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A comprehensive guide to navigating rock and mineral formations safely.
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Published by STACKPOLE BOOKS 5067 Ritter Road Mechanicsburg, PA 17055
All rights reserved, including the right to reproduce this book or portions thereof in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the publisher. All inquiries should be addressed to Stackpole Books, 5067 Ritter Road, Mechanicsburg, PA 17055.
Printed in the United States
10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1
First edition
Photography by Dave Bunnell
Illustrations by Thom Aubrey/The River Studio and Caroline Stover
My Friend, The Carbide Lamp reprinted in the 1993 edition of Speleo Digest. Used with permission of the National Speleological Society.
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Boga, Steve, 1947 Caving / by Steven Boga p. cm. ISBN 0-8117-2710-6(pb) 1. Caving I. Title GV200.62.B64 796.52'5dc21 199796-29881 CIP
Page v
To Floyd Collins, who died for our sins.
Page vii
Contents
Introduction
ix
1. The Science of Caves
1
2. History of Caving
21
3. Personal Cave Gear and Clothing
37
4. Equipment
56
5. Moving through Caves
74
6. Advanced Techniques
93
7. Discovering New Caves
121
8. Health and Safety
131
9. Ethics and Conservation
158
Glossary
175
Resources
189
Page viii
Acknowledgements
Besides the usual acknowledgementsmy editors Mark Allison and Dave Richwine, my wife Karen, my parents for showing me my first caveI'd like to thank the National Speleological Society for contributing advice and resource material for this book.
My deepest gratitude is reserved for David Bunnell, editor of the NSS newsletter and caver-photographer extraordinaire, for his editorial input and gorgeous subterranean shots that decorate this book.
Page ix
Introduction
Unless you grew up in cave country with a passion for subterranean retreats, your reaction to caves may depend upon your first literary contact with them. If your familiarity with caves derives from Alice in Wonderland, for example, you may have mixed feelings. The Cheshire Cat was fun, but the Queen of Hearts was unsettling. Recalling Ali Baba and the Forty Thieves, your reaction may be more positive. In this, the most popular tale from the collection known as the Arabian Nights, thieves stash their stolen treasure in a secret cave, and Ali Baba sees them do it. He learns their secret password, "Open Sesame," which he uses to enter the cave and make off with the gold himself. If, on the other hand, your first contact was in Greek mythology, caves may conjure up frightening visions of the Minotaur, a monster with the head of a bull and the body of a human. Or perhaps you recall Tom Sawyer being pursued through an underground labyrinth, and you break out in a cold sweat whenever cave comes up in a crossword puzzle.
A recent poll ranked the things people fear most:
1. Speaking before a group 2. Heights 3. Insects and bugs 4. Financial problems 5. Deep water 6. Sickness 7. Death 8. Flying 9. Loneliness 10. Dogs 11. Driving or riding in a car 12. Darkness
Page x
Although caves offer a great escape from dogs, cars, public speaking, and financial problems, an underground excursion may force you to confront darkness, loneliness, and insects, and possibly heights or deep water. Be prepared.
If you have gotten past the fears and developed an active interest in caving, a good starting point would be to visit some commercial caves. With their electric lights and stairs (maybe even elevators), they are decidedly tame compared with undeveloped caves; the drawback is that such routine descents probably won't tell you a lot about your visceral response to being underground.
The next step would be to seek out capable cavers who are willing to lead you through caves appropriate for novices. The best way to find such people is through the National Speleological Society in Huntsville, Alabama. Membership in the society is open to anyone interested in caves, which includes cave scientists and owners, conservationists, adventurers, and people who simply enjoy visiting and exploring caves. The NSS is subdivided into local caving chapters, called grottos. Check the Resources chapter at the end of this book for the grotto nearest you.
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