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An Introduction to Caving for the Novice Caver

MIT Caving Club ~ Revision 4.0: March 11, 1999

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Basic Caving Technique

People move through caves in diverse manners. No two cavers handle a given obstacle in exactly the same way. For this reason, it is impossible to give an "optimum" set of suggestions as to how to cave. Often, when cavers are standing around watching others take on an obstacle, the comment is heard, ``You can't argue with success.'' Let experience be your guide. As you progress to more difficult caves, you will begin to know what your limits are and come to have confidence in your abilities within your limits. Confidence is important for safety, but like so many other things it is a matter of degree; gross overconfidence is deadly, so don't get cocky.

There are a few general rules which a novice caver should follow, however. Some can be safely bent or broken depending upon circumstance, but there is one rule which you must always follow: THINK.

• Proceed cautiously when you are in an exposed position. (The term "exposed position", or "exposure":, is used by cavers to mean how great the potential for falling is.) Many caves are known as "vertical", i.e. they have lethally deep drops around which must be negotiated with special equipment and technique. However, even beginner's caves can have exposure in them, so watch yourself.

• When climbing on rock, move only one limb at a time. It is sometimes possible, if both your feet are secure, to move both your arms, and vice versa. Look at your next move and think about it before you do it.

• Don't jump in a cave.

• Much climbing is done "in opposition", i.e. you are in a relatively small spot and you are pushing in opposite directions against the rock. This opposing pressure can keep you from slipping off something which would otherwise be impossible to simply stand on or grip.

• Often you can take advantage of friction as a hold. Cavers will wedge portions of their bodies into small spots to provide a hold. For example, if a crevasse is the same width as your shoulders, it is easy to "expand" your shoulders to the point where you simply cannot fall. This is also an example of "opposition".

• When freely standing on a sloping surface, it is best to stand straight up. This gives maximum friction. The more parallel you are to the surface, the more pressure there is which would make your feet slip, and the less friction there is. Moral: stand up.

• It is generally easier to climb up than down, so be more careful when going down.

• Be ready to assist your friends at all times. This can make things a lot safer and easier. It is often helpful to point your light at handholds and footholds so that the climber can see them better. You can offer advice, but if the climber tells you to shut up, then do so.

• Be careful not to aim your light at other people's eyes. This can cause an afterimage which can last for several minutes in the darkness of a cave.

• Crawls are always a pain. How you get through them depends upon their shape, orientation, and size relative to you. There are belly crawls, hands-and-knees crawls, stoopways, and things in between. Duckwalking is often possible. Use it when you can as it is faster than hands-and-knees. Low, wide, and dry crawls can often be done quickly by rolling yourself along much as one would roll a log.

• Whenever you are in any kind of low place, look at the ceiling to make sure there aren't any bats or fragile rock formations there which you might accidentally crush. Be quiet around bats to minimize disturbing them.

• Pinches are always a problem. There are a few things you can do to help, though. Always try to go through by yourself. Should you get stuck, it will still be possible for your friends to get you out. Exhaling before pushing is very helpful. Make sure all of your clothing is tucked in and secure. Don't wear belts with large buckles. Remove things from your pockets. Shed some layers of clothing. Look at the pinch and try to go through in a manner that will not force you to bend in impossible directions. Try to remove any pebbles from the floor of a pinch; they can be very painful if you don't get rid of them. Widening a pinch is possible if the floor is mud.

• Stay out of the water as much as possible. If you are walking in a stream, step cautiously, as there are "potholes" in many caves. Falling into one of them can result in a dunking which may very well put an end to a caving trip.

While techniques and cautions listed above are applicable to any type of caving, they are specifically aimed at "horizontal caves". A Beginner's Cave is a horizontal cave which lacks other problems such as a high flooding potential or tricky obstacles.

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