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FALL VAR 2008
Cave Trips and Projects
Early sign-up for cave trips & projects on pre-registration form for those participants who pre-register.
Cave trip sign-up will be available at the pavilion Friday and Saturday. Slots will be saved for cavers who do not pre-register. On site cave trip sign up will open at 10pm on Friday evening.
We will have both led and self led trips on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday. Please check at registration tent for cave openings.
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- Catawba Murder Hole, VA (Full for Pre-registration) Vertical/Advanced
- Crossroads Cave, VA - (Horizontal/Beginner)
- Culverson Creek, WV (Full for Pre-registration) - (Horizontal/Advanced)
- Grapevine Pit, WV- (Vertical/Advanced)
- Island Ford, VA - (Kids Trip)
- Lockridge Aqua and Marshalls Caves, VA - (Advanced/Beginner, WET)
- McClungs, WV (Lightener Entrance) - (Vertical/Advanced)
- New Castle Murder Hole, VA (Full for Pre-registration) - (Vertical/Advanced)
- Norman Cave, WV - (Horizontal/Beginner)
- Organ Cave, WV (Lipps Entrance) - (Horizontal/Beginner-Intermediate)
- Paxtons Cave, VA (Full for Pre-registration) - (Horizontal/Beginner-Intermediate)
- Pocahontas Poor Farm & Boar Hole, WV (Full for Pre-registration) - (Horizontal/Beginner)
- Porters Cave, VA - (Horizontal/Beginner-Intermediate)
- Scott Hollow Cave #1, WV (Trip to Double Waterfall) - (Horizontal/Advanced/Physical)
- Scott Hollow Cave #2, WV (The Omega Loop) - (Horizontal/Advanced/Physical)
Catawba Murder Hole, VA Vertical/Advanced
(This trip is FULL for pre-registration)
Leader(s): Dan & Marian McConnell
Trip Length: TBD
Trip Limit: 12 Cavers
VAR Site Meet Time: 8:00 AM Departure Time: 8:15
AM Meet at cave at 9:30 AM
Travel time to caveApproximately 1 hour, 15 minutes
Leader Comments: Catawba Murder Hole is vertical and on 3 main levels. The first drop into the huge "topless" Daylight Cave is about 100 feet, and can be done down the talus slope or off the "big drop" side. This huge impressive entrance pit is very photogenic; you could fit an 8-story building in it! Entrance into the cave itself is either through Fat Man's Squeeze or down the Screwhole. Both come out at the top of the Ski Slope; the second rappel which is about 70'. You will be belayed around the actual Murder Hole, a hole which opens up to the floor 75' below. A brief visit to Popcorn Palace and the Sanctuary Room are a short climb past the Tobacco Shed draperies. The third rappel is a 75' free rappel under the Tobacco Shed to the lower level. (Sometimes the lower level is a lake - if this is the case, the lower level will not be visited.) Hopefully the lower level will be dry enough to explore passages and rooms below to the lowest mapped level - which is 234' below datum.
Dan and Marian will offer a trip to the bottom for vertically competent cavers only on Saturday. Sunday will be open from 9am to 5pm to bounce the pit; open to novices. Dan and Marian will be there and available to work with novices. They will have 3 ropes off the high side, plus 1 on the talus slope. No one underground this day. This trip is also weather dependant-if it's raining it's cancelled.
Participants are responsible for supplying their own vertical/caving gear.
Owner Restrictions: The following systems will NOT be permitted on the drop to the lower level: any kind of knots; Texas (with knots or with ascenders). Descent control devices NOT allowed include all bobbins, regardless of configuration, manufacturer, or experience of the user; gri-gri's and similar devices. (This includes Petzl stops). No wrap-type descent control devices (e.g. Muenter Hitches, etc.) will be allowed. Carabiner brakes are not allowed.
Climbing systems allowed are: Frog, Mitchell, or rope walkers. Descent devices allowed are: Figure 8's and racks.
ALL gear must be very clean and in working order.
Each person must sign a waiver.
Crossroads
Cave, VA - (Horizontal/Beginner)
NOTE: THIS IS A SUNDAY TRIP
Leader: Mark Morton
Trip Length: 3-4 hours
Trip Limit: 12 Cavers Max.
VAR Site Meet Time: 8:45 Departure Time: 9:00 AM
Travel time to cave: Approximately 1 hour.
Special Requirements: Minimum age of children is up to parents.
Leader Comments: Crossroads cave is located in Bath County, VA on private property. It was originally explored in the early 1950's. Passages are strongly joint controlled and generally trend north-south. It contains nearly four miles of passage with a few sizable rooms. Total relief of cave is 95 feet. Crossroads is not a technical cave but it does merit extreme caution in many areas. "The Pit", while not deep, must be traversed to gain access to the bulk of the cave. A misstep could ruin your stay at VAR. Several canyons are traversed at or near the top (that is 30 feet or more from the floor). Crossroads is a very neat cave with lots to do for the beginner or even well experienced caver.
Culverson Creek, WV- (Horizontal/Advanced)
(This trip is FULL for pre-registration)
Leader: Dave Socky
Trip Length 6 hours
Trip Limit: 10 cavers.
VAR Site Meet Time: 9:00 AM Departure Time: 9:15 AM
Travel time to cave: Approximately 46 minutes.
Leader Comments: This trip into Culverson Creek will enter the
Wildcat entrance. We
will make our way down to the main Culverson trunk passage. Getting into
the trunk will require a hand line down climb of about 15 feet. This trip
will be wet and muddy, but features some really impressive large trunk
passage. You will see large logs jammed into the ceiling 30 feet up, so
this is not a route to take if it's going to rain! After going downstream
for several hundred feet, we will encounter the "Hairy Spot",
where we will have to traverse a slippery ledge to avoid a 15 foot deep
water fall. The "Hairy Spot" is a lot easier now days, since
a traverse line was installed last year. We will then encounter more large
trunk passage, the Mud-A-Horn, and then the "Log Jam". Once
there we will make our way through some smaller passage to the Echo Tube.
The Echo Tube is a long, straight, phreatic tube which extends for over
a 1000 feet in a straight line. It has the most amazing echo, which lasts
for 10 to 15 seconds. At the end of the Echo Tube is a round room which
is terminated by breakdown. There is lots of air coming out of the breakdown,
with lots of cracks and crannies to check. The breakdown has not been
surveyed, or pushed extensively. There is likely to be virgin cave. If
there is any chance of rain, we will go into the Wildcat section of the
cave instead.
Grapevine
Pit, WV- (Vertical/Advanced)
Leader: Carl Cornett
Trip Length TBD
Trip Limit: 15 Cavers Max.
VAR Site Meet Time: 8:45 AM Departure Time: 9:00 AM
Travel time to cave: 36 minutes
Comments: Long before Lost World Caverns was commercialized, its only entrance was Grapevine Pit, so named from the huge wild grapevines around this vertical entrance.
Special Requirements: Must be vertically competent & have
your own vertical gear. Only racks & rescue 8's will be allowed on
rope. ALL participants must sign waiver. The owner specifies NO NOVICES,
YOU MUST HAVE RAPPELLED UNDERGROUND PREVIOUS TO THIS DROP. Anyone under
18 yrs old must be accompanied by a parent.
Grapevine Pit is a 120-foot rappel into the huge 300' x 50' x 50' chamber of Lost World Caverns. You will land on one of the wooden tour decks and walk out via the tourist trail. Alternately, you can climb back out via your ascending system. Radios will be used to coordinate drops and climbs.Time permitting, there will be off-trail caving as a group once the drops and climbs are completed.
Island
Ford, VA - (Kids Trip)
Leader: Mary Sue Socky
Trip Length: 3 hours
Trip Limit: We will get ALL kids underground! We will do multiple trips
if necessary.
VAR Site Meet Time: 8:30 AM Departure Time: 8:45 AM
Travel time to cave: Approximately 15 minutes.
Requirements: A parent must accompany any child 10 yrs. old & under.
Comments: There is a stream which runs the length of the cave,
the origin of this stream is a "sand volcano" or "boiling
spring" in a beautiful pool near the back of the cave. Our objective
is to make it to this point. Island Ford is a good beginner cave with
mostly walking passage & a little crawling. You can even do "two"
cave trips: follow the trail on the way in & chimney above the stream
or walk through the stream on the way out. If you are lucky you may see
salamanders, crayfish & possibly bats.
Lockridge
Aqua and Marshalls Caves, VA - (Advanced/Beginner, WET)
Leader: Mark Morton
Trip Length: 4-6 hours
Trip Limit: 12 Cavers Max.
VAR Site Meet Time: 8:45 AM Departure Time: 9:00 AM
Travel Time To Cave: Approximately 70 minutes.
Special Requirements: Children's' age is up to parents. Cave requires enough climbing and chimneying to make it unsuitable for young children. There is water in this cave and if children are too young to straddle it they will get wet from the beginning possible up to their chest or more. Please use caution in planning.
Leader Comments: Both Marshalls and Aqua Cave are located in Highland County on National Forest land. Marshalls will be the first of the two trips. Upon entering the cave it's a short distance in until you reach the 20 foot drop you must descend to reach the lower section of the cave. Once at the bottom is when it becomes tricky to stay dry. You must try and stretch as far as possible (very tough for kids and short people) above the water to stay dry. It can be done. You continue on with this for the next few hundred feet until you reach the end and start to work up just a little in the cave. Along the way there are many beautiful formations to see from soda straws to flowstone to dogtooth spar. After caving for just a bit longer you come to the next down climb where we will rest for a few moments then head on the way back out so as to have time to discover Aqua.
Aqua Cave is pretty much what it implies. If you have never have been there before and was successful at staying dry in Marshalls it want happen here. Upon entering the cave you are pretty much wet from the neck down and yes it's cold. You wade thru the water only chest deep over to the beach. From there we ask ourselves why we are doing this then continue on like idiots. There are of course no formations to see but the size sound and beauty of this cave speak for itself. We will hike back a ways in and out of the water along the way until we come upon an area were will go up and check out some long dry sections. Not much to see other than cave. The trip is not difficult at all but is wet and fun. Just a way to check out to really cool cave in one day. For those not wanting to partake you can go for a swim in the river while you wait.
McClungs,
WV (Lightener Entrance) - (Vertical/Advanced)
Leader: Rick Shortt
Trip Length: Approx 5 hours.
Trip Limit: 8 cavers
VAR Site Meet Time: 8:00 Departure Time: 8:15 AM
Travel time to cave: Approximately 34 minutes.
Leader Comments: Participants must be vertically competent and have all their own gear for both rappelling and climbing. We'll do the two drops at the entrance (45' & 25'). Then it will depend on the speed of the group. If we seem fast we'll go down Tufa Trail to Freeman Avenue then do a loop also using the Main Canyon and Batbone Crawl. If we seem really slow we may just go down Tufa, explore a bit in Freeman, then go to the upper end of Tufa on our way out. I'd like to be entering the cave by 10 or earlier and climbing back out by 3 - 3:30 in order to make sure we're back in time for dinner.
New
Castle Murder Hole, VA - (Vertical/Advanced)
(This trip is FULL for pre-registration)
Leader: Aaron Moses,
Trip Length: TBD
Trip Limit: 6 cavers
VAR Site Meet Time: 9:45 AM Departure Time: 10:00 AM
Travel time to cave: Approximately 58 minutes.
Leader comments: Trip is open to vertical cavers who are comfortable crossing easy but exposed straddle pits without belay. The trip will start with a 78' free rappel down the scenic entrance pit. Just inside the cave a series of easy straddle pits have to be crossed followed by a little horizontal passage leading to the Butt Ledge. The Butt Ledge is an exciting traverse scooting across a narrow ledge above a 15' wide 30' deep pit (belay will be provided.) Shortly beyond the Butt Ledge is the Double Wells, twin 90' pits which after rappelling one can ascend either using the rope or the breakdown route.
Norman
Cave, WV - (Horizontal/Beginner)
Trip Leader(s): Harry & Larry Sowers
Trip Length: 6 hours
Trip Limit: 15 Cavers
VAR Site Meet Time: 9:00 AM Departure Time: 9:15 AM
Travel time to cave: Approximately 51 minutes.
Leader comments: Trip to Great White Way passage, well decorated.
Cave has fairly large borehole type passage but first 2000 ft has active
stream with water up to waist on adult but mostly knee height or less.
YOU WILL GET WET!! No vertical gear needed. Kneepads a plus.
Organ
Cave, WV (Lipps Entrance) - (Horizontal/Beginner-Intermediate)
Leader: Ed Swepston,
Trip Length: TBD
Trip Limit: 10 cavers
VAR Site Meet time: 9:00 AM Departure Time: 9:15 AM
Travel time to cave: Approximately 36 minutes.
Leader comments: The trip will be mostly dry, with a combination of narrow canyon passage, crawls, stoop ways, and breakdown filled rooms. There may be some exposed areas.
Paxtons
Cave, VA - (Horizontal/Beginner-Intermediate)
(This trip is FULL for pre-registration)
Leader: Doug Feller
Trip Length: 4 hours
Trip Limit: 10 cavers
VAR Site Meet Time: 9:15 AM Departure Time: 9:30 AM
Travel time to cave: Approximately 27 minutes.
Leader comments: The plan is to go to the Christmas room and
back. Paxton's is a horizontal maze cave with nice formations. Passage
height is
variable; be prepared for chimneys, stoop walking, squeeze thru's,
breakdown climbing, & some low crawls (knee pads recommended). Climbs
not too difficult.
Pocahontas Poor Farm & Boar Hole, WV - (Horizontal/Beginner) UPDATED!!!!
(This trip is FULL for pre-registration)
Leaders: Pat Sims / Dave Cowan
Trip length: 5 hours - 3 hours for Poor Farm and 2 hours for Boar Hole.
Trip Limit: 10 cavers
VAR Site Meet Time: 8:15 AM Departure Time: 8:30 AM
Travel time to cave: Approximately 1 hour, 5 minutes.
Leader comments: With approximately 8000 feet of passage, Pocahontas Poor Farm cave is mostly walking passage, with an occasional stoop walk thrown in. Mostly dry, the cave is a good choice for beginners, with wide-open passages, tight crawls, minor climbs, and occasional breakdown to crawl over.
There are nice formations in the cave, with the prettiest beyond a tight, low crawl. The crawl is about 12 inches high, but plenty wide.
Exposure is pretty much limited to a couple areas that either require a short climb (easily spotted), or passing by a couple of pits.
Bring your camera and an extra pair of shoes. The cave is located on a sheep farm and we'll be walking through lots of sheep droppings.
After Pocahontas Poor Farm, we'll head to Boar Hole and Dave Cowan will take over as trip leader.
Anyone not wishing to visit Boar Hole may skip it and head on back to the campground.
The Boar Hole is only about 3 miles west of US219 on your way back to Covington.
Dave Cowan is offering to lead a thru-trip from the original Discovery (dug open) Entrance to the Radio (located) Entrance. The thru-trip route will traverse about 4000' of this 10.5 mile Bortal System and takes ~2 hours. You will see it as the original explorers and mappers saw it.
The entrance is easy but intimidating and is the most difficult part
of the entire trip. It consists of a 15' chimney down to a short belly
crawl (6') to a 12' cable ladder climb down to a nice room. Then a couple
of short hands and knees crawls (~30' total) to a narrow canyon. From
there the cave passages just gets bigger and bigger - 60' to 70' high
80' to 100' wide. With the exception of a couple of duck-unders the rest
of the trip will be walking. Formations are sparse but interesting. You
will exit climbing a 17' aluminum ladder in a 36" plastic culvert.
Although we will be following a stream for about half the trip, we will
stay entirely dry.
Porters
Cave, VA - (Horizontal/Beginner-Intermediate) FRIDAY
AND SUNDAY TRIPS!
Leader: Paul Stern
Trip Length: 3-4 hours
Trip Limit: 15 cavers
VAR Site Meet Time: FRIDAY 2:15 PM Departure
Time: 2:30 PM SUNDAY 8:15 AM Departure Time
8:30 AM
Travel time to cave: Approximately 35 minutes.
Leader comments: Porters cave is a classic sinkhole, large and expansive cave in the foothills. Passages allow for a fairly easy access for an array of cavers. A moderate sized drainage pipe at the entrance with a diversity of maze cut backs to various rooms and passages. Some open pits exist and can be carefully guided around and through. Some mud but typically a fairly dry cave. Some formation, not heavily decorated. No children under 12.
Scott
Hollow Cave #1, WV (Trip to Double Waterfall) - (Horizontal/Advanced/Physical)
Trip Leader: Chuck Waller
Trip Length: Approx 6 hours
Trip Limit: 12 cavers
VAR Site Meet Time: 8:15 AM Departure Time: 8:30 AM
Travel time to cave: Approx 1 hour.
Special Requirement: Must be at least 18 years old, must be NSS member for at least 1 year, and must sign cave owner liability waiver. Also, the climb back to the entrance (known as "Drag-ass Hill) is very physically demanding.
Leader comments: Scott Hollow Cave is located in Monroe County, WV on private property owned by Michael Dore. The entrance to the cave is through a vertical 30 inch diameter, 40 foot long culvert in the floor of a house. This hole in the floor will lead down to the top of Mastodon Avenue. Mastodon Avenue is a large, steeply dipping breakdown passage 1,200 feet long which ends in the Junction Room. The Junction Room is 350 feet below the level of the entrance. From the Junction Room, this trip will go to an area called Middle Earth which has a stream that can be followed for 300 feet to the Mystic River. The Mystic River passage is at least 50 feet height and 40 feet wide with ankle to knee deep water. Traveling upstream 1,000 feet through some house size boulders is the Double Waterfall. If there is interest and time permits, we will also do some downstream exploring. Please keep in mind that it is "UPHILL" back to the cave entrance.
Scott
Hollow Cave #2, WV (The Omega Loop) - (Horizontal/Advanced/Physical)
Trip Leader: Gary Novak
Trip Length: Approximately 5-6 hours
Trip Limit: 12 cavers
VAR Site Meet Time: 8:45 AM Departure Time: 9:00 AM
Travel time to cave: Approximately 1 hours.
Special Requirement: Must be at least 18 years old, must be NSS member for at least 1 year, and must sign cave owner liability waiver. Also, the climb back to the entrance (known as "Drag-ass Hill) is very physically demanding.
Leader comments: Scott Hollow Cave is located in Monroe County, WV. It is an incredible cave with over 30 miles of passage. This trip will cover about 1.5 miles of that passage. From the entrance, we will travel down Mastodon Avenue; a large, steeply dipping breakdown passage 1,200 feet long which ends in the Junction Room. The Junction Room is 350 feet below the level of the entrance. From the Junction Room, this trip will lead approximately 1200 ft up Chris' Trunk, and then double back onto the Omega Trail for approx. 1500 ft, ending in the Chess Room. The Chess Room is a nicely decorated balcony room overlooking the Mystic River. We will downclimb to the Mystic River, and explore the river as time permits. We will return to the Junction Room via Middle Earth, and then proceed back up Mastodon Avenue to exit the cave. Please remember that it is a long uphill climb back to the entrance.
Projects
This years first project is a little different than in past
years, but should be just as fun, interesting, and definitely useful.
At the cave trip sign up area will be a list of a bunch mini cave projects
that need to be done for the Virginia Speleological Survey. Any number
of cavers can sign up for one or more projects, but you will be required
to report back on what was accomplished with respect to the particular
mini project. Participants will be responsible for obtaining permission
from the land owners when necessary. These mini projects will include,
but is not limited to the following:
1. Verify the coordinates of a cave
2. Verify the existence of a particular cave.
3. Survey (or at least start) the cave
4. Find out who the owner is
5. Verify who the owner is
6. Report on the inventory (Geology, bats, bugs, formations, etc)
Another cave project option is Ridgewalking / driving in the Snake Run area of Alleghany County VA, followed by a trip to Ewin Run Cave, Monroe County, WV.
Leader: John Pearson
Trip Length: Approx 8 hours.
Trip Limit: Two car loads…not to exceed 8 people.
VAR Site Meet Time: 9:45 AM Departure Time: 10:00AM
Travel time to Snake Run: 25 minutes, additional 30 minutes to Ewin Run
Cave
Requirements: Experienced cavers that can swim or have their own PFD. Plan on returning by 6 PM at the latest.
Leader Comments: Potential cave area, but haven't checked landowner access issues yet. Afterwards, a trip to Ewin Run Cave, Monroe County WV. This cave is very wet and small, but hasn't been visited in 30 years. There is allegedly a 20' deep pool that blocks the passage leading to a passage that blows air. Possible survey trip or digging might occur.
Copyright 2008, Virginia Region of the National Speleological
Society.
All rights reserved
Webmeister: David
Socky
