Appendix 5-Guidelines for Entering Lechuguilla Cave 549 Appendix 5 Guidelines for Entering Lechuguilla Cave Appendix E in the 1995 Cave and Karst Management Plan for Carlsbad Caverns National Park, New Mexico Guidelines For Entering Lechuguilla Cave The reason behind developing guidelines for entering Lechuguilla Cave is to allow limited access for scientific research, survey when in association with exploration, and NPS management related trips while impacting the cave as little as possible. Of primary importance are the (I) impacts to the cave and (2) the safety of all who enter. BEFORE ENTERING THE CAVE Everyone must sign a permit. Expedition leaders are ultimately responsible for the personnel on their expedition. Expedition leaders should do their best to recruit cavers who are willing to follow the guidelines that have been established. Before assigning anyone to the Far East, an Expedition leader should be reasonably sure that individual is fully prepared for such a trip. Every team entering the cave will have one designated team leader. Team leaders have tremendous responsibilities. They are responsible for the safety of their team and for the actions of their team members. Ifa team member is acting in an unsafe manner or not being careful and actually causing more damage to the cave. then it is the team leader's responsibility to correct that person's actions. If problems persist. then the team leader must abort the trip and have the team leave the cave. A team leader should gear team activities to the least experienced member of the team. This pertains to speed of travel as well as climbing leads. A team should also stay together unless an emergency requires ditTerent actions. Everyone entering the cave is responsible for their actions while in the cave. They are also responsible for reporting to the team leader acts by other team members that are unsafe or damaging to the cave. The overall goal is to allow limited access to the cave while minimizing all impacts. It is.everyone's responsibility to assure that Lechuguilla Cave remains as pristine as possible and that each team member is very safety aware while in the cave. Clothing, boots, and caving gear should be clean before entering the cave to minimize the introduction of foreign bacteria, molds, and fungus into this unique ecosystem. Boots must have n01Hnarking soles. If you are in doubt, scrape boot over white floor or limestone rocks. Marking boots will definitely leave marks. Using a frame pack in the cave can be a problem and a major nui- sance. It is recommended that these NOT be used. Electric lights are a must. No carbide lights or open-name lights will be allowed in Lechuguilla. One of the reasons for this is safety, because of the flammability of the massive sulfur deposits found in the cave. The use of gloves is recommended; however, there are numerous areas 550 Cave Conservation and Restoration in the cave that are signed "Gloves Off'. Gloves get very dirty, particularly in the corrosion residue areas. This corrosion residue must not be smeared over clean or delicate areas. Everyone entering the cave must have experience in vertical caves and be proficient in all aspects of single rope techniques. Rebelay anchors may be encountered in different sections of the cave. The entrance to Lechuguilla Cave is at an clevation of about 4,640 feet. Cavers not used to this elevation should try to spend a couple of days at this elevation before entering the cave. The cave is warm and humid at 68 degrees fahrenheit. Heat exhaustion and dehydration can be a serious problem. Drink lots of water even if you are not thirsty and eat something every few hours. Those entering the cave for the first time are urged to talk to others concerning clothing to be worn. Everyone should be aware that Histoplasmosis has been found in the entrance chamber. Any accident of a serious nature should be reported to park service personnel as soon as possible. An incident report must befilled out for any accident that may happen in the cave. Any team entering the cave is required to fill out a trip report form and return it to our Cave Resources Office within two weeks. The report should include the date, personnel, places visited, and work accom- plished including specifics such as types of information or samples collected. If survey was the objective, list the station numbers that were set. Ifinventory was the objective, list the station numbers that were inventoried . •' All teams entering Lechuguilla Cave must make the Cave Resources Office aware of their "out" time. Any team 6 hours late or later will have search crews initiated. In the case of multi-trip expeditions, expedition leaders should post sign-in, sign-out sheets for all trips into the cave. DO NOT BE LATE! WHEN TRAVELING THROUGH THE CAVE All teams must have a minimum of 3 people. Survey and exploration teams can have no more than 4 members on a team unless given specific permission by the Cave Specialist. Science and management related teams must be limited to no more than 6 members. All Solid Wastes Must Be Carried Qut of the Cave Without Exceptioll. Trips of2-day duration or less must carry out all liquid waste as well. On longer trips, everyone is encouraged to carry out all liquid wastes. Any excess liquid \vaste may be dumped in designated sites near the camps. Liquid waste may not be deposited anywhere else in the cave. Be sure to take enough containers to hold all liquid wastes. Burrito bags may not be leji along the trail to be picked up on the way out. Cany these items to your camp and then remove from the cave. No tobacco products are allowed in the cave and no smoking of tobacco or other products in the cave. No consumption of alcohol. Safety lines are located throughout the cave as an aid to crossing traverses. Everyone must clip into all traverse lines. There have been several accidents directly due to failure to clip into the safety lines provided. Everyone entering the cave is responsible for the care and protection of all ropes and the subsequent rigging that is utilized. Wear spots or other problems should be brought to the attention of the trip leader, who should fix the problem immediately, ifneeessary, or notify the Cave Resource Office of the concern. Ropes should not be re-rigged without permission from the Cave Resource Office unless an immedi- ate threat is perceived. Please notify the Cave Resource Office of any changes or potential problems noticed. If possible, leave a note for Appendix 5-Guidelines for Entering Lechuguilla Cave 551 other expedition members explaining the change in rigging and why it was necessary. When traveling through the cave, stay on established trails. If trails are hard to see, either re-flag them immediately or notify the Cave Resource Ollice so that we will know of the problem. Flagging use in the cave in the past has been as follows: Bright Orange, for marking the trail; White with Red Stripes, denotes sensitive areas such as gypsum crust, aragonite, etc.; Blue, utilized for survey stations; and White with Blue Stripes, indicates a lead. When flagging the trail, use plenty of flagging tape and flag both sides. This helps keep the trail as narrow as possible. Of primary importance is the preservation of all the resources in the cave. Everyone is cautioned to be very careful. Carelessness and disregard for the resources has already done damage in the cave and will not be tolerated. Intentional damage to make it easier to move through certain areas will be treated as serious violations and will be prosecuted. Everyone entering must do their utmost to preserve cave features. The Pearlsian Gulfin the Southwest Branch has already had mud introduced into a number of the cave pearls, as has the pool near them in several places. This is a direct result of carelessness and disregard for that resource. Persons displaying this attitude will be denied access to the cave. Continued occurrences will render that area ofT limits to everyone. No cave material (minerals, speleothems, bones, etc.) may be removed from the cave without a valid, existing scientific collecting permit. Collecting for someone else who has a valid collecting pennit requires written authorization from the permit holder and from the Cave Specialist. No digging, blasting, hammering, or breaking of fonnations, rocks, etc. may be performed without prior permission from the Cave Specialist. Aqua socks or other clean, non-marking shoes must be worn when crossing flowstonc areas. Wearing boots or walking barefoot across these areas is not allowed. Do not establish a new trail in any area that has a trail. This creates two impacted areas. The Deep Seas Camp, in particular, continues to have problems in this regard. Stop making new trails for convenience. Use existing trails only. Please take a couple of minutes to read and record evaporimeter levels, thermometer readings (if it hasn't been done in a day or two), and other science-related instruments. If you do not knbw or under- stand the instruments, then please leave them alone. Leave all data- loggers (enclosed in water-proof cases) and their instrumentation alone. Please do not open cases. This allows more moisture into the instrumentation and is ultimately very costly. There will be no wading or swimming in pools to reach cave passages or leads without prior consent of the Cave Specialist. This includes the Lake Castro\'alva area. Pools in newly discovered areas must remain pristine for on-going microbiological research.