Cave Dig - 5/5/2024
Casey Tucker Reporting
Josh Rubinstein, Scott Wahlquist, and I went to Rockingham County near Keezletown to work on a cave dig on Sunday, May 5. We arrived and scouted the sinkhole. The bedrock headwall was a good sign and we were eager to dig, getting started around 11:30.
The digging was easy with soft dirt and very few rocks. Scott and Josh were expert at creating ledges to work on as we dug down into a void. The landowner, his daughter, and family dog, Oliver, stopped by a couple of times to chat and see the progress. The progress was quick, and by 3 or so, we had broken through into a cave! I squoze in first to see two rooms. I dug out a dirt constriction into one of the rooms, then exited. Scott followed and came back with the report that nothing went. A new, small cave.
We obviously didn't have survey gear, as we didn't want to curse the dig and keep the cave from opening up. Yes, the caves know when you bring survey gear to a dig. We'll return to survey this very small, but legal cave, and do some more ridgewalking on the property in search for more. It's a great place to work with fabulous views of Massanutten.
After covering the entrance with fencing, we departed for an easy, productive day of caving. We celebrated with beer and margaritas in Staunton.
Josh took charge of the attached photographic documentation.
