What would you do? May have a cave on my land

[JR-Orion]

Nice. Looks like fun.

[outacontrol]

Brian Goeppner arrived today, and we opened up the entrance. The entrance was blocked by an 8 inch round by several feet long bar of chert suspended like a prison bar. I hit it once with a railroad rock pick, and it shattered like glass. Whalla, A two foot by three foot entrance. Brian geared up and went in and I waited, and waited. I knew it was good, because I couldn't hear him anymore. After a while, Brian came out. He estimated that he went about 150 feet, before the cave Y'd off. He told me that I've got to come down there. He brought extra gear, and I went. The first 30 or so feet is a belly crawl. The belly crawl area averages about 1 and 1/2 to 2 feet high, but it's pretty wide, 4 feet at the narrowest. Then it opens up to a chamber about 5 feet high and pretty wide. The 150 feet or so that we went varies from belly crawls to 5 foot chambers. It has some cool rock formations. Brian didn't bring his good camera case, so we didn't get any pictures inside the cave, but next time he will. I don't really think either of us expected to find what we found today! About 30 or so feet into the cave, we found part of an old farm implement half buried in the floor. I had to have it, so we dug it out. This is my first time ever going in a cave, other than Marval Cave tours at Silver Dollar City!

Brian Goeppner entering the cave. I think he goes by Gep on this forum.


Me coming out of the cave, exhausted. I'm 6 foot 4, I don't think that's an advantage down there.


This picture shows the cave in relation to my house. You can see the entrance is only 15 feet from my property line. Whew.


Here's the implement. I think it's part of an old horse drawn tiller.


We're gonna get it mapped, and see where those Y caves lead, hopefully next week.

[graveleye]

congratulations!!! That's awesome! I'm guessing 150' along qualifies for a cave in the state survey doesn't it? What are you thinking about naming it?

I really hope it goes and goes and goes!!

[outacontrol]

Hopefully, it maps out quite a bit longer. He stopped at about 150 feet, but it looks really good past that on both directions of the Y. Also, I haven't excavated the opposite side of the sinkhole. It may go the opposite way also. We're up in the air on the name, but my 14 year old daughter, who clued me in on the whole thing in the first place, wants to use our last name.

[Amocholes]

Sweet!

[JR-Orion]

What a great way to get into caving. Virgin passage right there in your back yard. Have fun out past the Y.

[trogman]

The last update we had was on June 2, so I was hoping to hear a little more, and perhaps see some good photos of the inside of the cave. Of course, if you guys have broke into borehole passage that goes and goes...well, I understand if you want to keep it under wraps. Just share it with your friends here on Cavechat, and we won't tell anyone else-we promise!

Trogman

[outacontrol]

Haven't gone back in, I've been in West Virginia. Got people coming Tuesday, hopefully to work on a survey.

[rebelfirefighter]

How did the tuesday trip go?

[outacontrol]

193 feet, then it gets too tight. Not a monster, but it's a cave. I haven't opened up the opposite side of the sinkhole, I have a feeling it may go both ways. It'll take alot more hand escavation, but I'll get it done.

[rlboyce]

Maybe it'll be easier to open up the tight passage instead of trying to find something on the other side of the sink?

[trogman]

To restate what I said in an earlier post: If it blows, it goes! If the passage that gets too tight has a good air flow blowing out of it, I would focus on that; perhaps there is a way to open it up and get past the tight spot. If the other side of the sink is the source of the air flow, then dig it open. Don't get me wrong-I've seen some pretty nice caves that had little or no air movement, but most of the time the air flow is a good indicator.

BTW, congrats on your find. I wish I had a cave in my own backyard!

Trogman

[outacontrol]

A few pictures from the survey.....

[JR-Orion]

Nice pics. Congrats again to finding a cave in your own back yard.

[graveleye]

yes very cool... any chance it might open up and go?
Thought of a name for it yet?