Post by Sharon Faulkner on Jan 26, 2006 8:40:38 GMT -5
This past Saturday, January 21, 2006 started out a bit wet and rainy; generally not considered the most pleasant weather for open-air pitting. However, our intrepid crew of eight managed to bounce a few pits, visit with cavers at a nearby vertical training session, and collect (for those of us that keep up with such things) another hundred footer.
I met up with the early birds at Hooper’s Well (AMD 183) after half the group had already bounced the 90-foot pit. Glove Pit was scheduled next on the day’s itinerary, but we made a few minor adjustments to our plans. A few in the group needed to leave at a certain time due to prior commitments and most of us had been to Glove Pit before. Everyone wanted to visit Drake Mountain Dome (AMD 1589), our tentatively scheduled third pit of the day. Dan Mattle, our trip leader, was agreeable to the change and after leaving Hooper’s we drove further up the mountain for a brief visit with the cavers participating in the training session, a quick lunch, and a stop to consolidate into fewer vehicles, reducing the caravan to only three vehicles.
By the time we arrived at the parking spot for Drake Mt. the rain had stopped and the cooler air was starting to blow in. After a more or less quarter mile hike, with a detour to view a very interesting karst feature, we followed flagging to the 119-foot pit. The pit is basically a wide crevice in the ground with a steep down slope at the wider end, gradually becoming narrower toward the opposite end. Following some discussion of the best rig point, we naturally chose the narrow end, which offered more of a straight drop into the pit. We rigged and began descending to reach the bottom of this very nice pit. There is ample room on bottom for three or four cavers and a good view for taking photos of folks as they descend. Approximately 30 feet before reaching the bottom of the pit is a small ledge leading off into a couple of smaller dome rooms.
It was beginning to get dark and much cooler before everyone had bounced the pit and those of us already out were beginning to get cold. Fortunately, there was time for everyone to bounce the pit, and we hiked back to the trucks after dark. Much thanks to Dan for organizing and leading the trip!
Here's a few photos from the trip:
Ethan climbing out of Hooper's Well.
From left to right: Jack Fischer, Tom Possert, Dan Mattle, Jimmie Romines, and Nick Huskinson.
Tom and Nick at the bottom of Drake Mt. Dome
I met up with the early birds at Hooper’s Well (AMD 183) after half the group had already bounced the 90-foot pit. Glove Pit was scheduled next on the day’s itinerary, but we made a few minor adjustments to our plans. A few in the group needed to leave at a certain time due to prior commitments and most of us had been to Glove Pit before. Everyone wanted to visit Drake Mountain Dome (AMD 1589), our tentatively scheduled third pit of the day. Dan Mattle, our trip leader, was agreeable to the change and after leaving Hooper’s we drove further up the mountain for a brief visit with the cavers participating in the training session, a quick lunch, and a stop to consolidate into fewer vehicles, reducing the caravan to only three vehicles.
By the time we arrived at the parking spot for Drake Mt. the rain had stopped and the cooler air was starting to blow in. After a more or less quarter mile hike, with a detour to view a very interesting karst feature, we followed flagging to the 119-foot pit. The pit is basically a wide crevice in the ground with a steep down slope at the wider end, gradually becoming narrower toward the opposite end. Following some discussion of the best rig point, we naturally chose the narrow end, which offered more of a straight drop into the pit. We rigged and began descending to reach the bottom of this very nice pit. There is ample room on bottom for three or four cavers and a good view for taking photos of folks as they descend. Approximately 30 feet before reaching the bottom of the pit is a small ledge leading off into a couple of smaller dome rooms.
It was beginning to get dark and much cooler before everyone had bounced the pit and those of us already out were beginning to get cold. Fortunately, there was time for everyone to bounce the pit, and we hiked back to the trucks after dark. Much thanks to Dan for organizing and leading the trip!
Here's a few photos from the trip:
Ethan climbing out of Hooper's Well.
From left to right: Jack Fischer, Tom Possert, Dan Mattle, Jimmie Romines, and Nick Huskinson.
Tom and Nick at the bottom of Drake Mt. Dome
Thanks for the photos and memories.
