Life Underground

Life Underground
By: Cave Spelunking

Caves are dark. When you go into a cave, in the entrance zone there will be plenty of light. As you proceed into the cave, there is less light. The area is called the twilight zone. It's the area where sunlight and total darkness meet. There is still some light, but not very much. When you reach the dark zone, you have really arrived in the cave.

You couldn't live in the dark zone of a cave. Your body is not adapted to living in total darkness. You need sunlight. Even if you could adapt to living in total darkness, you'd starve to death because there are no green plants in caves. Green plants require sunlight in order to live, and there is no sunlight in the dark zone of caves. Food sources would be limited, to say the least. The lack of light would cause you to lose your sense of time.

The creatures that do live deep in the dark zone of caves have evolved over millions of years and are totally suited to live in complete darkness. The creatures that live deep in the dark zones of caves are albinos; that is, they have no skin pigment or color. The total darkness of caves makes coloring as camouflage useless. Sight isn't possible in total darkness, so all of the creatures that live deep in caves are blind.

The creatures that live out their entire lives in total darkness have developed extra sensory organs to compensate for the loss of sight and lower metabolic rates to compensate for a low food supply.

Cave biology is called biospeleology. S cientists who study cave biology care called biospeleologists. Cave organisms provide direct evidence of evolutionary changes. Evolution is, after all, the adjustment of life to a changed environment.


Rock On & Keep Spelunking...
Cave Spelunking.

Preparing To Enter A Cave

Preparing To Enter A Cave
By: Cave Spelunking

Going caving is an exciting adventure. Caving is one of the fastest-growing sports in America today. Exploring caves is a lot of fun, of course, but nobody who has ever done any caving will tell you that it is the safest activity you could engage in. If you want "safe," take up knitting. If you want "adventure," take up caving.

The main objective of all conscientious cavers is "safety first." Yes, we are all eager to get started, but we all know that we need to make preparations BEFORE we enter the cave.

* We form a caving party of at least four members because it isn't safe to go caving alone.

* We tell someone who will remain on the surface what our plans are. We tell them which cave we are going into, and we tell them what time we expect to return.

* We always pack a small first aid kit when we are caving. Stuff happens. We know that we need to be prepared.

* We thoroughly check our equipment before we enter a cave. We check ropes, pulleys, harnesses, and other equipment for undue wear.

* The most experienced caver is always in charge of the party.

* The pace is determined by the slowest caver in the group.

* Each and every member of the caving party carries a minimum of three working light sources.

* Each member of the caving party wears a helmet.

* We always take a good supply of water and high-energy foods.

* We plan frequent rest periods. Caving is exhausting. We don't ever plan to "push the envelope" of endurance.

Going caving is exciting and fun, but the most important thing when starting a caving adventure is to do everything possible to ensure that all members of the caving party get back to the surface safe and sound.

Rock On & Keep Spelunking...
Cave Spelunking.

Why People Go Caving

Why People Go Caving
By: Cave Spelunking

If you're not a caving enthusiast, it's easy to understand why you would ask why people go caving. I must admit that looking from the outside in, caving does look just a bit, well, screwbally. Why would anybody strap ropes around themselves lower themselves into a hole and crawl around underground on PURPOSE?

Okay, and putting it like that makes it sound more than a little odd. But unless you've ever experienced the thrill of crawling through a tight passageway and emerging into an underground cathedral of amazing proportions and amazing beauty, you probably can't understand the attraction. However, I DARE you to try it just once and NOT get hooked!

Caving is adventure in its highest form. The world that lies beneath our feet is every bit as exotic as visiting another planet might be. It's a foreign world that holds mysteries and secrets. You never know what you are going to see next.

Creatures that live in caves are so totally adapted to life in the dark that they would die if they were exposed to sunlight. There are rock formations down there that you are never going to see anywhere above the ground; stalactites and stalagmites that will blow your mind, moon milk, helictites, gypsum flowers, and so much more.

You might find prehistoric campfire sites, and pottery or pieces of pottery that's been laying there for a million years. You could find cave art that was left by men that lived before recorded history. You just never know what you are going to find.

Yes, it does start by tying a rope on, lowering yourself into a hole in the ground, and crawling through small tight passages. It's the way to get really dirty that's the most fun you'll ever have. Adventure! That's the best answer for why people go caving.

Rock On & Keep Spelunking...
Cave Spelunking.

Big Eagle Cave Legend

Big Eagle Cave Legend
By: Cave Spelunking

American Indians used caves in many ways and for many purposes . Some caves were considered sacred. Some were simply used for shelter. Some caves were used to store food. Others provided necessary materials like flint.

American Indians are great storytellers. As you might imagine, many of the legends and stories that are part of the various Indian cultures center around caves because caves played an important role in everyday existence.

One of my favorite Indian cave legends is about three boys who went out hunting and never returned. The legend says that a war party was formed and the boys were tracked to the entrance of a cave. Each member of the war party descended into the cave and immediately disappeared without a trace. The last member of the war party heard a death song that he'd never heard before coming from the cave.

Rescue was attempted several times, but each time a man got to a certain point of the descent, he disappeared and the eerie song was heard.

One day a boy appeared at the Indian campsite. He was leading a blind man who was completely white. The tribe thought that the boy was one of those who had been lost to the cave, but he said that he came from another tribe to the Northwest.

The all-white man became a great healer. The chief asked the all-white man to try to find out what happened to the three boys and the war party at the cave. He and the boy went to the cave and descended down into it. Just as they disappeared, the song of death became louder.

Much time went by, but finally the all-white man came out of the cave alone. He climbed into a canoe and paddled away across the lake. Later, some adventuresome braves descended into the cave and found a chamber where there was a giant empty throne, and laying about it face down around it, the bones of all the boys and men who had descended into the cave.

Rock On & Keep Spelunking...
Cave Spelunking.