Photos from today's caving trip...taking a newbie

It's a combination, not a key lock. The combination is written in the cave register inside the gate.

There's also a hacksaw with the cave register in case the lock jams.

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Was this the same place you took Abby?

No, that was Fulford, south of Eagle -- a beginner cave. This is an expert-level cave.

oh! You took a newbie to an expert cave?

No, she's an experienced mountain and ice climber. She's just never been caving.

Major bean, we took Margaret to a cave in the Black Hills when she was 3 or 4. She wanted out and we had to leave.

Great photos! What an adventure, thank you very much for sharing the photos. Have you ever spelunked the Park County cave, up Cave Creek in Pike National Forest? Purported to be Colorado's second largest cavern?

There are two in Park County. I think the one you are talking about is Cave Creek Cavern. It has the largest room of any cave in Colorado. The Big Room, now known as The Colorado Room, is 250 feet long, 60 feet wide, and 100 feet tall. It's a 3-mile hike to the entrance and the entrance covers over with loose rock from time to time. I think the entrance is currently buried after being dug out a number of times.

The other is on private property south of Trout Creek Pass. It's called Porcupine Cave and was Margaret's first cave when she was 9.

Cave Creek Cavern, the opening has been reinforced with the installation of culvert. It was a difficult find the first time, but wouldn't be a problem for us from now on. Not being spelunkers we didn't venture in, but one of the elk hunters did, was gone quite some time, didn't find the cavern. We've got pictures!