BEGINNER CAVING- Paxtons

OVERVIEW

Brrr its cold out. You would think I am used to the cold coming from Colorado. Surprise, I am not. So, to thoroughly enjoy the outdoors lets go to a sauna! Caves remain at a constant temperature year-round, so the cave is going to feel WARMER than the outside temp! Paxtons is a great first-time cave trip! If you have previously done some rock scrambling or trickier hikes, this is a good next step! While it’s not just flat hiking, there is no super-tricky climb or tight crawls in this cave. It’s mostly big bouldery rooms with plenty of space to move around. I also always see a plethora of critters. Depending on group vibes, we might try to make it back to the Xmas Tree room, which has some really beautiful features. So come join us for the first cave trip of the year!

Schedule:
9:00 am – Leave Echols
11:00 am – Arrive at cave and go over safety/conservation information
11:30 am – Start caving
3:30 pm – Finish caving
6:00 pm – Return to Charlottesville!

***Need a driver! You’ll get priority off the waitlist.

Gear we have (aka you don’t need to bring):
– Caving helmet
– No fewer than 2 working headlamps with spare batteries
– Gloves
-knee pads (optional)

Gear to Bring (aka YOU have to bring this!):
– Water
– Snack/Lunch
– 24-hour emergency food supply (just anything that can last you a day’s worth of meals, I bring like 3 protein bars)
– 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 at the gear room as well)
– Clean clothes/shoes for the car

Gear we have extra but please first try to bring your own. If you cannot get your own please notify us ASAP:
– A trash bag for hypothermia kit (hefty trash bags are good)
– 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 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, you are not entering the cave).
– It is a good idea not to have anything massively important scheduled for the evening of the trip in the unlikely event we are delayed

If you have any questions or concerns, feel free to reach out! Allie: (970) 294-8781 and William: (630) 697-0459