Lechuguilla Cave: Discoveries in a Hidden Splendor

Here, we proudly present the brand new high-quality illustrated book titled Lechuguilla Cave: Discoveries in a Hidden Splendor. Told by the explorers themselves and shown through their stunning photographs, the book reveals the challenging exploration of more than 240 kilometers of cave passages and highlights recent discoveries in terms of beauty, scale, and science. The 240-page book, printed in premium quality, was edited by cave scientists Max Wisshak and Hazel A. Barton, relying on a fabulous team of authors and photographers from among the explorers of the cave. The book is published by the speleo-photo editions and is available here via the express checkout button below or via the shop.

 

Blurb: Lechuguilla Cave (New Mexico, USA) is one of the most beautiful caves on Earth. Since its discovery in 1986, more than 240 kilometers of cave has been explored – with no end in sight. Owing to its geologic setting and unusual process of formation, the cave contains a remarkable diversity of rare minerals and formations, which have helped change our understanding of how caves form and the microbial life they can contain.

In this book, the most active explorers of the cave show the features that made it famous and reveal new discoveries in terms of beauty, scale, and science. Through their writing and photography, they take the reader on their journey of preparing for, and exploring, this remarkable cave. They describe how to successfully live and work in the underground, and highlight the challenges that must be overcome to discover and map new passages. An explanation of how the stunning imagery is captured takes the reader along in this visual journey of Discoveries in a Hidden Splendor. Finally, the extraordinary lengths undertaken to conserve Lechuguilla are illustrated, and how such efforts go hand-in-hand with exploration and photography to reveal the intriguing nature of this wonder of the underground.

Contents: Hidden Splendor (opening statement) / Fragile Beauty (foreword) / Greatness (foreword) / Beginnings (introduction and editors’ preface) / Discoveries / Speleogenesis / Speleothems / Water / Hidden Life / Preparation / Camp Life / Exploration / Mapping Mazes / Photographing Darkness / Rescue / Conservation / Best of the Best (closing remarks) / Fact Sheet / Bibliography / Contributors

Editors: Max Wisshak and Hazel A. Barton

Forewords and Afterword: Jonathan B. Jarvis, Rodney D. Horrocks, Peter Bosted, and Dale L. Pate

Text: Stan Allison, Andy Armstrong, Bonny Armstrong, Hazel A. Barton, Catherine H. Borer, Peter Bosted, Derek C. Bristol, Paul A. Burger, Beth Cortright, Jennifer Foote, Arthur J. Fortini, Donald G. Davis, Kevin Downey, Harvey R. DuChene, James F. Hunter, Daniel S. Jones, John T. M. Lyles, Aria A. Mildice, Arthur N. Palmer, Patricia E. Seiser, Jake Turin, Doug Warner, and Max Wisshak

Photos: Andy Armstrong, Bonny Armstrong, Daniel C. Austin, Hazel A. Barton, Peter Bosted, Derek C. Bristol, Dave E. Bunnell, Daniel Chailloux, Stephen Eginoire, Jennifer Foote, Kevin Downey, Rodolfo González, James F. Hunter, Brian K. Kendrick, Jean Krejca, John T. M. Lyles, Michel Renda, Robbie Shone, Rainer Straub, and Max Wisshak

Publisher: speleo-photo editions 2022

• 240 pages
• 258 color photos und 7 graphs
• Double-foldout page with 3D model of the cave
• Hardcover 22.5 x 30.5 cm
• 5-color offset print on coated matt premium paper
• Carbon-neutral production
• ISBN 978-3-9821714-2-5
  

"... This book is a true tour de force exploring the many facets of this remarkable cave ..."
"… excellent balance between stunning illustrations and concise and informative text ..."
"... This book will open your eyes to some remarkable geological processes ..."
(Michael J. Simms for Geology Today)

"… beautiful, doubtless essential book on one of the world’s great caves …"
"… Contributors comprise a who’s who of contemporary cave photography …"
"… Unlike some books containing fine photography, the writing and editing are equally superb …"
"… Wisshak and Barton were the perfect editors to bring this visually stunning volume to fruition …"
(M. R. Taylor for NSS News)

"… Open it up and the photographs shine out …"
" … at the upper end of production values …"
(C. Howes for Descent)

"… breathtaking scientific and aesthetic splendors for which few if any caves can compare …"
"… amazing photographs and wonderful text …"
"… The editors and authors did an awesome job covering all caving aspects …"
(V. Polyak for International Journal of Speleology)

" … The images are simply stunning! And the scale of the speleothems is simply astonishing! …"
" … a remarkable book about a remarkable cave …"
(A. Spate for ACKMA Journal)