chapter 342
Caveing In
4/12/2014
the spelunking phase
Entering the Clarksville Cave is not for everyone but it is a unique experience that I had wanted to do once. It was a scary tight fit and you simply have to have faith. I believe this north entrance has been closed down filled in now because the property owners feared lawsuits. Some emergency rescues have been performed and an RPI student died there in 2001. It was simply an unregulated wild hole in the ground when we went in. A significant interest in this outdoor recreation led to a comprehensive management plan a few years ago to formally allow for caving activities.
Old college buddy, John, knew where this secret sink hole entrance was in the Hilderbergs of Albany County and led the way. The internet informational links on this page give wonderful knowledge of this cave now. Back when we entered there was little known or available to us and we pretty much just winged it.
After squeezing thru the entrance it opens up more with a steep decline over rock surface to get below. Some calcite crystals on the ceiling. This is karst topography, Onondaga Limestone dissolved by groundwater (carbonic acid) making the caves. Looking at the rock fissure now, I can see where it had fractured and fallen down. But that's in geologic time, we were safe, relatively speaking.
An underground lake is at the bottom. Poor picture because this was before auto-focus. It was dark nothing to focus on and the flash could not reach the other side. Fogging on lens also due to temperature and humidity differential coming from outside. My leg in foreground. Imaging software was able to yield at least a reasonable image however. In some sections we waded through 6 inch stream depths.
Its a game of Stones. There be gems amongst the sedimentary, igneous and metamorphic formations. A feast for rock hounds.
It gets tight in spots. Stalactite embryos above. You are supposed to wear head gear with light and my Army boots are probably don't give the best traction on rock. The Kmart flashlight was probably not the best highest tech caving gear but we ran into no serious cavers who might have belittled us.
You can travel almost a mile back through the underground passageways if you are inclined. Available maps did not exist for our exploration. We certainly had none and didn't want to get lost so this was about the end of our journey. When we turned off our lights, it was pitch black and you realize you'd never get back out without a light source. We had each taken 2 flashlights but no food and water and not wanting to worry others hadn't really given formal notification to topsiders. In fact, we broke about every current published guideline, but we were not foolish.
Tech note: Have converted to Apple computers with the Windows systems bogged down with antivirus programs. Software updates were available on line from manufacturers to allow me to still utilize my decade old imaging tools: Epson scanner and Wacom pen tablet although I had to buy a new Photoshop Elements 12 software. Very pleased with editing in Camera Raw 16bit and layers allowing you to get the most quality (tone control) out of 40 year old 35mm slides. By scanning a light and a dark version you can combine into an HDR effect.
.