An intrepid cave explorer ascends a rope hanging from the Niubizi Tian
Keng. This photograph is one of the first-ever images taken of one of a cave so
large it has its own weather system. Photographer and caver Robbie Shone, from
Manchester, was part of a team of 15 explorers on a month-long expedition that
discovered the hidden system. '
A few of the caves had previously been used by
nitrate miners, at the areas close to the entrance, but had never been properly
explored before,' he said. 'All the major passageways were deep
underground and had never seen light before. 
Explorer Duncan Collis (pictured)
climbs a thin rope up to a small ledge overlooking the vast floor surface of
Niubizi Tian Keng in the Er Wang Dong cave system. A team of expert cavers have
been exploring the caves in the Chongquing province of China. The tranquil
rural village of Ranjiagou falls nearby the hidden natural wonder is pictured
left, while an intrepid caver stands on the central ridge overlooking the
cathedral-like Cloud Ladder Hall, where fog conceals the roof hundreds of
metres above (right). 
One of the explorers said they had to be aware of high water levels
inside the caves, especially when it rained heavily on the surface. 'It is
always very special, knowing that you are the first to step foot into a cave or
somewhere where nobody had previously seen, not knowing what you might find and
discover. 'Where else on Earth can still hold secrets and mysteries of
discovery? That's what I love so much about exploring. 
Mr Shones was
particularly excited about the cave network's interior weather system.The
spectacular beddings in the roof of Quankou. Photographer and caver Robbie
Shone, from Manchester, was part of a team of 15 explorers on a month-long
expedition who stumbled across the natural wonder. The underground camp in Sang
Wang Dong is cosy and warm, according to the cavers. 
Hot food and drink
recharge weary and tired explorers who sleep in either suspended hammocks or on
roll mats on the floor, before venturing out into the vast surroundings. American
speleologist Erin Lynch peers down over her shoulder into a giant void of
cloud.The floor is over 240m below and although it cant be seen due to the
thick cloud that lingers around her, the echo that reverberates several seconds
later reminds her of the volume of empty space and her lofty location'I had
never seen anything quite like the inside cloud ladder before,' he said.'Thick
cloud and fogs hangs in the upper half of the cave, where it gets trapped and
unable to escape through the small passage in the roof, 250m above the ground.
The cave system discovered is not the only one with clouds inside,
as humidity rises inside the caverns into colder air to form clouds inside the
giant, enclosed spaces.Large stalagmites at the foot of a giant ascending ramp
to another level of development in San Wang Dong create a spectacle mid-way
through a section of cave called Crusty Duvets. A giant calcite stalactite
boss, dwarfs team member Matt Ryan as he looks up at the giant geological
feature. 
The network, includes 'Cloud Ladder Hall' which itself measures
around 51,000 metres squared, while there are rivers and vegetation on the
floor of some of its huge caverns. 'Most caves are either accessed by large
walking entrance, some require a long deep swim, other may be very vertical in
nature where you need ropes to abseil down the walls deep into the caves.'We
had to be aware of high water levels inside the caves, especially when it
rained heavily on the surface. 
'The drainage catchment to these caves is
massive and soon the caves can be extremely dangerous and impassable,' he
added. Duncan Collis and Erin Lynch walk through a section of cave in San Wang
Dong called The Sea of Tranquility. Here remains of old Nitrate mining cover
the floor in forms of harths - pits and unwanted spoil. One team member said it
reminded him of being in an abandoned slate quarrying North Wales in bad
weather An explorer scales the rope up a vertical section of cave known as a
pit in Xinu Attic. Crystal clear pools and slow moving streams make it easier
to explore Quankou Dongs main river passage in the huge network of caves that
have not welcomed visitors in years
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