9/1/2009 10:25:00 AM It's an underground movement gaining popularity: Caving in southeast Minnesota
Kandy Olson of Lake City rafts across Dragon's Jaw Lake, deep within the Mystery Cave system, during the Minnesota Speleological Survey member event at Forestville-Mystery Cave State Park Aug. 21 to 23.
By Lisa Brainard
It wasn't your average reunion being held at the two group campsites at Forestville-Mystery Cave the weekend of Aug. 21 to 23.
Sure, they came for the fellowship and a chance to see old friends. They also came for the cornfeed. But muddy clothes and helmets touting headlamps gave away their major intention for the weekend. They had come to crawl around the caves.
The Minnesota Speleological Survey (MSS) - the state's organization of cavers - visited the state park for its annual Caving and Cornfeed event. The 50 members present used the two group campsites as headquarters for tents, RVs, meals, presentations and skits and - most importantly - as a place to post all types of caving trips, which MSS members could sign up for.
Locations included parts of the Mystery Cave system off the commercial cave tour route, as well as John Ackerman's Holy Grail Cave. Trips were offered for all levels of experience, from beginning to advanced cavers.
MSS members who had passed a course to be group leaders led the cave trips. As Rick Nelson of Andover and Bill Schmidt of South St. Paul noted, there's been a change of the guard in that area. These two have been caving since the 1970s and the mid-1980s, respectively. While they used to bring their young children on these trips, now those same young adults and their friends are qualified and leading tours.
Nelson got into caving because as a diver he wanted to learn cave diving. At first, people tried to dissuade him from it, but then said he needed to learn caving techniques in order to be safe. He got involved with the MSS, where he said, "People are willing to help one another. That's fortunate. The more we do, the more help there is and people gravitate to become group leaders."
History
Nelson goes way back with the Mystery Cave system. He knew Clarence "Slim" Prohaska, who owned the cave before it was purchased by the state, and was a group leader with him. He also caved with Neil Davies, who later owned it.
Nelson said of Davies, "He knew we cared about the cave. He pretty much gave us free rein. If he said we shouldn't go in areas, we wouldn't go. When the state bought it, I was grandfathered in with the group."
Warren Netherton, the cave specialist in the park, and Mark White, park manager, are two more caving partners of Nelson's. He stated, "They understand we know and appreciate the cave... We would not hurt it."
They just keep coming back, too. In addition to the Caving and Cornfeed Weekend each August, for 30 years in a row Nelson has been part of a group caving over Thanksgiving. He explained they used to sleep in the cave overnight before the state bought it, but now stay in Preston where, he noted, "A hot tub is nice."
The Thanksgiving event is an invitational and not an open club event. Nelson smiled, "Us old people cave with others like us."
Schmidt added, "It's not so hard." Both noted they take a slower pace caving than the younger group leaders. It can become strenuous when crawling through tight passages or up and down rocky areas.
Over the past 20 years both men - former MSS board members - said membership in the group has really grown. Nelson laughed and said now there are actually MSS board elections, whereas in the past they had to work hard to even get board members.
"We have a common bond," said Nelson of the cavers of all ages. "No matter what you do, it's cool."
When he got into the sport, there were a lot of college kids involved, as well as people who couldn't afford expensive sports. Nelson said people could get equipment for other endeavors and "make it work" for caving. Also, they made do with Army surplus gear.
"It's more technical now. Climbing is a big thing," he said with a nod toward climbing ropes and harnesses hooked up to beams in the sturdy shelter at the group campsites - and the people going up and down them.
Schmidt looked at young adults hanging out and commented, "They were kids when I started. They've been places I've never been... and that they'll be, but will never be again."
He said that he and Nelson are lucky in that their wives let them go fishing, camping and caving. In fact, Schmidt's wife used to cave until medical issues prevented it.
His training includes doing cave surveys and also helping Netherton do a bat count in the cave. It is closed much of the winter to protect hibernating bats.
Getting involved
Kandy Olson, current treasurer of the MSS and from Lake City, has been with the group for four years. She noted she went with a friend to visit a cave located on a farm west of Lake City, which got her into the sport. She and her husband, who's not an active caver, later searched the Internet and found the wild caving tour offered commercially at Mystery Cave. Through that, they got connected with the MSS.
She said, "It's a great way to meet great people and get underground."
If interested in getting started with caving, the MSS members said a person can just wear an old pair of jeans and old shirt, along with knee and elbow pads (perhaps from wrestling) that may be duct-taped to clothing to prevent them from moving when crawling underground. Lug-soled boots are needed, as well as a hard hat with a lamp on it, as well as two more sources of light. Gloves are also required.
Nelson noted it's a very "green" sport. "We take nothing but pictures and leave nothing but footprints."
His final words of advice to cavers of all abilities are to "cave safely." He also said he really enjoys the beauty of southeastern Minnesota and driving its roads - although most of his time is spent in caves.
The MSS meets the second Tuesday of each month at the REI store in Bloomington. Membership fees, which come due at the Caving and Cornfeed event, are $15 a year - and give free camping, corn and access to caving at that event. Membership forms may be found online by clicking on "Join" at http://www.mss-caving.org/
Reader Comments
Posted: Sunday, September 20, 2009
Article comment by:
Eric McMaster
The MSS meets the 2nd Wed of most months at REI, not Tuesday as listed in the article.
