Greenhouse Vacation

The Left Hand Tunnel

2005-10-11T00:39:00.000-04:00

The Beginning

A Closer Look

Fossils from an Ancient Sea

The True Cave Experience

Lighting Up

Lantern Light © 2005 Greenhouse Scribes

Monday, October 10th

2005-10-10T19:48:00.000-04:00

The Caverns at Last!

Photos of the Big Room can't possibly do it justice. But our attempts are below.

After touring the Big Room, we had a very hasty lunch at the Visitors Center and headed for...

The Lower Cave

After we donned our hard hats with battery powered lights, our guide, Erin, gave instructions on the importance of relaying information that she would provide back to the next person in line. She said she would be checking to be sure the information was making it to the end of the line. We then waited for the elevator to take us down to the cave.

The Lower Cave Tour began with "just holding on to a rope for balance on a slippery area." That was the original description of the rope when I called the Cavern the inquire. It is actually rappelling down a 45 degree angle slippery slope. Once down, you have to maneuver through some awkward steps to reach the ladders.

There are three ladders, the first is 4 feet, then 12 feet and the last is 20 feet. Going down you have to call out your progress. "On ladder one. Off ladder one. On ladder two, off ladder two," etc. Erin asked anyone with a fear of heights to go first.

Once down the ladders we were introduced to the ORANGE TAPE and the STRIPED TAPE. The path you can walk has orange tape on either side. But sometimes there is striped tape in the middle of the path. You can't step inside the striped tape because you will destroy a budding stalagmite. They take thousands of years to form and you can crush 100 years of growth in one little step. There were also places where the striped tape indicated danger. It was used for a combination of safety and preservation.

After we traversed the long obstacle course, we were treated to a trip through the most beautiful passage of white calcified popcorn. There were droplets everywhere and you could see it sparkle. I actually watched a drop fall.

We were then given a choice of walking through another passage or crawling through a 20 foot tunnel to the next room. The tunnel was not difficult at all, though there was a fork -- the wrong way would lead to a dead end. The small room at the end of the tunnel was a perfect place to stop for a Halloween ghost story -- just before turning all our lights out for the true cave experience.

The next passage was a backbreaker -- you have to bend over most of the way through. At the end is a large room and when you finally straighten up, you will soon see Boles Formation. They are stalagmites that have fused with the ceiling -- but they are cracked.

Around another curve are the soda straws. My first view included a thick white stalagmite that appeared to be directly beneath them. The thousands of thin stalactites (soda straws), made it look just like a shiny white crystal tree.

We saw the calcified bat and a demonstration of the phosphoresce in the cave.

Then there was the popcorn pool where drops splattered the minerals, forming tiny balls.

There is a long crack along the bottom of one side of the chamber. It is so ancient that it has stalactites forming under it. It is actually the ceiling of a cave that is even lower than Lower Cave. I guess that one would be "Lowest" Cave? There is a huge chunk of the ceiling of Lower Cave that fell so hard it fused with the ground. What caused all this? Earthquake? Did the fall from the ceiling cause the crack in the floor? Or vice versa?

You can't miss the Texas Toothpick, but in all honesty it wasn't as impressive as expected. The other unusual formations were what made the tour worthwhile.

Erin talked about the lost cave, Lechuguilla, rediscovered in 1986, and its 12,000 new micro-organisms. Each pool in Lechuguilla is a self contained ecosystem. One of those micro-organisms produces an enzyme that kills breast cancer cells, leaving the healthy tissue unharmed..

I've probably missed something, but these are the things that left an impression.

Then we had to return. Over rocks, rubble, around pools, through more passages until we were back at the obstacle course again.

And the ladders! It has been three strenuous hours and what came down must go back up. The ladders were not a problem. I was ready for that. The maneuver up through the ladder entrance was tricky. Then came the slippery slope!

I couldn't rappel up it. My right knee gave out every time I reached the "second" step. Finally, with help from behind and above, I literally crawled out. Kissed the first good stalagmite I reached, then pulled up, over and out -- I was never so happy to be done! Glad we did it -- but sore and bruised all over.

I have a whole new perspective about slippery slopes -- I'll never hear those words again without thinking of the Lower Cave tour. The tour is not for anyone who isn't in really good physical condition.

We turned in our helmets and returned to find Joe and Voncile waiting to go see...

The Bat Flight

The amphitheatre for the bat flight is down the hill from the Visitors Center. The thought of walking back uphill afterwards wasn't very appealing.

There is supposed to be a brief lecture before the bat flight -- but the bats didn't cooperate. They had a schedule of their own and began leaving the cave long before the Ranger arrived (he was on time).

There were not as many bats as I expected. They didn't darken the sky. Possibly due to the cooling weather. And then there was the long walk back uphill to the parking lot. OUCH!

The Rainbow

In the parking lot we were treated to the most beautiful rainbow I have ever seen. As we headed back to White's City, it became a double rainbow and even more brilliant with every turn. A perfect end to a long anticipated adventure.

More information on Lechuguilla can be found at:

Wikipedia-Lechuguilla Cave

Microbially Influenced Corrosion in Lechuguilla and Spider Caves

Lechuguilla Restoration: Techniques Learned in the Southwest Focus on Microbial Preservation

Life Below the Surface

Scientists use Lechuguilla cave to test theories of life on Mars

The Big Room at Carlsbad Caverns

2005-10-10T19:45:00.000-04:00

Voncile and Joe admire the view

Rosy in the Big Room

Hall of Giants

These three massive speleothems are the largest in the cave.

These giantst began as small deposits on the cavern floor. Gradual accumulation of calcite from dripping water caused them to grow in height and girth.

Giant Dome was once a stalagmite like the Twin Domes. having grown high enough to touch the ceiling, it has become a "column."

Hall of Giants

Fairyland

Popcorn covered stalagmites

Fairyland

Closeup of Popcorn Stalagmites

Every Curve Brings a New Wonder!

2005-10-10T19:44:00.000-04:00

Rosy, Voncile and Joe stop at a Cavern Pool

Another Giant

Breast of Venus

Cave Man?

Cavern Pool

Stalactites and thin Stalagmite

Top of the Cross

This end of the Big Room takes the shape of a huge cross.

We are standing at the tip of the cross looking toward its base. Lower Cave and Bottomless Pit lie at opposite ends of the crossbeam.

There are large fractures, or "joints," that form a cross in the ceiling overhead. Disolving of limestone by adidic solution along these joints determined the shape of the room

Stadium Seating

White Stalactites and Stalagmites

History

2005-10-10T19:43:00.000-04:00

A VISIT TO CARLSBAD CAVERN

Recent Explorations of a Limestone Cave in the Guadalupe Mountains of New Mexico Reveal a Natural Wonder of the First Magnitude

By Willis T. Lee

Now comes the announcement of a remarkable cavern among the eastern foothills of the Guadalupe Mountain, in southeastern New Mexico -- the Carlsbad Cavern, so named for the little town almost thirty miles to the northwest.

The less scenic part has been know locally for many years as a bat cave and a source of guano. Recently explorers traversed several miles of its halls and chanbers, and some parts of it were found to have such startling magnificence that, on October 23, 1923, by proclamation of President Coolidge, it was set aside as the Carlsbad National Monument.

January, 1924 issue of the National Geographic Magazine

1924 Photo

This 50 foot high balcony named the "Jumping Off Place," overlooks the Southern entance to Lower Cave. Lower Cave is an undeveloped section of Carlsbad Caverns consisting of more than one mile of surveyed passages. Lower Cave and other undeveloped passages are being preserved in their natural state for scientific study. New passages and rooms are still being discovered.

Looking Down at the Wire Ladder into Lower Cave

The wire ladder below was installed in 1924 during a six-minth exploration and survey sponsored by the National Geographic Society. Built by Jim White, a cave guide, the ladder descends 90 feet into Lower Cave. Explorers felt uneasy dangling in this dark pit on the swaying ladder.

Its value established by explorers and scientists, Carlsbad Cavern became a National Park in 1930.

The Wire Ladder

We are going down there later today!

Leaving the Big Room

2005-10-10T19:41:00.000-04:00

The Big Room

It is absolutely beautiful! And so MUCH bigger than imagined!

The Lower Cave

2005-10-10T19:34:00.000-04:00

Waiting to descend into Lower Cave

Rosy coming down the ladder

Striped tape and orange tape

Perspective

Cracked

The Texas Toothpick

Fallen Ceiling of Lower Cave

Bat Flight!

2005-10-10T19:33:00.000-04:00

7:25 PM

7:18 PM

7:05 PM

7:16 PM

The Rainbow

2005-10-10T19:32:00.000-04:00

As we left ...

We were greeted by...

The Most Spectacular Rainbow...

That doubled at the curve...

As it followed us home!

Sunday, October 9th

2005-10-09T20:35:00.000-04:00

After a delicious breakfast by Stevie (who said she didn't cook), with Dennis assisting, we got off to our pre-planned "late" start.

We opted to take the scenic route to Carlsbad (White's City). We stopped at White Sand's National Monument for souveniers, then drove on to Cloudcroft for a VERY late lunch. The BBQ restaurant wasn't very good, but the Ladies Restroom was a hoot. It had a picture of Annie Oakley on the wall opposite a gilt mirror. Cloudcroft was picturesque, but the poor lunch didn't make us inclined to linger.

It was a long drive -- about six hours total -- but well worth it for the views. Some of the pictures are below.

Dinner at White's City doesn't offer many choices. It's the Velvet Garter Steakhouse or the Velvet Garter Steakhouse. We almost had a long wait due to a tour group, but were seated separately once the hostess knew we were not with the tour. The service was still slow, no bread, late water. Had to get baked potato fixings from the salad bar. Fortunately, the food there was very good. The prime rib was HUGE and cooked to perfection.

The food was just about the only good thing at White's City. Knowledgable service was definitely lacking. We were given the wrong closing time for the local store -- they told us 8:30 PM, but it was actually 8 PM. However, at 7:54 PM the clerk had closed up shop and would not open -- just gave us a blank glare.

I almost forgot the big blunder. They screwed up our rooms. The Front Desk confirmed that we had connecting rooms when we checked in. They were connecting all right -- just not with each other! Sheesh!

They solved that problem, but the tale of the trials, tribulations and triumphs of our travels continues...

Sunset at White's City, New Mexico

2005-10-09T20:33:00.000-04:00

White's City Sunset

Sunset

Brantley Dam

2005-10-09T18:41:00.000-04:00

6:41 PM Brantley Dam

An view from above

Seven Rivers Cemetery

2005-10-09T18:33:00.000-04:00

Scenic Historic Marker - Seven Rivers Cemetery

Seven Rivers was located south of Artesia near the confluence of seven branches of a stream that flowed into the Pecos River. settled in the mid-1860's, the town flourished as a trading post and refuge for participants in the Lincoln County War. The community declined until only the cemetery was left. When Brantley Dam was constructed in 1988 the cemetery itself was relocated behing Twin Oaks Memorial Park north of Artesia.

Seven Rivers Cemetery Headstone Transcriptions

Exploration for Unknown Graves

Artesia

2005-10-09T18:27:00.000-04:00

6:27 PM - Artesia

Artesia, named for the area's many artesian wells, lies on the route of the Pecos Valley cattle trails used by Charles Goodnight, Oliver Loving, and John S. Chisum. The town, established in 1903, is located in what was once part of the Chisum's vast cattle empire.

More:
John Chisum, Cattle Baron - Trail Blazer

Handbook of Texas Online: Loving, Oliver

Oliver Loving was one of the earliest Texas Cowmen

Last Loving living in Loving takes family name in stride

The Real Lonesome Dove

Oliver Loving - Old West Gravesites

2005-10-09T17:22:00.000-04:00

5:22 PM - Mountain Apples for Sale

2005-10-09T17:18:00.000-04:00

5:18 PM - The Switchback

2005-10-09T17:16:00.000-04:00

5:16 PM - Cows

2005-10-09T17:14:00.000-04:00

5:14 PM - A Copse of Trees

2005-10-09T17:12:00.000-04:00

5:12 PM - Farming Country

2005-10-09T16:57:00.000-04:00

4:57 PM

2005-10-09T16:55:00.000-04:00

Apache Battleground - 4:55 PM

In this immediate vicinity, Captain Henry W. Stanton of the U.S. Army, for whom Fort Stanton was named, lost his life in 1855 in a skirmish with the Mescalero Apaches.

More Fort Stanton History

Article from the Mayhill Mountain Times

A Very Late Lunch in Cloudcroft

2005-10-09T16:31:00.000-04:00

Texas Pit Barbeque

2005-10-09T16:30:00.000-04:00

Cloudcroft

2005-10-09T16:27:00.000-04:00

Annie Oakley

Rudolph Crossing

2005-10-09T15:36:00.000-04:00

3:36:04 PM

The Change in Light

2005-10-09T15:35:00.000-04:00

3:35:39 PM

The End of the Tunnel

2005-10-09T15:32:00.001-04:00

3:32:35 PM

The Tunnel

2005-10-09T15:32:00.000-04:00

3:32:12 PM

3:32:13 PM

3:32:21 PM

3:32:15 PM

Curve Ahead

2005-10-09T15:31:00.000-04:00

3:31 PM

Lincoln National Forest

2005-10-09T15:27:00.000-04:00

October 9, 2005

Joe is Driving

2005-10-09T13:54:00.000-04:00

Joe

The Scenic Route

2005-10-09T13:37:00.001-04:00

October 9, 2005

Through the Mountains

2005-10-09T13:37:00.000-04:00

The Scenic Route to Carlsbad

And the Bright Lights of Vegas

2005-10-07T02:34:00.000-04:00

Soon... very soon.

From the Caverns to the Canyon

2005-10-07T02:06:00.000-04:00

The Grand Canyon that is...

Photos coming soon.