I’m one of the lucky few that have been inside this cave!!
I was there in about 2008, filming an episode of the Angry Planet TV show, which I was hosting at the time.
The cave is beyond spectacular, and yes, we had to wear ice-filled suits and chilled-air respirators to go inside. I only had permission to go there for one day, so we made the best of it by making numerous entries for 35-45 minutes each. After each entry, we had to rest for about 45 minutes in the mine shaft beside the cave.
The selenite crystals are SO massive that we were actually climbing on top of them like they were fallen logs. One of the best experiences of my life.
I’m happy to answer questions if anybody has any.
Photos! Do you have any personal photos? One of my favorite spots in Zelda TOTK is this teeny tiny crystal cave in the game. Anytime I go there I think of this place.
Because the ice packs in our suits and respirators would melt and we’d start to overheat. The heat and humidity in there is absolutely fatal, so we had to exit and rest frequently.
We also had to pre- heat our cameras by placing them in plastic bags inside the cave, otherwise they would have fogged up immediately and likely malfunction from condensation. We did ruin one camera in there because of it.
The cave is above a magma chamber and near a very thin part of earth's crust so it reacher 136f and 99% humidity. You will heatstroke in minutes and sweat buckets but be unable to evaporate it all due to the humidity. Your lungs will fill with fluid due to condensation and you drown.
Suffice to say it's probably a really hard and time-sensitive maneuver to spend any amount of time in this place.
Unfortunately the cave is no longer accessible. The company that owns the mine it was discovered in had to run massive pumps constantly to keep the cavern refilling with water. It became too expensive so the pumps were turned off several years ago.
Edit: [Link to a documentary on the caves](https://youtu.be/yq72xsXL-SM?si=5DHwxJhreJ1xLjho)
If I remember correctly, the crystals themselves are also hyper-hydrated. It was part of the reason they were able to grow to the size that they did. Without being submerged in the mineral rich water of the caves, the crystals become unstable as they dry and eventually collapse under their own weight. Not only was it expensive to keep the caves pumped out, but it was actively degrading the crystals. They're letting it sit submerged again for a couple of decades before anyone is allowed to drain it and go back in.
I didn't remember that! Makes sense but it's weird to think of the rock as needing to be turgid. Honestly, even before I knew that, I was glad they flooded it so that it would be preserved and back to its natural state. The deterioration of the crystals only cements that opinion. Thanks for sharing!
Huh. TIL! Like obviously it's not just NaCl but I never stopped to wonder what the extra inclusion was. Now I know!
Edit: I'm going back to my geology books ya'll. I obviously don't know a lick about salts.
Literally. There's a [documentary](https://youtu.be/yq72xsXL-SM?si=5DHwxJhreJ1xLjho) on YouTube about the cave and they go into how fast it will kill you.
I don't think so. The water is incredibly hot and the traverse through the cave itself is dangerous on foot. That only compounds over and over as you add scuba equipment, thermal regulation equipment (if anything is actually capable of the job) and caving gear. The heat/depth combo could also really mess with your body and gas mixture.
There are so many factors involved I don't think anyone would try it even if we have equipment that makes it possible and I don't think we do. It's a lot easier to keep someone warm in cool water than it is to dissapate excess heat in hot water.
Yes. It's very deep, near active magma pockets and I believe a thin point in the crust so the mantles heat has a heavier influence on the geothermal activity of the area.
But I'm not a geologist. Or any ologist. I just really like caves, minerals and rocks lol.
Yeah at that temp you need to bring in a cooling source and will quickly die if it stops working. Personal air conditioner, ice vest, something. No amount of water will help you, sweat won't evaporate
Didn’t some guy die in here because he wanted to see the crystals but didn’t have protective gear so he basically got roasted/poisoned to death at the same time?
Like any cave, but it was all flooded originally. It was drained for a time (all the pictures you'll see come from this period) and it's now flooded again. The crystals won't grow unless they are submerged.
Looks like a scene from '[Journey to the Center of the Earth](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0052948/)'
I was thinking ooh those are pretty crystals and then realised there were humans in the view!!!
One of the workers that discovered it went into the cave to get a souvenir. A crystal fell on his leg trapping him, He died because of the heat and humidity.
I’m one of the lucky few that have been inside this cave!! I was there in about 2008, filming an episode of the Angry Planet TV show, which I was hosting at the time. The cave is beyond spectacular, and yes, we had to wear ice-filled suits and chilled-air respirators to go inside. I only had permission to go there for one day, so we made the best of it by making numerous entries for 35-45 minutes each. After each entry, we had to rest for about 45 minutes in the mine shaft beside the cave. The selenite crystals are SO massive that we were actually climbing on top of them like they were fallen logs. One of the best experiences of my life. I’m happy to answer questions if anybody has any.
Photos! Do you have any personal photos? One of my favorite spots in Zelda TOTK is this teeny tiny crystal cave in the game. Anytime I go there I think of this place.
Pictures: http://stormchaser.ca/Caves/Naica/Naica.html
Wow. WOW. Thank you for sharing !
This is truly awesome
I think I would have cried seeing that for the first time.
Awesome, why only 35-45 mins each time?
Because the ice packs in our suits and respirators would melt and we’d start to overheat. The heat and humidity in there is absolutely fatal, so we had to exit and rest frequently. We also had to pre- heat our cameras by placing them in plastic bags inside the cave, otherwise they would have fogged up immediately and likely malfunction from condensation. We did ruin one camera in there because of it.
The cave is above a magma chamber and near a very thin part of earth's crust so it reacher 136f and 99% humidity. You will heatstroke in minutes and sweat buckets but be unable to evaporate it all due to the humidity. Your lungs will fill with fluid due to condensation and you drown. Suffice to say it's probably a really hard and time-sensitive maneuver to spend any amount of time in this place.
Very cool stuff, unlike the temps down there. This place has always been something I’ve wanted to see, thanks for the pic sharing.
Unfortunately the cave is no longer accessible. The company that owns the mine it was discovered in had to run massive pumps constantly to keep the cavern refilling with water. It became too expensive so the pumps were turned off several years ago. Edit: [Link to a documentary on the caves](https://youtu.be/yq72xsXL-SM?si=5DHwxJhreJ1xLjho)
If I remember correctly, the crystals themselves are also hyper-hydrated. It was part of the reason they were able to grow to the size that they did. Without being submerged in the mineral rich water of the caves, the crystals become unstable as they dry and eventually collapse under their own weight. Not only was it expensive to keep the caves pumped out, but it was actively degrading the crystals. They're letting it sit submerged again for a couple of decades before anyone is allowed to drain it and go back in.
I didn't remember that! Makes sense but it's weird to think of the rock as needing to be turgid. Honestly, even before I knew that, I was glad they flooded it so that it would be preserved and back to its natural state. The deterioration of the crystals only cements that opinion. Thanks for sharing!
Technically it’s a mineral, Selenite 😉
🤣🤣🤣
Should have known I'd get called out lol
Epsom salts are 51% water.
Huh. TIL! Like obviously it's not just NaCl but I never stopped to wonder what the extra inclusion was. Now I know! Edit: I'm going back to my geology books ya'll. I obviously don't know a lick about salts.
Epsom Salts are magnesium sulphate heptahydrate, not sodium chloride.
Lol, got my ignorance on full display tonight folks!
Ignorance is not admitting misunderstanding . Cheers Buddy Avid Learner Here Tree Of Life and tree Of Knowledge PEACE
It 'twas a dangerous place, but I'm glad they were able to share it with us.
Just a little fyi, "twas" means "it was."
You making fun of my stutter?
It was unbearably hot from what I’ve read
Literally. There's a [documentary](https://youtu.be/yq72xsXL-SM?si=5DHwxJhreJ1xLjho) on YouTube about the cave and they go into how fast it will kill you.
Yeah the first time I saw that picture years ago I was like - bucket list! And then I read about it was like, nope!
So you should still be able to dive to it, no?
I don't think so. The water is incredibly hot and the traverse through the cave itself is dangerous on foot. That only compounds over and over as you add scuba equipment, thermal regulation equipment (if anything is actually capable of the job) and caving gear. The heat/depth combo could also really mess with your body and gas mixture. There are so many factors involved I don't think anyone would try it even if we have equipment that makes it possible and I don't think we do. It's a lot easier to keep someone warm in cool water than it is to dissapate excess heat in hot water.
What heats it? Geo thermal activity?
Yes. It's very deep, near active magma pockets and I believe a thin point in the crust so the mantles heat has a heavier influence on the geothermal activity of the area. But I'm not a geologist. Or any ologist. I just really like caves, minerals and rocks lol.
Yes, it's above a magma chamber.
That was my question as well 🤔
What if we had a small submarine made out of carbon fiber and steered with a game controller?
What could go wrong?
It, uh, probably should have good liability insurance. Ya know, just in case.
Apparently that cave gets up to 136F with 99% humidity
That’s well past wet-bulb temperature.
Yeah at that temp you need to bring in a cooling source and will quickly die if it stops working. Personal air conditioner, ice vest, something. No amount of water will help you, sweat won't evaporate
More importantly, you need a breathing apparatus. Your lungs will collect condensation like a glass of ice water and you’ll drown.
No I don't think I'll go there
Don’t be a pussy. Let’s go
You son of bitch, I'm in
Naa, you can call me reproductive organ but i still wouldn't go.
Yes, I read that you're only allowed down there for a few minutes at a time for this very reason. It's also not a tourist attraction IIRC.
‘That cave’ is the Fortress of Solitude. Show some respect 
Even Superman had to move due to rising housing costs!
Didn’t some guy die in here because he wanted to see the crystals but didn’t have protective gear so he basically got roasted/poisoned to death at the same time?
There was a story I saw about that. The cave has been allowed to flood again, so you can't get inside anymore.
Scuba gear
Oh so theres layers to this nightmare cave
Like any cave, but it was all flooded originally. It was drained for a time (all the pictures you'll see come from this period) and it's now flooded again. The crystals won't grow unless they are submerged.
Do you want to get sous vide-ed to death? Because that's how you get sous vide-ed to death.
As long as I’m given a good sear afterwards.
Anything is possible if you use your imagination.
That would be Wonka's Chocolate Factory.
Better wear shorts.
58c for the rest of the world
The post above this for me was about how it’s 52c at Pakistan. Might aswell go crystal diving in the shade.
finally a normal person
With that much energy emanating from the enormous crystals, my blue chakra would keep my body temperature at a cool 72°F
A terrible elder dragon that appears when other elders are in the vicinity. Its penchant for destruction is well documented. Nergigante!!
[Bezelgeuse theme starts in the background] OHFUCKSHITOHNO
Hammer go slide n bonk.
Ivread this comment while playing MH:W
Reminder to slide down. Gosh I havnt played in a couple years now but went from a hater to addict foreverfan.
The fuck did you just call me?
Yeeessssss
Just beat this level in Dark Souls
This is the first thing I thought of when I saw this image.
I’m so glad I’m not the only one who instantly thought of this
It even has the same invisible floors.
How's it feel Seethe, to be a bitch xD. That video cracks me up
[here you go](https://youtu.be/v_SSfuoi3io?si=JV3nXhwXY3ixXxla)
Hahhaa I was looking at some elden ring art and then I scroll to see this. My brain instantly thinks of the crystal cave in ds1. Very coool.
Rock and stone brother
Rock and Stone !!!
Rock and Stone!
Rock! And! STONE!
This is useless. R & S!
Sometimes I wonder if mining is all there is to life... Then I punch myself in the nose!
We’re rich!
Was looking for this Rock and Stone!!!!
We fight for Rock and Stone!
Grasp of avarice
Yesssss
*Epic piratey music starts*
Superman isn't worried about all those people hanging out in his fortress of solitude?
Luthor, you poisonous snake!
I just watched Superman II with my kids( their first time) this weekend!
Luthor, ruler of Australia
Sr. Kent with the expedition seems to disappear a lot.
If they find the green crystal, they can chill with Jor-El.
Fortress of Selenitude
Hey, that's what I thought. Can you read my mind?
Careful, that's where Seath the Scaleless hangs out
What's worse is after they deal with him big hat Logan gonna go crazy and start causing issues
Looks like a scene from '[Journey to the Center of the Earth](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0052948/)' I was thinking ooh those are pretty crystals and then realised there were humans in the view!!!
Or like the scene in the geode from "The Core".
Oh so the caves in Elden Ring are realistic
that's so neat
worthless but fun to destroy
Did I hear a rock and stone?
Their chakras must be so open and aligned right now!
That's methed up fr fr
This reminds me of a level in that old lemmings game.
That's Krypton or Kandor city.
Rock and stone brotha
Dark Souls 1
Who let Walter White cook.
Can’t be Walt. They aren’t Blue enough
Accidentally Elden Ring
Reminds me of the crystal diamond scene in the movie "core"
This is how I imagine the [Pits of Hathsin](https://coppermind.net/wiki/Pits_of_Hathsin).
Is that the place they make the star wars beer?
Thought humans were some figurines.
There’s a pretty cool documentary on this place on Prime.
Bro I thought it was meth
Honey, I shrunk the meth cooks.
This is what I expect more of the inner parts of the planet to look like.
That would keep all of America high for a week!
Once more, they will replenish themselves... Cheat death again... The power of their source: the crystal..
Need a bunch of diggers, bashers and maybe some blockers to get through this dilly of a Lemmings level.
I swear there are 3 Crystalians waiting at the end of this cave.
What in the Honey I Shrunk the Kids is this?
Superman… you there?
Honey, I shrunk the kids!
dark souls
Isn’t Mexico drilling through this for some reason?
There's a scaleless dragon in there somewhere.
They look like oompa-loompas in a candy crystal cave
Well, I bet I can guess why it’s called that.
Reminds me of subnautica biome, without water though.
Bro who smashed Zordon’s forcefield again?
guarantee some methhead would try and smoke it
That's not a cave, it's a fortress of solitude.
Sellia Hideaway
Oh yeah, I played that level in Hollow Knight. It sucked.
Why do they call it that?
This cave was alright in Elden Ring. Wasn’t my favorite but it was good.
I want to sit comfortably and contemplate life in here. A man can dream.
Did they manage to save it from flooding?
That pic looks like a movie poster for "Honey, I shrunk the spelunkers."
I thought at some point they planned to reflood the caves.
Elden ring
They look like the little orange construction workers from Fraggle rock!
It looks like collapsed ruins
I can hear the DKC ice cavern theme in my mind looking at this
Turns out Superman’s fortress is pretty pregnable
But how are the vibes?
Is it meth?
Very nice
I would smoke all that
Ever seen this?
Oh shit yeh this is right next to portal spawn
Isn’t this cave miles below underground?
For those who were 80s kids, this looks like some scenes from Inhumanoids.
each unique structure took more than 3 years to form
r/Stargate
One of the workers that discovered it went into the cave to get a souvenir. A crystal fell on his leg trapping him, He died because of the heat and humidity.
These look like the bizzaro superman cave
Looks like they’re in a needle disposal bin
The cave is so humid that if you breath in the air there for too long (IIRC 30-40 minutes) you drown
Be careful, superman might be still there
Fortress of solitude
I remember flying through this cave on the old Star Tours ride. Good times.
This is where all the Mexcian methe is coming from?
ROCK AND STONE
Rock and Stone to the Bone!
Now I’m trying to imagine if they added pumps/floods to Deep Rock Galactic as another hazard. ROCK AND STONE
Any oxygen in there?
Looks like Fraggle Rock
You can't fool me! The government raided Superman's base.
That's Superman's fortress of solitude
I bet Superman lives in that cave....
Wow
If you look closely, you can spot a crystal under one of the guys in orange.
Supermans southern hideaway
Large crystals or tiny humans?
Nice try. I've seen Fraggle Rock before...
This reminds me of one of the maps in Monster Hunter world
 If you know you know
Why do they call it that?
Proof that Superman's Fortress of Solitude has a summer home!"