Cave School SSH

Every Cave Tour is an Adventure

Any cave tour is an adventure that carries a certain degree of risk and therefore must take place under the supervision of a trained professional. The Swiss Cave School SSH (Schweizerische Schule für Höhlenbefahrungen Hölloch) has set very high standards for training cave guides. SSH also supports a rescue team and works on various cave, karst, and environmental projects.

SSH aims include the following key focal points:

• Training cave guides, explorers and rescuers.
• Community work in the field of karsts and caves, as well as supporting scholastic studies, such as the Cave Exploration Maturity program at Neufeld Gymnasium in Bern or lectures at adult colleges (Volkshochschule). Active participation in media documentaries (such as, Swiss TV's "Schweiz aktuell – From Hölloch").
• Developing environmentally sound and sustainable cave tourism.
• Supporting and actively participating in karst or cave protection projects.
• Supporting proper cave exploration policies.
• Establishing recognition for SSH Training guidelines through official bodies (municipalities, state (cantons), federation)

Training

SSH trains course participants to become Cave Guides, Cave Researchers and Cave Rescuers. The various, quite demanding programs include the following subjects:

• Geology, Hydrology
Story of the Earth
Mineral formation and growth
Tectonic
Underground water behaviour
• Cave exploration and research
History of cave exploration
Definition of cave exploration 
Documenting a cave
• Living in the dark
• Men and caves
Men and caves through the ages
Use of caves
• Basic knowledge Hölloch
• Karsts, cave development, cave contents
Types of karsts and external appearance
Cave formation
Sinter, clastic sediments, etc.
• Equipment familiarity 
Helmet and lighting systems
Personal, technical equipment
Ropes, anchoring points, etc.
• Cave, karst and envrionement protection
• Working with guests, psychology 
Reducing fears
Increasing confidence
• First aid and rescue techniques
Rescue training

To date, NOT ONE of our guests has had to be rescued out of a cave. This is thanks to the high professional level of our guides. Our certified SSH guides are continuously trained and go through vigorous 1:1 exercises so that this stays this way.

For more detail information please contact our office in Weggis:
Peter Draganits, Phone: 041 390 40 40