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Caves:
Wyoming
Pre-convention Field Trips to Great Expectations
Cave
Provided by
Bob Montgomery
Pre-convention
field trips to Great Expectations cave will be
offered the week prior to convention, from
Wednesday August 2nd through Friday the 4th.
This should allow time for travel to Bellingham,
Washington.
The trips offered will be to the upper sections
of the cave, including the Great Hall and the
Cephalopod Malt Shop. These trips will average 6
to 8 hours in length, depending on numbers of
cavers and photography. Trips will be limited to
one per day for each of the three days.
Great X is a cold semi-alpine cave with the
entrance at 8500’ elevation. Temperatures in the
cave are approximately 45 degrees with water
temperatures slightly colder. These trips are
not intended for novice cavers. Participants can
expect to get wet from the knees down from
wading and crawling in the underground stream
that flows through the cave. The trips will
involve exposed chimneys, crawling, scrambling
over breakdown, and climbing. No vertical gear
is required, but a seat harness and carabineer
could be used for being belayed down the
entrance series of exposed chimneys. Nylon
coveralls are preferable along with polypro long
underwear. Sturdy gloves, knee and elbow pads
are recommended because of the sharp cave
Velcro. Boots that can get wet, along with
polypro, wool, or neoprene socks, should be
worn. There is a tight Velcro lined chimney in
the entrance series that is approximately 9”
wide. The bypass for larger cavers is an exposed
chimney with a waterfall.
There is primitive camping available
approximately 1/2 of a mile from the entrance on
National Forest lands. Trapper Creek flows
adjacent to the camping area. Forest Service
campgrounds are available, but may require
reservations. The road from highway 14 to the
entrance is approximately 12 miles of improved
dirt that can be driven with a passenger vehicle
in good weather conditions. However, it is best
traversed with a high clearance two-wheel drive
or a four-wheel drive vehicle.
For more information please contact me at:
WYOCAVER@aol.com
Bob Montgomery
P.O. Box 2102
Casper, WY 82602-2102
(307) 266-6929 Home
(307) 267-7311 Cell |
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