3594: Luna de Miel, Torca de
Hornedo 30T 448457 4800236 (Datum: ETRS89. Accuracy code: A) Altitude 149m
Length 37m Depth 35m
Area position : Site entrance in context : Logbook search

Updated 5th November 2011; 3rd May, 28th September 2012; 21st October 2013; 25th May 2014

A draughting, excavated shaft at the end of a surface rift. The site was dug on a few occasions over the summer, 2011. A ladder at the entrance ended just above a large flake which dropped (during autumn excavations) and prevented safe access to the lower reaches. The 2m deep flake dropped a couple of centimetres when material was being excavated below. It was removed at Easter 2012.

Below is feet first through a narrowish section into a small chamber. A 3m climb down enters the next, small chamber. Directly below a feet-first route goes down through another narrow section to a back-and-foot rift climb down to a bedding squeeze with a slot to pass. Another 3m climb down enters the 2011 end - a chamber with a muddy rock floor and draughting pitch head obstructed by a boulder. A chamber / passage floor has been disto'd 12m below. This appears to be at a major level in Torca la Vaca.

The pitch was cleared and dropped at Easter 2012 but the hoped-for passage was an aven. However, a return in hot weather is required. Boulders higher up the cave moved after cavers had passed through and these are currently blocking access.

A return visit in the summer, 2012, dug at the base of the final shaft until a longer bar was required. A couple of other digs were started in the climb down just before the Wobbly Block Squeeze. A second visit found a draughting horizontal hole hidden from view behind a large rock at the top of the final pitch. This was dug out to reveal a 15m pitch with a tight rift at the base and a 3m drop. Two further tight rifts were seen but not inspected. A large block roofing the crawl between the top of the 'old' final pitch to the new shaft was seen to have developed a large crack.
The next visit took foam to stabilise the wobbly squeeze down through boulders, with mixed success. The crack in the large block was seen to have expanded and so further work in the lower reaches has been abandoned for the moment. A visit in April 2014 confirmed that the boulder was still unsafe.

Other sites of interest in or around the depression over this end of Torca la Vaca include 2916, 3905, 3906, 3914, 3916, 3924 and 3925.

Reference: anon., 2011d (summer logbook); anon., 2011e (autumn logbook); anon., 2012d (summer logbook); Corrin Juan, 2013a; anon., 2014b (Easter logbook)
Entrance pictures: yes
Underground pictures : entrance shaft : summer 2012
Video : autumn 2011 - excavations at base of entrance pitch
Detailed Survey : pdf
Line Survey :
On area survey :
Survex file : yes (also has surface survey line) (Amended magnetic declination December 2013 to align with Eur79 grid and coordinates altered to fit ETRS89 datum, April 2014.)
with Torca la Vaca and other immediate sites. (Amended magnetic declination December 2013 to align with Eur79 grid and coordinates altered to fit ETRS89 datum, April 2014.)

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