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This past weekend I crossed my 100 hours in a cave with ODC! To celebrate, I want to start a new tradition known as Caving Extravaganza! This will be one of the most advanced trips of the year not due to difficulty of the caves but we will be caving for around 8 hours! That being said I will be …
Do you like swimming? Do you like caving? Do you like building sandcastles? Do you wanna reawaken your inner child? It is finally Lockridge time!! And one of our fabulous cavers, Laurel, thought of the immaculate idea of building sandcastles on this little bit of sand in the cave. We will also have some time to explore and go in …
I am finally back to leading actual cave trips! I want to kick off my unification with caving by kvelling in Kee Cave. What is this unique word you might ask? It means to ” to feel or express joy or triumph” which is how caving makes me feel! So come kvell with me at Kee! For the most part …
Hey hey hey is that a new cave I see? It is indeed!!! ODC was able to explore this cave last year with JMU but I missed the trip sooooo I’m gonna go myself! This is a super chill easy cave but since I am solo leading I am reserving a spot for one experienced caver (hence why the trip …
Hey y’all I am back at it again with the double or nothing caving weekends! But I am in the mood for a very chill and relaxing trip. So I decided it was time for our annual Nap in a Cave! This will be the most chill caving trip yet! Have you been wanting to go caving but worried about …
Got no friday classes? Or even better, got friday classes but wanna skip em? Then come w me to my hometown for some chill caving! and afterwards we can wash off in the shenandoah and get burgers n ice cream from a place called Spelunkers. We’re going to front royal caverns, but these “caverns” aren’t what they sound like. This …
We’re going to go caving at Boarhole cave! This is a big cave with lots of walking passage, some mud slopes, and cool features. I’ve also posted this trip to the Charlottesville Grotto (aka the Charlottesville cave club) so we’ll have some awesome members of the local caving community outside of UVA joining us! If you’re going to SPRGE, you …
Howdy! Me and Rory have been dying to check out Lowmoor Cave since we heard stories of its massive rooms and built-in parking lot (that’s right, we park INSIDE the cave). This should be a relatively chill cave with wide rooms as part of it used to be a mine, so if you’ve been nervous about doing tight squeezes, this …
Hey hey hey! Have you been seeing caving on trip of the week and are thinking to yourself, “hey that looks hella fun maybe I should give caving a try!” well guess what. Do we have the trip for you! Lillie and I will be taking a group of beginners into the depths of Crossroads! This is a super beginner …
Hey lovely people! So I am utterly obsessed with Lowmoor and would like to go back this weekend! But, I want to explore some new, more tricky areas therefore I will be doing the first ever intermediate trip to Lowmoor! This will also be my very first solo lead trip so I am going to be a little pickier about …
Have you wanted to go caving but you don’t like small spaces, difficult climbs, complete darkness, and/or thought caving looked lowkey really scary? But you have always wanted to at least try it out? Well do we have the cave for you! Lowmoor was a giant iron mine from 1875-1898 and there is an actual cave in the mine. We …
Hey yall cool people! I miss my good old friend Floyd (a really cool giant stalagmite that is known as Floyd Collin’s ghost) so I want to head deep into Paxtons to stop by and hang out with him again. But I also want to try to make it to a room known as the Christmas room to see some …
This is day 6 of me leading a trip every single day of the week! We’re going to go on a chill beginner trip to the always-classic Crossroads Cave! The plan is to go look at some gorgeous gypsum flowers, experiencing a good variety of climbs and some mild crawls along the way. If we have time, we’ll also stop …
This Saturday we will be going to Lowmoor mine/cave! Lowmoor is super fascinating because it was an iron mine from 1875-1898, but now is abandoned. The front part of the cave is the mine, but it transitions to being natural cave passage in the back. We will get to explore both sections, featuring the enormous main rooms of the mined …
Hey all you outdoor lovers! We are heading back to the amazing Paxtons cave and we are gonna go so speedy to try to make it to some cool sections. Some of the names of these really cool cave places include: Anthodite Galleries, Clambake Alley, Worm Garden, Guano Ecstasy, Guano Agony, and many more fun places to explore. But the …
*This is an intermediate trip, due to the difficulty of some of the climbs and the presence of some sketchier sections. We strongly suggest that you have been on at least one caving trip before.* Marshall’s cave is known for some gorgeous formations and neat features. I haven’t been very deep in at all, so I’m hoping to explore more! …
Hey outdoorsy people! So I’m jealous that I missed the opportunity to explore this cave last weekend, soooooo we are going back!! If you have never been caving before and worried about the difficulty, Island Ford Cave is a really great place for beginners so I totally recommend stepping outside your comfort zone and sign up! BUT if you are …
Are you looking for an outdoor activity to get moving again post Disco Cowboy Party? Look no further! This will be a very chill and relaxed caving trip to a cave known for it’s simplicity and beginner-friendliness. It still has some cool features though, such as the spectacular entrance (which is clearly visible from highway 64). This is a great …
Hey outdoor lovers! Welcome back from break! I hope you all are excited to try some new adventures in the new year! So why not kick off the semester with caving! Paxtons is one of my favorite caves as it has lots of wildlife, belly crawls, vertical climbs, and maze like passages. If you have never been caving this is …
Cave prom!!!! Basically we go to an absolute mud pit of a cave (Glade Cave) wearing the fanciest clothes we can find from the local thrift store. In the spring JMU had everyone in tuxes or floor length dresses & I aspire beat JMU’s level. Note: I will be using waitlist randomization for this trip!! The first 5 people that …
We’ve been wanting to explore deeper into Paxton’s Cave lately, and the furthest room in is called the Christmas Room! It’s known for being beautifully decorated like a winter scene. We figured it was perfect timing to start off December trying to get to this room. Be warned, however- this cave is a crazy maze and we’re not sure if …
Hey outdoor adventurers! So finals are right around the corner and I am not ready to start studying soooo why not go caving? This is the first trip Jack and I will be co-leading and we are both so excited! We will be going to iconic Crossroads Cave which has many different areas to explore! Crossroads is a great beginner …
***Since this is my first time leading a caving trip, I will only be accepting people on this trip who have been caving before*** Come join me and Jack this Sunday at Paxton’s cave! Paxton’s cave is a huge (aMAZEing) maze cave that has lots of fun features. There are some tricky features such as belly crawls, vertical climbs, and …
You know what it is, thats right its Halloweekend caving baby hell yeah We’re going to Crossroads cave which is a big, confusing, and beautiful maze cave, and one of my favorite caves, because it has a lot to offer for both beginners and experienced cavers. Be ready for some climbs and some crawls! And since real caves aren’t quite …
***Because we have hit the maximum number of people on NRGE, please only sign up for this trip if you are already on NRGE & have paid the $10 trip fee! If there is lots of interest & enough drivers, I will add more spots on the trip. One of the caves we used to go to a lot is …
Have you always wanted to go caving but the waitlists have been too long? Or you’re a bit claustrophobic but you want to challenge yourself? This trip to Lockridge Aqua Cave is specifically for you! I am planning on admitting at least 6 people who have never been caving before, with priority going to those who were on the waitlists …
If any of y’all have spoken to us before, you probably know about our year-long quest to obtain a good map of Paxton’s cave. And guess what!? We’ve finally done it! ….aaaand turns out we were reading the really terrible unlabeled map we had before upside down. No, I’m not joking. So we’ve spent the past year going the wrong …
Were you at Gauleyfest but wanted to go in an epic watery cave? Or want to meet some cool cavers from JMU? Come with us to Lockridge Aqua Cave! In Lockridge cave, you get to feel like you’re going on an epic adventure in a giant ancient sewer. Also, the entrance to the cave is partially underwater, adding an intense …
Were you hoping to go to GauleyFest but didn’t get off the waitlist? Or the party atmosphere wasn’t really your vibe? But, you still want to experience some cool adventures and cold water? Oh boy, do I have a trip for you! Come with us to Lockridge Aqua Cave!! In Lockridge cave, you get to feel like you’re going on …
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The time has come. We will finally be making a club trip to the fabled Breathing Cave! Anyone who has caved with me knows that this is my absolute favorite cave. As the third largest cave system in Virginia (and the largest open for recreational caving), Breathing has a little bit of everything: the classic big mouth cave opening, a …
Want to explore a beautiful underground labyrinth that’s over 100,000 years old? Yeah you do. We’re going to Crossroads Cave this weekend, one of my favorite caves, and the cave that Renee and I have visited more than any other (I think). That’s mostly because it’s a great cave for beginners, and because with nearly 4 miles of known passage, …
Aidan and I have been wanting to do a collaborative trip with another university for a while now, and we have finally made it happen! I’ve planned this trip in coordination with the Vice President of JMU’s Caving Club, Erin. She is bringing a group of JMU cavers and we will all do the trip together! Although this is a …
Renee and I have been talking about doing another advanced trip into Crossroads for what feels like forever now, and now we’re finally doing it! We want to go further into the cave than we’ve ever been before. Crossroads has nearly 4 miles of surveyed passage, and we haven’t even come close to the most remote sections of the cave. …
In Lockridge cave, you get to feel like you’re going on an epic adventure in a giant ancient sewer. It is (un?)affectionately known as Refrigerator Spring due to how cold the water is, but in my opinion it’s quite refreshing on a hot late-spring day and just fine inside with a wetsuit. Also, the entrance to the cave is partially …
We’re going back to the (in)famous New Trout Cave! One of the few caves in the area that has pretty much no mud in it– and that’s because it’s very, very dry. You won’t get muddy, but you’ll definitely be dusty. This cave also has an interesting history. During the Civil War, the Confederates used this cave as a saltpeter …
Yeah, you heard that right. After a year and a half, CAVE PROM IS BACK!!!!! We’re extending the ODC formal *experience* into Sunday so you can hang out in a cave in a great outfit! (and we made the start time later so you can get some well-needed rest between events). This means that we’ll be stopping by goodwill on …
It’s like a slot canyon, but stronger. I’m hitting Paxton’s cave back-to-back this weekend because it’s one of my favorite caves and I want people to explore it with me. It’s a big ol’ maze cave and looks like a slot canyon. There’s a bit of everything there: belly crawls, vertical scrambles, tight passageways, massive chambers, decorated rooms, waterfalls, etc. …
Ever wanted to see a slot canyon with a roof? I’m hitting Paxton’s cave back-to-back this weekend because it’s one of my favorite caves and I want people to explore it with me. It’s a big ol’ maze cave and looks like a slot canyon. There’s a bit of everything there: belly crawls, vertical scrambles, tight passageways, massive chambers, decorated …
Come to a large and stunningly decorated cave in Virginia with us! Marshall’s cave is located in the same area as Lockridge cave and is known for being large and beautifully decorated. We have been wanting to explore this cave for a while, and after many difficulties we’re going! This cave also contains some relatively tricky climbs, be ready for …
I want to lead my first caving trip of the semester by going back to Croads this Sunday! This is a super fun cave with many different paths to choose from, and it’s also a great beginner cave for anyone interested in the sport. We will teach you all you need to know about safety and conservation; just be prepared …
Have you ever wished you had extra-thick blackout curtains? Or that the world would go absolutely silent when you wanted to meditate? Maybe you’ve been caving before and experienced the meditative bliss that is “lights out.” But have you ever wanted to do that for a really long time? We have. Introducing underground naptime & meditation! Come experience the absolute …
Let’s start the semester off right by going underground into a cave that we’ve never explored before! Hamilton cave is a maze cave in West Virginia that’s known for its complex network of narrow passageways, including a tight squeeze called the Air Blower leading to the back portion of the cave. These types of caves are my favorite, so I’m …
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I’m itching to get underground while I’m in town, so if you would similarly like to forget about your life and worries on the surface, come descend into darkness, silence, and pseudo-solitude with me. This will be a long day trip, with about 8-9 hours in-cave planned. We will try to push as far into Crossroads as we can, hopefully …
So many of you cavers want to become caving leaders that we’re doing a dedicated training trip! For those of you who want to lead caving trips of your own, this is a great opportunity to prepare. You’ll learn the safety and conservation guidelines that need to be told when leading beginners, practice flagging, learn how to understand and navigate …
New Trout is one of three large caves in the Trout cave area. It is know for many interesting features that should make it very fun to explore. Geologically speaking, the cave contains many interesting fossils from the Rancholabrean period, some of which are apparently visible on the walls. The cave contains several simple long passages and big rooms, but …
As some of you may know, Victor taught Aidan and I to cave and lead caving trips. We have not had a chance to cave together since those training trips and we are so excited to reunite for some underground fun! Paxton’s is one of the largest and most popular maze caves in Virginia. It has many miles of complex, …
Who doesn’t love to spend a beautiful Sunday deep underground? ….Probably most people tbh, but lucky for us, I am not most people! We’re going caaaaavviiiinggg We’ll be exploring the labyrinth that is Crossroads cave, a cave that you could visit a hundred times and never take the same route twice. There are all sorts of different passages to work …
You heard it right, we’re going CAVING AGAIN!! We’ll be exploring the labyrinth that is Crossroads cave, a cave that you could visit a hundred times and never take the same route twice. There are all sorts of different passages to work through, like climbs, crawls, squeezes, and large chambers with beautiful rock features. This is a beginner-friendly trip, so …
All my NRGE dirtbags, **PLEASE REFER TO THE NRGE CLUB EMAIL (Sent shortly after this post) AND READ THIS ENTIRE DESCRIPTION. THEN, FOLLOW THE DIRECTIONS** New River Gorge Extravaganza 2022 This is NOT an actual NRGE adventure. This is the CARPOOL for NRGE. This is how the officers will keep track of drivers and attendees. So make our lives easier …
Lockridge cave is one of my favorite caves that I have been to so far, largely because of how cool the watery aspects of it are. When I got home, I described it to my friends as looking and feeling like the treasure room at the end of “Pirates of the Caribbean: Curse of the Black Pearl.” Also, the entrance …