Minutes of the Chouteau Grotto Meeting
Wednesday, October 6, 1999
The meeting was called to order at 7:08 PM
23 members attended
Treasurer's report: $855.04
MSS Representative's report: Daryl Greaser reported that the MSS meetings will be held twice yearly. MSS
will publish a new brochure to get the word out on what the organization is and what it does. MSS does
own the state's Cave Files. Everyone in the Chouteau Grotto is an associate member of MSS and can have
access to the Cave Files, but Grotto members are encouraged to be dues-paying full members of the MSS.
Foresight Editorial Committee: Third quarter reports are due at the end of October. It was recommended
that Grotto minutes continue to be published in the Foresight, but be compressed to save space.
The Hunter's Cave survey is underway. Bob Lerch would like November to be "Hunter's Cave Survey Month." A
survey trip is planned for November 6.
Bob Lerch reported on good progress at the Vertical Training Workshop at Capen Park in late September.
The Piquet Cave trip was attended by 13 Grotto members. The consensus is that this was too large a group;
in future, Grotto trips should be limited to 8. There could be two separate groups of up to 8 people
visiting a large cave like Piquet at the same time.
Devil's Ice Box Terminal Siphon trip, October 2. Five Grotto members participated in this 13 hour
adventure. In the droughty conditions, the Terminal Siphon is not the cave's terminus, but the "Fourth
Water Crawl." The group pushed into about 500 feet of new passage to the "New Terminal Siphon" and mapped
about 200 feet of passage in "Rick's Noodle," named for Rick Walk. Mike Davis found a 'new' dome about 50
feet high; its access may have been exposed by 1993 or 1995 flooding.
Rescue Drill at the Devil's Ice Box on September 25. Eight Grotto members participated. They expressed
concern that the real victim placed in the cave was not adequately clothed, and was suffering from
hypothermia during this exercise.
The medic assigned to her did not stay with her. The recommendation is that this exercise be rehearsed
next time as if it were truly a real emergency; this would include packaging the victim so that she would
be "the warmest person in the cave." Communications could be improved too, perhaps with the use of Rick
Walk's field phone equipment. Otherwise, the drill went extremely well. The Grotto expresses great thanks
to Rock Bridge Memorial State Park for the opportunity to participate in this event, and would welcome
any chance to do it again.
The question was raised of participation by the NCRC in any future Ice Box rescue drill. Apparently this
would have to worked out between the Boone County Fire Protection District and the NCRC. At this point,
the Fire District is certified by the NFPA and follows its standards.
Chicken Roast report: a good time was had by all! Rita Worden got a big round of applause for hosting the
event.
David Webster passed around Dwight Weaver's list of "Significant Caves of Missouri." Joe Hobbs has a copy
and can make it available to anyone who needs a copy. In the interest of protecting the resources, it
does not say what exactly is significant about each cave or where the cave is.
The meeting was adjourned at 8:30 P.M. There was no program.
Respectfully submitted,
Joe Hobbs
Secretary, Chouteau Grotto
