Cavechat.org

Just got back from a trip up there. I know it's not everyone's favorite, but it holds alot of memories for myself and my friends...so we make a trip up at least once if not twice a year...one of our traditions is to walk over to petti on our first night to 'pay homage' to the cave...imagine my surprise when i walk up to see tagging on the entrance to the cave, and all along the main cavern...I'd love to get my hands on the little...well, I'll leave the colorful comments to the imagination.

Anyone know how long this has been this way? I haven't been up there since Jan of this year, so it was a surprise to me. Also, we're planning another trip up in Jan coming up...what is good for removing this stuff?

the darn ranger station is just right down the road too. I can think of a couple of times I have been kept up all night by partying teens up at Rocktown, when we were scared of being busted for drinking a bit of wine in our tents. We didnt know that was ok at the time because he made it seem like one step out of line and you were going to jail. I guess that mountain is just too big for one guy to be everywhere at once. Seems to me that wouldnt be too hard to monitor Pettijohns though with someone there 24/7 pretty much.

I think one of the best things to do with grafitti is to get rid of it asap. If anyone wants to do it, I have my hand in the air to help. The longer it stays there, it only encourages more tagging. If someone doesnt beat me to it, I'll scrub that stuff off myself.

Well, like I said, my friends and I are headed up there in Jan, so if it's still there when we get up there, we've already planned on trying to clean it up...but if someone can get to it before then, the sooner the better.

It just kills me that it has gone this long w/o being too terribly disturbed on the outside, and someone just had to do it...inside, too.

well I live a few miles from Pettijonh and as far as i know its always had righting on the wall. And its to hard to get cault up there drinking not saying I have but its what the locals do is go mudding on Rockylane [Which they cant any more its graveled] so there not as much partying going on up there now. as for the vandalism, theres a room in the cave just for that and they need to use it and stop righting there names every where. Next time go in the second entrance it dont get used its in the next valley over.

a room in the cave just for vandalisim?

you must have meant a room just for burying cave vandals that get flatrocked by cavers who catch them....

Randog- that second entrance you mention is actually Screech Owl cave and to the best of my knowledge does not connect to PJ's. I've tried to push the connection from the Pettijon's side but it just gets TT. I live in LaFayette also and have been caving in Pettijohn's for about 15 years. I try to get over there for trash clean up about once a month but we had a new daughter added to the family back in November and I haven't been able to get out since. No doubt there is new graffiti as there always seems to be when ever I visit. There used to be major clean-up partys but the local cavers have seemed to written this cave off and it's mainly a 'throw away cave' now. That is, when someone new asks about a cave to visit, they are directed to Pettijohn's.
It's a shame though. I love PJ's and have spent alot of time in there. I admit it's a rough and tough cave without a lot of 'pretties', but it's a huge cave that really challenges your endurance. Hopefully someone will bring some steel brushes and scrape off some paint.

The Pigeon mountain grotto did a clean-up there last month and the Sera Karst task force did one last weekend. PMG usually does a clean-up there at least once a year and sometimes two times. We go in and pick up trash, do graffitti removal and also pick up trash in the parking area and on the trails around the entrance. Many times while passing by the parking area I will stop and pick up trash. Next time we have a clean-up I will post the info on here so maybe some more volunteers can come and help, we would love to have you.

Mike Hopkins ~ Chair ~ Pigeon Mountain grotto

If the clean-ups were done about every other week you MIGHT get a handle on it. I wonder if Latrodectus mactans would adapt to entrance passage well? Leo