dsundergroundm wrote:I would have to whole heartedly agree with wendy. Ask a few questions, maybe asking about past caving trips they have done (if there is alot of stupidity in their past trips be wary). After that all you can do is follow your gut.
Well, unless 3 Days is familar with caves and caving techniques to begin with those guys can make up whatever trips they've been on and he wouldn't know the difference right? I met a guy who said he'd been to Lech, Mammoth and a few caves abroad and for a while folks believed him. Then it turned out that he was full of it... totally full of it. Once he started caving with us (or trying to cave) it became quickly evident that he gleaned most of his knowledge from reading and not actually doing.
It is sometimes difficult to know who knows what and if they really know what they're doing unless they show you up front. If 3 Day was watching those guys doing all the SRT and they didn't fall or have problems (changing over and so on) then it's probable that they were indeed cavers. No, you don't have to be an NSS/Grotto member to be a great or even a good caver but it does lend weight to whatever you're saying that you do. At least for those who are in the know.
For sure... take the long route and find the nearest grotto to you and go check them out. Chances are those guys will be there. Even if they're not they've either skipped that meeting or just aren't members. At least at your first grotto meeting you'll meet people you should be able to trust.
Start slow and work your way up. I get appalled at hearing stories about how this or that cave (Ellisons for one) is someone's FIRST vertical cave. I mean c'mon!