Fracture Caves 1764/5 - etnaexcursion.it

Cave Fractures 1764/5

Etna East Territory: Maletto.

Coordinates: 33S 496275E 4183245N (Utm Wgs84)

ELEVATION: 1800 m

Development: ND.

Nearest known location: Monte Maletto

Exploration: Easily accessible and visitable with just lights and helmet.

Taken over by Dario and Paolo Teri (on 24.10.2016)

Notified to the relevant municipality on \\

This is a very long fracture formed during the 1764-5 eruption (source: Ingv geological map) of about 2 km, from an altitude of 1730 to 2090, on which there are several fracture pits and caves. The most interesting one is located at an altitude of 1800 meters and can be reached by an ancient and beautiful mule track, not indicated on the official cartography, which starts from the northern side of Monte Maletto and reaches the Dagala dell'Orso area. The cave in question, of modest size, is easily explorable in the summer months. In winter the entrance and the interior of the cavity can be partially obstructed by snow and ice, which is often found even in late spring. It is a classic fracture cave with high and close walls. From the entrance you can access two rooms, both about 20 meters long.

Note: the fracture was entirely traversed up to the initial mouths at about 2100 meters, where there are some interesting hornitos and several wells to which maximum attention must be paid without being distracted by admiring, for example, the particular beauty of the landscape. The wells were not explored. Going up the fracture, however, no cavities of particular interest were detected.