PARK MAMMOTH

An introduction.
 

Truly a laid back class....
 
 
 
 

LONG CAVE

Entrance

Anastamoses in the ceiling suggested the cave
had been filled with sediments.

How deep were the remaining sediments?
Down the bonsai ladders to find out!

Dorothy maneuvers the broken steps.
(Thanks to Denise for holding the slave).

The steps on the other side.
(Thanks to Trent for holding the slave).

Hunting for a place to measure the dip down the cave.

Joe with the laser plane

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OWL CAVE

Heading out of Cedar Sink to the entrance.

Looking down at Stan at the water's edge.

Looking up at the entrance.
 
 

Why it is called Owl Cave!

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IN THE LAB

Jay, Trent and Catherine in their attempt to get a water sample from Darryl's "lawn".

Darryl hoping scallops will grow in dry ice.
 
 

HISTORIC CAVE

Lunch at the forks.
 

Johnny shaking his "through rock" water collecting tripod
to demonstrate how stable it is.

The tripod in Edna's dome, collecting "shaft" water.
 

Demonstrating Alonzo's device for measuring wall dissolution.

Darryl points out paleo poop in Ganter Avenue

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DRY PRONG

Rhonda tries to keep dry on the Dry Prong near the first swallet

Second swallet

Catherine at the edge of the third and final swallet
 

Determining minimum limestone dissolution rates.

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CRYSTAL CAVE

Darryl by his favorite lock bracket.

Along Collins Avenue

Helictites

Denise by gypsum wall
 

Dorothy, Rich and Les across from "Dug Pit" in Dyer Avenue

The "volcano" in the sediments
(I couldn't see it during the explanation, so I don't get it.  Do I even have this right side up?)
 
 

The passageway of the "Scotchman's Trap".  In this picture,
it almost looks like you could stand and walk through it!

The flash didn't work right, but this is Kyle squeezing through the "keyhole".
Moments later, he said "I'm stuck".  (All he had to do was lift his legs up and push against a ledge on the ceiling)
 

Darryl retrieving a glove (mine!) that had slipped into a chasm.
The things teachers will do for their students!

We were fortunate to meet some of the most
Distinguished Cavers, the Palmers, in and above Crystal Cave.

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BEDQUILT AND COLOSSAL CAVES

The entrance to Bedquilt cave is a swallet just to the right of Joe's knee.

Weldon in the mud crawl leading up to the main gate, which was a ways inside, above the flood level.
 

Ginella and Theresa (park employees) by "the cat"
 
 

Rich pointing at a future "cat"
 

Jay beside one of the many interesting
rock "formations" in Colossal Cave
 

Happy Caving!