Cave / Niviera of Piano Ellera

Etna South – Territory: Nicolosi.
Coordinates: 33S 501215E 4167135N (Utm Wgs84) | 37°39'06.0″N 15°00'49.7″E
ELEVATION: 1040 m
Development: 70 m in total.
Nearest known location: Ex cava Asero
Exploration: Easily accessible and visitable with just lights and helmet.
Detected by Dario Teri (on 7.10.2018/XNUMX/XNUMX)
Notified to the relevant municipality on \\
This is a particular cavity of volcanic origin, not easily identifiable, inside a thick forest of holm oaks (quercus ilex) that has at least 2 artificial wells made with dry stone walls. Nearby there is also a very well-kept stone pagghiaro (cuburro) and several dry stone walls. Furthermore, a little further upstream, about 200 meters, just outside the forest, the surveyor reported an old mule track that goes up towards the base of Monte Grosso, so one could hypothesize the creation of a very interesting hiking itinerary that retraces the communication routes used before asphalt took over. In a far-sighted tourist vision, in order to enhance the area, the institutions should be involved, also to clean up the road from which you can access the path, unfortunately full of micro-dumps. The cave has two human-sized entrances, one wider upstream and one narrower downstream. Inside, there are 4 main "rooms" whose bottoms appear to have been remodeled by man to allow easier access and walking. The two main ones are separated by a thick dry stone wall. The room furthest upstream, as well as the largest, has an artificial well a couple of meters away. It is very probable, given the numerous artificial elements that are identified, such as the latter, that the cave was used as a snow pit. Also of naturalistic importance is the presence of numerous roots hanging from the ceiling of the holm oaks present on the surface. The indicated length estimates the overall measurement of the four rooms present. Notes: this is certainly not an unexplored cave, but little known and at the time of writing it would not appear to be registered or indicated on any map, even if it is likely that it could be known and named in dialect by veteran tradesmen (shepherds or mushroom pickers) of the area. Be careful in your search, once you reach the coordinates, as one of the wells is not very visible with the risk of falling into it.
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Dario Teri October 7, 2018 Unseen & Little-Known Etna Caves No Responses