Caving - "Cave Softly: Take only pictures, leave only footprints, kill only time."

For purposes of conservation and safety, the moderation team of this sub does not allow the solicitation or sharing of cave locations.

Posts soliciting (or sharing) cave locations will be removed.

Why? Caves are fragile resources with delicate ecosystems. Many caves in the US have become sites where people dump garbage. Many caves are subject to vandalism. Many caves are explored by people who don't know caving ethics or safety and may become injured themselves, or damage the cave.

If you want to learn how to cave safely and responsibly, the usual recommendation is to join a grotto (caving club) if you're in the US. They can train you on gear, techniques, safety, conservation... and take you caving to places you might otherwise never get to go.

I'm going to be going to an easy cave with some friends (first time-ers) and I was thinking that it might be fun at some point for all of us to turn off our lights and do some activity. For safety, the activity won't involve going too far (if we sit in a circle, maybe someone walks around the circle, but nothing further). I was thinking of bringing a set of legos / Tinkertoy / etc. Before turning the light off having everyone memorize a simple build, and then after the light is off, see how long it takes them to build it. But I'm up for more thoughts.

Any ideas?

Hi all!

I’m going to be going to Cornwall in the coming months and was looking for some decent sized caves that are challenging! If anyone knows any vertical caves that would be a bonus

(ps I have my rope access course and I’m part of my local cliff rescue team and will be going with a 5 man group of local cavers ranging from intermediate experience through to advanced, we are all SRT trained but only myself and one other has rope access so this will be a learning expedition for the other guys)

Thanks all!

Hey everyone, I’m based in Nashville and me and a buddy want to go caving in the area with a guide. Any recommendations?

I would like to preface this with, I don't consider this violating guidelines because the place I'm talking about is relatively well known and has multiple videos of people visiting it, but I had some questions about the cave for people who had been there.

A while ago I found a website talking about caves on the Nantahala River, and I was very exited as I'm near the region and don't have many caves here. The only thing I was curious about, is that I couldn't tell if the cave was an actual cave, or just a rock shelter that happened to be called a cave. The photos don't really help and none of the videos of people going there help because they clearly don't plan on entering the cave even if there is one there. Here's the link to the website I found it on: https://www.be-roberts.com/se/nc/nant/cave/caves1.htm You can also find videos by just Googling "Indian Grave Caverns" or "Indian Cave Nantahala."

I appreciate any info you have on this. Also sorry if this violates community guidelines I really wasn't sure if it did since it was pretty well known.

I'm starting to amass a supply of gear and i see no end in sight yet. I don't have a large house or a garage. But there is room for shelves of some kind. I'd be interested to see what some of you who don't have a ton of space to work with do for your gear organization. post your good ideas here!

something i have been wondering about for a while. im not exactly a caver myself at least not yet. i was just wondering what you the caving community think of another outdoor activity a lot of people consider crazy. namely free solo climbing. does your community have the same my god they must be out of their minds reaction that most normies have when you see people hanging by one hand to a rock 300m up the side of a cliff say and no safety harness. or does their lack of fear of heights cross over with your communities lack of fear of deep enclosed claustrophobia? probably you'll all have different thoughts on it but id love to hear your perspectives on it

Okay, so I am currently writing a sci fi fanfic where the main characters are trapped on a deserted tropical island in the middle of the ocean, and then a hurricane hits the island. So the main characters have to dive under the water with their breathing masks, and they find their way to a littoral cave that is like this. The entrance its is underwater, but there is an air pocket deeper in the cave, and solid stone floor for the main characters to rest on. I would like to know if this kind of littoral cave is possible, and would the main characters be safe from the hurricane in the cave? Would they have to deal with things like oxygen poisoning, nitrogen narcosis, or decompression sickness? I think this kind of littoral cave is possible because I remember a nature documentary I watched where a sea snake had to lay eggs, and it swam into an cave with an air pocket to lay the eggs somewhere safe and with air because sea snake eggs can’t survive underwater.

Yall I'm in desperate need. Been tracking some different passages in the east TN area, and I need to find a reference book written by Thomas Barr Jr called Caves of TN. I think it was published in 68. If anyone has a place I can buy it or a download I would greatly appreciate it. I never really try to download books if I can keep from it, but I've been looking for this book for months now. I got three different bookstores with my number if they find one... help a brother out here.

Hello all. I been watching cave exploring videos like for a year now since my friend introduced it to me.

I was initially claustrophobic Watching the Videos. One was of the nuttyputty cave and the taiwan 13 kids struck tragedy. But now after watching many successful cave experiences videos I find it exciting and thrilling.

I am looking for some easy level caves to be explored in India with someone who has done cave exploration before which are easy and noy squeezy since its my first time exploring.

Also I am not sure what all safety equipment we need so please drop some suggestions. Few things for safety I have in mind is carrying a rope for us to not get lost and another is carrying an Airtag with location access to someone outside just in case we are stuck and a walkey talkey.

I’ve been vertical for about a year and I half and I just got my own rope! It’s 150 feet of 11mm static rope.

What is the recommended aftercare? Do I need to wash it or anything after each use? Obviously inspection of damage is a must but I want to minimize any damage or wear and tear

Thanks

I need some recommendations. The knee pads I have are essentially useless and barely worth the effort. The pads are bulky and don’t stay in place and the straps need constant readjusting. It’s an engineering problem, a question of ergonomics.

Anyone have any leads?

So there's a beautiful little cave very close to where I live and it's drawn me in. I'd like to one day in the near future push it to its furthest extremities (only 1,500ft) and the tunnel ascends in elevation rather than descends. It is a dry cave with only one narrow entrance. However the very furthest part (and anecdotally well before that) has been noted as having "bad air". These sections have previously been dug in search of new passages. It sees very little activity and it wouldn't surprise me if nobody has been to the farthest end in decades.

How would I go about reaching the end safely and mitigate this bad air risk as much as I can? I know it's possible because it has been mapped and I'm aware that digging used to occur at the far reaches. Has anyone done this and brought some oxygen cylinders that mountaineers use etc even disposable ones? Possible to clear up the bad air with CO2 scrubbers etc? (it's not a huge area and higher elevated than the entrance) or is this a pipe dream?

(I know this is not recommended ever, but the fact it was previously dug makes me think it's possible to at least reach the end)

Thanks!

Edit: Decided against going past the limits of the lighter test, it’s not worth the risk and not worth the expense of proper apparatus and training for an extra 750ft of cave. Thank you all for your time and informative responses

I have a warmbac oversuit that I'm selling this week, having been used in caves and mines its a little dirty, I usually hose it down and give it a scrub with a brush, can you machine wash them on cold with a little detergent?