Caving!

[Dave Decker]

I basically started overlanding (although at the time I didn't know that's what it was called) because I'm an avid caver. I'd jump in my truck and head off into the deserts, mountains, forests or whatever else happened to be near the location I was living at the time, with friends of like mind, to go caving. Mostly weekend trips, but some were up to ten days. Sometimes several days of driving and camping lead to a great, fun, and challenging cave, other times we got there to find it was barely a shelter cave! Regardless of what we found when we got there, the drive was always fun too. Here's a pathtag I created to commemorate my love for both overlanding and caving.

 

[Roxxie]

So caving is just exploring caves? Finding them and checking them out? Sounds AWESOME!!!!! What about mines? Do you consider those caves?
Im assuming AZ has quite a few mines....I don't know if we have caves out where I am.....its all sand. But maybe in Joshua Tree NP? Id love to go caving! Got any pics to show?

 

[Dave Decker]

So caving is just exploring caves? Finding them and checking them out? Sounds AWESOME!!!!! What about mines? Do you consider those caves?
Im assuming AZ has quite a few mines....I don't know if we have caves out where I am.....its all sand. But maybe in Joshua Tree NP? Id love to go caving! Got any pics to show?

Hi Roxxie. Yes, caving is exploring caves. On occasion we also explore mines, but we are more interested in the naturally formed voids. Mines are not considered caves as they are a man-made feature, but still cool in their own right! It looks like you are near Palm Desert, CA. There are definitely caves in the area. You can check the National Speleological Society (www.caves.org) for the nearest caving club, called a grotto, which is probably the Desert Dogs Grotto. Good group of folks, also into overlanding and mines :-) Here's a few images of some caving we did in the Mojave Desert.

 

[Roxxie]

THAT IS AWESOME!!! I'll look them up for sure!!! What a great adventure!!! Thanks for responding!

 

[D3Overland]

Does a mine count as a cave :-)

 

[Dave Decker]

Does a mine count as a cave :-)

Not typically, caves are considered natural while mines are, of course, man made. That doesn't mean that a mine can't intersect a cave! Many cavers like exploring mines too... Personally, I'm not picky, if it's underground I like it :-)

 

[Ron W.]

Just remember that old mine shafts can be very dangerous. Anything from animals, cave in, to bad (poisonous gas) air conditions exist.

 

[Kcrkolby]

A great area to go through some caves are in Yosemite Valley in Ca. Been trough a couple tight areas and it is amazing!

 

[Dave Decker]

Absolutely correct Ron. Stay out, stay alive! If you absolutely must go in, take a minimum of three sources of light, wear a helmet, and always let somebody know where you are going and when you plan to return.

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[Chadlyb]

Been in the caves made by lava flow in Craters of the Moon national park in Idaho...absolutely amazing...plan on going to Ape caves in Washington along the Columbia river....looks like a lot of fun

 

[Dave Decker]

Been in the caves made by lava flow in Craters of the Moon national park in Idaho...absolutely amazing...plan on going to Ape caves in Washington along the Columbia river....looks like a lot of fun

Excellent, thats a nice area. There are some fantastic lava tubes in northern California and central New Mexico as well (Lava Beds National Monument and El Malpais National Monument, respectively). Ape cave is a lot of fun as well!

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[Ron W.]

There was a cave near Salt Lake. It was caller Butter-something or the other. Some guy got trapped in a narrow section. They tried for several days to free him, but they couldn't and he died in there. The authorities decided to cement the entrance with his body still there.

 

[Dave Decker]

There was a cave near Salt Lake. It was caller Butter-something or the other. Some guy got trapped in a narrow section. They tried for several days to free him, but they couldn't and he died in there. The authorities decided to cement the entrance with his body still there.

That would be Nutty-Putty Cave. He broke a cardinal rule of cave exploration, never go head first down a hole that you don't know if you can get out of.

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[Ron W.]

That would be Nutty-Putty Cave. He broke a cardinal rule of cave exploration, never go head first down a hole that you don't know if you can get out of.

Sent from my SM-G920V using OB Talk mobile app

That's what is was called! The name always reminded me of that candy bar Nutter Butter.
But that is another excellent safety reminder. Make sure you can make it through. If you are not sure, forget it.

 

[Dustinscottt]

Caving rules. I was a caver and Cave Rescue tech way back in the early 1990's. Ever dropped Neversink pit?

 

[Dave Decker]

Caving rules. I was a caver and Cave Rescue tech way back in the early 1990's. Ever dropped Neversink pit?

Haven't dropped Neversink yet, but it's on my bucket list! I started caving in the early 80's, and still at it :-)

 

[Keith McAlister]

Haven't dropped Neversink yet, but it's on my bucket list! I started caving in the early 80's, and still at it :-)

I was a caver from the 70's into the early 90's. Living in North Georgia right in the heart of TAG. Little over an hour and I'm at Ellison's. Neversink is a must do. Valhalla , Stephens Gap and one of my favorites, Cagle's Chasm as well.

Neversink, Valhalla and Stephens Gap are owned or controlled by Southeastern Cave Conservancy (SCCi) and it is through them you can get access. BTW: Don't overlook all the great horizontal caves too.

Being from New Mexico, any chance you got the pull to get me into Lechuguilla?

Now that would be a bucket list caving trip.

 

[Dave Decker]

I was a caver from the 70's into the early 90's. Living in North Georgia right in the heart of TAG. Little over an hour and I'm at Ellison's. Neversink is a must do. Valhalla , Stephens Gap and one of my favorites, Cagle's Chasm as well.

Neversink, Valhalla and Stephens Gap are owned or controlled by Southeastern Cave Conservancy (SCCi) and it is through them you can get access. BTW: Don't overlook all the great horizontal caves too.

Being from New Mexico, any chance you got the pull to get me into Lechuguilla?

Now that would be a bucket list caving trip.

Excellent! The NSS owns several cave preserves back east as well. I get back there once or twice a year for a board of governors meeting, for the next one I'm going to try to set aside some time to go caving while I'm there. I just need to remember to bring my WNS gear! I've been in Lech a couple of times for research trips, but unfortunately my research is ending for this particular project, contact me offline for more info.

 

[OutsideSeth]

I am looking forward to checking out the lava tubes at Craters of the Moon now that we live in Idaho. Several years ago I did a trip to explore Pettyjohn's in Georgia. It is an amazing cave system that includes an underground stream and waterfall if you ever get down that way.

 

[Dave Decker]

Should be a great trip. Wear gloves, the lava is sharp!