Sierra Mazateca, Oaxaca
Cueva de la Peña Colorada
Info · exploration
Expeditions only: the sumps lie kilometres into the cave, beyond shafts, dry sections and underground camps, and teams need the municipality's permission; no operator takes visiting divers.
- Max depth55 m (180 ft)
- CertificationFull cave
- SpecialRopework
Diving and fills
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Now at Cueva de la Peña Colorada
The dive
A spring deep in the Sierra Mazateca, where a large passage runs into the heart of the mountain beyond a series of sumps.
Profile and sections
A spring deep in the Sierra Mazateca, where a large passage runs into the heart of the mountain beyond a series of sumps. Sump 7 starts at the foot of a 55 m shaft, with no place at water level to put on your gear; the 2018 team hung a platform on the wall for that. In Sump 7 the visibility was about 5 m, less than 2 m above the restriction and ~7 m below it.
In 1984 Bill Stone's team explored the cave for three months, over 5 km in, with the first underground camps beyond sumps; they thought Sump 7 led to Sistema Huautla. In 2018 a team of 24 returned with rebreathers and scooters, but the passage ended in a boulder choke. The low flow and fine silt suggest that the water comes from the canyon above and not from Huautla.
- Depth and profile
- Plan for -55 m: in 1984 a two-person team dived 150 m into Sump 7 to 55 m (XDEEP). In 2018 the passage ended at 51.5 m in a boulder choke. Between ~20 and 30 m lies a restriction.
- Configuration
- The 2018 team dived Sump 7 on rebreathers with trimix, from a platform on the wall; the cylinders for the first sumps were filled with air or nitrox.
Who can dive where
- At least Full cave
- Configurations: Backmount / twinset / Sidemount / CCR
- Configuration unknown — research beforehand
- Goes down to 55 m (trimix or deco may be needed)
- Ropework (SRT) needed
- Experienced divers only
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How to get there
From Loma Grande (municipality of Mazatlán Villa de Flores) about two hours' walk and a 700 m descent into the Peña Colorada canyon. Then 5 km into the cave, through five sumps and over boulder piles, to the second camp above Sump 7. Sump 7 lies at the foot of a 55 m vertical shaft (according to XDEEP the water is 70 m below the entrance passage).
Around Cueva de la Peña Colorada
FillsNo fill station known nearby
No provider in the Sierra Mazateca yet
The caves here are listed as information only: we don't know a dive centre, guide or club yet that takes visitors, so you can't plan a trip here yet. Do you know one, or are you one? Let us know.