“Shuanghe 400”, the 22nd international scientific expedition in the network of Shuanghedong, Suiyang, Guizhou was organized under the concerted initiative of Shuanghedong National Geopark and Shierbeihou (Twelve Backs Tourism Development Co., Ltd., in charge of the development sightseeing).
– in partnership with the Guizhou Institute of Mountain Resources, GIMR and the Guizhou Cave Association, Guizhou Tourism Geoscience Society,
– thanks to the invitation of the Guizhou Academy of Sciences,
– with the sponsorship of the International Speleology Union (UIS), the European Speleology Federation (FSE), the Commission on International Relations and Expeditions – CREI of the French Speleology Federation (FFS), and the Italian Speleological Society (SSI)
– with the sponsorship of Scurion via the FSE.
It took place from September 16 to October 8, 2023, on and under the Shuanghe massif which is located in the Suiyang district, Zunyi, Guizhou province in China. Shuanghe 400 did not benefit from the best weather conditions.
Jo De Waele and Wang Deyuan focused their efforts on the observation and sampling of rocks in cavities such as Pixiaodong, Bojiyan, Shanlingdong, Hejiaodong, Liucaoguxiadong, Mawangdong and Datutianjiaodafengdong that could shed light on the question of the genesis of the network.
The priority question that this expedition wanted to answer, namely the possibilities of extension under the Zheng’an karst located in the northeast, found an unpleasant answer: it will not be easy at all. On the other hand, the “blank area” in the northwest has sufficient potential to exhaust many speleologists.
Read the full report.