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REGISTRATION & PAYMENT REQUIRED: Once you've reviewed the event details, and decided you'd like to join us, you MUST sign up at the bottom of this page. This is a paid event with payment managed by the trip leader(s) and NOT the AOC. Please read the event description carefully for payment details and instructions.

Beginner Caving & Camping Weekend

The Basics:

Event Type:

Caving

Event Location:

Jackson County, Alabama (near Scottsboro)

Date(s) & Time:

Sat, Mar 14 2009 7:15 am >> N/A (Carpool Departure: 7:30 am *log in for location*)

Registration Opens:

Tue, Feb 24 2009 9:00 pm

Registration Cut Off:

Fri, Mar 13 2009 6:00 pm

Event Duration:

Sat-Sun

Difficulty Rating:

D3: Moderate

Trip Leader(s):

EB
Jason Kotz

Email Trip Leader(s)
You must be logged in to get the Trip Leader contact information.

Member Cost:

$20.00/Person (See Detailed Cost Info Below)

Participant Info:

Who's Invited:

Members Only, 21 And Older Only

Maximum Group Size:

Minimum Group Size:

Number Registered So Far:

11 / 0 (To see who's signed up, log in to the Member Area)

Are Dogs Permitted:

Itinerary:

This event is a beginner's level trip. We will spend the weekend introducing AOC members to the sport of caving by reviewing required and recommended gear, as well as fun and safe caving practices, all while we progressively explore 3 different levels of caves. We encourage you to e-mail us with any questions you may have about gear, what it takes to cave in general, or any other concerns you may have. Intermediate and advanced cavers are of course welcome!

Tuesday, March 11th

Optional Caving Event Information Meeting (AOC Social)

There will be an optional information meeting at 7pm, 30 minutes before the AOC Social, on March 11th (please check back to confirm location). This meeting will allow our event members to meet up with us regarding any questions you have regarding caving gear and what you can expect on this trip. We will bring all of our caving gear so you can see what kind of gear we use on our trips, with plenty of time before the trip for you to take stock of your own gear and make any necessary adjustments.

Saturday, March 14th

Cedar Ridge Crystal Cave

This is a small cave right outside of Kimball, TN that has a lot of beautiful formations and is great for taking pictures.
We will be in a single large room and never far from the entrance. This is a very good introduction to wild caving to make sure you can handle being underground.

Bring lunch and we'll hang out and eat before we head to our next cave.

Bluff's River Cave

This nice, large cave is about a mile long and follows a long stream passage. There are a lot of places where you will get an opportunity to scramble over rocks, exposure to walking through stream passages, and (at the end of the cave) an opportunity to climb a cave hill and squeeze through a crawlway into a formation room.
Unless the cave is unusually flooded, the water level shouldn't be above your calf or thighs (based on your height).

We'll be primitive camping that night at: Goose Pond Colony Camping
After setting up camp and getting cleaned up (they do have an available bath house) we'll head over to The Dock's Restaurant for dinner.

Sunday, March 15th

Tumbling Rock Cave

In the morning, we'll pack up camp, find somewhere for breakfast, and then drive to the SCCI's Tumbling Rock property. This is one of our favorite caves. This cave is mainly dry with a couple of minor wet areas around the King's Shower and another small waterfall. There are a few rock scrambles, belly crawls, and tight squeezes to navigate. We plan on being in Tumbling Rock for about 4-5 hours with a goal of reaching The King's Shower area (this is a 400 foot dome with a trickling water fall) and The Christmas Tree formation.

Since we will be in the cave for several hours, you must bring snacks, water, batteries. We recommend a receptacle for your waste (if you need guidance on this, please contact Jason or EB for gender-specific suggestions :)

Tumbling Rock Map

Required Items to Bring:
Use our AOC Caving Gear Checklist to make sure you have all the caving gear that you'll need.

We have access to an allotment of cave helmets with lights that are available for a rental cost of $12. After you have registered for this event, Please let us know if you'll need to rent a helmet.

Use our AOC Camping Gear Checklist to make sure you have all the car camping gear that you'll need.

Recommended Items to Bring:
Use our Event Checklists to make sure you have everything you need.

Snacks or a small Lunch to be eaten outside Cedar Ridge Crystal Cave before heading to Bluffs River Cave. Granola, power bars, and sandwiches work well. Small Tupperware helps your food from getting smashed.

Extra Money for dinner on Saturday night and breakfast Sunday morning. This is a camping event and you are more than welcome to handle your own meals. After caving all day we have decided to make use of the camp ground's restaurant and then find breakfast Sunday morning.

How to Get There:

Event Directions:

A map and directions to the Cave locations will be provided at the carpool.

Carpool to Event Distance (round trip):

420Mile(s)

Carpool Departure Time:

7:30 am

Carpool Location:

Carpool Directions:

Carpool Cost:

Estimated cost per vehicle for this event is $168.00 using a reimbursement rate guideline of $0.400 per mile. The total amount should be divided by the number of people in the vehicle, including the driver. This is a guideline, not a rule, for drivers but the cost should not be higher unless there are extenuating circumstances.

Notes:

Caving can be a very challenging sport, both physically and mentally. Please respect your fellow cavers by being prepared and in decent physical and mental shape before attending this event.

* We encourage all members to follow our Etiquette Guidelines while participating in AOC events.

Cost & Payment:

Member Cost:

$20.00/Person

Non-Member Cost:

$20.00/Person

Cost Includes:

Regular members of the SCCi will be asked to make a $7 donation. Non-members age 18 and over will be asked to make a $10 donation. SCCi Sustaining Members will not be asked to make a donation, as they already donate to the SCCi each month, and the SCCi uses a portion of those donated funds to support the Tumbling Rock Cave Preserve.

Goose Pond Primitive Camping is $10 per tent.

Make a Payment:

Although there is a cost for this event, you do not pay through the AOC. Please review the event details carefully for information about how/where to make your payment.

Cancellation/Partial Attendance: Please review the AOC cancellation policy.