Deck the Halls with Boughs of Stalactites? (Intermediate Caving @ Paxton’s)

OVERVIEW

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 we’ll be able to find it. We will be pushing hard and moving more quickly than we usually do in an attempt to get to the Christmas Room, which is why I’ve marked this as an intermediate trip. Therefore, I will be more selective about the waitlist than usual. That being said-feel free to sign up even if you’ve only been once before!

Schedule:
9:00am – Leave Echols
11:00pm – Arrive at cave and go over safety/conservation information
11:30pm – Start caving
4:30pm – Finish caving, return to car
7:00pm – 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 (GLOVES, long pants, and long sleeves are mandatory)
– Close toed shoes that can get dirty/ripped/ruined
– Caving helmet
– 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, 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