BLUE RIDGE GROTTO
February 18, 2011 – 7:30 pm – Vinton Fire Station
Vinton, VA
Dave Socky |
Mary Sue Socky – Vice
Chair |
Al Stewart |
Aaron Moses |
Carl Cornett |
Marian McConnell -
Secretary |
Trish Geiger -
Treasurer |
Susan Burr |
Stephanie Petrie |
Alan Staton |
Sarah Iler* |
Nicholas Socky* |
Doug Feller |
Jess Jones |
Carl Alls* |
David Ratliff |
Lindsey Ratliff* |
Elliott George* |
Bethany Poff* |
Cyndi Hutchison |
Randy Michael |
*Guests
1. TRIP REPORTS –
Crossroads, VA– January 22, 2011, Bath County, 3.4
hours, BRG trip. Dave Socky, Susan Burr,
Stephanie Petrie, Daniel Ledger (Stephanie’s boyfriend), Jessica Jones, Scott Neville
(Jessica’s boyfriend), Tom Tracy II, Jen Perdue, Brian Williams, Bill Walker
(Brian’s friend), and Doug Feller. Great
trip, although did see evidence of WNS.
Clover
Hollow, VA – Nick Socky and friends visited with the VPI Caving Club to
practice vertical work and rigging, on February 13, 2011.
Zicafoose
Blow Hole, WV – Alan Staton and friends visited this cave. Short trip involving lots of cable ladders
and lots of crawling. The owner lives in
a 20x20 shack, and had bulldozed a cave open.
Gap
Cave, VA (Cumberland Gap National Historic Park) – January 29, 2011, Lee
County, 13 hours, 715’ survey trip. Dave
Socky, Joe Zokaites, Mike Rhinehart, did the surveying. Mary Sue Socky and Carol Zokaites rode down
as well. Surveyed up front in high
levels off the Coke Bottle Room, which is accessed via the Soldiers
Entrance. Finished about 1:30 am and
were out about 2:30 am.
Shovel
Eater Cave, WV – February 5, 2011, Pocahontas County, 13 hours, photo/sport
trip. Aaron Moses, Ricky Shortt, Carl
Amundsen, Gayle Suppa, did a tourist trip through a good portion of the
cave. Aaron led the way with the help of
Carl and Gayle. Very vertical cave – 30
drops with lots of rebelays were involved.
Aaron also surveyed in the cave on January 3, 2011 weekend (500+ feet)
and February 1, 2011 (300+ feet).
Island
Ford, VA – Carl Cornett and Marian McConnell took a group of Roanoke City
Parks & Recreation participants on a trip into the cave on February 12,
2011; saw over 50 bats – none with WNS. Saw
a dead crayfish in the spring.
Memorial
Day Cave, WV – February 12, 2011, Aaron and friends explored and surveyed;
climbed to the 200’ level. Topped out at
303’. One of the bolts pulled out during
the climb which gave Aaron a scare.
Grand
Caverns, VA – Mary Sue Socky went to Grand on February 5, 2011, to clean up
broken and whole light bulbs. New owners
seem like they don’t want cavers to clean formations; having the staff do it
after hours.
Upcoming:
Paxton’s,
VA – The February BRG trip will be on February 19, 2011 with Dave Socky
leading. Beginners are welcome, plan to
go to the Guano Ecstasy area. No
vertical involved. Meet at HROM at
9:30a.
Organ,
WV – The March BRG trip will be on March 19, 2011 in the Lipps Entrance to
Organ; Doug Feller will lead, Susan Burr will coordinate.
2. PROGRAM
– “Bridge in Tunnel” from the 2010 NSS Convention – story about building a
bridge through a cave which was discovered while drilling a tunnel for a
highway in Croatia.
3. MEMBERSHIP
– Mary Sue handed out the updated BRG Member List (as of February 17, 2011). We currently have 54 members and 1 subscriber.
4. TREASURER’S
REPORT –
Petty Cash $139.00
General $5,250.61
Conservation $266.59
Equipment $246.12
Cave Bucks $138.30
TOTAL $6,040.62
5. NEWSLETTER
– Great issue, thanks for all submissions.
Can always use artwork, photos, articles, ideas.
6. ROCKS
– There are a couple of leads to check out in Botetourt County. Greg McCorkindale has some contacts who state
they have “caves and sinkholes everywhere.”
7. SAFETY
& TECHNIQUES – Let Dan McConnell know of any specific training needs
you may have.
8. CONSERVATION – (Vacant.)
9. WAYS
& MEANS – (Vacant.)
10. MEMBERSHIP
PROPOSALS – Nicholas Socky (sponsored by Dave Socky) and Elliott George
(sponsored by Mary Sue Socky) submitted their membership proposals. Susan Burr seconded the motion to accept
their proposals – which will be tabled until next month’s meeting.
11. OLD
BUSINESS –
Sanctum – We will meet at the Valley
View Grande Theater on Sunday, February 20th at 1:30p to watch the
cave-diving movie together. Wear
cave-related t-shirts!
White Nose Syndrome will be the topic
of guest speaker Wil Orndorff at the Tri-Country Forestry and Wildlife
Association meeting on April 11 at 6pm at the Roanoke Moose Lodge on Route
311. Please RSVP to Marian McConnell or
Cole Semones by April 1st.
$10/person includes full dinner.
12. NEW
BUSINESS – None.
13. ANNOUNCEMENTS
-
Rescue at Stay High Cave, VA – local non-caver guy got stuck and had to be
rescued. Lots of local media coverage,
including an interview with Wil Orndorff.
Body Recoveries at Ellisons Cave, GA – Two college
students died (of hypothermia from the waterfall) despite rescue attempts by
“dream team” of NCRC rescue folks. The
students were not prepared (clothing, gear, training, etc.) Alan Staton (NCRC) gave a more detailed report
on the accident.
WNS – WNS continues to spread;
including in Newberry-Banes,
Higginbotham, etc. There has been no
sign of WNS in Gap, Grassy Springs,
Kelly Cave. In Rocky Hollow, 5% had the fungus.
Powell Valley – infestation
is expected.
Spring VAR will be held on April 29 –
May 1.
2011 NSS Convention will be in
Glenwood Springs, CO.
Letter of thanks received from ACC and
BCI thanking BRG for recent donations.
14. Adjournment at 8:39p.