Who can I ask about this VA cave?

[GroundquestMSA]

I need some information on the exploration of a cave in Tazewell Co VA. I found the cave a few months ago on a tip from a neighbor. The upper level/entrance area has seen heavy visitation but a 56' rappel through a narrow floor slot led to significant pristine passage. VSS had no record of the cave on file, so we started surveying yesterday. We surveyed for about 4 hours and 1173 feet, eventually noticing a set or two of very old footprints. While picking a spot for our last station of the day, I found an old survey station smoked on a big block. We decided to stop surveying and try to find a finished map before we spent much more time duplicating work. Further exploration of the cave revealed several more smoke labelled stations as well as many spots where a carbide lamp had been pushed into the mud, I assume as a station marker. It's a neat cave and a project I think I could handle if it would serve any purpose. The lower level is a massive and extremely straight* canyon with many high domes (some over 100') and spires, few decorations, and a polite stream. After looking around further yesterday, I would guess the total length is not much more than 1 mile. Unless we're missing something good.

Does anyone know who I can talk to about caves in this part of VA? Anyone who has been active there in the past? I have no idea how old the marks we found are, but I'm assuming it's been a while. I've frequently heard and read the name John Holsinger associated with area caves, but there are about 12 John Holsingers living nearby and some that have recently passed away. Does anyone know the real J.H. or have any other advice?

Thanks -J


* here are the azimuths from yesterdays book: 77-82-77-80-80-73-74-80-80-78-76-77-79-71-77-76-84-72-74-72-73

[Scott McCrea]

You could try talking to Phil Lucas of the VSS. He has been around a while and knows a lot.

You could try the Mountain Empire Grotto. They crawl around that area.

John Holsinger wrote the book, "Caves of Virginia." Good luck getting a copy. It's out of print and when they do show up, they go for several hundred dollars. But, I have one. If you want to PM me some more info, I'll see if it in there.

[Crockett]

A page about THE John Holsinger

http://sci.odu.edu/biology/directory/john.shtml

Contact information at the bottom of the page.

VSS webpage with a contact page:

http://www.virginiacaves.org/

Looks like Mike Ficco is the county coordinator for Tazewell County. You can probably get current contact information for him from the NSS Members Manual.

I would bet that Mr. Ficco would be your best bet for the information you seek. While he is a member of a number of caving organizations he may currently be most active with the Cave Conservancy of the Virginias...or he might be off the grid in China.

Crockett Cove in northern Tazewell County, where there are no caves, is my ancestral home but now I am down the road a piece, at the Gap. Good luck, break a leg, or whatever.

[GroundquestMSA]

Thanks Mike, I've been in contact with Mr. Ficco for some time now. He is the one who informed me that there was no cave in the VSS files at this location. Since then, though, I have learned that he mis-plotted my coordinates, and that the cave was surveyed in '83 but no map was drawn. We've decided to resurvey.