NSS CONVENTION 2005
Huntsville, Alabama
INTRODUCTION
The National Speleological Society 2005 convention was held Huntsville Alabama, from July 4 to July 8.
I attended the pre-convention caving camp near Rock Island, Tennessee, June 30 to July 3.
After the convention, I also attended the post-convention caving camp near Sewanee, Tennessee, July 9 through July 13.
Harry and another caver frogging out of the Neversink pit.
Photo by Brian Masney with persmission.
PRE-CONVENTION CAVING CAMP
Rock Island, Tennessee
The pre-convention caving camp was hosted by Marion O. Smith near Rock Island, Tennessee.
I visited two cave's, Rocky River Cave and the famous Camp's Gulf.
Rocky River Cave is a spectacular river cave with fun climbing, stunning waterfalls and serene pools.
Camp's Gulf is know for its monster rooms.
The first major waterfall.
The crayfish were huge!
This one was about 9 inches long.
The serene rimstone dams.
NSS CONVENTION 2005
The 2005 convention was held in the heart of TAG country in downtown Huntsville, Alabama.
The convention campground was an old airport.
Nearby was the U.S. Space and Rocket Center.
A hurricaine at the end of convention caused everyone to scurry home.
During the convention itself we explored Neversink, Hooper's Well, Ledbetter Cave, War Eagle Cave, Tumbling Rock Cave and Limrock Blowing Cave
Tall passageway in Ledbetter Cave.
Phil Gowaty scrambling around the cave, looking for the "Super Formation."
Damn, where is the "Super Formation?"
POST-CONVENTION CAVING CAMP
The post-convention caving camp was hosted by "Mud Puppy" held near Sewanee, Tennesse.
There was a poor turnout because of the hurricaine that hit at the end of convention.
After a day or two, Dave Milligan and I were the only two "foreigners" remaining at the post-convention camp.
Despite the deluge, we did drop into deep waterfall pits and crawl through small tunnels in the days after the hurricaine.
First we hit "Hang 'Em High Cave," a wonderful technical cave that drops over 400 feet over a series of seven drops.
Then we dropped into "Main Well," a nicely decorated cave with multiple waterfall pits.
We also had the fortune of getting into "Cedar Ridge Crystal Cave."
The fluted stream passage of Hang 'Em High.
The second drop (36 feet) in Hang 'Em High.
Kirk MacGregor on the fifth drop (25 feet) in Hang 'Em High.
Our guide, Marion O. Smith.
The entire gang at the bottom of Hang 'Em High, more than 400 feet deep.
Our other guide, Mud Puppy, is lower right.
Dave Milligan ascending out of Hang 'Em High.
"On Rope!" in Hang 'Em High.
Dave Milligan in Hang 'Em High.
Crawling through stream passage in Main Well.
Rimstone formations on the floor of Main Well.
Active formations in Main Well.
Crawling past bacon in Main Well.
Harry geared up for the 60-foot waterfall dome drop.
Looking down the 60 foot well of the fourth drop of Main Well.
Mud Puppy gears up to climb out of Main Well.
Dave Milligan climbing out of the 60-foot waterfall dome in Main Well.
Cedar Ridge Crystal Cave.
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