SEKI Caves

[maverick]

SEKI NP:

By some accounts Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks could have been set aside solely to protect the amazing caves found in this area of the Southern Sierra Nevada. The two parks protect half of the caves more than a mile long in California, the longest cave in the state, numerous karst streams, and some of the best alpine karst topography in the United States. The caves contain Pleistocene era fossils, rare minerals, and unique animals. They are the sites of numerous scientific research projects and provide recreational opportunities to thousands of park visitors each year.

These parks contain at least 275 caves. This number continues to rise as more caves are discovered. Caves are found primarily in the western one-third of the parks in narrow bands of marble. Caves form where streams on the surface are diverted underground, and the mildly acidic waters can dissolve soluble rocks like limestone, eventually forming caverns.

Park caves occur at a variety of elevations, from 1,640 feet to more than 9,800 feet. As a result, cave temperatures range from just above freezing to over 60ᵒF. Cave conditions vary across this elevation range. The parks' lowest cave is amidst oaks and grasses, and its passages are warm, dry, and dusty. In contrast, some alpine caves have floors or walls of transparent ice.

https://www.nps.gov/seki/learn/nature/cave.htm

[The Other Tom]

Thanks Mav
I've always wondered about visiting the caves. Here's some more info:
"In general, caves in the two parks are managed by category. Some caves can be visited by anyone at any time. Other caves, with rare and sensitive animals or mineralogical features may be closed to entry. A few caves are set aside for research and study. Some others that are delicate or dangerous require the presence of an experienced trip leader known as a "Trustee" before access is allowed. Six park caves are gated, meaning that the entrances contain locked gates of metal bars that protect the cave from uninformed trespassers or which protect any trespassers from dangers in the cave. Most of the caves are small and found in isolated sections of the parks, far from any roads."
https://www.nps.gov/seki/learn/nature/managecaves.htm

And:
"Crystal Cave is an excellent example of a marble cavern. A half-mile loop trail leads through the cave, and there's also a steep half-mile walk to and from the cave parking area to the entrance. Because of fragile formations, the only way to visit the cave is on a guided tour. Tours are suitable for all ages. If you decide to see the cave, plan on spending about half a day traveling to the cave, walking to the entrance, and taking the 45-minute tour."
https://www.nps.gov/seki/planyourvisit/crystal-cave.htm

[cgundersen]

Hi Mav,
Well, there's vertigo, and most of the contributors to HST must manage that pretty well. Then, there's claustrophobia which for me seems to have gotten worse with time. But, if you were to tell me that the treasure of the Sierra Madre was buried deep in some remote cave, I just might get over it. And, with some of the cool minerals substituting for gold, hmmm, a definite maybe? Thanks for the link. Cameron

[maverick]

Then, there's claustrophobia which for me seems to have gotten worse with time.

The darkness and being in a cave wouldn't bother me, but crawling thru a section, where one cannot completely inhale because it is so tight, for even a few yards, would not be very appealing to me, minerals or not.

[gary c.]

Took the tour of the Boyden cave in Kings a couple years ago. The whole family enjoyed it.

[SSSdave]

Thanks for the link maverick. Have never been in any Sierra limestone caves as an adult but as a kid, a neighborhood friend's geologist dad took us into a small obscure limestone cave near Placerville that was quite an experience. Recall the absolute blackness inside as amazing and how narrow areas one needed to squeeze through were rather scary making one wonder about getting stuck. I have visited a couple large commercial tour limestone caves in Texas that are an easy pleasant experience because such caves are well illuminated with lighting. Now that I'm retired with lots of time, expect to visit both Crystal and Boyden.

[dave54]

I have always enjoyed caving.

At this end of the state we have an abundance of lava tubes, thousands, with more discovered all the time. Most are small and relatively uninteresting, but a few are real gems with cave art and animal bones. Only a fraction are shown on even the most detailed maps.

[limpingcrab]

They still say 275 although the number passed 300 a while ago. Still more to find for anyone that likes bush whacking, poison oak and avoiding marijuana growers!

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Painful Passage and Dragon Cave. Two of the less spectacular but more more recent finds. I smashed a certain part of my anatomy getting into painful passage and dragon cave had a big rock by the entrance that looked like a dragon face.

Too bad the new hydrologist who is also technically the cave specialist for the park doesn't have an interest in caves. The former cave specialist did great work and was super friendly. The new guy seems nice too but I'm not even sure he recorded these two caves in the database.

[sparky]

Hard to imagine a hydrologist not interested in caves!