Church Cave , May 21 2005
Friday afternoon at 1:00 pm Rich Steffensen, Tony Williams, Tom LaFrank and Mike
White met at Mike's house and headed for Church cave in Kings Canyon National Park.
The trip was originally offered for two days Sat. and Sun. by Rich and Dave Bunnell
who also offered to lead a trip in conjunction with Rich's, but due to no one else
signing up it was just going to be the four of them going to the cave and they would
meet up with a friend of theirs from the So. Cal. grotto (Allen Hager) at the Convict
campground near Boyden Cave friday evening.
All seemed to be going well until they arrived at the ranger station just outside
of Squaw Valley to pick up the key to the gate for Church. It seems that the people
at the ranger station forgot to set it out in the secret box. So the four of us continued
to the camp ground hoping that another group who we knew were coming would have a
key and we would just follow them through. But of course they never showed up that
night. So at 7:00 am Rich and Allen jumped in Allenís car and made the 1 hour drive
back to Squaw Valley to pick up the key. They made good time and were back by 9:30
am, so we loaded up in Mike's truck and drove to the Boyden Cave parking lot and
headed up the trail to the cave. The water coming down Windy Gulch drainage was more
active than any of us had ever seen so the hiking was a little slower than usual.
We made it to the cave at 10:30 am and started in, but after a couple feet realized
we went in the wrong entrance and had to go down hill a hundred feet and get in the
right one (The Root) entrance. Our plan was to do the circuit from the root entrance
and come out the creek entrance. So we started into the cave about 11:00 am.
Our first obstacle or should I say Rich`s first obstacle was the "Guillotine"
a very awkward, but not too tight maneuver under a large boulder choke. We were all
ready for a lengthy early rest while Rich struggled through (It took 45 min.last
time) but he just took his cave suit off and went right through which was really
impressive due to the fact that smaller people have wimped out after hardly even
trying. It just goes to show that experience and mental toughness do make a difference.
So we were off again and doing fine until we got to the "Pancake Room"
or so we thought! After about 30 min. of confusion we finally found the "real"
pancake room and got back on track again and made it to the "Tight S`s"
which if you are of any size at all can be quit challenging. But after a lot of moaning
and groaning we were all through and headed for "Formation passage" where
all was fine until Rich decided to find out first hand How deep? and How cold? the
water in the flooded passage was. (Contact Rich at the next meeting for that info.
and for info. on other incidents this trip) the rest of us just traversed up high
and took pictures from there.
Pictures taken we headed for the "Jail break" Rich`s second to last tight
spot. After some mild thrashing around he was through and the rest of us followed
behind. Now we were headed to "Pit passage" which is a great little exposed
traverse over a forty foot pit. The rope was taken across as a safety and then everyone
else followed. So off to the "Venturi" a very low sand and cobble crawl
that you have to push the dirt out ahead of you as you go through in order to
make it. "Some of us require a little more dirt pushing than others." Rich
after trying a couple different positions finally decided that belly down and
feet first would be best for him. We didn't really understand that theory, but it
worked and that is all that matters.
So off we go again headed for the creek entrance and our exit, with only one
obstacle ahead. The "Torture chamber" Which is about a 100` vertical climb
with a tight pinch in the middle. Rich being a veteran of the cave knows he cannot
make it through the T.C. so the other four of us headed through it, to get to the
"Bypass" which is a larger almost free climbable crack. Once there Tony
rigged a line and dropped it down to Rich so he could climb out and use the rope
and a croll as a safety device. Once Rich was up the bypass we all headed for
the exit and good soaking in the "Creek entrance" as we tried to exit.
There was no staying dry so we just enjoyed it as part of the caving experience.
We were outside and headed back down the hill at 5:00 pm and looking forward to some
dry clothes and comfortable camp chairs. We were back in camp by 6:30 pm and everyone
got cleaned up, ate some dinner and sat around sharing stories and laughing at the
different "Incidents" that happened on the trip so far.
Sunday morning we got up and ate breakfast, loaded our stuff in the truck and said
our goodbyes to some S.F.B.C. cavers who were camped by us.(The other group with
the key) They had shown up a couple hours after we went in the cave Saturday morning
which made us the first trip of the year through the cave. We then drove over to
Boyden Cave to tell the manager and employees goodbye and to help them fix a small
problem in the cave real fast and then we headed home at about 10:30 am.
We stopped in Fresno for some lunch and were back at Mikes house by 2:45 pm.
It was another fun trip.
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