BEGINNER CAVING AT CROSSROADS CAVE AW YEAH

OVERVIEW

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, each time you come back, you discover something new.

This trip is open to anyone, so if you’ve never been caving it’s a great place to start! We’ll be going over safety and conservation techniques before going in the cave.

We’ll likely spend about 4 hours underground, and I’ve given us 4 and a half on the schedule in case we’re feeling particularly energetic. And speaking of energy, caving is a full-body workout so be prepared to be tired out by the end of it!

Schedule:
10:00 – Leave Echols
12:00 – Arrive at cave, go over safety/conservation information, and start caving
4:30 – Finish caving and head back to car
6:30 – Back at Echols

Gear to Bring:
– Water
– Snack/Lunch
– 24 hour emergency food supply
– A trash bag for hypothermia kit
– A container for any human waste – pack it in, pack it out
– Clothes that can get dirty/ripped/ruined, INCLUDING GLOVES
– Close toed shoes that can get dirty/ripped/ruined (I recommend boots, but hiking/running shoes with good traction will do)
– Caving helmet (please don’t use the club’s climbing helmets; the caving helmets are the old Petzl Ecrin Rocs or new Petzl Boreos)
– No fewer than 2 working headlamps with spare batteries
– At least 1 spare light in addition to your 2 headlamps (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)
– Knee pads (optional)

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(*see my note above). 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

**Driver needed! You’ll get priority off the waitlist, and gas will be reimbursed.**