Spelunking Safety

[NaturallyYours]

There are some caves about twenty minutes out of town that I've always wanted to explore, but I'm concerned about their safety. Is there any authority I can call to get some information about the caves? Also, what are the general safety guidelines for this sort of exploration?

 

[HikingChick]

Are the caves privately owned or are they on public property?

If they are privately owned, when you secure permission from the property owner you should be able to get solid information on the safety and difficulty of the caves.

If they are publicly owned, your nearest Department of Natural Resources or similar agency should be able to advise you. If you don't know who to contact, speak with someone in the front office of your city or county building, or the parks and recreation department.

 

[incavenow]

NSS.org is a good site, also their Cave Chat is a great place to contact local cavers about caves near you, and how safe they are for the inexperienced caver. Your best bet is to find a local caving grotto,(club) that can help you with caving trips and info needed to get started in the sport. Please don't just grab a flashlight and go exploring.

 

[paloma]

You should first ask the people around the area to get more information about that cave you'd like to explore before you contact some government agencies or group. It is better to be well-informed about it before you make your action plan.