![𝗘𝘂𝗿𝗼𝗦𝗽𝗲𝗹𝗲𝗼 𝗣𝗿𝗼𝗷𝗲𝗰𝘁: 𝗟𝗼𝘀𝗲𝗿 𝗣𝗹𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗮𝘂 𝗘𝘅𝗽𝗲𝗱𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻, 𝗔𝘂𝘀𝘁𝗿𝗶𝗮The 2024 Cambridge University Caving Club CUCC Loser Plateau expedi...](https://img4.travelagents10.com/533/427/936551455334276.jpg)
07/02/2025
𝗘𝘂𝗿𝗼𝗦𝗽𝗲𝗹𝗲𝗼 𝗣𝗿𝗼𝗷𝗲𝗰𝘁: 𝗟𝗼𝘀𝗲𝗿 𝗣𝗹𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗮𝘂 𝗘𝘅𝗽𝗲𝗱𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻, 𝗔𝘂𝘀𝘁𝗿𝗶𝗮
The 2024 Cambridge University Caving Club CUCC Loser Plateau expedition brought together 39 cavers from 7 different countries to continue the ambitious goal of expanding the Schwarzmooskogel-Höhlensystem (SMK) and working towards a potential connection with the Schönberg Höhlensystem, which could ulti-mately create one of the largest cave systems in the world.
This year’s efforts were concentrated on two primary cave systems: Homecoming (Heimkommenhöhle) and Balcony (Balkonhöhle). Both caves presented significant opportunities, as well as challenges. Homecoming, located on the western edge of the plateau, remains a promising lead in the effort to connect the SMK to Schönberg. Balcony, while already an extensive system, presented the team with technical challenges, particularly in navigating the 140-meter deep Mongol Rally chamber.
Despite these difficulties, the 2024 expedition made remarkable progress. The Homecoming Cave was extended from 3,442 meters to 4,653 meters in length and increased in depth from 373 meters to 450 meters. The Balcony Cave, already substantial in size, expanded from 18,265 meters to 19,277 meters in length, while maintaining its depth of 581 meters.
Deep within Balcony, the team discovered a large, previously unknown chamber, along with intriguing hydrological shifts in the cave’s geology. Furthermore, speleothem formations— rare for the region — were found in several sections, adding scientific interest to the expedition’s findings. The 2024 CUCC expedition marks a significant chapter in the ongoing exploration of the Loser Plateau. The progress made in both Homecoming and Balcony caves, combined with the logistical upgrades and technological innovations, has paved the way for even more exciting discoveries in the coming years.
You can read the full report here:https://www.eurospeleo.eu/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/ESP_2024-02_CUCC_Expedition_Loser_Plateau_Austria.pdf
𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘌𝘶𝘳𝘰𝘚𝘱𝘦𝘭𝘦𝘰 𝘗𝘳𝘰𝘫𝘦𝘤𝘵𝘴 (𝘌𝘚𝘗) 𝘍𝘶𝘯𝘥 𝘴𝘶𝘱𝘱𝘰𝘳𝘵𝘴 𝘪𝘯𝘵𝘦𝘳𝘯𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘺 𝘰𝘳𝘪𝘦𝘯𝘵𝘦𝘥 𝘴𝘱𝘦𝘭𝘦𝘰𝘭𝘰𝘨𝘪𝘤𝘢𝘭 𝘱𝘳𝘰𝘫𝘦𝘤𝘵𝘴 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘢𝘳𝘦 𝘰𝘱𝘦𝘯 𝘵𝘰 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘱𝘢𝘳𝘵𝘪𝘤𝘪𝘱𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯 𝘰𝘧 𝘴𝘱𝘦𝘭𝘦𝘰𝘭𝘰𝘨𝘪𝘴𝘵𝘴 𝘧𝘳𝘰𝘮 𝘢𝘭𝘭 𝘍𝘚𝘌 𝘮𝘦𝘮𝘣𝘦𝘳𝘴 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘭𝘦𝘢𝘥 𝘵𝘰 𝘢 𝘮𝘶𝘭𝘵𝘪𝘯𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯𝘢𝘭 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘮𝘶𝘭𝘵𝘪𝘥𝘪𝘴𝘤𝘪𝘱𝘭𝘪𝘯𝘢𝘳𝘺 𝘤𝘰𝘰𝘱𝘦𝘳𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯.
𝘐𝘧 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘸𝘢𝘯𝘵 𝘵𝘰 𝘢𝘱𝘱𝘭𝘺 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘢 𝘌𝘶𝘳𝘰𝘚𝘱𝘦𝘭𝘦𝘰 𝘗𝘳𝘰𝘫𝘦𝘤𝘵 𝘱𝘭𝘦𝘢𝘴𝘦 𝘷𝘪𝘴𝘪𝘵 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘱𝘢𝘨𝘦 𝘰𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘍𝘚𝘌 𝘸𝘦𝘣𝘴𝘪𝘵𝘦 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘢𝘭𝘭 𝘪𝘯𝘧𝘰𝘳𝘮𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯: https://www.eurospeleo.eu/eurospeleo-projects/
𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗱𝗲𝗮𝗱𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗲 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝘀𝗲𝗻𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗶𝗻 𝗮𝗽𝗽𝗹𝗶𝗰𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝘀𝗲𝗰𝗼𝗻𝗱 𝗵𝗮𝗹𝗳 𝗼𝗳 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟱 𝗶𝘀 𝟯𝟬𝘁𝗵 𝗔𝗽𝗿𝗶𝗹 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟱.