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This
Document is intended to provide Scouts and parents with information to make
caving a safe and enjoyable experience. The document is broken into 4
major topics, with a check list at the end. Each sub-title has quick links,
allowing you to jump directly to them, &/or back up to the top <here>.
Lastly there is a "Printer Friendly" equipment check list, this is a
separate document that contains just the equipment list - fits on one page.
Click
here for Printer friendly Equipment Check List
Light Sources
Each boy should bring 3 light sources.
The primary light source must be attached to caving helmet.
Battery operated light sources should have fresh, alkaline batteries.
For hands-free caving activity, the boys
will need to use headlamps such as sold in sporting goods stores for under
$10. (Avoid using cheap LED type
lights for the primary light source, they will not put out enough light for a
primary source.)
The headlamps typically operate on 4
‘AA’ batteries, and can be used later for camping and other activities.
One backup light should be another small flashlight (such as a
waterproof, metal ‘Mag-Lite’), the third light source can be another small flashlight, or a
glow-stick, or a candle and matches in a waterproof container.
The
boys should have NEW batteries in each light source, and sufficient NEW
replacement batteries for 2 complete changes in the primary light source, and
1 change in a backup source. As
an example, a headlamp with 4 AA batteries in it should have 8 replacement
batteries. A ‘Mag-Lite’ with 2 AA batteries should have 4
replacements of its own.
Helmets
A bicycling helmet will work fine. Make sure that the
hat fits well, and that there is an adjustable chin strap that can be released
easily. The helmet will probably
get banged and scratched and muddy. The
headlamp and batteries, when attached to the helmet (with duct tape), will
make the helmet be off-balance and tend to fall down over the boys eyes.
If this is a problem, it can and should be avoided by duct-taping some
type of counterweight to the back of the helmet in order to balance the load.
Packs
Each boy will need to bring a pack for water
bottles, snacks, a personal first aid kit (same type that the boys are
supposed to use for hiking), backup light sources and replacement batteries,
and any other personal gear carried into the cave.
Suggest an OLD day pack,
since it will get wet and muddy. Avoid
packs with faulty zippers, the dirt and mud will make them worse.
Clothing
Normally, we advise the boys to dress in layers.
Caving is no exception. Normally,
we advise them to stay dry. This
can’t be done when caving. Cave
clothes get wet and permanently mud-stained.
What we want to try for is to avoiding getting chilled.
The cave temperature is around 60 degrees Fahrenheit, and since they
will be walking, crawling, and generally moving about, they should stay
reasonably warm is they dress in layers:
Layer 1: Since the boys will definitely get wet, it is best to make
the first layer (closest to skin) some sort of moisture-wicking fabric,
especially for the upper body. The
best choice contains polypropylene (polypro) or some similar synthetic material.
Most sporting goods departments and outdoor stores (Wal-Mart,
Uncle Sam’s, Boot Camp, etc.) carry polypro thermal tops.
(By the way, Boot Camp gives a discount to scouts.)
Polypro leg wear is recommended but optional. Polypro can also be used
for cool campouts. For the legs,
the boys can alternatively use cotton long-johns if they don’t use polypro.
Cotton is NOT recommended for the upper body first layer, especially due
to the boy’s small body mass.
Layer 2:
Shorts. Wear shorts over the long
johns/under the blue jeans. When
the boys emerge from the cave, they will need to strip down to the shorts in
order to change into dry clothes before getting into vehicles.
There are no changing facilities at the cave. If they wear a pair of loose shorts under the rest, this
makes the process easier.
Layer 3:
Loose fitting cotton will work OK. Jeans
and long-sleeved sweatshirts will do fine.
Layer 4:
(Optional). A pair of used
coveralls from Salvation Army or Goodwill, worn over everything else, works
really well. Preferably button
down, or with a good quality zipper. These
can also be used on cool weather campouts.
Layer 5:
Knee Pads and Gloves; both are required
Cheap knee protection worn over the other layers will protect the
kneecaps and the clothing. Cheap
cloth gloves will protect hands and cave formations.
Elbow pads are optional, but recommended.
Boots
A few don’ts… Don’t wear
high-quality hiking boots. Don’t
wear sandals or cheap low-top tennis shoes. Don’t wear waterproof rubber boots
or waders, they will fill with water and not drain.
A few do’s…
Footwear should have treads, drain water, provide ankle support, and be
relatively inexpensive. Cheap
quality boots are available from Uncle Sam’s, Wal-Mart, etc. Avoid a snug fit, and plan on wearing 2 pair of socks for
comfort and warmth.
For Lone Hill Onyx (boys under 14) high top tennis
shoes will be allowed (not recommended), they will take a real beating.
For the boys going into Little Scott (age 14 and over) boots of some sort
are required.
General Equipment
The boys will need to bring a change of
clothes for after caving, including socks, shoes pants shirts, coat, and
hat. The boys should bring large,
heavy duty plastic trash bags to hold their wet, muddy caving clothes in the
vehicles for the trip back to camp Mihaska.
Safety
The risks associated with the type of caving
activity that we will be doing are not that much different than the risks
associated with hiking. The main
sources of injury are those associated with falling down (such as twisting an
ankle, minor bruises, etc.), and hypothermia (getting too cold).
There are a number of ways to move through a cave,
depending on circumstances. They
are:
Running: Never, Never, Never.
Walking: (Needs no explanation).
Crouch: Kind of like a duck walk.
Use when too low to walk, but not worth trying to crawl.
Bear Crawl: Hands and feet, no knees used.
Not used too often.
Crawl: On knees.
Used most in lower passages.
Belly Crawl: For those really low passages, can be
done on belly or on side/hip.
Squeeze: Tight space, usually a narrow space
requiring turning sideways.
Each group will move through a cave with a designated
leader and designated trailer (last person).
Periodically, the leader will wait for the group to re-assemble,
especially when the passage splits. The
leader will mark the path not taken. A
verbal count-off will be conducted to verify that no member of the group is
missing.
When moving through the cave, try to keep your head
up and stay balanced. Periodically
look back where you have been, and realize that when you come out, the cave
passage looks very different from when you came in.
Nutrition
Every member of the cave will need to bring an
adequate water supply, and sufficient high-energy snacks for the activity.
Conservation
The caving environment is
fragile. There are a number of
activities that must be avoided. Specifically,
do not disturb the animal life within the cave.
Winter is bat hibernation time, and if they are disturbed it threatens
their ability to survive the winter. Some
bats, such as the Indiana Brown Bat are on the federal endangered species list.
Do not touch flowstone formation formations with
muddy hands or gloves.
Do not break off any formations, and do not remove
any formations that are already broken off.
Leave the cave better than you found it.
Pick up any trash left behind by careless cavers.
Geology of Caves
There are a number of geologic formations that can
be found in caves. Keep an eye out
for stalactites (hanging from the ceiling), stalagmites (coming up from the
ground), columns, draperies (looks like sheets made of stone hanging from the
ceiling), and brimstone dams
Biospeology (A Fancy Word for Cave Life)
There are 3 categories of cave
life that we can watch for.
·
There are animals that cannot normally survive outside of the cave
they are usually white or possess little pigmentation and are sometime
without eyes, such as cave salamanders and cave crickets.
·
There are
animals that can spend part of their lives inside the cave, but can also live
outside the cave in similar places, such as bats.
·
There are
animals that can live in the cave entrances such as frogs, certain insects, and
regular salamanders.
The recommended procedure for cleaning up the muddy
clothes is as follows:
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