Independence Day Weekend 2008, July 4-6

The Rocky Mountain Regional returns to big, wonderful Wyoming this July, hosted by Casper’s Hole in the Wall Grotto. Held at the scenic Cottonwood Canyon Bureau of Land Management site just east of Bighorn Canyon National Recreation Area, the Independence Day holiday weekend event will feature caving in several of the Cowboy State’s longest and most scenic caves.

Horsethief Cave and Bighorn Caverns will be the headline attractions, welcoming cavers seeking extensive cave passageways and breathtakingly beautiful underground vistas. Through special arrangement with the managing government agencies, regional participants can arrange permitted trips into these caves, which together total nearly 15 miles of surveyed passage. Developed on Little Mountain along the Wyoming/Montana border, the caves are reached by the unimproved, sometimes-rough Little Mountain road, ascending steeply from the regional campsite through scenic John Blue Canyon. Cavers will also find of interest the many caves of the Pryor Mountains north of Lovell, the hydrothermal Kane Caves along the Bighorn River south of Lovell, and the extensive, multi-level Spirit Mountain Caverns at Cody, a former national monument celebrating its centennial in 2008.

The hosting BLM campsite offers mostly unimproved camping at about 4000 feet elevation, so days will be hot and evenings cool. The campsite is only minutes from the city of Lovell, and can be reached by all vehicles via US Highway Alt 14. Water and trash service will probably not be available at the site.

Saturday evening, a catered dinner will be available for preregistered convention participants. A small fee applies for dinner. This dinner will be hosted by the Northwest Community College Food Service. Following dinner, the annual Rocky Mountain Region Business Meeting will be held, to determine the site for the 2009 Rocky Mountain Regional.

Participant registration for the regional is through this site through June 30, and on site. A guidebook will be available for an additional fee. Dinner reservations are required by June 30.

Regional Contacts:

Bob Montgomery (Casper) – Site Committee: wyocaver (at) aol.com

Richard Rhinehart (Denver) – Communications:  nss (at) rockymountaincaving.com

Brandon Kowalis (Salt Lake City) – Web Site:  caveexplorer (at) gmail.com

Charles Acklin (Heber City) – Banquet: cma (at) resultsbyvolti.com.

Sponsored and presented by the member grottos of the Rocky Mountain Region, National Speleological Society.