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[RC] Fort Stanton Photos - DreamWeaverNot everybody gets to go spelunking after riding 165 miles at an endurance ride, and before riding another 165 miles, but that's exactly what we got to do at Fort Stanton last week! It was great fun. We put on our equipment -- helmets, headlamps, knee pads and gloves and descended into the dark cave. After awhile we reached the section that we had to crawl thru --- 800 feet on our hands and knees. It was 55 degrees in the cave and 100% humidity. Talk about working out any kinks you might have from riding (lol). It was great fun, and some of the photos I took did turn out fairly well. It's pitch black dark once you are inside the cave. Some of the shots of the mineral formations were taken during the crawl -- what a great excuse to stop and lie on my back and focus! :)Photos on the ride including our day of spelunking can be found here: http://aerc.org/Membership_Photos.asp Ear cam shots courtesy of Chief. Here is a bit more info on the cave. Karen **** Saturday, June 4, 2005 Tech researcher studied Snowy River Cave John Fleck The Albuquerque Journal Special To El Defensor Chieftain The "Snowy River" cave complex in southern New Mexico has been described in superlatives ranging from "probably unique in the world" to "staggeringly beautiful." Until now, the cave, which features a "river" of pure white calcite rock more than 2 miles long, has been protected by its secret location known only to a few, including a world renowned cave researcher from New Mexico Tech. Cavers, scientists and government officials have been willing to discuss Snowy River with reporters only on condition they not reveal the cave's location. That changed Tuesday when federal officials led by Sen. Pete Domenici, R-N.M., announced a plan to protect the fragile resource. "This has to be conserved and preserved," Domenici said at an Albuquerque news conference called to announce plans for the cave. A team of volunteers discovered the cave in September 2001 when they were exploring Fort Stanton Cave, east of Capitan. Fort Stanton Cave has been known since at least 1855, according to John Corcoran, a member of the volunteer team that made the Snowy River discovery. In 1877, members of the U.S. Army's Wheeler Survey explored 3-1/2 miles of the cave, Corcoran said. "They did a good job. They were professional surveyors." But it was not until a discovery in the 1990s that Fort Stanton Cave turned spectacular. Working with permits from the U.S. Bureau of Land Management, a group of volunteers began exploring an area of the cave where air was blowing through a pile of rubble a sign of a passage on the other side. What they saw when they broke through was awe-inspiring, even to veteran cavers in the bunch. "It's just like a trip to fairyland," said Penny Boston, a world-renowned cave researcher at New Mexico Tech. Boston participated in one of the early follow-up expeditions. Her particular interest is in the microscopic organisms that live in caves. She has found 16 unique strains of bacteria there previously unknown to science. Living underground, they have developed the ability to get their fuel by digesting minerals. "In essence, these guys are rock-eaters," she said. Fort Stanton Cave is gated, and access is permitted only to experienced cavers with a permit from the BLM. All access is prohibited in winter, to protect hibernating bats. BLM's Jim Goodbar said wider public access to Snowy River is unlikely, in part because the tiny passage into the area is unstable. Scientists hope to leave the cave as undisturbed as possible for further study. Domenici said he will introduce a bill next week to create the Fort Stanton-Snowy River National Cave Conservation Area. The legislation will protect the cave from mineral exploration and allow scientists to study it. The public will not be given access, officials said, because it is too fragile and dangerous. Domenici also said he would help provide money for scientists to study the cave. "We have a lot of natural wonders in our state," Domenici said, "and this may end up being one of the most significant." ******* a couple more links: http://www.acave.us/cd/snowriver.htm http://www.freenewmexican.com/news/14331.html
Ride Long and Ride Safe!! =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-
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