AY Honors/Caving - Advanced/Answer Key
1. Have the Caving Honor.
2. Obtain geological survey maps of the area where you go caving. Map out on them the location of all known caves you have explored.
Maps of your local area may be bought at an outdoor sporting goods store, and in some cases, at book store. You can also order them from the USGS if the area you want a map of is in the United States. The USGS also provides free downloads of digitally scanned topographical maps.
(Never post exact cave locations, (i.e. GPS coordinates) or directions to caves in public places, such as the internet.)
3. Be able to give an explanation for how these caves were formed; what they have in common; what can be expected in them in the way of physical characteristics such as types and extent of formations, effects of prior water activity, presence and nature of fossils, presence and nature of life forms including bats.
This is a very broad question which we will break down into sections.
How caves are formed
What do caves have in common
Types of formations
Effects of water activity
Fossils
Life forms
4. Obtain proper rappelling equipment and learn how to use it either by studying a book on mountain climbing techniques or locating a person or club group already experienced who are willing to instruct you. Plan and execute a cave trip where it is necessary to rappel at least forty feet (12 meters) and climb back out.
Rappelling Equipment
Learning to Use Rappelling Equipment
Joining a club or going with experienced cavers is going to be the best idea, although reading up on theory is a great idea.
Planning and taking your trip
5. Conduct a biological survey of a cave entrance, the cave twilight zone, the deep cave floor, the deep cave wall and the deep cave ceiling. Photograph single specimens of, and identify every form of plant and animal life in each of these troglodytic zones. Compare pictures with nearest natural history museum for help in identification. Publications on cave flora and fauna of the National Speleological Society will help also. Remember slogan, "Take nothing but photographs, leave nothing but footprints."
6. Log 100 hours of caving experience. Keep accurate records of each caving trip.
- A good cave log will contain
- Cave Name
- Type of Cave (Horizontal or Vertical)
- Group Size
- Hours Spent in the Cave
- Comments about the Cave
The ten hours required in the Caving Honor are a good start, now get underground again.
7. Conduct a caving course, to be climaxed by several field trips for a group of young people in your community or church.
Teaching the Caving Honor would be a great way to fulfill this requirement. That will also earn you an instructor diamond for your Caving Honor patch.
8. Make friends with at least one cave owner. Determine what he expects of cavers exploring his cave, and do more than he expects you to do in following these directions.
Develop a good relationship by respecting his cave and his property. Also try to give them a gift each time you go to their cave, if you give them the same thing each time, they will remember you better and give you more access to their cave.
