Activities

Caving

Caving will be a favorite activity at the 2008 regional, with several caves of varying difficulty available. Most cavers will decide to travel the rough and steep BLM Little Mountain Road via John Blue Canyon to Bighorn Cave and Horsethief Caverns. High clearance, low-geared vehicles are strongly recommended for this road. Horsethief Cave has been known for at least a century, and until 1970, was thought by cavers to be relatively uninteresting. However, Laramie cavers squeezed through a tight crawlway now known as Denise’s Crystal Crawl, and found miles of passage beyond, including well-decorated corridors and chambers. The Mind Bender area is perhaps the best known of these scenic chambers. Because of the exceptional beauty within the cave, Horsethief is securely gated a short distance inside.

Bighorn Caverns, meanwhile, has only been explored by cavers since 1961. It is entered through a vertical shaft 66 feet deep and is protected by a steel gate and cage. Full vertical gear is required for trips into this cave (vertical gear can be stored at the bottom of the entrance drop, as there are no further pits within the known system). Bighorn is also well-decorated with many scenic chambers. It is less-visited than Horsethief Cave, probably owing to the vertical work at the entrance. Other Little Mountain caves may also be open for visitation during the regional.

Spirit Mountain Caverns, just west of Cody, is a former national monument discovered in 1908. It is located on Cedar Mountain overlooking the resort city, reached by a switchbacking gravel road. The last half mile to the cave is on a foot trail ending at the cave’s cliff side entrance. With nearly a mile of known passage, the cave is developed largely on three overlapping levels, connected by vertical pitches. Vertical gear is not necessary for the cave, though handlines are highly recommended. The connecting pitches are not technically difficult nor challenging, however, most have some exposure.

Spirit Mountain was shown as a commercial cave during the mid 1950s to the mid 1960s and some remnants of the commercial era remain. There is a possibility more cave remains to be found in this cave, as rumors suggest the cave was more extensive prior to the 1950s commercial development. Trail work, or deliberate blocking of continuing passageways may have blocked key descending passageways from the cave’s lowest level. Owing to extensive vandalism in the late 1960s and 1970s, the cave is not particularly pristine, though it does contain some speleothems.

The Kane Caves south of Lovell along the Bighorn River are hydrothermal caves containing hot water and unusual microbial life. Visit these caves with someone who knows the way. Travel within Lower Kane Cave may be limited owing to water flow and ongoing scientific studies.

North of Lovell, the Pryor Mountain range along the Wyoming/Montana border contain many caves, some of which are inadequately explored and surveyed. Three of the more interesting caves – Big Ice, Little Ice and Mystery Caves – are gated by the owning governmental agencies. Access to these caves by permit through the regional may be possible. Many other caves, including the vertical Frog’s Fault (270 feet deep), and the large-entranced Keyhole Cave (its 80 foot high entrance is one of the largest in the region), can be visited by regional cavers. Crow Tribal lands north of Little Mountain and north of Bighorn Canyon Reservoir are not open for public visitation.

The caves of the Bighorn Mountains south and east of the regional campsite include several long, deep and cold alpine caves. Depending on the melting of the summer snowpack, some of these caves may be open for visitation during the regional. Most likely, most will still be blocked by snow or filled with icy melt water.

Cavers may also find it interesting to search for new caves in the Bighorn and Pryor Mountain ranges, and in the Shoshone River Canyon west of Cody. Comparatively little work has been done in these areas by cavers; the 1969 National Speleological Society Convention in Lovell featured cave hunting as a prime activity for participants. Many caves documented in the 1976 book, “Caves of Wyoming” (Bulletin 59, Geological Survey of Wyoming) have been seldom visited since the initial documentation work by cavers in the 1960s and early 1970s.

Sightseeing

Cavers and their families seeking non-caving activities for one or more of the days have a wide variety of sights and destinations within an easy drive of the regional campsite.

Yellowstone National Park, about two hours to the west, is this nation’s first national park and features geysers, hot springs, mud pots, fumaroles, deep canyons and plenty of roadside animals. Being a holiday weekend, plan on traffic congestion within the park and on the highways approaching the park. An entrance fee of $25 per vehicle applies for visits to the park; passes are good for both Yellowstone and Grand Teton National Parks and are valid for seven days.

Cody, Wyoming features the Buffalo Bill Historic Center and associated historic and art museums, along with shops, restaurants and other Wild West attractions. Trail Town on the west side of Cody includes authentic buildings and memorabilia from western 19th century ghost towns. Rafting along the Shoshone River through the city is a favorite summer activity.

Bighorn Reservoir just west of the campsite has a scenic drive north into Montana to the Yellowtail Dam; viewpoints along the reservoir offer vertical views of the reservoir and interesting cave entrances in the canyon walls. Tours are no longer given through the dam owing to national security issues. Boating is popular on the reservoir; boats may be rented for the day at the Barry’s Landing Marina. Vehicle entry fees are $5.00 per day.

For wildlife viewing, the McCullough Peaks Herd Management Area about 20 miles east of Cody features over 150 wild horses. Other wild horse herds with about 180 animals can be found in the Pryor Mountains north of Lovell, in Custer National Forest. The Pryor Mountain Wild Mustang Center just east of Cody, near the Bighorn Canyon National Recreation Area visitor center, is a good starting point for finding these sometimes elusive wild herds.

The Bighorn National Forest in the Bighorn Mountains east of the campsite offers numerous hiking trails, scenic byways and stunning vistas. Along US Highway Alt 14 east of the campsite, the famous Medicine Wheel watches over the region. Thought to be from 500 to 800 years in age, this sacred rock wheel with 28 spokes is reached by a short, maintained hiking trail. The Bighorn Mountains contain deep, rugged canyons, waterfalls, lakes and high peaks reaching to over 13,000 feet in elevation. In July, snow fields can still be found in the higher mountains, and fields of blooming wildflowers great the visitor. Watch for animals, including bear and moose.

Southwest of Worland along Wyoming Highway 431 is the scenic Gooseberry Scenic Area. A desert badland with hoodoos, arches and banded rock, it is a popular photographic destination.

About an hour south of the campsite is Thermopolis, with its popular Hot Springs State Park. The park includes numerous undeveloped hot springs and travertine terraces, along with the free State Bath House, one of the largest hot mineral springs in the world. Thermopolis is also home to the Wyoming Dinosaur Center & Dig Sites. Tours range from $8 to $16.50 for adult visitors.

About 20 miles northwest of Thermopolis is Owl Creek, the site of a poorly-considered Bureau of Reclamation dam and reservoir. The huge Anchor Dam was constructed on the South Fork of Owl Creek between 1957 and 1961, and has never been filled to capacity owing to large solution cavities located in dolomite in the Tensleep Sandstone. Huge sinkholes also developed in the Chugwater Formation upstream from Anchor Dam, swallowing Owl Creek. As a result, the reservoir has held only a fraction of the water intended by engineers.

Saturday Dinner and Annual Meeting

Regional participants can purchase the optional Saturday evening, July 5 dinner presented by Ted Michelson. Set for 7 p.m. at the campsite, the menu includes:

• Ribs/Chicken
• Cowboy beans
• Potato salad
• Cherry Cobbler
• Beverage

Cost of the meal is $15.00. Registration and payment by June 30 is required.

Following the dinner, the region will hold its annual meeting. New officers for 2008-09 will be elected, and bids will be received for the 2009 regional. All cavers are encouraged to attend and participate in the regional annual meeting.