Never Been Caving? It’s Pretty Underground

Four years ago, I went to my first cave. It was dark at first, but then they turned on the lights. Since this was in Cathedral Caverns, a commercial cave, lights are placed in it; so it is much easier to see. On this visit we were walking down a dirt trail, and I thought I was going to fall because it was so steep. Later we got to the point where we couldn’t see any sunlight, but we saw beautiful formations on a pond like puddle. The formations were connected to the top and bottom of the cave. It was a solid piece of stone which reminded me of teeth. As the lights from beneath the water hit the formation, the colors changed allowing me to see the most brilliant accumulation of minerals. This scene is why I’m interested in caves. Plus, caves are a lot of fun because you can get muddy, crawl, slide, and climb inside holes and hidden passages.

Stephens Gap Callahan Cave Preserve

The first time I visited Stephens Gap, the spectacular scenery made my jaw drop from its sheer beauty. It looked like something out of this world. It was just too beautiful!!! My eyes were greeted with rainbows from the waterfalls and sunlight streaming in through the entrances above us. If you are claustrophobic, which is a fancy way of saying scared of tight spaces, this is a good cave for you.  

To get to the cave, you hike a short and steep trail a quarter of a mile to the cave. There is a creek beside the trail that originates from the waterfalls in the cave. Stephens Gap has two entrances: one in the ceiling and one walk-in entrance just above the pit floor. We used the latter, which required us to traverse a steep pile of loose rocks while paying close attention to our footsteps. For experts only: you can rappel through the ceiling entrance.

When you get inside the cave, you will see really cool features. The most prominent is a 150 foot tall waterfall!!! The water flows from a fissure in the limestone. A popular formation is the stone pedestal. You may be tempted to pose on it for the perfect picture, but it is very dangerous because you can easily slip and tumble down to the sharp rocks and freezing cold water below. You may see people standing on the pedestal formation and even want to do the same thing, but be safe and always use safety ropes. Another cool feature is the small network of short tunnels toward the top of the dome. You can crawl around and explore, but be sure to wear a helmet.

To visit Stephens Gap, please visit the Southeastern Cave Conservancy to obtain more information, permits, and directions.

Bluff River Cave

This is my mom’s favorite wild cave because it is so wet that you will get your feet soaked and wade through waist-high water in a few parts. Kids will need a piggyback ride because the water is cold and deep. So, be prepared to get wet and be amazed! This cave route follows an underground stream bed over a mostly level elevation. Expect to traverse varying terrain including flat travertine, wet rocks, slippery mud slides, and breakdown.

To get to the cave, we hiked a quarter of a mile through the forest. At the entrance, we climbed down a short tunnel full of flying insects. Yonder Girl tip: Keep your mouth closed or the bugs will start bugging you!

We saw several kinds of animals; most were new to us. We came across two species of crayfish: cave spring crayfish and cave crayfish. Not only that, we also saw two species of salamanders: cave salamander and Tennessee cave salamander. Tetracion, also called cave millipedes, were the oddest animals we saw. However, the oddest organism we encountered was mold growing on a dead cricket. If you are like me, a person who is scared of wiggly things, such as worms, beware of the mud pile near the entrance because it is full of worms. I discovered this unpleasant surprise when I started climbing the hill to explore an upper passage. To me, it was gross. EWWW!!!!!

Caves are mysterious and full of wonder, but they are also very delicate and easily damaged environments. The formations are cool, but delicate. The prettiest formations (in my opinion) are the calcite pools. Can you guess what happened that made me really mad and sad? What happened is that people destroyed some of the formations! I don’t know if they did it on purpose, hopefully they didn’t. We saw several examples of vandalism: trampled calcite pools, some NOT accurate words scratched into a fossilized rock, and muddy handprints on pure white calcite. The damage done will most likely last long past our lifetimes.

Sorry, I can’t tell you where this cave is. If you want to see it, you will have to ask a member of the Huntsville Grotto.

Be Prepared

It is important to be prepared before spelunking, which is a funny word for caving. You will need proper equipment and supplies, important information about the cave, and recent weather reports. Always remember it is never safe to cave alone, so you need to go with at least three other people.

Inside a wild cave, it is pitch black because you are underground. Therefore, you should always have three light sources: just in case you lose the first and the second light, you still have a third. Your light sources can be from a headlamp, a phone, a flashlight, or a combination of these. Without light, you won’t be able to navigate, which is dangerous and terrifying.

You need to dress appropriately, so that means not wearing your fanciest gown or tuxedo. One reason you should dress appropriately is because there are usually wet or cold conditions, tight spaces, uneven terrain. Like hiking, clothes worn for caving should be quick dry. Remember: cotton kills. I wear a non-cotton base layer to keep warm and comfortable. Over that, I wear sturdy shorts and shirt to protect my base layer from tearing on the rocks. While caving, chances are you will be walking over rocky terrain. For better traction and  warmth, I wear hiking boots and thick wool socks. Wool stays warm when wet: so if your feet get wet, they won’t be cold. To protect from bumps and abrasions, you will need a helmet, gloves, and knee pads. In some caves you will need to use elbow pads. Yonder Girl tip: get soft knee pads for extra grip.

Caving uses a lot of energy. Keep up your energy by bringing… FOOD!!! Surprisingly, one snack that is good for caving are peanut M&Ms because they have protein and sugar. The next thing you will need is water. You should have enough water to last the whole trip.

Basic Caving Gear: What I Wear

• Body Base Layer: quick dry long sleeve shirt and pants
• Body Outer Layer: tough T-shirt and shorts
• Helmet with headlamp
• Elbow pads (sometimes)
• Gloves
• Knee pads
• Wool socks
• Grippy shoes with ankle support

Basic Caving Gear: What I Bring

• Snacks and lunch
• Water
• 3 sources of light, including your headlamp

Before visiting a wild cave, you must get permission from the owner of the cave before you go exploring. That means getting a permit or talking to the owner first if there is no permit system. In a wild cave, bring a map of the cave with you, or go with an experienced caver that knows that cave. Cave maps are a little different than trail maps. They often contain critical information like ceiling height, cross-sectional view of major features, water depth, and landmarks.

Want to Know More?

For more information about caving safely, please visit the Huntsville Grotto and the National Speleological Society for resources. Huntsville Grotto periodically holds beginner cave trips, this would be a great way to start wild caving. If you enjoyed Sunguramy’s photos please visit her website and facebook page for more amazing, jaw-dropping cave photography. For classes on Single Rope Technique (SRT) for vertical caving not covered here, please visit the Huntsville Cave Rescue Unit (HCRU).

If you enjoyed this post, please consider making a gift to HCRU. They are a very important resource for not just the caving community, but all outdoor sports enthusiasts in North Alabama and beyond. Their members have led me safely through wild caves and taught me a lot about cave geology. YAY!!! They are all volunteers and save people in bad situations because they are just really kind. I have pledged a whole month of my allowance to them. Can you match my $25 or more please?