Post by L Roebuck on Jun 12, 2006 8:04:59 GMT -5
While the bats are away ...
by Lindsay Nash, LNASH@CITIZEN-TIMES.COM
published June 12, 2006 12:15 am
BAT CAVE — There’s something alluring about access into a normally roped-off area.
But if that’s not enough, there are also the tales of lost treasure, Indian lore and the presence of white eyes on dark cave walls that make a hike into the normally closed Bat Cave Preserve appealing.
And now’s your chance to take it all in during The Nature Conservancy’s public hikes offered throughout the summer. The preserve, a 186-acre land conservancy in the Hickory Nut Gorge — about 20 miles southeast of Asheville — is home to Bat Cave, the largest known granite fissure cave in North America.
Because the bats aren’t home for the summer, the hike — which does not go deep into the caves — allows people to step into the cool caves, take a look at where the bats live and learn about how the caves were formed.
The hikes are led by Warren Wilson College Environmental Leadership Center students interning with the conservancy and offer a look at an area known for its plant and animal diversity and large fissure caves.
“This whole cave was created millions of years ago,” said Mike Horak, with the Asheville office of the Conservancy, as he spoke to about 20 hikers on the first public hike of the summer on Wednesday.
But just as important as the caves are the diverse plant and animal life along the trails. Along the hike, Cleveland and hike leader Sadie Adams point out and explain plants like the Carolina hemlock, spiderworts, mayapple and stinging nettles, and animals like the salamander and packrat, both common natives of the forest and caves.
“I just really enjoy learning what’s in my back yard,” said Cleveland, who is originally from New York. “I love being able to walk through the woods and know what’s going on.”
The hike leaders tell stories of how the Cherokee used the plants, how the white spots on the caves helped give the area its name and how there was once a treasure lost somewhere near the caves.
The first two-thirds of the trail has a slight to moderate elevation change while the last third of the hike is steep. The trail leads to the entrance to the Big Bat and Little Bat caves, which offer a cool climate change after a tough climb.
“It was kind of tiring, but it was really worth it,” said Aaron Kohatsu, 9, of Fairview, who went on the hike with his father, Keith, and two friends.
Jovanna Boyer of Asheville took her son Ben and two friends on the hike with her on Wednesday, which gave her an opportunity to see an area she had always wanted to see.
“You always hear people talking about living in a place and not knowing anything about it,” she said. “This was a good chance to learn and to get my son away from the TV for a day.”
“Plus,” she said, “I’ve always wanted to go on a Bat Cave hike.”
Contact Lindsay Nash at 828-232-5953 or via e-mail at lnash@ashevill.gannett.com
Full Article and Cave Pictures: www.citizen-times.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060612/NEWS01/60611008/1099
by Lindsay Nash, LNASH@CITIZEN-TIMES.COM
published June 12, 2006 12:15 am
BAT CAVE — There’s something alluring about access into a normally roped-off area.
But if that’s not enough, there are also the tales of lost treasure, Indian lore and the presence of white eyes on dark cave walls that make a hike into the normally closed Bat Cave Preserve appealing.
And now’s your chance to take it all in during The Nature Conservancy’s public hikes offered throughout the summer. The preserve, a 186-acre land conservancy in the Hickory Nut Gorge — about 20 miles southeast of Asheville — is home to Bat Cave, the largest known granite fissure cave in North America.
Because the bats aren’t home for the summer, the hike — which does not go deep into the caves — allows people to step into the cool caves, take a look at where the bats live and learn about how the caves were formed.
The hikes are led by Warren Wilson College Environmental Leadership Center students interning with the conservancy and offer a look at an area known for its plant and animal diversity and large fissure caves.
“This whole cave was created millions of years ago,” said Mike Horak, with the Asheville office of the Conservancy, as he spoke to about 20 hikers on the first public hike of the summer on Wednesday.
But just as important as the caves are the diverse plant and animal life along the trails. Along the hike, Cleveland and hike leader Sadie Adams point out and explain plants like the Carolina hemlock, spiderworts, mayapple and stinging nettles, and animals like the salamander and packrat, both common natives of the forest and caves.
“I just really enjoy learning what’s in my back yard,” said Cleveland, who is originally from New York. “I love being able to walk through the woods and know what’s going on.”
The hike leaders tell stories of how the Cherokee used the plants, how the white spots on the caves helped give the area its name and how there was once a treasure lost somewhere near the caves.
The first two-thirds of the trail has a slight to moderate elevation change while the last third of the hike is steep. The trail leads to the entrance to the Big Bat and Little Bat caves, which offer a cool climate change after a tough climb.
“It was kind of tiring, but it was really worth it,” said Aaron Kohatsu, 9, of Fairview, who went on the hike with his father, Keith, and two friends.
Jovanna Boyer of Asheville took her son Ben and two friends on the hike with her on Wednesday, which gave her an opportunity to see an area she had always wanted to see.
“You always hear people talking about living in a place and not knowing anything about it,” she said. “This was a good chance to learn and to get my son away from the TV for a day.”
“Plus,” she said, “I’ve always wanted to go on a Bat Cave hike.”
Contact Lindsay Nash at 828-232-5953 or via e-mail at lnash@ashevill.gannett.com
Full Article and Cave Pictures: www.citizen-times.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060612/NEWS01/60611008/1099