Chattanooga Caver

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Chattanooga Caver

Postby BenS » Jul 12, 2012 8:03 pm

Hi everyone. I live in Chattanooga, TN and just started getting interested in caving over the last year or two. Luckily I live in a good area for it! I've only explored pettyjohn's cave and screech owl cave for now. I've been gradually saving up for gear so I can safely explore many other caves. I also plan on finishing my exploration of pettyjohn's before I move on. I guess I feel like it would be a good initiation :shrug: I would be more than happy to take any advice or criticism on gear and/or anything else. I would also love to talk to other cavers in the area and possibly go on some trips with them. I currently don't have any good friends to go with unless its to the waterfall in pettyjohn's :down: Everyone I know that is interested in stuff like this is out of the country.
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Re: Chattanooga Caver

Postby BrianFrank » Jul 12, 2012 8:34 pm

Don't get stuck in Pettijohns for too much of your caving future. There are many beautiful caves to see and explore. Join the grotto in Chattanooga and go to Face Book to the Pettijohn page to meet others who you can cave with.

As far as gear.....helmet, gloves, kneepads, helmet light and two spares. Also a good map, compass and allot of commonsense.
.
All TAG cavers join http://www.SCCI.org. A small price for a GREAT resource.
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Re: Chattanooga Caver

Postby BenS » Jul 12, 2012 9:20 pm

I would join the grotto if my work schedule was different, but for now I feel like I wouldn't even be able to participate. I technically have all the gear I need for horizontal caves, but I'm definitely upgrading my lights soon. It's all coming together, but slower than I would like since I'm a poor college student.
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Re: Chattanooga Caver

Postby UnderGroundEarth » Jul 13, 2012 7:55 am

There are several grottos in your area. Chattanooga meets the second Monday, Pigeon Mountain Grotto meets the first Friday and the Sewanee Mountain Grotto meets the second Saturday. There are great cavers in all of these grottos that you could learn from. Also, each grotto offers monthly caving trips.

Chattanooga meets at 7pm at the Chattanooga Aboretum & Nature Center (400 Garden Road Chattanooga, TN 37419).
http://www.facebook.com/#!/groups/137404042945040/

Pigeon Mountain meets at the Bank of LaFayette at the Rock Springs branch on Hwy 27.
http://www.facebook.com/#!/groups/55499438417/

The Sewanee Mountain Grotto rotates their meetings. They are typically held at a grotto members house on Old Sewanee Road, Sewanee, TN (not far from Kimball, TN). http://www.facebook.com/#!/groups/144509055567142/.

Have you joined the National Speleological Society (NSS)? www.caves.org.

There are also several great caving events held in the area each year.

The Southeastern Regional Association of Cavers (SERA) has an event each year that is hosted by individual grottos. It is called the SERA Summer Cave Carnival - this years event was in May. http://www.caves.org/region/sera/CaveCarn.htm.

The Sewanee Mountain Grotto hosts an event each year called Cave Fest. It is held Labor Day weekend. http://www.facebook.com/#!/events/299738240109431/

And the Dogwood City Grotto hosts an event called the TAG Fall Cave In. This year it will be October 4-7, however you must be an NSS member or come as a guest of one to attend this event. http://www.tagfallcavein.org/.
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Re: Chattanooga Caver

Postby BenS » Jul 13, 2012 1:40 pm

Thank you for all the info. I will definitely look into the Chattanooga Grotto now since they meet on Monday. I guess I just assumed they would meet sometime over the weekend. The only event I knew about was the TAG fall cave in. I plan on joining the NSS, but haven't gotten around to it yet. I was wondering if any of you were familiar with SCCI and if it would be something worth joining?
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Re: Chattanooga Caver

Postby Jeff Bartlett » Jul 13, 2012 2:00 pm

BenS wrote:I was wondering if any of you were familiar with SCCI and if it would be something worth joining?

Yes. What SCCi does to secure cave access in this region is absolutely phenomenal. Many of the folks on this board are sustaining members, in fact. Of the three organizations you listed -- SCCi, NSS and Chattanooga Grotto -- the SCCi is most worthy of your money and support.

Oh, and caving clubs don't often meet on weekends. We're too busy caving!
(As Kelly will likely point out as soon as I finish typing this, Sewanee Mountain Grotto is a notable exception)
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Re: Chattanooga Caver

Postby UnderGroundEarth » Jul 13, 2012 3:36 pm

oops, not sure how I forgot to mention the SCCi.

And Jeff, we always cave before the meeting :big grin: .
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Re: Chattanooga Caver

Postby Larry E. Matthews » Jul 18, 2012 9:31 pm

Most Grottos meet on weekday nights.......................because they are out CAVING on the weekends !!!

Chattanooga is full of great cavers. You will have lots of people to go caving with.
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Re: Chattanooga Caver

Postby mgmills » Jul 19, 2012 8:02 pm

Larry E. Matthews wrote:Most Grottos meet on weekday nights.......................because they are out CAVING on the weekends !!!

Chattanooga is full of great cavers. You will have lots of people to go caving with.


I live in Sewanee but rarely get to attend the meetings on weekends because I'm frequently doing something elsewhere on weekends. I've often thought about attending Chattanooga meetings but living in Sewanee with the time difference (I live in Central time zone and Chatt is in Eastern) I just can't work out getting to the meetings because by the time I get off work in Winchester TN and drive to Chatt the meeting would be half over. I belong to Sewanee Mountain Grotto but just keep in touch with what is going on via the internet.
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Re: Chattanooga Caver

Postby Chatt89 » Aug 15, 2012 10:18 am

Im in chattanooga as well. Good to here from you.
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