Up Thunder River to the Mapped End
Photo Trip
June 24, 2004
Participants: Wade Baker, Bill Gee, Tom Grant, Rick Hines, Andy Isbell, Heather Levy, Marsha Walker
We started down the ladder at 9:45 AM, a little ahead of the planned start time, thanks to everyone being at the schoolhouse early and thanks to Bill and Wade for rigging the safety line Friday afternoon.
We headed up Thunder River toward the mapped end. Our first photo stop was the large rocks over the river. I came equipped with a wide-angle lens and my crew carried a total of 12 slave flash units. We soon found that only about 9 flash units would work but that was more than enough to light the scene and the wide-angle lens allowed me to get everything in.
At the entrance to Convention Hall I found that the wide-angle lens was not enough to get everything I wanted in. I took several individual shots to cover the ceiling and side formations. After the trip I purchased some additional software to allow me to stitch individual shots into one image. Works great. I’ll do more stitching in the future.
We passed UR1 and decided to save the side for the trip out. (Wade, who was celebrating his 30th birthday wanted to continue on to look for UR30.) We stopped next at the second Azure Pool and got a shot of everyone that was not on the previous trip.
We moved on to the mapped end taking photos of some large formations near the end. We were running short on time and passed up some canyon shots and some smaller beautiful pure white formations (a reason to return). Near the mapped end the huge passage with 35 foot high ceilings soon diminished to a tight stream level crawl. Bill, Heather, Andy and I pushed on through a very tight crawl. Bill and Heather went on a little farther and found a crowbar stuck vertically in the sediment.
Seven hours into the trip we made our turn and headed out.
On the way out, just down stream from the Collapsed Dome we found ourselves in a tubular stream passage that we had not seen on the way in. Soon we were forced to decide to turn back and find the upper level passage or swim through deep water to the opposite bank 50’ away. We swam! We repeated the swim a few more times before we merged with familiar passage down stream from the Second Azure Pool. It wasn’t until the next morning, studying the map, that we figured out where we had been.
At Black Rock Falls most of us took a break while Heather and Bill measured and plotted the cross-section of the stream just above the falls. Heather finally got to use the yardstick see had been carrying for the whole (or is that hole) trip.
At UR1 we considered going on out but the group decided to take the time to get a few photos in UR1. Four of us scaled the bank to reach UR1 and proceeded to the Tree Stump formation and on to the flowstone lined pool in the center of the mud filled passage. Both were photo documented before we turned back to avoid stirring up the mud above the pool.
After nearly 12 hours in the cave it was good to see the warm glow of the entrance lights. We returned to the Schoolhouse and shared a communal dinner around a campfire.
During the trip up stream we saw 11 fish and about 17 on the way out. At nearly every pool where we stopped to look for fish we saw one or more. Wade will write up an additional report that will focus more on the cave life we observed. Heather and Bill will write up the stream flow measurements. Bill has volunteered to lead the effort to collect stream flow data. He will need help from all trip leaders on trips passing the measurement points.
On Sunday morning Bill, Heather, Andy and I headed back to the entrance shaft to complete two additional tasks. I had purchased a 3/8” stainless steel cable to install down the center of the ladder. Also, Heather had talked me in to going to Thunder Falls with her to plot a second cross-section and take a velocity measurement.
The stainless cable and cable ascenders will ultimately provide a permanent ladder safety system. The cable is attached to the in-cave anchor Heather helped set in concrete a year and a half ago. The top of the cable is anchored to two angle brackets welded to the wall of the steel tank above the ladder. The top anchor may be modified in the future to provide a way to put more tension in the cable. Three types of stainless steel cable grabs (ascenders) are available now and I am trying to procure more. I will be experimenting with the length of the tether between the cable grab and the climber to hopefully find a system that is free running in both directions. Rappelling in on rope will continue to be an option.
Thanks to everyone on the trip for making this a productive and fun weekend.
One photo attached. Check the web page for more photos from the trip.
Rick Hines
PS Hope to see you at the member’s meeting July 26. If you cannot be there please send your written proxy with a member to vote for you. After the members meeting plan to attend the dinner and the fireworks show at the schoolhouse. Dave McCool is working hard to get ready for the fireworks.
