The Fort Stanton Cave Study Project (FSCSP) is pleased to announce the availability of the Snowy River passage simulation program, Caver Quest, for download from the project's web site. The link to the Caver Quest page is http://fscsp.org/CQ6/. There are versions for Windows, Mac and Linux operating systems. Key FSCSP volunteer and caver Ron Lipinski developed this innovative simulation.
For those who may not have heard of this program, it is an interactive, avatar-based simulation that allows the user to direct the avatar through portions of the amazing Snowy River passage of Fort Stanton Cave of New Mexico. The simulation produces a 3D representation of the passage based upon the actual survey data with wallpaper based upon actual photographs of the walls of the passage stitched together to provide an almost seamless and accurate representation of the cave. In places where adequate photography has not occurred, the walls have been covered with "generic" wallpaper. The program is a work in progress and is under continual development and improvement (so check back soon for future updates).
The FSCSP, in cooperation with the Bureau of Land Management, is providing this simulation free of charge in the interests of stimulating the development of similar representations of other caves and as an avenue for the public to visit this amazing place, which will likely never have recreational access. The FSCSP is a 501.c.3 non-profit organization whose mission is to conduct and facilitate research and exploration at Fort Stanton Cave. Donations to the FSCSP are tax deductible.