How Cavers Make New Caves

Come along with us as we start our ridge walking for the fall/winter season. Each year, during this time cavers will comb the woods looking for new caves. Here in Tennessee, to qualify as a cave it must be at least 50 feet horizontal, and for a pit, it must be 30 feet deep. If it does not qualify it is referred to as a Karst Feature. On this day, we set out to work on a lead, but instead ended up ridge walking. We found three leads, one of which did qualify, and one we had to modify to gain entry. Please note that the landowner showed us the cave that we had to gain entry into. He also gave us permission to modify the entrance for entry.