BLUE RIDGE GROTTO of the National Speleological
Society
BRG Minutes for 9-/19/2025
Famous Anthonys-
Brookside 6499 Williamson Road NW
Roanoke VA 24019
Attendance:
Susan Burr Marian
McConnell Mary
Sue Socky
Dave Socky Doug
Feller Nick
Schmalenberger
Carl Cornett Helene
Ferguson Barry
Ferguson
Trish Geiger Cyndi
Hutchison *Tim
Boone
*Alex Thompson *Ernst
Kastning
*Guest
Chair David Socky called
the meeting to order at 6:35p.
Everyone was
welcomed. Introductions.
TRIP REPORTS
8/20:
Rushing Waters Cave, VA. Participants included David Socky (surface support),
Brian Williams, and Rick Lambert. This was Brian William's dive check trip - to
see what the cave was like and check out the sump to see if it was reasonable
to do. Brian and Rick went in while I did surface watch because of my healing
ribs. Brian took in a telescoping pole with a GoPro and light to get as much
info as he could. From the video, it looks like the underwater passage is about
6 feet wide and 3 feet high and sloping downwards at about a 15-to-20-degree
angle. The floor is thick mud. The water is flowing out, so visibility is good
as you go in against the current. Brian was very encouraged and plans to do the
dive with Jon Littlstolen this fall - sometime in October or November. We then
went over to Triplet where everyone else was digging.
8/20, 8/23, and 9/3: Triplet Cave, VA.
Participants included the usual bunch of nefarious Wednesday cavers. Progress
was made each trip and finally the dig crew broke through the constriction and
found some walking passage, but also tight gnarly canyon. It did end in another
dig, a narrow canyon that needs to be enlarged. It may go down. Cave is close
to 200 feet now. See trip report by Bill Koerschner. Dave Socky did nothing but
bucket count &rope tending on all trips.
8/29: Nick Schmalenberger and Tri-State Grotto cavers
visited My Cave, WV. They went to
the bottom of the (dry) waterfall. Three
caving groups were in the cave. Two were
doing Thru-trips.
8/30: Nick Schmalenberger and Martin DiLeggi visited Greyledge
Cave, VA. James River Grotto (JRG)
had recently visited the cave.
9/3: Helene and Barry Ferguson visited Crozet Tunnel,
VA. They did a Thru trip, and
back!
9/6: Nick
Schmalenberger and Susan Burr reported on a cave trip to Breathing Cave, VA. (They visited on the last OPEN weekend before
the cave is closed for winter: deer hunting season and bat hibernation.) This was the first time BRG folks navigated
Breathing without Doug Feller pointing out the way. Objective was to the (not running) waterfall.
They got lost on the way back &
ended up doing a circle back to the scary slippery part. 5-hour
trip. Next time we will go to the Historic Section of Breathing Cave.
9/9: Trish Geiger
traveled to Colorado, where she visited Garden of the Gods, Cave Of The
Winds, Manitou Springs, CO, Pagosa Springs, CO, and Mesa Verde National
Park. Excellent Mesa Verde tour! The park interpreters were outstanding!
9/10: Various Caves in Warm Springs Project area, VA.
Participants included David Socky, Joe Zokaites, Keith Sweeney, Rick Lambert,
Brian Keener, and Douglas Kemmer (Douglas, a rock climber, is Brian's young
son). We changed temperature loggers in: Dogwood Cave, Dressler Cave, Massie
#1, Massie #2, Perry Campbell Cave, Rodent Hotel, and Collins Cave. We then
went over to Triplet cave where Joe and Douglas went in through the
pinch. Douglas said that he made it to the current next dig.
9/15: Dixie Caverns, VA.
Participants included David Socky and Mary Sue Socky. Cleaning out the pool at
the end of the cave. Use a hose to siphon to the dig/crawl. Siphon worked
pretty good. Mary Sue was in from 11am until 3:30pam. I helped Jenna on the
hilltop to see where the cave was.
9/17: Dixie Caverns, VA. Participants
included David Socky, Mary Sue Socky, and Marian McConnell. Finished draining
the pool and cleaned flowstone and formations. Hauled everything out. The
cleanup was a success.
2025: Ernst
Kastning is continuing his Centennial of the Floyd Collings Accident tour. He has met descendants of the Collings family
and other key people during the cave rescue, and has visited many of the area
caves Floyd was familiar with: Sand Cave
KY (accident site) Mammoth Cave NP, Floyd Colling Crystal Cave, KY, the Mammoth Cave Church and cemetery, and
viewing “Floyd Collings – the Musical” shown in Bowling Green, KY.
UPCOMING
TRIPS
·
No trip this
month. Trip leaders are needed!
·
October grotto trip – Help with CaveSim! The grotto trip will be held on
another weekend.
BUSINESS MEETING
Treasury Report
Sept 19, 2025 – BRG Treasury Report
Respectfully submitted by Marian McConnell.
Fund Amounts
$ 117.96 Cave
Bucks
$ 2.00 Conservation
Fund
$ 144.12 Equipment
Fund
$ 5,874.18 General
Fund
$ 6,138.26 Total Funds
COMMITTES
Newsletter – another issue, published early. Articles, photos wanted.
Membership – BRG has 53 members and 3 subscribers.
ROCKS – nothing
due to Rick Lambert’s vehicle problems.
S&T – Nick Schmalenberger participated in the July 2025
NCRC Weeklong Team Exercises. These
Virginia caves were visited during the
Weeklong: Lowmoor, Island Ford,
Crossroads, Paxton, Eagle Rock Quarry.
There will be a new NCRC curriculum next year in Mentone, AL.
MEMBERSHIP PROPOSALS - No membership proposals at
this time.
Old Business
·
VAR Updates – NEW DATE! Moved to October
17-19, 2025,
at the RASS property. Hosted by VAR
Officers. Contact Meredith Weberg to
lead cave trips. Registration is OPEN. See
VAR website for more info.
·
Looking for someone to host the
2026 Spring VAR! Contact Meredith
Weberg.
·
CaveSim will be at GOFest! Dave
Jackson is working with GO Fest, so plan to help CaveSim! Oct. 18-19, 2025.
CaveSim will be in its usual spot in Downtown Roanoke, on Jefferson St. Please volunteer to help with CaveSim and
GO Fest.
·
Santamander Update – Marian is doing the artwork on the 2025 BRG
Landowner Card. It will feature a “Dixie
(Slimy) Salamander” – black with white sparkles. She should have a draft for the 10-17meeting.
o
Is there a Salamander group. that people can contact for donation
information? (Not CBD, please. MSS)
o
Ernst Kastning reported that his son Cass Kastning has copies of the old
Dixie Salamander info card.
·
Dixie Caverns Wedding Party Pool Update – The Drain the Pool conservation
project was a success! In two days, algae mats were removed, pool was
drained, and the formations were scrubbed.
Goopy mud remains where the pool was.
Thank you James Fidler for getting the in-cave water on! Thank you, Marian McConnell, Susan Burr, and
Dave & Mary Socky for participating.
There is still much work to be
done in Dixie Caverns.
·
Dixie Caverns Cave Salamander
protection status (CBD) – The Center For Biological Diversity (CBD) is
petitioning the US Fish and Wildlife Service to protect the salamander under
the Endangered Species Act. This may
take years. Any updates will be
posted.
Final 2025
Donations List
ACCA American Cave Conservation Association (KY) $ 25/yr.
dues (paid 5/12/25)
CaveSim Cave Sim $ 50
MAKC Mid Atlantic Karst Conservancy $ 15/yr.
dues (paid 5/31/25)
NCRC National Cave Rescue Commission (Eastern Region) $ 50.00
NSS National Speleological Society Save The Caves
Fund $100.00
VCB Virginia Cave Board $ 50.00
WVCC West Virginia Cave Conservancy $ 50/yr. dues (paid 8/19/25)
VOTE: 10 for, 1 anti – VOTE PASSED.
We are
renewing dues only to WVACS, MAKC, and ACCA ($ 90.00 total)
AND we are
donating funds to:
Cave Sim $ 50.00
NCRC-ER $ 50.00
Va Cave Board $ 50.00
NSS Save Caves $100.00
$340.00
Total
New Business
·
Dave Socky took Gary Drewry’s vertical gear and books to the OTR Yard
Sale – he made $195.00 for BRG!
·
Do we want to have a BRG Christmas/Solstice/Holiday/New Year Party? YES.
When and where?
o
Party will be held Sunday, Jan 18, 2026 at the Socky’s house. Potluck,
BYOB, Noon to 5p.
o
Will hold Jan 16, 2026 meeting in addition to party.
Announcements:
·
T-Shirts –There
are 17 remaining T-shirts! $12.00 each.
Med. to XL, various colors: red, gold, grey, green, light blue, etc.
Contact Susan Burr pondlady97@gmail.com for more information.
·
Dave Socky and Nikki Fox are helping Brad Blase post verified cave access
info updates to the “Closed Cave List.”
Send updates: https://var.caves.org/index.php/conservation/closed-caves/closed-cave-list
·
Ed and Marianne are moving to England. Ed said he will keep his email
address, suunto1942@protonmail.com So, please write Ed!
·
Bat Closure for
some caves. Transition to Winter. These closures protect bats that hibernate in
caves.
o WV: closed - Sept 1- May 15.
o VA: closed Oct
15 – Apr. 15.
CAVER CALENDAR:
Oct
17 -
– BRG meeting, @ Famous Anthonys
-Brookside. Nominations.
Oct
18-19 – Roanoke GO FEST (save the date for Cave Sim)
Oct.
17-19 – Fall VAR at RASS! Hosted by the VAR Officers. (NEW DATE!)
Nov. 8 – WVCC Banquet, WVa
School of Osteopathic Medicine, Lewisburg, WV.
Nov 21 – BRG meeting, @ Famous
Anthonys -Brookside. Elections.
Cold Beer! 7:31p
“The One
That Got Away” (22 min.) Friars Hole exploration since 1978.
Minutes submitted by Mary Sue Socky, Secretary