Biggest Cave in Vermont/New England?

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Biggest Cave in Vermont/New England?

Postby adempewolff » Jul 15, 2008 1:40 am

I've heard that Morris Cave down in Southern Vermont is supposedly the 2nd biggest cave in New England and the biggest in Vermont and I think the biggest in New England is supposed to be somewhere in Connecticut but it seems everyone has different ideas about this. However after my third trip down Weybridge cave with still no end to new solid leads to be explored next time I am almost certain it is not only bigger than Morris Cave but also possibly one of the biggest in New England. Any other new england cavers have any thoughts on this?
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Re: Biggest Cave in Vermont/New England?

Postby NZcaver » Jul 16, 2008 12:49 am

Welcome to the forum.

Vermont's Dorset Bat Cave (aka Mt Aeolus Bat Cave) is the longest known cave in the New England states, so I've been told. Morris Cave once held that title, but not any more.
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Re: Biggest Cave in Vermont/New England?

Postby wyandottecaver » Jul 16, 2008 4:19 pm

just curious,

is Dorset the longest in surveyed length or presumed longest due to volume estimations and airflow? Seems I read somewhere that like many New England caves it had many narrow crevices inaccessible to people but based on airflow measurements had more volume. Maybe its bigger by both accounts, just wondering if anyone knew.
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Re: Biggest Cave in Vermont/New England?

Postby NZcaver » Jul 16, 2008 10:30 pm

It's the longest by surveyed length... as of a few years ago, anyway. And yes it contains a lot of tight passages, much too nasty for the likes of me. Not sure about airflow/volume estimations.
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Re: Biggest Cave in Vermont/New England?

Postby adempewolff » Jul 17, 2008 9:29 pm

No kidding, I actually am working directly in the shadow of Mt. Aeolus for 6 weeks, shame Indiana bats live there and it is gated or it would be some great post-work caving. Between bats and OMYA all the good caves around here seem off limits, hence I have spent the last week or so using a geological map and google earth with a usgs topo layer to prepare for some ridgewalking :).

Thanks for the welcome, I'd like to join a grotto but I'm not sure which one, I live in Vermont but between work in the summer and school out of state the rest of the year, I calculated that I would never be able to make any of their meetings... :(
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Re: Biggest Cave in Vermont/New England?

Postby NZcaver » Jul 18, 2008 1:57 am

adempewolff wrote:No kidding, I actually am working directly in the shadow of Mt. Aeolus for 6 weeks, shame Indiana bats live there and it is gated or it would be some great post-work caving. Between bats and OMYA all the good caves around here seem off limits, hence I have spent the last week or so using a geological map and google earth with a usgs topo layer to prepare for some ridgewalking :).

Thanks for the welcome, I'd like to join a grotto but I'm not sure which one, I live in Vermont but between work in the summer and school out of state the rest of the year, I calculated that I would never be able to make any of their meetings... :(

Coincidentally, I helped build the new gate on that cave.

If you spend time in Vermont, the Vermont Cavers Association might be the grotto for you. They're nice people. The meetings are usually held in Rutland, but don't feel like you need to attend religiously. :wink:

Good luck with the ridgewalking.
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Re: Biggest Cave in Vermont/New England?

Postby PYoungbaer » Jul 18, 2008 12:34 pm

Mt. Aeolus Bat Cave is indeed the longest in New England at this time - with surveyed passage well over 3,000 feet. Morris comes in at 1,845. Weybridge currently stands at 458 meters, or around 1,400'.
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Re: Biggest Cave in Vermont/New England?

Postby wyandottecaver » Aug 25, 2008 4:18 pm

Jones,

It is not allowed to disclose locations on this forum. Also, it is highly advisable to seek out a local grotto. You can find the ones near you by going to the National Speleological society homepage.

Finally, this is in New England USA not the British Isles
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Re: Biggest Cave in Vermont/New England?

Postby Technetium » Aug 26, 2008 10:11 am

LOL @ above two posts.

adempewolff, in another month and a half when my foot is healed I may be interested in checking out some caves in VT. I think you mentioned the possibility in another thread. If you know of any that don't require technical climbing (since I have no experience with that yet), that would probably be best. I'll let you know when my condition allows it.
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Re: Biggest Cave in Vermont/New England?

Postby Caving Guru » Jul 27, 2014 3:21 pm

I have heard that Mount Aeolus/Dorset Bat Cave is no longer the longest cave in New England at 3,000 feet of passage. Does anyone know the name(s) of which one is/ones are longer now? And possibly the length of this cave/these caves?
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Re: Biggest Cave in Vermont/New England?

Postby GroundquestMSA » Jul 27, 2014 5:23 pm

Caving Guru wrote:I have heard that Mount Aeolus/Dorset Bat Cave is no longer the longest cave in New England at 3,000 feet of passage. Does anyone know the name(s) of which one is/ones are longer now? And possibly the length of this cave/these caves?


In June, John Dunham declared The Vermonster (2355') Vermont's second longest. If there is a new longest cave, it would have to have been confirmed as such since then. The Berkshire Diggers also uncovered another large cave this spring. Photos and descriptions of this cave look encouraging. As of June exploration was ongoing. Might this be the new Behemoth you've heard of?

Mr. Dunham has made many contributions to this forum, perhaps he can fill you in on the groovy details of NE discovery.
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Re: Biggest Cave in Vermont/New England?

Postby dendroica » Jul 28, 2014 5:03 pm

Aeolus is still the longest cave in New England and The Vemonster is #2. The new cave is not (yet) in the top caves for length but it does have some of the larger passages in Vermont.
I would recommend joining the Vermont Cavers Association. They have monthly meetings and Caving or Digging trips. The VCA will also be hosting the Fall 2014 NRO September 12-14 in Arlington. Where there will be a bunch of led trips to a variety of the Vermont Caves.
here is a link for the Fall NRO Facebook Page https://www.facebook.com/events/894408700585331/
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Re: Biggest Cave in Vermont/New England?

Postby Caving Guru » Jul 28, 2014 5:30 pm

I think more accurately what I heard from a caver was that there was this cave that was being surveyed that had a good chance of topping Aeolus as the longest cave in New England. They did not mention the name of the cave though. I am guessing that The Vermonster is most likely what they were referring to. They told me this last year at the 2013 NSS Convention held in Pennsylvania. I thought by now that this unnamed cave might be the longest in New England. Thanks for letting me know, dendroica. Are you from Vermont, dendroica?
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Re: Biggest Cave in Vermont/New England?

Postby dendroica » Jul 31, 2014 6:26 am

I am from Western Massachusetts. But most of the caving/digging I do is in VT.
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Re: Biggest Cave in Vermont/New England?

Postby JSDunham » Jul 31, 2014 8:32 am

Here are the five longest and deepest solutional caves in Vermont. This list is almost the same as the ranking for all of New England; the only change would be that Great Radium Springs Cave, in Mass., would come in as the 5th longest.

5 Longest VT in feet
Aeolus, 3077
The Vermonster, 2355
Morris, 1845
Horse Farm Road, 1620
Weybridge, 1502

5 Deepest VT in feet
Purgatory -269
Aeolus -227
Hunter -218
Morris -200
The Vermonster -189

Also--just a quick note on The Vermonster; I believe what you are recalling from PA is that I said if we managed to connect the four other infeeder caves in the hydrological system to the main cave system, we would have a good shot at passing Aeolus. We have not managed to do that, partly due to collapse between sections and partly due to access concerns. We've also been distracted by our new discovery, of course.
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