ohiocaver wrote:Sounds like Doghill - but then, 60% of all caves are in hilly, karsty country that a farmer owns. The Central Indiana Grotto probably could help if you provide more details or some photos.
Hey thanks for reaching out ! I'm researching Doghill-Donehue right now thanks to you ! Found a youtube vid from Cavely going thru it and have reached out to them for possible info as well.
I've also found a copy of the 1992 NSS Convention guidebook for sale online that I believe can be sold to me hopefully...
The guidebook is supposed to have a lot of info on Indiana caves and may even have the exact same map my buddy was given; crumby napkin-written-look-a-like penciled sketchy as hell stick drawing map of the cave haha!
Still unsure if this is the cave though, as I distinctly remember getting to near the end of the cave and my buddy (who went first but was slightly more heavy-set than myself) getting stuck at a 90deg elbow turn in a tunnel that you had to remove your pack for and crawl forward into, then up, but not seeing anything about that in the vid or any descriptions I've read of this cave so far. We had been told to crawl into the tunnel on our backs because of the sharp upward turn about 10ft into the crawl. This is where my friend got stuck and I had to crawl up to him and remove as many clothes n such as possible, for him to unstick himself and both of us crawl backwards, back out of the tunnel. This is where we talked and realized we had to trek it all the way to the beginning, with dwindling supplies.
Plus, my cave (lol) seemed to only have a straight-forward entrance and exit, just one of each I'm pretty sure. Just go in one side and walk/get thru to the other side. Pretty straight line.
Another detail... I hope this is ok ?.... I remember being told it was about a mile and a half long and was supposed to take 8-12 hrs to get through. We got stuck near the end, then realized we had to high-tail it allll the back through the cave to the entrance...before our batteries died...which they did....about 45 mins from the entrance. We literally felt along in the dark, back to the entrance, drenched head to toe in muddy water...no wetsuits/hadn't even heard that's a thing...
We started into the cave early in the morning on a colllld day... finally got back out around 2am...it was now snowing like crazy....
Story gets better, but not sure where the line is on describing caves and experiences ? If someone could help with that ? I certainly don't want to break any rules. Any novice who tries this cave I'm thinking of, is a complete moron because, in this case, it takes one (me) to know one
I guess if this posts, it's a sign I'm good to go on describing what I remember of the cave and my experience :) fingers crossed
Thanks so far to Ohiocaver and David Weaver !