Minutes of the Chouteau Grotto Meeting

February 2, 2000

The meeting was called to order at 7:09 p.m..

 

Minutes were read from the last meeting.

Treasurers report:  1085.01 in the coffers

    Reminder for people to pay dues.

Foresight committee: no report.

New Business:

    Chouteau Grotto logo plaques available from Mike Walk.  One was
present to Jim Huckins, one of our honorary members at the meeting.  We
selected a black marble plaque over a pink marble plaque that was
prepared for Mike Wardin's family.

There are several colors and a couple of sizes to choose from.  Mike
Walk would be happy to produce one for you.

6"x6" Black marble only = $10, personalized for an additional $5,
painted in logo an additional $5.  

12"x12" in Black or Pink marble and personalized is $40, painted is an
additional $5;

12"x12" in Green Marble (with painting and personalized) $45.

 

    With the plaque finished for Mike Wardin, the donation envelope was
passed around for anyone that may have missed it last month along with
a card to sign for his family.

 

    Web page news:  Thanks to Nathan Leigh for working on the web
page.  He has found us space at an unbeatable price, free and unlimited
through the Columbia COIN network.  We are listed as an information
provider.  Nathan is also willing to serve as the new webmaster.  Our
new URL is

    http://chouteau.missouri.org>http://chouteau.missouri.org/

Nathan will be adding in the constitution and bylaws to the site soon.

 
    Mike Morgan reported on the January MSS meeting.  Daryl received
the Tex Yokum award.  There is a survey being conducted by MSS of state
grotto members (available in the hard copy of the newsletter for people
to fill out).  Mike also passed around MSS information brochures to
encourage members to join MSS.  Bill Pfantz has several back issues of
Missouri Spelology that he would like to get people to buy, contact him
at zakeyton@aol.com.  MSS will limit itself to 3 meetings per year now.
Also there is talk about cave maps becoming available via the internet.
MVOR has been moved to the weekend of May 20th.  The grotto has to submit
the annual report to MSS and pay it's $15 dues.

 

    Caving trips:  There are multiple opportunities for caving this
month and next.

    2/5 and 2/6 there are trips scheduled for Grimzimski Cave near
Dixon, MO.

    2/12:  Rita and Jennifer are planning a trip to Thompson Creek
cave, contact Rita for more information.

    2/12: Patti and Mike Walk will take a beginners trip to Lone Hill
Onyx cave, leaving from the AC commuter parking at       9am.  Contact
Patti if you'd like to come along at pswc51@mizzou.edu.

    2/19 Jennifer and Rita and a few others are making a trip back to
Paul Petroski Cave to round up the Undifferentiated Troglobitic
Crustacean of Unusual Size.  Contact Jennifer for more...
flaxentheblonde@yahoo.com.

    2/20: There will be a trip into Hunter's Cave to map the water
crawl, full wet suits a good idea... This may be subject to change
however... see Bob Lerch for details.
lerchr@missouri.edu.

    2/20 Jim Huckins will be taking a photo trip to Thompsons Creek
Cave.

    3/11 Devil's Icebox trip, Rita signed up people for a trip to the
Devil's Icebox at $15 per person.  There is possibility of another trip
in the fall.

    March:  Over the week of spring break Ben Miller will be taking a
tour de caves through the Ozark/ Springfield area, he welcomes anyone
who would like to come along.  He's working on permits right now...
more details at the next meeting.

 

    Cave Reports

Bob Lerch, Eric McGee, and Pat Cicero went to 6 caves in the Guadalupe
Mountains of New Mexico, and Scroll Cave in Arizona for a total of 7 caves
in 9 days. The trip highlight was the 505' of total vertical in Sentinel
Cave with a maximum drop of 270'.  Bob showed several slides after the
meeting of the trip.

On Jan 15th Hamilton Spring Cave and Paul-Petroski Cave, Orin Worden,
Rita Worden, Alex Gaither (a new guy), Patti Williamson, Jeff Williams,
Mike O'Laughlin, Mike Walk, Dave Durapps (a friend of Orin's), and
Jennifer Wolff explored Hamilton Cave, which was still plenty muddy in
this dry season. Orin, Rita, Jeff, Mike O., Dave, and Jennifer
continued on to spend a good three hours crawling in Paul-Petroski
Cave. Please look for cave reports in the future, so you can read about
what you missed!  Alex, Mike Walk, and Patti had to head home for other
activities, but managed to take a brief look around Sheep cave in the
park. We looked for a rumored entrance to a large room that someone
reported to the park naturalist. Of course there wasn&rsqu;0t one.

Thanks to all who participated in caving in Meramec State Park Jan 29th
Roger, Rita, Orin, Jeff, and Jennifer met up with Michael Carter of the
MVG grotto to explore Hamilton Hollow and Little Hamilton cave. We also
visited the entrance of Big Hamilton, which was decorated with
impressive ice-mites.


The meeting was closed with a short program on Cave Vandalism and we
all got information brochures from Amy Shields.


Meeting was adjourned and we all went out to G&Ds for some social fun.

Respectfully submitted,

Patti Williamson

the secretary substitute