Tips on Spelunking (Ameteur Caving)

"Spelunking" is amateur cave exploration. It's poking around a cave for recreational purposes as opposed to scientific study and is a load of fun. A wet, dark, cold load of fun. If one plans on roaming around a cave, there are some things one should know. Here are some tips:

1. Bring a flashlight

If you're going into a dark hole in the Earth, you're going to need a reliable source of light if you plan on going more than a few feet into the cave. Ideally, your flashlight should have fresh batteries. If the light goes out, finding the exit will be difficult and avoiding obstacles while blind will be especially time-consuming. Have a dependable flashlight with good batteries. Doubling up on flashlights or batteries is a good idea. Hands-free lights are also a good idea if the cave is uneven enough to require climbing.

2. Dress warmly / dress appropriately

Caves can be cold. Some caves used to provide American Indians with ice throughout the year and are probably cold enough to preserve meat. And even if you're not roaming around an ice cave, the temperature can still be low enough that dressing warmly would be a good thing to do. Also, dress in something you don't mind getting dirty. Some cave ceilings drop so low that a crawl across the muddy or sandy floor is unavoidable.

3. Don't go alone / tell people you're going

Getting lost or hurt is bad enough. Getting lost or hurt in a long, complex hole in the ground when no one knows you're there is a lot worse. Tell people where you are going and when you expect to be back or, better yet, bring at least one other person along. It's safer with a group instead of going it alone. A group can help its members. A pair can help each other. An individual has no help if there is a problem.

4. No vandalism!

Don't screw up the cave. No one is impressed seeing a name painted on the wall. Some of the caves I've been in have been virtually closed to the public because people were vandalizing them. People had been painting the interiors, leaving garbage, and even knocking down large beautiful stalagmite formations. Another cave was closed off because drunken teens actually managed to somehow bring down a portion of the cave mouth and destabilize the rest. Please respect the cave.

5. Safety miscellany

Most of these tips have been about safety, but there are more things that a potential spelunker could know. Go slow. Moving quickly through a cave is asking for trouble. You could fall and that could really ruin your day. Know your surroundings and the cave. Getting lost can be easy. Larger public caves with information centers may even have maps. Most caves won't though so it'll be up the explorers to keep track of where they are. If the cave is complex, mark your path with something you can take with you on your way out. Depending on the cave layout, climbing equipment could be needed.

This list is hardly comprehensive, but should be enough to get someone started. So be careful, be responsible, and have a good time.