Post by Sharon Faulkner on Nov 7, 2005 8:28:42 GMT -5
A horde of 28 cavers, in nine vehicles, descended upon Jackson County Alabama’s Bluff River Cave on Saturday, November 5, 2005. This multi-level cave offers dry upper level passages, with lower level, stream borehole passage, and opportunities for cave photographers who are fond of big room photography, with a few nice formation areas thrown in for good measure. Overall, with the height and width of the passage, if the lower borehole contained more water (and formations) it would be reminiscent of the horizontal passage in Sinking Cove Cave.
Soon after parking, everyone gearing up, and assembling for a group photo, no small task with such a large group of folks, we made the quarter-mile hike to the cave. Bluff River has two moderate size openings at the bottom of the huge face of the bluff, one with an easy climb down entrance. The crew planning to explore the upper level passage split off within fifty feet of the entrance (requiring either vertical gear or climbing a ladder to access by the way), while the photography team stopped almost immediately to begin taking photos. This left our group the rest of the huge borehole passage to begin our way to the back of the cave. The water in the stream was quite low, for the most part only an inch or two deep with a couple of pools up to knee deep and one that reached to mid thigh, which can be bypassed by a dry climb up. There are literally hundreds of small rimstone dams all throughout the stream portion of the cave, and if you walk to one side of the wall or the other, you will find multiple scatterings of soda straws. The cave also has several large haystack formations.
A great trip, great cave, a most enjoyable day! Nathan Williams, of Realms of Reality, has photos of the trip and the cave available online at: www.realmsofreality.net/caves/bluffriver_tr2/bluffriver_tr2b/index.html
Soon after parking, everyone gearing up, and assembling for a group photo, no small task with such a large group of folks, we made the quarter-mile hike to the cave. Bluff River has two moderate size openings at the bottom of the huge face of the bluff, one with an easy climb down entrance. The crew planning to explore the upper level passage split off within fifty feet of the entrance (requiring either vertical gear or climbing a ladder to access by the way), while the photography team stopped almost immediately to begin taking photos. This left our group the rest of the huge borehole passage to begin our way to the back of the cave. The water in the stream was quite low, for the most part only an inch or two deep with a couple of pools up to knee deep and one that reached to mid thigh, which can be bypassed by a dry climb up. There are literally hundreds of small rimstone dams all throughout the stream portion of the cave, and if you walk to one side of the wall or the other, you will find multiple scatterings of soda straws. The cave also has several large haystack formations.
A great trip, great cave, a most enjoyable day! Nathan Williams, of Realms of Reality, has photos of the trip and the cave available online at: www.realmsofreality.net/caves/bluffriver_tr2/bluffriver_tr2b/index.html
