Description
It is reached by going through the Lon (Vallelaghi) window and then ascending the shaft northwards for 1100 metres. The shaft (6 m in diameter) crosses a large hall at the east end of the cave suspended on a concrete bridge.
During a visit in the spring of 1981, cavers from the Arco Group succeeded in overcoming the landslide that closed off the part known until then (250 m - Rilievo Perna-Tomasi, 1954) and in exploring over a km of new galleries.
Ten years later (1992), the Arco and Lavis groups were able to resume explorations for a short time and bring the development to approximately 2 kilometres.
The old part consists of a vast tunnel that is approx. 130 m long, 8 to 15 m wide and up to 10 m high. To the north-west rises the Camino del Pendolo, explored for a few dozen metres by cavers from Lavis. At the western end, however, the Fessura 9 Aprile crosses the landslide and leads into the new galleries (Galleria delle Rapide), which wind westwards along fractures in a SE-NW direction.
Beyond the area of the Camino Triplo and the Pozzo Anonimo a low passage leads into a series of other wide conduits here and there 'broken through' by shafts that lead to narrow meanders under the main gallery. Past the small branch of the Sottoscala, one reaches the Galleria delle Faglie and descends, with two jumps of 25 and 10 m, into the lower part of the complex. After passing the Acrobats' Lake and the Labyrinth, finally, the gallery divides into two branches variously anastomosed to each other, both leading to unexplored siphons.
For further information: Gruppo Speleologico SAT Arco, Via Mazzini 12, 38062 Arco (TN)
Bibliography:
1) La Grotta Ai Gaggi on M. Gazza / G. Tomasi, G. Perna. // IN: Studi trentini di scienze naturali. Trento. A. 29 (1952), no. 1/2
2) La Grotta 1100 ai Gaggi: an important karstic complex of Monte Ranzo / N. Ischia, M. Zambotto, P. Zambotto. // IN: Natura alpina. Trento. A. 34 (1983), no. 1; p. 1-14
3) New explorations in Grotta Gaggi / by Nicola Ischia. // IN: Bollettino SAT. Trento. A. 56 (1993), no. 1; p. 24-30
Main data Grotta 1100 ai Gaggi (VT-TN-240)
Municipality: Vallelaghi
Mountain: Gazza-Paganella
Karstic Area: VT PG 03 - TN
Entrance altitude: 695 m (artificial entrance)
Height difference: +30, -100 m
Real development: 2050 m