Saturday, February 28, 2015
Two summers ago I had my first caving experience as I tagged along with a group going into Sitton’s Cave in Cloudland Canyon State Park. I was immediately hooked on the sport of caving and have been chomping at the bit to get back underground. This past weekend I had my chance as the Southeastern Cave Conservancy Inc. held their annual open house at Frick’s Cave in Chickamauga, Georgia. The cave is only open to exploration one day out of the entire year due to the grey bat, an endangered species, that calls Frick’s Cave its home. During the winter the majority of the bats leave the cave for hibernation elsewhere and cavers are given the opportunity to explore the expansive system during that time. Around 150 people came out on Saturday to do just that. Myself included. I donned a helmet, my lights and my camera gear and headed inside tagging along with Brad Barker and Gavin Warren who were nice enough to help a novice get around the nooks and crannies of being underground!
Snow covers the trail leading to the entrance of Frick’s Cave in Chickamauga, Ga. during the Southeastern Cave Conservancy Inc.’s open house on Saturday, February 28, 2015.
Trina Morris (right), Nikki Castleberry and Pete Pattavina make their way to the entrance of Frick’s Cave in Chickamauga, Ga. during the Southeastern Cave Conservancy Inc.’s open house on Saturday, February 28, 2015.
Wildlife biologist Trina Morris shines a light looking for bat groupings around the entrance of Frick’s Cave in Chickamauga, Ga. during the Southeastern Cave Conservancy Inc.’s open house on Saturday, February 28, 2015.
Nikki Castleberry works her way down to the entrance of Frick’s Cave in Chickamauga, Ga. during the Southeastern Cave Conservancy Inc.’s open house on Saturday, February 28, 2015.
Ice hangs from the rocks at the mouth of Frick’s Cave in Chickamauga, Ga. during the Southeastern Cave Conservancy Inc.’s open house on Saturday, February 28, 2015.
Doug Carson (left) follows behind six-year-old Elias Chandler as they climb boulders inside Frick’s Cave in Chickamauga, Ga. during the Southeastern Cave Conservancy Inc.’s open house on Saturday, February 28, 2015.
Cavers make their way through the inside of Frick’s Cave in Chickamauga, Ga. during the Southeastern Cave Conservancy Inc.’s open house on Saturday, February 28, 2015.
Cavers make their way past rock formations inside Frick’s Cave in Chickamauga, Ga. during the Southeastern Cave Conservancy Inc.’s open house on Saturday, February 28, 2015.
Gavin Warren (left) and Brad Barker make their way through Frick’s Cave in Chickamauga, Ga. during the Southeastern Cave Conservancy Inc.’s open house on Saturday, February 28, 2015.
Gavin Warren (left) and Brad Barker make their way through Frick’s Cave in Chickamauga, Ga. during the Southeastern Cave Conservancy Inc.’s open house on Saturday, February 28, 2015.
Brad Barker slides down a boulder inside Frick’s Cave in Chickamauga, Ga. during the Southeastern Cave Conservancy Inc.’s open house on Saturday, February 28, 2015.
Adam Evans (right) takes a break halfway up a bunch of boulders inside Frick’s Cave in Chickamauga, Ga. during the Southeastern Cave Conservancy Inc.’s open house on Saturday, February 28, 2015.
Cavers make their way through the inside Frick’s Cave in Chickamauga, Ga. during the Southeastern Cave Conservancy Inc.’s open house on Saturday, February 28, 2015.
Cavers make their way through the water inside Frick’s Cave in Chickamauga, Ga. during the Southeastern Cave Conservancy Inc.’s open house on Saturday, February 28, 2015.
Sally Edwards (right) makes her way down a rock formation past other cavers inside Frick’s Cave in Chickamauga, Ga. during the Southeastern Cave Conservancy Inc.’s open house on Saturday, February 28, 2015.
Nancy Brown (left), Doug Carson and Janice “J.J.” Broome take a moment to talk inside Frick’s Cave in Chickamauga, Ga. during the Southeastern Cave Conservancy Inc.’s open house on Saturday, February 28, 2015.
Doug Carson (left), Janice “J.J.” Broome and Nancy Brown walk through the inside Frick’s Cave in Chickamauga, Ga. during the Southeastern Cave Conservancy Inc.’s open house on Saturday, February 28, 2015.
Janice “J.J.” Broome makes her way out of the mouth of Frick’s Cave in Chickamauga, Ga. during the Southeastern Cave Conservancy Inc.’s open house on Saturday, February 28, 2015.
Janice “J.J.” Broome stands at the mouth of Frick’s Cave in Chickamauga, Ga. during the Southeastern Cave Conservancy Inc.’s open house on Saturday, February 28, 2015.