Actually, we never got around to going to Watertown to check out the caves near there, and a big trip is heading down to TAG in a couple days. Ten days after that, we'll be coming back and may renew our interest in Jefferson County caves.
Just to make this clear: you should definitely join the NSS--and as soon as possible!--but you don't have to do so before coming to our meetings or caving with us. However, there are no meetings for a bit, since it's Winter Break. But that doesn't stop us from caving and needn't stop you from caving with us!
And the close friends you mention that you cave with--they are also welcome. (Separately from that, they should of course also join the NSS!)
jhartz wrote:i have no vertical caving experience as of now
We'd be pleased to introduce you vertical caving. Single Rope Technique is not hard to learn, but it is the sort of thing you should learn in practice in a controlled environment (e.g. not in a cave). Also, I am not aware of any vertical caves in Jefferson County that would be suitable for a first-time vertical caver.
jhartz wrote:have always packed a backpack, helmet with light, some rope
A bit of rope, cord, or webbing (usually 20' I would say) is always good to have one hand when caving. I would go so far as to say that it's an essential item for most caves, even horizontal ones. A lot of people think this is not important for horizontal caving but I can recall a few times when horizontal caving where I would have needed the assistance of professional rescuers if I hadn't had my webbing to help myself or someone else through something, many cases where without my webbing I wouldn't have been able to access significant parts of caves, and many cases similar to these recounted to me by others.
Some recommendations:
You should always have a backup light that is entirely independent from your primary. After all, however reliable it is, it is certainly possible for your primary light to fail. If the chances are 1/1000 that your primary will fail, and you have a totally equivalent backup, then the odds of you being without light (even if those are your only light sources) are one in a million. In order for your backup light to provide you with that kind of significant additional assurance of light availability, it has to be totally independent of your primary--for instance, it must not share a power source with your primary. Realistically, the chances of light failure tend to be greater than one in a thousand--at least in my experience. Therefore it is a real good idea--and considered important by most cavers, at least in the US--to carry a third light as well. I've never had two lights fail on me, but I was saw it happen to a friend.
Each of your lights should be sufficient to get you out of the cave, at least two of them should be readily helmet-mountable (with one of those already being on your helmet), and you should carry spare batteries or carbide for each one of your lights. It's a real good idea to carry spare bulbs for electric lights that have bulbs that are likely to fail--e.g. anything but LEDs--and it's essential to carry a basic repair kit for carbide.
In my opinion, a trusty flashlight and a small roll of duct tape is an acceptable second light, provided that you are able to tape it onto your helmet in such a way that you can change its batteries with it on your helmet, or have enough tape to reattach it. While some would say that this requires too much futzing with, I'd say that ripping off some tape and putting some new tape on is a lot faster and simpler than servicing a carbide cap lamp. That said, if you can get one, I'd recommend a second, bright, long-running, water-resistant (or waterproof) headlamp.
While the best way to ward off hypothermia is to keep moving, in some situations that's not possible (e.g., you have broken your leg; you are lost or need to take time to figure out where to go; you are entrapped by passage collapse, flood, or the wedging of your body down into something; you are tending an immobilized buddy; you are waiting at a vertical pitch to get on rope, or for others to get across an obstacle). And sometimes you'll be cold enough that you'll want something to help you keep warm even when you're on the move. Therefore it's important to have a vapor barrier with you, such as a trash bag (you make a head hole and sometimes arm holes) or "space blanket." This keeps the moisture on you and your clothing from evaporating quickly and taking your body heat with it. It's good to have this on you in your helmet or boot. Only put it in a sturdy pocket that is very unlikely to rip out, such as the kind in a cave suit. This shouldn't be in your pack because it might be out of reach when you end up needing it.
You should also bring water with you. This is good for drinking and for cleaning wounds. It's a good idea to have an empty water bottle on hand--this makes a good container for urine, and in an emergency, other wastes (e.g. feces, hypodermic needles). When it's empty it makes your pack float. You'll almost always want to bring food. And it's useful to have a small kit in your pack with something you can use to bandage a wound, tape (preferably duct tape), a compass, a whistle, a knife and/or small scissors, a candle for warmth (and light) for if you have to sit tight for a while, something reliable with which to light the candle (and, if applicable, your carbide lamp should its flint or piezo-starter crap out), a rechargeable heat pack (put it under an armpit when you're in your vapor barrier and make sure not to burn your skin), and any other items you wanna have.
Of course, everyone has different ideas about what should be packed into a cave. Check out
this thread for some of them.
Some of these items can be carried by just one person for use by a whole group. But each person should have three lights and a vapor barrier (and of course a helmet).
Other items like gloves and knee pads can be very beneficial.
While I do strongly recommend that you have at least the items that I, uh, strongly recommend above (e.g. three lights), please don't think that you need to have them in time to go caving with SUOC. We're lucky enough to have a budget from the university and can supply you with gear to supplement what you have while you're caving with us, so long as you give it right back.
jhartz wrote:i have found 1 new cave being carved out not yet able to fit into it but it is cool to see it forming
Do you happen to have pictures?
jhartz wrote:All this limestone makes this a great area for caving and i wish someone would form a grotto up here for the northeast NY area
That's probably what all those other people who didn't form grottoes there said.
jhartz wrote:or for the city to open up some of the caverns to the public like in the old days.
I'm not sure what you mean--can you explain how it was (and how it has changed) in more detail?