A group of international cavers left Fernie early Sunday in the hope of finding a new entrance to the deepest cave system in North America, north of Mexico.

Named Bisaro Anima, the cave stretches 5.3 kilometres in length and 670 metres deep, and is located in a mountain plateau northwest of Fernie that is so remote, it can only be accessed by helicopter.

The latest expedition to Mount Bisaro will run for about a week and is being led by Calgary man Christian Stenner and father-and-son team Henry and Jeremy Bruns, who were involved in the initial discovery of the cave entrance in 2012 and further exploration .

It aims to extend the known length and depth of the Bisaro Anima cave, and has been named 香蕉视频直播渆xpedition of the year香蕉视频直播� by the Royal Canadian Geographical Society (RCGS).

香蕉视频直播淚t香蕉视频直播檚 a bit of excitement and anxiety,香蕉视频直播� said Stenner as he waited at Ascent Helicopters in Fernie on Sunday.

香蕉视频直播淲e never know what we香蕉视频直播檒l discover because we can香蕉视频直播檛 see what香蕉视频直播檚 around the corner in a cave, so it香蕉视频直播檚 always a bit of an adventure to see what we might find, so there香蕉视频直播檚 excitement in that but also some anxiety because you never really know what you香蕉视频直播檙e going to be doing.香蕉视频直播�

The cavers will spend the week exploring previously uncharted passageways in an attempt to find a new entrance to the cave system.

Stenner said there were almost 100 different surface holes, shafts and sinks on the plateau.

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香蕉视频直播淚f we do that, we could even make the cave much longer than it香蕉视频直播檚 already known or perhaps even deeper if we count that a higher entrance than the known entrance is found.香蕉视频直播�

The cavers are prepared to stay underground for days at a time and have packed sleeping bags, hammocks and several four-litre tubs of dehydrated meal mix, along with personal items such as a ukulele and harmonica.

Conditions inside the cave will be cool and wet, with the temperature remaining at about 2C year-round.

香蕉视频直播淲e expect it to be pretty damp underground, so there香蕉视频直播檚 going to be some waterfalls and water spray, and things, and lots of drips,香蕉视频直播� said Stenner.

香蕉视频直播淭here香蕉视频直播檚 going to be sections that are pretty muddy and there香蕉视频直播檚 going to be some shafts, and rifts and things that we香蕉视频直播檙e going to have to negotiate over and, of course, these big, long drops that we have to rappel down and then climb back up to get out of the cave.香蕉视频直播�

Stenner has 15 years香蕉视频直播� experience caving in places including Mexico, Central America, Belize and the Pacific Northwest, U.S.

He said Bisaro Anima was different to other systems he had explored.

香蕉视频直播淚t香蕉视频直播檚 pretty impressive, these really neat long shafts to rappel down and climb up, and there香蕉视频直播檚 quite a mix of open passages and tight squeezes,香蕉视频直播� he said.

As with any outdoor activity, there are risks involved with the expedition, which the cavers have tried to plan for with first aid and rigging equipment.

香蕉视频直播淭here are risks with rock fall, there are risks with being on rope and sort of the technical aspects, so we香蕉视频直播檝e recruited a team which is well versed in that and should be able to negotiate those challenges,香蕉视频直播� said Stenner.

Cavers have travelled from Quebec, California, U.S., Alberta and B.C., for the expedition and their excitement was tangible on Sunday.

For some, it will be their second time exploring Bisaro Anima.

Genairon Jerome took part in last winter香蕉视频直播檚 groundbreaking expedition when the cave was confirmed as the deepest in Canada and the U.S.

香蕉视频直播淚t香蕉视频直播檚 hard to be in the cave, so I was tired and 香蕉视频直播榦h my god it香蕉视频直播檚 difficult香蕉视频直播� but outside香蕉视频直播� I was very happy to break the record and to be alive,香蕉视频直播� he said.

The Montreal-based Frenchman hopes to set a new record during this expedition and will be better prepared this time with warm clothing, and waterproof writing materials for surveying.

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香蕉视频直播淚 hope to find another entrance in the plateau.香蕉视频直播�

An expedition of this size can costs tens of thousands of dollars and Stenner said the group was fortunate to receive funding and equipment from the RCGS and Mountain Equipment Co-op.

He is already planning to return to Bisaro Anima later this year to explore more leads and a sump (underwater passage) at the bottom of the cave.

香蕉视频直播淎 caving project is not measured in one expedition, it香蕉视频直播檚 measured in years and it can be dozens of years, so the potential for this exploration project to go on for many years is pretty great,香蕉视频直播� he said.

香蕉视频直播淲e have people from all around the world that may come to go caving and it香蕉视频直播檚 kind of, I guess, a unique thing for Fernie to be sort of home to this deepest cave north of Mexico and deepest in Canada, and pays homage to Mt. Bisaro and the history of Mt. Bisaro.香蕉视频直播�

The mountain range was named after Fernie-born infantryman Torindo Bisaro, who fell during the invasion of Normandy in World War II, with some underground passages dubbed Vimy Ridge, the trenches, Dieppe and the Black Watch.

For English caver Mark Scott, this week香蕉视频直播檚 expedition will be his first time alpine caving in Canada.

He lives in San Francisco, California, and was invited to join by Jeremy, whom he met several years ago.

香蕉视频直播淚t sounds like a really fun, interesting system with a good potential for significant depth records,香蕉视频直播� he said.

Scott has been involved in discoveries in other parts of the world and said it was a sense of exploration that drives him to cave.

香蕉视频直播淯nless you can convince someone to go into space or you like exploring deep oceans in submarines, there are very few places on earth you can go to that no person has ever been to before,香蕉视频直播� he said.

香蕉视频直播淐aves are, for someone who is not doing it professionally, 100 per cent of the time, about the only frontier left where you can actually go find something new, that香蕉视频直播檚 new to mankind, that no one has ever seen.香蕉视频直播�