Post by Sharon Faulkner on Oct 29, 2006 10:22:45 GMT -5
Area man unearths awe-inspiring cave at Sequoia National Park
Underground passage sparkles 'like the sky on a starry night,' explorer says
By Chris De Benedetti
October 29, 2006
FREMONT — Scott McBride usually has traveled his own way, following his keen intelligence and love for nature to live unencumbered by modern trappings. It has been his recipe for building a fulfilling, simple life.
But as a cave explorer, the Fremont native has parlayed that passionate individualism and uncanny instincts into a historic accomplishment: discovering one of California's most ornate caves. See New Cave Discovered in California! for more on Ursa Minor Cave.
McBride and three other explorers recently found an unusually large and beautiful cave under Sequoia National Park, in Central California's Tulare County. The ancient cave may have formed up to 1 million years ago.
It is filled with luminescent formations that sparkle and glisten "like the sky on a starry night," said McBride, 40. "It's the most beautiful cave I've ever seen. We were awe-struck. I had sensory overload."
About 1,000 feet long, it is a geological wonder, he said. It has five spacious rooms that feature cave pearls (white circular rocks), ponds and stalagmites and stalactites jutting from its floor and ceiling. Narrow "soda straw" spheres — formed by water drops that hollowed over time — of varying lengths also permeate the cave.
It also has six passageways leading out of the cave in uncharted directions — which means there is more to discover, McBride said.
It is very likely that new species of plants and animals will be found there, said Joel Despain, the park's cave management specialist. "There are a number of bones there, some of which might be quite ancient," he said. "We're looking forward to finding out what's in there over the long term."
McBride made the discovery Aug. 19 with other "cavers," Tom LeFrank, Mike White and Alan Hager.
The explorers were about to call it quits for the day when McBride peaked into a baseball-sized hole — which turned out to be the cave's mouth — and noticed a tree root inside.
After more than two hours of digging to widen the entrance, the dirt gave way and McBride fell through a narrow passage dropping dozens of feet before hitting the ground. "When you cave and dig, you always come back bruised. You might even leave a little blood on the mud," said McBride, who lives in San Andreas, a Calaveras County town east of Stockton.
But his fear of injury gave way to excitement when he glimpsed the cave's beauty. "I could tell it was big," he said.
He named the cave "Ursa Minor," which means small bear in Latin, because the explorers found what appeared to be the skeleton of a bear. It also is the name of the "Little Dipper" constellation, a fitting connection for a cave that shimmers with star-like brightness.
The geology and aesthetic value of a cave can be significant because caves can contain historical records of water tables and glaciation periods.
The cave discovery has only fueled McBride's consuming passion for his hobby. "Except raising my daughter, there is nothing I get more out of than caving," he said. "It's very peaceful and relaxing for me to be underground. I have a burning drive to find new passages and caves."
Since he began caving in 1994, McBride and caving colleagues have discovered more than 80 caves, and they have nearly 20 more set in their sights. "He has a reputation for being a cavehound," Despain said. "He is persistent. It's hard work to be caving in cramped, frustrating situations. But he certainly has a nose for it."
McBride traces his love of nature and geology to his Fremont childhood, when he hiked along the city's parks and nature trails. He took part in the gifted student program while attending Parkmont Elementary and Centerville Junior High schools. But he left Washington High School without graduating because he was "bored," said his parents, Roberta and Russ McBride, who still live in the city's Parkmont neighborhood.
Roberta McBride described Scott, who has three siblings, as a humble person who doesn't like attention. He was more embarrassed than proud, for example, when National Geographic recently took photos of him and the cave, she said. Her reaction to his discovery was decidedly more excitable. "My husband had to pull me off the ceiling," Roberta McBride said. "I was just bubbling."
Scott McBride eventually earned his high school diploma and served in the Army. He settled down in San Andreas 20 years ago, where he works as a house painter. It is there where McBride's path less traveled led him to his historic discovery. "Unfortunately, it's a rare thing to find something you love and be able to do it," he said. "I make plenty of money to get by and then I get to have some fun and get underground and go caving."
"Sometimes a person finds a niche in life where they feel comfortable. In caving, I think I found my niche."
Article
Underground passage sparkles 'like the sky on a starry night,' explorer says
By Chris De Benedetti
October 29, 2006
FREMONT — Scott McBride usually has traveled his own way, following his keen intelligence and love for nature to live unencumbered by modern trappings. It has been his recipe for building a fulfilling, simple life.
But as a cave explorer, the Fremont native has parlayed that passionate individualism and uncanny instincts into a historic accomplishment: discovering one of California's most ornate caves. See New Cave Discovered in California! for more on Ursa Minor Cave.
McBride and three other explorers recently found an unusually large and beautiful cave under Sequoia National Park, in Central California's Tulare County. The ancient cave may have formed up to 1 million years ago.
It is filled with luminescent formations that sparkle and glisten "like the sky on a starry night," said McBride, 40. "It's the most beautiful cave I've ever seen. We were awe-struck. I had sensory overload."
About 1,000 feet long, it is a geological wonder, he said. It has five spacious rooms that feature cave pearls (white circular rocks), ponds and stalagmites and stalactites jutting from its floor and ceiling. Narrow "soda straw" spheres — formed by water drops that hollowed over time — of varying lengths also permeate the cave.
It also has six passageways leading out of the cave in uncharted directions — which means there is more to discover, McBride said.
It is very likely that new species of plants and animals will be found there, said Joel Despain, the park's cave management specialist. "There are a number of bones there, some of which might be quite ancient," he said. "We're looking forward to finding out what's in there over the long term."
McBride made the discovery Aug. 19 with other "cavers," Tom LeFrank, Mike White and Alan Hager.
The explorers were about to call it quits for the day when McBride peaked into a baseball-sized hole — which turned out to be the cave's mouth — and noticed a tree root inside.
After more than two hours of digging to widen the entrance, the dirt gave way and McBride fell through a narrow passage dropping dozens of feet before hitting the ground. "When you cave and dig, you always come back bruised. You might even leave a little blood on the mud," said McBride, who lives in San Andreas, a Calaveras County town east of Stockton.
But his fear of injury gave way to excitement when he glimpsed the cave's beauty. "I could tell it was big," he said.
He named the cave "Ursa Minor," which means small bear in Latin, because the explorers found what appeared to be the skeleton of a bear. It also is the name of the "Little Dipper" constellation, a fitting connection for a cave that shimmers with star-like brightness.
The geology and aesthetic value of a cave can be significant because caves can contain historical records of water tables and glaciation periods.
The cave discovery has only fueled McBride's consuming passion for his hobby. "Except raising my daughter, there is nothing I get more out of than caving," he said. "It's very peaceful and relaxing for me to be underground. I have a burning drive to find new passages and caves."
Since he began caving in 1994, McBride and caving colleagues have discovered more than 80 caves, and they have nearly 20 more set in their sights. "He has a reputation for being a cavehound," Despain said. "He is persistent. It's hard work to be caving in cramped, frustrating situations. But he certainly has a nose for it."
McBride traces his love of nature and geology to his Fremont childhood, when he hiked along the city's parks and nature trails. He took part in the gifted student program while attending Parkmont Elementary and Centerville Junior High schools. But he left Washington High School without graduating because he was "bored," said his parents, Roberta and Russ McBride, who still live in the city's Parkmont neighborhood.
Roberta McBride described Scott, who has three siblings, as a humble person who doesn't like attention. He was more embarrassed than proud, for example, when National Geographic recently took photos of him and the cave, she said. Her reaction to his discovery was decidedly more excitable. "My husband had to pull me off the ceiling," Roberta McBride said. "I was just bubbling."
Scott McBride eventually earned his high school diploma and served in the Army. He settled down in San Andreas 20 years ago, where he works as a house painter. It is there where McBride's path less traveled led him to his historic discovery. "Unfortunately, it's a rare thing to find something you love and be able to do it," he said. "I make plenty of money to get by and then I get to have some fun and get underground and go caving."
"Sometimes a person finds a niche in life where they feel comfortable. In caving, I think I found my niche."
Article