this cave is now over 40 miles of passage, and this room is way more beautiful than any film or pictures can show. It is gated, and visitors must get permission, plus go with an experienced caver. Worth every minute, done it several times
How do you get to this? I have lived in sparta my whole life and only cave I have known about is the Cumberland caverns which is in close to fall creek falls and the lost cave in Firestone wilderness so can someone tell me where this is please? Like GPS maybe please. Really would love to go
Is this the cave as you’re going up Bon Air or is it a different cave? I’m from Sparta, and know there is one over near the civic center by the baseball field as you go up the mountain. Not sure if you’ll see this or not.
Might be the same as one I visited. Had a different name. Only went in to climb a dome. That was when I was still single-jacking my rigging. No cordless power tools back then. Worked alone going on 9 hours . Left it to do a fist and toe jam ascent up a solution crack. Found it has a too-tight blowing hole. Slippery and rock looked rotten above that hole. Descended. Had a late lunch. Napped under a burning candle. Waiting for Mr Montgomery to pass with his explorers.
I use two video cameras. GoPro mounted to my head so I can keep my hands free and a regular video camera that I typically use with a tripod. The regular video camera does much better in low light than the GoPro. I thought about a camera stabilizer for the GoPro, but then I would be holding it and most of the shots I use it for require me to have my hands free for climbing up or down. Sometimes I walk with the video camera (when it is dry) and though the image is shaky, I'd rather trade that off versus a GoPro where the image would be dark. If GoPro or any other sports video camera maker ever came out with a camera that had a 1" sensor, for low light I would only need one camera. Maybe some day.
I don’t know about the actual declared discovery date but as this cave is practically in my back yard. We were constantly in there even before the steps. I lived on Doran rd in Sparta. For those who’d like to check my statement out.
Oh and an interesting side note. All the water in the caves are connected to the coldest swimming hole in the state known locally as the Hell hole. Some have also called it the Blue hole. In the middle of the swimmable area seems bottomless.
ninney 79 coal bank road up toward Bon air. But Johnson rd I think if you driving. We traveled through the woods a lot. But at the time a friend of mine knew the People who owned the land. The Carr family. Not sure how you’d do it anymore. Also another time we frequently went was when a friend of mine lived on Johnson at the top of the bluff.
@@slydawg798 , Thank you! My wife and I enjoy going out around that area hunting arrowheads. We are always looking for new fields to walk but it can be hard to find the land owners for permission sometimes. I also think knuckleheads have made it harder for honest respectful people to get permission.
ninney 79 they are nice folk. I’m sure if you are honest respectful responsible people you’ll have no problems. We probably actually know each other. Lol
Glad to see Mandy Weeks still living with 1970-80 caving. I came into it late. From caving out west and in Oceania. Went back to it . Go eyeball a deep, wet, and wide one on Kanton Island. Using Google Earth. All the infrastructure you see there today was built and maintained by civilians. Hired out of the USA with paid travel there and home again. I had to certify for SCUBA to do my caving overseas. Ditto, Nickajack and Snail Shell Cave.
I've used a Title Officer to locate property owner contact information. Also had my elected NSS officers advise me of prior cave owner contacts. Volunteered to assist private and public works inside caves to earn more quality time therein. Also signed waivers for insurance reasons to explore state land. I joined to Detroit Urban Grotto to see their Flint Ridge exploration under Kentucky. 5 years later I moved on to the Southern California Grotto. At present I get caving assistance from the British Columbia Speleological Federation. Guess where the deepest cave in North America is located ?
