with their lives. To meet that challenge, At first most trips were north to the Gorman Texas A&M College (as it was then called) Falls area and surrounding counties; soon offered Bill’s father a teaching position in adventurous cavers realized there was great the Geology Department. He accepted the potential in West Texas. Edwards County offer, and the family—father, mother, Bill, with caves like the Devil’s Sinkhole, Dunbar, and newly arrived little brother Philip, moved and Felton became a common objective. [. . .] to Bryan, which would be Bill’s home until It was great fun and we were hugely creative he graduated from high school. with our equipment, primitive though it now Home life was tranquil, both emotion- might seem. […] ally and acoustically. The acoustics resulted At the Carlsbad NSS convention in from Bill’s parents not buying a TV until both 1960, Texans discovered SRT [single rope brothers went off to UT. There was, however, technique], and the world changed. A vicious no lack of stimulus since, with no TV, family fight rocked the UT Grotto as the more members could actually read. In between conservative denounced the unsafe new meals, there was a living room lined with methods. But the word was out: a small books, not to mention a set of Compton’s group could push the deepest caves then Encyclopedia. known; elaborate expeditions were no longer Bill’s parents, rather than being heli- necessary. copter parents, were helipad parents, who Then we discovered Mexico. Cars, launched the brothers out the door for parts trucks, third class Mexican busses, and unknown. One time, as the brothers were even trains rolled south with cavers and This photo of Bill by Steven Pumphrey walking along a rural pipeline construction rope and the wonders increased: Palmito, appeared in Third Coast, September 1982, right-of-way, they encountered some work- Huitzmolotitla, Ventana Jabalí, and accompanying an article titled “Thrillseekers” ers who had just bulldozed an armadillo Golondrinas. Texans became world-class by Nick Vanderbilt. nest. Only two armadillo pups had survived. cavers… (pp. 11-12) The brothers resolved the workers’ dilemma What Bill described as an “all-caving all- William Hart Russell of what to do with the pups. They gladly the-time” lifestyle took its toll scholastically. (1937 – 2019) accepted the orphans, which were fostered Bill flunked out of the University of Texas NSS 4357RL – HM-CM-FE on a screened-in porch. [to scholastic probation] and, his educational On 21 March 2019, cavers lost William Perhaps the most notable accomplish- deferment lost, got drafted. Not surprisingly, Hart Russell, a force in caving for 60+ ment of Bill’s high school years was his Bill didn’t let a little thing like the U.S. Army years. He played significant roles in open- becoming a ham radio operator—WN5HRI. interrupt his caving. While stationed at Fort ing up caving in Mexico, in conserving and Aside from amateur radio, Bill’s early years Campbell, Kentucky, he checked out a book documenting caves in Texas and beyond, were mainly time spent until he could make on caving from the base library, contacted and in furthering the cause of caving in all it to the University of Texas-Austin and what all those whose names appeared as having its dimensions: exploration, cave science, really mattered—Caves with a capital C. [At checked out the book, and voilà, an instant conservation, documentation, archiving data, that time, he joined the UT Student Grotto caving group. In addition, he continued work training a next generation, and especially and the NSS, later adding the Balcones on the Texas Cave Index, sending results digging and mapping. Grotto to that list.] back to Austin. This uncommon career is here docu- Bill’s 1955 arrival in Austin saw some Upon returning to Austin after his army mented by several of those best placed to intense years of caving, [often originating enlistment, Bill plunged into a monumental do so, in statements as varied as was his in the “caver ghetto” on Kirkwood Avenue half-century of caving in both Texas and life. This editor’s contributions are in italics in Austin]. The zeitgeist of 1950s caving is Mexico…He was welcomed back into UT, or square brackets. Enjoy, and remember. best described by Bill’s own words from the changed his major to geography (presum- 50th Anniversary issue of the Texas Caver1: ably, a major impinging least on his caving) Katie Arens My formative years as a caver were and graduated in January 1969.2 during the 50s just after the dawn of Texas Philip Russell, William’s brother, caving. The world was not as serious, time starts the story: Gary O’Dell fleshes out the army A caver extraordinaire was born on was not as controlled, and the possibilities episode and how William got back June 30, 1937, the son of petroleum for the future seemed infinite. Work in Austin to Kentucky: geologist William Low Russell and librarian was plentiful, rents were low, and spending About 1958, he was drafted into the Leonore Schuppert Russell. At the time of a year or two exploring Mexico or mapping U.S. Army and was sent to Germany, a rela- the caver’s birth, his father was working for a cave was an exciting option. A group of tively easy posting since this was the period a Houston oil company. talented cavers had assembled around the between the Korean War and Vietnam. Bill Shortly before World War II, the University; they had their own table in the was stationed first at Baden Baden, where he [student union] dining room (Chuckwagon) family—father, mother, and Bill—moved 2 Philip Russell notes that gradu- where they met to plan trips and socialize. to Tulsa, Oklahoma, where his father had ation was accomplished with a little accepted a job with Stanolind Oil Company. Caving was new and we experimented help from Philip’s savvy on bureaucratic The war years passed uneventfully, although with everything. Flashlights were too paperwork, and through the grace of the they were punctuated by his father’s absence awkward, Coleman lanterns were large, powers that be in granting a waiver for when he was sent to Great Bear Lake in hot, and delicate, but carbide lights were just the language courses that seemed to be Canada as part of the Manhattan Project. right and could be mounted on a hardhat. an “insurmountable option.” The editor, The year 1946 saw a flood of veterans 1 Vol 51.4, Fourth Quarter, 2005, a teacher of foreign language, notes that swarming into college, anxious to get on published April, 2011; special issue edited William was probably tone deaf . . . he by Carl Kunath and Jerry Atkinson. could not sing a melody to save his life.

24 NSS News, September 2019 was assigned to the French army, and then renowned authority on the caves and speleol- Mexico. In Helms West Well near El Paso, transferred to Münchweiler, where he ran the ogy of Texas and Mexico, and through his Bill Cuddington illustrated the benefits of post switchboard. While at Baden Baden, writings and instruction, provided a singular SRT to the UTSS cavers in 1960 when he Bill made friends with another serviceman, source of inspiration and energy to Texas and rigged and bottomed the cave (-96m) while Thomas R. Costello, and as their enlistments Mexican caving which served to instruct and William and others were still rigging up their would be over at about the same time, they guide generations of cavers. cable ladders. The fire had been lit, and began to make plans as to what they would In 1955, at the ripe age of 17 years, William and the other UTSS cavers went do when they returned to the states, some- William joined the relatively new University on to become ardent followers of the new thing memorable to celebrate a return to of Texas Speleological Society (UTSS), an technique. William was the first to bottom civilian life. Given his enthusiasm for cave affiliation he was to maintain for the rest of one of Texas’s deepest caves, Plateau Cave exploration, Bill had no trouble convincing his life. In early 1960, William, along with (-104m, Culberson Co.), and he participated Tom that some caving would be just the right James Reddell, Ruben M. “Bud” Frank, in the early exploration and survey of H.T. thing to do. and A. Richard Smith, formed the Texas Miers Cave, Langtry Lead Cave, 400 Foot Those rumors of Rockcastle caves had Speleological Survey (TSS), and he subse- Cave, Emerald Sink, and Langtry Quarry stuck in Bill’s mind, and this became their quently edited or co-edited several TSS Cave— some of the deepest Texas caves destination. In the spring of 1960, during publications. He was a Director of the orga- to this day. their last days in Germany, Bill purchased nization from its inception until his death. For his many contributions to caving, several of the USGS topographic maps for After participating in the first explora- the National Speleological Society has the area to assist in their investigation of the tion of the Tequila, Veracruz area karst of honored William by awarding him the region. Since their expedition would, neces- southern Mexico in late 1962, William, Certificate of Merit and also naming him sarily, be done on the cheap, they boxed up along with T.R. Evans, James Reddell, and a Fellow of the Society in 1968 and made a lot of food into “CARE” packages which Terry Raines, founded the Speleological him an Honorary Member in 1998 [one of they mailed to post offices in the area, “in Survey of Mexico which would later become the two highest awards given by the NSS]. all the little towns.” Discharged from the the Association for Mexican Cave Studies Sadly, in February 2010, William army, Bill and Tom were flown by the Army (AMCS). William conceived, initiated, and suffered a massive stroke that left him physi- to New York, from where they took a series acted as editor and publisher of the early cally impaired [on the left side]. He continued of buses that eventually deposited them in AMCS Activities Newsletter, and co-edited caving at a somewhat slower pace for some Mount Vernon in Rockcastle County. They the Caves of the Inter-American Highway in time and regularly attended grotto meetings, stopped at the local post office, collected 1967—the first comprehensive compilation caving events, and participated on the Board the food packages sent there, and started of the caves of northern Mexico. of the Texas Speleological Survey. It was asking local residents about caves in the In the early 1970s, William realized largely due to William’s generous donation area. Fortunately, they were directed to the his greatest passion in caving: digging in of both his land near Georgetown, Texas, two persons who probably knew more about small caves. Over the next three decades, in 2016, and substantial monetary gifts the caves in Rockcastle County than anyone he unearthed countless caves in and around that allowed the Texas Speleological Survey else, John Lair and Richard Mullins, and the the greater Austin region, many of which and Texas Cave Management Association great adventure began! became significant sites for the study of the to collectively establish the new Texas Edwards Aquifer. William described himself Speleological Center in south Austin. Gerald Atkinson summarizes as a “claustrophiliac.” I personally thought William provided a singular source of William’s subsequent career, picking of him as part of the “mole patrol,” happily inspiration and energy to Texas and Mexican up where Philip left off: scuttling about in tight little tunnels, occasion- caving which has served to instruct and guide After serving in the Army in Germany, ally popping his head up from underground. generations of cavers. Sometimes contro- [William] returned to the University of In 2004, William described to me his philoso- versial in his views but always respected Texas at Austin to complete his degree phy of cave digging as: and sought for his opinions, William was an in Geography in 1969, studying under In underground exploration, speed exceptional individual who made immeasur- J. Hoover Mackin and other prominent varies from large walking cave passage where able contributions to both speleology and the geologists at the university. He went on to one might, in the best case, explore at 2500 general caving fraternity. successfully apply their teachings and meth- feet per hour; to tunneling through rock at a ods to the science of speleology. William foot an hour or less. While running down a Bibliography: subsequently became a central figure in borehole is more exciting than digging, it is “Texas cavers of all eras offer their view of how caving, cave exploration, and cave science not anywhere near 2500 times as exciting. things were ‘back in the day’” (interview in Texas and Mexico—a role he maintained I think the peak excitement per foot for any section, including “Bill Russell”). Carl E. Kunath and Jerry Atkinson, eds. The Texas Caver, type of caving is in digging though passages for over 60 years, while helping preserve 50th Anniversary Issue. 2005 [appeared cave and karst resources, and water quality just somewhat too small to traverse, but 2011]. 51, #4 (Fourth Quarter). 11-12. in the Austin, Texas region. where you can see ahead to obstructions. Carl E. Kunath. “Two Bills” (section on “William William was a renaissance man amongst And the peak excitement per foot for the H. “Bill” Russell (NSS#4357). 50 Years cavers during the Golden Age of Texas caving average cave visit is in a nice-sized crawlway. of Texas Caving. San Angelo, TX: A&K – knowledgeable in a variety of topics includ- Thus there are several Travis County caves Enterprises, 2007. 349-351. ing geology, geomorphology, speleogenesis, (like Airman’s Cave) that are among the Jake MacLeod. “Jam It!: Trip report – Sotano de Agua de Carrizo section of Sistema Huautla, biology, and meteorology. He was a prolific most exciting caves per foot in the world to May 1, 2019.” Unpublished report on the writer (but terrible speller) who authored explore. Eat your heart out, Huautla. (cited 2019 Huautla/PESH expedition. 2 pp. over 200 articles and publications on cave in Carl Kunath, 50 Years of Texas Caving Gary O’Dell. Obituary for William Russell (to be science, philosophy, and cave descriptions [2006], 351) published), 2019. beginning in 1959. He was a dedicated Most folks who knew William in his later Gary O’Dell.Untitled excerpt from manuscript in cave surveyor and drafted several hundred life don’t realize he was on the forefront progress on the history of caving in Kentucky. cave maps over the decades. William was a of early vertical caving in both Texas and 2019.

NSS News, September 2019 25 Rae Nadler-Olenick. “Karst, Caves and Cavers: The Beautiful, Bizarre and Fragile World Beneath Your Feet. Texas Highways (June 2009), 34-44. Bill Steele, ed. “Spelean Spotlight: Interview of Bill Russell by Philip Rykwalder.” NSS News, March 2006. 32-33 Susannah Sudborough. “Cave System Renamed for Prolific Caver: William H. Russell Karst Preserve Includes Blowing Sink Cave that Russell Discovered.” Austin American- Statesman, Wednesday, 3 July 2019, A1 & A10

Based on personal communications from: Gerald Atkinson, Bill Calvert, Mark Minton, Bill Steele, Bill Stone, Philip Russell, James Reddell, and Peter Sprouse.

26 NSS News, September 2019