LLREC 754 - Caving

Caves are backyard resources for exploring fantastic worlds; natural record keepers of the thousands of years of interaction between water and rock; homes to organisms that have adapted to constant low-energy environments and total darkness; and treasure troves of information on past cultures, climates, and ecologies. And in the amazing world of caves, many discoveries are still waiting. In class, we will cover the different types of caves, processes of cave development, growth of cave formations, exploration of caves, and cave management. We will then spend the day exploring the beautiful wild portion of Timpanogos Cave National Monument, where we will get first-hand experience with the challenges and wonders of caving (carpools to the cave may be arranged in class). Clothing and equipment will be discussed during class; all technical equipment is provided. To access the cave, you must be able to hike a 1.5-mile paved path that gains 1,100 feet in elevation. Jon is a cave management specialist at Timpanogos Cave National Monument. His experience in cave exploration and management extends to Lehman Cave, Nutty Putty Cave, Bloomington Cave, and many others.