NEW TO CAVING in KY and TN

[jarvis]

Hello, I am wanting to try out caving with some friends. I stationed at Ft Campbell KY right on the the Kentucky Tennessee border. I have been rock climbing for a while so I got most of the equipment for caving and am good at reading maps. Where is a good source to find areas to cave that are not your typical guided tours? I'm looking for something around a 2 or 3 hour drive at most.

[killian]

Jarvis welcome to the world of caving.. If yo are going with friends that have gone before then you are in prime cave area. Deep pits go caves. The best thing to do would be to google TAG closed and limited caves. This will give you all the info for caves in your area. look for ones that have an email address or phone number this will get you the permission you need to go.. If your Friends have never been ether that try to join some local Grotto. you cave cave as much as possible with a group.

[sandalscout]

Hey Jarvis, I highly recommend looking up the Clarksville Underground (Local Grotto). I actually just did my first cave today with them, and it was pretty cool!

Email me @ sandalscout@gmailDOTcom to get more information.

[Cheryl Jones]

The best thing to do would be to google TAG closed and limited caves. This will give you all the info for caves in your area.

It's important to look at the list to see if caves you know about in your area are closed or for some reason have limited access. Good landowner relations are extremely important to keeping caves open to cavers. But using the list to access caves is not a good way to begin to find caves or to go caving. There are plenty of other caves -- the list certainly does not include all of the caves in any area.

Far better to begin by visiting open, easy caves, and the very best way to begin caving is to join a grotto. This way you can cave with experienced cavers who will understand the landowner relations for the caves, the skills and equipment required, obstacles you'll encounter, and the general nature of the passages. If you want to cave seriously, then you'll need to learn from cavers.

Have fun!

Cheryl

[BenC]

Jarvis, contact the Clarksville Underground Grotto. Sadalscout is right, great group of people and there is a ton of caving within 20-30mins of where you are. You'll get spoiled then move to NY where there are no caves.

[barcelonacvr]

You'll get spoiled then move to NY where there are no caves.

You have caves all around you ,do you mean close to you??

[jarvis]

Thanks for the info everyone. I just emailed clarksville underground. I hope to hear back from them soon.

Also I got one other question. What is a typical length of rope to bring for caving? I know all caves will be diffrent of course. Just looking for a rule of thumb. If I can find a good deal on shorty. I dont feel like thrashing my dynamic rope in the mud too often if I really get into caving.

[BenC]

Jarvis, don't sweat rope right now. SRT and jugging are different creatures and there is an abundance of equipment within the grotto.

Ponorplumber, you are right there are caves all around Pa, Schoharie, Ny, and I've heard rumors of somethings around Watertown, but they are all hours away. Before we moved our project cave was 15 minutes away!

[barcelonacvr]

J Before we moved our project cave was 15 minutes away!

My condolences

Don't forget the Niagara gorge has a few thousand feet of virgin nastiness too...still a bit of a drive though.

[BenC]

I know nothing of this Niagra Gorge you speak of! Virgin nastiness is still virgin!!

Wicked awesome screen name by the way!!

[REB]

Jarvis, first off welcome to the wonderful world of cavin, and to answer your last question,a 200-250' PMI pit rope will get you in almost anything in TAG if its a single drop.