| This is the official location of the Colorado Cave Survey Website, http://www.coloradocavesurvey.org. The original location, at http://www.cavesurvey.coloradocaves.org, is no longer supported. While the CCS is grateful to ColoradoCaves.org for hosting the Colorado Cave Survey site for many years, difficulties in maintaining both sites have led to the original site being dropped. Please edit you bookmarks accordingly. Thank you. |
The Colorado Cave Survey is an elected body of cavers who serve as a liaison between the Colorado caving community and various land management agencies. As such, the Colorado Cave Survey differs in scope and function from many other state cave surveys. Although the Colorado Cave Survey does maintain files on many caves in the state, the Survey has not served historically as a central repository of information on the caves of Colorado, nor has the Survey historically collected survey data from cave mapping projects.
As of 2007, the Colorado Cave Survey is beginning to step up to the challenge of creating a secure and useful repository of Colorado cave data. Planning for a statewide Cave Information System (CIS) is underway. More information on the Cave Information System may be found here.
In its liaison role the Colorado Cave Survey has been instrumental in maintaining an open and cooperative relationship between the caving community and the land managers, private, State and Federal, who own and/or manage many of Colorado's caves. The Survey has worked to secure protection for caves and karst in areas threatened by timber harvests, mines and quarries, and road development, and has actively campaigned to maintain access to Colorado's caving resources.
Another major function of the Colorado Cave Survey is the administration of controlled-access caves. At present, these include Groaning Cave and LaSunder Cave in Garfield County, and Fly and Marble Caves, in Fremont County. For more information regarding the management of these caves, please consult the Managed-Access Section, below, or visit the the respective websites for these caves.
Additionally, the Survey has recently initiated a database of cave survey activity in Colorado (who has surveyed what and when) as well as a database of cave ownership information. For more information, please see Recent CCS Activity and Projects
A more detailed description of the Colorado Cave Survey may be gleaned from its Constitution and Bylaws and from its Philosophy and Operations.
| Grotto | Representatives | |
| Colorado Grotto | Chair: Rick Speaect | Rick-at-perryandterry-dot-com |
| Survey Rep: Stuart Marlatt | Stuart_Marlatt-at-comcast-dot-net | |
| Front Range Grotto | Chair: Carl Bern | cbern5-at-juno-dot-com |
| Survey Rep: Dave Lambert | dlambert-at-ngs-dot-org | |
| Northern Colorado Grotto | Chair: Frank Leskinen | fleshkinen-at-wmconnect-dot-com |
| Survey Rep: Jim Lawton | quinoa-at-verinet-dot-com | |
| Southern Colorado Mountain Grotto | Chair: Todd Warren | twcaver-at-yahoo-dot-com |
| Survey Rep: Marty Morey | skinandcave-at-gmail-dot-com | |
| Timberline Grotto | Chair: Clair Jacoby | mariajacoby-at-aol-dot-com |
| Survey Rep: Carey Hunter | mushmc20-at-netzero-dot-com | |
| Western Slope Grotto | Chair: Dan Castellari | cavesr4all-at-yahoo-dot-com |
| Survey Rep: Dan Castellari | cavesr4all-at-yahoo-dot-com | |
| Red Canyon Grotto | Chair: Anthony Clemeti (?) | |
| Survey Rep: |
The Cave Survey typically meets 3-4 times per year, depending on the issues confronting the Colorado caving community. Survey meetings are open to any interested person. Please contact your survey representative for additional information.
| Previous Meeting | Next Meeting | ||
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Date: Time: Place: Agenda: |
June 29, 2009 7:00 pm David Lambert's house 4940 Tejon Street Denver, CO 80221 Agenda |
Date: Time: Place: Agenda: |
September 19, 2009 Time TBD Glenwood Caverns Glenwood Springs, CO 80221 An agenda will be posted prior to the meeting. Please let your survey representative know of any topics you would like included. |
The Colorado Cave Survey currently administrates access to four caves: Groaning and LaSunder Caves in Garfield County,
and Fly and Marble Caves in Fremont County. The Survey has been requested to provide day-to-day access management
for these caves by their respective land managers (by the United States Forest Service for Groaning Cave, by the BLM for LaSunder,
and by the private landowners in the case of Fly and Marble Caves). The mandate accepted by the
Cave Survey is to protect the caves and to ensure continued cooperation between the caving community
and the land managers.
Access to Groaning Cave has been managed by the Cave Survey since the late 1960's, shortly after the
cave's discovery. Groaning is gated, and cavers desiring to visit the cave must request the
a lock combination from the Cave Survey. More information regarding Groaning Cave
is available on the Groaning Cave website.
LaSunder Cave is a unique and beautiful cave in lower Deep Creek Canyon. Discovered in 1989, the cave suffered
from excessive visitation, and was gated by the BLM in 1994 (with help from the Colorado Cave Survey).
Following extensive negotiations between the CCS and the BLM, a management plan has been completed and
the cave has been re-opened to limited visition.
Details of the management plan and access requirements are available on the
LaSunder Cave website.
Fly and Marble Caves had been open to public access until a change in ownership in 1999
resulted in the caves being closed for several years. Recently, however, efforts by the
Cave Survey (spearheaded by Rick Rhinehart) have resulted renewed access to these
historic caves. For more information regarding visitation, please see the
Fly and Marble Caves website.
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- Memorandum of Understanding with the Forest Service (2009)
- The Colorado Cave Survey has long been an advocate for cave conservation and cave access on public lands in Colorado. This is particularly true in the White River National Forest which contains many of Colorados premier caves. The CCS and WRNF have signed a Memorandum of Understanding which commits both entities to cooperate on issues affecting caves and karst within the boundaries of the forest.
- Clear Creek Canyon Caves Study Project (2008/Ongoing)
- Individuals from the Colorado Cave Survey are working with Jefferson County Open Space to explore, study and help JCOS manage the caves of Clear Creek Canyon. Well-known caves in the area include Fault, Bear, and Tower, as well as the remarkable CJ's Cavern. A new map of CJs was drawn up by cartographer Derek Wolfe and a copy provided to Jefferson County Open Space. Photo documentation and possible restoration of CJs are being considered. For more information please contact Andrea Croskrey (Chair; quartzite13-at-hotmail-dot-com), Dan Castellari (cavesr4all-at-yahoo-dot-com), or Dave Lambert (dlambert-at-ngs-dot-org).
- Sulfur Cave Project (2007)
- Rick Rhinehart coordinated a project to investigate Sulphur Cave, outside of Steamboat Springs. Although the caves existance was documented as early as 1843, little was known about it due to deadly concentrations of hydrogen sulfide and carbon monoxide gases in the cave atmosphere. A team of caver experts from universities and the local caving community undertook an investigation with the aid of modern safety equipment. Preliminary results suggest that this sulfur-based cave ecosystem may be as interesting as the legendary Villa Luz in Mexico. The research project continues, but is no longer formally associated with the CCS.
- Redstone Mines and Caves Survey (2006)
- The Colorado Cave Survey worked with the United States Forest Service, Pitkin County, the State of Colorado, and the holder of unpatented mining claims to document aspects of a mine and associated natural cave passages in Pitkin County. The CCS strove to supply impartial expertise despite conflicts between stakeholders. Geothermal aspects of the site make it prime habitat for a maternity colony of threatened Townsends big-eared bats. In the end, all parties involved united to protect unique habitat for the bats. The site is now protected by bat gates to prevent disturbance of the colony and the mine portals have been stabilized against collapse.
- Red Mountain Ranch Park Gypsum Karst (2006)
- Red Mountain Ranch Park is a new acquisition by the Larimer County Parks and Open Lands (LCPOL). Gypsum karst was recognized to exist in the area of park at least as early as the 1950s, thanks to observations by Donald Davis. The Colorado Cave survey worked with LCPOL to investigate the gypsum karst. A map of Whitewater Cave was produced by cartographer Chris Andrews and provided to LCPOL.
- LaSunder Cave Management (2006)
- The Cave Survey became involved with LaSunder Cave in the mid-1980s, working with the BLM to install a gate in the entrance. After significant effort (over many, many years), an official cave management plan was recently completed (Octoer 2006). The cave is once again open for limited visitation. For more information, please visit LaSunder Cave website.
- Colorado Cave Survey Database (2005)
- The Colorado Cave Survey has begun the process of establishing a database with which to document cave survey activity in Colorado. This project is primarily intended to provide a central repository of survey information, so that cavers can determine who is working in a given cave, thus reducing the probability of re-survey and potentially alleviating unnecessary impact. The CCS Survey Database not intended to be as broad is scope as some state cave surveys: no cave location data will be collected (beyond county or region), and no sensitive information is requested. Rather, cavers who have surveyed or are presently surveying in any Colorado cave are requested to submit the following:
Cavers can offer more information as desired. Please send survey data to Stuart Marlatt at Stuart_Marlatt-at-comcast-dot-net
- Name(s) of Surveyor(s)
- Name of Cave
- County Name
- Survey Dates
- Short Description of their work - is it ongoing, what is the quality of the survey, etc.
- Colorado Cave Ownership Database (2005)
- Although the majority of the caves in Colorado are on Federal lands, there has been considerable confusion over the years regarding who exactly owns which caves. (A good example is Cave of the Clouds, which has been assumed to reside on USFS, BLM, private, or City of Glenwood Springs lands). To help rectify this situation, a Colorado Cave Ownership database is being established. If you would like to contribute to this effort, please provide the following:
Please send information to Rick Rhinehart at rrhineh1-at-ix-dot-netcom-dot-com.
- Name of Cave
- County Name
- Ownership (USFS, private, etc.)
- Documentation or explanation
- LaSunder Clean-Up (2005)
- The Glenwood Springs BLM office asked for volunteers to hike in and remove bags of cement from LaSunder Cave. These are left-overs from the gating effort several years ago. Donald Davis has been coordinating the clean-up effort:
Donald estimates that at least two more trips will be required to complete this project.
- June 9, 2005: Donald Davis, Matt Simpson, Jeff Welch, Steve Labowskie, Curtis Pattillo, Joel Tracy, Charles Zelenka.
- July 16, 2005:trip by Donald Davis, Ed LaRock, Eric Wilson, Matt Crass, Dennis Hoburg, John Creager.
- Fly and Marble Caves (2005)
- Fly and Marble Caves had been open to public access until a change in ownership in 1999 resulted in the caves being closed for several years. Recently, however, efforts by the Cave Survey (spearheaded by Rick Rhinehart) have resulted renewed access to these historic caves. For more information regarding visitation, please see the Fly and Marble Caves website.
- Cave Creek Cavern Management Plan (1998/2001)
- Cave Creek Cavern, in Pike National Forest, was discovered by mining activity and is entered via the original mine adit. The entrance to this tunnel collapsed sometime during the late 1980's and was re-openned by cavers in the early 1990's. This tunnel, however, may be in danger of being premenantly sealed as a target of the Colorado Division of Minerals and Geology, as part of their continuing program aimed at closing abandoned mines. In response to a request from the Fairplay Ranger Office, the Colorado Cave Survey submitted a proposal to stabilize the cave entrance by installation of a steel culvert and to negotiate a management plan. Since this proposal was submitted in early 1998, however, personnel changes in the Fairplay office have relegated this concern to a low-priority issue. The Cave Survey is continuing to work with the Fairplay office to ensure that the Cave will not be closed.
During a visit in early June, 2001, Fred Luizer found that the entrance had been filled with by a small collapse; a dig trip on 30 June 2001 cleared the entrance and stabilized it to some extent, but the descending passage below the entrance remains blocked at this time. (For a full report, see Rick's discussion ).
- Lime Creek Timber Harvest (1995)
- In 1995, the Sopris District Ranger Office of the United States Forest Service announced its intention to conduct a wide-ranging timber sale, encompassing a number of areas in the Eagle/Frying Pan watershed. Of particular concern were several targetted harvest areas on the eastern rim of Lime Creek. The Cave Survey worked with the Sopris Office to identify threatened caves and to establish harvest parameters which would safe-guard the cave and karst resources in this area. These safe-guards included modifications of the harvest plans (changes from local clear-cuts to selective timbering), the deliniation of buffer zones around caves and drainage regions, and rules regarding slash disposal. While the timber harvest was originally scheduled to begin in 1998, no harvest has begun to date.
- Burnt-Mountain Quarry (1992)
- In 1992, the Cave Survey worked with Sopris District Ranger Office after plans for a small gravel quarry showed the potential for adverse impacts to Corkscrew and Powerline Caves. Acting on advise from the Survey, the quarry location was moved to a point well removed from any karst features (actually completely off the limestone).
This section is under construction - I would would be grateful for any contributions which would help to document the rich history of the Colorado Cave Survey. (You can contact me here.
This website is intended to provide pertinent information regarding the Colorado Cave Survey. It is not to be a clearinghouse of cave related data. Specifically, it is the policy of the Colorado Cave Survey not to provide cave location information over the internet. This policy is designed to protect the cave enviroment, the welfare of those visiting the caves, and the relationship between the caving community and cave owners and/or land managers.Caves represent a fragile, irreplaceable environment, and the act of a single vandal may counteract the long-term efforts of the entire caving community to protect a cave. The cave environment may also pose many dangers to the unprepared visitor; cave rescues are notoriously difficult, and even a seemingly minor accident may prove fatal in the cold, high altitude caves of Colorado. In addition, relations with land owners or land managers are often sensitive, and a single careless visitor may cause a cave to be closed to everyone. Since it is impossible to assess an individual's background, skill, or motivations over the internet, no cave locations will be provided on this site.
If you would like more information regarding Colorado caves, or caving in general, please contact the National Speleological Society or one of the Colorado grottos (links).