One Last Summer Caving Trip (Intermediate Caving)

OVERVIEW

The summer is nearing its end, but we’ve got time for one more caving trip. I want to explore more of glade cave, so we’re gonna see how many passages we can find the end of. I have labeled this trip intermediate because there are apparently a few tighter spots in the cave (I’m looking at you, small intestine). All of these are optional, so if we get to one that doesn’t look passable, we can skip it. If you haven’t been caving before but feel pretty confident, feel free to text me (434 882 3205) and we can talk about it. This cave is known for being one of the muddiest on the east coast, so you will get pretty well covered.

**Need a driver! You get priority off the waitlist**

The plan:
10:00 am – Leave Echols
11:00 am – Arrive at the cave, go over safety/conservation information, then get underground
3:30 pm – Finish caving and head back to the car
5:00 pm- Drop you off at your residence

Gear we bring:
– Caving helmet
– No fewer than 2 working headlamps
– Gloves
– Kneepads

Gear you bring:
– Water
– Snack/Lunch
– A trash bag for hypothermia kit
– 24 hour emergency food supply (just anything that can last you a days worth of meals, worst case scenario kind of item)
– A container for any human waste – pack it in, pack it out (like a screwable Tupperware, old water bottle, etc.)
– Clothes that can get dirty/ripped/ruined (long pants and long sleeves are mandatory); clothes that go into Glade cave will likely be unable to be recovered for future, non-caving use. I was able to fully wash out my clothes but it took a lot of time and a frankly embarrassing amount of water.
– Close toed shoes that can get dirty/ripped/ruined (trust me, you will not want to be in chacos); see note about clothes
– A bag or backpack that can get dirty/ripped/ruined; see note about clothes.
– At least 1 spare light (can be a headlamp or flashlight or even your phone)
– Clean clothes/shoes for the car (please please please)
– Trash bag for dirty clothes, shoes, and backpack, (make sure it’s big enough)
*** I know this gear list looks intimidating, so feel free to reach out if you cannot get everything on this list / if you have any concerns ***

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 (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

If you have any questions or concerns, please let me know!