Watertown, NY Caverns and caves

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Re: Watertown, NY Caverns and caves

Postby BenC » Jan 21, 2008 7:55 am

As far as I know there are two grottoes relatively upstate, NFG in Rochester and HHG in Albany, plus the Syracuse outing club is very active, in addition to the Cornell outing clup and Rpi.
I refer all questions to a hyper-intelligent shade of blue.
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Re: Watertown, NY Caverns and caves

Postby onearmdscissor63 » Jan 27, 2008 2:35 pm

Why do you ask about sumps? We've got lots of sumps down in Schoharie just waiting for a qualified and experienced cave diver.
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Re: Watertown, NY Caverns and caves

Postby Lost » Jan 27, 2008 7:22 pm

onearmdscissor63 wrote:Why do you ask about sumps? We've got lots of sumps down in Schoharie just waiting for a qualified and experienced cave diver.
I have a great team ready to go.
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Re: Watertown, NY Caverns and caves

Postby jhartz » Jan 30, 2008 5:50 pm

nope no sumps as of now that i have found only when the spring snowmelt floods some of the caves then the majority of the cave becomes a sump lol i have not been to many caves here tho(only 3) so there could be some right on the line of the watertable and those could have small sumps. But there is definatly some tight squeezes and chalenging horizontal runs and i have never herd of any vertical caves here i know the general area of some caves around worth investigating so send me a pm or something.
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Re: Watertown, NY Caverns and caves

Postby john norman » Feb 11, 2009 3:59 am

I can tell you somthing about the caves in Glen Park. Me and my friend Kier went down into them ten times or so back in the 1980s. There is ice down there, presumably from glacial times, since we saw it on the hottest day of August. Plenty of sink holes in the forest. Don't mess with the caves monitored by the university for bats -- be polite. Different sets of the cave systems connect under the ground; once went down in the field on the other side of the road, and came out overlooking the river. One caveat: there are some tight squeezes, but know your limits, and don't squeeze on your way down, which in my book is not worth it, even with expert backup -- those caves are narrow to begin with, and you could be dead before they pulled you out. Number two, on our last and deepest exploration we found running water, and it was warm and had the smell of the river. We concluded it was coming from the water above the rapids called Knife's Edge, and then making its way back to the river. And on other trips we found thick mud with signs of water running. This two observations should be plenty of good warning to you to not go squeezing deep into those caves when there is any chance of thundershowers, or you may find youself in a cave-diving scenario, but without the tanks. Not a pleasant scene, to say the least. Oh, and always bring a candle and waterproof matches, when all else fails. Almost forgot that last one.
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Re: Watertown, NY Caverns and caves

Postby starsea » Dec 9, 2009 1:27 am

My first cave was one of the Black River caves about 4o years ago.
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Re: Watertown, NY Caverns and caves

Postby LukeM » Dec 21, 2009 10:24 am

While this thread has been brought back up:

Does anyone have any up to date information about access to the caves of Watertown, NY? It's a shame that this cave-rich area has seen so little visitation in recent years, presumably because access is difficult or unknown.
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Re: Watertown, NY Caverns and caves

Postby morglan » Jan 9, 2010 5:30 pm

I have recently been in the Glen Park cave (within the past year and a half.)

I'm willing to share my experience, but would like to remain 'anonymous'. (I had permission to be there, but don't feel like inviting any busybodies into my life that just want to cause me trouble.)
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Re: Watertown, NY Caverns and caves

Postby jhartz » Jul 5, 2014 5:18 pm

Hello all It has been quite some time since i've been on cavechat and i am now a new member of the NSS. I have been on quite afew more local expiditions in the Caves along the Black River I am looking for people close by who know of more places to go caving or who would like to join me sometime i have aquired plenty of military gear due to being close to Fort Drum Army Base. I have not yet joined a Grotto The SUOC is the closest to me but that is still over an Hr away I go to Jefferson Community college and am majoring in math/science. I want to help map and protect these local caves and am constantly seeking more adventure haha. If anyone has any suggestions or anything it would be much appreciated. thanks.
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Re: Watertown, NY Caverns and caves

Postby LukeM » Jul 7, 2014 9:03 am

Good to hear you're still caving and joined the NSS. Members from Niagra Frontier Grotto and SUOC are actively exploring and mapping the caves up there. I'll PM you with some specific contact info.
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Re: Watertown, NY Caverns and caves

Postby jhartz » Jul 15, 2014 7:58 pm

Thanks for your help Luke I am going to be helping the survey of the newell st cave this upcoming weekend i've been wanting to see that cave but it is locked up tight haha this should be a fun weekend. I am working on landowner relations and want to map more of these caves because alot of them haven't been mapped professionally or at all.
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