DOCSLIB.ORG

Fall/Winter 2007-8

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text
Fall/Winter 2007-8 Park News Carlsbad Caverns & National Park Service U.S. Department of the Interior Guadalupe Mountains National Parks Visitor Guide Fall/Winter 2007-8 DiscoveringDiscovering LechuguillaLechuguilla CaveCave by Stan Allison Selenite chandeliers in the Chandelier Ballroom (Lechuguilla Cave) Photo by Gavin Newman IN THIS MODERN AGE OF SATELLITE soon abandoned. All that the guano miners Lechuguilla Cave 120 miles of cave has been images, remote sensing and Google Earth it left was a guano hopper for filtering rocks surveyed making it the fifth longest cave in America the Beautiful— can be difficult to imagine discovering new out of the guano and a small test pit. The the world. Winds more than 60 miles per The National Parks & places on our planet earth. Yet here at Carls- extent of Lechuguilla Cave was known to be hour have been recorded near the entrance, Federal Recreational bad Caverns National Park, cave explorers about 500 feet long with a 50-foot deep en- indicating that much more cave remains to are still discovering unknown passages and trance pit. Those early guano miners surely be found. Lechuguilla Cave is 1,604 feet deep Lands Pass rooms that no satellite or other remote sens- must have noticed the strong winds issuing making it the deepest limestone cave in the ing technology can detect in a special place from between the rocks, guano and dirt that United States. Although Lechuguilla Cave called Lechuguilla Cave. Lechuguilla Cave filled the bottom of the entrance pit. Per- is longer and deeper than Carlsbad Cavern, is the longest of the 113 known caves in the haps as they took a break from their work the Big Room still remains the largest room park. Imagine the excitement and awe we they wondered where all of that airflow was in any cave in the U.S. Lechuguilla is the lon- would experience if a new geyser was dis- coming from. Certainly cave explorers visit- gest of the 113 known caves in Carlsbad Cav- covered in Yellowstone National Park that ing the cave in later years noticed the tre- erns National Park. An average of 2-3 miles was larger than any of the previously known mendous airflow and wondered about the of previously unknown cave is explored and geysers. What if Mesa Verde National Park amount of cave that must exist on the other surveyed every year in Lechuguilla Cave. In revealed the recent discovery of a cliff side of the fill. fact, as you are reading this article it is quite Your Annual Pass provides you with a full dwelling larger than any previously known possible that someone is taking the first steps year of enjoyment at America’s beautiful containing artifacts that had never been seen into a previously unknown passage. In 1984, cavers under National Park Service lakes, rivers and seashores, wildlife refuges, anywhere else? As unrealistic as these sce- (NPS) supervision initiated a digging project outstanding cultural and historic sites, and narios are for the above ground portions of in Lechuguilla Cave to find the source of the Lechuguilla contains one of the world’s larg- some of the world’s most magnificent for- national parks, this is exactly what has been air. On Memorial Day weekend 1986, after est known displays of selenite chandeliers ests, parks and monuments. occurring below the surface of Carlsbad digging through rubble, dust and wind for in a room called the Chandelier Ballroom. Caverns National Park for the past 21 years 40 feet, a breakthrough was made into large Lechguilla Cave was the first cave in the The Annual Pass covers Entrance Fees or in a wonderful place called Lechuguilla unexplored passages that just kept going and world where cave formations called helic- Standard Amenity Fees (campground fees Cave. going. Those first explorers were excited, tites, previously known to only form above are not covered) managed by the National but even in their wildest dreams they prob- water were found growing under water. Park Service, United States Forest Service, In 1914, Lechuguilla Cave was first docu- ably didn’t imagine the miles of cave pas- Large deposits of canary yellow, elemental the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service, Bureau of Land Management and Bureau of Reclama- mented as a bat guano mining claim. Guano sages, unique formations and microbes that sulfur occur in Lechuguilla that smell like tion. For more details see page 5 inside. was mined for use as a nitrogen-rich fertil- would be found. firecrackers. Lechuguilla Cave contains mas- izer for California orchards. Guano mining sive gypsum cave deposits on a scale never proved unprofitable at this location and was After 21 years of discovery and research in ...continued on pg. 3 Pages 4-5 Page 6 Page 8 Cave Tours Hiking Trails Fall Colors Info Contact Information 2 Renovations Contine 3 Cave Tours 4-5 Hiking the Guadalupes 6 The Cat With Many Names 7 Area Attractions 8 NPS Photo/Peter Jones Photo/Peter NPS NPS Photo/Doug Buehler Photo/Doug NPS NPS Photo /Michael Haynie /Michael Photo NPS Greetings WELCOME TO CARLSBAD CAVERNS AND GUADALUPE MOUN- ous mountain hikes, including an 8.4 mile roundtrip hike to Texas’ tains National Parks. Carlsbad Caverns National Park, a World highest mountain, Guadalupe Peak (8,749'). Heritage Site since 1995, features a spectacular cave system of highly decorated chambers. Guadalupe Mountains National Park protects As you travel and spend time in the area please remember to keep one of the world’s best examples of a fossilized reef. Both parks are safety in mind. Road conditions may be icy. Deer and other wildlife Telephone and located within the Chihuahuan Desert, a fascinating place to explore are plentiful—enjoy watching wildlife, but remember they often Web Directory desert life. move across roads, especially in the evenings; be vigilant while driv- ing during twilight hours. Hikers should be prepared for rapidly Official National Park Service sites include Fall and Winter bring their own special rewards. From late-October changing weather conditions. Hikers can become dehydrated in our .gov in their web address. to early-November the colorful changes in maples, ash, and sumac dry climate, so carry plenty of water (one gallon per person per day delight thousands of visitors to Guadalupe Mountains National is recommended). Always check with a ranger before venturing into Carlsbad Caverns National Park Park. At Carlsbad Caverns National Park, the summertime crowds the backcountry. 3225 National Parks Highway Carlsbad, NM 88220 are gone and the cave can be experienced in its natural state of quiet. 575-785-2232 Both parks offer hiking opportunities. Rare winter snows are short- We are wholeheartedly committed to our mission of preserving and www.nps.gov/cave lived events and can only add to the beauty of these natural areas. providing for the enjoyment of our nation’s most outstanding trea- sures. We wish you a rewarding experience in every way. Guadalupe Mountains National Park Park staff are here to help make your visit a truly memorable event. 400 Pine Canyon They will be happy to help you plan your visit and provide informa- Sincerely, Salt Flat, TX 79847 tion. Guided tours at Carlsbad Caverns can enrich your park experi- 915-828-3251 ence. These tours offer a variety of caving experiences, from easy www.nps.gov/gumo lantern tours to challenging trips involving crawling and squeezing through tight passages. Carlsbad Caverns John C. Benjamin John V. Lujan Guadalupe Mountains Association Guadalupe Mountains National Park has over 80 miles of hiking Superintendent Superintendent Operates both parks’ bookstores. Books may also be purchased by mail or online. trails to explore, ranging from wheelchair accessible paths to strenu- Carlsbad Caverns NP Guadalupe Mts. NP P.O. Box 1417 Carlsbad, NM 88221 575-785-2486 575-785-2318 FAX Volunteerism Makes a Difference www.ccgma.org WE WOULD LIKE TO EXTEND OUR SINCERE GRATITUDE TO Carlsbad Caverns National Park the dedicated effort and talent that volunteers have brought to Carls- Dave Thomas Food, Lodging and bad Caverns and Guadalupe Mountains National Parks. Volunteers 575-785-3097 Camping play a vital role in fulfilling our mission of preserving our natural and cultural heritage and sharing that heritage with the visiting public. Carlsbad Chamber of Commerce Volunteers do everything from staffing the information desk, roving Guadalupe Mountains National Park 575-887-6516 interpretation, patrolling surface and cave trails, to trail mainte- Dave Bieri www.carlsbadchamber.com nance, research, cave restoration, and more. To become a volunteer 915-828-3251 ext. 112 contact: Van Horn Texas Visitors Bureau 915-283-2682 www.vanhornadvocate.com/community- adl.shtml Junior and Senior Ranger Programs MANY NATIONAL PARKS ACROSS AMERICA OFFER A JUNIOR stories and poems. Each activity in the booklet is an optional activity Weather Conditions Ranger program for children to encourage interest in their national depending on interest and age-level. Once the booklet is checked by Carlsbad Weather Watch parks and to promote a sense of stewardship and ownership for a park ranger, the participant is presented a Carlsbad Caverns Na- 575-885-1848 these special places that they come to visit. This self-paced educa- tional Park Junior Ranger patch. tional program allows children to earn a patch and/or certificate Road Conditions upon completion of required activities that teach them about park The Junior Ranger booklet is available through the Carlsbad Cav- New Mexico: 800-432-4269 resources. Age appropriate activities are included in the Junior erns Guadalupe Mountains Association bookstore, located in the Texas: 800-452-9292 Ranger booklet, typically for pre-kindergarten through upper el- visitor center at the park. There is a charge of $1.00 to participate ementary-aged children.
Load more

Recommended publications
  • NCKRI: 2012-2013 Annual Report
    The National Cave and Karst Research Institute (NCKRI) will be the world’s premier cave and karst research organization. NCKRI promotes and performs projects of national and international application, of the highest quality and integrity, through dedicated staff and partners. NCKRI is a non-profit 501(c)(3) corporation. It was created by the US Congress in 1998 in partnership with the National Park Service, State of New Mexico, and the City of Carlsbad. Federal and state funding for NCKRI is adminis- tered by the New Mexico Institute of Mining and Technolo- gy (aka New Mexico Tech or NMT). Funds not produced by agreements through NMT are accepted directly by NCKRI. NCKRI’s enabling legislation, the National Cave and Karst Research Institute Act of 1998, 16 U.S.C. §4310, iden- tifies NCKRI’s mission as to: 1) further the science of speleology; 2) centralize and standardize speleological information; 3) foster interdisciplinary cooperation in cave and karst research programs; 4) promote public education; 5) promote national and international cooperation in pro- tecting the environment for the benefit of cave and karst landforms; and 6) promote and develop environmentally sound and sus- tainable resource management practices. NCKRI produced this publication as part of its annual Our 2011-12 Annual Report cover showed a speleothem reporting of activities. The reporting period covers NCKRI’s reported as destroyed. It still exists; a similar nearby speleo- fiscal year, from 1 July to 30 June of the following year. them had been destroyed. For reasons like this, NCKRI ar- Digital copies of this and previous reports are available for chives cave photos as historical and scientific records.
    [Show full text]
  • Fundamentos Conceptuales Y Didácticos Iguzquiza2 1 Unidad Del IGME En Las Islas Baleares
    y El karst en cifras ¿cuáles son las mayores cavidades del mundo y por qué? Karst in figure: which are the major cavities of the world and why? Pedro Agustín Robledo Ardila1, Juan José Durán Valsero2 Y Eulogio Pardo Fundamentos Conceptuales Didácticos Iguzquiza2 1 Unidad del IGME en las Islas Baleares. C/Felicià Fuster 7, 07006, Palma de Mallorca, Baleares. E-mail: [email protected] 2 IGME. C/Ríos Rosas nº 23, 28003, Madrid. E-mail: [email protected], [email protected] Resumen Entre los terrenos kársticos superficiales y subterráneos, las cuevas son, actualmente para determinados colectivos, el producto más interesante del karst y, que de forma creciente, ha atraído la curiosidad humana desde que los seres humanos habitan el Planeta. Prueba de ello son los restos de arte rupestre y yacimientos paleontológicos descritos en muchas cuevas o el creciente número de visitantes anuales que tienen. Sin embargo, en las últimas décadas los equipos de científicos y espeleólogos se han ocupado especialmente del karst en términos de cifras, con especial énfasis en grandes cavidades. Bien, atendiendo al tamaño de las mismas en su desarrollo horizontal o vertical, o de forma parcial, midiendo volúmenes de galerías y conductos, cámaras o espeleotemas, entre otros elementos. Existen exhaustivos rankings de los sistemas de cavidades de mayor longitud total de galerías exploradas, de las salas más grandes, de las cuevas más profundadas o de los espeleotemas más grandes en su tipo. Esto ha condicionando que, por un lado, exista un auge en la investigación de los sistemas endokársticos más grandes del mundo, y por otro, que paisajes superficiales kársticos espectaculares del Planeta hayan pasado a un segundo orden en cuanto a el interés científico o turístico.
    [Show full text]
  • Annual Report Cover 2011 Spread 8/10/11 11:28 AM Page 1
    Annual Report Cover 2011_Spread 8/10/11 11:28 AM Page 1 National Cave and Karst Research Institute 2010-2011 400-1 Cascades Avenue Carlsbad, New Mexico 88220-6215, USA ANNUAL REPORT www.nckri.org www.nckri.org The National Cave and Karst Research Institute (NCKRI) will be the world’s premier cave and karst research organization, facilitating and conducting programs in re- search, education, data management, and stewardship in all fields of speleology through its own efforts and by establish- ing an international consortium of partners whose individual efforts will be supported to promote cooperation, synergy, flexibility, and creativity. NCKRI was created by the U.S. Congress in 1998 in partnership with the State of New Mexico and the City of Carlsbad. Initially an institute within the National Park Ser- vice, NCKRI is now a non-profit 501(c)(3) corporation that retains its federal, state, and city partnerships. Federal and state funding for NCKRI is administered by the New Mexico Institute of Mining and Technology (aka New Mexico Tech or NMT). Funds not produced by agreements through NMT are accepted directly by NCKRI. NCKRI’s enabling legislation, the National Cave and Karst Research Institute Act of 1998, 16 U.S.C. §4310, iden- tifies NCKRI’s mission as to: 1) further the science of speleology; 2) centralize and standardize speleological information; 3) foster interdisciplinary cooperation in cave and karst research programs; 4) promote public education; 5) promote national and international cooperation in pro- tecting the environment for the benefit of cave and karst landforms; and 6) promote and develop environmentally sound and sus- tainable resource management practices.
    [Show full text]
  • 55Th Legislature - State of New Mexico - First Session, 2021
    1 HOUSE MEMORIAL 12 2 55TH LEGISLATURE - STATE OF NEW MEXICO - FIRST SESSION, 2021 3 INTRODUCED BY 4 Cathrynn N. Brown and Gail Armstrong 5 6 7 8 9 10 A MEMORIAL 11 REQUESTING THE GOVERNOR TO ISSUE A PROCLAMATION RECOGNIZING 12 2021 AS THE "INTERNATIONAL YEAR OF CAVES AND KARST". 13 14 WHEREAS, caves and related landforms like sinkholes, 15 springs and sinking streams, collectively known as karst, 16 present some of the world's most dramatic landscapes; and 17 WHEREAS, caves and karst have diverse economic, ecologic, 18 scientific and cultural impacts around New Mexico, the United ] = delete = ] 19 States and the world; and 20 WHEREAS, Carlsbad Caverns national park alone has an 21 economic benefit of about thirty-four million dollars 22 ($34,000,000) each year for New Mexico; and 23 WHEREAS, other New Mexico cave tourist destinations 24 include Bottomless Lakes state park, Santa Rosa blue hole, the underscored material = new = material underscored material [bracketed 25 ice cave and Bandera volcano and El Malpais national monument; .219712.1 1 and 2 WHEREAS, the country's first underground wilderness was 3 established in New Mexico to protect the spectacular 4 Lechuguilla cave; and 5 WHEREAS, the country's first underground national 6 conservation area was established in New Mexico to protect the 7 equally amazing Fort Stanton-Snowy River Cave national 8 conservation area; and 9 WHEREAS, the primary water supplies for roughly fifteen 10 percent of New Mexico are karst aquifers, especially supporting 11 the communities in the southeast
    [Show full text]
  • Human Urine in Lechuguilla Cave: the Microbiological Impact and Potential for Bioremediation
    M.D. Johnston, B.A. Muench, E.D. Banks, and H.A. Barton – Human urine in Lechuguilla Cave: the microbiological impact and potential for bioremediation. Journal of Cave and Karst Studies, v. 74, no. 3, p. 278–291. DOI: 10.4311/2011MB0227 HUMAN URINE IN LECHUGUILLA CAVE: THE MICROBIOLOGICAL IMPACT AND POTENTIAL FOR BIOREMEDIATION MICHAEL D. JOHNSTON,BRITTANY A. MUENCH,ERIC D. BANKS, AND HAZEL A. BARTON* Department of Biology, University of Akron, Akron, OH 44325 Abstract: During extended exploration trips in caves, it is sometimes not possible to remove all excreted urine due to its volume and weight. Excess urine can be particularly problematic in dry caves where, without dilution, urine introduces a significant source of nitrogen into these otherwise nitrogen-limited environments. It was the aim of this study to determine the impact that human urine could have on cave microbiota over an extended period of time. To do this, we examined the microbial community structure of a heavily impacted site in Lechuguilla Cave, USA. Using a molecular phylogenetic approach we generated a 136-member 16S rRNA clone library that demonstrated representatives of the Alpha- Beta- and Gammaproteobacteria, the Bacteroidetes, Firmicutes, Actinobacteria and Deinococcus-Thermus group at this site. The structure of the microbial community at the impacted site suggests that it is colonized by endemic cave species rather than human commensal organisms, while metabolic inference suggests that these organisms are taking advantage of both the nitrogenous and organic compounds in urine for growth. The intrinsic nature of such metabolic activity in the cave environment was confirmed by examining non-impacted sites using cultivation, which demonstrated that endemic species express both the capacity to degrade urine and to reduce urea to nitrogen gas.
    [Show full text]
  • Planet Earth Is a BBC Production with Five Episodes in the First Series, and a Second Series to Follow in 2007
    A STUDYGUIDE BY ANDREW FILDES 4 www.metromagazine.com.au www.theeducationshop.com.au Overview Planet Earth is a BBC production with five episodes in the first series, and a second series to follow in 2007. Each episode examines a range of environments, focussing on key species or relationships in each habitat, the challenges they face, the behaviours they exhibit and the adaptations that enable them to survive. Recent advances in photography are used to achieve some spectacular ‘first sights’ – in particular, stabilized aerial photography gives us remarkable views of migrating animals and the techniques used by their predators to hunt them. The series is suitable for middle secondary students studying Science and SOSE/HSIE, and for senior secondary students of Biology, Environmental Science and Geography. SCREEN EDUCATION 2 Episode Four: Caves selves in one of the most dangerous to protect the formations and the envi- sports around. Half flooded sea caves ronment of the cave, this is one of the The Caves episode begins dramatically in New Zealand provide haven for first detailed views we have had of this as a man hurls himself into the void of huge shoals of fish every night while amazing cave and possibly the last. the Cave of Swallows in Mexico. We nocturnal fish emerge from the cave soon realize that he is a base jumper each night in their turn. Web Resources and we watch as he and his friends parachute down into the largest cave Many cave dwellers have special Deer cave shaft in the world, 400 metres deep. abilities to make life in the dark pos- – http://www.ecologyasia.com/ Caves are one of the least explored sible, just as the bats and swiftlets use news-archives/2002/jul-02/ places on Earth and we rarely venture echolocation (sonar).
    [Show full text]
  • Caves in New Mexico and the Southwest Issue 34
    Lite fall 2013 Caves in New Mexico and the Southwest issue 34 The Doll’s Theater—Big Room route, Carlsbad Cavern. Photo by Peter Jones, courtesy of Carlsbad Caverns National Park. In This Issue... Caves in New Mexico and the Southwest Cave Dwellers • Mapping Caves Earth Briefs: Suddenly Sinkholes • Crossword Puzzle New Mexico’s Most Wanted Minerals—Hydromagnesite New Mexico’s Enchanting Geology Classroom Activity: Sinkhole in a Cup Through the Hand Lens • Short Items of Interest NEW MEXICO BUREAU OF GEOLOGY & MINERAL RESOURCES A DIVISION OF NEW MEXICO TECH http://geoinfo.nmt.edu/publications/periodicals/litegeology/current.html CAVES IN NEW MEXICO AND THE SOUTHWEST Lewis Land Cave Development flowing downward from the surface. Epigenic A cave is a naturally-formed underground cavity, usually caves can be very long. with a connection to the surface that humans can enter. The longest cave in the Caves, like sinkholes, are karst features. Karst is a type of world is the Mammoth landform that results when circulating groundwater causes Cave system in western voids to form due to dissolution of soluble bedrock. Karst Kentucky, with a surveyed terrain is characterized by sinkholes, caves, disappearing length of more than 400 streams, large springs, and underground drainage. miles (643 km). The largest and most common caves form by dissolution of In recent years, limestone or dolomite, and are referred to as solution caves. scientists have begun to Limestone and dolomite rock are composed of the minerals recognize that many caves calcite (CaCO ) and dolomite (CaMg(CO ) ), which are 3 3 2 are hypogenic in origin, soluble in weak acids such as carbonic acid (H CO ), and are 2 3 meaning that they were thus vulnerable to dissolution by groundwater.
    [Show full text]
  • Caves and Karst in New Mexico
    Volume 3, Number 1, Winter 2003 CAVES AND KARST IN NEW MEXICO The caves of New Mexico are among rejoining) passage patterns are charac- the most outstanding, beautiful, and teristic of carbonic acid karst, branch- geologically significant in the world. In work caves being by far the most the south-central part of the state near common type. Well-known carbonic the town of Capitan are Fort Stanton acid caves include Mammoth Cave in Cave and Torgac Cave. In the south- Kentucky, Jewel and Wind Caves in eastern part of the state, southwest of South Dakota, Kartchner Caverns in the town of Carlsbad, are Carlsbad Arizona, and Fort Stanton Cave in Cavern, visitor attraction for millions, New Mexico. and Lechuguilla Cave, the deepest cave Thirty years ago cave researchers in the United States and fifth longest noted with interest the fact that many cave in the world. Also in the Carlsbad of the spectacular caves of New Mexico area is Parks Ranch Cave, the longest and Texas bore little resemblance to the gypsum cave in the United States. better-known caves of Kentucky and These caves and the landscapes in Virginia. Other similar caves had been which they occur are important geolog- noted since the 1930s. The patterns ic resources of New Mexico. In the past created by the cave passages themselves twenty years or so, they have played an were remarkably different and bore lit- important part in geologists’ growing tle relation to the known hydrologic understanding of how caves form. features of the area. Thus began the unraveling of one of the more interest- What is Karst? ing stories in the growth of our knowl- Karst is the term geologists use to edge of speleogenesis and the origin of describe a topography characterized by sulfuric acid caves.
    [Show full text]
  • Boletín Geológico Y Minero
    Boletín Volumen 127 Número 1 Geológico y Año 2016 Minero Revista trimestral de Ciencias de la Tierra, fundada en 1874 - 5.ª serie Sumario / Contents Presentación . 3-4 Prólogo . 5-6 Advanced data processing of airborne electromagnetic data for imaging hidden conduit networks in the coastal karst plain of Tulum (Mexico) . Técnicas avanzadas de análisis de datos electromagnéticos aerotransportados para cartografía de redes de conductos kársticos de la planicie costera de Tulum (México). A . Schiller, I . Schattauer and D . Ottowitz . 7-20 Bullita cave system, Judbarra / Gregory Karst, tropical Australia . Sistemas de cue- vas de Bullita, Judbarra / Gregory Karst, Australia tropical . K .G . Grimes and J .E .J . Martini . 21-44 Main karst and caves of Switzerland . El karst y las cuevas más importantes de Suiza. P .-Y . Jeannin . 45-56 Condicionantes estructurales y litológicas de los grandes sistemas kársticos de la Sierra de los Órganos, Pinar del Rio, Cuba . Structural and lithological conditioning of the large karst systems of the Sierra de los Órganos, Pinar del Rio, Cuba . C . Díaz Guanche, R . Ramírez Hernández, H . Farfán Gonzalez, E . Estévez Cruz, A . Ordaz Hernández and C . Aldana Vilas . 57-66 Karst and Caves of the Black Hills, South Dakota, USA . Karst y cuevas de las Black Hills, Dakota del Sur, EE.UU. A . N . Palmer . 67-78 Karst in Slovenia . EL karst en Eslovenia . A . Mihevc, F . Gabrovšek, M . Knez, P . Kozel, J . Mulec, B . Otoničar, M . Petrič, T . Pipan, M . Prelovšek, T . Slabe, S . Šebela and N . Zupan Hajna . 79-98 An optical laser device for mapping 3D geometry of underwater karst structures: first tests in the Ox Bel’Ha system, Yucatan, Mexico .
    [Show full text]
  • Lechuguilla Cave Newsletter Issue 3, Winter 2007-2008
    Lechuguilla Cave Newsletter Issue 3, Winter 2007-2008 Introduction Paul Burger Thanks to all of those who have volunteered this year. We appreciate the work all of you do Welcome to the Winter, 2007-2008 edition of inside and outside of the park to make these the Lechuguilla Newsletter. The purpose of this expeditions a success. We know it takes a great publication is to keep cavers informed about deal of work to compile leads, identify survey what is going on at the park, particularly errors, and handle the logistics of running an Lechuguilla Cave. This year, the surveyed length expedition. All of the proposals were well- of the cave went from 120.2 to 123.4 miles and written and all of the expeditions produced surpassed the Hoelloch system as the world’s great results. fifth longest cave. A great deal of work was done to fix survey errors and improve sketches. Thanks to all of you again, and enjoy the issue. This issue, all of the articles were compiled Lechuguilla General News from submitted trip reports. If you would like to contribute material to this newsletter, please Cave and Karst Management Plan send it to Paul Burger at [email protected]. The new Carlsbad Caverns National Park Cave Since this is an electronic-only publication and Karst Management Plan has been approved (unless you print out your copy), there are no and is now available. printing costs, so I also welcome color photos, maps, or whatever you may need to enhance All Lechuguilla Cavers need to be familiar with your articles.
    [Show full text]
  • The Underground Conflict: Should Caves Be Designated As Wilderness?, 4 BYU J
    Brigham Young University Journal of Public Law Volume 4 | Issue 1 Article 8 3-1-1990 The ndeU rground Conflict: Should Caves Be Designated as Wilderness? Lorenzo Miller Follow this and additional works at: https://digitalcommons.law.byu.edu/jpl Part of the Land Use Law Commons, and the Natural Resources Law Commons Recommended Citation Lorenzo Miller, The Underground Conflict: Should Caves Be Designated as Wilderness?, 4 BYU J. Pub. L. 133 (1990). Available at: https://digitalcommons.law.byu.edu/jpl/vol4/iss1/8 This Comment is brought to you for free and open access by BYU Law Digital Commons. It has been accepted for inclusion in Brigham Young University Journal of Public Law by an authorized editor of BYU Law Digital Commons. For more information, please contact [email protected]. The Underground Conflict: Should Caves Be Designated as Wilderness? I. INTRODUCTION In the southern regions of New Mexico, miles from any interstate, lies Carlsbad Caverns National Park. On arrival at the park, visitors are informed by radio that the three-mile tours through the cavern are strenuous and difficult. But visitors can cut the distance and difficulty by using the park's elevators. These motorized vehicles bypass the first mile of winding pathways, allowing access to all those wishing to see the cavern's many vistas. Approaching the cave, one notices that the mouth of the cave is tremendous, spanning 100 feet in width and approximately 60 feet in height. The trail winds its way down the throat of this massive pit that rapidly envelopes visitors in stone. The outside world becomes lost as one descends underground.
    [Show full text]
  • Cave Researchers Descend Into the Depths with the TROLL® 9500
    Innovations in Water Monitoring Application Note Cave Researchers Descend into the Depths with the TROLL® 9500 Water Quality Instrument Researchers profile four pools in the Lechuguilla Cave in Carlsbad Caverns National Park August 2010 Overview Research of cave pool stratification may help scientists understand the geochemical origin and evolution of cave pool waters (Levy 2008). Dr. David Levy conducted a study to test the hypothesis that certain cave pools may be predisposed to a condition of permanent chemical stratification (meromixis), depending on the specific effects of pool morphometry and localized environmental conditions. Levy and his team organized a week-long caving expedition to study selected pools in Lechuguilla (pronounced lech-uh-GEE-yah) Cave, New Mexico. Lechuguilla Cave is the deepest limestone cave in the United States and contains over 200 km (> 125 mi) of passage. Levy, shown here, and research teammates descended to the deepest point in Lechuguilla Cave (1,440 ft below Down in the Depths ground) with the TROLL 9500 during their eight-hour trip to Lake of White Roses. Photo taken by and courtesy of Levy’s team profiled four pools in Lechuguilla Cave, Pat Cicero. situated at depths ranging from 221 to 439 m below the ground surface (see Figure 1). Compared to the compositions. Various factors contribute to each pool’s hundreds of other pools within the cave system, these chemical composition – bedrock mineralogy, localized pools are relatively large and deep. During the summer evaporation rates, and the amount of time the water of 2007, Levy and his research team profiled the remains in the pool before continuing through the following pools: hydrological cycle (residence time) (Forbes 2000; Turin and Plummer 2000).
    [Show full text]