Put Your Body in a Refrigerator: Lockridge Aqua Cave (BEGINNER)

OVERVIEW

In Lockridge cave, you get to feel like you’re going on an epic adventure in a giant ancient sewer. It is (un?)affectionately known as Refrigerator Spring due to how cold the water is, but in my opinion it’s quite refreshing on a hot late-spring day and just fine inside with a wetsuit. Also, the entrance to the cave is partially underwater, adding an intense element to an otherwise beginner friendly cave. We will be spending a lot of time in the water, and although you can nearly always stand, if you dislike submersion in cold water this might not be the trip for you. However, if you’ve always wanted to go caving but are worried about claustrophobia, this is a great trip for you! Once inside, all of the passages are very large (no crawling or squeezes required, and it’s rare to be able to touch both walls simultaneously). The header picture is a great example of what most of the cave looks like.

I will be bringing all the wetsuits with me, meaning that you won’t have to find one on your own, and everyone can have one. Please wear only NON-COTTON clothing (polyester/fleece/wool is best), as anything you wear under the wetsuit will get wet and cotton will not keep you warm when wet. I would also recommend that you dry-bag anything important you want to take into the cave with you (a simple ziploc bag will do).

Schedule:
8:00 – Leave Echols
10:00 – Arrive at cave, go over safety/conservation information, and start caving
1:30 – Finish caving and head back to car
3:30 – Back at Echols

Gear to Bring:
– Water
– Snack/Lunch
– 24 hour emergency food supply
– A trash bag for hypothermia kit (this is super important for this cave in particular; especially with the water, hypothermia is a real risk)
– A container for any human waste – pack it in, pack it out
– Clothes that can get dirty/ripped/ruined *see above note about wetsuits and clothing*
– Close toed shoes that can get dirty/ripped/ruined (trust me, you will not want to be in chacos)
– Caving helmet (please don’t use the club’s climbing helmets; the caving helmets are the old Petzl Ecrin Rocs with a suspension system instead of a foam system)
– No fewer than 2 working headlamps with spare batteries, at least one should be safe to submerge for the entrance
– 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 (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

**Drivers needed! Gas will be reimbursed.**