Cavechat.org

Long time listener, first time caller.

Over the past 5 years a group of friends and I have tackled Kennamer Cave in Woodville probably a dozen times. We've twice went down the pit and tried to make our way into the main cave, and we've several times tried to find the way from the main cave to the pit. It seems non existent. I've about given up on it, but some in the group still believe it can be done. I haven't seen anyone online that has managed to find the way through. Has anyone on Cave Chat found the passage from through? Is it just permanently blocked? Are we just blind? Or is the map just not to be trusted?

Answers much appreciated, I'd love to stop looking if it's a no go. Two trips down that pit and two ascents out and I'm done trying until someone tells me it can be done.

Shout out to whoever put that cave register down there. Saw it on Sunday, our whole group was giddy with excitement to sign it.

if you are at the convention, try to find Darrien Dopp. He knows his way around that cave pretty well.

I wish I had the $$$ to go to the convention.

Another option would be to go back to the register, find out which grotto manages it, check the NSS directory, and contact one of those people about finding a way on a trip with them. I personally have not done the whole trip, but I've talked to several people who have. They all said it is tough to do that through trip without someone showing you the way. It is possible, of course, but you would probably avoid a lot of frustration if you had someone take you through there.

The Wiki page on the ACS website for that cave was written up by Mark Ostrander. (He is one of the SCCI property managers for the cave) If you can contact him, he would probably be able to help you. He wrote up a very long description of the cave, but says little about Kenna Pit, except that it is very difficult to find the way. But I guess you knew that already.

Trogman

I just did the led NSS Convention trip to Kennamer Cave today led by Mark Ostrander. Mark was telling me that the only person that he knows that has done the through trip by entering the Kenna Pit Entrance is Bill Torode who was the one that first surveyed Kennamer Cave. So probably Bill Torode would be the best person to talk to about doing the connection. He is at the NSS Convention. Mark was saying that the connection requires doing some very tight crawling. Mark has been in the cave around 30 times he was telling me but he has never done the Kenna Pit Entrance connection.

We've done the regular through trip several times, and I've been in some tight crawls at the bottom of the pit but I'd have to say that it's very hard to find is an understatement. IMPOSSIBLE to find it more accurate.

Thanks for all the tips guys, I might get into contact with some of these people, but to be completely honest, the idea of a pit through trip doesn't exactly excite me.

Why don't you try and come to a Huntsville Grotto meeting and talk with Bill and Mark directly? The next one is August 6th at 7:00 at the new NSS Office on Pulaski Pike @ Winchester Road. We'd love to have you. If you need directions let me know.