None of these three named above are the correct one. I’m looking for an iconic image at the end when the winged creature flies up out of the cave.
I also remember the climb starting off at South-American desert ruins of a ,white stone brick, giant well, or something that looks like one.
This is also where they all meet up, just drove up with backpacks, no work tent or diving gear like in “Sanctum” or “The Cave”.
One guy waiting scoffs the other guy for being late or whatever.
At some point a girl in the group finds a conquistador helmet in the cave system.
It’s not the miner’s helmet from “The Descent”, because she talks about the shape and dates it back to conquest times.
Someone eventually deducts that the creatures are immortal mutated conquistadors.
Nah, not even close. It was newer, 2000’s or later. Also the whole movie is about the climb so no surfacing, natives with guns, .. just the caves and tunnels.