Bandera Volcano Ice Cave facts for kids
The Bandera Volcano Ice Cave, also known as the Zuni Ice Cave, is a special cave in New Mexico. It's a type of cave called a lava tube. What makes it so cool is that it stays super cold inside, even when it's hot outside! It always has ice, all year long. The temperature inside can be anywhere from about −1 to 10 °C (31 to 50 °F). Some parts of the cave are always below freezing. Long ago, local Native Americans used this cold cave to store their food.
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Contents
How the Ice Cave Formed
The Bandera Ice Cave is a lava tube. It was created when the Bandera Crater volcano erupted a very long time ago. This happened between 9,500 and 10,900 years ago! The Bandera Crater is part of the Zuni-Bandera volcanic field. This area has had many volcanic eruptions over the last million years.
Volcanic Features Around the Cave
The Bandera Crater is a large cinder cone, about 900 feet (274 meters) tall. It reaches 8,309 feet (2,532 meters) above sea level. When the volcano erupted, it didn't just make lava tubes. It also created other cool features. These include more cinder cones, collapse pits, and spatter cones.
The lava that flowed here is called ʻAʻā (pronounced "ah-ah"). This type of lava is thick and chunky. It's different from pāhoehoe (pronounced "pah-hoy-hoy") lava, which is smoother and flows more easily.
Other Ice Caves and Lava Tubes
There are many lava tubes and other ice caves in this area. One famous one is called Giant Ice Cave. Some of these lava tubes are very old, dating back 115,000 years! They form a huge network of underground tunnels. This system stretches for 17 miles (27 kilometers). It's the longest lava tube system in the continental United States.
Where to Find the Ice Cave
The Bandera Ice Cave is located in the El Malpais lava field. This area is part of the El Malpais National Monument. The exact spot of the cave is N34° 59.556', W108° 04.926'.
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Images for kids
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Ice Cold
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Ice Cave Icicles
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Down in the Depths
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Descension into the Ice Cave
