2026 Southwestern Region of National Speleological Society Winter Technical Meeting

The Pecos Valley Grotto welcomes all SWR members and interested cavers to the 2026
Winter Tech at the National Cave and Karst Research Institute (NCKRI) on December 5th-6th,
2026. The meeting will be in the conference room located on the first floor at NCKRI.

Below are
directions and a preliminary agenda.

Directions:
On December 5th 2026, the meeting will take place at
NCKRI, 400-1 Cascades Avenue, Carlsbad, NM 88220 (See map on
the right). If you are coming in from US HWY 285, turn east onto
Church St for ~ 0.5 miles, then turn right onto Park Dr for ~ 0.2
miles, then turn right onto Cascades Ave (NCKRI is the first building
on the right as you pull in to park). If you are coming in from US-180
W/US-62 W/E Greene St, pass the bridge, and turn right onto Park
drive for ~0.5 miles, then left onto Cascades Avenue. If you are
coming in from the south on US 62, take a slight right onto S Canyon
St for ~0.7 miles, turn right onto US-180 W/US-62 W/E Greene St
for ~0.2 miles, turn left onto Park drive for ~0.5 miles, then left onto
Cascades Avenue.

Preliminary Agenda:
The building will open at 8:00 a.m. on Saturday, December 5, for coffee, pastries, and
socializing. A donation jar will be available to help offset the cost of the coffee and pastries.
The SWR Business Meeting will begin at 9:00 a.m., with presentations starting at 10:00 a.m.
There will be a break for lunch from 12:00 p.m. to 1:00 p.m. For cavers who are interested,
sandwiches and chips will be available for $10.00 per person. Those wishing to participate must
RSVP by November 15 and must email [email protected]. Presentations
will resume after lunch and continue until 5:30 p.m. Following the conclusion of the program,
cavers are asked to clean their areas and exit the building. Due to the limited number of
restaurants in Carlsbad that can accommodate a large group, we may not be able to gather at a
single venue for dinner. Cascades Grill, located next to NCKRI, is one option available for
attendees. The Pecos Valley Grotto encourages cavers to explore Carlsbad’s restaurants, support
local businesses, and make the most of the evening.

The Pecos Valley Grotto is offering a field trip to Parks Ranch on Sunday. It should be
around a 2-hour trip, and participants should be on their way home by noon. Meet at Parks
Ranch Campground at 9:00 am on Sunday for this trip.

Places to Stay:
These cavers have opened their homes for people to stay:
● Phyllis (Contact is [email protected] ) – ~45 minutes from NCKRI. Has 1 king bed, 2 queen beds, and 2 inflatable mattresses.
● Shiloh (Contact is 970-231-9080, text message preferred) – space for 3-4 people (dry camping, must bring sleeping bag/pillow)

**Link for camping. It’s across the road from Parks Ranch, but has the added benefit of a vault toilet and a good road.
https://www.blm.gov/visit/sunset-reef-campground

For those interested in a motel/hotel, here are a few options (check the internet for more):
● Stevens Inn, 1829 S Canal St, Carlsbad, NM 88220, (575) 887-2851
● Comfort Suites Carlsbad, 2600 W Pierce St, Carlsbad, NM 88220, (575) 725-2134
● La Quinta, 4020 National Parks Hwy, Carlsbad, NM 88220, (575) 236-1010
● AirBNB, cavers can all pitch in and rent a house.