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Pink Lime Pit

This pit makes for a great place to do some vertical training. With several opening you can have multiple people on different ropes getting some good practice in.

White Collar Cave

Few cave entrances take your breath away as this one does. The white formation around the entry of the cave is a brittle calcite spar which makes the entry to this cave very difficult.

Ricks Spring Cave

There is currently an estimated 2,200 ft. of explored underwater passage. At one point it opens up to a dry area with a waterfall that required some climbing, then the cave continues even further underwater.

Skull Cave

We walked within 5 ft of this entrance and completely missed it on our first trip. While this cave is small in size, it does have a few good features inside.

Main Drain

Utah's deepest cave and by far my favorite. While I did not think I would make it out alive, the pain was worth the experience! There is nothing like being 1,227 ft below the surface in freezing water completely exhausted.

Monday, February 13, 2012

Smokehole Caverns

Posted by Spencer Coles on 9:58 AM





We are only 3 hours from Baltimore, Washington DC, Pittsburgh and Charleston, WV. We are worlds away – but close to home. Smoke Hole Resort is based 8 miles south of Petersburg, WV, on Highway 55 on the banks of the North Fork of the South Branch River. We are only 10 minutes North of Seneca Rocks on Rt 28/55.

Hours

Sept thru May
Store hours:
Guided tours:		9 to 5
10 to 4
Memorial Day thru Labor Day
Store hours:
Guided tours:		9 to 6:30
9 to 5

Rates

13.00 Adults
$8.00 Children (Ages 5 thru 12 years of age)
No Charge for children under the age of 4
Group Rates:
Non-Profit Groups ONLY (School-Church-etc.) MOST HAVE TAX-EXEMPT INFO
(Minimum of 20 or more paying guests)
$10.00 Adults
$5.00 Children (Ages 5 thru 12 years of age)
No Charge for children under the age of 4
Bus groups and school groups are welcome
To reserve your group call between 9 and 5 at 800-828-8478.


Info from http://smokehole.com/wp/caverns
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Seneca Caverns

Posted by Spencer Coles on 9:42 AM








The first verifiable history of human contact with the cave was in the early 1400's when the Seneca Indians used the cave. The Caverns are located on a great Indian trading route through the Appalachian Mountains. Many tribes used this trading route but it was the Seneca Indians who lived here and used the cave for shelter, storage and special ceremonies. Three hundred years later the first German settlers came to the area. As history goes, a man named Laven Teter rediscovered the cave in 1742 on a quest for water to supply his livestock. At this time the area was not even considered part of the original 13 colonies. The Teter family maintained ownership until 1928. The new owners opened it to the public in 1930 as a show cave. 

The Stratosphere Cave is also part of Seneca Caverns. It is the oldest recorded cave in the state. In 1760, a Methodist Bishop named Francis Asbury came to visit his new flock, and The Senecas were so honored they named the cave Asbury Cave. In his journals he writes about Stratosphere cave and also mentions Seneca as another hole in the ground. During the 1960's Civil Defense used the cave for food storage and as a fall out shelter. We currently have an original can of biscuits on display. The name was changed when the cave was opened to the public but then was soon closed as a natural fungus destroyed the stairs and made it too dangerous to use. It was reopened in 2005 and has since been used as adventure style caving. 

Description from http://www.senecacaverns.com/
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Organ Cave

Posted by Spencer Coles on 9:31 AM

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Lost World Caverns

Posted by Spencer Coles on 9:28 AM

From Lewisberg, go north on U.S. 219 1.5 miles to Courst St.
(304) 645-6677 or 497-3192



Descend 120 feet below the Earth's surface into a vast wonderland of stalactites and stalagmites. Lost World Caverns, discovered in 1942, is a truly magical place for both young and old. It takes approximately 45 minutes to walk through. We offer self-guided tours so you can take your time to explore the cavern at your own pace. Just remember to stay on the trail. A guide sheet is provided to tell you about the many different formations that make up this 1/2 mile loop. No matter what the temperature on the outside, the cave always remains a constant 52 degrees. A light jacket and good shoes are recommended.
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