SuckinOnSodaStraws wrote: We've been caving a lot in Williams Canyon with the trip leaders there.
I'll be down there tomorrow - Narrows Cave.
I think the Southern Colorado Mountain Grotto is still running survey trips to Wind Cave on weekends.
Survey at Wind is an official project through the Colorado Grotto. Contact Roger Harris (Black Hills rep) for information about email lists and planned trips. You can find him in the members manual or send me a PM.
As far as permits, what kind of "credentials" are needed? I know a few members of the grotto have said they would happily write us some recommendation letters, but that was for becoming trip leaders ourselves...
This depends on the cave. For Williams Canyon you have to be voted in as a trustee, and it sounds like you may be making progress there. For Wind Cave you have to do 10 trips and go through the trip leader training. For Jewel you have to spend 100 hours in the cave and go through trip leader training. For LaSunder and Groaning you need to have been once before with an approved trip leader, and for LaSunder get approval from a Grotto. Basically it means you have to be a little social and get engaged with the community before you're able to control your own destiny, but there are worse things than caving with some of these good folks. I haven't encountered anyone in the many cave trips I've been on over the past 2 years in any of these areas that I would describe as exclusive or elitist. The only expectation is that you cave safely and with low impact.