Long Horizontal Caves in TAG?

[Ozymandias]

Hi all! It's been a while since I've been on this forum (moved up to MI, the land of zero elevation change and zero caves). However, I was back in town for the holidays and was trying to figure out a trip or two for today and tomorrow.

I was hoping for a long, relatively dry cave a la Pettijohn's or Howard's Waterfall (with a preference for some fun climbing and maze-like complexity you sometimes see in Pettjohn's). I went through the 2005 Huntsville and the 1998 Chattanooga Guidebooks, and pulled out all the >1 mile horizontal caves. Here's the list I came up with (along with access issues):

01. Russell Cave: 35k ft (State DNR, Closed)
02. Guffey Cave: 33k ft (Private, Closed for Hunting)
03. Tumbling Rock: 32k ft (Private, Open w/ Permission)
04. Pettijohn's Cave: 31k ft (State DNR, Open) -- Been here six times.
05. Howard's Waterfall: 18k ft (SCCI, Open) -- Been here.

06. Tom Pack Cave: 15k ft (???, ???)
07. Limerock Blowing Cave: 15k ft (SCCI, Open) -- Floods during rain.
08. Crownover Saltpeter: 14k ft (Private, ???)
09. Talucah Cave: 14k ft (Private, ???)
10. Camp's Gulf: 13k ft (???, Open?)

11. Talley Ditch Cave: 12k ft (Private, Closed for Hunting)
12. Kennamer Cave: 12k ft (SCCI, Open)
13. Walker Spring Cave: 10k ft (Private, ???) -- Wading Required.
14. Jess Elliott Cave: 9k ft (State DNR, Closed for Hunting?)
15. Wet Cave: 7k ft (Private, Closed on TAG List)

16. Wonder Cave: 7k ft (Commercial, Closed to Wild Caving)
17. Owen Spring Cave: 7k ft (State DNR, Open?) -- Wetsuit Required.
18. Hurricane Cave: 6k ft (SCCI, Closed for Drainpipe Collapse)
19. Whiteside Cave: 6k ft (Private, Open?) -- Wading Required.
20. Monteagle Saltpeter: 6k ft (Private, Closed for Hunting)

21. Circle Cave: 5k ft (???, ???)
22. Buggytop Cave: 5k ft (State DNR, Open?)

Can anyone offer corrections to that list? Or fill in any of the question marks? Given the number of closures (and a desire not to wear a wetsuit), it pretty much narrows our list of options down to four basic choices:

Tumbling Rock, Camp's Gulf, Kennamer, and Buggytop.

[wendy]

tumbling rock is nice, and so is limerock blowing cave. I don't think they are too far from each other (I could be wrong, it's highly likely).

[Ozymandias]

tumbling rock is nice, and so is limerock blowing cave. I don't think they are too far from each other (I could be wrong, it's highly likely).

Thanks, Wendy! I've heard a lot about Tumbling Rock... sounds like a fascinating place (and an SCCI acquisition as of Jan 1st, as well!)

[Realms]

mmmm Tumbling Rock. Hope you have a fun time man.

[CaverScott]

If you have never been to Tumbling Rock, that is "THE" cave to visit on your list.

[graveleye]

If you have never been to Tumbling Rock, that is "THE" cave to visit on your list.

I second that - GREAT cave! Even better if Realms leads the trip!

I was just in Michigan, btw - I was under the impression that there were a couple of caves up north, but I don't know where I heard that. Can anyone elaborate?

[CaverScott]

Yup, Michigan has caves!

http://www-personal.umich.edu/~ranecurl/mkc/fiborn.html

[cave rat]

From what I have been told, the SCCI lease on T-Rock will be official January 1st.

[hammmike]

04-17-10 we just finished a brief scout of the talucah cave. It is private, however the owners who live in the really nice house nearby are extremely nice (NSS Only guys) In fact the local fire dept is within rock throwing distance to the cave, and even gave us a map of the cave. Hope that helps. I was shocked.