Grotto of Monte Santa Maria

Etna North Territory: Randazzo
Coordinates: 33S 500083E 4186463N (Utm Wgs84) | 37°49'32.1″N 15°00'03.4″E
ELEVATION: 1610 m
Development: +50 mt total.
Nearest known location: Monte Santa Maria
Exploration: Easily accessible and visitable with just lights and helmet.
Taken over by Marco Galasso with Ennio Zappalà, Dario and Paolo Teri (on 18.4.2018)
Notified to the relevant municipality on \\

This is a typical lava flow cave on 2 slightly staggered levels and branches. There are two separate entrances, at the mountain and valley ends. The first, larger entrance is located upstream, on a clearing of brooms, where the collapse of the vault occurred (it is not shown in the photos). This opening gives access to a room, the largest of the hypogeum in question, and descends towards two channels, one of which is more passable. After about ten meters you enter another room that branches into two other channels. These separate and flow outwards respectively into a beautiful flow channel to the left and an ephemeral mouth on the right side. The cave is not new, being a grazing area for local shepherds. However, it was not possible to detect whether it is known by another name.

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Dario Teri 18 April 2018 Unseen & Little-Known Etna Caves No Responses