I'm going back to Knoxville over summer break and there is this cave I've been wanting to explore ever since I was in grade school. The only problem is that the entrance is a 35 ft. drop (measured). I would really like to explore this cave since I feel like not many people have been in it because of the difficult entry-way. Nonetheless, I do not have repelling equipment nor do I have ascending equipment.
So I thought about getting a 40 ft. rope ladder, attaching it to a metal beam which will go across the hole, and using steaks to hold the metal beam into the ground. That begs the safety question, and furthermore the question of whether there is a better idea any of you all can come up with. I figure I would also anchor a safety rope too, just in case the ladder fails, I won't be injured/die.
This is a sketch of what I hope to do:
Anyways, tell me what you think of this plan and if you have a better idea as to what I could do to get down there. Caving is a major passion of mine and I've been doing it since I was 12. Thanks guys!!!