Near Bear Valley lies Ebbetts Pass, which has one of the best known caverns, Mercer Caverns. It is located 1 mi/1.6 km north of Murphys, on Sheep Ranch Road. The cave was originally used by the Indians as mortuary cave, but later was abandoned and its entrance was covered with debris, until pioneers discovered it in 1885.
Inside there are crystal formations, such as Angel Wings and susceptible compositions of aragonite, along with stalagmites, stalactites and also a labyrinth of underground, that visitors drawn for centuries. The tours in the cave include Fairies Grotto, Oregon Loft and Gothic Chamber. The tour lasts about 45 minutes and is a quarter of a mile long. You won’t cover all the distance at once.
There are several stops, where the guide will explain the history and geology of the cave and give you time to take some pictures. There are no tripods or video cameras allowed. The tour has totally 440 steps, 208 down into the cavern and 232 up out of the caverns.
You should be careful on some of the steps, because they are steep and narrow. The tour is moderately strenuous, mainly on the way out, but there is no crawling. The main temperature is constantly at 55 ºF/12.8 ºC with 90% humidity.
For the enthusiast of speleology and spelunking, the numerous and particular caves in Abruzzo region offer moments of real fun and excitement, due to the geological conditions and the morphology of the Apennines zone.
Gauteng is the smallest province in South Africa yet its economic power house. It is located in the heart of South Africa's Highveld Region and is highly urbanized and densely populated. Gauteng offers to its visitors an option to explore the hustle and bustle of its urban life or the natural attractions outside its main cities, Johannesburg and Pretoria.
Siddha Cave or commonly known as Siddha Gufa is situated in Bandipur, Tanahu District, Nepal. If you ever find yourself in Bandipur, a visit at this cave is well worth it.
In Ecrins massif, between Gap and Briancon, within two hours from Grenoble and five minutes from the station of Argentiere-la-Bessée, a beautiful spot in the small village of Les Vigneaux is identified as the next challenge to seize. Getting through the tight spaces in a cave is part of spelunking that many people find quite scary as activitiy.
Caving in Abruzzo region, in central Italy, can be a very pleasant and joyful experience for the enthusiast of the underground landscape.
The City of Delaware is the county seat of Delaware County in Ohio, USA. The city is located near the Ohio center, approximately 30 mi/48 km north of Columbus and is part of the Columbus - Ohio Metropolitan Area.
Sonora Pass is located near Pinecrest, Tuolumne County, California, USA. It is off of Highway about 60 mi/96.5 km east of Sonora.
Squaw Valley Ski Resort is located in Olympic Valley, California, USA. It is one of the largest ski areas in the US after Heavenly and was the site of the 1960 Winter Olympics.
Bear Valley is a ski area located near Angels Camp, on highway 4, between Lake Tahoe and Yosemite, approximately 3 hrs southeast of Sacramento, California, USA.
Tamarack Lodge Resort is located in Mammoth Lakes, near Mammoth Mountain, in California’s eastern Sierra about 100 mi/161 km south of Nevada State line Mono County, California, USA.
Squaw Valley Ski Resort is located in Olympic Valley, California, USA. It is one of the largest ski areas in the US after Heavenly and was the site of the 1960 Winter Olympics.
Don Pedro Reservoir is situated across the Tuolumne River, in the Stanislaus National Forest, Tuolumne County, California.
Yosemite National Park is located near Mariposa, California, USA.
Heavenly Mountain Resort is located near the city of South Lake Tahoe, on the California-Nevada border, El Dorado County, California, USA.
