Beginner Caving Trips

[jumar]

There's several beginner level caving trips scheduled with the SLC and Timp grottos in the next couple months. If someone is interested in getting into caving, this is a good opportunity.

Utah Caving Events
Saturday, February 17th 2007 at 9:00 am - Beginner friendly trip

I am leading a trip to Oak City Cave on Saturday the 17th. Current plan is to leave University Parkway in Orem at 9:00 AM.

Plan right now is to do Oak City, several people will be leaving back to Provo/Salt Lake immediately after, need to be home for dates etc... For those that are up for more, I will attempt Tabernacle Hill Lava Tubes since I am down there. Anyone that comes on that portion can expect to get home well after dark. (Not much interest in this extension so far)

I will plan on being at University Parkway in Orem. Parked at the Walmart parking lot out by Mcdonalds. This is about one block east of I-15 when you get off. I will be in a green Explorer--call me if you don\'t see me, my parents live about a mile from there and I will be coming from their home. I will stick a helmet on the hood of my vehicle if it is too cold for me to stand around outside. :-)

Let me know if you are interested, and if you need to borrow any gear like helmets. There are a couple people coming from north of SLC, ask me for contact info if you want to try and carpool from further up the front.

Jason Baxter

JQBAXTER23 at YAHOO.COM
801-550-0478 cell (I don\\\'t answer during the day on weekdays, or after 10 pm. :-)
Trip Leader: Jason Baxter



Saturday, March 3rd 2007 - Filmore Lava Tubes / Meadow Hot Springs
Location: Filmore, Utah
MARCH BEGINNER TRIP FOR ALL GROTTOS

This will be a beginner caving trip to the Tabernacle Hill Lava Tubes and surrounding area. This trip is open to all those who are interested in learning some basic caving techniques and meet some new cavers. We will plan to see Tabernacle Hill Lava Tube, Spaz Pit (Entrance), Keystone Cave, Cairn Cave and some other geological highlights in the area. After a fun day of lava tubes we plan to head over to the Meadow Hot Springs which is a 10 minute drive from the tubes. This is a hot spring that is privately owned and skinny dipping is not allowed (sorry Richard Downey). Bring your swimming trunks and mask for this. The main spring is 30 feet deep and 104 degrees. Great swim after a great day of caving.

We plan to meet at 9:00 am in Orem Utah at my house. Please email me or call me for directions. Filmore is 100 miles south of Orem. We should be done and back around 6:00

[Iceaxe]

So if you want to join up for one of these trips you just call or email the guy listed?

Any other requirements like do you need to join the grotto or what? I'm really not very familiar with how the grotto system works.

[jumar]

Yeah you can just email or call the trip leader for the trip. These are for anyone interested, you don't need to be a member of the grotto. And since they're beginner trips, you don't need to have experience. The Lava tubes trip has a good list of stuff you'd need to bring.

EQUIPMENT REQUIREMENTS:
- Hardhat or Helmet
- 3 Sources of light. one of which is mounted to your helmet or hardhat
- Gloves
- Coveralls if you have them
- Dust mask if you are sensitive to dust
- Good study hiking boots (Remember we are hiking over lava)
- High Clearance Vehicle (If you don\'t have one we will commute and figure it out)
- Positive Mental Attitude (Have Fun)

I don't know Jason personally, but Robert Cranney is a really good guy. Should be a fun trip. I'm trying to look at my schedule to see if I can go on that trip.

The timp grotto has been really good with welcoming new people to the sport. And they usually list their trips on their site:
http://www.caves.org/grotto/timpgrotto/