ALEK

Russia, Northwest Caucasus

The karst massif of Alek lies in the Caucasus Mountains of Russia, in the surroundings of Sotchi about 15-18 km from the Black Sea.
The Alek massif is at about 1000 m above sea level. Its limestone layer is about 700-800 m thick.Geological composition, tectonics and climate (annual precipitation is about 2400 mm) have made perfect conditions for formation of the caves.
Alek is one of the most karstified massifs of Krasnodarsk district - there are more than 40 caves discovered.

Alek's caves cadastre.
The photos from expedition to Alek in 2005 spring.
The photos from expedition to Alek in 2008 spring (caves Osenniaya-Nazarovskaya, Geographitcheskaya).
The photos from expedition to Alek in 2009 spring

Gigantov

Narrow and muddy entrance into the Gigantov Cave. Photo by Paulius Dambrauskas

The entrance into the cave of Gigantov (the Giants' cave) is vertical, narrow (0,8 m) and widens gradually. Further the cave begins to suit its name - there are wide halls with large rocks, tall meanders.

At the depth of 220 m the cave ends with a 15 m long and narrow siphon. Not all of its branches have been fully explored yet. In 2000 A. Aksionov for the first time dived trough the second siphon (14/-7). A gryphon located in the Gigantov Cave is also waiting of further explorations.

Depth: about -220 m

The scheme of the cave
The scheme of S1 and the part beyond the siphon

Cave system Shkolnaya- Zabludchykh-Rucheynaya

The cave of Zabludchykh (the cave of the Lost) is one of the most dangerous caves in Alek. In case of rain the flood of water in the cave rises very quickly, resulting in the danger of hypothermia. At the depth of -220 m there is a hall where an underground camp can be arranged, but until there the path is flooded almost everywhere. There are several higher places where one can climb up and sit dry until the help arrives. Nevertheless during the flood one can climb out the cave only in hydro costume.

The underground camp in the cave of Zabludchykh (at the depth of -220 m). Photo by Paulius Dambrauskas

The Shkolnaya cave (the School cave) contains a siphon followed by a semi siphon. In 2005 May divers of Moscow caving club "Sokolniki-RUDN" dived through those siphons and exited into the Zabludchykh Cave thus joining Shkolnaya to the Zabludchykh-Rucheynaya cave system.

The semi siphon of Shkolnaya. Photo by Nikolaj Ivanov

The depth of Shkolnaya: about -370 m
The depth of the Zabludchykh-Rucheynaya cave system: about -560 m

The plan and profile of the Zabludchykh-Rucheynaya cave system
The scheme of the cave Shkolnaya
More about joining of Shkolnaya to the Zabludchykh-Rucheynaya cave system in the website of Moscow caving club "Sokolniki-RUDN"
More about the history of the Zabludchykh-Rucheynaya cave system explorations during 1985-2003 in the website of Moscow caving club "Perovo"