BRG Minutes 03/20/2026

Famous Anthonys- Brookside 6499 Williamson Road NW Roanoke VA 24019

Attendance:

Susan Burr Mary Sue Socky Marian McConnell

Ben Hester Jessica Hester Jeff Huffman

*Bambi Marshall *Jonathan Constantine Nick Schmalenberger

*Scott Buchanan *Guest

Vice Chair Susan Burr called the meeting to order at 6:34p. (Chair Dave Socky was in NYC for the Explorer’s Club “Tales From Dark Places” event.)

Everyone was welcomed. Introductions.

PROGRAM: “Caving Adventures in Mexico – January 2026” Nick Schmalenberger travelled to the Oaxaca region of Mexico to explore caves in the area for the third year in a row. This is also where Rolland Moore lives. Other cavers present were Kevin NLN, Aaron NLN, Peter NLN, Amy NLN, and Julian Benson. Mexico is very warm this time of year…then the rains came. Everyone enjoyed finding new caves and passages and dropping awesome pits. Two caves they focused on were “Cave of the Short Rope” and “Sotano ZunZun” (Hummingbird Pit), which was 341 meters (1010 ft.) deep. Glad you had fun, Nick!

TRIP REPORTS

January? 2026 – Bambi Marshall, Bill Koerschner, and a bunch of other cavers attended the Hawaii Cave Conference in Hawaii. They explored lava tubes, did conservation work, and they saw THE VOLCANO ERUPT!!! (Bambi will give a presentation on her experience with Kilauea at the April 17 BRG meeting.)

2/14/2026? Bambi Marshall visited Rusty’s Cave, GA – a 4-hour trip, and Cemetery Pit – Bambi stayed topside, watched the other cavers rig up and drop the pit.

3/14? Bambi Marshall and 10 members of Dogwood City Grotto spent seven hours in Signal Light Cave, outside of Chattanooga, TN. This is a vertical cave. They went to the Civil War Room and saw 1864 signatures.

3/7-14: Scott Buchanan and Nick Schmalenberger attended the NCRC Level 1 weeklong class in Blacksburg, VA.

· 3/10 – mock rescue in Tawney Cave, VA.

· 3/13 – mock rescue in Smokehole, VA. The water was flowing at stream level, but the patient stayed dry. They hauled him up and out the hilltop entrance.

· ??? – Visited James Cave, VA. The mud is still pucky & glass shards are everywhere at the other entrance.

??? – Scott Buchanan and other members of Charlottesville Grotto visited McClung Cave, WV via the Historic Entrance. Nice cave.

3/17: Marian shared a visit to the Catawba Murder Hole, from the driveway:

Dano and I were visited by Lowell (Dano's coworker), Valerie (his wife), Peggy (her mom) and Gaius (their nephew). 

The interesting part is about Peggy, who is 94 and who was unable to get out but got to see it from the car. She brought her copy of the book and I autographed it a 2nd time for her; she was thrilled.
Her story is in the Murder Hole book in the "Early Explorers" chapter. Here are a few excerpts:
          I have been obsessed with the Murder Hole since 1950.  A group of my classmates (Fincastle High School Class of 1950) and I, after hiking up Tinker Mountain, went to visit the Murder Hole.  We even went into the second chamber (and quickly came out!) One of my first compositions in college was about my experiences at the Murder Hole.  I also have a long article in the book, ‘Roanoke Memories,’ which includes my experiences there.  The Editor’s comments indicated he had never heard of the Murder Hole.”
            “My most unusual and interesting experience:  On a bright, sunshiny day in May of 1950 (our high school graduation year) a group of my classmates and I (four boys and four girls, all in one car) went to visit some special places of interest near our homes. ... There was an enormous cave on a farm up in the mountains up Catawba way, called the Murder Hole.  We had heard the legend that a girl was murdered and thrown into this hole and so it got its name, but there are other legends.  After a short hike, we were standing at the mouth of the cave, too astonished at the sight before us to utter a sound.  The mouth of the cave was so large it was not easy to distinguish things from one side to the other.  It descended for about two hundred feet and extended far back into the hill.  The thrill came as we descended down the bank over roots and rocks which later became slick and slimy from dripping water.  One look around and we were ready to climb back up which was much more difficult.  While resting at the top, a group of men who planned to explore the cave further came with special equipment.  They knew of a passageway at the side of the cave under a rock that would lead deep into an underground room, and invited us to go.  I can’t believe it now, but after hesitation we went with them, sliding on our stomachs, one behind the other over damp ground, under a slick rock into the cavern-like room.  We were told there was another drop of one hundred feet that one could fall into by making a misstep.  The men were going on down but we were anxious to slip and slide our way back out of there.  We all asked ourselves why we had done such a thing. ... As years went by, so many people got stranded in the cave and had to be rescued that it had to be closed to visitors.”

3/21/2026: BRG trip to Lowmoor Cave, VA. We split into 2 groups. Susan Burr, Jeff Huffman, etc. Brian Williams looked for, but could not find a very pretty pool he had seen while surveying the cave years earlier. The creek you have to drive across to enter the property was higher than ever seen before.

This Month’s grotto trip: Helectite Cave, VA. Trip is full.

Next Month’s grotto trip: To be announced

Upcoming trips:

5/2- Graffiti cleanup in Lowmoor Cave, VA. Please RSVP (so they can plan for lunch, and what equipment you will bring) Camping is available at the RASS field station. https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSef7OpD1QusR-tFsc_8iMPAqrUv96Ore-7ZhPJ2Nf25vFT-AQ/viewform

5/8-10 – SPRING VAR, at Endless Caverns, VA. See https://www.zeffy.com/en-US/ticketing/spring-var--2026

BUSINESS MEETING

March 11, 2026 - BRG Treasury Report –

Fund Amounts

$ 117.96 Cave Bucks

$ 2.00 Conservation Fund

$ 144.12 Equipment Fund

$ 5,515.82 General Fund

$ 5,779.90 Total Funds

Committees:  

Newsletter –March DUMPs were published. Articles, photos wanted. Thanks for sending stuff in!

Membership – BRG has 51 members and 4 subscribers. Membership packets were mailed.

ROCKS – No report 

Safety & Techniques – Level 1 class was great! Nick also had a vertical practice at the Great Falls of the Potomac, VA.

See Upcoming events

Membership Proposals:  None.

Ben Hester’s correct address is 117 Autumn Circle, Boones Mill, VA. 24065.

Old Business

· RSVP for the Lowmoor Cave Graffiti Clean-up. . https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSef7OpD1QusR-tFsc_8iMPAqrUv96Ore-7ZhPJ2Nf25vFT-AQ/viewform

· BRG has permission to have a cave kiosk/info table and squeezebox at Dixie Caverns for Cave Day, June 6. Please sign up. The VA Cave Board wants to know of cave week activities so they can announce them.

· Call for Resolutions for the 2026 Congress of Grottos. Submissions should be in the form of a motion and from an Internal Organization of the NSS or a grouping of eight or more members of the NSS. Please send submissions to cog@caves.org

· Dixie Caverns Conservation Project: The cave looks good. There will be opportunities for more work in the coming months. NOW is the time for the baby salamanders to appear.

New Business

· Susan Burr will contact Paige at SWVAWC to see if she and Koda will join us in celebrating Cave Day at Dixie Caverns. If a fee is involved, members of BRG offered to help cover the cost.

· 7/18/2026 (Saturday) Shawsville, VA Library Cave Day. They want a cave program, info kiosk, AND the squeezebox. 11a-3p for program, plus set-up and takedown afterwards. Who can help? Marian McConnell is BRG contact.

· Are NSS members getting their mailed hardcopy of the NSS News? You are not alone. Call the NSS Office to report missing magazines. 256-852-1300.

· Nick Schmalenberger – possible new project? In Oaxaca, Mexico, Rolland Moore get permission from the Mazatec people to go caving on their land. Rolland is trying to for a “grotto” in the area, and is working toward Nonprofit Status. Oct 2026: Rolland is organizing a class with a local EMT?Firefighter? -Hugo. He wants to raise money for Hugo to teach caving and vertical classes.

Announcements:

· Vote for your Favorite Five!

· VAR Updates: Tri-State is hosting 2026 Spring VAR @ Endless Caverns! May 8-10, 2026.

· New access policy for New River Cave Preserve. EVERYONE, CAVERS and Surface Hikers, needs a permit! Eli Myer is Preserve Manager. https://permits.saveyourcaves.org/

· T-Shirts –Limited colors, sizes L and XL. $12.00 each. Contact Susan Burr pondlady97@gmail.com for more info.

· Winter Bat Closure for some caves – Winter closure may affect different caves (hibernacula).

WV: closed Sept 1 - May 15 VA: closed Oct. 15 - Apr. 15.

· Pay your carpool driver well!

· MSSocky announced that she will be getting shoulder replacement surgery -next month, rescheduled due to a fall resulting in broken ribs. Be careful on the surface!

Caver Calendar:

Apr 17, 2026 - BRG meeting 6p @ Famous Anthony’s – Brookside. Roanoke VA

May 1-3, 2026 – VAR Conservation project at Lowmoor Cave, VA.

May 1-3, 2026 - Spring MAR, @ McClure Bean Soup and Festival grounds in McClure, PA. NEW DATE!!

May 8-10, 2026 – Spring VAR @ Endless Caverns, VA.

May 9-16: National NCRC Week-long will be in Mentone, AL

May 15, 2026 - BRG meeting 6p @ Famous Anthony’s – Brookside. Roanoke VA

May 31-June 6: Virginia Cave Week

June 6 – VA Cave Day

June 6 – BRG Celebrates Cave Day at Dixie Caverns, VA. SWVAWC may join us

June 12-14 – WVACS Classic Weekend in Greenbrier Co. WV

July 6-10, 2026 - NSS Convention, Corydon IN.

Aug 22, 2026 – BCCS Open house, more info soon. See www.butlercave.org

Sept 22-26: Hypogea 2026 International Congress, @ Tiblisi, Georgia (Europe), hosted by UIS. the patronage of the Union International de Speleologie (UIS). Abstract submission deadline is March 15. For more information: https://hypogea2026.com/ "

Sept 25-27, 2026 - Fall MAR @ Newville Lions Club Fairgrounds in Newville, PA.

Fall 2026 – Fall VAR hosted by VPI Cave Club.

7:50p Cold Beer!

Minutes submitted by Mary Sue Socky, Secretary