South Dakota Caving

[cavefox]

Heya people!

Nikki Fox here trying to get some help from Western cavers.

This Nebraska native is taking her Virginia boyfriend on a great trip to see the places I love and have lived. The great Black Hills is the main highlight on my first trip home in 5 years. I wish I had gotten into caving back when I lived in Wyoming (Gillette), South Dakota (Sioux City) and Nebraska. It wasn't until the past 6 years living in the Appalachians that have I gotten into caving. And I love it! It's a way of life for us.

Anyway, any help to hit a Black Hills cave would be greatly appreciated. Getting underground there is our main goal. I have no idea who to contact or the way to get someone to possibly take us on a hard-core trip (preferably vertical). We don't mind helping out on a survey or doing a photo trip. I would assume someone from the Paha Sapa Grotto?

Please, any help to get us pointed in the right direction to help us plan our May (4th-7th in the Hills) trip better would be awesome!
Thanks!

nikki
57004


p.s.
I'm not some crazy spelunker... check out my CaveSpace page at ---- http://nsscavers.ning.com/profile/NikkiFox
Hey, I'm also the new NSS Safety & Techniques webmaster too! So check it out and let me know what you think!

[NZcaver]

p.s.
I'm not some crazy spelunker... check out my CaveSpace page at ---- http://nsscavers.ning.com/profile/NikkiFox
Hey, I'm also the new NSS Safety & Techniques webmaster too! So check it out and let me know what you think!

Nikki,

Coincidentally I was just checking out the new S&T webpages today. Very nice! A vast improvement on the old version.

Good luck caving in the Black Hills. You should find some good folks out that way. Andy, you reading this?

[lenslover2003]

Cavefox,

For sure,there is caving to be had in the great Black Hills of South Dakota. However,given the date of your expected trip,you will be at a disadvantage,as the Forest Service doesn't unlock the gates,until May 15. Granted,the snow will all be gone by then,but you would have to walk to many of our wild caves. Another thing to consider,is that there is very little vertical to be had out here,compared to what you are used to. This is the land of the long,tight, horizontal crawl. To illustrate that point,we just did a 13+ hour trip in a cave out here,and probably 9-10 hours of it,was crawling. Thankfully,I'm short,so it was hands and knees for me,but for others,it would be belly crawl.

The only cave trips that would leave you with fond memories, are probably in Wind and Jewel. Big booming passage,and mostly upright walking. Again,there is very little vertical in those caves,but there are plenty of climbs.

If you need contacts,let me know.

[CaverScott]

Cavefox,

The only cave trips that would leave you with fond memories, are probably in Wind and Jewel. Big booming passage,and mostly upright walking. Again,there is very little vertical in those caves,but there are plenty of climbs.

If you need contacts,let me know.

Forget the vertical and get on one or more trips to Wind or Jewel. They are a MUST SEE for that area. If you are in Jewel, keep an eye out for some photo monitoring bencemarks I placed in the wild cave and on the commercial trail in the late 80's.

[baa43003]

Nikki, I can help arrange a Jewel Cave trip for you. PM me and we can work out the details.