Beginner Caving at Crossroads :-)

OVERVIEW

Howdy folks! This Sunday we will be journeying into the renowned Crossroads Cave, and beginners are welcome! Crossroads is a wonderful place whose passages permit a healthy blend of walking, crawling, and climbing. And like in every good cave, its rocks, mud, and darkness often combine in aesthetically pleasing ways. Known as a maze cave, Crossroads has tons of interconnected passages to explore, totalling at about 9 miles of length. On this trip we’ll be taking it easy and choosing whichever path our hearts desire.

Schedule:
9:00am – Leave Echols
10:30am – Arrive and go over safety/conservation information
10:45am – Enter cave
2:45pm – Exit cave (could be sooner)
4:30pm – Return to Sleepy Cville

We could use a driver. If you have a car and wanna drive you’ll get priority off the waitlist. Gas can be reimbursed by the club.

Gear: I know this long list can be intimidating so feel free to reach out to us with any questions! We have extras of almost everything so if you have any concerns just let us know and we will help you get what you need.

Gear we have for each of you (if you have your own great but you don’t need to):
– Caving helmet
– No fewer than 2 working headlamps with spare batteries
– Gloves

Gear to Bring:
– Water
– Snack/Lunch
– 24 hour emergency food supply (just anything that can last you a day’s worth of meals)
– A container for any human waste – pack it in, pack it out (old water bottle or screwable tupperware)
– Clothes that can get dirty/ripped/ruined (long pants and long sleeves are mandatory- please try to avoid cotton)
– Close toed shoes that can get dirty/ripped/ruined
– At least 1 spare light (can be a headlamp or flashlight or even your phone )
– A bag or backpack that can get dirty/ripped/ruined (can be found in the gear room as well)
– Clean clothes/shoes for the car
– Two kitchen trash bags: one for a hypothermia kit and one for dirty clothes, shoes, and backpack (please try to bring your own first, but we will have extras)

Important notes:
– There’s a new ODC Risk Agreement you need to read. The section for caving is disproportionately long because the risks are quite serious. As leaders we do everything we can to make our trips pleasant and safe, but you should still inform yourself. Linked:
https://outdoorsatuva.wpenginepowered.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/ODC-Risk-Agreement-12_04_24.pdf
– You also MUST read the Caving Checklist provided by the club. It can be found under the Resources tab on the website or with this link: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1Lv1Hz8qOIvGb0BgVwFrU6NH1EyT3wPqt/edit?usp=sharing&ouid=115487946960226883937&rtpof=true&sd=true
– You should be at least semi-comfortable crawling in tight spaces and being in the dark.
– We’ll be very strict in ensuring you have the proper equipment (i.e., if you are not properly equipped with EVERYTHING mentioned above, you are not entering the cave so please tell us beforehand if you can’t get certain gear).
– It is a good idea to not have anything super important scheduled for the evening of the trip in the unlikely event we are delayed

If you have any questions or concerns or are unable to pick up gear, my phone number is (703) 268-6864 (Jack) and (757) 985-9543 (Lillie)