By Lambe Lamis 
I could create many stories about Pettyjohn Cave, nevertheless I would like to demonstrate right here why this wonderful cave is my favored. For a Horizontal caver like myself, Pettyjohn has a lot to supply. Fantastic climbs, difficult passages, waterfalls, formations, intriguing passages, excessive tough to achieve sites most of which I have not noticed, choices for new discoveries and superior mud.
Fantastic Climbs
For some wanting for climbing difficulties, the entrance area has lots to present. This prolonged area about 500 feet long and averaging 50 ft large and 30 ft higher ceilings, has two effortless climbs just to attain the again. In the vicinity of the entrance there is a superior climb up into an higher formation area that connects to the principal entrance place at the ceiling amount. Most guests rush go this place to get to the back of the room or to head off to the key waterfall.
To arrive at the stream ranges there are complicated climbs if you prevent the ropes remaining there by prior cavers. Some of these ropes have been in location for a very long time and should really not be applied. A single specifically complicated climb is obtaining up into the Racoon Home, this large place in the mid stage of the cave gives access to most of the middle ranges of the cave. Pettyjohn Cave is divided up into a few concentrations, the entrance space which is substantial and mostly dry, the middle amounts which are dry passages producing up about 1/3 of the regarded cave and achieving below the mountain to the north. A tough climb from this northern part is up into the Echo Space, the greatest home in the cave. A 100 by 200 foot place with higher ceilings. And the decreased stream passages which make up the largest parts of the cave.
The waterfall climb sales opportunities to a second waterfall that is significantly easer to climb and an up stream passage termed Schreiber’s Extension that is but to be totally explored.
Tough Passages
From the primary entrance space there are several techniques to go further into the cave and at the commence of each of these passages you will have a problem. The Pancake squeeze on the way to the waterfall, some limited squeezes or really hard climbs, relying on which route you opt for, to get to the Volcano Home. Each and every route from the Most important area is like a cave of its very own. If you like maze’s try The Labyrinth in the southeast decrease stage of Pettyjohn. If you are seeking for real experience, take a look at the extraordinary northwest area identified as The Outer Boundaries. And for a excellent technical climb, take a look at the rooms above the Double Echo Domes.
Waterfalls
If you like underground waterfalls, you will like Pettyjohn Cave. There are two great measurement waterfalls on the way to Schreiber’s Extension. A loud waterfall about 4 toes significant just past the Chute and on the way to the Outer Limits. And a further one that you have to climb around to enter the Labyrinth.
Formations
Formations are scattered through the cave. The Entrance Area consists of the major in the cave. The Signature Area and the passage to it are properly value looking at for the formations. And there is a lovely development home just before you get to the Volcano Area. Other wonderful formations will surprise you alongside the routes to the quite a few sections of the cave.
Intriguing Passages
The Worm Tube is a extensive 150 ft crawl that is really restricted and prospects to the Echo Home and beyond. The Z-Bends is an attention-grabbing alternative to the Pancake Squeeze when heading to the waterfall or the Racoon Space. There is a down sloping squeeze that is a serious challenge to climb again up when you pay a visit to the East Stream passage and Crowell Domes. The modest gap top from the Bridge Home to the Mason-Dixon Passage is neat. And the stream canyon passage on the way to the waterfall is exciting.
Excessive Destinations
The severe destinations are for the tricky core cavers that like fourteen hour trips and want to be pushed to their restrictions. Pettyjohn Cave offers four this sort of parts. The Labyrinth, which I have only frequented the commence of.
The Discovery Area previously mentioned the Emerald Pool that you have to use the old present rope or do a difficult technological climb. An extension pole was initially utilised to arrive at this space. And I realize that there is much to be identified beyond the Emerald Pool.
The Outer Limits which I am not even absolutely sure at what degree you reach. I have explored the stream passage to tight muddy squeezes that lastly turned me back and higher dry passages that could also be the way. These had been ten hour trips and I continue to experienced not located the Outer Limits. I meet up with Richard Schreiber as soon as when I was leaving the cave and he was fired up about having again less than the mountain and I feel that he was referring to the Outer Boundaries. I have a copy of most of his survey notes but I believe that I am lacking a person that describes how to get there.
Schreiber’s Extension is a extensive stream passage with lots of sales opportunities and destinations to climb up into together the way. The close is a minimal stream passage which has been dug out and pushed to a second small home blocked by an additional small stream crawl. This passage continues all around the edge of the mountain and can take in h2o from alongside the mountain aspect. The cave is nevertheless lower than the valley but underneath the edge of the mountain.
Possibilities for New Discoveries
The most promising location that I come to feel could be formulated is to the East. There are a lot of sink holes along the mountain east of the entrance and Crowell Domes is the most japanese part of the cave with the exception of the Labyrinth and Screech Owl Cave. There is a achievable guide from the Echo Home that I would like to push some working day, but it would need some rock removal. There is also a large sink on the leading of the mountain east of Pettyjohn that the h2o has I believe been traced to the sump down below the Entrance Area in Pettyjohn. Pettyjohn delivers drainage for most of this facet of Pigeon Mountain until finally you get to Ellison Cave which drains the north close of the mountain. Recent discoveries have been made in Schreiber’s Extension, Discovery Home, and the Anamatosis Home. I have 36,117 toes of stage survey plotted, practically seven miles (6.935 Miles) and a total survey size of 7.127 Miles.
Great Mud
Pettyjohn Cave is recognised for its mud. There are some sites that you will unfastened your footwear in the sticky things. Crawl means that you just slide by in the mud with two slots for your knees from all the website traffic. I have seen the reduced stage flood with the drinking water backing up from the stream canyon passage which is narrow and can prohibit the h2o movement. Often look at out the weather forecast prior to heading to the major waterfall. You can read about cavers obtaining lost in the waterfall area for times and investigate pieces of the cave by clicking on pics inside of the cave by visiting my website web page. I also have other one-way links to tales about Pettyjohn on the main page.