CONSEJERIA DE TURISMO, COMERCIO Y DEPORTE SPONSORS THE EXPLORATION OF THE BOTTOM OF GESM IN TOLOX (MALAGA)

A total of 17 groups of speleologists will participate in the exploration of the deepest cave of Andalucía, 1,101 deep

Consejería de Turismo, Comercio y Deporte will sponsor, through Deporte Andaluz, the Campaing of Exploration of the bottom of GESM 2005, which is organized by the Andalucian Federation of Speleology.  The sponsorship is up to 8,000 euros, a 25% of the budget for the exploration campaign, in which 17 groups of speleologists will participate, under the coordination of Interclub Sierra de las Nieves and the Andalucian Federation of Speleology.

The bottom of GESM is located at the municipal border of Tolox (Málaga), in the natural park of Sierra de las Nieves, and it is the deepest of Andalucía with 1,101 meters.  In its interior there is a vertical wall of 161 meters, called ´Paco De la Torre´ well, one of the deepest in Spain (experts compare 1,000 meters in speleology is equivalent to 8,000 in mountain climbing) and 3,506 long.

It was discovered in 1971 by the Subterranean Exploration Group of Málaga, and since then numerous national and international explorations have taken place there, which have made possible to get to the edge of Lake Ere, in a siphon where the water continues.

Recently a new way has been found, called ´Lateral Way´, which climbs up to 628 meters and there is hope that one could get to 1,300 meters deep from there and connect to Aire pit, which would make this one of the most important speleological systems of the world.

Since the cave was discovered, many speleologists have gone through it.  The first pit was 1,000 meters deep, explored by Spaniards, in the moment of its discovery, when it was ranked the 4th deepest cave in the world.

It was here where speleology had its evolution in Andalucía, from the heavy climbing with steel cables to the Alpine technique.  This cavity is mythical nationally and internationally.  Its entrance is in ´Hoyos del Pilar´, Sierra de las Nieves, some 1,690 meters above sea level.

A permit from the park is needed for the entrance, and also good knowledge of Alpine progression, because there are a lot of curious people who begin going down and have to quit, because of its difficulty.

The planned schedule for the Exploration Campaign of 2005:

-          February.  Election of the participants (20 Andalucian speleologists).  

-          March and April. Presentation of the event to the speleological public.  Acquisition of qualified technical materials.

-          May.  Reception of materials and communications tests.  Preparation meetings between speleologists.

-          June.  Parchase of camping and food materials.

-          July and August.  Presentation to the media and the actual event.

-          September.  Report and results. 

Translated from Spanish by Jorge Rivera

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