CAVE RESEARCH FOUNDATION QUARTERLY NEWSLETTER AUGUST 2006 VOLUME 34, NO. 3 DESCENT INTO ROPPEL See Mammoth Cave Reports, pages 9-12 2 CRF NEWSLETTER CRF Treasurer Has Moved Volume 34, No.3 -established 1973 CRF's treasurer, Roger K. Smith, has recently Send all articles and reports for submission to: moved. His new address is: Roger K. Smith, 17 An­ William Payne, Editor gelica Drive, Avondale, PA 19311-1327. 5213 Brazos, Midland, TX 79707-3161 Please note that his e-mail address has also changed. It is now . Do The CRF Newsletter is a quarterly publication of the not use his old yahoo.com address, as he rarely checks Cave Research Foundation, a non-profit organization it. The masthead on this page has been updated with incorporated in 1957 under the laws of Kentucky for the Roger's new info. purpose of furthering research, conservation, and education about caves and karst. Newsletter Submissions & Deadlines: Eastern Operations Resignation Original articles and photographs are welcome. If intending In Eastern Operations, Matt Mezydlo has resigned to jointly submit material to another publication, please in­ as Personnel Officer after many years of service. We form the CRF editor. Publication cannot be guaranteed, espe­ cially if submitted elsewhere. All material is subject to revi­ thank Matt for his dedication, and wish him God speed sion unless the author specifically requests otherwise. For as he takes the time needed to care for his family. We timely publication, please observe these deadlines: are fortunate that Bob Lodge has agreed to take on the duties from Matt, and welcome him to the operations February issue by December 1 family. -- Dave West May issue by March 1 August issue by June 1 CRF Newsletter Goes On Line! November issue by September 1 From the Content Editor, William Payne: You Before submitting material, please see publication can now download this issue, and past issues, from the guidelines at: www.cave-research.org CRF website. Just go to the member's section, log in as NEWSLETTER STAFF: a member, and you'll find an easy link to the page Content Editor: William Payne, where they're stored: http://www.cave-research.org/ Layout and Photos: Ralph Earlandson, From the Layout Editor, Ralph Earlandson: Be­ edu ginning with this issue, all photos will appear in color Mailing: Bob Hoke, on the website. In earlier issues that appear on the ©2006 Cave Research Foundation website, photos are in black and white, as I had con­ Cave Research Foundation Board of Directors verted the images to B&W in Photoshop, since paper President - Chris Groves, copies of the newsletter are printed in B&W. The Treasurer - Roger Smith, earlier issues will be posted on the website in the com­ Secretary - Pat Seiser, c ing months. We will continue to print the paper copies Hamilton Valley Director - Pat Kambesis in B&W to save money, so you'll have to go to the Diana Tomchick, Mick Sutton, Joel Despain, website to see it in color. George Crothers, Richard Maxey, Bernie Szukalski Is Your Contact Information Correct in the CRF Operations Council Database??? The next issue of the CRF Newsletter Barbe Barker (Guadalupes), Scott House (Ozarks), will include the annual Membership List. If your e­ Janet Sowers (Lava Beds), Dave West (Eastern), mail address or any of your phone numbers have John Tinsley (SequoialKings Canyon) changed since the last list (in July, 2005) please send For information about the CRF contact: the new information to Phil Diblasi so he can update Dr. Chris Groves the CRF database. Phil's e-mail address is: Hoffman Environmental Research Institute and his mailing address is: Department of Geography and Geology PO Box 126, Louisville, KY 40201-0126. Western Kentucky University Bowling Green, KY 42101, phone 270-745-5201 Cover Photo Donations to CRF should be sent to: Charles Fox climbs the ladder at the entrance to Rop­ Roger K. Smith, Jr., CRF Treasurer pel Cave during the Memorial Day 2006 Mammoth 17 Angelica Drive Cave expedition. You can see this photo in color by Avondale, PA 19311-1327 viewing this issue on the CRF website (see above). Photo by Laura J. Lexander. 3 2006 ANNUAL CRF MEETING October 6-8, Lava Beds National Monument, northeastern California The Lava Beds Project of the Cave Research Cost: Foundation is pleased to invite you to the 2006 Annual CRF-Lava Beds members will serve participants CRF Meeting, to be held October 6-8 at Lava Beds three meals-a-day starting Friday morning. A fee of National Monument near Tulelake, California. The $50, payable upon arrival, will cover Friday breakfast meeting will be held at the new Research Center, built through Sunday lunch, $40 will cover those who arrive by CRF donations in 2005. We are excited about the Friday night. Either includes the Saturday night ban­ new center and look forward to hosting our first BOD quet at the restaurant. meeting there. For more information on the Research Lava Beds National Monument is providing ac­ Center, including photographs, see our web site at commodations free of charge. Please state your pref­ http://www.labe-research-center.org. erence of the research center (holds twelve in beds, Lava Beds is on the north flank of the Medicine cots, or the floor), staff apartments (each holds 4), or Lake volcano in northeastern California and sports campground (restrooms but no showers). All are over 500 lava-tube caves. A dozen or so of these within walking distance of each other. Users are re­ caves are walking distance from the new building. sponsible for cleaning their accommodations before The members meeting on Saturday will be a treat leaving. for all. After the formalities, each project area will Getting there: have an opportunity to present some aspect of its re­ Lava Beds is located in a remote area of north­ search. A projector screen and digital projector will be eastern California. It is close to the Oregon border but available, along with wall space for maps or posters. far from any large airport. Driving is a good way to get Then, after lunch join us for a tour of the best of Lava to Lava Beds if you are coming from a western state. Beds. We'll see lava caves, desert scenery, volcanic The closest town of any size is Klamath Falls, Oregon, geology, the site of the Modoc War, Native American about a 50-minute drive, which does have an airport petroglyphs, and wildlife. with scheduled air service, but it is typically costly to Tentative Agenda: fly in there. If you fly, a better deal may be Reno. Thursday October 5: Board and Operations Council Once in Reno, you must rent a car and drive about 5 (OC) members arrive. hours (through incredible scenery) to get to Lava Beds. Call Janet Sowers if you need help with your travel Friday October 6: plans. 8:30 am: Board and OC in closed meeting at the Fire Cache. CRF Meeting - cant. an page 8 6:30 pm Dinner in the Research Center. Saturday October 7: 8:30 am: Members meeting in the Research Center­ Joel Despain, facilitator. Summary of Board meeting - Chris Groves, President. Announcements of awards, fellowships, new directors and officers of CRF. 9:30 am: Presentations of research in the CRF pro­ ject areas. 12:00 pm: Lunch at the Research Center. 2:00 pm: Field trips: Tours ofLABE caves, Captain Jacks Stronghold, Petroglyph Point. 6:30 pm: Banquet Dinner at Captain Jacks Strong- hold Restaurant. 9:00 pm: Reception at the Research Center. Sunday, October 8 Breakfast and conversation. Free time all day. Additional cave tours will be of­ fered, or you may explore on your own. Valentine Cave in Lava Beds National Monument. Sack lunches provided. Photo by Janet Sowers. 4 A Resurvey of Catacombs Cave Lava Beds National Monument, California By Liz Wolff Introduction: Lava Beds National Monument is lo­ wide, and has a single entrance. The cave is a braided cated in far northeastern California on the northeast maze lava tube on several levels that trends northeast flank of the Medicine Lake shield volcano. Medicine from a lava pond area near the extreme southwest end Lake volcano was built up of fluid basaltic lava trans­ of the Monument Headquarters Cave Loop Road. The mitted through lava tubes, hundreds of which still exist entrance area is spacious, with branches separating and today. The lava flows from Mammoth Crater, a para­ rejoining along much of its length. A few side pas­ sitic cone on the northern flank of Medicine Lake vol­ sages dead-end or become too small, but most rejoin cano which covers about 70% of Lava Beds and con­ the main tube. Beyond the first divergence as many as tains most of the caves known in the Monument. Presi­ five parallel passages may confuse the unwary, as will dent Calvin Coolidge set aside 76 square miles of vol­ the five cross-over points between the deeper north­ canic landforms as Lava Beds National Monument on west passage and the higher elevation southeast pas­ November 21, 1925 in recognition of the spectacular sage. The balcony or ledge heights between the north natural features and their role in the Modoc Indian and south passages range from four feet at the first War of 1872-73. The Cave Research Foundation divergence, a sloping walkway, to fifteen feet at the (CRF) began working in its many caves in 1989. Bathtub, an overhung pit. The south passage is more tourist friendly, being mainly walking height as far as History: Many of the Lava Beds caves were located the Upstairs Crossover to Cleopatra's Grave.