Locher Track Cave Trip

 

 

Friday, 1 December 2006

Recounting the Experience

by

Ryan Mayr, Facilitator, New Horizons

Our planned afternoon was on the brink of cancellation. In an email dated Wed 29-Nov-06 8:17 AM, Paul Stern, Coordinator of Outdoor Adventure and Leadership, Lynchburg College, wrote:

“Dear Fellow Cavers:
FYI
Oh the weather outside is currently delightful, but Friday maybe frightful…
I think we need to evaluate the weather at 11 a.m. on Friday and chat.
Thank You
Paul”

The morning was not looking all that well and doubts of our impending trip were rising. Paul was suffering from the effects of his antibiotics after acquiring a tick on his Thursday hike and a visit to the doctor to deter that always so wonderful possibility of Limes Disease. I, Ryan Mayr, on the other hand, was dead set on going, regardless of whether or not I had pneumonia once again, or if it the skies were to open up and release a torrential downpour. Having caved at Locher Tract before, Evan Miller, Neil Gunter, Jim Tennant, and Chuck Waller seemed just as excited to visit the cave again as Paul and I were to visit the location for the first time. With that, we hopped in our vehicles and began our New Horizons—James River Grotto joint adventure.

As our distance from Locher Tract Park shortened, the skies seemed to open up to reveal a bold sun, fervent on making the cave trip one to remember. The sun shined through and it seemed far-fetched that we were indeed entering the first day of December, considering the change in weather from an 80% chance of thunderstorms to a sunny and summer-like near 70 degree day of beauty. Emerging from our vehicles after a not-so-fun journey through the twists and turns of 501 North’s passage from valley to valley, we stretched, perused the area, and gathered our gear. Interestingly enough, upon our arrival, we all took a questionable glance around the wooded area and open field, with the thought that those bullet holes in the outhouse door, visible at a fair distance from the shack-like bathroom, were meant for someone who messed with the wrong person, we joked, most of us thinking they should have been saved for Chuck who could not seem to stop his flatulents from erupting like the A-bomb on Hiroshima.

Following a short hike to the cave’s gate, we began our descent into the not-so-visited cave deemed Locher Tract, named most likely for the same man that the local bridge is named after (determined through deductive reasoning of the name Locher being present on the bridge’s nameplate and the occurrence of that same name in the caves name; I’m smart. I know.).

Locher Tract is a cave nothing like I have ever envisioned. In my thoughts, I envisioned a sinkhole; however, I envisioned a sinkhole that was nothing more than a mere crack in the earth, situated in a bountiful grove of trees, on the peak of a mountainside. Instead, we arrived at a gate that was horizontal, with room for crawling on one’s stomach. Not until we ventured several dozens of yards into the entrance did the floor begin to fall out from under us, in a sense.

After rigging a rope for use in our descent down the nearly 40 foot crevice, Chuck used his handy dandy figure-8 to repel to the floor. Paul followed, as did Neil and Jim. Meanwhile, Evan and I decided we did not need the rope; we instead used counter pressure to ease our way down the crack, taking notice of hibernating bats, slick walls, and various, but few, footholds and handholds. The descent was quite a rush with the possibility of falling looming with every movement.

Upon our arrival at the base of the crevice, we speculated as to beginning to our left or right, understandably trying to figure out which way was left and which right depending on the current direction each person was facing.

Soon, we found ourselves traversing around this corner, under that overhang, into that hole, and back out. Similar to what any caver might expect. Eventually, we came to a dead end and turned back. Chuck and Neil returned to our beginning point and went the direction we had not chosen to start out in. Jim, Paul, Evan and I, on the other hand ventured into a crawl atop the large hole we had climbed in and then out of just before that heartbreaking dead end. Excited and thankful that Evan and I had first decided to take this route, we were soon kneeling in a small stream and then standing in a vast opening with multiple directions for exploration. Encountering some difficulty in the wet, deteriorating, and somewhat steep inclines, the four of us eventually made it up and over the obstacle through use of webbing secured by Evan’s new-found love and acquired skill of knot-tying. Only after exiting the cave did we find out that Jim had not been in this portion of the cave since the late 80s.

After determining that there was nowhere else to speculate, we made our way back to the other two cavers. Upon meeting them at the starting point, they suggested we attempt the tight squeeze just around the corner. Paul went first, followed by myself and Evan. Neil stressed that Paul made the squeeze and that I would not have trouble. Little did Evan and I know, Paul had simply walked around the corner to get to the other side of the tight squeeze. Either way, I was happy to climb through the hole and use some of the energy I would need to climb out of the same 40 foot incline we had inched down hours before. I’m sure Evan didn’t mind the hop, skip, and jump through the hole either.

By the time we began our ascent, the veteran cavers, Jim and Chuck, had already been situated comfortably outside the gate of the cave, enjoying the lovely weather and picturesque sunset. Paul was close behind. It seems to me that the three youngest cavers, Evan, Neil and I, felt we could ascend without the rope, at least most of the way. I think the others would agree that this was definitely a challenge worth pursuing, but also a challenge dependent on energy, passion, and patience.

Overall, venturing into the depths of Locher Tract was a welcoming experience as I attempt to develop my skills underground and add to the list of caves I have negotiated. I suggest that any avid caver with the hopes of gaining experience in various caving environments be allotted the chance of entering this unique cave. It is well worth the drive, which is much closer than the caves we have taken participants in.

Would I go back to Locher Tract? Of course, I would go at the drop-of-a-dime. However, I offer a word of advice: keep Chuck away from the beans beforehand. I’m pretty sure his farting blew a hole in his pants.