Hidden Earth 2017

Kyrgyzstan 2017 - Land of the Snow Leopard, Self-Draining Lakes, and Morrison Carrier Bags

30 minute Lecture|Mr Peter Talling

Abstract

Caving expeditions come in many types, each with their own distinctive flavours. Expeditions may be to known caves, unexplored mountain ranges, or newly opening-up countries such as Kyrgyzstan in Central Asia. This talk starts with some personal musing on how to classify caving expedition, and their respective joys and sorrows, as illustrated by past expeditions to China, Austria, Spain, Yemen, Myanmar, Philippines, New Zealand, and East Timor. It will then summarise two expeditions in 2017 to the stunning mountains of Kyrgyzstan, where large emerald lakes have previously spontaneously drained into limestone peaks. Despite traversing several large mountain ranges dominated mainly by limestone (which seems to have a thing against dissolving), these two expeditions encountered few well developed karst features. Caves were well decorated, but few and far between. This talk thus captures a type of (mainly cave-free) caving expedition, which avoids tedious post-trip survey drawing, allows time for vodka dinking and purchasing horses heads in markets; all within some of the most beautiful and wild scenery this presenter has yet seen.