texascavers Digest 10 Jul 2013 04:01:20 -0000 Issue 1790 Topics (messages 22096 through 22106):
Re: Kiwi related
22096 by: David
BexarGrotto meeting tonight, Monday, July 8
22097 by: Geary Schindel
TSS work session this Wed July 10th
22098 by: Logan McNatt
Re: CaveDigger, the film
22099 by: Mark Minton
Kiwi Sink reminiscing
22100 by: David
Re: Feature on WOAI last night
22101 by: Geary Schindel
Texas Speleological Survey Update, July 2013
22102 by: Logan McNatt
Golindrinas/ Sotano El Barro related
22103 by: David
A photo semi-related to Kiwi
22104 by: David
TSS Database sample link
22105 by: Logan McNatt
cave rescue in Arkansas
22106 by: Geary Schindel
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--- Begin Message ---There is a barrel 80% full and a new rock with a sling on it, making 3 rocks ready to lift out. One of the big rocks by the ladder is loose enough for someone to get a choker on it. I camped out Saturday night and Sunday evening at UKBC ( Un-official Kiwi Base Camp ). I enjoyed a nice rain shower at camp and was visited by an owl. UKBC is now on the roof of my Honda Fit, and I am in San Marcos bound for Arcola. I would like to thank Ernie, and Terry and the Gluesencamps for all the help they gave me. I doubt I can make the next dig, but I will try. David Locklear
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--- Begin Message ---Folks, Debbie Spoons will be presenting on Utah Caving tonight at the Bexar Grotto of the NSS at 7 pm at Chester's Hamburgers. Chester's is located at US 281 and Mecca Drive. Debbie is the NSS Webinar Chair and is the power behind the screen that makes the webinars possible. She is also involved with the NSS Youth Program, cave rescue, and served on a Utah search and rescue team. Thanks, Geary Schindel<<attachment: winmail.dat>>
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--- Begin Message ---Cavers,*I'm sending this message on behalf of TSS President Ron Ralph because he is sick and won't make the work session. I'll be there, and would be glad to see some of you there, too.Logan McNatt, Secretary* *[email protected]* *hm 462-9581 *Our next scheduled second Wednesday work session of the Texas Speleological Survey will be this Wednesday, July 10^th , at the JJ Pickle Research Center. Dr. We will be looking through the files for various cave locations in Texas and filing USGS maps.Come by and help search the files for cave data. If you have a desire to search for your own data, the files and unpublished maps will be made available.Use the front entrance on Burnet Road north of highway 183. Both publication sales and the library will be open. The door will be open at 5:00 p.m. and stay open till we adjourn. Remember it is best to arrive before 6:00 pm and drinks are on me. Parking permits are only necessary during the day and evenings are free, so don't worry about parking tickets.If you have questions, please contact me at [email protected] <mailto:[email protected]>or call my cell. I will be happy to send you a link to the map of the Campus if you need directions.Ron Ralph Cell: 797-3817
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--- Begin Message --- They say his caves are dug in sandstone, but it looks way too soft and easy to cut through. I'll bet it's actually tuff (compacted volcanic ash).Mark At 07:02 AM 7/7/2013, Ted Samsel wrote:http://cavediggerdocumentary.com/about.html On Sun, Jul 7, 2013 at 5:59 AM, Ted Samsel <[email protected]> wrote:Here's a teaser.. wonder if he's getting silicosis. We were just up that way at the end of June..http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b4sfj9rKXDo Ted On Sun, Jul 7, 2013 at 12:15 AM, John Lyles <[email protected]> wrote:Documentary film by Jeffrey Karoff about the 'cathedral-like' caves dug by artist Ra Paulette in the sandstones of northern NM. Paulette lives in Embudo. Film explores his underground spaces while interviewing clients who grew frustrated with his inability to meet deadlines. Sounds frustrating! Sounds a little like the Manhole dig! Showing in Santa Fe at the Center for Contemporary Arts. July 9 (Tuesday) and July 14 (next Sunday). Artist and director will be present for discussion.Please reply to [email protected]Permanent email address is [email protected]
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--- Begin Message ---This unauthorized post is for cavers who have never seen Kiwi Sink, and to possibly encourage a new caver to come join the fun. Disclaimer: I do not have permission to re-post the 2 links shown below. This is old news, but I am sitting here 196 miles away from the sinkhole, reminiscing about the previous digs. I think the last dig was the best one in the past 3 months. However, I had more fun digging when the weather was cool. I have seen the floor of the entrance pit drop about 5 feet overall in the past 3 months, and in places about 7 feet. The video below was uploaded by Karstwalker 18 months ago. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vvJWZnocDaE Where the 8 foot ladder is shown, there is now a 20 foot ladder sitting at the top of the floor, and it is all downslope from there. ( Except there is a large mound of flowstone in the middle of the floor of the pit. ) Behind the ladder, is a passage that you can bellycrawl down into nearly 5 feet. Large rocks around that lead will be removed on the next dig, so that digging will become more efficient on that lead. It would be my guess that digging will progress in that lead when the fall digs start back up, and that surveyable passage will be found in that lead someday. It seems to be above the area on Dale's map ( see link below ) that reads, "breakdown choke with fresher air than most of cave." So maybe the diggers are just removing the ceiling of that digging lead from above ? In the floor around the ladder, are several extra-large size rocks, but you can see tiny voids underneath them going down at least a foot or more. It would seem like the next trip, those rocks will get hauled out. If so, the entrance drop will be 20 feet deep. A wild guess would be there is at least 16 more feet of rock and dirt at that spot ( plus or minus 10 feet ), meaning the pit could someday be a 26 to 46 foot rappel ( on the high side ). 180 degrees opposite the ladder, is the open passage going steeply down into the lower part of the known cave. I am looking forward to seeing a future waterfall video, if someone gets a chance to film one. How much rain do you need in order to get a video like that ? Is there any other way to determine which way the water really flows ? Like putting a garden hose down there ? David Locklear Ref: https://mail-attachment.googleusercontent.com/attachment/u/0/?ui=2&ik=71f4577f0b&view=att&th=13ec73bf1607ee6c&attid=0.1&disp=inline&safe=1&zw&saduie=AG9B_P_HZIuLtDLeBlc_tuBzgWzd&sadet=1373346917401&sads=fRXwGQ7YHp_NNGpZhsHsZsSgwrc
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--- Begin Message ---Folks, The Edward Aquifer Authority works with various media as part of our public education outreach program. On June 8th, a group of cavers took John Gerard, Selina Garza, and Mason Smith from WOAI channel 4 (San Antonio) into Seco Creek Sinkhole (AKA Valdina Farm Sinkhole) along with Colin McDaniel and William Luther from the San Antonio Express News. The Express News story came out on Tuesday, June 11 with a very nice article on the cave with a number of good photographs. The WOAI folks have been busy editing the piece which aired last night. I thought folks would like to see it. Special thanks to all the cavers that helped. Bryan Scott Zach Schudrowitz David Daniel Kori Dunaway Gary Franklin Andrea Croskrey David Ochel Vivian Loftin Joe Mitchell Evelynn Mitchel Mike Harris Jill Orr Jacqui Thomas Ellie Watson Sue Schindel Jon Cradit (EAA) Jenny Adkins (EAA) Geary Schindel (EAA) Terri Herbold (EAA) This aired on WOAI on Monday, July 8 at 10 pm. http://www.woai.com/news/local/story/Rappelling-Into-The-Aquifer/g8g_M-i-cEi9EBOcFwzHBA.cspx<<attachment: winmail.dat>>
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--- Begin Message ---TEXAS SPELEOLOGICAL SURVEY UPDATE, JULY 2013The TSS database currently has 12,948 records for caves and karst-related features in Texas, including 5,772 caves; 3,325 karst sinkholes and cavities; 2,932 springs; 708 shelters, and 211 "other" features such as selected mines and wells. The files include 2,529 maps for 2,197 caves; and 2,355 photos for 1,050 caves. The database is reciprocal: (1) it serves as a secure, centralized repository where cavers and other researchers can permanently archive their data; and (2) it provides data to cavers et al. through a carefully monitored request process designed to protect the resources. The TSS encourages everyone conducting surveys, research etc. in Texas caves to submit their data, so the database will continue to be as current and useful as possible.Future TSS publications in various stages of completion are: /The Caves of Government Canyon State Natural Area/, by Marvin Miller /The Caves of Hays County/, by Peter Sprouse /The Caves of the Urban Corridor/, edited by Kevin Stafford /The Biology of Texas Caves/, by James Reddell and Jean KrejcaThe TSS was founded in 1961 and is a non-profit corporation with the mission__to collect, organize, maintain, and publish information on Texas caves and karst for scientific, educational, and conservation purposes. Visitors are welcome to attend workshops held on the second Wednesday of each month, and the quarterly Board of Directors meetings at the TSS office on the Pickle Research Campus, University of Texas at Austin. The next meeting is Saturday, August 17, 2013.For more information on TSS---including how to submit and request data; contact info for the 15 Directors; publications for sale, and more--please visit our website at http://www.texasspeleologicalsurvey.org/Logan McNatt TSS Secretary
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--- Begin Message ---Here is a new way to bop the really deep entrance pits: https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=eGimzB5QM1M#at=69
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--- Begin Message ---Here is a picture of the base-camp ( UKBC ) that I had set up during the past 2 weeks. I only used it 4 times, but it was very convenient for me. https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-Zt-DirCQeIw/UdyKHdiAa0I/AAAAAAAADE4/TUxSSXYF7yA/w1118-h664-no/IMAG0489.jpg The only unique thing is that I hauled this all out to Rolling Oaks on the roof of my Honda Fit driving nearly 400 miles round-trip. There is other gear that didn't make the photo as it was either still in the car, or at the cave, or stored nearby on another caver's property. I had enough stuff for 3 people to camp very comfortably for several days, except I didn't have a stove or a latrine. Hopefully someday I will resurrect the UKBC. I have it all scattered across my back-yard now trying to air out as it got wet and mud-soaked while I was breaking camp in the rain. But it rained here today too. So I got to let it air out another day or so. My wife is not a happy camper at the moment, and suggested that if I don't throw all this trash away, she will for me. My only choice is to load it all up again once it is dry and take it to my storage unit in Brenham. David Locklear caver in Fort Bend County, Texas
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--- Begin Message --- As a follow-up to the TSS update, TSS Database Manager David McKenzie sends this link to give a sample of what the TSS Database is capable of. He is constantly upgrading and updating it with new info provided by others, and with your input, it will never be "finished", which is good.http://www.utexas.edu/tmm/sponsored_sites/tss/Walls/WallsMap-TX.htm
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--- Begin Message ---National Park Morning Report June 27. Buffalo National Scenic River (AR) Rangers Conduct Technical Rescue Of Trapped Caver Late on the night of June 22nd, the Searcy County Sheriff's Office called the park and asked for assistance with the rescue of a man trapped at the bottom of a 30-foot pit a quarter-mile inside of Kristin's Cave, not far from the park boundary near Cozahome. Rangers/technical rescue technicians Dale Johannsen, Mark Miller, Melissa Moses and Kevin Moses joined a Marshall Police Department officer and a Searcy County deputy and worked their way to the man's location to assess the situation, an effort that required negotiating several vertical obstacles along the way and conducting a severity probability exposure (SPE) risk analysis to help mitigate hazards. After locating and making voice contact with the man, who was an experienced caver and a member of a caving club out of Little Rock, they determined that he was thirsty, hungry and cold but otherwise okay and capable of ascending under his own power. The cause of his becoming stranded was that his equipment, including his rope, had been rendered useless by a heavy accumulation of thick, sticky, stubborn cave mud. Miller rappelled into the pit and provided the caver with water, food, a thermal layer and clean ascending equipment. Belayed from above, the caver was then able to ascend most of the pit on a new rope under his own power, though rescuers used a raising system to assist him with the last ten feet or so. Miller then followed, bringing with him a fused wad of metal, nylon, and mud that had at one point been the victim's original ascending system. The rescue party emerged from the cave four-and-a-half hours after they entered; because this particular mission occurred during nighttime hours, the rescuers were forced to conduct the entire operation by headlamp. By the time they emerged, the victim had been underground for 17 hours. Kevin Moses served as incident commander. [Submitted by Jason Flood, Lower Buffalo District Ranger]
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