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Rumbling Falls & Wilkinson Horror Trip

PostPosted: Mar 25, 2015 10:27 pm
by WUSS CVR
Looking to take a trip down to TAG country in the month of May. I have had Rumbling Falls on my bucket list for years now and I hear that it is currently open. Does anyone have any info they are willing to share about the cave, the route to the Rumble Room, rigging gear, etc? I believe I need to talk to someone at Fall Creek Falls to gain access but beyond that I don't know much about the actual cave. Any help would be appreciated.

Was also thinking about hitting up Wilkinson Horror Hole if time allowed. I have the TAG Fall Cave-In guidebook from 2005 and the description and map seem reasonably clear. Anything special to know?

Thanks

Kevin
NSS #54578
WUSS #0530

Re: Rumbling Falls & Wilkinson Horror Trip

PostPosted: Mar 30, 2015 8:19 am
by Chads93GT
Wilkson is fairly easy route finding. Lots of Cairns. The entrance area is a big breakdown pile and you have to find a sketchy looking downclimb down an angled boulder chute to continue past the main entrance breakdown area. AFter that make your way to the stream level then climb out of it, following the rock cairns. Continue through the sketchy breakdown to a hands and knees crawl thats pretty wide and this leads you to the top of the big ole 500' long room. The guidebook tells you where to look for the horror hole drop. ITs a 2 bolt rig, Need a rope pad. 60' down is a double bolt rig to rig a rebelay while standing on a ledge. this also speeds the ascent process up as two people can climb at once out of the horror hole. when you get off rope and you are looking straight up the face of the drop, go to your right and climb past the big flowstone. Make your way across the top of a sketchy canyon riddled with whirl pool holes. ITs about a 30' fall into that lake obikechokee swamp that is int he guide book. Taking the topo canyon route bypasses having to rappel into the swampy mud, therefore you don't have to walk through it. You will come to some bolts to rig a 30' drop, then you continue down the crawlway and eventually will find bolts for the last pit, which is a sketchy rig. Have the tallest person rig it for ease ;)

Be prepared for 8-10 hours depending on the size of your group and the shape they are in.

Rumbling falls you have to get sign some WNS forms and liability forms through the park. I am actually trying to jump through the hoops for this same permit process right now but I keep getting people who don't have any clue.............ugh.

Re: Rumbling Falls & Wilkinson Horror Trip

PostPosted: Mar 30, 2015 8:34 pm
by WUSS CVR
Thanks for the info on Wilkinson. Any known landowner/parking issues?

As far as Rumbling Falls, I spoke with a person at the park today and she said that she was pretty sure all the caves except Rumbling Falls were going to open on May 15th. I asked for one of the rangers to give me a call. If I find out a date, I'll post here for everyone. Again thanks for the info.

Re: Rumbling Falls & Wilkinson Horror Trip

PostPosted: Mar 31, 2015 7:59 am
by LukeM
We called ahead when we visited Wilkinson. I believe there was a number on the TAG closed cave list but I don't see the cave listed on there now. When we got to the property and checked in with the landowner we were told where to park.

Re: Rumbling Falls & Wilkinson Horror Trip

PostPosted: Mar 31, 2015 8:49 am
by Chads93GT
When you get to the cave area you will se an old two story house that is abandoned. The owner loves to the left in a trailer home. The cave Parking area is behind the house to the right in the fields. The sign in log book is in a small cabinet in the old saw mill. Sign in there and out.