**The editor would like to thank everyone who contributed to this two-month
edition. It is you, the membership, that continue to make this organization work.
Kudos and Three Cheers! (and beers!)
Next Meeting: Wednesday, September 1, 7PM.
***************************************************
Check out Chouteau's webpage:
http://web.missouri.edu/~ccmikew/chouteau.html
Webmaster: Michael Wardin: wardinr@missouri.edu
***************************************************
8/21: Stream Team: Clean up Columbia: Join us and the City of Columbia, NBC 8,
102.3BXR and the Columbia Daily Tribune for this annual event, a city-wide litter
pickup event. A fun day is planned for all, including a noon, post clean-up
barbecue sponsored by Nowell's IGA. Free event T-shirts, provided by GTE, will be
presented to all participants. Swimming at Twin Lakes will also be available. We
will convene at the parking lot at Rock Quarry Road and 763 at 9am, to pick up
trash along our adopted section of Gans Creek. Call Daryl for more information or
email Mocaver@aol.com
Looking ahead:
Plans for the 40th-ish Anniversary Celebration-Reunion of the Chouteau Grotto will
be discussed at the meeting. This event has been tentatively scheduled for the
weekend of September 24th, but it is generating some conflict. Plans include a
potluck dinner, music, cave trips, camping, sauna, and fellowship. Contact Daryl
for more info.
Anna Davis has completed a water quality training course and will be looking to
schedule some trips in September. This will involve macroinvertebrate
identification and pH, dissolved solids, dissolved oxygen, nitrate and flow
estimates. We will discuss these plans at the August meeting.
Grotto & friends/family float trip to the Upper Jack's Fork and Jam Up Cave
venture in mid October (16th and 17th). Anyone willing to help organize this
please contact Anna Dennis 442-2497 or amd4407@aol.com
8/11-14: Mammoth Cave Restoration Field Camp, Mammoth Cave, Kentucky.
Contact Norm Rogers, 309-682-1570, nrogers1@juno.com Recently, the NSS and the
National Park Service at Mammoth Cave, entered into a
cooperative agreement to complete restoration work in relation to the parkís
Historic Entrance/Echo River Ecotone Project. Restoration activities include
removing bridges, walk ways, and the lighting
system in the Echo River and Cascade Hall areas of the cave. This is a great
opportunity to visit many areas of the cave that are no longer shown to tourists,
while doing a great service for the ecosystem of the cave. Grotto membership, or
membership in the NSS is not a requirement to participate in this project. Also,
because of federal funding, food and lodging is FREE and participants can expect a
partial reimbursement for their travel expenses.
8/14-22: NCRC Eastern Region Annual Week-long rescue seminar, at Camp Pioneer near
Dailey, WV. Offering Levels 1,2,3 as well as Wilderness EMT. For more info: John
Massa 16409 Greenfarm Rd., Huntersville, NC 28078 or email:
weeklong@milleorthoclinic.com
8/27-29: Speleology Workshop for Cavers: Biology and Cave Mapping.
Presley Education Center, Shannon County MO. This is a FREE workshop sponsored by
the Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC) with the help of the Missouri
Speleological Survey (MSS) and Cave Research Foundation (CRF). Participants will
simply have to send a deposit check of $25 which WILL BE RETURNED AT THE END OF
THE WORKSHOP. It will be held at the Jerry J. Presley Conservation Education
Center which is located 16 miles north of Eminence on Highway 19.(This is about 4
miles north of Round Spring.) The Presley Center is an MDC facility (formerly the
Alton Club) located on the banks of the Current River and includes sleeping and
eating facilities, library, recreation area and equipment (horseshoes, basketball,
billiards, fishing, canoeing, tennis), lounge, etc. THERE IS NO CHARGE FOR LODGING
AND MEALS. Linens, pillows, and towels are also included. You need to bring: basic
caving gear, notebook, etc. We will supply other materials. For more information
please contact: Scott House, 2159 Lonedell Road, Arnold MO 63010 (314) 323-4236
Home; (573) 598-4310 Cabin; rshcrf@aol.com
8/27-29: Introduction to Basic Cave Rescue Orientation Seminar. Presented by the
Huntsville Cave Rescue Unit in Huntsville, AL. FMI: Ed Nicholas (256) 859-5550 or
eknsar@airnet.net
09/24-26: 13th Annual Ozark Regional Caver's Gathering, McDonald County, MO. FMI:
Nick & Gail Campagna, RT 2, Box 2770, Seymour, MO 65746. (417) 683-0100;
campagna@goin.missouri.org
10/7-10: 22nd Annual TAG Fall Cave-In, Sequoyah Caverns, Valley Head, AL. Hosted
by the Dogwood City Grotto. Preregistration: Edie Cowan (770) 939-0970;
mewnak@mindspring.com
10/22-24: Fall MVOR at Ozark Outdoors (formerly Keyes Canoe Rental), Leasburg, MO.
This is in/near the Huzzah Valley Conservation Area and Onondaga Cave State Park.
Details as they arrive.
06/05: Patti Williamson and Greg Leonard went to Lone Hill Onyx Cave. The group
also stopped in at Indian Cave and took the tour of Fisher Cave as well. Patti
reportedly has some nice photographs.
06/27: Stream Team Float Trip. See "stories" below (#4)
07/12-16: NSS Convention, Filer, Idaho. The following members were at convention:
Rita, Grace, and Orin Worden, Jennifer Wolff, Roger Brown, Rick and Mike Walk.
Orin, Rita, and Jennifer visited Tee Cave, Maze Cave, Pot-O-Gold Cave, Owl Cave
and Spider Cave. Grace went to Tee and Maze; Rita, Grace and Roger went to
Jawdropper Cave, and Orin and Jennifer visited Boyscout Cave at Craters of the
Moon. These are all lava tubes in Idaho. On separate trips, Jennifer and Orin, and
Rita and Grace did the 4 hour "cavers" tour of Jewel Cave in the Black Hills of
South Dakota. Rick and Mike Walk had a near-miss on the highway. See "stories"
below. (#4)
Louise Hose and Dave Lester led a team of about 16 noted sulfur cave specialists
to the Kane Caves in Wyoming prior to the NSS Convention. Billed as a Geology and
Geography Section Pre-Convention Field Trip, the attendees included Art and Peggy
Palmer, Carol Hill, Victor Polyak, and Paula Provencia. The scientists talked
about comparisons between these caves, the caves of the Guadalupe Mountains in New
Mexico (Carlsbad Cavern, Lechuguilla, etc.), and Cueva de Villa Luz in southern
Mexico. Hose and Lester, along with Harvey DuChene of Colorado, also finished new,
detailed maps of both Kane Caves this summer. Bob Richards is currently finishing
up the cartography and will, undoubtedly, use it as one of his Cartography Salon
entries next year. The map of Cueva de Villa Luz by Richards/Hose cartography team
won a blue ribbon in the NSS Cartography Salon this year.
07/12ish: In addition to the convention, Orin Worden and Jennifer Wolff also went
to Rocky Mountain National Park, Colorado National Monument, Arches National Park,
Yellowstone, and Custer National Park (in the Black Hills) while in the west, and
the group also visited Wild Rose and Willow Creek Hot Springs in Idaho.
07/3-16: Bob Lerch and Daryl Greaser hiked 40 miles of the Continental Divide
Trail in the Anaconda-Pintler Wilderness in SW Montana, visited Lost Trail Hot
Springs, went White water rafting on the Blackfoot River, climbed an unnamed peak
in the Bitterroot range, and most importantly, explored Garrity Cave, a multi-drop
alpine limestone cave whose opening occurs at 8100' near Anaconda, MT. The dynamic
duo also saw fresh Grizzly bear tracks, a herd of Elk, found a moose antler, and
took in the breathtaking vistas during their hike. In addition to the outdoor
festivities, the two also took time out to sample local brew pubs in Bozeman and
Missoula.
Summer, summer, summertime: Our esteemed President, Mike Morgan states he's spent
the last couple months hanging french doors, building a porch, bailing hay, and
fixing culverts. He says he can't wait to go caving again!
07/31: Jennifer Wolff, Rita & Orin Worden, Mississippi Dan and others enjoyed a
float trip on the Meramec River on this weekend. They were believed to have
explored Fisher Springs Cave, but a report was unavailable at the time of this
publication.(?)
07/31: Spring Cave PUSH trip: Daryl Greaser, Bob and Andy Lerch went in search of
the fabled "watercrawl" in the back of Spring Cave in Boone County. The last time
they were there, the "watercrawl" was in fact a sump. After almost three weeks
with no rain, the quest was on. They ended up finding the sump with only 1" of
airspace, so Daryl donned the mask and snorkel and went through a very short
tunnel to come out in walking passage! Needless to say this feat was followed by
considerable hooping and hollering! Unfortunately, after 100 feet or so, he came
to another LOW watercrawl, so without his cohorts in tow (a.k.a. safety reasons),
decided it would have to be done on another trip. (There was "no way in hell" Bob
or Andy were "gettin jiggy with it".) This substantiates Jim Glock's claim that
the cave does in fact go on. Considering the dangerously low airspace, waiting for
a severe drought or enlisting the help of some cave divers might be the best way
to accomplish this task. It is believed by some that a large cave system exists
under the sinkhole plain in which Spring Cave is near.
July/August: Mike Wardin and family spent three weeks traveling and caving in
Wyoming and South Dakota.
Stream Team Float Trip recap:
The Chouteau Stream Team did a special clean up trip along 8.9 miles of the
Meramec River between Woodsoon Woods access and Scott's Ford, on June 27th. The
Stream Team came out in force armed with 20 members and 10 canoes. This was a
special event, as local outfitter Buck's Lodge and Canoe Rental was kind enough to
provide the canoes free of charge in exchange for the clean-up. (There's a reason
I call him Uncle Buck!) We managed to get on the river right at the crack of noon,
which is the usual for this particular trip. We started down the river, picking up
every piece of trash in sight. It is amazing how many people never bother to clean
up after themselves. Meramec Spring is about a mile down the river, where we all
stopped to enjoy a swim in the cold, cold water and pick up some more trash. I
like to "treasure hunt" by snorkeling so I was thrilled when I found a tackle box,
sunglasses, and a net in the spring branch below the dam. (One of these days I'll
find a treasure chest like that guy in the cave out West this year!) Bob got busy
and hauled out an old tire and disposed of it in the conveniently placed dumpster
nearby. All was well until a thunderhead suddenly appeared and drenched us all.
It's a good thing that we had so many trash bags - they make good emergency
raincoats! We all huddled under some short trees as the storm passed overhead.
(Our choice of shelter was quite limited as you could imagine.) About an hour
later, we were back to it, only under cloud cover and light rain. It didn't last
long, and by 5 or so, it was nice and sunny again. My friends and I enjoyed an
hour of playing frisbee on the beach. We passed a spring resurgence that looks
like it could go - I brought my wetsuit to push the watercrawl, but alas, I loaned
it to Rita for warmth earlier and she was nowhere in sight! Oh well. I've floated
this stretch many times and I'm sure I'll be back, right Buck?! Needless to say, a
good time was had by all - well, almost all - I was told that Patti and Greg
swamped their boat, but I wasn't around to laugh...I mean help out!! Oh well, in
10 years of heavy floating I've only been on a handful of trips that someone
didn't lose it at some point. It's as much floating as 'cussing a carbide lamp is
to caving! (Isn't that right Mike?) Needless to say, we managed to stay alive
although not completely dry, and when it was over, we had nearly a pickup truck
full of trash. All in a day's work! When the pictures come back we'll get a
feature prepared for the Foresight. I would like to personally thank Buck and his
family for providing the canoes, and would like to especially thank each and every
one of you for volunteering your time for such a noble cause. I doubt we made a
HUGE ecological impact, but the river sure is a lot prettier to look at - and
that's why I float.
-Daryl Greaser
Caving in Mexico and Egypt
by Joe Hobbs:
In May I went to Yucatan to follow up on my introduction last year to Mayan uses
of caves, and to do a bit of cave snorkeling (I don't do cave diving!). One
highlight was Balankanche Cave ("Throne of the Tiger Priest") near Chichen Itza.
This was an important pilgrimage site in classical Mayan times. The centerpiece of
the cave is a striking column thought by the Maya to be (or to resemble) the
sacred ceiba tree at the center of the world. It is surrounded by pots left as
votive offerings by pious pilgrims in ancient times. The cave was rediscovered in
the 1950s and an extraordinary thing happened. The local Maya who are the
descendants of those ancient pilgrims turned out at the cave to reconsecrate it --
to be sure that Chac Mool (god
of rain, and associated with caves) would not be unhappy with the reopening of the
cave to the outside world. My wife, two daughters, sister and I also visited a
number of cenotes in northern and eastern Yucatan. Some, like the spectacular
Dzitnup, have become regional swimming holes and are popular attractions for the
locals. Five year old Katie and I donned masks and snorkels and paddled around the
Chac Mool cenote. I did the Dos Ojos "jungle adventure" tour which involves
snorkeling (or diving, if that's your thing) in a number of different submerged
caves, all located within a few minutes walk of each other. Wow!
I spent most of June in Egypt laying the groundwork for my excavation next winter
of predynastic (c. 5000 B.C.) tombs in the Eastern Desert. Last week there were
widespread news reports of a discovery in a cave just east of the site. Apparently
there is rock art and other evidence pointing to a culture that used the cave at
about the same time -- 7000 years ago -- so I am anxious to learn more about the
cave and see what connection it might have with the people buried not far away.
Near-miss on the way to Lava Beds National Monument
by Mike Walk
I went to the NSS convention, and I have a story for you. My dad and I started
out our vacation with a 31 hr. drive to Lava Beds National Monument in northern
California. Well It would have been a 31 hr. drive if we hadn't had the accident.
We had just come down out of the mtns. and we threw the left rear tire (wheel AND
rim). While trying to stop, my dad jack-knifed the truck and the overloaded
rescue trailer TWICE, and almost took out two utility poles. Well as luck (or it
could be fate) would have it, the wheel bounced across the yellow line and played
chicken with a Honda CRX. The driver of the Honda didn't have the needed reflexes
and the tire met the Honda where the roof and windshield meet. Shrapnel from the
Honda and the
Bronco hit a truck that was following the Honda. The Bronco, the Honda, and the
truck were the only three vehicles in sight at the time. However, after all the
vehicles had stopped and a quick check for major injuries was made, my dad locked
the front hubs into four wheel drive and drug the truck and trailer out of the
center of the road due to an oncoming semi. The only injuries sustained in the
accident were by the driver of the Honda who only received scratches and minor
cuts from the windshield, which is a miracle considering that the roof of the
Honda was in the drivers seat from the tire.
At the end of the week, when everyone was relaxing after a week of cave rescue
training, the instructors played my dad a song. The song is from an old cave
ballad. The name of the cave ballad is "Loose Wheel". Now, my dad is known by
some as Loose Wheel. I hope you enjoyed this true account of the "uneventful" trip
out to Lava Beds National Monument.
(ed. note: we're all happy you made it through this ordeal uninjured)
Convention Notes, by Dave Lester
Louise and I have been doing a fair amount of caving this summer. On the way
(round-about) to Convention we made it to the Caver Classic at John Scheltens
ranch in Hot Springs S.D. Great Pig roast and lots of caving including trips to
Wind and Jewel. One of the fun things we did was help John (the City Engineer for
Hot Springs) set off the fairly large municipal fireworks display. It is really
different
when you are dropping the rockets into the mortars and getting out of
the way FAST. It has become somewhat of a tradition having cavers do
most of the work for the display. You get a lot of respect for the BIG fireworks.
From there we went to Wyoming and did some caving and lead a pre-convention field
trip for those involved in the science of caves formed through the sulfur
speleologists processes. We visited caves in the Thermopolis and Greybull, WYO
areas. From there on to Idaho and the Convention. Good Geology field trip on
Sunday, and excellent sessions during the week as well as some good parties.
Great cave pictures at the Photo Salon and a good week for everyone.
Quotable quote: "If you wanted to be comfortable, you wouldn't go caving." - Roger
Brown
Survey pictures needed: Jo Schaper is working on sprucing up the MSS Brochure, and
requests photos of surveyors in action if anyone has any to LEND. (They will be
returned.) She plans to have this project done to present to the MSS board for
approval in September. Photos are preferred, but slides will work also. John Walsh
will create an illustration based on the picture. Further inquiries? Email:
JoSchaper@aol.com, contact John if you know him--or send such photos/photocopies
to: Jo Schaper 46 Cedar Drive Pacific, MO 63069-3414. Thanks!
MSS circulation is ready to go! For orders/questions, contact: MSS Circulation,
Bill Pfantz, 7205 Manchester Kansas City, Mo. 64133
816-737-1208. A list of the available back copies is on the website at:
http://www.umsl.edu/~joellaws/ozark_caving/mss/
Have you seen the ads for a series of 1940's western movie videos, featuring "Wild
Bill Elliott?" One of them is called "That Fabulous Texan'";" the actor's name is
Bill Elliott, by the way. So now we know the WHOLE story!
Villa Luz
Louise Hose and Dave Lester are headed to southern Mexico to investigate Cueva de
Villa Luz in the rainy season. Sponsored by a National Geographic Society grant,
the pair will document the cave in the rainy season (assuming weather cooperates)
and capture gas samples for more detailed analyses than in the past. The cave is
known to have high H2S levels and occasionally low O2 and CO.
"News" editor Daryl Greaser will be moving to Montana this December to continue
his education on a full-time basis at the University of Montana - Missoula. As a
result, the position of newsletter editor needs to be filled, with the first issue
being due January, 2000. If you are interested in this position and have a
computer, and are willing to dedicate 8-12 hours per month on this publication,
Daryl can provide you with the software and training required to maximize
efficiency. Please contact him directly. Thanks!!
Two days of batty havoc resulted in 30 days in jail time for two
Cedar County men. Ryan Burns of El Dorado Springs and Joseph Volb of Jericho
Springs were charged with disturbing and killing gray bats in El Dorado Springs
last April. The two, both 18 years old, received 30 day sentences for their
guilty pleas to misdemeanor charges of trespassing in a protected species area and
taking, possessing and transporting an endangered species. Floyd Jackson, 22, of
El Dorado Springs is awaiting trial on similar state and federal charges. The case
of a 15 -year-old juvenile involved in the incident has been assigned to juvenile
court. Cedar County Senior Conservation Agent Quentin Walsh, who investigated the
incident, says boredom appears to have been the motive for the young men's
actions. Walsh says virtually everyone in the town knew about the bats, but until
last April no one disturbed them. The agent paints a grim picture of the damage
done to the bats. "I received a complaint that four young people had killed and
captured some of the bats that lived in the cave that runs underneath the town,"
says Walsh. "So I went with a city police officer to Jackson's apartment. The had
released a number of live bats in the apartment and we found some dead bats whose
heads appeared to have been cut off with scissors, or bitten off. Later that day I
went to the cave and collected about 31 bats that had been killed." -from the
Cuba Free Press
Chouteau Grotto was mentioned in former member Joel Despain's article on Hurricane
Crawl Cave in the June issue of the NSS News. Joel reflected that he met Robert
Childs in the grotto prior to his work in the discovery, exploration, and survey
of this magnificent cave.
Spelunking in the Ozarks was mentioned in the "Destinations" section of the July
issue of Outside magazine. Specifically, Whipoorwill in Arkansas was described as
a potential adventure destination. It gives the number of a local "ecotours"
outfitter.
Chairman
Mike Morgan NSS# 11700
20757 N. Ponderosa Rd.
Clark, MO 65243
(573)-687-3254
CaveCriter@aol.com
Vice Chairman
Bob Lerch NSS# 45004
407 Maplewood Dr.
Columbia, MO 65201
(573)-449-7225
lerchr@missouri.edu
Secretary
Joseph Hobbs NSS# 54012
3217 Westcreek Circle
Columbia, MO 65203
(573)-441-8964
hobbsj@missouri.edu
Treasurer
Kevin Feltz NSS# 23141
2310 Nelwood Dr.
Columbia, MO 65203
(573)-474-1173
kfeltz@mail.coin.missouri.edu
MSS Representative
Daryl Greaser NSS# 45614
5994 W. Hatton Chapel Rd.
Columbia, MO 65202
(573)-445-8222
Mocaver@aol.com
Foresight Editor
Rickard Walk NSS# 28189
4580 Todd St.
Columbia, MO 65201
(573)-442-2660
aneswalk@tranquility.net
1999 Committees
Editor Foresight
Rickard Walk
Associate Editors, Foresight
Daryl Greaser, Bob Lerch
Editor Chouteau News
Daryl Greaser
Conservation
Bob Lerch, Joe Engeln
Education
Bill Elliott, Bob Lerch, Rick Walk
Safety / Rescue
Rick Walk, Jim Yancey, Scott Schulte
Research Review
Joe Engeln, Carol Wicks, Jim Huckins, Bob Lerch, Louise Hose
Library / Exchange Publications
Kevin Feltz, Rick Walk
Membership dues
Kevin Feltz
MCKC
Rick Walk
NSS
Rick Walk
Public Relations
Mike Morgan, Bill Elliott
Trip Coordinator
Daryl Greaser
Webpage
Michael Wardin
Stream Teams
Devils Icebox, Jim Yancey
Hunterís Cave Stream, Daryl Greaser, Bob Lerch
Spring Cave Stream, Daryl Greaser, Bob Lerch
Gans Creek, Ken Midkiff
