Speleo-Schedule Published by FRANKLIN COUNTY GROTTO An Internal Organization of the National Speleological Society September 2013 2013 EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE CHAIR Kenneth B. Tayman 13373 Sunrise Drive Blue Ridge Summit, PA 17214 (717) 794-2069 MEMBERSHIP DUES REGULAR (NSS MEMBER) $10 NON-NSS MEMBERS $12 FAMILY MEMBERS $ 3 LIFE (NSS ONLY) 20 x Reg SECRETARY Pat Minnick 14220 Blue Mountain Rd Waynesboro, PA 17268 (717) 765-0521 VICE-CHAIR Gordy Ley 34 North Miller St Fairfield, PA 17320 (717) 642-8970 TREASURER John Boswell 45 Manada Creek Circle Carlisle, PA 17013 (717) 386-5397 MEMBER-AT-LARGE Steve Isch 4608 Myers Road Glen Rock, PA 17327 (717) 515-8744 EDITOR Kenneth B. Tayman 13373 Sunrise Drive Blue Ridge Summit, PA 17214 (717) 794-2069 MEMBER-AT-LARGE Glen Sarvis 21 Helen Ave Mechanicsburg, PA (717) 642-8970 WEB SITE: www.karst.org/fcg Webmaster: Don Arrowood darrowood@comcast.net The Franklin County Grotto Speleo-Schedule is published once per month, after the monthly meeting. It summarizes topics discussed at the monthly meeting and includes a calendar of upcoming events. It may also include articles, pictures and comments that did not make it into the Cumberland Valley Caver, our newsletter that is only published quarterly. This publication also offers the opportunity to showcase more members and caving activities on the cover. Meetings are held third Monday of the month (except December), 7:30 PM at the Franklin Fire Department, 138 W. King St (at Franklin St), Chambersburg, PA. 17201. Visitors are welcome, Cave trips, projects and caving events are planned at these meetings. Contact Franklin County Grotto at FCG@KARST.ORG or any of the above officers for additional information. Cover Photo: Jim Schweitzer in Walnut Ridge at the top of cable ladder climb. Photo by: unknown
Notes from September 16, 2013 meeting: Members present: Ken Tayman, John Boswell, Ken Jones, Glen Sarvis, Pat Minnick, Don Arrowood, Abe Fisher and Dick Anderson Treasurer s Report: Balance $3583.90 as of 09/16/2013 Sending $75 Cave Bucks to West Virginia Cave Conservancy Sending $75 Cave Bucks to Mid-Atlantic Karst Conservancy Cave Bucks collected $8 Cleversburg Sink: Water level 5' as of September 16. Down a couple more feet since early August. Considering a wetsuit trip?? Any interest? Contact Gordy Ley or Ken T Burd Run Cleanup: Will plan do the Burd Run Cleanup on October 19, 2013. Will meet at the corner of soccer field parking lot Park Ave West at 10:00. Plan to Pick up trash along Burd Run, Pick up trash off loop past the Den Caves, Remover some small - medium timber from the stream near the whirlpool section, remove downed tree from in front of Den#3 entrance, and pick up trash in Cleversburg Sink. Replace register in Carnegie. After Cleanup, plan to have some Hot Dogs, Then go caving in the 5 small Cleversburg Den Caves. (Note: If the water continues to drop for the next month we could possibly do a Cleversburg trip) Carnegie Cave: FCG Web Site: www.karst.org/fcg/ Cumberland Valley Caver: June issue on line at: www.karst.org/fcg/cvc_vol14_i2.pdf Corker Hill/Frustration Pit: Frustration Pit nominated for Carbide Lamp only trip in November? Date McFadden Cave: Has a new owner. Efforts are currently ongoing to continue access. New owner may require releases. Please do not attempt to visit this cave until access is worked out. POC Ken Jones 6th Annual Winter Trip: Weekend after Jan meeting. Thinking about asking Ed Kehs to set up for Butler. Will advise. Presentations at Meeting: An idea was floated to have a short presentation now and then to present some projects. If we can get the process set up, then we can do a few slides on digs and surveys. What would it take to automate a presentation WISH LIST!! If there is a cave you want to put on the schedule. Let Gordy, John or Ken T know and, if doable, we can add it to the schedule. Only need 3 or 4 people to make it viable.? Sep 27-29 Sep 27-29 Speleo-Calendar Lightner's (vertical) Gordy Butler Ken T Friar's Hole (proper) Vertical Gordy Sinks of Gandy / Still House Big Ridge Vertical trip: Ed Kehs Will help set up trip after convention FCG POC John Boswell Fall MAR, hosted by Nittany Grotto at Lincoln Caverns, Huntingdon, PA www.caves.org/grotto/nittany/calendar.htm Fall VAR at Greenbrier Poorfarm www.varegion.org/var/events/fallvar/fallvar.shtml NSS Convention 2013 Shippensburg, PA: need to send out thank you notes trip leaders please send short note on trips led to Ken T Fieldwork: Don has selected a lead from Mike Houpt's notes and will be doing some ridge walking near White Tail. (2-Tops). Dick will accept some help on his dig in Oct/Nov when cooler. Gordy still has a few projects that need work. Levi's dig, Don's Dig, Gordy has been in contact with the current Coy Cave entrance owner and want todo an entrance cleanup. Survey Project: Cleversburg Den Caves survey. No update Vertical Practice: Pat will run a vertical practice at his house if requested. ( patanne@pa.net ) Also: Gordy will run vertical practice at his house as requested. Just to run rope or a great opportunity to fine tune new systems Contact Gordy for date and time gordyley@embarqmail.com Bat Box Project: Stephanie wants to do a bat box project, build and place couple boxes. She will ramrod this. (select design, arrange construction activity and select sites) OTR: was already wet & sloppy, several didn't set up/left early Oct 19 Oct 21 NOV Nov 18 December Jan 2014 Jan 20 Jan 24-26 Feb 17 Feb 22 Mar 17 Mar 28-30 DAY TRIPS Potential Trips Burd Run Cleanup 10 AM at Soccer Field (see page 3) POC Ken T ktayman@embarqmail.com Regular monthly Meeting Nomination for 2014 Officers Carbide Lamp only trip (Frustration Pit?) Regular monthly Meeting Election of 2014 Officers No Meeting. Happy Holidays New Year Party 6th Annual Winter trip: Annual MAR business meeting POC Pat Minnick patanne@pa.net Don Arrowood darrowodd@comcast.net ER-NCRC Orientation to Cave Rescue Class Eastern Mennonite Univ, Near Harrisonburg, VA POC Pat Minnick ( patanne@pa.net ) Peipers, Whiting Neck, Welsh Run. Big Ridge, P-Caves, Frustration Pit, Hershey Coy Walnut Ridge, Lemon Hole Butler, various mapping projects open for participation http://www.varegion.org/var/regevents.shtml or
Burd Run Clean-Up October 19,2013 Will plan do the Burd Run Cleanup on October 19, 2013. We will meet at the far corner of soccer field parking lot on Park Ave West at 10:00. Plan to pick up trash along Burd Run, pick up trash off loop past the Den Caves, Remover some small - medium timber from the stream near the whirlpool section, remove downed tree from in front of Den#3 entrance, and pick up and trash in Cleversburg Sink. Replace register in Carnegie. After Cleanup, plan to have some Hot Dogs, Then go caving in the 5 small Cleversburg Den Caves. (Note: If the water continues to drop for the next month we could possibly do a Cleversburg trip) Orientation to Cave Rescue (OCR) March 28-30, 2014 There will be a ER-NCRC OCR at Eastern Mennonite Univ, Harrisonburg, VA. Pat Minnick is on the ER-NCTC staff and will be working this class. Contact him for more details. The website below will contain more pertinent information as it is updated An introductory level program which consists of classroom and field work in all phases of cave rescue including: underground environment, extrication techniques, communication systems, medical management, and organization and management of cave rescue. The basic orientation course material is presented for students who typically include cavers, emergency services personnel, and rescue management personnel. Please let Ken T know if you plan to attend, so he can het a count on how many hot dogs to get. Carbide Lamp only Trip November?? A proposed trip using only carbide lamps. Enjoy the soft diffused light of carbide lamps. It was the main light source in the 50's and 60's. There a few lamps available for those who need to borrow one. Also need to make arrangements for a helmet with a mount for the lamps. Contact Gordy Ley or Ken Tayman for info Cleversburg Sink Current water level As of Sep16, 2013, the water level in Cleversburg Sink was: Up to the old gate In the entrance room Near Top of ladder Mid-ladder >>>>>5th rung of ladder<<<<< Base of ladder Knee deep Sand room sump Dry Water is about 5 feet deep Checked by: John Boswell & Ken T Water was at rung 5 (from bottom)