Jaskinia Raptawicka


Useful Information

Location: Dolina Kościeliska Skrzyżowanie, parking at Kira Leśnicka. 4.4 km, 100 m above Skała Pisana, black trail to the Raptawicka Cave. Walking time: 15 minutes.
(49.23985706984468, 19.861969011527897)
Open: no restrictions.
[2021]
Fee: free.
[2021]
Classification: SpeleologyKarst cave
Light: bring torch
Dimension: L=560 m, VR=27 m, A=1146 m asl.
Guided tours: self guided
Photography: allowed
Accessibility: no
Bibliography: I. Luty (1993): Jaskinia Raptawicka Jaskinie Tatrzańskiego Parku Narodowego. Jaskinie zachodniego zbocza Doliny Kościeliskiej, Grodzicki J. (red.), PTPNoZ, Warszawa.
F. Filar (2014): Nowa dokumentacja Jaskini Raptawickiej Jaskinie 2(75) s. 26-27
Address: Jaskinia Raptawicka.
As far as we know this information was accurate when it was published (see years in brackets), but may have changed since then.
Please check rates and details directly with the companies in question if you need more recent info.

History

1886 after the establishment of the path to the Mylna Cave it was visited in large numbers.
1887 first first description and plan by Jan Gwalbert Pawlikowski.
1938 a dentist from Zakopane, trying to commit suicide, walled up in the final corridor.
1943 survey by Stefan Zwoliński.
1952 survey by Kazimierz Kowalski
2013-2014 resurvey of the caves in the National Park.
FEB-2015 Left Corridor of the Raptawicka Cave connected to the corridor above the Connection Chimney in the Mylna Cave.

Description

Jaskinia Raptawicka (Raptawicka Cave) is part of the Pawlikowski Caves system, together with the Mylna Cave and the Obłazkowa Cave. After following the Kościeliska Valley for 4.4 km there is a black marked trail to the cave entrance, an ascent of 116 m. The cave is open for visitors but in a semi-wild state. The visit requires a lamp, good shoes and surefootedness. The cave entrance is a vertical shaft, the cave is entered through a collapsed part of the ceiling with a diameter of 3 m. There is a steel ladder installed for the 4 m descent, but it requires some courage, the entrance is exposed on both sides, inside and outside, and requires a head for heights.

Once down the ladder, the main chamber of the cave has a 10 m to 15 m high ceiling and is 40 m long and 10 m wide. There are several branches to the side. At the end of the Lewy Korytarz (Left Corridor) is a shaft to the Mylna Cave, which has been filled in for security reasons. The Prawy Korytarz (Right Corridor) leads to the Dolna Komora (Lower Chamber), which is the largest chamber of the cave. It has an irregular shape with dimensions of 15 m × 20 m and a height of up to 10 m in some places.

In 1938 a dentist from Zakopane, tried to commit suicide in the cave and walled up the final corridor. But he finally resigned and placed a picture of the Mother of God in the wall as a keepsake. He also forged an inscription and left a candlestick with a candle.