Weekend at Paxton’s Part 2 (Beginner Caving)

OVERVIEW

It’s like a slot canyon, but stronger.

I’m hitting Paxton’s cave back-to-back this weekend because it’s one of my favorite caves and I want people to explore it with me. It’s a big ol’ maze cave and looks like a slot canyon. There’s a bit of everything there: belly crawls, vertical scrambles, tight passageways, massive chambers, decorated rooms, waterfalls, etc. etc. It would probably take days to explore the whole thing, so each time we come back we discover something new.

This is a really fun cave to explore if you’ve never been caving before! Just remember “beginner” does not mean “easy,” especially when it comes to caving, so be prepared to come across some potentially tricky climbs or crawls.

Schedule:
9:00am – Leave Echols
11:00am – Arrive at cave and go over safety/conservation information
11:30am – Start caving
3:30pm – Finish caving, return to car
6:00pm – 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 (trust me, you will not want to be in chacos); see note about clothes
– Caving helmet (please don’t use the club’s climbing helmets; the caving helmets are the old Petzl Ecrin Rocs or the new Petzl Boreos)
– 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

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