Another Pettijohns question...

[pipewrench]

Hi all,
My friends and I took our second trip into pettijohns cave today. The first time we went we took a copy of the survey, but did not this time.
I'm trying to figure out exactly where we made our turn around point.

We traveled straight from the entrance up and over several of the walk downs through breakdown. We ended up going through what I believe is the autograph room (where people wrote their names everywhere ) I'm assuming this is that room, there are two ways in to it. By banking to the left there is a hand line someone has left (which is now anchored, last year it was tied around a rock) or you can bank right and more or less drop into the room.

We continued on and came to another drop where someone has left a rope that appeared to be in bad shape. Lots of random knots tied in it and was tied into a continuous loop. We didn't want to put any faith into these ropes, the climbs were fairly easy without utilizing them.

Further progressing on we ended up coming to a very large room that had a third rope going down. It looked to be a very long drop and we decided that was a good turn around point. I noted that arrows with the letter "V" were pointing all the way to this area. We thought that we may have thus made it to the 'volcano room' since all the "V's" lead us there.

I guess I have two questions:
One: What is this large room called that we did not venture into? The drop appeared to be very long. It was a big room for sure. We just weren't going to risk an injury with the rope there.
Two: Is there a crawl somewhere to access this large room without having to climb down with rope? We would like to return to get in the bottom of the room but aren't too experienced with rope and we don't take any chances.

All in all we had a very good time. We also explored an area to the right of the entrance room a little ways that had a very pretty flowstone. We didn't see too much trash and picked up a little on the way out. Looking forward to going back but will probably hit another cave for our next trip. Thanks!

Edit...the room that I called the autograph room may not actually be THE autograph room. It was a pretty small room, like a cylinder. 3-4 feet wide by maybe 10-12 feet long. I am horrible at estimating distances though!

[BrianFrank]

That room is the Volcano Room. Do not go down the rope. The rope is old and the drop is about 60' if it breaks or you slip. There is a small hole to go down to the next level in the Volcano Room. The hole is to your right if you are looking out into the Volcano Room. You have to go feet first. If you want to download maps and a description of the cave go to this website. http://hucosystems.com/

[Shane S]

The rope goes down to the stream level and is quite an unsafe climb. There is the hole you can go down at the volcano room. There you can push on toward the discovery room or venture right into Echo Dome which is the largest room in the cave. You will come to another room first. To the right is the worm tube and left is the mason dixon passage. You can take the mason dixon passage to the bridge room where it is a little bit safer to climb back down to the stream level. The cave actually gets better after the worm tube.

[BrianFrank]

The rope goes down to the stream level and is quite an unsafe climb. There is the hole you can go down at the volcano room. There you can push on toward the discovery room or venture right into Echo Dome which is the largest room in the cave. You will come to another room first. To the right is the worm tube and left is the mason dixon passage. You can take the mason dixon passage to the bridge room where it is a little bit safer to climb back down to the stream level. The cave actually gets better after the worm tube.

....and if he really wants to push out past the Volcano Room he could visit the second largest room in the cave which is also the furtherest north of any other part of PJ from the entrance. It is the Discovery Room which is two hundred and fifty feet long and over forty feet wide in places...but it is infrequently visited due to a climb at the Emerald Pool area and the distance from the entrance of more than a mile.

[pipewrench]

Thanks guys. My companions and I took one look at that rope and said no way, its nice to hear there's an alternate route. When we go back we will push further on.

[bennettbike]

I have been everywhere in that cave. I never could figure out how to go through the autograph room to do the loop... Ugh.
I think I could figure it out now through the bridge room but... It still kills me that I never figured it out.

[BrianFrank]

Just before you enter the Autograph Room, head down to your left. Don't worry, if it goes down and down you are going the correct way. If you come to a dead end, then that is the wrong way:-) You can't get lost as it either leads you to the Volcano Room or stops. Anyway....if you keep going down and down a few different levels you will eventually come to a room with a window overlooking the Volcano Room. You will know it as the drop off looking out of that opening is about 70' down. Don't go out that window down the rope as it is dangerous. Instead go to your right (if you are looking out the window) down a hole that will take you down into the top level of the Volcano Room.

[BenS]

Go towards the back of the entrance room. Past the area you go down towards the pancake squeeze and up over that incline. Near the back right side of that room you go down, but if you go straight down it leads you to the east stream passage. Instead start going down about 10-15 feet and turn back so that you are facing the middle of the entrance passage and there is a crawl that opens up into the passage that leads to the volcano room. You haven't even seen a fraction of pettyjohn's if you haven't found that passage. Good luck and please wear a helmet!

[BenS]

Oh and once you get to the drop for the volcano room it is more like 30 feet. But you crawl through the bypass and go to the right of that room to find the Mason Dixon passage. It might still be flooded like it was last time I went though. Dont go down any ropes. Once you get to the bridge room you go left into the other passage that leads to the raccoon room.

[bennettbike]

BrianFrank thanks!
I noticed the volcano room on the map. And from description I have defiantly been in that room.
I climbed to the bridge room. I climbed down into a tight crawl and then followed a stream into the volcano room.

I have been down the rope on the left in the autograph room so maybe one more trip and I can finally do laps...

Thanks!

[bennettbike]

BenS thanks, yeah I know that spot. I just have to talk my group into going back again someday instead of the other caves.