• Abstract and Figures
• Public Full-text

Number 11 December 1980 EDITORIAL Publisher The caves and caving in Mexico are spectacular, Association for Mexican Cave Studies and it is not surprising that they have attracted world­ Editors wide attention. The dramatic increase in the number Terri Treacy, Dale Pate of active cavers in Mexico over the last two decades Staff has had, and is going to have, a significant impact on Jerry Atkinson, Anne Baxter, Steve Boehm, J ocie Hooper, Mexican caves and their exploration. For the most Jeff Horowitz, Peter Keys, David McKenzie, Mike McWhirter, part, this impact has been very positive. The discover· Martha Meacham, Bill Mixon, Johanna Reece, William Russell, ies, studies, and accomplishments have been carried Mark Shumate, Peter Sprouse, George Veni out cooperatively, and with continuous emphasis on Translations their preservation by the\MCS, several Mexican Jose Cavazos, Steve Robertson, Peter Sprouse caving groups, and various groups from the U.S., Canada, and Europe. Recently, however, this impact has been showing negative signs. The two most serious areas are that of cave vandalism and rivalry. It has always been an AMCS policy that cavers conserve the fragile cave en· vironment; this means carrying out all personal belong­ ings, including garbage and spent carbide. Caves are a 2 Mexico News wilderness; some of the last wilderness left on the 4 International News entire planet-let's keep them that way! 8 Long and Deep Caves of Mexico The unexplored caving areas of Mexico are vast; Peter Sprouse 10 Xilitla Karst-Project Report therefore, rivalry and unfriendly competition are Jerry Atkinson 13 Sistema Huautla-Project Report pointless and non-productive. It has always been Sergio Zambrano 18 Tilaco-Project Report AMCS tradition to cooperate with groups that are William \{. 1':1Iiott 20 Sierra de Guatemala-Project Report actively working in a cave. The cooperation enhances Terri Treacy 24 Purificacion Area-Project Report the quality of the work and avoids overpopulation of James Reddell 30 A Eulogy to Dr. Federico Bonet Marco the caves. Initiative, not rivalry, is the key to success Don Broussard 32 Golondrinas... j Otra Vez! and satisfaction in the discovery and exploration of James Reddell 37 Recent Biological Discoveries in Mexico caves. Bill Liebman 40 The Piloztoc Connection We would also like to take this opportunity to Peter Sprouse 42 Unstudied Karst Areas of Mexico clear up some of the ambiguities of the AMCS. The .lames \{eddell 46 Caving in Western Mexico AMeS was conceived in 1962 by several Texas cavers Dale Pate 54 The Exploration of Sumidero de Oyamel for the "advancement of knowledge of Mexican caves." Mark Minton 61 Across the Sima Grande Through the years it has remained apolitical and un· Russell, Sprouse 64 AMCS Cave Map Symbols structured. Today the AMCS as an "organization" is George Veni 68 The Caves of Cuesta Colorada only a post-office box and a small closet where the Steve Knutson 71 Sumidero de San Bernardo publications are kept. It has very little in the way of Bill Stone 74 Short Penetration Sump Diving structure-no actual membership, no meetings, no Peter Sprouse 80 La Silleta officers, no office. It docs occasionally produce a David McKenzie 86 Computer-Drawn Passage Walls newsletter or a bulletin, but again, even this aspect has 90 Book Review little structure-the existence of the publications 91 Letter-Carta relies exclusively on individual initiative. 92 Traduccion de Editorial In essence, the AMCS is a set of ideals: To explore and study the great caves of Mexico; To preserve the wondrous beauty and magic of these caves; To pro­ duce a high level of quality in our surveys, studies, and publications; To impart a deep respect for the lands, caves, and peoples of Mexico; And to achieve these ideals in a friendly and cooperative way. The AMCS Activities Newsletter is published by the Association The AMCS is not a political, national, or rival for Mexican Cave Studies, a non-profit group dedicated to the conser­ group. It is open to, and includes, all cavers who share vation and study of the caves of Mexico. Articles, maps, and photo­ these ideals. The Activities ewsletter is a tangible graphs on caving and speleology in Mexico are solicited. A list of example of this, and we encourage everyone to parti­ publications and prices is available on request. cipate by send ing in their trip reports, articles, maps, photos, etc. The newsletter is an invaluable repository ASSOCIATION FOR for the vast amount of information that is continually MEXICAN CAVE STUDIES being acquired. By developing a feeling of unity, we P. O. Box 7672 U. T. Station all stand a better chance of achieving our common Austin, Texas 78712 goals: to explore and learn about the caves we all think are magnificent-the caves of Mexico. Copyright 1980 by Association for Mexican Cave Studies Dale Pate Printed in U.S.A. by the Speleo Press Terri Treacy Mexico Nevvs Three Florida divers of the NSS MEXICO DESCONOCIDO is a monthly Vertical Section have mapped over outdoor magazine published by Editor­ 1100 meters in a largely submerged ial Novaro in Mexico, D.F. Virtually cave on the coast of the Yucatan every issue contains references to Peninsula called Cueva de Xcaret. caves in Mexico. Number 47, October Ned DeLoach, Sheck Exley, and Karen 1980, is perhaps typical in that re­ Exley found that diving was hampered spect. It contains a well written by a strange phenomena: ceiling silt article on the rescue of the Polish disturbed by exhaust bubbles would cavers fron Sotano de San Agustin, collect on the fresh water/salt water with excellent color photographs. contact, and create a "false floor" Another well illustrated article de­ effect suspended in the passage. scribes the karst landforms around The system has a wide main entrance Taxco, Guerrero. Elsewhere, mention and several cenote entrances among is made of a Cueva de la Malinche, a the ruins of the Mayan city of Xcaret. pictograph cave near San Agustln Mez­ It is the longest mapped underwater quititlan, Hidalgo. There is an cave in Mexico. account of a helicopter trip to a South of Xcaret, the divers deep canyon in Durango in search of explored the extensive cenote system a cliff dwelling. Parking the hel­ of Nonec. Visibility was so clear icopter at the canyon bottom, the in the underwater tunnels that from author climbed 3 hours to reach the the main cenote, the light from an ruin, located in a shelter 10 meters adjacent cenote could be seen 116 wide and 2 meters high. meters away. Troglobitic isopods The featured state in this issue two centimeters long were seen in is Coahuila, and many caves are men­ the salt water (lower) layer. tioned around Torreon: Cueva del Source: Sheck Exley, Tabaco, Cueva de Candelaria, Cueva de Caving International No.8 los Indios, Cueva Tlaxcalteaca, Cueva del Coyote, Cueva del Aguila, Cueva del Macho, and Cueva Hundida. Several Paul Duncan and members of the of these are apparently those described Greater South Texas Grotto have by James Reddell elsewhere in this been exploring several deep caves issue of the Activities Newsletter. in the Sierra Sabinas, near Sabinas Hidalgo, Nuevo Leon. One cave has a large chamber with three pits in the floor, and has been mapped to a A group of Austin cavers visited total depth of 100 meters. Another Pozo de Gavilan near Galeana, Nuevo pit has been bottomed at around Leon in May 1980. They initially -200 meters. The owner of the ranch failed to recognize it because the is encouraging the cavers in the lake, normally 100 meters below the hope that they might find a water entrance, had risen to within 30 source. Down the range, and consid­ meters of the surface. Apparently, erably lower, is the large resurgence recent recharge had raised the water of Ojo de Agua. table in the gypsum plain. Source: Paul Duncan Source: Tom Byrd Members of the Greater Houston meters above the entrance, but could Grotto have encountered a second not get close enough to swing in. sump at -150 meters in Sumidero de In July 1980, seven of the Cebolla, a stream cave 35 kilometers Houston cavers entered Sumidero de south of Monterrey- This sump lies Cebolla with scuba tanks to dive only 60 meters from the upstream the first sump. The dry summer had sump in Cueva de las Colaciones, a opened a 10 centimeter airspace at resurgence cave formed on a cliff, the sump, which they passed through from which tumbles the 45 meter Cas­ to find a second entrance, Cueva del cada de las Colaciones. The 6 km2 Tabaco. From a junction room near La Trinidad valley drains into Sumi­ this overflow entrance, they explored dero de Cebolla. Houston caver Bill down to the second sump in a 17 hour Campbell was the first to enter trip. Cebolla in 1970, exploring 150 meters Another attempt to reach Cueva to where the passage was blocked by de las Colaciones was made by Fromen, logs, sticks, and mud. Over several Dick Cruse, Michele and Dave Bolton years Charles Fromen and Mike Connally in September 1980. After 2-1/2 hours made several unsuccessful attempts to of slinging a grappling hook, Fromen pass the blockage. In 1976, Fromen managed to pull himself into the and Marc Conover dug through, and waterfall entrance. The stream, explored 170 meters to a sump. Fromen flowing at a rate of 100 liters per then attempted to gain access to second, sumped out after 30 meters. Cueva de las Colaciones by rappelling Source: Charles Fromen down the cliff from a rig point 50 o CUEVA DEL SUMIDERO DE TABACO CEBOLLA 1st siphon -100 Preliminaryl1ap 2nd siphon ,/ /' -169 meters CUEVA DE LAS COLACIONES GLA 3 France Spain The Pierre St.

Load more

  100

Copy Link