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WEATHER
Colossal Cave
Cave
in
Chihuahuan Desert
near
Vail
,
AZ
Sensitive Place
Caves are sensitive in nature and deserve the utmost respect. Please help preserve the area for future generations.
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Colossal Cave is a large cave system in southeastern Arizona, United States, near the community of Vail, about 22 miles (35 km) southeast of Tucson. It contains about 3.5 miles (5.6 km) of mapped passageways, and was discovered by Soloman Lick in 1879. Temperatures inside average 70 °F (21 °C) year-round. The cave is an ancient karst cave, classified as "dry" by guides (though this is not a speleologic term). The meaning of this is that its formations are completely dry, or "dead", and do not grow. This is because the cave was formed by water depositing limestone, but this source has disappeared. It instead feeds the "active" nearby Arkenstone Cave that continues to grow formations. Colossal Cave was used from 900 to 1450 AD by the Hohokam, Sobaipuri, and Apache Indians. The cave was…
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