Cave of the Living Fire

During the caving camp in Padis carstic plateau, Bihor Mountains,
we went to see the Cave of the Living Fire (Ghetarul Focul Viu),
the second largest underground glacier in Romania.


Photos from the Cave of the Living Fire

The Living Fire cave consists of two rooms, the first big one
having a huge iceblock and ice stalagmites; and a smaller room
with no natural light, some lime concretions and ice stalagmites.

The entrance to the cave is through an old wooden stairway.
The ceiling of the big room is open. Through this natural
window a great quantity of logs, leaves and snow has fallen,
building an immense iceblock in the centre, with logs trapped in.
Around noon, the rays of sunlight are unveiling the splendour
of the ice stalagmites of the cave, creating a fairy scenery.

The exit from the cave was very pleasant, because the outer
temperature was far above that of the cave. The open ceiling and
the lack of ventilation keeps the cold air inside, allowing
the ice to last in the cave all year round.
Peter