Just made a list of things that could be accomplished this weekend and just wanted to share it with TSA winter meeting attendees. More info, other suggestions, and GPS locations of these and other caves can be obtained from Keith, Butch, Mark, or Jim... 1) Lemons Ranch Cave - needs a survey and future map. Two teams can work side-by-side, or this can be likely done in 2 trips. Additionally, radiolocation of the large room at the end of the decorated portion of the cave (especially the location of passages leading from its upper end) should be done to see if another entrance could be opened up. Watch out for high CO2. 2) Gorman Creek Crevice - continued survey led by Mark Gee, with another estimated 200 feet needed to join with Horshoe Chimney passage, and additional passage at the entance. 3) Ice Box Cave and sorrounding caves need good descriptions and survey. Located on the way to conference center. Watch out for bad air. Ice Box Cave - 1/11/00: A fissure entrance, approx 75’ long and up to 4’ wide, leads apprx. 40 feet down to a wider fissure inside that goes 30-40’ at its floor area. There are a couple ledges that one could stand along the drop, but vertical gear is generally required for access. There are reports of a loop crawl and also another vert drop to chimney down perhaps 10’ to water level (this was a week after a flood). More glass exposed after latest rain, and more trash could be removed. In terms of biological significance, bats, crickets were noted in the cave. This cave was visited by Dale Barnard, Jeannette Joost, Brian Trowbridge, Paul Trowbridge (Ref: CBSP files). Cheap Thrill Cave - 11/12/00: This small cave consists of a single drop. At the floor of this cave there was a small "stream" flowing. The cave continues beyond the end of survey. However it will require some enlargement of the passage to be humanly passable. The cave had some crickets and spiders. This cave was visited by Dale Barnard, Terry Holsinger, Jeannette Joost, Brian Trowbridge, Paul Trowbridge, Sean Vincent (Ref: CBSP files). New Orleans Cave - 11/10/07: Visited by Kyla Welch-Rubin and Gregory Dunham, the cave consists of 15 foot climeable drop from an oval shaped entrance to a dirt floor. There is a 6 foot long passage that extends on the west side before ending, and no crawl space to the east. No trash was noted in the cave. Few harvestman and small bones were noted near the bottom (Ref: CBSP files). 4) Cave above Gorman Falls Cave (aka Devil’s Stinkhole) along the road needs to be explored and mapped. Possibly connects to Gorman Falls Cave. Be aware of bad air. Devil’s Stinkhole description: 11/10/07: The cave was explored by Mike and Connie Bales, Keith Heuss, and Fran Hutchens. A cave supposedly connects to Gorman Falls Cave, but no map or data to support this conncection exists. Fran entered the 10 foot long fissure and after descending a few feet found himself in an 8 foot long, 3 foot wide room. From one end, rocks seemed to fall quite a long way before hitting the bottom. Since the cave is located at least 100 feet horizontally from Gorman Falls Cave, the members of the team doubt direct connection exists. Air was bad even at the top of the pit, so exploration will have to wait for cooler months (Ref: CBSP files). 5) Little Labyrinth Cave needs to be entered, explored, and mapped. Extensive cave on the northern fringes of Gorman Falls property that previously has had bad air. 6) Ridgewalking to relocate and write descriptions of caves in McLarrin fissure system. Butch Fralia and Keith Heuss would provide the directions. 7) Ridgewalking to the east and north of Red Gate Cave. Very karsty area, and surely more caves are hiding there.
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