Arizona Caving

[RedRoxx]

Pretty hot down here so time to get underground and up in the mountains. Arizona caving tends to be political with the grottos involved; so I'll honor tradition and not name the cave or location. It's a large nice stream passage cave that I "backwalled" with my caving partner last year at the terminal sump. The cave is sumped now near the front third but I wanted to get some pics anyway. My DLSR didn't cooperate so I had to use my point and shoot.
The cave has one rappel but can be downclimbed as a bypass in a 40 foot crack which is what we did. Otherwise crawling, stemming, chimneying and the usual.
The sump looked low so we have hopes for getting in there in 3-4 weeks before monsoon to get to the more spectacular parts of this cave.


http://www.arizonahikers.com/board/albums/albvq62/n9.jpg









http://www.arizonahikers.com/board/albums/albvq62/j8.jpg



http://www.arizonahikers.com/board/albums/albvq62/g84.jpg




http://www.arizonahikers.com/board/albums/albvq62/red4.jpghttp://www.arizonahikers.com/board/albums/albvq62/g6.jpg

[hank moon]

ev'ryone knows there ain't no caves in AZ... :haha:

[RedRoxx]

Yeah, I was amused at the bolt vs no bolt thread on the canyoneering forum.

Try attending a grotto meeting when the taboo subjects are brought up--
What is acceptable in "pushing" a cave--- I've known cavers to bring in blasting materials, jackhammers pry bars etc. Had a forest service guy turn white when cave gates down here started "disappearing in a cloud of dust."
One caver notorious for blowing up cave entrances to prevent others from entering.
One guy buried a pot to get a site declared archaeo to prevent it's total control by the forest service, one guy in particular who the grottos have declared war on.
And on and on and on. I just keep my head down and go caving.

[jumar]

I just keep my head down and go caving.
Good call :2thumbs: :lol8:

Awesome pics! Looks like a very active and growing cave.