texascavers Digest 2 Feb 2011 12:42:00 -0000 Issue 1237
Topics (messages 16985 through 16998):
Mexico travel related
16985 by: David
16987 by: Mark.Alman.L-3com.com
16988 by: Preston Forsythe
16989 by: Gill Edigar
UT Grotto Meeting - Wed Feb 2
16986 by: Gary Franklin
Re: Sequoia-Kings Canyon Cave Program vacancy
16990 by: Fofo
special for you ;)
16991 by: bmorgan994.aol.com
Honeycreek
16992 by: Kurt L. Menking
16993 by: caverarch
16995 by: Mark Minton
16998 by: Mark.Alman.L-3com.com
"Sanctum" 3-D effects bus is touring the nation, in Gainesville, FL today
16994 by: caverarch
Re: [SWR] WNS confirmed in Indiana
16996 by: Bill Bentley
16997 by: Diana Tomchick
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--- Begin Message ---
There have been post recently about travel safety in Mexico.
Most CaveTex users have NO desire to see these postings
or replies to them.
I will be following this topic occasionally and posting updates at
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Texas-Caver-Discussion-Forum/100144753397480
or privately among friends that travel south.
There are tabloid like web-sites ( in Spanish ) painting a much more
grim picture than what
we are receiving on CNN.
David Locklear
--- End Message ---
--- Begin Message ---
I beg to differ, David.
I think this is the PERFECT forum for it and an issue that needs
periodic discussion.
We have a lot of new cavers that use this excellent resource and CaveTex
is a much better medium to discuss pertinent issues related to caving in
Texas and areas in and around the state, including Mexico.
It definitely is better than FB and having to sift thru some of the
drivel and nonsense posted there.
If folks would rather put their heads in the sand and not discuss all of
the dangers and border issues involving cartels and innocent bystanders
becoming victims, the delete key is in the upper right on most
keyboards.
Mark
-----Original Message-----
From: David [mailto:[email protected]]
Sent: Sunday, January 30, 2011 11:57 PM
To: Cavers Texas
Subject: [Texascavers] Mexico travel related
There have been post recently about travel safety in Mexico.
Most CaveTex users have NO desire to see these postings
or replies to them.
--- End Message ---
--- Begin Message ---
Mark and David I agree with posting Mexico travel concerns on CaveTex. It is
good information. It was interesting to read of the tragedy near Potrero
Chico, not far from Monterrey. We have friends who go to Potrero Chico to
rock climb each winter. In a depressing way it was interesting to learn the
word "machetazado." I understand many Mexico caving trips over the holidays
were cancelled as just not worth the risk..... Here in KY many caves are
being closed, especially eastern KY, because of the risk of WNS spreading.
Preston in KY
----------------------------------------
----- Original Message -----
From: <[email protected]>
To: "David" <[email protected]>; "Cavers Texas"
<[email protected]>
Sent: Monday, January 31, 2011 8:00 AM
Subject: RE: [Texascavers] Mexico travel related
I beg to differ, David.
I think this is the PERFECT forum for it and an issue that needs
periodic discussion.
We have a lot of new cavers that use this excellent resource and CaveTex
is a much better medium to discuss pertinent issues related to caving in
Texas and areas in and around the state, including Mexico.
It definitely is better than FB and having to sift thru some of the
drivel and nonsense posted there.
If folks would rather put their heads in the sand and not discuss all of
the dangers and border issues involving cartels and innocent bystanders
becoming victims, the delete key is in the upper right on most
keyboards.
Mark
--- End Message ---
--- Begin Message ---
I will continue to post Mexico travel info on CaveTex and encourage
others to do so. And I will post it on FB as well. Wide distribution
is good.
--Ediger
--- End Message ---
--- Begin Message ---
Howdy Caver,
You are cordially invited to attend our next Grotto meeting.
The Underground Texas Grotto is a group of cavers from the Austin area that
explore caves in Central Texas and beyond. We will meet on Wednesday,
February 2, 2011 from 7:45 P.M. - 9:00 P.M. on the University of Texas
Campus in 2.48 Painter Hall
156 West 24th Street, Austin, TX 78712
http://maps.google.com/maps?q=156+West+24th+Street,+Austin,+TX+78712&hl=en
The Program for the evening will be:
The UT Grotto - Who We Are, What We Do, and What We Represent.
Grotto members will be presenting various topics to showcase the diverse
aspects of the UT Grotto such as our excellent training program to ease
folks into caving, Formal Caving Organizations that members have joint
association, and some trips that we have been involved. Joining the Inner
Sanctum of Austin Texas Cavers is accomplished if you just show up. We
represent the Cave Exploration aspect of caving where some of our members
also join associated organizations that help to preserve caves, document
caves, and the environmental education toward caves. Our trips are
legendary quests for fun that extend across Texas and beyond to include a
network of international Cavers. This meeting will also include the
Election of Officers for 2011.
For information on Underground Texas Grotto activities, please see
www.utgrotto.org for officer contact info, trips reports, new caver
training, and the event calendar.
Some of us meet before the meetings at Sao Paulo www.saopaulos.net for a
happy hour special. This area is the best place to park and meet folks
walking over to the meeting. Then, after the official meeting, we continue
with the decades long tradition to reconvene for burgers, beer, and typical
cave talk at Posse East. www.posse-east.com
The UT Grotto calendar is open for you to share about your adventures,
scientific research, or something cool. Contact Gary to schedule your
Program NOW !!!!
Come out for our Groundhog Day meeting to check us out and see what we have
been up to.
Gary Franklin
UT Grotto Vice Chair & Program Organizer
512-585-6057
[email protected]
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--- Begin Message ---
�Hola!
There will be an opening today in the USA jobs website for a cave
technician in Sequoia-Kings Canyon. You can read more about it in Joel
Despain's email. It's a beautiful park, with lots of unexplored karst.
For anyone interested, good luck!
- Fofo
-------- Original Message --------
Subject: SEKI Cave Program vacancy
Hello All: The Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks cave technician
position formerly held by Ben Tobin will open today on the USA jobs
website. Please share this announcement far and wide. All applicants please
be very careful to fully complete the application. It is easy to miss
something and every part of the application is important for rating
candidates. Note that this term position is scheduled for four years of
renewal and may possibly again become a permanent job in the future. The
position is base-funded at 6 months per year, but project funds are also
likely to fund the position for part of the year for at least the next
several years. Also please note that the area around the park has rather
expensive housing compared to most of the country, and candidates may want
to carefully contemplate their financial situation before accepting this
position. The only other significant caveat is that the air quality here is
very poor for particulates and ozone. Otherwise this is an amazing and
wonderful park and a fine place to work. Best of luck to all candidates!
Joel
Joel Despain
Cave Specialist for Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks
47050 Generals Highway
Three Rivers, CA 93271
559 565-3717
[email protected]
----- Forwarded by Joel Despain/SEKI/NPS on 02/01/2011 08:43 AM -----
Subject Vacancy Announcement
Opening: 02/01/2011
Closing: 02/14/2011
Physical Science Technician
GS-1311-07
TERM Subject to Furlough
NTE 13 months
All Sources and Merit Promotion
Eric Abbott
Human Resources Specialist
Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks
O - 559-565-3753
F - 559-565-4247
------------------------------------
--- End Message ---
--- Begin Message ---
for your better life ;) http://informaticasam.com/pills.html
--- End Message ---
--- Begin Message ---
My hats off to Ellie for getting the word out and motivating cavers from all
over the state to come out to Honeycreek cave this weekend. Don Brusard and
Kitty, and others helped run the tractor to get everyone in and out safely. It
was largely a cat hearding exercise Saturday morning, but once everyone was in
the cave everything seemed to go smoothly.
We had 83 people go caving in Honeycreek Saturday. 83 people signed the log
sheet, and 82 people signed out. The one who didn't sign out was hunted down
by cell phone and tongue lashed appropriately. We also had at least 3-6
surface people out during the day, so we had very close to 90 folks on the
property.
I don't know the exact numbers but about 60 folks did through trips. Half went
in at the spring, and half went in at the shaft. The groups were staggered and
while there were a few bottle necks here and there they were not a big deal.
One group did the through trip in 2 hours and 45 minutes. And one of those
guys had only one flipper (he was the one setting the blistering pace).
Another large group did the trip up the QA to the pretty walking section.
And Ed, Mallory, Ellie, and others did the push to the end of the Mile Crawl
passage.
All in all a great weekend. I'm not sure we had this many people in the cave
at TCR.
I know lots of photos were taken, so some of you need to send Mark your pics
with a trip report. It was an epic weekend.
Kurt
--- End Message ---
--- Begin Message ---
Great news, and congratulations to everyone involved Events like this are just
what is needed to keep Texas caving (or caving anywhere) going strong.
Roger Moore
Greater Houston Grotto
-----Original Message-----
From: Kurt L. Menking <[email protected]>
To: [email protected] <[email protected]>
Sent: Tue, Feb 1, 2011 3:21 pm
Subject: [Texascavers] Honeycreek
My hats off to Ellie for getting the word out and motivating cavers from all
over the state to come out to Honeycreek cave this weekend. Don Brusard and
Kitty, and others helped run the tractor to get everyone in and out safely. It
was largely a cat hearding exercise Saturday morning, but once everyone was in
the cave everything seemed to go smoothly.
We had 83 people go caving in Honeycreek Saturday. 83 people signed the log
sheet, and 82 people signed out. The one who didn’t sign out was hunted down
by cell phone and tongue lashed appropriately. We also had at least 3-6
surface people out during the day, so we had very close to 90 folks on the
property.
I don’t know the exact numbers but about 60 folks did through trips. Half went
in at the spring, and half went in at the shaft. The groups were staggered and
while there were a few bottle necks here and there they were not a big deal.
One group did the through trip in 2 hours and 45 minutes. And one of those
guys had only one flipper (he was the one setting the blistering pace).
Another large group did the trip up the QA to the pretty walking section.
And Ed, Mallory, Ellie, and others did the push to the end of the Mile Crawl
passage.
All in all a great weekend. I‘m not sure we had this many people in the cave
at TCR.
I know lots of photos were taken, so some of you need to send Mark your pics
with a trip report. It was an epic weekend.
Kurt
--- End Message ---
--- Begin Message ---
Wow! That's almost the same number of people we had at the
Honey Creek 20-year anniversary in 2000! (84 was the official count
then, but they didn't all go caving. See Texas Caver 45(5) p.
125-126, Sept./Oct. 2000.) Good show!
Mark Minton
At 04:21 PM 2/1/2011, Kurt L. Menking wrote:
My hats off to Ellie for getting the word out and motivating cavers
from all over the state to come out to Honeycreek cave this
weekend. Don Brusard and Kitty, and others helped run the tractor
to get everyone in and out safely. It was largely a cat hearding
exercise Saturday morning, but once everyone was in the cave
everything seemed to go smoothly.
We had 83 people go caving in Honeycreek Saturday. 83 people signed
the log sheet, and 82 people signed out. The one who didn't sign
out was hunted down by cell phone and tongue lashed
appropriately. We also had at least 3-6 surface people out during
the day, so we had very close to 90 folks on the property.
I don't know the exact numbers but about 60 folks did through
trips. Half went in at the spring, and half went in at the
shaft. The groups were staggered and while there were a few bottle
necks here and there they were not a big deal. One group did the
through trip in 2 hours and 45 minutes. And one of those guys had
only one flipper (he was the one setting the blistering pace).
Another large group did the trip up the QA to the pretty walking section.
And Ed, Mallory, Ellie, and others did the push to the end of the
Mile Crawl passage.
All in all a great weekend. I'm not sure we had this many people in
the cave at TCR.
I know lots of photos were taken, so some of you need to send Mark
your pics with a trip report. It was an epic weekend.
Kurt
Please reply to [email protected]
Permanent email address is [email protected]
--- End Message ---
--- Begin Message ---
Thanks, Kurt!
Make it quick, y'all! I still have space and y'all still have time!
Mark
From: Kurt L. Menking [mailto:[email protected]]
Sent: Tuesday, February 01, 2011 3:21 PM
To: [email protected]
Subject: [Texascavers] Honeycreek
My hats off to Ellie for getting the word out and motivating cavers from
all over the state to come out to Honeycreek cave this weekend. Don
Brusard and Kitty, and others helped run the tractor to get everyone in
and out safely. It was largely a cat hearding exercise Saturday
morning, but once everyone was in the cave everything seemed to go
smoothly.
We had 83 people go caving in Honeycreek Saturday. 83 people signed the
log sheet, and 82 people signed out. The one who didn't sign out was
hunted down by cell phone and tongue lashed appropriately. We also had
at least 3-6 surface people out during the day, so we had very close to
90 folks on the property.
I don't know the exact numbers but about 60 folks did through trips.
Half went in at the spring, and half went in at the shaft. The groups
were staggered and while there were a few bottle necks here and there
they were not a big deal. One group did the through trip in 2 hours and
45 minutes. And one of those guys had only one flipper (he was the one
setting the blistering pace).
Another large group did the trip up the QA to the pretty walking
section.
And Ed, Mallory, Ellie, and others did the push to the end of the Mile
Crawl passage.
All in all a great weekend. I'm not sure we had this many people in the
cave at TCR.
I know lots of photos were taken, so some of you need to send Mark your
pics with a trip report. It was an epic weekend.
Kurt
--- End Message ---
--- Begin Message ---
(per Florida caving post) I visited the Universal Sanctum site but failed to
find a bus tour schedule.
Anybody heard about this coming to Texas?
Roger Moore
--- End Message ---
--- Begin Message ---
----- Original Message -----
From: "jennifer" <[email protected]>
To: <[email protected]>; <[email protected]>
Sent: Tuesday, February 01, 2011 6:27 PM
Subject: [SWR] WNS confirmed in Indiana
Here's the press release - just out:
DNR NEWS
Indiana Department of Natural Resources
402 W. Washington St. W255 B
Indianapolis, IN 46204-2748
Phone: (317) 232-4200
For immediate release: Feb. 1, 2011
Bat tests positive for white-nosed fungus
The Indiana Department of Natural Resources and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife
Service have received confirmation that a bat found in a southern Indiana
cave
has tested positive for the fungus that causes white-nose syndrome. The
case is
the state’s first for the WNS fungus, believed to be responsible for the
deaths
of more than one million bats in the eastern United States.
Researchers doing biennial bat counts at Endless Cave in Washington County
discovered two little brown bats on Jan. 23 that exhibited the white
fungus
characteristic of WNS. One of the bats was euthanized and sent to the U.S.
Geological Survey’s National Wildlife Health Center in Madison, Wisconsin,
which
later confirmed the presence of the WNS-associated fungus.
Additional bats with signs of WNS were discovered during routine bat count
surveys at other caves.
“We knew WNS was likely to reach Indiana caves this year, and we have been
working closely with biologists from the DNR to prepare for this as well
as we
could,” said Tom Melius, the Service’s Midwest Regional Director.
“Nonetheless,
it is devastating to actually confirm the presence of the fungus and
witness the
symptoms of WNS in bats. While there is currently no cure and no treatment
for
this disease, we will put all our energies into contributing to the
ongoing
efforts to understand and combat WNS.”
The fungus has been discovered in Connecticut, Delaware, Maryland,
Massachusetts, Missouri, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Oklahoma,
Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Vermont, Virginia, West Virginia and the
provinces of
Ontario and Quebec, Canada.
Researchers associate WNS with a newly identified fungus, Geomyces
destructans,
which thrives in the cold and humid conditions characteristic of caves and
mines
used by hibernating bats.
Experts believe WNS is transmitted primarily from bat to bat, but they
also
caution it may be transmitted by humans inadvertently carrying fungal
spores
from cave to cave on their clothing and caving gear.
The DNR closed public access to all caves on state-managed properties two
years
ago, including Endless Cave in the Cave River Valley Natural Area managed
by the
DNR Division of State Parks & Reservoirs as part of Spring Mill State
Park.
“We will continue to keep all of our caves closed, and we are urging
private
cave owners to either not allow access to their caves or require visitors
to
follow USFWS decontamination procedures,” DNR deputy director John Davis
said.
“The whole effort is to slow the spread and have movement of the disease
not be
exacerbated by human interference.”
Physical signs associated with WNS are a white fungus on the bat’s nose,
wings,
ears or tail membrane. Bats afflicted with WNS often exhibit unusual
behavior in
winter, including clustering near hibernacula entrances. Affected bats
also may
leave their hibernacula during the day and may be observed flying or
clinging to
rocks outside or on nearby buildings. Dead or dying bats are often found
on the
ground near affected areas.
For more information about white-nose syndrome,
visit www.dnr.in.gov/batdisease and www.fws.gov/whitenosesyndrome
-30-
Media contact: Phil Bloom, DNR Division of Communications, 317-232-4003
or [email protected]
Georgia Parham, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, 812-334-4261 x 1203
or [email protected]
_______________________________________________
SWR mailing list
[email protected]
http://caver.net/mailman/listinfo/swr_caver.net
--- End Message ---
--- Begin Message ---
> From: jennifer <[email protected]>
> Date: February 1, 2011 6:27:04 PM CST
> To: <[email protected]>, <[email protected]>
> Subject: [SWR] WNS confirmed in Indiana
>
> Here's the press release - just out:
> DNR NEWS
>
> Indiana Department of Natural Resources
> 402 W. Washington St. W255 B
> Indianapolis, IN 46204-2748
> Phone: (317) 232-4200
>
> For immediate release: Feb. 1, 2011
>
> Bat tests positive for white-nosed fungus
>
> The Indiana Department of Natural Resources and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife
> Service have received confirmation that a bat found in a southern Indiana cave
> has tested positive for the fungus that causes white-nose syndrome. The case
> is
> the state’s first for the WNS fungus, believed to be responsible for the
> deaths
> of more than one million bats in the eastern United States.
>
> Researchers doing biennial bat counts at Endless Cave in Washington County
> discovered two little brown bats on Jan. 23 that exhibited the white fungus
> characteristic of WNS. One of the bats was euthanized and sent to the U.S.
> Geological Survey’s National Wildlife Health Center in Madison, Wisconsin,
> which
> later confirmed the presence of the WNS-associated fungus.
>
> Additional bats with signs of WNS were discovered during routine bat count
> surveys at other caves.
>
> “We knew WNS was likely to reach Indiana caves this year, and we have been
> working closely with biologists from the DNR to prepare for this as well as we
> could,” said Tom Melius, the Service’s Midwest Regional Director.
> “Nonetheless,
> it is devastating to actually confirm the presence of the fungus and witness
> the
> symptoms of WNS in bats. While there is currently no cure and no treatment for
> this disease, we will put all our energies into contributing to the ongoing
> efforts to understand and combat WNS.”
>
> The fungus has been discovered in Connecticut, Delaware, Maryland,
> Massachusetts, Missouri, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Oklahoma,
> Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Vermont, Virginia, West Virginia and the provinces of
> Ontario and Quebec, Canada.
>
> Researchers associate WNS with a newly identified fungus, Geomyces
> destructans,
> which thrives in the cold and humid conditions characteristic of caves and
> mines
> used by hibernating bats.
>
> Experts believe WNS is transmitted primarily from bat to bat, but they also
> caution it may be transmitted by humans inadvertently carrying fungal spores
> from cave to cave on their clothing and caving gear.
>
> The DNR closed public access to all caves on state-managed properties two
> years
> ago, including Endless Cave in the Cave River Valley Natural Area managed by
> the
> DNR Division of State Parks & Reservoirs as part of Spring Mill State Park.
>
> “We will continue to keep all of our caves closed, and we are urging private
> cave owners to either not allow access to their caves or require visitors to
> follow USFWS decontamination procedures,” DNR deputy director John Davis said.
> “The whole effort is to slow the spread and have movement of the disease not
> be
> exacerbated by human interference.”
>
> Physical signs associated with WNS are a white fungus on the bat’s nose,
> wings,
> ears or tail membrane. Bats afflicted with WNS often exhibit unusual behavior
> in
> winter, including clustering near hibernacula entrances. Affected bats also
> may
> leave their hibernacula during the day and may be observed flying or clinging
> to
> rocks outside or on nearby buildings. Dead or dying bats are often found on
> the
> ground near affected areas.
>
> For more information about white-nose syndrome,
> visit www.dnr.in.gov/batdisease and www.fws.gov/whitenosesyndrome
>
> -30-
>
> Media contact: Phil Bloom, DNR Division of Communications, 317-232-4003
> or [email protected]
>
> Georgia Parham, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, 812-334-4261 x 1203
> or [email protected]
>
>
>
>
> _______________________________________________
> SWR mailing list
> [email protected]
> http://caver.net/mailman/listinfo/swr_caver.net
________________________________
UT Southwestern Medical Center
The future of medicine, today.
--- End Message ---
