AND NOW, FOR SOMETHING COMPLETELY DIFFERENT
Over the last few years we’ve engaged in all types of outdoor adventures. We’ve enjoyed activities ranging from local hiking and backpacking trips, to canoeing, mountain biking, whitewater rafting, and even snowshoeing. We’ve backpacked in the Rockies and the desert, we’ve hiked in New England, and we’ve explored the swamps of the southeast. As you can imagine, it’s becoming difficult to find new adventures. Last weekend though, we found one. A friend of mine from college agreed to take us caving.
Christy, Saucony, and I left Charlotte Friday evening and had surprisingly little trouble getting to southern West Virginia. After we left the interstate, each turn took us onto a darker and narrower road. Eventually we found ourselves bouncing down a steep gravel road. We spooked two deer before reaching the creek. From there it was through a gate and up a narrow track to Rocky’s cabin. We met Rocky and Patrick there, and spent the evening catching up.
We slept in a little on Saturday before enjoying a pancake breakfast. We got our gear together and met Chrissie and Steve. We drove a series of back roads to a secluded farm. Rocky had obtained permission to access the cave ahead of time, and we met the nice lady who owned the farm. She smiled a lot and was quite friendly, but you could tell that she thought we were crazy.
We walked about a half-mile through the farm before reaching a sinkhole below a bluff. At the bottom of the bluff was a narrow, black opening. It looked spooky and foreboding. We took a few minutes to use the bathroom, organize the gear, and have a group photo. We then worked our way down the hill to the entrance.
Rocky had selected Patton Cave for our trip. This was the first caving trip for Christy and Steve, so he picked an easy one. I had been caving with Rocky twice before, but that was 7 or 8 years ago. Those trips were to nearby Organ Cave, which has over 40 miles of passages. Those trips lasted 8 hours, and were incredibly exhausting. My strongest memory of those trips was being totally disoriented in the maze-like confusion of passageways. I always feel confident that I can find my way out in the woods, but caves are another story.
Rocky immediately instilled us with confidence by going the wrong way. He found the correct route quickly though, and soon we were scrambling into the mouth of the cave. After a short distance the cave opened up, and we were able to stand upright. We walked around a bend and left the outer world behind.
We had helmets with lights, and they did a surprisingly good job of illuminating the cave. Our first discovery was bats clinging to the ceiling and the walls. At first we only found a few, but we quickly reached a chamber with dozens. We proceeded slowly, watching where we put our hands. Fortunately the bats were sleeping and were difficult to disturb.
The walking was surprisingly easy. The cave is usually wet, but the ongoing drought had left only some mud and the occasional puddle. We reached a junction, and decided to explore a side passage. Chrissie discovered an alcove, which held a pool of ethereal blue water. The pool was beyond description, but it looked like some type of mystic wishing well. Oddly, the drought had made the discovery possible. Normally the entire alcove would have been flooded. I attempted to explore a crawl way out of the alcove, but it was too small. I did get covered in mud for my efforts though.
We returned to the side passage, and followed it up past breathtaking formations. We passed stalactites and stalagmites, columns, crystals, and flowstones. The fog of our breath, combined with the unusual lighting created a mysterious, spooky atmosphere. We stopped in a room with the best formations we had seen yet. I attempted some photos, but there’s no telling how they will come out. We then stopped for a break and turned out all the lights. The darkness was complete. What was more stirring to me was the silence. The only sound was the occasional drip of water.
We hiked to the end of the passage. Along the way, Chrissie and I explored a side passage. It climbed high above the main tunnel. Soon we were crawling, and then I had to take off my pack and drag it behind me. It rejoined the main passage, but there was a series of formations blocking our progress. We probably could have gotten through, but we didn’t want to damage anything. We had to backtrack to rejoin the group. Later, while trying to explore another side passage, my foot slipped and I banged my knee off of a rock. Luckily I didn’t do any serious damage, but next time I’m bringing kneepads.
The tunnel ended at a siphon which was marked with a small mud puddle. We stopped for lunch, and sausage, crackers, and cheese never tasted so good. We then hiked back to the original junction and headed deeper into the cave.
This passage took us through even more formations. We passed two amazing columns before entering a large chamber with a high ceiling. There was a flat floor there, which would be ideal for camping. Unfortunately, we were only in for the day. Also in the chamber was a high column that wasn’t quite complete. There was about 1 cm between the end of the stalactite and the stalagmite. One of these days, geologically speaking, the column will be complete.
We climbed a slippery mud bank and slid down the far side. We then crawled through a narrow passage with even more formations. One is called "bacon", because it looks like a slab of meat when you shine your light on it. Beyond it we reached another large room. There were many fallen boulders here, and the passage ahead became quite rough. We thought about continuing to the end of the cave, but Rocky informed us that the last section would be quite demanding. We had seen the best of Patton Cave, so we decided to head out.
The walk back was largely uneventful. Chrissie and I did explore another side passage though. This time we were able to crawl through and rejoin the group in the main tunnel. Some time later, the first hint of light appeared ahead. Emerging from the cave was an experience. It was warm, sunny, and impossibly bright. The sound of birds was almost surreal. We had been in the cave 4 hours, but it could’ve been 4 days for all I knew.
We walked over to the barn and changed clothes. Everything was covered in mud. I even had mud in my hair. Afterwards we drove over to see the entrance to Scott Hollow Cave. Scott Hollow Cave leads some 500’ down into the earth before arriving at the Mystic River. Mystic River is a large underground stream complete with waterfalls. Scott Hollow is also known for it’s many spectacular formations. The tooth of a Mastodon was also discovered there, and it now resides in the Smithsonian. I really wanted to do Scott Hollow, but it’s very demanding. It wouldn’t have been appropriate for beginners, but we’re hoping to go back with Rocky sometime soon.
The entrance to Scott Hollow is in a house. This is strange, but that’s only the beginning. The house is still under construction, but access to the cave is allowed. We walked right in the front door and over to a trap door in the middle of the floor. We looked in, and found a vertical pipe with a ladder running straight down into the earth. You might say that the entrance is a little intimidating. As we were standing there, we heard voices. Two guys were coming up. They came out, and we found out that one was injured. He had been exploring near the river when a boulder shifted and fell on his leg. Fortunately another group was nearby, and they were able to move to rock. Luckily he was able to walk, though it was apparently quite a struggle getting out. I can’t imagine what a rescue from that cave would’ve been like.
We left reluctantly, but hope to make it back one day soon. We headed back to Rocky’s cabin, where we enjoyed some of Christy’s enchiladas. Afterwards, we had a relaxing evening of stargazing, cards, and story telling. Rocky is an accomplished storyteller, and he entertained us with tales of past caving trips. He told us ghost stories, plus one adventure from his youth when he was caught in a flooded cave. We were all glad that he had saved those stories for the night AFTER the caving trip.
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