Caving Hazards

Caving Hazards
By:  Cave Spelunking

Caving isn't the safest way to spend your day off.  If you want "safe," you could make like a couch potato and take up origami.  It won't be as much fun, but the biggest hazard in origami is a paper cut.


Caving does have hazards, but most caving accidents and injuries are preventable.  The most common caving injuries are caused by trips and falls and falling rocks.  Injuries can also occur when cavers get lost, or suffer from dehydration or hypothermia.  Here's how to avoid accidents and injuries:

Tripping & Falling:  Most tripping and falling cave accidents happen near the end of the caving trip rather than at the beginning.  At the beginning of a caving adventure, the cavers are very aware of their surroundings and they are fresh therefore they are sure-footed.  As the caving expedition goes on,
cavers begin to lose focus and get tired. That's when tripping and falling most often occurs. The trick is frequent rest periods and eating high-energy foods as well as drinking plenty of fluids.

Falling Rocks:  Rockfall is the second-leading cause of caving injuries. Caves aren't solid rock. If you look around, you will see loose rocks lying around everywhere. They're there because they fell from above. First, a good helmet is essential, and then awareness of your surroundings is vital.  If there are loose rocks in the area where you are, there's a very good chance that rocks are going to fall.  Avoiding rockfall zones is the surest way to prevent falling rock injuries.
Lost:  A cavers' worst fear is getting lost, and it can happen even to the best of them.  First, stay with your group.  Second, pick out landmarks at each intersection.  If you get lost, stay put and wait to be found. 

Dehydration:  Dehydration happens more frequently than you might imagine. Drink plenty of water and do so frequently.

Hypothermia:  It's a lot easier to prevent hypothermia than it is to treat it.  Wear layered clothing that is of the proper weight for the temperature of the cave that you are exploring.

Rock On & Keep Spelunking...
Cave Spelunking.

Ropes For Caving

Ropes For Caving
By:  Cave Spelunking

Caving ropes don't live an easy life.  They are punished relentlessly by being stretched, knotted, squeezed in metal devices, soaked in water, dragged through the mud, and hauled over rough rocks.  And still the cavers will entrust their very existence to a rope that's been seriously abused.  When a caver is hanging above an abyss and a single rope is all that stands between him and certain death, he will certainly question the condition of the rope.  It's really a good idea to question the condition of the rope before being in that precarious position.

It starts with choosing the right rope to begin with.  You want a 10-10.5mm diameter, low-stretch nylon rope designed for SRT ( Single Rope Technique ).  There are big advantages to this rope.  It's strong enough to provide for a reasonable safety, yet it is lightweight and won't exhaust cavers who are carrying it.  Not only that but this kind of rope can also be used for traverse lines, hand lines, lifelining ladder climbs, and more.
Yes, this is the most expensive caving rope, but saving a few dollars on your caving rope really isn't the place to start cutting corners.  After all, your life is going to depend upon that rope on each pitch.

Eleven-mm ropes should be used for intensive use by caving clubs or by cave rescue teams.   The principle is that the more use and the greater weight the rope will have to hold, the bigger the rope should be.  While a 9mm rope might be just fine for short drops and light weights, and it is certainly lighter and easier to carry, you wouldn't want to have to depend on a 9mm, overly used, and worn rope if a life hung in the balance...


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.

Clothing For Caving

Clothing For Caving
By: Cave Spelunking

It isn't warm in a cave and the humidity is high. That combination makes for some very specific clothing needs — not only for comfort but for safety as well.

The clothing that you need for a particular caving trip will vary according to the conditions within the cave and the activities you will engage in. For example, if the cave that you are going into is very wet but no swimming will be involved, you'd want your first layer to be a pair of swimming pants or buffalo skids to protect your lower body. You'd want to cover them with a pair of wool pants as the second layer, and the third layer would be fleece.

If, on the other hand, your trip into this wet cave is going to involve swimming, you'll want to forget the wool/fleece combination and use a wet suit instead.

You need a warm, preferably one-piece outer layer. It needs to be both durable and waterproof. There are several on the market. You don't want this outer layer to be confining. You need to have full movement of your arms and legs.

You need good, sturdy, waterproof boots for caving. You need a good pair of wet socks, too. You loose body heat from your feet. Cold, wet feet can absolutely ruin an otherwise great caving experience.

Kneepads do restrict your walking a bit, but if your caving trip is going to require a lot of crawling through passageways, kneepads are a very good idea.

Wear gloves only if you are a weekend caver. There's a saying among cavers: "Vikings don't wear gloves." If you are an experienced caver with the good tough hands to prove it, forget the gloves.

Helmets aren't really optional. I've seen cavers go in without a helmet. They usually come out feet first with very nasty head wounds.

Rock On & Keep Spelunking...
Cave Spelunking.

A Cave Is More Than A Hole In The Ground

A Cave Is More Than A Hole In The Ground
By: Cave Spelunking

Humans have been exploring caves since the beginning of time. Caves are fascinating…intriguing…mysterious. A cave is much, much more than just a "hole in the ground," as non-cavers claim.

Early humans made their way deep into caves for the purpose of performing rituals to appease whatever "god" was being worshipped (or feared) at the time. Today, caving is a sport. In America caving is sometimes called "spelunking." In England, it's sometimes called "potholing."

Caving is a sport that is enjoyed by more and more people all over the world every day. The haves have been there waiting for eons, but humans have just recently begun to appreciate the beauty and the mystery that lays in these underground wonderlands.

As you leave the world of light behind and descend into a world of utter darkness, there is that moment where light meets dark; where the two extremes blend into a twilight zone that is truly awesome. It appears that the dark rises and turns the sunbeams away.

What lies behind that twilight zone is even more amazing. There are cave formations that have been in the making for millions of years. Stalactites hang from the ceiling, and stalagmites rise from the floor. Sometimes the two meet to form a column. There are helictites that look like tree roots that have been turned to stone. There are gypsum flowers that actually reflect light. And moon milk — let's not forget that wonder. It looks like milk, but it isn't liquid. It's not rock, but it is almost solid. Amazing!

Who knows what mysteries lay yet undiscovered in caves that haven't yet been found? Yes, caving is one of the fastest growing human activities (I hesitate to call it a sport, but that's what others call it.)

Rock On & Keep Spelunking...
Cave Spelunking.

Carlsbad Caverns

Carlsbad Caverns
By: Cave Spelunking

Carlsbad Caverns are part of the Carlsbad Caverns National Park in Southwestern New Mexico, in the Guadalupe Mountains. Carlsbad Caverns is one of the best-known caves in the world. The show cave can be visited by the general public. You can walk down or take an elevator down to the Underground Lunchroom. The Underground Lunchroom is 750 feet underground and it is strictly a tourist attraction.

Walking or riding an elevator down 750 feet into the earth is an experience like no other, and it's as close as most visitors will ever get to spelunking or caving. Besides the Underground Lunchroom, there are 20 other named rooms in Carlsbad Caverns.

The named rooms in Carlsbad Caverns are the Balloon Ballroom, Bat Cave, Bell Cord Room, Bifrost Room, Big Room or The Hall of the Giants, Chocolate High, Green Lake Room, Guadalupe Room, Hall of the White Giant, King's Palace, Lake of the Clouds, Left Hand Tunnel, Mystery Room, New Mexico Room, New Section, Papoose Room, Queen's Chamber, Spirit World, Talcum Passage, and The Rookery. Those names sound so fascinating, and they are, but not nearly so fascinating as the rooms themselves.

Lechuguilla Cave was discovered in Carlsbad Caverns National Park in 1986. Lechuguilla Cave is not open to the public. It's been mapped to a depth of 489 meters, and that makes it the deepest limestone cave in the United States. The entrance is kept hidden to preserve the cave in its most undisturbed state so that researchers can uncover the mysteries hidden there.

Carlsbad Caverns is home to 16 different varieties of bats. There's a big population of Mexican Free-tailed Bats. Seeing the bats take flight at dusk is one of the attractions at Carlsbad Caverns National Park.

Rock On & Keep Spelunking...
Cave Spelunking.

Basic Caving Technique

Basic Caving Technique
By: Cave Spelunking

Spelunking or caving is becoming a more and more popular hobby or pastime. There are probably more beginning cavers than there are beginners in any other hobby or sport today.

Caving is fun, and caving is interesting, but caving can also be dangerous - VERY dangerous. If you are interested in caving, the safest thing that you can do is to learn good basic caving techniques from those who have "been there, done that". And you'll continue "learning" all of your life.

The most important technique of caving is staying safe while caving. Stay with your group. Don't forge on ahead or lag behind. You should never, ever go caving by yourself. It isn't safe, and it's just plain stupid. At the very least, take one buddy with you, and groups of more than two are much more advisable. "Stuff" happens in caves.

Caving is fun, but it is also serious business. A cave is no place to be rambunctious or engage in "horseplay." Injury in a cave can mean that a cave rescue must take place. Cave rescues aren't quick; they take time. For example, an injury that occurs after only 15 minutes of entry into the cave can require as much as eight hours and a hundred people to reach the injured caver.

Dress in warm clothing. Hypothermia is a very real possibility in the 54-degree temperature or a cave, particularly when you are sweaty because of the 95-100% humidity. Eat a snack and drink some water when you stop to rest. Rest stops need to be kept short to avoid chilling. Dressing in layers and avoiding cotton clothing can also help.

Caving instruction is available in every state in the Union. Join a caving club or check the yellow pages for caving instructors in the area where you live.

Rock On & Keep Spelunking...
Cave Spelunking.

Mammoth Cave

Mammoth Cave
By: Cave Spelunking

Mammoth Cave is included in the Mammoth Cave National Park in central Kentucky. Mammoth Cave is the longest known cave system in the world. Mammoth Cave tours have been conducted for the public since 1816, but Mammoth Cave is a treasure trove of information about prehistoric life on our planet.

Prehistoric people left evidence of their existence in Mammoth Cave over many, many centuries. And scientists are still probing for more answers to their questions about prehistoric life.

According to a somewhat disputed legend, the first European to discover Mammoth Cave was John Houchin, in 1797. It's said that while he was hunting, Houchin chased a wounded bear to the cave's large entrance opening near the Green River.

Evidence of humans having been in Mammoth Cave spans at least 6,000 years, and could be much longer. There have been human early American Indian remains found in the cave. There's also evidence of intentional burial of human remains that date back well before Columbus discovered America.

Interestingly, in 1935 the remains of an American Indian adult male were discovered under a boulder. He was apparently the victim of a mining accident. The boulder had shifted and settled onto his skeleton. The remains of the ancient accident victim were named "Lost John" and exhibited to the public until the 1970s.

The remains of "Lost John" were buried in a secret location in Mammoth Cave for the purpose of preservation. Political sensitivities to the public display of Native American remains probably had more to do with the burial of the remains, however, than did preservation concerns.

Today there are several federal and state laws that protect the ancient artifacts and human remains that are still in Mammoth Cave. Even slightly moving an artifact from the position in which it is found destroys all of its research value, so explorers are training to document, not touch.

Rock On & Keep Spelunking...
Cave Spelunking.

PR: wait... I: wait... L: wait... LD: wait... I: wait... wait... Rank: wait... Traffic: wait... Price: wait... CY: wait... I: wait... YCat: wait... I: wait... Top: wait... I: wait... L: wait... C: wait...

The National Speleological Society

The National Speleological Society
By: Cave Spelunking

The following statement is on the National Speleological Society ( NSS ) website:

"The National Speleological Society believes: that caves have unique scientific, recreational, and scenic values; that these values are endangered by both carelessness and intentional vandalism; that these values, once gone, cannot be recovered; and that the responsibility for protecting caves must be assumed by those who study and enjoy them."

Those of us who are seriously interested in caves and their fragile ecosystems couldn't agree more. Caves are fascinating. Going caving is one of the fastest-growing pastimes in America today. As more and more people go into caves, more and more items are removed from them and left in them. The National Speleological Society motto and the motto of all responsible cavers is:

• Take nothing but pictures.
• Leave nothing but footprints.
• Kill nothing but time.
  

The ecosystems of caves have formed over millions and millions of years. The rock formations are breathtaking. The life in the depths of caves is like nothing that's ever been seen on the surface. Protecting this environment is of the utmost importance.

The National Speleological Society is a nonprofit organization that was founded in 1941. It was originally located in Washington, D.C., but the headquarters are now in Huntsville, Alabama.

The National Speleological Society is divided into regions. Within the regional divisions, there are "grottos." Grottos are local-level divisions of the National Speleological Society that are responsible for local-level caving issues and conservation-related business.

The National Speleological Society maintains an excellent website where caving information is available free. Brochures can be ordered, and there is contact information as well.

The National Speleological Society is involved in all levels of caving and membership is open to weekend spelunkers, advanced and professional cavers and speleogists.


Rock On & Keep Spelunking...
Cave Spelunking.

PR: wait... I: wait... L: wait... LD: wait... I: wait... wait... Rank: wait... Traffic: wait... Price: wait... CY: wait... I: wait... YCat: wait... I: wait... Top: wait... I: wait... L: wait... C: wait...