IKC UPDATE No 126 PAGE 2 SEPTEMBER 2017 INDIANA KARST CONSERVANCY, INC PO Box 2401, Indianapolis, IN 46206-2401 ikc.caves.org Affiliated with the National Speleological Society The Indiana Karst Conservancy is a non-profit organization dedicated to the conservation and preservation of caves and karst features in Indiana and other areas of the world. The Conservancy encourages research and promotes education related to karst and its proper, environmentally compatible use. EXECUTIVE BOARD COMMITTEES / CHAIRPERSON GROTTOS & LIAISONS President Education/Outreach Bloomington Indiana Grotto* Vacant Dave Everton Jerry Lewis (2018) (812) 272-2300 (812) 786-1744 [email protected] Web Technologies Central Indiana Grotto* Bruce Bowman Keith Dunlap Secretary (see E-Board list) (317) 882-5420 Sue Vernier (2018) (812) 385-5058 IKC Update Editor/Publisher Dayton Underground Grotto Mike Hood [email protected] Keith Dunlap (see E-Board list) (937) 252-2978 Treasurer Hoosier National Forest Eastern Indiana Grotto Keith Dunlap (2018) Brian Leavell Jerry Lewis (317) 882-5420 (765) 552-7619 (see E-board list) [email protected] Evansville Metro Grotto* Buddha Property Manager Steve Weinzapfel Directors Vacant (812) 4630-7995 Joy Baiz (2018) (574) 286-9404 Orangeville Rise Property Manager Harrison-Crawford Grotto [email protected] Steve Lockwood Dave Black (812) 944-8097 (812) 951-3886 Bruce Bowman (2020) [email protected] (317) 539-2753 Louisville Grotto* Susan Wilkinson [email protected] Robinson Ladder Property Manager (317) 910-8023 John Benton Danyele Green (2019) (812) 389-2248 Near Normal Grotto* (317) 370-7891 [email protected] Ralph Sawyer [email protected] (309) 822-0109 Shawnee Property Manager Dave Haun (2018) Jerry Lewis Northern Indiana Grotto* Jennifer Pelter (317) 517-0795 (see E-board list) (260) 456-3374 [email protected] Sullivan Property Manager St Joseph Valley Grotto* Everett Pulliam (2019) Keith Dunlap Joy Baiz (317) 745-7816 (see E-Board list) (574) 286-9404 [email protected] Wayne Property Manager Sub-Urban Chicago Grotto Robert Sollman Gary Gibula Matt Selig (2020) (630) 791-8020 (317) 258-9983 (812) 753-4953 [email protected] [email protected] Windy City Grotto Jack Wood Indian Creek CE Monitor Bob Sergesketter (2020) (773) 728-9773 Jamie Winner (812) 482-5517 (see E-board list) [email protected] *grottos with liaison agreements Kevin Smith (2018) (317) 412-3667 MANAGED CAVES / PATRONS Suicide Cave [email protected] Kevin Smith (317) 412-3667 Tom Sollman (2018) Buddha Cave [email protected] (812) 753-4953 Jeff Cody [email protected] (317) 888-9898 Sullivan Cave [email protected] Paul Uglum (317) 417-5596 Carla Striegel-Winner (2019) [email protected] (812) 367-1602 Robinson Ladder Cave [email protected] John Benton Upper Twin Cave (830) 305-1026 Dave Everton Richard Vernier (2020) [email protected] (812) 272-2300 (812) 385-5058 [email protected] [email protected] Shiloh Cave Wayne Cave James Adams Dave Everton Jamie Winner (2019) (317) 945-8604 (812) 272-2300 (812) 367-1602 [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] Cover: Sue Vernier at the bottom of the entrance pit in Robinson Ladder Cave (Crawford County). Photo by Richard Vernier, August 2017. SEPTEMBER 2017 PAGE 3 IKC UPDATE No 126 IKC QUARTERLY MEETING REMINDER SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 16th, 4:00 PM EDT BORDEN, INDIANA HOME OF SALISA & JERRY LEWIS The quarterly meetings are for the Executive Board to conduct business, and for our members and other interested persons to have an open forum to talk about caves and karst conservation and related topics. Past, present, and future IKC projects are discussed to solicit comments and input from our members and the caving community as a whole. The meetings are informal, and everyone is encouraged to attend and participate. The IKC Board wants your input. Preliminary Agenda: Recap of recent work/stewardship projects and promotion of upcoming fall projects at our various preserves; Educational outreach activities; Update of current research projects; Financial reports; Land acquisition activities; Sauerkraut Cave gate; and more.... Following the quarterly meeting (around 6 PM) will be the annual pitch-in cook-out. The main entree(s) will be provided. Please bring a salad, dessert, and/or other covered dish to share. If there are enough entries, we will also have a dessert contest. Please bring a lawn chair if you want to sit down during the meeting. Meeting address: 17903 State Road 60, Borden, IN 47106. Call Jerry at (812) 786-1744 if you get lost or have questions. More detailed directions can be found in IKC Update #102, page 15. ACTIVITIES CALENDAR Sept 16 – IKC Quarterly E-Board meeting (see above) Dec ?? – IKC Quarterly Board Meeting (date & location to be determined) March ?? – IKC Annual Business Meeting (date & location to be determined) For more information on the Indiana Karst Conservancy, visit our website at ikc.caves.org or write to our PO box. Member- ship to the IKC is open to anyone or any organization interested in supporting cave and karst conservation. Annual dues are $15. Please see inside the back cover for a membership application form or to make a much-appreciated donation. Donations can also be made by credit card using the donation button located on our website’s home page. The IKC Update, distributed for free, is published quarterly for members and other interested parties. The purpose of this newslet- ter is to keep the membership and caving community informed of IKC activities and other news related to cave/karst conservation. Submission of original or reprinted articles for publication is encouraged. IKC Update (ISSN 1076-3120) copyright © 2017 by the Indiana Karst Conservancy, Inc. Excluding reprinted material and indi- vidually copyrighted articles and artwork, permission is granted to National Speleological Society affiliated organizations to reprint material from this publication, with proper credit given to the author/artist and the IKC Update. Articles do not necessarily represent the opinions of the Indiana Karst Conservancy, the National Speleological Society, or their respective members. IKC UPDATE No 126 PAGE 4 SEPTEMBER 2017 RAMBLINGS FROM THE PRESIDENT... I’m writing this in Rapid City, South Dakota, ly after this vacation for the occasion of my tenth and as you’ll see from the subject matter, this is birthday. I vividly remember seeing the promised my Halloween opus, admittedly a little early. In boxwork carpeting the cave’s walls and ceilings, this ramble, I’m exploring ghosts: first my own, and thanks to the National Park Service, it’s still then some others. I invite you to conjure your there today. It’s poignant for me to think of what own ghosts as I tell you a little about mine. seed was planted on that day that eventually led I’m thinking back to my last visit to South Da- me to a life-long pursuit of caves and subterra- kota, when my parents had set out in 1963 for a nean fauna. Perhaps as you read this, you’re trav- month-long trip across the American west with my elling back in time to conjure your own ghost at a older brother and myself in tow. I was nine years place where it all started for you. old. My dad was a school principal, my mom a After the Wind Cave trip that morning in teacher, so their school duties allowed them time to 1963, in the afternoon my brother took me (he travel during the summers. So off we went, my fa- had just gotten his license) on another under- ther driving the family station wagon, pulling a tent ground adventure, to a small commercial cave camper, with my eager young self in the back seat, grandly named Stagebarn Crystal Cave. I sus- undoubtedly asking, “Are we there yet!” as often pect my parents were happy to get rid of us for as I could without my broth- er popping me. Actually he popped me anyway, but that’s a different story. Earlier today I encoun- tered the spectre of my young self, as I stood at the small natural entrance to Wind Cave, listening to the National Park Service guide talk about the discov- ery of the cave. I remem- bered standing in the same spot over fifty years ago, listening to much the same spiel from another undoubt- edly long-since retired NPS guide. It was sort of ee- rie, as if I could sense my younger self standing there (enter Rod Serling). My brother had researched the cave and on the long drive to South Dakota had a couple hours, or… go ahead and say it… get extolled the wonders of the boxwork formations rid of me and my nine year old “Are we there for which Wind Cave was best known. Keep in yet” self. I remember Stagebarn being equal mind this was decades before google, and it was parts exciting and terrifying. The entrance to the the job of my brother and myself to write letters cave was gained by climbing up a staircase that to the various national parks we intended to visit to me appeared to be suspended from a cliff-face to ask for park brochures and anything else they by little if anything. The cave was small, but I might be willing to send us. So my brother’s recall the guide turning out the lights and shin- knowledge of the cave would have been derived ing a hand-held black light on some short stalac- from a park brochure or maybe from perusing tites that made the calcite fluoresce in a spooky the Encyclopedia Americana at the library. purple glow of the ultraviolet light. I wanted to I believe Wind Cave was the first cave I’d ever revisit this cave on our current 2017 trip, but alas, visited – a trip to Mammoth Cave followed short- Stagebarn Crystal Cave had closed in 2007.