Mizhishnica Cave. Photo: Tzvetan Ostromski
Vratsa Mountain is situated in the west part of the Balkan Mountain Range (Stara Planina). Impressive sharp cliffs of its Northern slope are rising more than 500 m very close to the town of Vratsa. They are built mainly of limestones of Mesozoic age. Well-developed surface and underground karst forms are common for this mountain. In order to protect them, the Vratsa Balkan Nature Reserve was declared in year 2003. Here are the longest climbing tours, the highest temporary waterfall (141 m) and the most visited show cave in Bulgaria.
Vratsa karst has been studied systematically by different clubs and organizations in the last 60 years. Almost 900 caves have been discovered here, which made it the karst region with highest density of caves in Bulgaria. A summary of the speleological explorations in the NW part of this reach of caves region during the last two decades by MOERPA Speleo Society will be given in this presentation, with an emphasis on the most recent results from this year.
Authors: Tzvetan Ostromsky, Stoyan Petkov, Ivo Tachev, Maria Zlatkova
Presenter: Tzvetan Ostromsky
Affiliation: IICT, Bulgarian Academy of Sciences, Sofia, Bulgaria
Оrganizations: MOERPA Speleo Society and CC Iskar, Sofia, Bulgaria
Section: Cave explorations and expeditions
Type: Oral presentation
Short bio of the presenter:
Tzvetan Ostromsky has been caving since 1982, when he was a student in mathematics and joined SPK Academic. He explored many caves in Bulgaria and abroad and made a lot of new discoveries in them. Cave photographer and a member of the Bulgarian cave rescue organization. Currently a member of Iskar caving club and the Bureau of BFSp.
Mizhishnica Cave. Photo: Tzvetan Ostromski
Barki 8 Cave. Photo: Tzvetan Ostromski
