The Clearwater System is believed to be the largest interconnected cave system in the world by volume.
The main cave system of Mulu and the 9th longest cave in the world at 175.6km, the system lies mainly under the western margins of Gunung Api between the Melinau Gorge and Cave of the Winds.
Total Length: 189,071.57m
Vertical Range: 349.99m
Component Caves:
Clearwater – discovered 1978
Lady’s Cave – connected 1978
Cleartop Cave – connected 1978
Wind Cave – connected 1988
Drunken Forest – connected 1990
Blackrock Cave – connected 1991
Leopard Cave – connected 1994
Whiterock Cave – connected 2005
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see also:
Benarat Caverns System
Terikan Caves System
Cobra/Cloud/Bridge Caves System
Clearwater Cave, discovered in 1978, was the first major component of the system, itself explored to 51km length over several expeditions between 1978 to 1988. In the latter year a small expedition discovered the 24km long Blackrock Cave, which in 1991 was connected with Clearwater. A further 15km of passage was also added to Clearwater Cave itself in that same year, but the big move had to wait another 12 years until 2003 when Whiterock Cave was discovered to the north of Blackrock. Initially it was expected the new find would quickly join with Blackrock and, although it indeed did, Whiterock also ran wild into the mountain extending to 89km length over four further expeditions in 2005, 2007 and 2009 and 2011.
With the connection of additional caves such as Drunken Forest and Leopard Cave, the total length of the Clearwater system at present is 189km, with likely much more to come.
From south to north the Clearwater Cave System measures 10.8km. Its southernmost entrance is Cave of the Winds (locally known as Wind Cave) and northernmost is Whiterock’s lower entrance.
The Clearwater Cave System
