ASKYNSKAYA CAVE

ASKYNSKAYA CAVE, a natural monu­ment (1965). Located on the western slope of Ulutau ridge, 8 km SE of Selo Kovardy of Gafuriysky Raion. Karst cave. The entrance is located 70 m above the level of M.Askyn river (basin of the Inzer River); steep descent (20 m long) is covered with ice, passes into level ice floor. In the hall (length — 104 m, max. width — 61 m,  height — 26 m) there are ice stalagmites approx. 1 m high. Temp. −4°С. There is an increase in the ice cover (by 5—6 times) and in the number of stalagmites (from 8 to 20). This is facilitated by abundant precipitation, karst rocks, air flows cooled in mountain valleys, northern orientation of the entrance hole and the thermal insulating cover of the entrance, dense forest, helping to reduce the temperature of the soil.