Caving Calendars: Multi-Org. NSS Ongoing Region Projects
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Feb 16 (Sat): VPI Cave Club 2019 Banquet, Blacksburg, Va. Deadline is Jan 26, and details are at: https://commentblock.com/cave/index.php
Feb 21 (3rd Thu): Informal meeting at a place to be determined. Stay tuned for details.
Mar 21 (3rd Thu), 7:30p: Regular meeting at Chevy Chase Community Ctr.,
in DC, at 5601 Connecticut Ave NW.
See: Directions.
Program: T.B.A.
Post-mtg.: We may adjourn to the Chevy Chase Lounge
(1.5 blocks south, at 5510 CT-Av.), to continue the socializing!
Mar 25 (4th Mon), 7:30p: PSC meeting. See PSC Website.
Apr 26 - 28: Spring VAR 2019,
hosted by James River Grotto, at Camp Powhattan Boy Scout Camp, near Wytheville, VA.
This date is "tentative".
Watch for news of the date becoming firmed-up.
May 3-5 : PSC Spring Party & Caving Weekend, at the PSC Smokehole Fieldhouse. See all the details on this: Flyer. [PDF]
June 17-21: NSS 2019 Convention at Cookeville, Tennessee.
See the host's Website or
Facebook-Page.
July 31: Deadline for your submitted paperwork to join the Robertson Association (TRA), so you can attend OTR as a real person, rather than lowly "guest". See below, and www.otr.org for the required forms.
Aug 29 - Sept 1st (Labor Day Wkend): 70th annual OTR for 2019, Dailey, WV. See the OTR-Website and/or the OTR-2019 FBgrp.
Sep 28 - 29: Fall VAR 2019, hosted by DC and Baltimore Grottoes, at Friars Hole Cave Preserve, WV. This date is "tentative". Watch for news of the date becoming firmed-up.
July 27-31 (tentative): NSS 2020 Convention at Elkins, WV. Date is tentative. Details to follow.
Event Photos
- Nov 12, 2017 Tawneys Cave trip [shutterfly], by Elysia Mathias
- Nov 11, 2017 New River Cave trip [shutterfly], by Elysia Mathias, Nina Rao
- Mar 11, 2017 Three Sisters Cave trip [Fb], by Greg Jones
- Feb 4, 2017 Crossroads Cave trip [Fb], by 2 Daves
- Feb 27, 2016 Whitings Neck trip [Fb], by David Marcenaro DeBernardis
- Aug 16, 2014 Culverson Creek trip, by Eric Berge
- Jan 25, 2014 Donaldson Cave trip [Fb], by Keely Owens (on Facebook)
- Jan 11, 2014 Jones Quarry Cave trip, posted by Eric Berge
- Dec, 2013 Video: Battle For Bats: Surviving White Nose
- Nov 30, 2013 "P"-Caves Trip, posted by Eric Berge
- Nov 2, 2013 PSC wkend, posted by Eric Berge
- Sept 28, 2013 Eric Porters cave trip, posted by Eric Berge
- Sept 27, 2013 Sinnett-Thorn Mtn., posted by Eric Berge
- July 30-31, 2011 Paxton & Porter Caves, by Doug Lake
- June 10-12, 2011 SERA Pictures and Trip Report, by Adam Lake
- May 15, 2011 Whiting's Neck group photo, by Keely Owens
- Apr 30, 2011 Poor Farm Cave (VAR weekend) by Doug Lake
- Mar 12, 2011 Paxton's Cave by John Armstrong
- Feb 12, 2011 Paxton's Cave by Doug Lake
- Dec 4, 2010 DC Grotto Banquet by Brian Freyling
- Nov 7, 2010 Great Falls vertical practice by Brian Freyling
- Jul 24, 2010 North Fork Mountain vertical trip by John Armstrong
Bat Die-off Crisis
A fungus has caused the death of huge numbers of bats, seemingly associated with White Nose Syndrome, starting in the Northeast, and having spread into PA, WV, and VA. With the possibility of human cave visitation assisting this spread, precautions include cave closures (check the VAR Closed Cave List prior to any trip), and de-contamination of all cave gear before and after visiting any open cave. For lots more information, visit any of these links:- NSS' WNS Page
- WhiteNoseSyndrome.org - North America's response to the devastating bat disease, with (as of June 25, 2012) decontamination procedures: HERE.
- Jan.2017 USFS results on "Decon" testing of vertical equipment is Here.
- (Dec.2013) video: Battle For Bats: Surviving White Nose
- US-F&WS: WNS | Caver-Info - Decontamination PDFs: Protocols w/ Supplements for: Cavers & Researchers
- Bat Conservation & Management, Inc.: WNS-Page
- Northeast Cave Conservancy: Main-Page
Trout Rock Bat Counts
Click here to see the results of the annual bat counts in Trout, Hamilton, and New Trout caves in Pendleton County, W.V.Banquet Assignments: The determination of "who-brings-what" to each year's December banquet changes each year. The methodology for making the assignments is explained: Here.
T-shirts: Although the 31-Jan-2010 deadline for ordering has passed, info about the 70-years of DC-area organized caving commemorative T-shirt is still Here.