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Hello all,

I'm heading to Rusty's Cave this next week and have never visited the Fox mountain preserve and just have a few questions. I have direction to the parking area and some basic directions to Rusty's from the parking lot that a friend gave me. On the SCCI website it makes it sound like the tornadoes in 2011 really messed up the trails around the area. Have the trails been cleared by now? Also, how difficult is it to find the entrance to Rusty's? Is the trail to the entrance pretty easy to follow? Anything else I should know about visiting the preserve? Feel free to PM me if you don't want to post specifics here. Thanks !

Matt

because of the clean up they did on the trail, it's actually easier to find now than it was before. You shouldn't have a problem.

graveleye wrote:because of the clean up they did on the trail, it's actually easier to find now than it was before. You shouldn't have a problem.

Agreed.

I went to Rusty's several months before the cleanup and we only found it because I had been there many times before. I was part of the cleanup for a few hours, everyone there did an outstanding job! Fox Mountain will look very different for years to come, but you can indeed find the caves again.

you guys sure did do a great job. It was a total mess before.

Rusty's wasn't too hard to find for me the first time. The trail was pretty good if you knew where to turn off to Rusty's, otherwise you kept going on right past it.

Sure is a shame about all the downed trees right around the entrance. That was such a nice little place with all the tall old-growth trees and shady nooks. Now it is barren and ugly.

Hey all, Thanks for the replies! We had no problem finding Rusty's with my friends directions and the great work that's been done to clear those trails. We had a great trip in Rusty's making it back as far as rusty's shower before having to turn around due to time. What a beautiful cave!!! Thanks Scci for making it possible for us to vist such a great, easy vertical cave!

Isn't there a 40 foot pit at the entrance to Rusty's?

chynabear wrote:Isn't there a 40 foot pit at the entrance to Rusty's?

Yes.

There is a small pit entrance. Like 30 or 40 it seems. You will need vert gear I would suggest a frog system and be proficient at vert skills. If my memory serves me correct the entrance is bolted so you will need two carabiners to rig.

Next time i go up there im bringing a machet to clear the path its so overgrown its insane but its mid summer now

You were there recently and it was that overgrown? I've been planning a trip out there for weeks now, stuff just keeps coming up....

It was very overgrown when I went a month ago.

Was there last week The path is still easy to find but really could use some trimming. The F.M. preserve is known to have some rattle sneaks so I'm not too fond of not being able to see my feet. Rustys is well worth the hike if you get a chance. Small but very decorated. It's a small jewel of a cave.

Was there about a week ago myself- the trail is fairly wide open until you get to the turnoff to go the last ~300-400 feet. There the base of the trail is still very well-worn, but the shrubs are grown solid across the trail at about the 4' level, so it feels like you are beating a path through the jungle. Be sure to spray on some repellent beforehand, or the ticks and chiggers will be all over you!

Trogman

I tend to avoid that whole mountain in the summer.

I believe somebody was snake bit up there about this time last year