Caving horror stories...

[Marlatt]

More recently, about five years ago on Margaret's first caving trip, I was still wearing my carbide light when I was peering over my glasses at the cave map (I am nearsighted and didn't have bi-focals then)... and I smelled smoke and Margaret yelled, "Dad! Dad! The map's on fire!"

On my first survey trip into Wind Cave, I was resting in a small room out beyond Silent Expressway (uh, somewhat frazzed after chasing Paul Burger and Stan Allison). Getting a little chilled, I stretched out my tee-shirt and cradled my carbide underneath. And, of course, then nodded off and awoke to find my shirt on fire!

swm (don't even ask about the sardines on that trip!)

[Biggimo1]

So, following up on the bee thread...
Bee keepers use smoke to calm bees while getting honey. I looked at their equipment but it seems to small. If smoke really works well however it seems like some hefty smoke bombs might help out in a crunch.
Has anyone cosidered carrying/using something along these lines? It's unclear if this would help with Africanized bees but since they are crossed with honey bees maybe it would.

Hunter

The AHB's are slowly breeding out the European Honey Bee's. This is forcin keepers to learn to work with AHB's. They just take more time and use more smoke.

Brian B.

[George Dasher]

Actually, I think the bee keepers try to switch out the African queen with an European queen. The hive then "calms" down.

[paul]

More recently, about five years ago on Margaret's first caving trip, I was still wearing my carbide light when I was peering over my glasses at the cave map (I am nearsighted and didn't have bi-focals then)... and I smelled smoke and Margaret yelled, "Dad! Dad! The map's on fire!"

I was looking at the bottom of the map very closely and didn't realize I heated the top of the map until it burst into flame. That may explain why I never had the desire to do any caving on a rope.

Quite a few years ago when I was using a Premier carbide cap lamp I filled it up with water at the cave entrance (which handily had a pool of water nearby) and got it alight and placed my helme back on my head.

A few minutes later there was lots of laughing and shouting and pointing towards my head - the lamp was engulfed in a ball of flames and was about to start melting the helmet! I quickly tore the helmet off my head and hurled it into the pool which immediately doused it.

On investigation I found the rubber gasket for the base was missing - it had fallen off when I had been filling the base with carbide.

Luckily I carried spare carbide in another base with a lid which had a gasket so continued the trip without a problem.

[Herman Miller]

if i may remind everyone of the ultimate caving horror story and may i "with some luck" not be banished from this site forever I offer up the following site

http://www.holyshiite.com/caver/

[bigalpha]

So, I just read through that recollection - and really don't know what to think.

Do I believe in supernatural? Yes.
Do I believe this story? Maybe.

I am not so sure about this story. Is it a made-up, fanciful story? Does anyone know Ted? Unfortunately, the site stops after his last update about going into the cave with B and Joe. Anyone know the rest of the story?

[speloman]

I am with you on this Bigalpha. I normally don't read alot and it took me all I got to read this. It is kinda strange. almost like a Horror book. I was thinking that maybe the "rumbling" noise and the other noises might be air going through the cave. I was in a cave once near the entrance and it was some pretty strong winds out side and I heard a "Moaning" sound. Like blowing over a wide mouth bottle. But when the wind slowed the noise went away and it wasn't constant. Has anyone else experienced this??

I am not a doctor but I was thinking that at the end where he starts seeing things in corners and bad dreams, etc. Might have been a side effect of the "good" Prescription drugs he is taking to get rest. Most of those types of meds could cause Hallucinations. I but if he truly was involved in a terrifying ordeal it can really screw a person up.

Like you said bigalpha is it supernatural ????? Don't know

Is the Story believable?????? Don't know

Them guys had some determination though. If I heard Moaning like a Person in pain or a animal I would probably not have went in there just in case something wanted to eat my face (need a eat my face smile) or snatch me up .

Well hopefully we find alittle about this and being he went back that he is OK.

[speloman]

here is a link I googled of a DB about this Ted caver Kinda interesting views from others. Sonds like it is leading more towards fictional. If it is I would say it was well done very good Caving Horror Story.

http://www.abovetopsecret.com/forum/thread26297/pg1

[speloman]

Sorry Folk about multiple post but this link from the above site I posted just about closes the case I think.

{quote}Journey posted on 18-12-2003 at 11:11 AM - printer friendly

Well folks, here is the rest of the story- I contacted Frank Stevens, and he was'nt at home but I did speak to his wife.
According to her he came across the story on Angelfire.com, which is a free web-hoster. He liked it so much he decided to retain it. She said the story was an urban legend and a hoax, but that she has recieved several calls from other interested parties as myself.
Maybe the ending was best left hanging- I dunno, but I felt it was my duty to ATS to post my findings and put this one down as one solved mystery.
The author of this story has an ability , and he captivated much attention- and darklanser, after reading the link you provided I am led to believe this work of fiction was inspired by the tragic death of Floyd Collins, and good work, I might add. I had not heard of him before this story, and I encourage all to read his story via the link that darklanser provided. It was another good read, and this story is true. {End Quote}


http://www.abovetopsecret.com/forum/thread26297/pg3

[speloman]

WOW Bremen I just realized that the Pic on the opening page is Flow stone in Whipple cave. Not only by right clicking but I com paired it to a similar pic from http://www.nevadawilderness.org/eastern/whipple.htm

<a href="http://imageshack.us"><img src="http://img3.imageshack.us/img3/173/compair5hf.jpg" border="0" width="696" alt="Image Hosted by ImageShack.us" /></a>

Different Angles but some very close similarities. Correct me if I am wrong.

[Scott McCrea]

This story was discussed at great, great length in the previous NSS DB. Google has it cached.

How about starting a new thread about this, if this is something that wants to continue? I would still love to see a resolution to this mystery.

[Nico]

This was also discussed on the Speleomania DB, I'm sorry to spoil it for everyone but the story is not true, some writer made it up for a book, and then the discussion went on and on about who of two guys actually wrote it.
I'm trying to find the link for that thread on speleomania

[Caverdale]

The story involves an actual dig in Interstate Cave in Utah along I-80 near the town of Wendover. That part and the photos are real. Ted acknowledged that the eerie parts were largely embelishments. But, many of the noises were real. Afterall, it is directly under an Interstate highway with major semi-truck traffic. Ted was not really a caver. I believe this was the only cave he was ever in. He came as a friend of B (Brad) and Joe. Many of us were well acquainted with Brad. Everyone involved has moved out of the state and are no longer in communication with Utah cavers. Someone was going to make a movie of the story but I never heard of anything happening. Ralph Powers, who posts often on this board, knows more of the story. Maybe he will comment. A complication is that much of the story was supposedly published before by a well-known NSS caver, but the discrepancy was never resolved to my knowledge.

Despite all the loose ends and controversy, I still think it is a good read, which I have done several times.

[speloman]

Wow cool Dale. Thanks for clearing it up, it was a very interesting story. Have to say time got my hairs standing on end some parts. Interstate cave huh the noises make sence I have heard that cave is so close to the interstate that you need hwy patrol permits to get in. Never been in there but hopefully some day I might just need time and people who would take me.

[Herman Miller]

well im really glad that the reaction was good and i am also glad that I have let those not in the loop into the loop of my favorite late night campfire story, though i must say... the picture that spelo pointed out did in fact look like whipple but then again who knows flow stone is fairly common...
oh by the way thanks scott for not banning me from the site ;)