wall, about 5 m above the cave floor. It really looks like an entrance to another, half lower tunnel (in the bunny-shaped shadow).


 

 


 
34281. The ice pillar in the northern cave entrance is now almost gone - an available light shot, inside out ...


 

 


 
34282. ... and a front flash fill-in photo.


 

 


 
34283. Cox at the ice pillar, view from the outside


 

 

Vranja jama Cave


 


 
34287. Cox with his camera in the collapse of the entrance hall ...


 

 


 
34289. The last two icicles on the entrance hall ceiling, down under


 

 

Lowest Part of the Cave, Ground Zero


 


 
34297. The access to the final chamber and its continuation half a meter after the headlight in the picture (to the bottom and left) as seen from the bend at the end of the main Radošca tunnel.


 

 


 
34303. The author managed to take this view of the hole which leads down, to the left of the chamber bottom, holding the camera and releasing the shutter from the extended right hand. Illumination came from the small headlight on the floor. From the hole a most convincing air current was coming.


 

 


 
34301 - 34302. To take this panoramic picture of the continuation, illuminated from below, the tiny light on a headband was lowered into the hole using the crowbar. It was very tricky to pull the light back again ...


 

 

March 1, 2017, 35 pictures

Cave Entrance


 


 
34394. Brajko and Mare, who is pulling ...


 

 


 
34398. ... a bucket from the shaft ...


 

 


 
34399. ... over the pulley, fastened by this elaborate, triple-secured rigging arrangement.


 

 


 
34395. Brajko emptied it ...


 

 


 
34397. ... and another one, with bigger stones.


 

 


 
34396. Žan came for a brief inspection, here he is checking the entrance rain-cover tarpaulin supporting rope.


 

 

Najdena jama Cave Entrance


 


 
34403. There was no air current detected as the outer and inner temperatures are about the same. Tevje (it has no proper English name), Hacquetia epipactis, above the entrance, is just about to start blooming.


 

 


 
34402. The inviting black, unfolding step by step as you come closer, a promise of unknown to be discovered


 

 

To Pod stenami Sinkholes and Back


 


 
34404. Spring really is in the air - the primrose buds are popping up.


 

 


 
34405. A pair of tinder fungi, Fomes fomentarius, on a dead beech tree, broken during the February 2014 sleet


 

 


 
34406. Unica river is splitting into two branches before hitting the Pod stenami sinkholes


 

 


 
34408. Snowdrops, Galanthus nivalis, zvončki (little bells) in Slovenian, in full bloom


 

 


 
34409. Western of the two sinkholes, widened, deepened and furnished with metal framework that prevent driftwood clogging by Viljem Putik and his team at the end of 19th century, katavotron in Slovenian, is almost clear, debris free; view from the north.


 

 


 
34410. View of the western katavotron from the west - it takes all of the western Unica stream, the flow ends here.


 

 


 
34412. View from the southern riverbank


 

 


 
34411. A close view of the stream which thunders down the 9 m shaft in regular jet patterns.


 

 


 
34414. Unica before the split up, with Mt. Planinska gora on the horizon


 

 


 
34415. Christmas rose, Helleborus niger, črni teloh in Slovenian, with a white bloom and a dangerous black root


 

 


 
34416. The sky with the sun peeking through the clouds


 

 

Lowest Part of the Cave, to Ground Zero


 


 
34427. Marjan, on the upper side of the bucket transport chain


 

 


 
34428. Metod in one of decisive moments which took the photographer by surprise.


 

 


 
34438 - 34441. After the skeleton crew left the ground zero it was time to check the recent advances. The access to the last major bend was clear but on the other side of the bend some clearing of the tunnel bottom was in order. One hour later and 3 buckets worth of rocks, moved to the upper side of the bend, ...


 

 


 
34435. ... the following view of the final squat-sized chamber opened up. The entrance of continuation, center left, was also clear. But it was not a vertical hole as expected, but ...


 

 


 
34431. ... a slope with a little puddle at the end. The air current was coming from the hole behind the face-profile-like rock, center left.


 

 

March 8, 2017

Cave Entrance


 


 
34534. Brajko, with a brand new helmet, reporting for cave duty


 

 


 
34535. Anže joined the digging team today.


 

 


 
34536. The first forget-me-not, Myosotis sylvatica, blooms


 

 


 
34537. Liverleaf, Hepatica nobilis, jetrnik in Slovenian, in full bloom already


 

 

Skrivni vhod mame Luše / The Secret Entrance of Mom Lusha (Cave)


 


 
34545. Some 15 meters further from Radošca entrance, to the northwest, along the rim of the collapsed doline, this green overgrown spruce stump is situated and from there ...


 

 


 
34546. ... this look across the collapsed doline opens up. In the opposite wall there is the entrance to another cave, a blowhole discovered and opened by Jožek Košir Cox back in 2011. He gave it the name Skrivni vhod mame Luše (SVML) / The Secret Entrance of Mom Lusha, after his mother and this short movie depicts a day of excavation there.


 

 


 
34540. View from SVML entrance towards Radošca - the green tarpaulin covers its entrance


 

 


 
34541. SVML entrance up close


 

 


 
34542. View out from the antrance step


 

 


 
34543. View towards the interior, the tunnel is all dug through ...


 

 


 
34544. ... and from the interior towards the entrance step


 

 

Lowest Part of the Cave, to Ground Zero


 


 
34547. This time the excavation team was composed entirely of members from the Upper Carniola / Gorenjska region. With remarkable effect. In the picture: Marjan ...


 

 


 
34549. ... and Gregor ...


 

 


 
34550. ... with Metod negotiating a bucket of rocks ...


 

 


 
34551. ... and Anže, who is breaking the rock with the power hammer - the yellow boot belongs to Metod.


 

 


 
34552. Anže up close, it was a tough job none of us could handle as well as he did.


 

 

Cave Entrance


 


 
34555. Andrej also joined in to help the bottom team.


 

 

March 16, 2017

Cave Entrance


 


 
34628. Today's cave duty is coming to an end - Modrc is hauling the power drill out of the entrance shaft, over the pulley.


 

 


 
34629. Marjan, in daylight again


 

 


 
34630. Manč, it was a tiring experience


 

 


 
34631. Modrc, Marjan and Manč on the trail back to Članska vas


 

 

Lowest Part of the Cave, Ground Zero


 


 
34637. Excavation side arms still life (clockwise): a dust pan, a chisel and a hammer, a crowbar and rakes


 

 


 
34633. The access to the continuation, which seemed to be to the left on previous excursion, is now open. Only that it continues straight forward, behind the rock sphinx center right. In the picture: wider view, on-camera flash illuminated.


 

 


 
34634. The same scene, available light ...


 

 


 
34635. ... and a closer vertically oriented view


 

 


 
34632. After considerable manoeuvring the author managed to push the camera behind the rock center-right in the previous pictures. The meander is narrow, the camera had to be turned in all directions before a suitable angle for push-through was found. Another problem was that there was not enough room to squeeze the palm of the hand close enough to release the camera shutter. At least this picture could be made.


 

 


 
34632 (cutout, lower center). Enlarged lower right center part of the picture, with gamma set to 2.0 (image brightened by an f stop) shows that the continuation is the black triangle after the puddle, as its black is deep, unlike the shadow lower left. This fact is also confirmed by the air current, felt from there. To throw a stone into it to measure the distance and depth was not (yet) possible.


 

 

March 22, 2017

Mao Cetungova jama Cave, Cad. Nr. 778


 


 
34707 - 34715. Panoramic view (north - south) of the Unica branch dry riverbed that ends with the cave entrance (hidden, to the left) ...


 

 


 
34716 - 34721. ... and of the stone wall canyon with the entrance metal gratings.


 

 


 
34722. Below the gratings which can easily be slipped-through this view opens up. The cave is not long but has quite a few very special features.


 

 


 
34723. View up from the sand on the bottom


 

 


 
34724. A toad couple mating


 

 


 
34726. View of the northern entrance hall wall - cave continuation which leads to nearby Žanova jama cave of bottom right.


 

 


 
34730. The passage to Žanova jama is open, even not muddy, most inviting but ... would better be crossed in a company.


 

 


 
34731. Another view from bottom up


 

 


 
34732. On the eastern side of the bottom another passage is open - view out from the inside.


 

 


 
34733. View to the west, towards the first passage, which is situated slightly lower.


 

 


 
34734. View of the entrance with wider surroundings. The cave has two more continuations known to Žan which could not be readily located and will be presented at one of the future occasions.


 

 

Lowest Part of the Cave, Ground Zero


 


 
34742. Today the team from Škofja loka did the tough job of rock cracking and the transport to the lower depot. And it was just Marjan, Gregor ...


 

 


 
34744. ... and Metod.


 

 


 
34745. The rock at the right was too big to carry - it had to be pushed and rolled upwards.


 

 


 
34746. Metod is cracking the rock which hides the promising deep black triangle photographed on previous excursion.


 

 

March 29, 2017

Cave Entrance


 


 
34839. Mare and Ile at the rope, waiting for another bucket to be filled.


 

 


 
34840. Now they are hauling it out ...


 

 


 
34842. ... pull by pull.


 

 


 
34841. Here it is ... Mare will detach it from the rope ...


 

 


 
34843. ... and Ile empties it on the pile. Today it was 68 buckets in all.


 

 

Mao Cetungova jama Cave, Cad. Nr. 778


 


 
34854. The sun was high today and rock strata along the main crack were indirectly, but quite well illuminated.


 

 


 
34856. Possible continuation in the center of the previous picture was blocked by debris brought by high waters.


 

 


 
34855. Diagonal strata towards the passage which connects the cave with Žanova jama cave


 

 

Jama v Škofjem lomu Cave, Cad. Nr. 492


 


 
34857. Cave's main entrance, an Unica river sinkhole from the Babni dol valley, was blocked by about 1 m3 of grass, wood branches and other debris left by high waters.


 

 


 
34859. Žan borrowed Klok a pick and after a while the sufficient amount of debris was removed, the door could be opened.


 

 


 
34858. What was removed was dry on the surface but very wet and muddy below - including an earthworm of solid build ...


 

 


 
34860. ... and this, much more lovely snail shell.


 

 


 
34861. After the entrance the tunnel, partly natural, partly artificial, descends towards the cave bottom - view out.


 

 


 
34862. View of the syphon which leads to Žanova jama cave.


 

 


 
34864. The cave has quite a few more interesting features but the entrance clearing took its time, Radošca was waiting and so more pictures will have to wait until the next occasion. On return the sun travelled far enough on its sky trajectory to reach the entrance tunnel at an ever more favourable angle. In the picture - jumping-jaguar-shaped light pattern on the wall, some 10 meters from the entrance.


 

 


 
34867. A tiny sun ray developed into a sizeable beam that cascaded down the entrance tunnel. When will it reach its climax? Who could tell?


 

 

Lowest Part of the Cave, Ground Zero


 


 
34870. The passage to the mysterious triangular shadow is no more - but a new continuation, center right, opened up.


 

 


 
34873. First peek into it ...


 

 


 
34872. ... and a better one, which revealed a miniature chamber some 25 cm deeper, with even narrower meander continuation center right.


 

 

April 8, 2017

Najdena jama Cave Entrance


 


 
34980. Ujal and Gena at the entrance. Who would guess that behind little hole a great cave opens up, 6 km in length and with one of the halls as big as a footbal (European) field.


 

 

Skednena jama Cave


 


 
34981. In the southern entrance, view out


 

 


 
34982. The flowstone heap - Kapelica is rich in cave concretions


 

 


 
34986. Gena, the climber


 

 


 
34987. Ujal on exit from Kapelica. The passage is low and narrow - what would his mother say if where he dared to go through ...


 

 


 
34990. Gena in the wall at the entrance of Stranski rov / Side Tunnel


 

 


 
34991. In the northern entrance - view out


 

 

Vranja jama and Mrzla jama Caves


 


 
34993. A selfie of the entire team (it was tough to run from the tripod and position oneself in 10 seconds) in the cave entrance, view in.


 

 


 
34994. At the return from the Vodni rov / Water Tunnel - cave olms (Proteus anguinus) were not to be found because of very low water level.


 

 


 
34995. The biggest isolated rock in the cave, in the Suhi rov / Dry Tunnel


 

 


 
34996. Northern wall of the tunnel, just before the end (view in) is almost white, isn't it?


 

 


 
34997. In the passage to Mrzla jama cave - a designer play-of-light study


 

 


 
34998. Vertical drop that leads to Mrzla jama is equipped with a 4 m fixed iron ladder.


 

 


 
35000. Strong draft all the way to the entrance (view in) gives an impression of much colder temperature so some time off in the sun was most welcome.


 

 

Velika jama Pod stenami Cave, Entrance


 


 
35001. Time was running short, the excursion was entering its seventh hour (instead of foreseen 5), Gena had some housekeeping work to do at home, so we only examined the entrance.


 

 

April 12, 2017

Jama v Škofjem lomu Cave Revisited


 


 
35039. Hanging rock, Sword of Damocles, at the end of the entrance tunnel, view out


 

 


 
35038. View towards the shaft entrance from the cave bottom, available light


 

 


 
35041. View towards the shaft entrance from the upper part of the cave, available light aided by painting with light


 

 


 
35042. Ceiling strata in the passage to the north, illuminated from the side


 

 

Cave Entrance


 


 
35052. Five-leaflet bitter-cress, Cardamine pentaphyllos, peterolistna konopnica in Slovenian


 

 


 
35054. Many larger groves of this flower, such as the one depicted here, popped up since last week, especially in the more shadowy places, also around the rim of Radošca collapse.


 

 


 
35053. Today the cave had to do without photographer's visit. A birthmark on the left shoulder, above the scapula, was badly bruised in the entrance shaft climbing during previous excursions and some recovery time was advised.


 

 

April 19, 2017

Cave Entrance


 


 
35122. Ile and Mare - a moment of concentration ...


 

 


 
35120. ... and the bucket Nr. 38 is on the way up ...


 

 


 
35123. ... to be emptied at the edge of the pile ...


 

 


 
35121. ... and down the shaft it goes again.


 

 

Kevdrc pri Kalčku Cave, Cad. Nr. 2507


 


 
35131. The entrance was completely covered with rotten branches and trunks, thrown there during the forest cleanup after the February 2014 sleet. After a bit less than an hour and the removal of this pile of branches and smaller trunks ...


 

 


 
35132. ... the entrance in the side of a collapsed doline opened up.


 

 


 
35124. The entrance - closer view


 

 


 
35130. A niche in the southern wall, some 2 m above ground


 

 


 
35128. The entrance leads to a sizeable chamber, up to 4 m high and about 10 m long. But it is too narrow to attempt an entry without caving suit.


 

 


 
35125. Detached slice of a larger spruce trunk that lies in front of the entrance.


 

 


 
35127. View out from the entrance - the only remaining large spruce far around is on the other side of the collapsed doline


 

 


 
35129. Mixed feelings - spruce treetop up close


 

 


 
35133. Kališka cesta road - view west over its bends from the forest track which leads to Krastača cave. Srnjak hill (919 m) is center left.


 

 

Lowest Part of the Cave, Ground Zero


 


 
35137. Gregor, in A breathrough is far from imminent, but we will do whatever it takes to make it happen. attitude.


 

 


 
35142. Current end of the accessible part of the tunnel, a vertical ...


 

 


 
35141. ... and a horizontal view.


 

 


 
35140. Metod, satisfied with today's progress


 

 


 
35139. After the camera was squeezed past the end of the tunnel the following picture could be taken: a meander, some 70 cm tall and of varying width turned right at first, then left and right again.


 

 


 
35138. A closer view


 

 

May 3, 2017

To Skednena jama Cave and Back


 


 
35321. The nature briefly halted after the April 21 morning frost but now the leaves are opening in full splendor of the brightest and finest green.


 

 


 
35322. Eagle fern, Pteridium aquilinum, the fractal plant, on the way from buds to leaves


 

 


 
35323. View down the trail to the cave


 

 


 
35325. Southern entrance, view out


 

 


 
35326. All the shades of light grey - the interior of the entrance tunnel, view out


 

 


 
35327. Northern entrance daylight on the bend in the main tunnel, view out


 

 


 
35329. Entrance hall before the northern entrance ...


 

 


 
35331. ... which was bathing in full spring sunlight.


 

 


 
35332. A grove of asarabacca, Asarum europaeum (kopitnik in Slovenian)


 

 


 
35333. Forest track from the northern cave entrance to the southern one, in the fresh beech tree greenery


 

 

Cave Entrance


 


 
35337. Mare and Ile, the vertical transport team


 

 


 
35338. Bucket Nr. 77 (out of 78 in all) on top of the entrance shaft


 

 


 
35339. Mare and Ile in action ...


 

 


 
35340. ... and returning to Članska vas after the haul-up mission was completed.


 

 


 
35341. Manč at the entrance, returning from cave duty ...


 

 


 
35342. ... folllowed by Modrc, whose dedication, professional knowledge and resources keep the bottom operation going.


 

 


 
35343. View over Radošca collapse, through the green canopy, against the sun


 

 

Lowest Part of the Cave, Ground Zero


 


 
35355. Wider view of the end of the tunnel after the photographer cleared a few buckets of rocks which Marjan excavated at the end of work, illuminated from the top center. Looks like a dead end.


 

 


 
35356. Moving the light source to the right reveals a crack in the center, about 2.5 m from the camera standpoint.


 

 


 
35352. Moving halfway closer shows a continuation in form of a very slim meander, less than a meter high, which widens considerably at the bottom.


 

 


 
35353. Digging of the crack below the triangular opening (and not above) shown here would indeed require a vertical step but could change the shape of advancement for the better.


 

 

May 11, 2017

Lowest Part of the Cave, to Ground Zero


 


 
35410. It was a filthy business today, not rocks as usual, but mud and rocks - Gregor with two buckets.


 

 


 
35411. Manč with another bucket


 

 


 
35412. Metod at the beginning of the final bend - with Matej behind him, at the excavation front.


 

 


 
35413. The cave was quite humid after a few rainy days - Manč through the twilight of the exhaled air ...


 

 


 
35415. ... and looking into a bright spot, a distant approximation of a (hopefully) more rewarding Radošca future.


 

 


 
35417. Matej returning from the bottom with two (heavy) transport bags.


 

 


 
35419. Manč started to repair the power line connection with both boots on a single concrete iron U-support, but as the task prolonged ...


 

 


 
35418. ... one foot had to move elsewhere, for better stability.


 

 

May 17, 2017

Lowest Part of the Cave, Ground Zero


 


 
35485. ... here with Marjan, who was relentless at digging and in final 45 minutes they managed to excavate more than in three hours before.


 

 


 
35492. Available light view of the final chamber ...


 

 


 
35493. ... here illuminated by on-camera flash.


 

 


 
35487. Closer view reveals a left-turning narrow meander along a vertical fissure.


 

 


 
35490. Very close view of the continuation - the camera was pushed in the fissure and turned left.


 

 


 
35489. Small cauliflower-like concretions on the rocks are a witness of air current.


 

 


 
35494. Three (full) buckets in the (also almost full) lower depot


 

 

May 27, 2017

Najdena jama Cave


 


 
35612. Franček, Ikarus and Član Giovanni in the middle of Ičotov rov tunnel, returning from the depths


 

 


 
35613. Manč and Marjan in Piparski rov, just north of Druga pasaža squeeze, view south


 

 


 
35614. In the immediate vicinity, a group shot in available light : Tanja, Metod, Tine, Matija Z., Ula, Tina and Ižanc


 

 


 
35615. To better clarify who is who the shot was repeated, but with on-camera flash. The body heat also warmed up the air in the confined space so the picture is not particularly tidy either.


 

 


 
35616. The trail in Piparski rov is muddy to the knees, as is visible on Matija's full length portrait.


 

 


 
35617. He tackled the passage entrance with vigor.


 

 


 
35618. The entire party gathered at the Hansov kapnik stalactite - stalagmite pair, for a snack and every year's celebration where champagne is de rigueur.


 

 


 
35619. At the cave's most remarkable flowstone feature: Tina, Ula, Marjan, Modrc, Matija Z., Tine, Manč, Tanja, Ižanc and Metod, with some less of the Hansov k., with Tine holding the second flashlight ...


 

 


 
35621. ... and with some more of it, here Matija helped with illumination, as he did in the following 3 pictures, to great benefit of them all.


 

 


 
35624. Stopnišče / Staircase - view north


 

 


 
35626. Maria Theresia (tit) stalagmite


 

 


 
35628. View up the slope in the Šerkov rov tunnel


 

 


 
35629. The Marušič family below the Baldachine: Lanko and Bina with Žodor and Ilija


 

 


 
35631. Franček and Ikarus helped get the kids down the tunnel safely - the slope is very slippery in places.


 

 


 
35632. Matija Z. on the slope, close to where the via ferrata passage ends.


 

 

  Pictures from Caves of Logatec Municipality, 2016  




This page, text and photos by Primož Jakopin; send inquiries and comments to primoz jakopin guest arnes si (insert dots and at sign as appropriate). Page initiated on May 28, 2017; date of last change: May 31.

URL: http://www.jakopin.net/primoz/slike/2017/PJ2017_Logatec_Municipality_Caves.php
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