Caving interest group meeting 11/24

From: Houssam Nassif nassif@wisc.edu
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Hello cavers

We will be having a Caving Interest Group meeting on Tuesday Nov 24th, after the general meeting.
General meeting is at 7pm, Hoofer lounge

anyone with interest in caving is urged to attend.

Agenda:
- Elections of Vertical and Horizontal Caving Chairs
- Forming new Caving leaders
- Brainstorm about how we want the new Hoofer space to be
- Other issues that anyone want to raise

Hope to see you there!

11/21: Beginner vertical caving trip

From: Houssam Nassif, Vertical Caving Chair
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This vertical trip is part of the Beginner cave-sampler trip.

Date and time: Saturday, November 21, 2009 10:00 AM - 6:00 PM
Location: Ledge View, Chilton, WI
Contact: Houssam Nassif 608-443-9168

This is a beginner friendly vertical caving trip.
You should have your V1 or V1A (first part of the V1 training) to come to this trip.

Ledge View is a great cave to reassert your vertical caving techniques, and for practicing change overs.
Forgot your change-over? Shaky about your ascending technique? Need practice?
This is a great opportunity for re-learning and/or practicing your vertical skills.

What you should bring:
* All what is required for the horizontal caving trip
* LEATHER gloves.
* a bag that you don't mind getting cave-dirty to store your vertical equipment

Bring comfortable clothes. Nothing tight.
No jewels. If you have long hair, bring something to tie your hair with. Remove anything dangling. A rack during a rappel can rip off anything it catches.

I am attaching the Beginner cave-sampler trip email for convenience:

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Date and time: Saturday, November 21, 2009 10:00 AM - 6:00 PM
Location: Ledge View, Chilton, WI
Contact: Houssam Nassif 608-443-9168

Have you ever wondered what is caving like? Is caving suited for me? Come and discover all about caving!
This is a beginner friendly trip where you will get to experience several caving activities. No prior caving knowledge is required.

Yep! This is a caving sampler! A four-in-one deal! We will go to the Ledge View cave system, where you will be able to see and participate in several underground activities:
- cave exploration
- cave excavation
- cave survey
- vertical caving

The Wisconsin Speleological Society (WSS) is excavating the Ledge View cave system and surveying it. We will first explore the caves. Then, you will have the possibility to participate in excavation and surveying activities. You will also see vertical cavers in action.

It is a great trip to try and get to know about caving and its many facets. More advanced trips will focus on one of the above activities. Ledge View is a dry cave, easily accessed, and with little crawling. Most of the rooms and passages are walkable. But if you get challenged, there is plenty of side passages to crawl into!

We will meet at PSC at 10:00 am.
Expect to be back by 6 pm.

What you should bring:
* Urge for underground adventure
* Batteries for headlamps (8 AA)
* One extra light (flashlight works)
* $ for gas
* Gloves (must be LEATHER if you are a vertical caver)
* Clothes and shoes that you don't mind getting dirty (avoid cotton if possible)
* A trash bag for your dirty clothes
* Fresh clothes and shoes to change into after caving
* A snack or box-lunch

Recommended gear: a towel and knee pads.
The club will provide helmets and headlamps.

I HIGHLY recommend knee pads. Absolutely any knee pad will do, be it soft or hard, for boxing or rollerskating or whatever other use. It doesn't have to be a caving specific one. Although if you plan on caving a lot, caving knee pads are a good investment.

We may stop in Chilton for some pizza on the way back.

Any questions/concern? please ask!


PS: If you are interested in caving, Join caving-hoofers@googlegroups.com by applying at
http://groups.google.com/group/caving-hoofers
you will get notices of several caving events by non-hoofers.

Cave surveying trip to Mystery cave?

From: Houssam Nassif, Vertical Climbing Chair
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Hello cavers

checking if someone would be interested in a surveying trip to Mystery cave.
If you are interested, plz reply back so we can plan a trip

Mystery is a large cave in Southern Minnesota.
Surveying is the process of drawing a map of the cave, it involves drawing sketches and taking measurements. It is a fun process that will teach you a lot about caves and caving. And will give you a whole new look and feel about caving. You will start looking at caves from a different angle.

Beginners are welcome, but this should NOT be your first caving trip. One (preferably more) prior caving trips are mandatory.
We will split into a few surveying parties, according to the skill levels of the cavers. Areas available range from easy to very challenging.
If there are any who desire narrow, sheer walled, terror laden challenges, we've got some of those available too.

We should leave madison saturday Nov 7th, early morning (6:30?)
We will cave all day, and sleep probably at Warren's house (bring a sleeping bag and a mat)

We will drive back to Madison Sunday morning.



nassif@wisc.edu

TAG fall cave-in, anyone?

From: Houssam Nassif
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Hello

I am checking if we can set a trip to TAG fall cave-in.
It is one of the biggest caving events, with access to some of the most spectacular caves and pits in the US.

TAG is the tri-state region of Tennessee, Alabama and Georgia.
It is there that the most spectacular caves and pits in the US are.

We will have to leave Thursday Oct 8th early morning, and come back Sunday Oct 11th, evening.
It is an 11 hrs drive.

Cost: 48$ registration fee, + food and gas

I will set up two vertical caving workshops prior to this trip

Please let me know if you are interested.

-Houssam (nassif@wisc.edu)

(Photo courtesy of www.tagcaving.com)