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07/42 - Zhongdian Caves
Gavin Lowe with Sam Allshorn, Pip Crosby, Pete Hartley, Chris Rogers and Paul Swire.(July-August 2007)
Continuing the Hong Meigui series of expeditions (MEF Refs 02/48, 03/49, 04/54, 05/51, 06/01 & 06/35) this team set out to prospect for caves in a compact block of mountains rising to 4706m above the Jinsha Jiang (Yangtse River) in Sanba County, Yunnan Province, some 50km SE of Zhongdian. With solid beds of limestone and no surface streams, the area seemed to have a lot going for it and a depth potential of over 3000m. Despite poor weather with frequent fog and heavy rain, the area was fully explored, and nearly 30 caves found, but all turned out to be very disappointing, as none were more than 60m deep. The consensus was that although the mountains were almost entirely limestone they had been raised too quickly – in geological terms - for decent caves to develop.
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