BLUE RIDGE GROTTO of the National Speleological
Society
BRG Minutes for 10/17/2025
Famous Anthonys- Brookside 6499
Williamson Road NW Roanoke VA 24019
Please see attachments for
additional trip reports.
Attendance:
Susan Burr Marian
McConnell Mary
Sue Socky
Dave Socky Doug
Feller *Derek
Nash
Carl Cornett Helene
Ferguson Barry
Ferguson
Carrie Doupnik Kevin
Johnson *Bambi
Marshall
*Robert Balch *Dave
Jackson *Geoff
Lawrence
*Guest
Chair David Socky called
the meeting to order at 6:34.
Everyone was welcomed.
Introductions.
PROGRAM: “Cenotes of Mayakoba” (15 min.)
Cave diving in Mexico. NSS Video Salon
2025 Merit Award Winner.
Marian
McConnell took Grotto Group photos to be included on the back of 2025 BRG
Christmas Card.
TRIP REPORTS
·
Nick
Schmalenberger submitted 5 trip reports: Maxwelton Cave, WV, Speedwell #2 Cave,
VA, Culverson Creek Cave, WV:
Wild Cat entrance and the Hinkle/Unus/Balfour entrance; McClung
(historic) Cave, WV.
·
Robert Balch
submitted 15 trip reports on cave he
visited while in Greece: Davelis Cave, Kaiadas Cave, Corycian
Cave, Aggitis River Cave <Show Cave>,
Meteora shelter caves, Theopetra Cave, Cave of Eileithyia, Boufos Cave, Cave
of St. Paraskevi, <also known as Skotini Cave>,
Milatos Cave, Pelekita Cave?, Cave
of Kryonerida, Kalamato
Cave, Koumarospilios
Cave, Lera Cave.
·
Dave Socky
submitted 7 trip reports: Dunn Cave, VA, Butler Cave, VA, McClung Cave, WV
Maxwelton Cave, WV.
Details of these trip reports can
be found in the Carbide Dump.
Future trip reports will be edited
by the BRG Secretary for content.
Additional cave trips:
9/10: Bambi Marshall
found the entrance to Anemone Cave, ME, in Acadia NP - A
neat sea cave that can only be visited during low tide.
9/18: Susan Burr and friends visited
James Cave, VA as a pick-up trip. Everyone had forgotten how difficult
James can be. The two entrances of James
Cave can use a cleanup – glass shards are everywhere! BRG needs to get with NRVG and plan a
conservation trip here in 2026.
10/14: Lowmoor Cave, VA. Mary Sue
Socky, David Socky, Marian McConnell, Joe Zokaites, Carol Zokaites, Jenna
Fidler, and Jacob Fidler. An easy trip to Lowmoor instigated by Joe for Carol.
We parked in the Sofa Section of the mine and went in via the mine. There were
about 40 to 50 bats at the main overlook, so we didn't go there. We then slowly
took the main route to the iron (now aluminum) ladder where we turned around.
We went back via the access to the Capital Room. We went out via the natural
entrance and found they'd changed the roads all around and ended up bushwacking
on an old overgrown road until Joe found a good one. We then drove to the Iron
and Ore restaurant in Eagle Rock for lunch. Good 3-hour trip all around.
UPCOMING
TRIPS
·
This month -
Check out CaveSim@ GO FEST. 150 ft. of passage
·
November grotto trip – Susan is still working on it. (Owl Cave and Water Sinks Cave Preserve, VA)
BUSINESS MEETING
Treasury Report
Oct 17, 2025 – BRG Treasury Report
Respectfully submitted by Marian McConnell.
Fund Amounts
$ 117.96 Cave
Bucks
$ 2.00 Conservation
Fund
$ 144.12 Equipment
Fund
$ 5,650.96 General
Fund
$ 5915.04 Total Funds
COMMITTES
Newsletter – another issue, published early. Articles, photos wanted. Thank you for the trip reports!
Membership – BRG has 53 members and 3 subscribers.
ROCKS – Dave Socky has been caving with WSP in Highland
Co. VA. They are finding, surveying new
caves.
S&T – Nick Schmalenberger was not present, sent in a
short report: On October 4, 2025, one
member of a group caving in McClung’s was descending a hand line with an arm
rappel method, that somehow dislocated their shoulder. The group was skilled
and well prepared so managed to reduce the dislocation and then make a sling
for the injured arm out of duct tape and webbing. They then started to cave out
and were excellent, so very little rescue help was needed. After exiting the
cave, Mystik Miller gave the injured person a ride to the hospital in
Beckley.
For
arm rappelling cavers should be careful not to pull too hard on their own
bodies, especially if they have a history of dislocations. Often dislocation of
a shoulder joint is easier after the first time. If someone IS prone to
shoulder dislocations, they should also practice methods to treat it such as
reduction and making slings. Webbing and duct tape are great first aid items
for all cavers to carry.
MEMBERSHIP PROPOSALS - No membership proposals at this time.
Old Business
·
BRG Meeting place. The larger
front room is nice! Everyone agrees BRG
should reserve FA – Brookside for BRG for 2026.
Thanks, Marian!
·
Looking for someone to host the 2026 Spring VAR! Contact Meredith Weberg.
·
CaveSim will be at GOFest Oct. 18-19,
2025. We
will be in Zone 8 this year. New – CaveSim has
wheelchair access. Thanks for
volunteering!
·
Santamander Update – Marian is doing the artwork on the
2025 BRG Landowner Card. It will feature
a “Dixie (Slimy) Salamander” – black with white sparkles. A BRG group photo will be added to the
back.
o
Everyone agreed for Marian to go ahead and order 80 cards for $128.47
(adjusted rate $158.37) Cards were ordered, should arrive 10/30/2025.)
o
Estimated cost of postage will be $55.00. (MSS)
·
Dixie Caverns Cave Salamander Study – a group will be counting Dixie
Salamanders using sponges in Dixie Caverns VA.
Jenna Fidler knows more about the project.
New Business
·
Nominations. Dave Socky proposed
that the current slate of BRG officers be nominated for 2026.
Marian
McConnell seconded the motion. Members
present agreed.
PROPOSED
slate of BRG Officers for 2026
Chair-
David Socky NSS 16334
Vice
– Susan Burr NSS 53888
Sec
– Mary Sue Socky NSS 24206
Treas
– Marian McConnell NSS 37358
All of the current officers may serve one more year in
their current positions.
Nominations
will remain open until the 11/21/2025 BRG meeting.
You
must be a Regular BRG member and a current NSS member to vote or hold grotto office.
·
Additional Grotto Donations. BRG previously donated $340.00 to several
organizations at the 9-17-2025 meeting.
Mary Socky proposed that BRG donate a little more to a few cave
conservation organizations who own caves in our area. After discussion, Dave Socky proposed that
additional donations be voted on:
WVCC $120.00 MAKC $40.00 SCCi $40.00.
o
Susan Burr seconded the motion. Members
present voted on the issue.
o
Motion PASSED Unanimously. BRG
will donate an additional $200.00 total to the organizations.
Announcements:
·
NOW is
the time to write & send in your NSS Award Nominations. Deadline is November
15, 2025.
·
T-Shirts –There
are 14 remaining BRG T-shirts! $12.00 each.
L and XL, various colors. Contact Susan Burr pondlady97@gmail.com for more information.
·
Brandon Phibbs cave suit is for sale $75; talk with Nick
Schmalenberger.
See previous email https://groups.google.com/g/blueridgegrotto/c/UnwZQGKQt1U for further description of the cave suit.
·
Fall VAR –This
weekend October 17-19, 2025, at the RASS property. It’s gonna be
COLD!!!
·
Catawba Murder
Hole, VA is CLOSED.
·
Bat Closure for
some caves during 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 Anthony’s – Brookside, Roanoke
VA. Nominations.
·
Oct 17-19 – Fall VAR @ Rass Fieldstation, Bath Co. VA. Hosted by the VAR officers.
·
Oct 17-19 – Roanoke GO FEST CaveSim IS attending and will need volunteers. Contact Mary Sue Socky sockymss@cox.net
·
Oct 18– BRIDGE DAY, Fayetteville WV.
·
Nov 8 – WVCC Banquet, Clingman Center, Lewisburg, WV. (New Site)
·
Nov 21 – BRG meeting @ Famous Anthony’s – Brookside, Roanoke VA Elections.
·
Dec 13 – WVACS
Christmas Party. Contact Nick Socky sockynss@vt.edu for info.
·
Dec 19 – NO
BRG MEETING.
·
Jan 16 - BRG
meeting @ Famous Anthony’s – Brookside, Roanoke VA.
·
Jan 18 – BRG
Winter Party, Noon-5p, Potluck, BYOB – Socky’s house.
·
Feb 20 - BRG
meeting @ Famous Anthony’s – Brookside, Roanoke VA
·
Mar 20 - BRG
meeting @ Famous Anthony’s – Brookside, Roanoke VA
·
July 6-10: 2026
NSS Convention, Corydon IN.
Cold Beer! 7:49p
Minutes
submitted by Mary Sue Socky, Secretary