Calling all Cavers

RedRoxx44 · Queen of the Walkabout Joined: 15 Jan 2004 Posts: 1167

This is what happens when you are bored at work,off early and look on the net.

I want to visit the Cave of the Bells in the Santa Ritas. It is a living cave, gated, apparently accessible with a key ($25.00 deposit) from the forest service. It requires true caving accessories, headlamps, helmets, light sources, and while no rappelling a lot of vertical downclimbing so a rope or two would be good to carry.

It has some undamaged formations, big rooms, corridors, crawling and squeezing, and a small lake, thermally heated. This cave gets warmer as you get deeper.

No go for August or September due to the bat habitat. I'm thinking fall sometime.

I have no caving experience, however , beyond the mud caves and grottos in Anza Borrego and Salton Sea. And tourist caves.

If anyone is interested , and has experience or has been in this cave, pmail me, this is one time I won't solo.
_________________
You can rest when you're dead

desertgirl · Joined: 19 Jan 2003 Posts: 3350 Location: Chandler, AZ

I am interested ....but I am still in the wanna be caver camp.... and Hank's the man to lean on ... Smile

Hank??? What says ....

It will be way cool ...I caved under guidance at Carlsbad and it was awesome..except we had to get past a few Snake

and scorpions ...ever seen a scorpion eye to eye Amazed

_________________
Photos: http://www.pbase.com/desertgirl/galleries
Life is but a dream ...there is no end to what you can dream!

si na ti · Joined: 17 May 2005 Posts: 224

sure wish i was one to do something like that. i'd love to seee where it takes me. i get clastophobic (sp?) in my house. can't take closed in spaces.

good luck Letty and Ambika. hope you make it there.
_________________
'We gain strength, courage, and confidence by each experience in which we really stop to look fear in the face...we must do that which we think we cannot"
Eleanor Roosevelt

RedRoxx44 · Queen of the Walkabout Joined: 15 Jan 2004 Posts: 1167

Thanks all for feedback--Nighthiker I've taken your advice and put out feelers to a couple of local caving groups. Thanks Kurt for your feedback and look forward to chatting about the Gila.

I want to have more info 'fore I drag any of ya'll into this---
_________________
You can rest when you're dead

Hikngrl · Posted: 7/8/2005, 7:34 am Post subject:

If any thing comes of this I would be greatly interested.
_________________
~~~Diane~~~

I want to shine!

HUM469 · Joined: 30 Jun 2004 Posts: 228 Location: Peoria, AZ

I would love to do this as well. I have some experience caving, but a lot of it is by accident. I have been looking for more opportunities in the last couple years (albeit not to agressively) and would appreciate any info you come across on how to get into what seems to be the more exclusive world of caving circles. I am tired of reading books on the subject and coming across open caves by dumb luck. Let me know how I can help!
_________________
-Dylan Anderson
(602) 628-4327
Consultant
Real Estate Executive to AZ
Special Projects Manager, AZCDE.com

Daryl · Posted: 7/8/2005, 11:05 am Post subject:

Interested.
_________________

Daddee · Posted: 7/8/2005, 11:36 am Post subject:

I've done cave of the bells before. I really didn't think it was all that spectacular, although the hike in was fun.

A better cave is the Chiracawa Crystal cave - one of the very, very few silicate crystal caves in the world.

It's good to have someone who has done the cave before, but it's pretty doable. If you get REALLY far back (about 4 or 5 hours of caving) you get to a really incredible underground lake that is just fantastic.

Just a suggestion.
_________________
"Only small minds want always to be right."
- Louis XIV

"...haven't you lived long enough to know that two men may honestly differ about a question and both be right?"
- Abraham Lincoln

chihiggs · Joined: 03 Jan 2003 Posts: 565 Location: Gilbert, AZ

Interested. Spent Christmas 1995 in a cave on Eagle mountain. I am not a caver by training; interest only.

Have ropes and headlamps--that's about it.
_________________
All our dreams come true if we have the courage to pursue them...Walt Disney

Daddee · Posted: 7/8/2005, 1:54 pm Post subject:

BTW - one other thing for all you cavers - you can rent a climbing helmet from REI, then attach your headlamp to the helmet (there are small clips already, but use duct tape for extra security).

Caving is a serious blast. At Cave of the Bells you can really only spend 2 or 3 hours underground before you run out of cave. It's not the best cave around, but it's a good one for beginners as it's not too difficult.
_________________
"Only small minds want always to be right."
- Louis XIV

"...haven't you lived long enough to know that two men may honestly differ about a question and both be right?"
- Abraham Lincoln

JW · Posted: 7/8/2005, 6:16 pm Post subject:

RedRoxx44 · Queen of the Walkabout Joined: 15 Jan 2004 Posts: 1167

Just got an email from one of the local caving chapters with a good response. They do recommend an experienced caver go with, just to explain the way to be environmentally sensitive in a cave (pee bottle and poop bag),safety, gear, etc.

Cave of the Bells is not difficult but is a maze cave and there is a possibility of getting turned around. A hand line in several areas is recommended.
I will try to get to a meeting and get with them, they will take newbies along, in fact had a recent trip where almost half attending were newbies and they did 3 caves on that trip.

There is a "training" cave he recommends I will try to get into, well known by the locals, not much to see but simple to climb around in.

And thanks lzyboy for your good advice. And most backpacking headlamps not enough light for photography or deep in---I know that from my mining explorations.
_________________
You can rest when you're dead

Nighthiker · Joined: 05 Jan 2003 Posts: 1714

While exploring a cave in Central Arizona, used the flash on the camera to check for critters near the mouth of the cave. After having the film developed the roof of the cave had numerous pictoglyphs that were a couple of thousand years old according to the land manger. On a night hike to cave near Young, came upon a a SWAT team looking for a fugitive.

RedRoxx44 · Queen of the Walkabout Joined: 15 Jan 2004 Posts: 1167

WOOOOHOOO- I am going to the Cave of the Bells next weekend with the caving group I have been in contact with. I have to get a hard hat, will do that, if I can't find one I know some miners that I am sure can lend me one.

I'll let ya'll know how it goes, they expect to be down under about 6 hours. This will be a challenge for my photography. I had planned on taking a swim in the underground lake but I 'll behave myself.

We will be going into some passages not normally accessed, gotta find those knee and elbow pads.
_________________
You can rest when you're dead

evenstar · Joined: 03 Jan 2003 Posts: 5548 Location: SCW by way of CA

Want some practice in a dark, dank place with strange growths before ya go? My fridge needs cleaning Razz

_________________
John Richardson and Richie Rich, El Perro de Playero
http://members.tripod.com/~evenstar/index.html
http://www.arizonahikers.com
When the Man waked up he said, "What is Wild Dog doing here?" And the Woman said, "His name is not Wild Dog anymore, but the First Friend, because he will be our friend for always and always and always. Take him with you when you go hunting."
--Rudyard Kipling, from Just So Stories, 1902