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Post by Taylor on Feb 27, 2006 8:06:35 GMT -5
Students get up close, personal with cave systemFebruary 16, 2006 MOHAVE VALLEY - The entire eighth-grade class at Mohave Valley Junior High School visited the Mitchell Caverns as a science field trip. Since the entire class could not go at once, the class has gone every Tuesday in February and will be going the next two Tuesdays, according to Sheila Miller, a science teacher at the school. Mitchell Caverns are about 50 miles west of Needles, near Mojave National Preserve. The reason Mitchell Caverns was chosen was because it was the closest and most accessible cave system available to the students. “Grand Canyon Caverns is only a little farther away, but it was harder to get to,” Miller said. Although the trips to the caverns are not costing the school any money, as Mitchell Caverns are paying for the trips, organizing the trips has been a time-consuming affair, Miller said. Transportation had to be organized, the trip had to be approved months in advance, and the school had to schedule a series of private tours of the caverns. “The trip has actually been in preparation since last November,” Miller said. “We had to get all the buses in line, we had to call Mitchell Caverns, and it just took a lot of time.” Although the cavern is only one-fourth of a mile long, the hike through it takes more than an hour, during which time students are able to observe the limestone formations, such as stalactites and stalagmites. Students also observe cave-dwelling insects, pack rats and other life forms, some of which are exclusive to this particular cave. In addition to the cave hike, students also hike along an above-ground nature trail, observing local wildlife and fauna as they go. This is the first year the school has attempted this particular trip. However, “I really hope we get to go back next year,” Miller said. Although not all of the students have had a chance to visit the caverns yet, according to Miller those that have enjoyed it thoroughly. Mohave Valley Junior High School is located on Boundary Cone Road, about 11/2 miles east of Highway 95. www.mohavedailynews.com/articles/2006/02/17/news/local/local2.txt
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Post by Taylor on Feb 15, 2006 16:08:28 GMT -5
Black Hills Portal February 15, 2006 Black Hills Cavers Set New Record in Jewel Cave Jewel Cave just got longer. Explorers recently pushed the known length of the cave to 135 miles and ten feet after four-days spent underground. A National Park Service cave specialist from New Mexico joined three local Black Hills cavers at Jewel Cave National Monument in southwestern South Dakota in this most recent push to define the limits of this largely unexplored cave. The payoff is an untouched wonderland of calcite rafts, thin mineral deposits that look like water lilies; gypsum flowers with long streamers and hairs created by wind and water; walls lined with crystals; and deep inside the cave a mummified Townsends long-eared bat, hanging forever still and dark from a roof filled with fossils from the even more distant past. “You get to see places no one has ever gone before,” said Larry Shaffer, a computer specialist and cave volunteer from the Black Hills Institute of Geological Research in Hill City, South Dakota. “When you get there, it’s like Neil Armstrong stepping onto the moon.” Planning to explore caves is detailed and comprehensive. If a caver forgets flashlight batteries or other necessities, they’re out of luck. Cavers pack light, taking only critical equipment like head lamps and food, protein bars and special equipment. Though the cave is a constant 49 degrees F, cavers wear T-shirts and light clothing to increase mobility and fight the high humidity and heat of exertion. Explorers take from six to eight hours to travel the distance from the cave entrance to the main camp deep inside the cave. Water is stored along the way in plastic and nylon caches that catch drips from the cave roof. The main camp stores 20 gallons of water, enough to hold four people for four days. Explorers then travel another three hours from the camp to the unexplored areas, work for six to eight hours, and then make their way back to camp. “We do all of our cooking and cleaning and eating over tarps so we don’t leave anything there,” caver Andy Armstrong said, “including human waste or garbage. I think I really like the part that’s beyond the End,” said Andy Armstrong, a native of Mt. Juliet, Tennessee and cave management intern whose wife, Bonny, is a seasonal cave guide with Jewel Cave National Monument. “The End was the name of the last place people explored and so when we got beyond the End we found lots more, like a passage 30 feet wide and 50 feet high that went on and on.” Caving is not for everyone. Monument superintendent Todd Suess said the cave weeds out people not suited to the rigors of cave exploration in the first few miles underground. “It took us an hour and forty minutes to get through the Miseries,” said Stan Allison, a cave specialist from Carlsbad, New Mexico. “It’s a thousand feet of belly crawling…it’s such a long way.” To get to the end of the eastern-most part of Jewel Cave is tough even for hardened cavers. There are also wide high galleries where jeweled walls reflect the light of headlamps and the going is easy. The importance of the explorations is to get to know the cave in intimate detail so that measures can be taken to protect the delicate interior from activities above ground, Suess said. Other landowners spraying herbicides could affect water in the caves, or introduce harmful chemicals, or activities like drilling could change the ecological balance deep underground. And because technology cannot yet see underground, cavers use a combination of old fashioned grit and high tech computers and lasers to measure every inch. Scientists are studying the DNA of microorganisms and chemical reactions with water in this cave that has only one natural entrance in the Paha Sapa [PAH-ha SAH-pah] limestone formation. Suess said Jewel Cave is a little secret tucked away behind the splendors of Mount Rushmore, Crazy Horse Monument, Wind Cave, Black Hills National Forest, and Custer State Park. Cavers are welcome to explore and over 90,000 visitors took the cave tour in 2005. Only a handful has been past the Miseries and fewer still beyond the End. “In my lifetime we won’t find the end of this cave and it feels pretty good to be here,” Armstrong said. Exploration will continue as scientists and Park managers work to understand this lost world far below the Black Hills of South Dakota and Wyoming. blackhillsportal.com/npps/story.cfm?id=1453
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Post by Taylor on Sept 26, 2006 20:57:39 GMT -5
That will be great, thanks! I look forward to seeing the completed project.
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Post by Taylor on Sept 23, 2006 14:03:33 GMT -5
Christian, This may be premature, but I was wondering if the documentary will be completed in time to be presented at the 2007 NSS Convention? The 2007 Convention will be held in Indiana, which due to the central U.S. location should have a high attendance and I expect many will be interested in seeing the documentary.
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Post by Taylor on Jul 15, 2006 15:06:53 GMT -5
SETTING THE RECORD STRAIGHT cavertim, if you are referring to my previous post, I'm not sure that's the case. The date listed on the Mitchell fund suggest the fund was created prior to the accident which does not jive with previous information. The correct order of how the events unfolded is not known at this time and there may not be anyone left who knows for sure. In the overall scheme of things, confusion over the order of events shouldn't be a showstopper for the documentary. p.s. - I do feel terrible that I allowed this negativety to get this far out of hand. I should have left JEC to his own game and ignored him 2 weeks ago when he first started to draw attention to himself. I didn't and I regret any of the nonesense that has resulted on here since. It does take away from the true intentions and for that I am sorry. Lyon, you have never needed to defend yourself or your motives for the making of this documentary. Anyone could have taken it upon themselves to create a documentary of this incident, it's been over 40 years, no one else intended to do anything regarding the remains. You returned the remains of a family member to the Mitchell family, for that you deserve the appropriate credit and any limelight that comes with it. If someone does not agree with your work, they can still go out and make their own documentary at any time. That's the beauty of America, people can agree or disagree with others viewpoint and make documentaries regarding any subject. Stop worrying, finish your documentary and keep the rest of us here informed of your progress.
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Post by Taylor on Jul 15, 2006 13:23:45 GMT -5
I found this information on the Mitchell Fund and Mitchell Award. The first date of the Mitchell Fund must be a typo, since it list 11-14- 64 as the motion date, which would mean it was initiated prior to the cave accident. www.caves.org/nss-business/bog/sec-43.html#43-13943-139 Mitchell Award 11-4-00 10-26-85 10-20-84 3-15-80 11-18-72 11-14-64The James G. Mitchell Fund was established in 1965 and is maintained by contributions to the National Speleological Foundation. Pursuant to the agreement with the Foundation, an award may be made for the best scientific paper presented at any of the sessions of the annual convention by a member (or members) of the Society age 25 or younger. Papers shall be evaluated primarily on how well they exemplify sound methods of scientific research and presentation, and secondarily on their contribution to knowledge. The eligible papers shall be judged by an interdisciplinary panel appointed by the Awards Committee Mitchell Award Sub-committee Chairman and shall include, if possible, a member of the Research Advisory Committee. The Award shall consist of a suitable certificate (or certificates in the case of multiple authors) and a cash award equal to the maximum $5 increment below the interest earned on the fund for that year and shall be announced at the annual convention. www.caves.org/nss-business/bog/description.htmlJAMES G. MITCHELL AWARD:The James G. Mitchell Award was established in 1969 to be given for the best scientific paper presented at any of the sessions of the annual convention by a member (or members) of the Society age 25 or younger who has applied or been recommended for this award. The Award consists of a certificate and a cash award based on the income earned by the James G. Mitchell fund. (Act 43-139)
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Post by Taylor on Jun 21, 2006 21:36:18 GMT -5
Very interesting reading here. This story seems to have all the necessary ingredients for a successful documentary. Best of luck on the recovery efforts this weekend.
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Post by Taylor on Mar 3, 2007 12:42:10 GMT -5
Got it. Don't know why the answer wasn't posted on the forum, but thanks for the PM.
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Post by Taylor on Feb 28, 2007 19:25:20 GMT -5
Gordon had an article in the NSS News on the French Wrap Self Belay within the last couple of years. Could someone advise me as to which issue that article would be found in?
Thanks in advance.
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Post by Taylor on Oct 25, 2006 0:41:10 GMT -5
Renowned Climber Todd Skinner Dies In Yosemite Fall October 24, 2006 YOSEMITE NATIONAL PARK -- A renowned rock climber and author who made a name for himself scaling peaks around the world was killed when he fell 500 feet while attempting a first ascent near Bridalveil Fall, a park spokeswoman said Tuesday. Todd Skinner and his party had completed a new route up what is known as "Leaning Tower" and was rappelling when he fell to his death Monday, said Adrienne Freeman. It was not immediately clear why Skinner, who claimed to have set climbing records in 26 countries, fell. The cause of his death was being investigated by the Mariposa County coroner's office. www.ktvu.com/news/10149537/detail.html
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Post by Taylor on Apr 1, 2006 2:45:02 GMT -5
SOUTH AFRICA Abseiling instructor in fatal cliff plunge March 31, 2006 By Sejal Desai A fall of 40m from the top of a cliff at the Kloof Gorge claimed the life of a Durban abseiling instructor yesterday. Linden Ferreira, 30, an experienced instructor at Durban abseiling group 180 Degrees Adventure, fell while instructing a trio of medical students from the United Kingdom. Police Insp Darren Miskin said the group were rock climbing and abseiling at the Kranskloof Nature Reserve when the incident occurred. He said Ferreira was not preparing to abseil when he fell. "He wasn't wearing a helmet or any clips or a harness. One visitor had abseiled down the gorge and Ferreira was about to send the bags down when he lost his footing and dropped to the ground," said Miskin. Ferreira reportedly grabbed a rope hanging down the side of the gorge during his plunge and helped to break his fall. Several rescue officials went to his aid as he lay in agony at the bottom of the cliff. The K9 Search and Rescue team used ropes and pulleys to hoist Ferreira up, working for two hours before he was brought to the ledge. Netcare 911 spokesman Chris Botha said Ferreira had sustained critical spinal, head and chest injuries. He was airlifted by Red Cross officials to St Augustine's Hospital where he died soon afterwards. 180 Degrees owner Garth Hattingh expressed sadness at Ferreira's death. He said he would not comment further until the investigation into the incident was complete. www.themercury.co.za/index.php?fSectionId=283&fArticleId=3183909
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Post by Taylor on Mar 16, 2006 9:40:46 GMT -5
Czech speleologists discover 6-km underground passage in MexicoBlansko, South Moravia, March 13 (CTK) - Members of the Xibalba 2006 expedition from the Czech Speleological Society discovered six kilometre long underground passages during their fifth research in the caves on Mexico´s Yucatan Peninsula in the past few weeks, expedition member Zdenek Motycka has told CTK. The speleologists in Yucatan try to uncover and monitor the flooded cave system in Mexico, so called cenots, said Motycka. In the Mexican cenot of Cangrejo they discovered a total of 2.8-km of passages and in Joolis they found a 1.5-km-long tunnel. In Koox-Baal cave, Czech experts discovered two kilometres a so far unexplored space. Czech potholers started to map the Yucatan underground in detail three years ago. During their fifth, so far the most successful, expedition, they spent a whole month there. They have so far uncovered 13 km of new underground passages in Mexican caves. Prague Daily Monitor www.praguemonitor.com/
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