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View Full Version : Bad News about Bloomington Caves



Deathcricket
03-21-2006, 04:51 PM
Or maybe It's good news now that I think about it. I guess some jackasses are thrashing the Bloomington Caves again. Graffiti (sp?), beer cans, etc. They are going to gate the caves off and require a permit to enter. Just sad a few people have to wreck it for the majority.

http://www.thespectrum.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060321/NEWS01/603210310/1002

Since there are 3 entrances, I'm wondering if they are just talking about the main one though?

jman
03-21-2006, 08:28 PM
yeah i know...I flipped out when I was getting a sandwich at Subway here in St. George and just skimming through the newspapers - and saw "bloomington caves"....and was thinking "uh oh" and sure enough (unfortunately) I expected the worst.

Stupid teens (go figure - I'm 22). Good thing it is still open...otherwise there would be hell to pay.

accadacca
03-22-2006, 08:09 AM
Stuff like this really sucks and could end up in the gun section.

Good to hear from you deathcricket and welcome to the site jman. Introduce yourself in the newbies section. :popcorn:

Deathcricket
03-23-2006, 10:47 PM
yeah i know...I flipped out when I was getting a sandwich at Subway here in St. George and just skimming through the newspapers - and saw "bloomington caves"....and was thinking "uh oh" and sure enough (unfortunately) I expected the worst.

Stupid teens (go figure - I'm 22). Good thing it is still open...otherwise there would be hell to pay.

Have they put the gate up yet do you know? I was gonna cruz out this weekend and if I have to get a permit would rather not have to do it the day of.

I also heard that they actually tried to dynamite the cave closed a while back (years and years), but it got dug back open. Pretty interesting.

If we see any teens (or whoever) defacing it when we're there, I'm not sure I'll be able to let it slide like Kyle did. Just not right.


Stuff like this really sucks and could end up in the gun section.

Hmmm gun section eh? Do we shoot them or just their lights? :P

Glad you enjoyed the rapelling pics accadacca

jman
03-24-2006, 05:23 PM
yeah i know...I flipped out when I was getting a sandwich at Subway here in St. George and just skimming through the newspapers - and saw "bloomington caves"....and was thinking "uh oh" and sure enough (unfortunately) I expected the worst.

Stupid teens (go figure - I'm 22). Good thing it is still open...otherwise there would be hell to pay.

Have they put the gate up yet do you know? I was gonna cruz out this weekend and if I have to get a permit would rather not have to do it the day of.

I also heard that they actually tried to dynamite the cave closed a while back (years and years), but it got dug back open. Pretty interesting.

If we see any teens (or whoever) defacing it when we're there, I'm not sure I'll be able to let it slide like Kyle did. Just not right.


Stuff like this really sucks and could end up in the gun section.

Hmmm gun section eh? Do we shoot them or just their lights? :P

Glad you enjoyed the rapelling pics accadacca



Nah the gaves aren't gated yet - although I did just check the North entrance. I'd give it a few weeks I would guess.

As for 'gun section' part - we should first shoot their lights and then shoot them and "de-face" the cave with their own blood to serve as a warning to others. Yes...I like that idea...

anyways.

Deathcricket
03-28-2006, 06:30 PM
Hehe not a bad idea!

I went out this weekend as well, and I actually got a chance to meet Kyle Voyles (sp?) who I'm pretty sure is the caving "master" around here. :hail2thechief:

Anyways, when my friends and I pulled up, I looked across the ridge and saw this white pickup with a generator in the back and some jackhammer noise coming from around the south entrance. i went across the valley (we parked at the north entrance) to check out what was going on. It was Kyle and his friend John who I got to chat with a bit. They were super cool and very approachable. They were just putting up a huge sign with a map of safe routes, general caving safety, and i think instructions of how to get permits later on. The jackhammer was to get through the top rocks for a spot to sink the posts in.

So he said they would be gating the place up, but not as quick as he hoped. He said he wouldn't even be surprised if it didn't happen this year. He said you would just have to go the BLM office and get a free permit and the key to enter. No biggie.

He then mentioned they saw a couple "whip scorpions" near the 2nd level, which I have never seen in person and was pretty jazzed about (only pics). And they are going to be doing another cleanup of the cave around the middle to end of April on the north entrance. Which I'm going to shoot him and email and volunteer for. But it was just encouraging to know people out there are looking to protect cool places like this for the next generation. I got a kid on the way and would love to take them someday. Corny but whatever. :P

caverspencer
05-03-2006, 02:07 PM
Hehe not a bad idea!

I went out this weekend as well, and I actually got a chance to meet Kyle Voyles (sp?) who I'm pretty sure is the caving "master" around here. :hail2thechief:

Anyways, when my friends and I pulled up, I looked across the ridge and saw this white pickup with a generator in the back and some jackhammer noise coming from around the south entrance. i went across the valley (we parked at the north entrance) to check out what was going on. It was Kyle and his friend John who I got to chat with a bit. They were super cool and very approachable. They were just putting up a huge sign with a map of safe routes, general caving safety, and i think instructions of how to get permits later on. The jackhammer was to get through the top rocks for a spot to sink the posts in.

So he said they would be gating the place up, but not as quick as he hoped. He said he wouldn't even be surprised if it didn't happen this year. He said you would just have to go the BLM office and get a free permit and the key to enter. No biggie.

He then mentioned they saw a couple "whip scorpions" near the 2nd level, which I have never seen in person and was pretty jazzed about (only pics). And they are going to be doing another cleanup of the cave around the middle to end of April on the north entrance. Which I'm going to shoot him and email and volunteer for. But it was just encouraging to know people out there are looking to protect cool places like this for the next generation. I got a kid on the way and would love to take them someday. Corny but whatever. :P


Finally! Someone that agrees with protecting the caves! I solute you Deathcricket