Cavechat.org

I live in Big Bear Ca, in the San Bernardino mountains. I've been in a quite a few Mines around here, but never a real cave. (The one I have been to was only a couple hundred feet.) I really want to start making this my hobby, but I'm not sure where to start. The closest Grotto to me is about 90 miles away, and with work, its nearly impossible for me to make it to any meetings. Any help would be appreciated. I'm not asking for locations to any caves, I'm just trying to figure out where to start. Thanks for any and all help.

Get in touch with the grotto anyway and explain how you can't make the meeting but to keep you in the loop about trips. they may also be able to get you in touch with cavers that live closer to you.

Welcome to caving, Kyler, and knowing where you are in California, you really need to get hooked up with a grotto. And, the closest one, I believe, would be Southern California Grotto (SCG) that meets in Pasadena. I realize its about two hours away from you...but a lot of people travel that far to their grotto meetings. The big thing by becoming a member of SCG is that you'll get a neat caving magazine that's all about their activities and you'll be able to meet other cavers from all points coming and going to Pasadena, along with dates on their grotto caving trips to various places, so...check 'em out. This is the link to their webpage - http://southerncaliforniagrotto.com/ and I would suggest emailing some of their reps, like John Woods at jcwoods@att.net or Lynn Fielding at lfielding@elcamino.edu . Both could help you out. If you need any other info, give me a PM, so I can help you out.

Ernie Coffman
NSS Membership Committee

It is my understanding that the caves in California are further up north way above LA by several hours of driving. My brother lives in LA and contacted the Southern California grotto but was told that there really are no local caves, they mostly just do a lot of outdoor rope work locally.

The easiest way to see if there are caves in an area is to do some Google searches and you will find references to cave related tourist attractions, parks, roads, churches, streams, etc. If you don't find those things then you can bet that the area probably just isn't good geologically for caves.

Howdy Kyler or whatever you're going by (Tim, maybe?), for I tried getting some response on this issue, but so far haven't come up with anything, as yet. As I re-read your message, I see that it was your brother inquring about the Southern California Grotto, so sometimes getting the information straight could be mind-boggling. Anyway about it, as for caves in the Southern California area, your brother is correct that there's not too many caves around there; thus, the cavers have to travel somewhat to go caving, like to Sequoia National Park and farther north, but this has been going on for years and years. A lot of grottos are in that same category. We've been in communication with a gal who lives almost up into Canada and caves down in TAG country, so...what your brother got--information-wise--is nothing new if they're into caving.

I was pushing you into getting into this grotto, so that you could know somewhat was expected of you on going on trips, getting their great newsletter, and maybe joining up on some of their training, for let's face it, grotto folks usually like to know who they go caving with, whether they're safe cavers, etc., etc. If I can find other info out for you, I'll probably do a PM to you.

Guess it's not you who would be joining up with Southern Cal Grotto, but your brother, 'eh?

This thread is from January. Looks like a spammer - kylereyes559 - revived it. Tip off is the post with little actual substance and a random link in the signature.

Thanks for that input Luke! We've got two different guys wanting info, so you're right on the money as for this Jason guy goes--January is a long ways away; and, my question is how it got posted. The other guy is from TAG and seems to know what he's talking about, so...need to make contact with him, again.

Thanks, Luke!