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| Blauhöhle | |
|---|---|
 | |
 Interactive map of Blauhöhle | |
| Location | Blautopf |
| Depth | 42 metres (138 ft) |
| Length | 13,100 metres (43,000 ft)[1] |
| Discovery | 1980 |
| Geology | Limestone |
| Entrances | 2 |
| Hazards | Extended cave dive with current |
| Translation | Blue cave (German) |
TheBlauhöhle is the largest knowncave system in theSwabian Alps in southernGermany. The Blauhöhle presumably originated in a time when theDanube still flowed through theBlau valley. Since the shifting of the Danube, several small rivers, theSchmiech, theAch, and the Blau, have flowed through this valley. The cave system begins about 21 meters under water at the base of theBlautopf. It continues west and northwest, rising and falling several times until after a horizontal distance of about 1,200 metres (3,900 ft) it comes above the level ofground water and opens into the second big air-filled chamber. The maximum depth of the cave under water is 42 metres (138 ft).
This chamber was first discovered in 1985 byJochen Hasenmayer, who named itMörikedom (Mörike Cathedral, named afterEduard Mörike). Hasenmayer's diving accident in theWolfgangsee resulted in a long break in its exploration. For several years the cave has been explored by theArbeitsgemeinschaft Blautopf (Blautopf Study Group, or Consortium), a team ofcave divers from several different regional groups. This group has made progress exploring the cave, including making exact measurements of the way to theMörikedom. The improvement of underwater breathing technology, especially therebreather, has allowed for longer dives carrying less weight. The discovery of theWolkenschloss (Castle of Clouds), another large, air-filled cavern, and the so-calledLandweg (land-way), a long, open caveriver behind the Mörikedom, were great successes for theArbeitsgemeinschaft.
Hasenmayer continued his attempts to explore the cave system in his cavesubmersible,Speleonaut.
Since 2002 theArbeitsgemeinschaft Höhle und Karst Grabenstetten (Cave andKarstConsortium of Grabenstetten), as a part of their work on a neighboring cave system, theVetterhöhle, have attempted to dig a dry entrance into the Blauhöhle. In 2006 several large caverns were discovered in theVetterhöhle, and in the autumn a connection was discovered between theVetterhöhle and theWolkenschloss.
Also in the autumn of 2006, theArbeitsgemeinschaft Blautopf discovered a chamber at the end of the Landweg, measuring 170 m (560 ft) long by 50 m (160 ft) wide by 50 m high, which was namedApokalypse. The groups are now also working with yet another Arbeitsgemeinschaft on asinkhole north ofBlaubeuren, which is believed to be connected with theBlauhöhle beyond theApokalypse.
48°24′59″N9°47′02″E / 48.41639°N 9.78389°E /48.41639; 9.78389
