Chiker 1 (Kehf)
34.114843,-4.046385
Location
Djebel Messaoud, Middle Atlas. Taza province, Bab Boudir village. Coordinates: X=624,7 Y=391,45 (map 1:50,000 Taza). Alt. 1,342 m.
Description
General description
Formed in Lias limestones, The cave drains a subterranean streamway and has several internal pitches up to 20 m in depth. It ends downstream in a Sump at -146 m. The upstream passage, leading towards kef Friouato, has a short sump. Behind that an enormous boulder choke terminated the cave until 1982 when the SC Nantua continued the exploration. Overview map taken from Camus & Lamouroux (1981).
History
Exploration began in 1934 (Casteret 1947). Continued by the Société Spéléologique du Maroc (SSM 1953, map) in 1949 and Camus & Lamouroux (1981). Current length obtained in 1982 by the SC Nantua, who added about 500 m to the known length of the cave attempting to link it to kef Friouato, which ends less than 1,000 m to the SW extensions of rhar Chiker (see below).
Caves nearby
| Distance (km) | Name | Length (m) | Depth (m) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1.9 | El Sao (Kef) [G.a. 5] | 220 | |
| 2.7 | Friouato (Grotte-gouffre de) [Kef Friouato] [Kehf Friwato] | 3500 | 271 |
| 2.7 | Moutons (Grotte des ) | 29 | 2 |
| 7.4 | Bab-Bou-Idir (Aven-grotte de) [Grotte des Pigeons][G.b.5 | 200 | 38 |
| 9.2 | Djebel Chiker (Kef) [Grotte de la mine du Djebel Chiker] | 200 | 24 |
| 9.3 | Zarour (Kef) [G.c.22} | 250 | 0 |
| 9.9 | El Bouk (Kehf) [G.b.6] | 40 | 28 |
| 12.2 | Nahal-Tikhoubaï [Kef Tikhoubai] | 310 | |
| 12.7 | Bouali 1 (Kehf) [G.c.12] | 18 | 18 |