Pryor Spring Cave Access Announcement

[Sharon Faulkner]

For those not on TAG-Net:

1) Pryor Spring Cave access
By: Andy Zellner (Marietta, Georgia)

Pryor Spring Cave is a popular little multidrop cave near Jasper, TN. There has been quite a bit of activity there lately, and the landowners have become increasingly concerned about liability issues. (Not to mention the fact that a nearby quarry is operating just a few hundred feet away).

While the cave is still open for visitation, they are now asking cavers to sign a waiver/release form before entering the cave. The final version of this waiver is still in the works, but here's some of the guidelines they are asking us to abide by:

1. Permission may be obtained from either household by calling at least one day previous to intended visit. A release form must be acquired and signed by all parties planning to enter the cave or cross the Hogan properties.

2. With permission, vehicles may be parked at designated areas along driveways or in the edge of the yard as will be explained by the Hogan families. Please contact the owner of the address where you intend to leave your cars (there are two Hogan households), as cars left without permission could be towed, even if the other household has been contacted.

3. We understand that the Hogan families take NO RESPONSIBILITY and are RELEASED FROM ALL LIABILITY should any damages or losses occur to said vehicles or personal property left in those vehicles.

4. Persons not obtaining permission and singing a Release Form before entering these properties will be considered TRESPASSING and could be ARRESTED and vehicles could be TOWED.

The current waiver also has this to say:

"We appreciate the courtesy and care that most of our visitors have shown over the years. We hope to be able to continue to allow individuals and groups to utilize the Pryor Springs Cave for recreational and rescue training purposes. Please comply with the above guidelines so that this property can remain accessible."

So please pass the word. I hope to get a finalized version of the release soon to pass along, or you can get it straight from the Hogan family. In my mind, if a generous family such as this feels the need to write up a list of rules and regulations, it probably means we cavers are visiting there too often. Perhaps we should give them a break for a while? Especially at the upcoming TAG Fall Cave-In.

Thanks to Sharon Faulkner for forwarding this info along.

--Andy Z.
[e-mail]

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The Hogan family relayed this information to a group of us doing the pull-down trip yesterday (trip report and photos later this week) and we relayed the information, along with a copy of the waiver, to Andy Z. for distribution to the cave community.

[Brad Tipton]

Thanks Sharon,

I think it is important that everyone takes notice that caver traffic at Pryor Springs is heavy. There are groups parked in the Hogan's yard almost every weekend. I am sure the majority visiting are courteous and thankful the Hogan's are hospitable to cavers, but we should also take care not to wear out our welcome. Unfortunately, we have done that in the past. I doubt examples are needed here.

The community also needs to keep in mind that there was a rescue and nearly a fatality in this cave just recently. I am sure that incident was the major factor in the decision to draft a waiver for the cave. If there were another incident, (rescue, trespassing, folks just getting naked in plain view) I fear the Hogan's could decide cavers are more trouble than we are worth.

I hope everyone who visits this fine cave takes a moment to thank the Hogan's for their patience and hospitality. They definatley deserve that.

[Brian Roebuck]

Thanks for the update. Is there any danger the quarry will wipe out the cave? I figure that is incentive for cavers to visit frequently in order to do it now while it's till here.

[Brad Tipton]

I was in the quarry after the rescue. From what I could tell it looked as if the main quarry face was quite a distance from the cave. The biggest issue is all the house sized boulders they are rolling down the hill towards the entrance. I don't think the cave is in any immediate danger of becoming gravel. Yet, I don't know how far the cave trends towards the quarry before cutting back and down hill.

[Sharon Faulkner]

We spoke with the Hogan's at some length on Sunday, as we have on other occasions. While I won't go into great detail, I believe Brad is right, the rescue situation frightened them as it would any landowner. They are very caver friendly folks and I hope cavers will be friendly and helpful to them in return.

Dr. Beaner, the quarry appears to have stopped short a few hundred feet from the upper cave entrance. I hope the quarry operators realize the cave is there and have intentionally stopped at that point, but I do not know that for sure. The quarry property has a different landowner.

[L Roebuck]

Yes, it seems over visitation to any cave wears out a welcome fast.

Thanks Sharon for taking the time to talk with and to listen to the landowners!