After a rest at the Midnight Junction Camp, the team decided to check out the "end" of Red Velvet Passage, which was previously surveyed to a tight constriction. After making their way following a careful path through the delicate formations, the refreshed team was able to continue the previous survey with the survey stations going from station MS43 to MS101. The apparent lack of flowstone on the floor of the inner Red Velvet Passage suggests that the ceiling of the MS survey may be "less leaky" than inner SRS and MX surveyed passages. However, the abundance of cobbles in all three galleries surveyed on this trip suggests intermittent breachings to surface streams in the proto-Little Creek basin (all of this prior to the Snowy River calcite).

Finding a way after carefully checking the end of a previous survey, Derek is sketching near MS41

The Red Velvet passage opened up after the constriction and the team decided to take more time to continue the survey at 9:00 PM on July 2, 2022.

Sketching near station MS42

The survey continued through this low point near MS43.

Passage near MS45.

Adam sets the next station at MS48

Near MS 47

Near MS51, the team is starting to see more large stream cobbles, perhaps indicating an ancient crack leading to the surface.

Sketching a low passage near MS55

A flowstone cascade near MS55.

More cobbles along a sinuous passage near MS55.

Another flowstone cascade past MS55

Rene ducks through a low place with continuing cobbles.

Adam checks out an even lower crawl near MS62.

At MS64 the team found this interesting sediment layer that shows different layers of cobbles, sand and clay.

Adam sets the next station, MS65.

Rene and Derek sketching near MS65

Signs of surface fill at MS65 led to the discovery of something totally unexpected!

Staring down at the cavers was an animal skull, well protected from footsteps below. The skull was obviously embedded in the fill from high above and no other bones were apparent.

Cavers are trained to take photos of bones found in caves, as often they may be over 10,000 years old, possibly of now extinct animals.

The UTEP PLEISTOCENE VERTEBRATES OF SOUTHWESTERN USA AND NORTHWESTERN MEXICO is available on the web. Similar NM bones are described from Dry Cave and McKittrick Cave which is west of Carlsbad, NM.

Dr. Harris stated "Once carefully cleaned, an actual measurement of the orbit would be good. From the look of the orbit, it appears to be artiodactyl or horse."

The 5 inch surveying ruler shows the size of the visible part of the skull, and the team began to imagine what sort of animal it could be.

A tentative identification of the skull from these photos was made by paleontologist Dr. Art Harris.

Continuing down the passage there were more signs of surface fill that appeared to fill the lower passage by 75% or more before the sediment was washed away by water flow.

Although no other bones were visible as the survey team continued down the passage, the cavers agreed this would be a good paleo site if it wasn't 11 miles back in the cave.

Derek is sketching in a "chimney" position in the tall fissure near MS76.

Walking again, Adam looks for the next station past MS77.

Derek catches up on his sketch in the narrow passage.

Finally a seat is found on a ledge.

Near MS92, the passage shape is changing and there are old mud cracks in the floor indicating past water flows. The mud itself indicates slower flow toward the end of the sedimentation. Mud cracks indicate subsequent drying.

Just past survey station MS101 the passage narrowed and the team returned to Midnight Junction Camp at 1:07 AM on July 3, 2022.

After a few hours of rest at Midnight Junction camp, the team is wide awake after their morning coffee and doughnut and prepare to head out of the cave by 10:45 AM. L-R is Adam Weaver, Rene Ohms, Derek Wolfe and Garrett Jorgensen.