65 Years Later: We Mapped a 100-Foot Pit Discovered by Tom Barr
- 1 hour ago
- 3 min read
Join Jason and me as we travel into the far reaches of Marion County, Tennessee, to survey one of the last remaining 100-foot pits in the area that had never been mapped. To gather our data underground, we used the Bric5 Survey Tool to instantly and accurately capture distance, compass readings, and inclination, while Jason utilized TopoDroid for the actual survey mapping. To measure the pit depth we use a Keson 200' Fiberglass Tape.
This cave was originally discovered in 1961 by Dr. Thomas C. Barr, Jr. (1931–2011), a legendary zoologist, cave biologist, and caver. Dr. Barr was hired by the State of Tennessee to conduct a comprehensive geological and biological survey of Tennessee’s caves, which led to his foundational 1961 publication, "Caves of Tennessee." His work documented hundreds of caves across the state and remains one of the most important references in Tennessee cave history.
It is remarkable that after 65 years, this 100-foot pit had still never been surveyed. What makes this cave even more interesting is that it is what cavers call a blind pit, a vertical drop with little to no passage continuing at the bottom. While it may be small compared to many Tennessee caves, it represents an important piece of the underground puzzle that was still missing from the record.
The day we chose to survey this pit turned out to be one of the hottest days of the year. With no wind and the temperatures soaring, we hiked more than 350 feet in elevation to reach the entrance. As we approached the pit, we could hear thunder building in the distance and hoped the storm would bring some relief from the heat.
The rain held off while we rigged and completed the survey, but as we began making our way out, the storm finally arrived. Just as Jason exited the pit, a heavy downpour moved in, transforming the once-dry entrance into a very drippy pit while I was still climbing out.
Inside this small but fascinating cave, we discovered an incredible amount of life, including cave salamanders, spotted salamanders, slimy salamanders, a newt, cave crickets, cave spiders, and even a snail. It was a great reminder that even the smallest caves can support a surprising diversity of life.
Join us as we document this forgotten piece of Tennessee’s underground history and add another cave to the growing record of mapped caves in the Volunteer State.
00:01 - Hiking Up in the Heat!
01:20 - Arriving at the Pit Entrance
01:34 - What is a "Blind Pit"?
04:33 - Overview of Survey Instruments Used
05:59 - Starting the Survey
09:24 - Descending the 100 Foot Pit
12:43 - Lowering the Survey Tape to Measure the Pit
16:04 - Surveying the Bottom of the Pit
20:01 - Showing the Sketches on TopoDroid
25:00 - More Cave Life! Salamanders & Spiders
30:00 - Caught in a Downpour: Climbing Out of a Drippy Pit
36:14 - Outro and Hiking Off the Mountain
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