Denise’s dog Radish had a major conniption fit about the ‘dillo, and tried to eat it.
HAHAHAHAHA - I'm sure that was hilarious to witness. I bet the 'dillo was bigger than the dog. I love fearless Radish! -----Original Message----- From: Jim Kennedy <[email protected]> To: CaveTex <[email protected]> Sent: Tue, Jan 11, 2011 3:14 pm Subject: [Texascavers] January CBSP trip report Project date: 7–9 January 2011 Reported by: Jim Kennedy Report date: 11 January 2011 Person-hours: 262 hours (164 work, 98 travel) Personnel: (23 folks) Alexandra Albach, Gus Albach, Rebecca Albach, Robert Albach, Don Arburn, Dale Barnard, Grace Borengasser, Laura Cox, Ryan Fabich, Galen Falgout, Lydia Hernandez, Jim Kennedy, Vivian Loftin, Karen Masters, Ryan Monjaras, Joe Naderer, David Ochel, Denise Prendergast, Ann Scott, Matt Turner, Nicholas Yasui, Matt Zaldivar, Andy Zenker This has been one of the best turnouts in recent years. Six teams were fielded, most concentrating on the recently-burned Lively Pasture area. Two caves were mapped, many locations ground-truthed, more new karst features found, a known karst feature was turned into a cave, and some new caves were discovered, one of which (Marshmallow) is a pretty exciting find with a lot of potential. Team 1 Jim Kennedy, Matt Turner, Becky Albach, and (part time) Gus Albach Matt and I had several goals this weekend: to remove the awkward entrance rock at Rabbit Run Grotto (SAB222), enlarge the entrance at K-46 (SAB704 — now renamed Rebeccas Rift), and ground-truth more caves near Embryo Cave (SAB226) and Gas Pipe Cave (SAB267). We accomplished all of those, and more. We once again drove back the access road toward the remote group camp (“Windmill Camp”) and parked in a nearby clearing. We carried our tools and a rope and some rigging for Rabbit Run Grotto (SAB222). We demolished the big, awkward boulder straddling the entrance. We were going to set a couple of bolts to facilitate entry, but Jim forgot to bring them. A couple other groups caught up with this team about then, and David (Team 2) began to rig the entrance and prepare for the survey. The duo then took off for K-46 (SAB704) with Robert’s younger daughter Becky. The threesome looked at some other caves and karst features along the way, and quickly arrived at their destination. About an hour’s worth of work had the narrow rift sufficiently enlarged that a skinny team could probably fit. The depth was measured with a Disto at 5.8m, so it is definitely a cave. To commemorate Becky’s hard work in digging open this feature, it was renamed Rebeccas Rift. They returned to Sharis Diet Cave (SAB205) to retrieve Team 3 and send them on to Rebeccas Rift to push and map it, but they were already done and gone. They were found again at Rabbit Run Grotto, briefed, and sent off to Rebeccas Rift. Team 1 then picked up Gus Albach and headed off to find more caves. Trapdoor Cave (SAB690) was finally GPSed. They then found Gas Pipe Cave (SAB267), which had two sets of coordinates, both wrong. Good coordinates were gathered. Then off to Embryo Cave (SAB226), where better coordinates were also collected. Slick Mudder Cave (SAB225) was also mislocated, but eventually found and recorded. However, it is not a cave, just a shallow karst feature filled with sediment. We found the tag on a nearby tree, so we knew that this is the “cave” that is in our database. We wandered around some more trying to find other nearby caves with the GPS. Cave Number 6 (SAB224) eluded us, even though we all walked several circles around where it was supposed to be. A small crevice sort-of nearby was found, but it wasn’t tagged (so far called “Crevice Karst Feature”). The team also re-found SABK045, an unnamed karst feature, and SB231, and unnamed cave in a dense thicket. Coordinates were a bit off for both, and it is unsure whether or not they are actually on the Park property, so no further investigation of these two occurred. One more obvious trash-filled sink (“Trash Sink”) right next to the road was also recorded. Surprisingly, no one ever recorded it before. The highlight of the day, however, came with the discovery of another new cave, Marshmallow Cave (no SAB number yet). As usual, Jim noticed a shallow slump under some trees. A few rocks were removed, revealing a larger collapse, mostly covered by soil and large rocks. After an hour or so of work by Jim, Matt, and the kids, the entrance was large enough for Jim to enter. A fairly easy climbdown of about 3.5 meters opened to a dry stream crawl of easy hands-and-knees dimensions. After about 30m, the passage picked up another infeeder, and dropped 4m to another going dry stream passage. The air was a little bad there, and two impressionable young children were along, so it was decided not to try anything foolhardy at that point. This cave is trending towards Tie Slide Creek, and looks like a good one. Becky came up with the name, based on the white rocks at the entrance. After arriving back at the trucks, Jim decided to make one more journey back to Rabbit Run Grotto to check on the status of the other teams. Heading in a GPS-directed beeline, he soon found two more good looking leads that will need enlarging, but should turn into a cave, Cairn Sink 1 and Cairn Sink 2. People and gear were gathered, trucks were entered, and camp was returned to. Team one’s hours: 27.0 Team 2 David Ochel, Grace Borengasser, Joe Naderer, Robert Albach, Alexandra Albach This team hiked into Rabbit Run Grotto (SAB222) from the Lively Pasture trailhead (Windmill Parking Lot). Some team members had to return to their vehicles for additional vertical gear, and got lost on the way out and back, causing delays. Rigging was achieved and survey started while these delays occurred. Eventually, David and Robert got most of the rest of the cave surveyed. More time was spent getting Alexandra, Grace, and Joe kitted up and on rope. This was Joe’s first ever wild cave trip, so he started off with a bang! Alexandra explored a lead at the bottom of the cave which eventually got too tight. It looks diggable (mud) and reasonably promising. Multiple variations of chimneying, rock-climbing, and single rope techniques eventually got everyone out of the cave. Team 3 showed up again, and Nicholas and Andy toured the cave before derigging it and returning to camp. 31.15m were surveyed, with a depth of 13.13m. Team two’s hours: 40.0 Team 3 Andy Zenker, Matt Zaldivar, Nicholas Yasui This team, affectionately known among us as “Team Flaco,” was to go directly to recently-opened Sharis Diet Cave (SAB205). However, despite clear directions and even being re-found on the Park road and given directions a second time, never found the correct access road and ending up parking and hiking much further than necessary. The cave was entered and the survey completed in 2 shots to a too-tight drain at the bottom. Survey length is 10.12m, and depth is 10.07m. Afterwards, the team went to Rabbit Run Grotto, met Jim and the others, were pointed toward Rebeccas Rift (SAB704), and took off following the GPS which they did not no how to use. After wandering in the wrong direction for a while they finally figured it out, and reached their destination. They removed more of the small rocks left by Team 1, but there is still one more in the way, so no survey was achieved. This cave still needs a little more modification before anyone returns. Frustrated, they returned to Rabbit Run Grotto again and Andy and Nicholas toured the cave before it was derigged. Matt went back to camp with Team 1, and the remaining GPS-challenged cavers thrashed about in the dark hunting unsuccessfully for their vehicle. Luckily Robert from Team 2 found them along a road and gave them a lift back to their car, saving them hours more hiking. Team three’s hours: 27.0 Team 4 Don Arburn, Ann Scott, Denise Prendergast, Galen Falgout This team was comprised of three experienced cavers just wanting to get out and hike, and the enthusiastic “new blood” in the form of Galen. They parked at the Lively Pasture trailhead and followed the trail up Gorman Creek. Their first objective was SAB187, an unnamed, unmapped cave. However, they either missed it, or it wasn’t where the coordinates indicated. They did find a variety of other unrecorded holes and karst features, stuffing Galen into each as far as he could go. It was determined that they could estimate the depth of each feature by multiplying how many body lengths he could fit, and coining the “Galen” as a unit of measurement (1.8m). SAB198, another unnamed, unmapped cave, could not be found, and obviously has bad coordinates. They continued, re-finding Cenote del Carne (SAB196) and correcting the location coordinates. They then tried to find Dog and Butterfly Cave (SAB197), but the current coordinates are very bad and it remained unfound. SBK068, an unnamed karst feature, was found, and the coordinates were pretty good. Sore Back Cave (SAB194) was passed nearby, but another nearby unnamed, unmapped cave, SAB193, was also not re-found. They then looped back down the hillside, finding another cave near Cenote del Carne. This was labeled as 2 Burnt Ropes Cave (no SAB number yet). It is a tight, deep hole and no handholds, and two 2m lengths of burned rope hanging from a bush protruding from the cave entrance. A few more digs were noted and recorded, including features previously tagged K8, K9, and K10. These three do not seem to be in the database yet. Eventually the group ended up at the historic entrance to Gorman Creek Crevice Cave (SAB183a). Galen went in a ways and checked out all the “big” passage. They then toured a bunch of entrances documented during the October trip, finding one of Jim’s lost bug bottles (empty) at Onerock Karst Feature (SAB707). Eventually they meandered up to Rabbit Run Grotto (SAB222) in time to see Grace enter and just missing Team 1. They then turned back to the truck, finding another dig and another feature, missed the first time, named Peptohole (no SAB number yet) after Denise’s missing bag of Pepto-Bismol tablets. An armadillo was caught and photos taken. Denise’s dog Radish had a major conniption fit about the ‘dillo, and tried to eat it. It was safely released and the team returned to camp. Team four’s hours: 22.0 Team 5 Dale Barnard, Vivian Loftin, Ryan Fabich Dale and crew returned to Sore Back Cave (SAB194), and old survey project of his. He attempted to return in January 2010 to work on his sketches, but that trip was aborted when team member Chris Butschek became wedged in the entrance, requiring Park personnel for extrication. This time he had a clipboard and photocopies of the old notes to add details. There is no evidence of the minor rock-breaking that occurred during the rescue. Dale sketched the second tight entrance that was neglected in 1995, when he did the original survey. After frustrations with his old profile, he started to resurvey part of the cave. Eventually he decided that the old notes were pretty good after all. He added more details, and the team left the cave. On the way back they visited the Horseshoe Chimney Entrance to Gorman Creek Crevice Cave (SAB183b) and the Historic (Gorman Creek Crevice) Entrance to Gorman Creek Crevice Cave (SAB183a) before returning to camp. Team five’s hours: 18.0 Team 6 Karen Masters, Ryan Monjaras, Lydia Hernandez, Laura Cox This team set out for Great Gaspy Cave (SAB682) and Critical Moss Cave (SAB683) to FINALLY finish the surveys of both, and to ridgewalk the surrounding area to look for more new caves. They began at Gaspy, where Lydia wanted to clean up data from the December trip. All but Karen entered the cave and collected additional information. Karen reviewed her notes and sketch of Critical Moss, and did a little hiking around. As the Gaspy group was exiting, they heard a loud bang. No one saw anything, but cave monsters were conjectured. Laura unfortunately dropped her camera, which was retrieved, but the LCD viewscreen was broken. The group then went to Critical Moss and entered to resume the survey. Six bats were noted, probably Tri-colored bats (Perimyotis subflavus). At station 4 Karen noted that the squeeze still had bad air, confirmed with Ryan’s lighter. Lydia and Ryan entered the squeeze to assess the air in the back room while Karen and Laura checked the data. Lydia and Ryan returned, short of breath, and said that the air was bad to the end. After a brief discussion it was decided not to dig, but hopefully still continue the survey. Karen and Lydia set up at station 5, but realized that it would take multiple shots to get through the restriction, something none of them looked forward to. In the end it was decided not to pursue the survey. Some crickets were noted procreating in the cave, recorded by Ryan on Lydia’s camera. Another hour and a half were spent ridgewalking. The scenery was enjoyable. The group re-found Polish Cave (SAB233) and collected new (and better?) coordinates. Team six’s hours: 30.0 What Should Be Done Next: Re-tag Sharis Diet Cave (SAB205), which currently has a “K11” tag on it. Continue to enlarge Rebeccas Rift (SAB704), and survey it. Re-tag. Re-find MM Hole (SAB191), Cave #6 (SAB224), and Centennial Cave (SAB239), map MM Hole and Cave #6. Map Marshmallow Cave. Revisit Team 4's leads to assess enlargeability and to re-find the other caves and karst features not located. Go back to Critical Moss Cave (SAB683) to push lead at bottom and finish map. Tag Great Gaspy Cave (SAB682). Ridgewalk more of burned area in Lively pasture to look for new features and verify some questionable points, especially the area around Space Heater Cave (SAB203), Earth Day Delight Cave (SAB257), Sore Toe Cave (SAB179), and Varmint Trap Cave (SAB178); the area around Don’t Fit Pit (SAB199), unnamed cave SAB195, and unnamed cave SAB193; and the area around Peps Pit (SAB315), Coon Scat Crevice (SAB273), unnamed cave SAB291, Shrink to Fit Cave (SAB218), Hard Wedge Cave (SAB 272), Good n’ Tight Cave (SAB283), and Arizona Cave (SAB282).
