Future & possible NSS Convention Sites

[Sharon Faulkner]

Of course, we have the 2006 in Bellingham, Washington and the 2007 Marengo, Indiana Conventions already scheduled.

Plus, an interesting line up of possible Convention bids for future years:

A potential bid for a 2008 Florida Convention.

A bid from Texas for the 2009 Convention to be held in conjunction with the 2009 UIS International Congress of Speleology.

Tozer Moves: The 2009 NSS Convention will be held in conjunction with the International Congress of Speleology. The dates would be July 19-26, 2009.

Discussion: This motion will establish a time frame for the convention with significant interaction with the ICS. Major NSS Convention functions would be integrated with the Congress. Some NSS events occurring at the beginning of the week and others at the end of the week. See George Veni's report in the president's report for suggestions. This motion will allow the ICS Organizing Committee to finalize contract arrangements with the University.
www.caves.org/nss-business/reports/nov05/agenda.html

Possible bids from a group in Colorado and a group in Vermont for the 2010 Convention.

Some great possibilities...

[Rick Rhinehart]

There is a plan in the works for a Grand Junction, Colorado 2011 convention bid. On October 21, a group of us visited the western Colorado city and examined the facilities.

Grand Junction is located on the Colorado Plateau and is close to several national parks and monuments in Colorado and Utah, such as Arches, Black Canyon and Canyonlands. Colorado National Monument is located ten minutes from the city. Many visitors enjoy hiking and rock climbing in redrock desert terrain, rafting the Colorado and Gunnison Rivers, mountain biking and touring wineries. The city is reached by several commercial airlines, Amtrak and automobile on Interstate Highway 70.

The city has some very nice convention facilities and is the home of Mesa College. Our convention bid group is looking closely at Mesa College for the majority of the sessions. The city's convention and visitors bureau is very interested in bringing the Society to the city for the convention.

We are planning on a return visit to the city in the Spring of 2006 to further investigate the facilities and to begin our bid preparation process.

For those interested in caving, limestone caves are located about an hour to the northeast on the White River Plateau, with the commercial Glenwood Caverns less than 90 minutes from Grand Junction. Limestone caves are also located to the south, in the spectacular San Juan Mountains, about 90 minutes to two hours distant. Within 20 to 30 minutes of the proposed convention site are a large number of significant claystone caves, including some that have about 1000 feet of passage.On a recent cave-hunting trip, our group found a variety of 100-300 foot virgin caves in claystone about 40 minutes from the convention, including some vertical pits requiring ropework. There are undoubtedly many more claystone caves in the region.

[L Roebuck]

;D Sounds great so far! So could you give more information about the claystone caves?

[Rick Rhinehart]

In the mid 1990s, Donald Davis discovered the longest claystone cave known in the world not far from his summer home in Rulison, 50 minutes east of Grand Junction. The cave has over 2000 feet of surveyed passage and is developed by running water flowing through compacted clay and debris. The cave has been designated by the BLM as a "significant cave" under the Federal Cave Resources Protection Act and is reasonably stable (I say "reasonably" as this summer, a section of the cave collapsed, possibly during heavy thunderstorm).

Donald's discovery interested other cavers, who began exploring similar areas in the desert environment of the Colorado Plateau. Ron Delano, formerly of Grand Junction, found dozens of claystone caves in several regions near the city, including some caves in the 1000-2000 foot length. More recently, Paonia caver Matt Crass found Raven Cave along a BLM road south of the city; we visited this significant, impressive cave this weekend and were impressed with the cave's dimensions and length.

Claystone caves are found in other states, too, most notably southern California, which has several long caves with more than 1000 feet of passage. Undoubtedly, other southwestern states also have unexplored and undocumented claystone caves.

[L Roebuck]

Interesting! Thanks Richard. I had not heard of claystone caves until just recently and so was curious.

[Brian Roebuck]

Colorado would be a neat place to go caving and to hold a convention. The claystone caves sound quite intriguing as well. I too have never heard of them until your post. A trip years ago to Colorado only allowed Lynn and I to visit a commercial cave (and of course relatives) ;D but it would be cool to experience some of the caving that high altitude area of our country has to offer us TAG cavers. I'll bring an oxygen tank!

[Rick Rhinehart]

Many of the claystone caves are found in terrain at about 6000 feet elevation. The limestone caves of the White River Plateau to the east of Grand Junction are at elevations ranging from 6000 to 11000 feet. Low altitude cavers will want to spend a few days at higher altitude before attempting any vigorous outdoor (or indoor) activities.

The Plateau holds several of Colorado's longest and most significant caves, including Groaning (the state's longest, with about 12 miles of surveyed passage) and Glenwood Caverns, a very successful commercial cave at Glenwood Springs featuring an aerial tram for access and a variety of amusement rides adjacent to the cave's entrance (including this nation's first "mountain coaster").

Colorado's 1996 convention at Salida was a big success, and we are looking to build on that success in 2011.

[Sharon Faulkner]

So as not to pull the 2006 Conv. thread too far off course, I snipped this brief blurb and pasted here to reply.

madratdan said:

(Rumor has it that Colorado will be putting in a convention bid for 2011).

I was hoping that it was Colorado that was slightly mentioned in the AVP Report regarding Convention bids for 2011 or 2012.

It seems Vermont is putting in a bid on 2010, and I'm still pulling for a 2008 Florida Convention bid. Hope we hear more on that one soon.

I know I'll attend Indiana in '07, which is a good midway point for a large portion of the nation. Hope the Madrats will be there.

[madratdan]

Indiana is a possibility. I still haven't ruled out Washington yet.

There has been some formal discussion at our grotto meeting about a bid for a 2011 convention. It's still in it's preliminary planning stages, But..................at least at our grotto meeting, there was a good show of support and interest.

[Rick Rhinehart]

Dave Lester of the Colorado Grotto is the acting Chair for the 2011 Colorado NSS Convention Bid Committee. The Colorado Grotto had a straw poll at its January meeting and the support for a bid was overwhelmingly in favor.

Dave reports he is preparing a preliminary bid to be presented to the NSS BOG at its March meeting in Texas. A formal bid may be forthcoming as early as this summer's convention.

Grand Junction is still the leading candidate for a convention, but given an additional year from our original schedule, Dave will consider other possible sites.

With five years lead time, Colorado cavers should be able to find hundreds of claystone caves in the western Colorado desert.

[madratdan]

Rick,
I'm glad to here that CG is behind Dave on this. I'm guessing FRG will also show their support. What about Timberline? Any word back from them yet?

[Rick Rhinehart]

I imagine Front Range Grotto will support a 2011 Colorado Convention bid since the club has been updated on activities over the last few months. I haven't heard if the Northern Colorado and Timberline grottos have discussed the bid as of yet.

The upcoming Winter edition of Colorado's Rocky Mountain Caving publication will include additional information about the bid process and initial decisions, as well as possible choices in the future as Dave Lester puts together a formal bid for the Society's Board of Governors.

Dave did report at the last CG meeting that he has been told that if Colorado moved from its initial 2010 date to allow Vermont to continue with their bid process, that the board would vey favorably consider a 2011 Colorado bid. Of course, many Society members have fond memories of the 1996 Salida Convention.

[Sharon Faulkner]

Thanks Richard and Dan for updating us on the possible 2011 bid. I hope you'll continue to keep us informed as the process rolls along.

[Azurerana]

One of the outgoing BOG members reported to my grotto last week that the Florida bid was for a church camp which would be entirely *dry* and that there would be a 'no nudity at any time' rule in force-- putting a big crimp in spa-related activities. (And presumably no showers, unless you are in habit of taking a shower with your clothes on) and asked grotto members to express their opinions to the BOG.

Of less concern to me are the Vermont requirements that drinking be held in 'beergardens'-- similar to Maine, and the limitation on noise to 80 decibels at the fence line, excessive noise to cease at 11 p.m. NSSers could likely live with those restrictions--just start the party earlier....

[madratdan]

Didn't the Sullivan Missouri convention have similar rules and was also held at a church camp?

[Azurerana]

Dan,
I was on the 1997 convention committee for a while, and after I left, I maintained their website , worked registration, was a gopher, etc. etc., (also attended the convention) and when it was all over, worked with Missouri cavers and the NSS for almost a year to get them to speak to each other again.

The answer to all your questions is no. Blue Springs Campground is a private, totally secular campground. You may be mistaking it with Camp Mihaska (which is down the road, and contains Blue Spring--Crawford County.That spring's branch is what flows along Blue Springs Campground to the Meramec River). Camp Mihaska is a Salvation Army camp. However , not only is it not affiliated with Blue Springs Campground (run by Doyle Isom, Jr.) Camp Mihaska was off limits to cavers during the convention.

There was plenty of hot tub, sauna, nudity, local wine and beer (and 9.5 inches of rain in 24 hours) at Blue Springs Campground--which as a matter of fact, is located just outside the town of Bourbon, Missouri. (OK , the purists don't conside A-B products beer, but the 97 convention was within 60 miles of the A-B mothership, many of the convention personnel were from St. Louis, and we've all grown up thinking it is beer. At least Busch and Bud are-- some of those other, more questionably colored beer--I dunno. Beer isn't supposed to be brown, or red, is it?)

[Azurerana]

Re my earlier post: although I accurately reported what I was told in that post, another BOG member emailed and said the person quoted is in error-- the No Nudity rule holds, and no coed showers are permitted, but the second BOG member reports that personal alcohol will be allowed in the Florida bid as presented, as well as group alcohol will be served at the Howdy Party and Wednesday campground party, though serving will end at 10 p.m. each night by local ordinance.

Hey, all I do is report what I hear.
Azurerana

[Taylor]

Azurerana, was there any information given as to why the organizers of the 2008 Arkansas bid declined to present their bid at this weekend's BOG Meeting? Nothing against the Florida Convention bid, in fact, I would be fine with Florida in 2008, but information has been not been widely communicated regarding either of the 2008 proposals.

[Azurerana]

I heard nothing about the Arkansas bid.

[itabot]

Did somebody say Claystone Caves?



Grand Junction 2011 sounds good to me, since I only live an hour from there!

The city has some very nice convention facilities and is the home of Mesa College.

Slight correction...Its Mesa State College.

[Sharon Faulkner]

Nice photo of the claystone caves itabot! Welcome to the forum.

[L Roebuck]

Welcome to the forum itabot! ;D