Trip Leader: Rob Cranney, Tamie Jensen (organizer)
On Trip: Rob Cranney, Tamie Jensen, Thorpe Cox, Ralph Powers. Special guest appearance by Dave Stratford.
Whoo, too cold, just too dang cold for my comfort. After we set up our camp, we took a preview peek at the cave. Then just huddled in my large (borrowed) tent to try and warm up. Not too bad with four people and a dog putting off BTU's and Rob's stove.
Still we managed and eventually we all settled down in our respective tents (and SUV) to try and get some sleep. Fat chance... temprature was down as low as 15 degrees. Sheesh! Next morning a hot breakfast of oatmeal and a hot chocolate provided by Thorpe.
We now got ourselves ready to do Indian Burial. This would be my second trip to the cave, once before the gate and now one after the gate was installed.
Rob got my rope and rigged it nicely to the bars so that it would be roughly centered down the drop. He was first in and followed by Tamie, Thorpe and myself in that order. As Thorpe rigged his bobbin I noticed that the way his additional friction carabiner wasn't sitting right and said so. Sitting on the edge of the pad he looked at it and agreed. Then discovered that the bobbin was threaded incorrectly. This was rectified and he went on down. Now with myself by my...self I had to do a triple check of my gear and harness before getting on the rope. Making sure everything is okey dokey I called on rope and dropped on in.
This is a nice drop to be sure, short but a nice one, from a narrow constriction at the top and suddenly finding yourself in a large room with bright sunlight lighting the way.
I stopped for Tamie to take a photo, but I couldn't make myself to stop spinning long enough for her to get a good focus. That's the nature of a figure 8 I guess.
Once down, I got off rope and joined the others.
Lots of neat stuff just in the entrance room alone to keep one occupied, but it's the Folia formations that will really make a difference on this trip.
After finding a dead snake, dead bones (that were replaced by those who took them for study), we headed on down. But wait, who is that calling us from above? Well, bless my soul! Dave Stratford, peering down at us with a big grin. Seems he and Val were in the area and had to stop to say hello. I tried to take a pic, but it didn't turn out too well. But it was nice seeing him and having him give us a "hullo-have fun".
At first Rob couldn't find the main route to the bottom of the cave, then I remembered that it's along the right hand wall among the break down pile. Ah! There it is.
At one point the climb could've used a hand line but with a quick assist everyone made it down okay.
Ah, Folia Formation. Just one of the neatest formations one could hope to see/photograph. (From Dave Bunnell's Virtual Cave site http://www.goodearthgraphics.com/virtcave/folia/folia.html ): Folia are a rare formation found near or just below the water line. Found on celings and walls, they resemble inverted rimstone dams. They are thought to form primarily near the top of the water table, and are associated with a declining water level. Like shelfstone, they probably form from precipitates on water surfaces that accrete to walls. As the water lowers, more calcite is deposited underneath, forming a flat surface. Another theory suggests that carbon dioxide is trapped in the ribs and promotes calcite deposition inside.
Both Tamie and Thorpe were awed by the formation as it was the first time they've seen it. Then they got wow-ed by the large flat floor of the bottom most room.
At Rob's encouragement I told one of my caving ghost stories provided all of us had our lights out, and for effect I took off my helmet and placed it near the center of the flat floor so my red-blinking lights would give the appearance of a pair of eyes.
With the story told, and our lights back on, we headed on out. At the entrance room I saw Thorpe standing on the big break down and being highlighted from the sunlight pouring down the entrance. I got Tamie to take a pic of it as my camera ran out of film. Hope it turns out.
Aww rats, I knew I was forgetting something. My chest loop for my croll ascender. After a little bit of begging and pleading Tamie agreed to send her chest loop down the rope once everyone was up and out.
I got out in good time and hauled the rope up and untied it before climbing out of the gate. We locked it up and made our preprations to go do Little Muddy Cave.
see part 3
| Photography | ||||
 A nice sign near the entrance of the cave Ralph Powers |  Rob preparing to go down |  Thorpe roughly 1/3 the way down the drop | ||
 Sign placed by (??) requesting to respect the dig-site Ralph Powers |  A mixed pile of animal and human bones Ralph Powers |  Dave Stratford peering down upon us cavers (lower most portion of entrance hole) Ralph Powers | ||
 Tamie making her way through the low spots to the bottom of the cave. Ralph Powers |  One of my better Folia pics... <shrugs> Ralph Powers |  Me, at the bottom room of the cave Rob Cranney | ||