Canada's deepest cave found, described as 'a refrigerator'
Digital Reporter
Wednesday, January 17, 2018, 3:17 PM - Calgary-based explorers have discovered Canada's deepest cave, north of Fernie, B.C., burrowing in places as deep as a 35-storey building. A volunteer, nine-person team made the discovery over the Thanksgiving holiday in 2017.
The cave, called Bisaro Anima, is only accessible by helicopter. It is 5.3 km long and 670 metres deep, with its longest shaft measuring 105 metres.
Cave Highlights:
- Discovered north of Fernie, B.C.
- Nine-person team discovered the cave's entrance over Thanksgiving holiday in 2017
- Only accessible by helicopter
- 5.3 km long and 670 metres deep
The cave was discovered in 2012 after cavers Tom Foley and Dave McRitchie visited the plateau in year prior. In 2012, Jeremy Bruns, who participated in the 5-day Thanksgiving expedition, along with his father Henry who set-up the group trip where the entrance to Bisaro Anima was discovered.
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Explorer Kathleen Graham told the CBC the inside of the cave was like a refrigerator:
"It was like hanging out in a refrigerator. It's 100 per cent humidity, 2 C, cold and dark. We sleep in hammocks. The ground is a lot of big boulders so not many flat spots. I sleep with a light around my neck, so if I wake up in the middle of the night, I don't have to panic," she told the news agency.
Bruns said the environment inside the cave was "challenging", complete with deep canyons, small squeezes and loose rock that threatened to fall on the volunteers.
The expeditions that led to the discovery of the cave were funded with the help of the Alberta Speleological Society and the Royal Canadian Geography Society.
It's the second subterranean discovery of note in the Canada over the past few months, as the video below shows caves discovered under Montreal late last year.
