Naděje ice cave
| Ice hole near Hope
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 Locked entrance to the ice cave |
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| Location: | Lusatian Mountains in Northern Bohemia | |
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Geographic location: |
50 ° 49 '16 " N , 14 ° 38' 27" E | |
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| Geology: | Phonolite (Klingstein) | |
| Type: | Layered joint cavity with cold trap | |
| Discovery: | a few centuries ago | |
| Overall length: | 30 m | |
| Level difference: | 6 m | |
| Particularities: | closed due to risk of collapse | |
The Naděje Ice Cave ( Ice Cave or Ice Hole Hope ; Ledová jeskyně Naděje in Czech ) is a cave near Naděje (Hope) in the Lusatian Mountains , where ice can be found all year round. The cave has been under state protection as a natural monument since 1966.
Location and surroundings
The Naděje ice cave is located on the northern slope of Suchý vrch (Dürrberg), approx. 1 km northwest of Naděje (Hope) and 1.5 km southwest of Horní Světlá ( Oberlichtenwalde ) in the Lusatian Mountains . Not far from the cave is the Naděje reservoir at Hamerský potok ( Hammerbach ).
geology
The Naděje Ice Cave is a pseudokarst crevice cave. It was created by frost weathering in the phonolite of Suchý vrch ( Dürrberg ). The resulting crevices were later covered by rubble fields. The main cave is a 30 meter long and 2 to 4 meter wide crevice that is sealed at the top by rubble and earth. No air can circulate in the cave, in winter falling snow and cold air cool the cave so much that the temperature is almost constant all year round. Water that seeps in and water vapor from the air form layers of ice, stalactites and ground ice. The latter sometimes reaches a thickness of up to 2 meters. The ice formation fluctuates seasonally, it is greatest in spring due to seeping meltwater, while in late summer only the ground ice remains.
history
The cave is the locals under the name for several centuries ice hole known in 1870 who built Zwickau mountain club a first access route to the cave and began the tourism marketing. The descent to the cave floor, which is 6 meters lower, was initially carried out via a hewn tree trunk, later a ladder was installed. Around 1900 the entrance to the cave was barred and the key was given in exchange for a fee in a nearby mill. On busy weekends, a kiosk at the entrance sold refreshments. After 1945 the cave was freely accessible and was often damaged by breaking off the ice formations and by campfires. In 1966 the cave was designated as a protected natural monument due to its unusual character, but it was not until 1988 that the cave entrance was closed again and the destruction stopped. Until 1995, access to the cave was permitted after approval by the administration of the Lusatian Mountains landscape protection area , since then a visit is no longer permitted due to the risk of collapse.
