Top 11 Caves around Castel Ivano

Very steep section that leads to the top of Ortigara, it is useful to have a headlamp with you

The tunnel was initially an Austro-Hungarian machine gun emplacement (2093 m), designed to defend the overlooking 2101 m of Mount Ortigara. It was later captured by the Alpine troops during the first attack on June 10, 1917, becoming the headquarters of the Italian command of Colonel Pietro Biancardi, from whom it takes its current name. A must-see on the trail connecting the summit of Mount Ortigara to the Agnella Pass: fascinating, steep, and facilitated by steps and ropes. The imperial emplacements are accessed by descending into a shaft using metal supports (technical descent, only for experts).

During the First World War, in view of the Battle of Ortigara in 1917, the area on the eastern slopes of Cima Caldiera was transformed into an Italian logistics base of enormous tactical importance: one of the main storage centers for food, ammunition, tools and materials needed for combat and the sustenance of the troops. It was located on the slope sheltered from enemy fire, but close to the front line, to which it was connected by a web of walkways; it was accessible via a wide and comfortable road from Piazzale Lozze, which is now used as a path; the six tunnels dug one after the other, connected internally by a single corridor, served as warehouses and were hidden from view by external wooden barracks that, leaning against the rock, covered the entrances. Two interesting tables show the inventory of the goods stored: food for the soldiers, daily rations and materials for the Engineers.

The large entrance hall of this cave conceals a deep, dark mouth, filled by an underground stream that is always well-fed, even in dry periods. This is the entrance—reserved for cave divers—to a vast and intricate network of cavities deep within the mountain. The water is actually clear, and it is thought that the name derives from the dark moss-covered floor, over which the stream flows before flowing into the Senaiga. Due to the cave's complex morphology and technical difficulties, exploration began only in the 1970s, and so far, cave divers have discovered a 1,600-meter stretch of siphons and difficult passages. In the 1930s, dye injections proved that this cave communicates with the Castello Tesino Caves, a few kilometers away. Furthermore, an examination of the fine sand found inside, rich in granite crystals, testifies to a significant contribution of water coming from the Cima d'Asta group, much higher and much more distant!

This large cave has various names: Bus de la Bela, Bus de la Vecia, Bus de la Tosa, Grotta di San Donato, and Grotta dell'Orso. The skeleton of an Ursus Spalaeus (Cave Bear) was found there, a prehistoric animal of imposing size that surpassed that of today's grizzly bear: 3.5 meters (standing) and weighing almost 1 ton. Three explanatory panels at the entrance tell its story. The skeleton is visible free of charge at the Lamon Town Hall. The remains of this mammal have been found in numerous caves across Europe, an environment they used as a dwelling and for hibernation. They often competed with prehistoric humans for ownership of the cave, and one theory suggests they became extinct precisely because of predation by our ancestors. In ancient times, the bones found were attributed to dragons or griffins! Opposite the cave, climbing a short, exposed ramp equipped with a cable leads to a beautiful waterfall. https://it.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ursus_spelaeus

Trenches along the path that leads to Cima Caldiera. They are part of the Eco Museum of the Great War. The trenches and the excavated cavities served as warehouses for supplies for the troops of Ortigara.

Karst gorge typical of this type of mountain. There are many throughout the plateau, just look carefully at the maps

Unpaved stretch, not too demanding, from where you can enjoy very beautiful landscapes and on occasion not very frequented passages