Sistema Cheve

Sistema Cheve (/ˈtʃeɪveɪ/ CHEV-ay; Spanish: Cueva Cheve, Sistema Cheve) is a deep cave located in the Sierra Juárez mountain range in the southern Mexico state of Oaxaca. As of June 2023, its deepest point has been measured at 1,529 metres (5,016 ft) deep, This makes it the second deepest known cavern in Mexico and the Americas, as well as the world's 11th deepest cave. More than 55 miles (89 km) of passageways have been mapped within the cave.

As of 2021, the present limit of exploration in Cheve, at 11.77 kilometres (7.31 mi) from the nearest entrance, represents one of the most remote locations ever attained inside any cave on Earth. The logistics of reaching this point are enormous: more than two kilometers of rope need to be rigged and seven underground camps established. Cheve is the deepest proven freshwater hydrological system in the world. Temperatures in Cheve are moderate, ranging from 8 to 11 °C (46 to 52 °F). It has been most thoroughly explored under the leadership of caver Bill Stone.