Advanced Caving: Marshall’s Cave

OVERVIEW

THIS IS AN ADVANCED CAVING TRIP. YOU MUST HAVE BEEN ON AT LEAST 2 OTHER CAVING TRIPS, WITH AT LEAST ONE BEING WITHIN THE PAST YEAR.
Marshall’s Cave is an exciting cave that we have never been to before. We are hoping to be able to add it to our list of intermediate caves, but we need a team of experienced cavers to come with us and check it out first. This cave is known for some really interesting and beautiful formations, a good variety of climbs and squeezes, and some very cool large rooms & high ceilings. There is also apparently a fair amount of cold water, so non-cotton clothing is a must.

Schedule:
10:00 – Leave Echols
12:00 – Arrive at cave, go over safety/conservation information, and start caving
5:00 – Finish caving and head back to car
7:00 – Back at Echols

Gear to Bring:
– Water
– Snack/Lunch
– 24 hour emergency food supply
– A trash bag for hypothermia kit (this is super important for this cave in particular; especially with the water, hypothermia is a real risk)
– A container for any human waste – pack it in, pack it out
– Clothes that can get dirty/ripped/ruined *see above note about clothing*
– Close toed shoes that can get dirty/ripped/ruined (trust me, you will not want to be in chacos)
– Caving helmet (please don’t use the club’s climbing helmets; the caving helmets are the old Petzl Ecrin Rocs with a suspension system instead of a foam system)
– No fewer than 2 working headlamps with spare batteries
– At least 1 spare light (can be a headlamp or flashlight)
– A bag or backpack that can get dirty/ripped/ruined
– Clean clothes/shoes for the car (please please)
– Trash bag for dirty clothes, shoes, and backpack (make sure it’s big enough)

Important notes:
– You MUST read the Caving Checklist provided by the club. It can be found under the Resources tab on the website. I have also linked it here: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1Lv1Hz8qOIvGb0BgVwFrU6NH1EyT3wPqt/edit?usp=sharing&ouid=115487946960226883937&rtpof=true&sd=true
– You are responsible for gathering all of your own equipment. Most of the gear is available at the club’s gear room.
– You should be comfortable crawling around in tight spaces and being in the dark.
– Because caving is such a dangerous sport, I will be very strict in ensuring you have the proper equipment (i.e., if you are not properly equipped with EVERYTHING mentioned above (even trash bags and spare clothing), you are not entering the cave).
– It is a good idea to not have anything massively important scheduled for the evening of the trip in the unlikely event we are delayed

**Drivers needed! Gas will be reimbursed.**