Ulla Cave Conditions

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Re: Ulla Cave Conditions

Postby Caving Guru » Jun 29, 2014 11:33 am

trogman wrote:
Greg Jones wrote:DawgsgoCaving, so Bob Gulden's website states that the maximum depth of Ulla Cave is 200 feet.


I think what Dawgs is looking for is how deep it actually is below the ground surface. The "depth" that surveyors report does not reflect that, but is merely the difference between the highest and the lowest surveyed points in the cave.
I did an overlay of the cave map to the topo, and according to my calculations the Lost Tape Passage is approx. 1000' below the overlying surface. The surface above this area is mostly sandstone, so hope for an upper entrance in that area is pretty slim. The chances are somewhat better closer to the entrance, although there have been a lot of folks looking in vain for such an entrance. In 2012 we had high hopes that we were about to make such a connection, which according to my reckoning would have connected in the area of the Big Flowstone. Alas, it turned out to only be a 50' blind pit, which we named "Little Hope Well."
The hunt will continue, however. An upper entrance would be a great safety valve in case a party got trapped by an unexpected rain event. As it is, such an occurrence could be fatal for those involved, since the cave is sumped shut for months at a time.

Trogman :helmet:


Trogman, I actually knew that the depth that Bob Gulden has on his website was the difference between the highest and lowest surveyed points in the cave. I was trying to answer his question as best I could. That was the only piece of information that I was able to provide. I am sorry that I even responded to the post at all Trogman because it seems like you think I shouldn't have posted at all.
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Re: Ulla Cave Conditions

Postby DawgsgoCaving » Jun 29, 2014 3:09 pm

Thanks, Trog. That's rough! Hopefully another entrance will come to be. How long is Sometime Sump, again? I know it's long enough to cause hypothermia. Anyone who gets stuck there in some kind of flood would be in a very bad position. I was curious about the depth because I wasn't sure if there was any possibility of the Lost Tape area getting sumped that would prevent cavers from going past a certain point without taking the necessary time to dig. I guess if it is about 1,000' below the overlying surface that wouldn't be the obstacle preventing people from getting to "Something Special" haha
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Re: Ulla Cave Conditions

Postby trogman » Jun 29, 2014 3:16 pm

Greg:
I am sorry if you took that as my meaning. I figured you probably knew what the number meant, but since the conversation includes others besides just you and I, I explained it more for the benefit of others than you. Sorry if I came across like a know-it-all trying to correct you; that was not my intention at all.

I suppose in a roundabout way I was also addressing the issue of the common misconception of the "depth" number that is reported on cave surveys. I know a lot of non-cavers (and probably cavers as well) do have the idea that this number tells you how far underground you are. In reality, you could actually be much deeper. Or you could be just barely below the surface. That's probably a topic for another thread though.

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Re: Ulla Cave Conditions

Postby DawgsgoCaving » Jun 29, 2014 3:47 pm

I checked Caver Bob's web site too, but I've never been in this cave before and wanted to reach out to anyone who has in an attempt to answer a more specific question. My greater appreciation for his response wasn't meant to upset you, and I don't think Trog's response was intended to upset you.
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Re: Ulla Cave Conditions

Postby trogman » Jun 29, 2014 4:22 pm

DawgsgoCaving wrote:Thanks, Trog. That's rough! Hopefully another entrance will come to be. How long is Sometime Sump, again? I know it's long enough to cause hypothermia. Anyone who gets stuck there in some kind of flood would be in a very bad position. I was curious about the depth because I wasn't sure if there was any possibility of the Lost Tape area getting sumped that would prevent cavers from going past a certain point without taking the necessary time to dig. I guess if it is about 1,000' below the overlying surface that wouldn't be the obstacle preventing people from getting to "Something Special" haha


I suppose it depends on how high the water is. At times it is completely sumped, and impassable without diving gear. Last time we went is was about 10' across and roughly 1' deep, and cold as ice! :yikes: There was still enough ceiling space where it could have gotten maybe a foot or two deeper and still allowed passage.

As far as the Lost Tape passage, I've never made it to the waterfall, although we certainly spent a lot of time looking for the way. So I really can't comment on that part of the cave. Any idea how big of a waterfall it is? The map shows the dome as being 90' high, but no telling if the waterfall is coming in from the top.

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Re: Ulla Cave Conditions

Postby DawgsgoCaving » Jun 29, 2014 7:38 pm

Yeah, I have no idea how tall the waterfall is either. It could just be a short shower from part of the way up for all I know. I'm hoping to run back into Randy at some point before that weekend who said he was getting close. I suppose the NSS directory has contact information for some of the original surveyors, or surveyors from the Unlikely Extension. Part of me is hesitant to ask, though. I feel like they may have had several people ask about that waterfall already.
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Re: Ulla Cave Conditions

Postby DawgsgoCaving » Jun 29, 2014 7:41 pm

I guess the worst case scenario would be not finding it and finally seeing Ulla's formations, and the absolute worst case scenario would be if the cave were sumped- in which case I'll do Dragfold or go back to Flowing Stone. Gotta love first-world caving problems :)
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Re: Ulla Cave Conditions

Postby rebelfirefighter » Jul 4, 2014 1:10 pm

I know of several people who have looked for the waterfall and not found it. I found a water crawl that I believe may go to it but on the trip I was on we were nearing turn around time and nobody wanted to push it. It thats the way it would take belly crawling through ice water to get to it. I planned to go back this summer and try it but with as much rain as we have had in the past month I dont know that we could get in there.

Whether you find the falls or not you will see some really nice cave in there.
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Re: Ulla Cave Conditions

Postby DawgsgoCaving » Jul 4, 2014 9:05 pm

Yeah, the more people I talk to the more I hear the same story. My permit is for a weekend in late August, but it may still be flooded. There has been a lot of rain in Georgia recently. We'll see! Honestly, getting to see Ullala would be a treat in itself. All the pictures I've seen from it look spectacular.
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Re: Ulla Cave Conditions

Postby monkeycrawl » Aug 15, 2014 9:13 am

Does anyone know if ulla is currently sumped?
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Re: Ulla Cave Conditions

Postby graveleye » Aug 15, 2014 9:57 am

I heard it was still sumped last weekend.
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Re: Ulla Cave Conditions

Postby trogman » Aug 15, 2014 12:07 pm

graveleye wrote:I heard it was still sumped last weekend.


And I think it rained some more up there since then. Ulla may not be accessible at all this year, unless we go dig open that new entrance. :woohoo:

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Re: Ulla Cave Conditions

Postby graveleye » Aug 15, 2014 12:12 pm

ahh that is still teasing me. Wouldn't it be the coolest thing to rappel in and land somewhere around that big flowstone shield?
There definitely is another hickory nut sized entrance somewhere towards the back.
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Re: Ulla Cave Conditions

Postby bennettbike » Aug 16, 2014 11:15 pm

Lots of interesting information.
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Re: Ulla Cave Conditions

Postby DStud » May 4, 2015 2:34 pm

Has anyone been in recently? I'm coming up from FL at the end of the month and would love to get in but I'm assuming it's sumped...
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