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Completely within the caverns,
we are far below ground, and dependent upon the artificial lighting provided
by the Park Service. Numbered stations begin to mark the path, for
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Though we have already come down
quite a way, we have a long way down to go yet, as the switchbacks below
only partially indicate.
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The path straightens out a bit,
at the end of the switchbacks; but will soon be traversing another deep
grade.
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A look down a very steep grade
indeed. Jim White, and the other early explorers of the cave, were brave
men.
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The Whale's Mouth. Imagine seeing
this, by the light of a dim lantern, having climbed down into a pitch black
cave.
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A look up the most recent series
of switchbacks. It is 800 feet down, from the surface, to the main level
of the cave.
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An emergency phone, handrails,
a paved path, and artificial lighting identify this as a developed cavern.
Though these paths lead to the main level of the cavern, and to the Big Room,
we have a ways to go yet.
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The level portions continue, for
a while. The path was built up to make it level, and some of the passages
were blasted through piles of solid rubble.
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A look down, at the last series
of switchbacks, before the main level of the cavern is reached. These chambers
are huge, and seemingly unending.
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Like mushrooms growing on a fertile
hillside, stalagmites seem to grow out of the rocks of the surrounding grades.
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A vertical shot of this large
chamber, giving an idea of it's immense proportions. The "small" formations,
stalagmites to the right of the photo, are twenty to twenty five feet tall.
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A look at the stalagmites, including
the Witches Finger. This is a wet, and dynamic cave, with structures
being actively built, or "live" as geologists say. The cave walls are highly
textured, and the ceilings and floors of the various cambers are well populated
with stalactites, and stalagmites.
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A look back up the trail. We are
still heading down. Visible towards the top are the stalagmites shown in
the photo above.
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The path winds it's way around
formations, ledges, and the natural curves of the chambers. It is, for the
moment, not descending.
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A single, green column seems to
support an entire ceiling full of stalactites. The colors here are real,
which is sometimes hard to believe. The park uses no colored lights.
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More stalactites, as well as cave
draperies, are visible looking down the path. We are, once again,
descending.
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A look up at a fissure, and a
dense collection of stalactites of various colors. The wall below the fissure,
is textured with what is called cave popcorn.
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The cavern chambers extend way
past the paths. Off past the electric lighting can be seen the gloom of underground
chambers where no path goes.
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The relatively flat ceiling shows
stalactites growing in lines, to mark the fissures through which water seeps
into the caverns.
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We are now, essentially, at the main
level of the cavern, though we are not yet on the main path. Backlit maps
guide the visitor.
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A look back, shows that the path is
only for travel down to the main level. The park does not wish to worry
about visitors having heart attacks attempting to climb the 800 or so feet
back up.
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This sign tells us that we are now
back in the big room, the main level to which the elevators transport most
visitors.
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