Trip Report: 1-2 December, 2001
Georgia Speleological Survey
c/o Brent T. Aulenbach, Treasurer
2294 Marshes Glenn Drive
Norcross, GA 30071-3073
7 December, 2001
Buddy Lane, SCCi Frick's Cave Property Manager
40 Hidden Brook Lane
Signal Mountain, TN 37377-2063
RE: Georgia Speleological Survey Trip Report for Resurvey of Frick's Cave, Walker County, Georgia
Dear Buddy,
The first survey trips to Frick's cave were held by the Georgia Speleological Survey (GSS) on the weekend of 1 & 2 December, 2001. On Saturday, 1 December, there were seven participants making up two survey teams. Meeting time was 9:30 am. After an orientation including a handout (attached) we started the survey at 10:30 am.
One team was made up of Brent Aulenbach (sketcher), Nancy Aulenbach, Alan Cressler, and Benjamin Theune (new surveyor). This was Benjamin's first survey trip and he learned how to set stations and read instruments. First an overland survey was completed between the main Frick's Cave entrance and the Little Frick's entrance. The survey of the cave was then started at the main Frick's entrance. A passage not on the existing map was surveyed just inside the entrance to the right. This connected via a small belly crawl to the Potato Room. The first portion of the main streamway up to the breakdown pile was then surveyed including all side passages including the Potato Room. From the breakdown pile, the decorated passages leading towards the Little Frick's section of the cave were mapped. The survey was stopped approximately 75 feet before the connection to Little Frick's as the team was not prepared to get totally wet and muddy at this point. A total of 51 survey shots were taken for 1604.7 feet of survey (including overland survey, A survey). The team finished surveying at 7:05 pm and exited the cave at 7:10 pm.
The second team was made up of Paul Aughey, Shari Lydy, and Brian Williamson (sketcher). They surveyed in the Little Frick's portion of the cave. A good station was set at the connection to the main portion of Frick's Cave. It appears that this is too small for most people and will have to be connected from the other side. The main passage in Little Frick's was surveyed to its end. The smaller passage on the west still needs to be surveyed. A total of 42 survey shots were taken for 1053.8 feet of survey (including several splay shots, B survey). The team finished surveying at approximately 6 pm.
On Sunday, 2 December, there were six participants making up two survey teams. Meeting time was 8:30 am. After an orientation we started the survey at 10:05 am. One team was made up of Allen Padgett, Karen Padgett, and Brian Williamson (sketcher). They surveyed in the wide main streamway from the breakdown pile to the beginning of the room that has passages that lead to the Bat Room and the 15' pit entrance. One side passage was missed and will have to be surveyed on the next trip. A total of 13 survey shots were taken for 467.4 feet of survey (C survey). The team finished surveying at approximately 2:30 pm.
The second team was made up of Brent Aulenbach (sketch), Obadiah Brooks (new surveyor), and David Holliman (new surveyor). Both Obadiah and David learned how to use instruments and Obadiah learned how to set point. Some smaller passageways off of the breakdown at the main streamway were connected in. Then the room that has passages that lead to the Bat Room and the 15' pit entrance was mapped using a perimeter survey. Stations were set and clearly marked so that all passages from this room could easily be mapped. A total of 15 survey shots were taken for 435.2 feet of survey (A and C survey). The team finished surveying at 3:35 pm and exited the cave at 3:45 pm.
E.T. Davis, one of the SCCi Frick's Cave Property Managers, was also in the cave both days and provided help to the survey teams. Buddy Lane and E.T. Davis also took some pictures of the cave survey on Saturday. Brent Aulenbach was designated by the head SCCi Frick's Cave Property Manager as the SCCi representative for both days.
Historic and prehistoric markings and remains along with bat guano piles were noted on the sketches. Alan Cressler has made a separate cave archeology report of findings (attached). It was very important to check new instrument readers by doing backsights. By the end of the day, the new instrument readers became proficient. A total of six loops were surveyed (attachment). All but one closed within 2%, which should be considered quite good. The other loop will have to be checked for errors.
I was very pleased by the efforts made by the participants. A lot of cave was surveyed, but more importantly, the cave is being mapped at a high quality. It was great to have new surveyors involved and all three showed great enthusiasm. It was difficult to have two new surveyors on one team as it was hard to help teach them and sketch at the same time, especially starting out in a more difficult crawling passage where it was not easy to crawl up and help. They did a good job learning and by the end of the day they became much more proficient and faster. I think we had a good turnout, especially considering the short notice. I had many people respond that they would like to help on future trips even though they could not make this first trip. The survey currently stands at 121 survey shots and 3,561 feet surveyed. After excluding surface surveys, spray shots and setup shots, the cave is slightly over 3,000 feet long and 59 feet total vertical extent.
Alan Cressler took GPS readings of the three
entrances on Sunday, 2 December, 2001 using a NAD27 datum:
Entrance 1: Info removed for posting on internet.
Little Frick's: Info removed for posting on internet.
Pit Entrance: Info removed for posting on internet.
The next trip will be scheduled for sometime in January.
Respectfully Submitted,
Brent T. Aulenbach, Frick's Cave Resurvey Project Coordinator
Cc:
Diane Cousineau, SCCi Chair
Dan Barnick, GSS Chair
Brian Williamson
Attached:
Copies of all survey notes
Copy of existing map with passages mapped thus far highlighted
Orientation handout
Survey data files from Compass
Reduces station locations from Compass
Loop closures from Compass
Line plot of cave from Compass
Cave archaeology report
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Last modified: Monday, 31 December, 2001 bta