Discover your true love: (Beginner) Caving!

OVERVIEW

Do you want a rock-solid relationship? Something that will last through the ups and (deep dark) downs? Boy do I have the answer. Come with us this fine Valentine’s day on a lovely trip underground. This cave is very beginner-friendly. We’ll be on two feet for most of the time, the crawls are spacious, and the climbs are easy. As a bonus, there should be a ton of bats for us to see (don’t worry, they are sleeping)! If you’ve ever thought about caving, this is the perfect first trip.

Drivers needed! If you have a car you will get priority off the waitlist as well as gas reimbursement.

Schedule:
10:00 am – Leave Echols
12:00 pm – Arrive at the cave, go over safety/conservation information, then get underground
4:00 pm – Finish caving and head back to the car (this is the latest we will cave, we may do shorter depending on interest)
7:00 pm- Drop you off at your residence

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. Because caving can have some serious consequences in the case that something happens to go wrong, we are quite strict that you have everything on this list, so if you do not, contact me (434 882 3205) so we can get you set up.

Gear to Bring:
– Water
– Snack/Lunch
– 24 hour emergency food supply (anything that will last for a day’s worth of meals)
– 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 (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 (headlamp, flashlight, or phone flashlight)
– A bag or backpack that can get dirty/ripped/ruined (can also be checked out from gear room)
– Clean clothes/shoes for the car
– Trash bag for dirty clothes, shoes, and backpack (make sure it’s big enough)

Gear we have:
– Caving helmet
– No fewer than 2 working headlamps with spare batteries
– Gloves
– Knee pads (optional)
– Candles for hypothermia kit

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 to not have anything massively important scheduled for the evening of the trip in the unlikely event we are delayed

Alright, that’s a lot of information. If you have any questions or concerns, feel free to reach out to me (434 882 3205) or William (630 697 0459).