While walking to Vuohilampi for a swim (and eating blueberries), I found a small cave in the woods.
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July 2020, Vuohilammen luolanen, Nuuksio, Espoo, Finland
Caving (Rock, Rock-Granite, Morphology-Crack, Basic)
My swim at the Träskbyträsket yielded an unexpected benefit: a boulder cave. A huge piece of rock standing on four other rocks, as if by design.
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July 2020, Träskbyträsketin lohkareluola, Långvik, Kirkkonummi, Finland
Caving (Rock, Rock-Granite, Morphology-Boulders)
The new Grottan magazine came in mail. Grottan is the magazine for Sweden's Caver's Association, published I think four times a year.
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July 2020, House Arkko, Kauniainen, Finland
Caving (None, Media)
So, as reported earlier, our caving association went to Rokokallio. Very nice to see people in the middle of the pandemic :-) and be in the nature. We ended up exploring most of the caves in the area. Here are some pictures of them.
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July 2020, Pääluola, Rokokallio, Vihti, Finland; Hiotun kiven luola, Rokokallio, Vihti, Finland; Päällysluola, Rokokallio, Vihti, Finland; Päänuotiopaikan luola, Rokokallio, Vihti, Finland; Syvä halkeamaluola, Rokokallio, Vihti, Finland; Lippaluola, Rokokallio, Vihti, Finland
Caving (Rock, Rock-Granite, Morphology-Crack, Morphology-Boulders, Basic)
Tomorrow I'm going for a caver's association meeting in Rokokallio, Vihti. I've been there before. Actually several times, and I have an unfinished mapping project to complete...
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July 2020, Pääluola, Rokokallio, Vihti, Finland; Hiotun kiven luola, Rokokallio, Vihti, Finland; Päällysluola, Rokokallio, Vihti, Finland; Päänuotiopaikan luola, Rokokallio, Vihti, Finland; Kallionkololuola, Rokokallio, Vihti, Finland; Kivenalusluola, Rokokallio, Vihti, Finland; Syvä halkeamaluola, Rokokallio, Vihti, Finland; Toinen nuotiopaikan luola, Rokokallio, Vihti, Finland; Kivenalusluola, Rokokallio, Vihti, Finland; Halkeamaluola, Rokokallio, Vihti, Finland; Kahden kolon luola, Rokokallio, Vihti, Finland; Lippaluola, Rokokallio, Vihti, Finland
Caving (Rock, Rock-Granite, Morphology-Crack, Morphology-Boulders, Basic)
There are a lot of interesting data sources for searching for new caves. There are databases at the national geology research institute [1, 2, 3]. There are reports and books of boulder fields [4,5]. There are websites [6, 7, 8, 9, 10]. Old newspaper keyword searches [11]. And regular maps [12]. But in addition, there are also names of places. Ralf had found the names Luolaniittu (cave field, on a small hill) and Luolassuo (cave swamp, an actual swamp) in Paimio. I have to say we felt pretty silly standing in the swamp with all our caving gear.
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July 2020, Kukonharjanmäen kivenalusluolanen 1, Kukonharjanmäki, Paimio, Finland; Kukonharjanmäen kivenalusluolanen 2, Kukonharjanmäki, Paimio, Finland; Kukonharjanmäen kivenalusluolanen 3, Kukonharjanmäki, Paimio, Finland; Kukonharjanmäen lippaluolanen, Kukonharjanmäki, Paimio, Finland; Kukonharjanmäen kallionalusluolanen, Kukonharjanmäki, Paimio, Finland
Caving (Rock, Rock-Granite, Morphology-Boulders, Basic, Surveying, Researching)
As I was driving back from Ylläs, I came across an odd sign about Pakasaivo, which translates roughly to "Frozen Brain". What was it? I had to stop and look it up. Soon I was driving the tiny 11-kilometer road to go see it.
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June 2020, Pakasaivon pieni kivenkolo, Pakasaivo, Muonio, Finland
Caving (Rock, Rock-Granite, Morphology-Boulders, Basic); Hiking
Onkalonperä means "the backside of a hole". Fortunately, not "hole in the backside"! I saw this as I was driving towards Ylläs. I don't know anything about it, but are there are any holes or caves in that village? Maybe worth investigating...
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June 2020, Onkalonperän risteys, Simo, Finland
Caving (None)
Yay, a delivery! I got the third book in the series of cave, canyon, and boulder books from Tuomo Kesäläinen and Aimo Kejonen! Very excited to read this as well!
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June 2020, House Arkko, Kauniainen, Finland
Caving (None, Media, Research)
My earlier post was about data sources for finding new caves. I've now been reading the Suomen Lohkareet (the book of boulders in Finland) book, and it is great.
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June 2020, House Arkko, Kauniainen, Finland
Caving (None, Research)
During the quarantine, I've taken up trying to hike almost every day. It turns out that I can go within just a few kilometers from home and still end up in areas that I've not been to before. The forests not marketed as the hottest hiking areas, etc. And almost every time, there are some tiny rock holes that one could call "cavelets".
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May 2020, Gåskärrin lohkareluola, Gåskär, Espoo, Finland; Gåskärrin lippaluolanen, Gåskär, Espoo, Finland
Caving (Rock, Rock-Granite, Morphology-Boulders, Basic); Caving (Rock, Rock-Granite, Basic)
For May 1st, I also wanted to see if I could add Kauniainen to the map with regards to having mapped caves.
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(TGR version)
May 2020, Kauniaisten koululuola 1, Kauniainen, Finland; Kauniaisten koululuola 2, Kauniainen, Finland; Siirtolohkareluola 1, Kauniainen, Finland
Caving (Rock, Rock-Granite, Morphology-Boulders, Basic, Surveying); Caving (Rock, Rock-Granite, Basic, Surveying)
Haavikkolehto - a protected site with many boulders left by the ice age - is also very interesting from caving perspective. Likely not everything here has been found. But the most spectacular cave is known from this Retkipaikka article.
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May 2020, Haavikkolehdon karhukiven luola, Suonenjoki, Finland; Haavikkolehdon karhukiven luolan sivulohkareluola, Suonenjoki, Finland
Caving (Rock, Rock-Granite, Morphology-Boulders, Basic, Surveying)
I'm looking for caves... not for bears. But heard some growling and saw some big piles of sh*t, so decided to do a roundabout tour to return to the car.
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May 2020, Ryömittävä lippaluola, Mustikkamäki, Nilsiä, Finland; Kololuolanen, Mustikkamäki, Nilsiä, Finland; Korkea lippaluola, Mustikkamäki, Nilsiä, Finland; Pieni kulmalippaluolanen, Mustikkamäki, Nilsiä, Finland; Pieni lippaluolanen 1, Mustikkamäki, Nilsiä, Finland; Pieni lippaluolanen 2, Mustikkamäki, Nilsiä, Finland
Caving (Rock, Rock-Granite, Morphology-Crack, Basic); Hiking
Tiny cavelets on my evening walk again.
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May 2020, Högabergetin siirtolohkare, Espoo, Finland; Högabergetin lohkareluolanen, Espoo, Finland; Högabergetin kalliolippaluolanen, Espoo, Finland
Hiking; Caving (Rock, Rock-Granite, Morphology-Boulders, Basic); Caving (Rock, Rock-Granite, Basic)
Research pays off! I wanted to explore more boulder caves, but where to find boulders? I kept looking for data, and it turns out the geologic research institute had made a listing of the most valuable boulder fields in Finland. One of them was nearby, in Nuuksio, so I headed out to investigate on Sunday. No caves had been listed at that spot, but the report already made some promises about cave-like holes between the rocks. And a 50 meters wide and 10 meters deep field! I was hooked. Although it turned out the location was listed after all in the book of cave in Finland (albeit with a different name).
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(TGR version)
May 2020, Katajasuon kivikon pääluola, Nuuksio, Espoo, Finland; Katajasuon kivikon luola 1, Nuuksio, Espoo, Finland; Katajasuon kivikon luola 2, Nuuksio, Espoo, Finland; Katajasuon kivikon sivuluola 1, Nuuksio, Espoo, Finland; Katajasuon kivikon sivuluola 2, Nuuksio, Espoo, Finland
Caving (Rock, Rock-Granite, Morphology-Boulders, Basic, Surveying)