Project Date: November 10-12, 1995 Reported by: Dale Barnard
Person-hours: 95.5
Personnel: Marcus Barksdale, Terry Holsinger, Keri Kentala, David Milhollin, Dale Barnard, Matt Chun, Donnie Roland, Rafal Kedzierski, Taik Rha, Bruce Watson, Jennifer Lee, Ernest Parker, Lionel Rumancik, Jang Kin, Butch Fralia, Sharon Mastbrook, Bo Byford, Brad Smith, Jim Wolfe, John Pipes
Butch, Ernest, and Sharon spent six-and-a-half hours checking tags at cave entrances due to suspected errors. They determined that Golden State Motor Oil Cave had two tags, #228 and #240, and that #228 was the correct one, so they removed #240. Then, they verified that Psycho Cave is correctly tagged as #240. They also verified that Puberty Pit is tagged as #244 to link it with the topographic map. Butch determined that caves #227 and #228 most likely need to be surveyed, and suggested that we verify this information with Keith Heuss's files. On the following day, Butch, Ernest, and Sharon spent an hour checking Lone Bat II Cave for a tag. They did not find one, but determined that the cave is most likely #232. Butch will communicate with Keith Huess to obtain additional tags.
Another team consisted of the following people: Marcus, David, Donnie, Bruce, Lionel, John, and Brad. This team subdivided to accomplish many activities during a seven-hour trip in Horseshoe Crevasse Cave. Bruce and Donnie rigged a cable ladder to enter the crevasse while David trained Lionel, John, and Brad in reading survey instruments, reading tape, and choosing stations. Marcus started the survey by sketching the entrance. Upon descending into the crevasse, Donnie, Bruce, and Lionel began digging loose soil, talus, and trash (broken glass, cans, clay pot shards, etc.) in the East Passage and ended up extending it more than ten meters. Bruce checked a ceiling lead and discovered a decorated room about ten meters in diameter and one meter high that contained bat guano. John and Brad dug loose soil and talus in the W-N passage and ended up extending it more than six meters before it became too low to continue. Marcus, David, Lionel, and John surveyed eight stations for a distance of eighteen meters. Marcus further developed his sketching skills by sketching a plan view, profile view, and several cross-sections. Marcus indicated that the eastern passage needs a little more digging to access a larger passage that is currently visible, but not accessible. The survey will be continued on a future project weekend to include the newly-dug portions of the East and W-N passages as well as a loop closure from the W-N passage entrance to the W-S passage entrance.
Dale, Terry, and Rafal spent six hours in Pretty Splendid Cave, also known as Sweet Cave, along with five beginning cavers consisting of Jennifer, Jang, Keri, Matt, and Taik The beginning cavers spent about two hours in the cave before returning to Austin. Dale, Terry, and Rafal continued surveying, extending the length of the cave by about thirty meters, bringing the total length to about sixty meters. This maze-like cave will require several more surveys on future project weekends.
Jim, Bo, and Bo's cousin (Mark?) spent five-and-a-half hours in Tight Slide Crevice. They spent the first two or three hours enlarging the entrance by removing some heavy boulders and about two feet of dirt. They planned to extend the survey if the notoriously bad air had improved, but at the point at which they were to start the survey, the air became very bad. Jim suggests that we continue checking the cave for bad air because there appears to be a pit at the bottom of the cave that may be as deep as fifty feet. In the first part of the cave, the air quality was better than normal, and more cold weather may improve it further