Thanks for the detailed and interesting trip report! I'm not sure I'll ever be able to go to Lechuguilla but it sounds amazing and I can at least imagine it based on your descriptions. And that sounds like a really fun group to cave with, I heard a bit about this trip from Mike and Karla at the Sandia grotto meeting.
When getting a trip going in Lech on the exploration side of things how hard is it to do? I understand you replaced aging rope in pits (awesome work btw) but was there a “We’ll let you cave here if you do X, Y or Z” or was it just a “He we want to cave here and if we’re allowed to we’ll use our time to also rig in new rope on pits that need new rope”?
If this is addressed further into the reading just ignore me, I’ve just read the preface so far but was curious. Can’t want to see what you do about hydration in hot caves. I’ve been caving in Florida recently and by golly it’s awful. 70°+ in caves w/ 100% humidity makes the already pretty unspectacular and mostly undecorated caves an absolute nightmare. Looking at you ‘Warrens’ you awful awful cave.
Exploration trips aren't happening in Lechuguilla at the moment due to various policy and personnel changes that have happened in Carlsbad Caverns National Park recently. I expect this to change in the future. We are allowed to run these rope replacement trips however. Hunter (a park employee) organized the trip and got the permissions and made it happen.
Eating tons of salt has helped for hydration. That's the biggest pro-tip I have to offer.
Another great trip report in an amazing cave with some awesome people!
Thanks for the detailed and interesting trip report! I'm not sure I'll ever be able to go to Lechuguilla but it sounds amazing and I can at least imagine it based on your descriptions. And that sounds like a really fun group to cave with, I heard a bit about this trip from Mike and Karla at the Sandia grotto meeting.
When getting a trip going in Lech on the exploration side of things how hard is it to do? I understand you replaced aging rope in pits (awesome work btw) but was there a “We’ll let you cave here if you do X, Y or Z” or was it just a “He we want to cave here and if we’re allowed to we’ll use our time to also rig in new rope on pits that need new rope”?
If this is addressed further into the reading just ignore me, I’ve just read the preface so far but was curious. Can’t want to see what you do about hydration in hot caves. I’ve been caving in Florida recently and by golly it’s awful. 70°+ in caves w/ 100% humidity makes the already pretty unspectacular and mostly undecorated caves an absolute nightmare. Looking at you ‘Warrens’ you awful awful cave.
Exploration trips aren't happening in Lechuguilla at the moment due to various policy and personnel changes that have happened in Carlsbad Caverns National Park recently. I expect this to change in the future. We are allowed to run these rope replacement trips however. Hunter (a park employee) organized the trip and got the permissions and made it happen.
Eating tons of salt has helped for hydration. That's the biggest pro-tip I have to offer.