Carlsbad Caverns

3/22
Today the Carlsbad Caving Winterim group had the extraordinary opportunity to explore two backcountry caves- Parks Ranch and Lost Cave. We were lucky to have two stellar guides take us to local caves that beginners rarely get the opportunity to visit. It was a much more rugged experience than being in the national park as we donned helmets and lights and got our feet wet. We ate a picnic lunch underneath a grove of cottonwood trees before heading to the second cave of the day. We entered Lost Cave through a BLM manhole cover and descended a ladder about 50 feet down. Once in the cave, we explored several side rooms that required tight crawls. Finally, we returned to our house, ready for showers and rest. Tomorrow we'll spend the day "on the surface" as the caving community says in Texas' Guadalupe Mountains National Park.