Etna Lava Tubes Project was born with the aim of spreading knowledge of little-known or unpublished Etna caves. Natural phenomena among the most fascinating of our volcano. Many texts report that on Etna there are at least 260 known caves. In reality the formation of lava tubes is very common and the number of caves is destined to increase considerably. Below we report a census of little-known caves - for which information is not available elsewhere - or unpublished discovered by our team in particular by the founders of EtnaExcursion.it Dario & Paolo Teri. During an exploratory campaign that began "for fun" in 2018 and still (April 2023), about 70 have been found, not considered in the general count indicated above. Here we report only those considered most interesting from a naturalistic point of view. For the caves already surveyed we recommend a visit to EtnaNatura.it and Mungibeddu.it
Nearest known location: Petra or Munti – Bocche 1949
Exploration: Not easily accessible, can be visited with only lights and helmet.
Taken over by Dario and Paolo Teri (on 11.5.2021)
Notified to the relevant municipality on \\
The cave winds along a channel and is made up of several sections. There are two easily accessible and visitable galleries, one further downstream and the other further upstream of the same lava flow channel, originating from eruptions in the mid-70s. In the part further upstream at the entrance there is a characteristic rock arch that survived the lava flow from the channel. The cavity is located a short distance from an enormous boulder of lava rock, the so-called Petra or Munti, known especially to local ski mountaineers, as it is taken as a point of reference in one of the most fascinating off-piste routes on the volcano. In the summer, however, the same place is difficult to reach due to the particularly impervious lava flows and the absence of paths on these flows from the 11s. The hypogeum, which has not been previously surveyed, is often covered by snow in winter, which is why it is not visible to the passage of many ski mountaineers, it is composed of two cavities that have ice and snow inside even at the beginning of summer creating a sort of slip inside. On the date of survey, 2021 May 26, there was about a meter of snow covering the bottom. The first cave, a classic flow channel, in which there are melting phenomena, is 50 meters long, on a steep slope. The second passable section is about 40 meters higher up. Just follow the channel and it is recognizable by the arch at the entrance previously described. This part of about 3 meters is more interesting. Despite the high temperatures outside, the bottom was almost entirely frozen inside. The cave in this section is easily passable on foot as it is on average XNUMX meters high. Here too, both melting phenomena and flow streaks are present. At the bottom of the cavity, a collapse in the vault allows access to a beam of light that makes the environment suggestive.
Dario Teri May 11, 2021 Unseen & Little-Known Etna Caves No Responses
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How are volcanic caves formed?
Lava tubes are very common on Etna. They form during an eruption ...
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16th August 2023 – On August 14th there was a paroxysm (a “lightning” eruption) from the summit craters which has already ended. Everything falls within the normal Etna phenomena. There is no danger for the population and visitors. The excursions are taking place regularly. GO TO NEWS