OK, I haven't done this before but this post is basically just a copy of my geocache online log for Caver's Plunge. You could just go visit that cache and read my log, but here it is blog-O-fied.
With my 2000th find milestone coming up, I wanted to pick a cache that would be really adventurous, and this one caught my eye. Hmm... only a two hour drive... will give me an excuse to use my ascenders... sure let's go for it! And by let's I mean "me". I tried to find a buddy to come with me, but none of the Tennessee geocachers were willing/able to this weekend. I know tackling a cave like this is a little bit sketchy on your own, but I am confident in my rigging and rope-work having spent years on a technical rescue team (we even did cave rescue). I wasn't really alone though, my dog came. She does "sit" and "stay", but not "belay"... we're working on it... And if the worst should happen perhaps she could pull a Lassie, "what is it Lassie? Has little Fugads fallen in a hole?".
We had a hot and humid morning, but it wasn't raining when we parked at the base of the hill. I explored the cave near the parking area first, definitely worth a trip into. I went maybe a 1/4 mile in, but I have a hard time judging distances underground... I didn't make it to the end, but just to a section where the ceiling started to get low, and I opted to turn around rather than delve deeper. I highly recommend anyone visiting Caver's Plunge check this one out first as a warm-up/appetizer. On the approach I made a similar mistake as the last group who came, taking a wrong fork of the road and getting into thick briar. But instead of plowing through, I double-backed and got on the correct road. A short while later I was setting up my rope and getting ready to go in.
I marvel how anyone could find a cave entrance like this! In the lush and dense summer foliage, it is nearly impossible to detect, even when you are right up close to it. I'm sure other seasons make it easier, and I bet real Cavers have other tricks they use for locating caves. Even so, I marvel about it, and am really grateful that you decided to place a cache down there so us non-cavers can have a little fun here. I made my descent very slowly, enjoying the ride down and getting a good look at everything as I went. Once on the bottom, the cache was immediately obvious (not hidden at all). You might have a candidate for a D/T 1/5 here, since the find itself is SOOO easy. And I'm glad it is, the last thing I want to do at the bottom of a cave like this is to stress out about finding a dang micro or something. I added my OMTRS (Organ Mountain Technical Rescue) sticker to the logbook, my team would be proud, then put everything back and started having fun. First I explored the whole cave, up to the piton ladder. I was tempted to clip my etrier into them and look up, but since the CO mentions that it doesn't go anywhere I decided not to risk anything. Still, I love seeing old rusty pitons. I released a few soft-iron TBs a few years ago even. Next I tried my hand at some cave photography (results not that good ;( ). I really wanted to light-write "2000" but couldn't get my digital camera to keep an open shutter, so the best I could get was a curlie-cue.
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I rigged up my ascent and gave what I thought would be a final echoing farewell into this cathedral like cavern. That's the best way I can describe it, cathedral like. Sure it doesn't have long passages, but it has soaring walls, with undulating buttresses, and a ceiling that is almost too far away to see. Every little sound resonates within. Just a special place. I slowly jugged my way out (it's been a while since I've done some ascending) and finally was getting into a good rhythm when I reached the small ledge just underneath the opening. It was here that something came unclipped from my harness and tumbled into the darkness below. "Crap" I thought. After checking all my stuff, I realized it was my mini-tripod. I never really considered leaving it, because going down and back up is just so much fun. ZIP, down I went. The tripod handle got chipped but was otherwise fine. And my return trip was much faster because I got into a rhythm quicker. Double Yo-yo for me today.
I emerged from the hole in the ground to be met by a tail wagging friend, who quickly licked my face in relief that I hadn't been swallowed up by the earth. I slowly packed up my gear, already missing the coolness of the underground. What a great cache. What a fun yo-yo. How good it is to be alive. Man would I love for this CO to put more caches like this out.... Or simply email me some beta on fun caves to explore.
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